Heli’s Comments (group member since Jan 23, 2015)

Heli’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

DQs Day 2: Chap 12-19

5. Shea is trying to explain the taps being turned on and the cupboards being opened by themselves through telekinesis. If you had experienced what she did, do you think you would have tried to explain things logically or do you think you would have believed it was ghosts and left it at that?
Sadly I do not believe in anything paranormal. I would have tried to be very logical in her situation.

6. After getting a cat, Shea calls on Michael to ask for advice on how to care for it, through the conversation she thinks about wanting to meet him. Do you think they will end up together or perhaps just remain as friends? Could Michael be interested as well?
I don't know about Michael, but Shea seems to like him. I'm not sure this is the kind of book that has a happy ending. I'm not keeping my fingers crossed.

7. Mr. Greer’s former secretary tells Shea Mrs. Greer wasn’t competent and that she was "sent away somewhere when she was eighteen". Do you think she was crazy or do you have any other theories?
I know nothing of the lady so far other than she was a distant parent. I'm keeping all options open.

8. While listening to the recording of Beth’s interview Shea hears a voice in the background whispering “I am still here” and poor Winston gets spooked. Did you find this scary? Do you think cats/animals have a feel for the supernatural? If it were you, would you come back to the house after hearing that?
I think cats have sharper senses than humans. I would think twice before going for a visit. On the other hand I would like to solve the mystery of the kitchen cabinet doors and the running water.

9. Finally, in order to get in the mood for more scary stuff. Have you or someone you know have any scary/ghostly experiences you might like to share?
When I was little my sisters and I used to tell each other ghost stories. None of them were real, though. I remember a teacher telling how he saw her dead mother sitting in a rocking chair when he came home from her funeral.

✿~Danielle~✿ wrote: "Heli, can you add The Beach Café to your tower shelf please?"

Done!

I would like to sign up for medium please.

I finally started reading The Book of Cold Cases. So good so far.
I've been following the maze, but my books never fit any of the tasks. They have some speedy readers there.

DQs Day 1: Chap 1-11

1. Have you read the The Sun Down Motel by this author? If so, does it change your expectation for this book? Either way, what are your expectations for this book?
I've not read any books by this author. I've heard good things,though and expect a suspenseful and chilling story.

2. The MC writes about cold cases and is in her late 20s and divorced. I have read quite a few horror/thriller/mystery books recently where the MC is a recently divorced, usually a bit older, woman. Have you experienced this as well? Why do you think authors might make this choice? Why do you think the choice was made for this book?
In fact the MC in my latest thriller was a happily married woman. I guess it's a good ground to build on when the MC is divorced and looking for a change and something new.

3. This section includes the start of the interview. Did it go the way you expected? Any one comment really stick out to you?
I was surprised how open Shea was with her past. Beth was more mysterious. I actually wondered why she would want Shea to come to her home for an interview. I've not yet figured out her reasons. Give me time ;-)

4. What do you think about the ghostly occurrences in this section? How do they add to the story (or maybe detract)?
They add a really nice twist to the story. I'm dying to know the explanation.

Cat wrote: "We have a bonus Mod takeover, inspired by Eurovision!

The Master and Margarita
starts on 8 Jun"

I have the two other BOM's on hold. I hope they come through in time. I've already read The Master and Margarita and don't fancy a reread.

DQ: 18 May - Sugi and Chikako's Hotel for Pets & Between Friends


9) Considering Satoru seems to be quite perceptive overall, do you think he knew about Sugi’s less charitable feelings about him, both in the past and during this visit?
I think he might have guessed it. Sugi married Chikako after all.

10) So far, the chapters have all been combining Satoru and Nana’s journey with Satoru’s past with several other people, as well as their backgrounds. How do you feel about this interlude (chapter 3.5) focused entirely on the man and his cat? What does it add to the story?
I liked the interlude. We get to know more about Japan during the journey. And Satoru is visiting people and places that are important to him.

11) For the first time, we got a hint of what’s going on with Satoru when the dog said “he smells like he isn’t going to make it” in chapter 3, and this came up again in chapter 3.5. So it sounds like Satoru is ill… was that your prediction for question 4?
Yes it was.

12) Squabbles between cats and dogs were really present in these sections. So: Are you a cat person or a dog person or both (or neither)?
I am definitely a cat person. That's why this story is so precious to me.

✿~Danielle~✿ wrote: "There’s a BOM tab and we have your participation already linked."

I noticed that. Efficient and awe-inspiring.

DQ: 17 May - The Unsentimental Farmer


5) I really like reading the cat's thoughts. It can be quite funny. Do you think these are convincing cat thoughts?
Yes I do! I can absolutely see all these thoughts going through a cat's mind ;)

6) In this chapter we are introduced to Yoshimine, another potential owner for our cat. What do you think of him and his backstory?
Yoshimine's story is a sad one also. Parents who enjoy their work more than family. He's obviously learned to cope with it from early on and it has shaped him for what he is. He was lucky to have a loving and caring grandma and a good friend in Satoru.

7) Do you think Yoshimine would have been a good owner for Nana ?
Hmm. A good question. I think they would have gotten along.

8) Yoshimine has already a kitten called Chatran, and Satoru makes fun of him for naming his cat with such a cliché name. What is for you the most cliché cat name(s)? In french it is quite common to call a cat Chaussette (meaning sock), Mistigri or Felix (actually a cat food brand).
Tiger, Kitty and Whiskers come to mind.

DQs 16 May: Prologue - The Husband Without a Wife

1. How are you liking the way the story is written with its alternating POVs ? Is there a POV you prefer ?
I was baffled at first. I thought the whole book would be Nana's POV. But I got used to it pretty fast.

2. Through the flashbacks we get to know Satoru's personality a bit more. What do you make of him so far ? What did you think about his way of helping his friend Kosuke?
I like Satoru. He seems like a genuinely nice guy and a caring friend.

3. Talking about Kosuke, what's up with his parents ? It seemed to me that Kosuke was genuinely convinced that his father would agree to keep the cat (Hachi). What did you think about his backstory ?
It was so sad. Kosuke's father is not a very nice man and his behavior is reason form many of Kosuke's problems with his wife and also work.

4. Why do you think Satoru can't take care of Nana anymore ?
Either he is dying or he's moving out of the country.

Hi guys! I'm Heli from Finland. I mostly read mysteries and thrillers but also fantasy, sci-fi and romance.

My shelf: tt22

Two books that I've enjoyed so far this year: and .

And I really loved It was my favorite read last year. So many emotions.

I just added my last book for this round.

Shelby wrote: "Working on my big update tonight. :)

Linda - Can you please add Photographs & Phantoms to your Wheel shelf?
Also can you add Poison or Protect to the spreadsheet?

Joyce - you have a couple books..."

Done!

I managed to read one more book for this round. Added it to the spreadsheet.
I'm not really into mythology, but I'll try and find something that fits from my TBR.

DQs Day 3: Sweat Lodge Massacre - Shirts and Skins (61%)

9. What do you think about what happened to Lewis and people’s reaction to the news?
I guess people tend to be prejudiced when it's about Indians. They might think Lewis was just another one going off his marbles.

10. The section title is “Sweat Lodge Massacre.” Do you think the two other guys (Gabe and Cass) will live through this section? Do you think other bystanders or even Gabe’s daughter will be killed?
The title says it all. Either one of them is likely to be killed by the other.

11. What do you think of this section so far as compared to the first one?
I like it a little better, because now I'm more into the story. In the beginning I had no idea what was going on.

12. Where do you think the dogs went at the end of this section? Do you think there is a relation do between the elk woman and dogs or just used for the imagery?
I hope they just wondered off. But I think what happened to Harley was not accidental.

DQs Day 2: Friday - Still Tuesday 68 - 129 (42%)

5. Wow. I was not expecting this section to end that way, did you? I really thought Lewis was going to be our main protagonist for the rest of the story. Were you surprised like me or were you able to predict the bloody ending?
I was surprised. Did not see that coming.

6. Lewis was often wondering why the “elk woman” was terrorizing him and his friends in this order. What do you think? Any predictions on which friend we’ll follow next?
Maybe Cass?

7. Do you think the elk woman is real or just in the minds of our protagonists? If she is real: any ideas of who she might be?
I think she's real, but can't say who she could be.

8. At one point Lewis thinks that Shaney can’t be all bad because she doesn’t fold down the pages on books. What are your feelings on dog-earing books? How do you like to keep your place when you read?
I use bookmarks. And so should everyone else. ;-)

Discussion questions day 1

1. Just here for the points, or was this one on your radar already? Is horror a genre you usually read, or is this an opportunity for you to go outside your comfort zone?
I'm here just for the points. I do read horror sometimes, but I prefer traditional horror like Dean Koontz or Stephen King.

2. This book starts as I suspect it means to continue: Bleak, dark and with a hefty dollop of misery. Do you like it when a book starts in the middle of the action, or do you prefer a happy slice of life first before everything goes awry?
I don't mind this approach. Either way is fine by me.

3. The elk. Were you intrigued about this straight away? Did you instinctively see this as a psychological or supernatural issue?
I can't decide yet. Could be either one.

4. What do you think so far? Anything standing out that you really like or don’t like?
I'm a little baffled. I have no idea what's going on.

Bonus for audio book listeners: Do you find the narrator as boring as I do? Lol.
I think the narrator is doing a good job.

I just posted my last book for this round on the spreadsheet. I'm also working today. :-)

DQs Day 4 - Chapters 18-end

14. We get more information about what happened to the Bible-writer's group. Marco, Steen, and Petrov ended pretty horribly. Kara chooses to believe the Bible-writer and Singer somehow made it out of the Willow World, but that seems unlikely. What do you think happened to them?
I think they are still out there and stuck like the children in the school bus.

15. Kara finally figures out what's going on with the corpse-otter, literally stating "Everything snapped into place." This leads into the scene where various taxidermied animals reanimate. What did you think of this section? Scary, silly, both, or neither?
A little bit scary and a little bit humorous.

16. What did you think of Kara's decision to go back through the hole? Her final visit to the Willow World was quite climactic, bringing together a lot of the scary and/or gross bits of the book: the animals, the trees, Sturdivant, pain, THEM… Did it work for you?
Nooo. I would have stayed out of there.

17. We find out how the corpse-otter ended up at the Wonder Museum. Did you figure it out earlier, or were you surprised?
I had my suspicions about the corpse-otter carving.

18. In the end, we see Kara and Simon close off the hole. Life goes more or less back to normal. Kara reflects on her experience. What are your thoughts? To steal from the last line of the book, do you "wonder what happens next" for these characters? Please elaborate!
I think they are safe. They have experienced something that gives meaning and a new look on life.

DQs Day 2 - Chapters 8-12

5. We have horror elements now, specifically body horror, with Them and the bus and park ranger. How creepy are you finding them? I often feel let down by the reveal in horror books, especially when you wait, and the ending seems lackluster. Does this book work for you so far as horror or creepy if not full out horror?
So far this has not been creepy at all. I'm quite disappointed.

6. What do you think of the phrase "Pray they are Hungry"? Did you have an idea what it meant before being told?
I'm baffled. You would think it should be the other way around.

7. Willows, let’s talk about the willows. I think in the first section they were supposed to seem familiar. How do you think that familiarity and imagery with the willows has shifted in this section?
I don't have a good answer for this question. Sorry.

8. We aren’t told what Simon is using to not think of Them , but Kara uses petty grievances (her ex, sister-in-law, fanfiction community). Do you think this is more effective than singing, and if you feel like commenting, what do you think would personally be effective for you to not think about Them ?
I think it can be effective to think about things that distract you. I would probably sing, because that's my thing.