bamaace83 ’s Comments (group member since Dec 11, 2018)

bamaace83 ’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

I'm on the wait list for Ninth House also. I need people to get these books read!

Sounds good to me. Thanks!

Thanks, I added it as one of the mini tasks and counted it as yellow. I am starting my third book now, but it's shorter because of the black cat on the cover. I should be able to get a fourth book in as well before the deadline.

I need help with a cover please. Would y'all say this is yellow? I honestly have a hard time and usually just ignore it unless its pretty obvious but it's yellow to me. Thanks!

I'm still on the waitlist for Gideon and I'm not sure if I'll get it in time. I'm also on the waitlist on the Chestnut Man. Hopefully, I can get that one for sure.

Thanks! I think it's looking like the black cat may be happening! I've been doing so well also about working these books all together but they threw me a roadblock!

I just finished my long book. Whew! Now time to figure out books for next week.

I'll get my book finished in time also. I should have it done in the morning. It's reading pretty fast which is good because it is so long!

I didn't love Wilder Girls either but my trick to finishing it was I read it along with another book. I would read one to two chapters of Wilder Girls and then read a good chunk of another book and then back and forth. It helped me get through it. I have had a couple shorter books also because of the same reasons. We are doing great as a team so I'm sure we will be just fine.

Great job team!

Thanks! I just added it.

Are we close to going over our numbers? I just finished a book but I also don't want to put us in a penalty situation so I was going to check before I added it.

I just finished my third book that I had listed. I'm starting a different book now and will definitely have it done by tomorrow afternoon. Do we need it in our spreadsheet? It does have over 400 pages.

Thanks, I added my books for week 3 on the planning sheet. I'm all over the place, a historical romance, a thriller and a young adult book. If anyone ever really looked at my reading list they would probably seriously question my mental health ability at times!

Ohhhhhh, I think I totally missed the mini challenge was week 3. It's been a long week. Just let me take that book right off that mini challenge list. I'll see if any of books next week that I have planned have an animal in them. Thanks for doing that!

I've done three days of the discussion questions but need to do some errands before I write today's. Not really sure how to link my posts to the spreadsheet though. It's one reason I don't like my books and just place them in there. Also, I'm reading Grave Mercy and its on the week 2 list but it also had an animal so I included it on the animal spreadsheet. Was I suppose to put it in both places? I'll finish it tonight and add the finish date later when it's done.

Day 3 DQs - Hetty (Ch 9) - 13


11. After all the tension in the beginning between Hetty and Reese, and now that they only have each other without Byatt as the middleman, they admit their true feelings toward one another. I felt like we didn't get much of a buildup to it so did you feel the chemistry between them? Did you think this turn in their relationship was believable? Forced? Necessary, or something to give the reader hope?

Nope, I didn't suspect any feelings between them more than friends. The relationship felt forced to me. I think it would've been fine to leave it out of the storyline.


12. I didn't stop to consider how everyone's symptoms were so varied until Byatt started listing them for Teddy. Why do you think it reacted so differently with everyone it infected?

Everyone's body chemistry is different in real life so it didn't surprise me that it reacts differently per person in this world. I also wonder if everyone got the same version of tox or if it was different for each person.


13. We learned a lot more about Byatt which made me rethink the previous interactions she had with her friends. Did Hetty and Reese really know the real Byatt? And is Byatt reliable as a narrator knowing that she's a compulsive liar?

I think Byatt kept a lot of herself hidden from everyone. I wouldn't trust her.

14. Byatt manipulated poor Teddy into removing his mask and kissing him. Why do you think she did this? To infect him, just because she could, or because she really believed it only affected girls (though come on, Mr. Harker!)?

I think she wanted to see if it only affected girls. She was testing the theory and waiting to see the results. She's also manipulative and maybe she was thinking by having a relationship with him it would help her to find a cure of the tox.


15. When Mona told Byatt that "They'll ruin it," who do you think she was referring to and what do you think she meant by it? Mona then asks if Byatt would keep the disfigurements caused by the Tox even if there was a cure. What did you make of this? Why do you think they would want to keep them?

I didn't really pay attention to it. Looking back, I think she was referring to the other girls maybe? Oh Byatt would want the attention and would want to keep her battle wounds to have a better story to tell.

Day 2 - chapters 4 - 8

5. The Boat Shift segment was intense! The description of the changes to the island were very evocative (and reminiscent of Annihilation, as Frankie mentioned). Are you going to be able to walk in the woods the same again? How effective are you finding the fungal horrors?

I would definitely need some kind of weapon with me and a group of friends. I wouldn't walk in those woods alone that is for sure. I don't think I would be an effective hunter. I would be too worried about what was coming out to get me.


6. Welch. First, during the Boat Shift segment; Did you believe/agree with Welch at the first reading? And by the end of this section, looking back, do you still agree? Would you have done what Hetty did, and complied with the rule of silence? Then we discover Welch is communicating with someone (with a familiar voice....) about receipt, replacement and returns. By the end of this section we can guess at "receipt", but who / what is being returned?? Were you surprised by the reveal of Welch being in on "it"?

I had a feeling Welch and the headmistress were in on it because they don't have the same type of symptoms. It didn't surprise me when they revealed her talking to someone. I would follow the rules and stay silent.


7. Hetty has a big revelation about Reese "I've spent my every day since I met her telling myself the wrong thing. Telling myself over and over that she was cold, when maybe she was burning the whole time" I actually judged Hetty a lot at this point, for being so blinkered and oblivious, but I did like the adjustment she made during the conversation. How do you feel about Hetty, Reese and Byatt? Are they becoming more credible characters yet?

I'm not a really big fan of Reese. I want to know more about the characters to really base opinions on them. I think I like Hetty a little better than Byatt.


8. We have a switch in POV to Byatt. What do you think of this choice by the author?

It was good to get a different POV. It helps shape the story more. Also gives us a little more insight on the tox but not enough yet.

9. The Byatt segment shows medical stuff happening. What do you make of that? Are they curing or creating?

Oh those people are up to something bad! I think they are using the girls for an experiment but not sure why. I don't think they want to help the girls but just perfect their experiments.


10. "Just before a flare-up, there's a moment. Hard to describe, hard to pin down, but for me it almost makes it worth it. The pain and the loss, all of it a fair price for this. This strength, this power, this eagerness to bare my teeth>" What do you think this quote means? Does it hint at reasons for the Tox? At future developments in the story line?

I've finished the book already so probably should've answered these as I read along. I will say that I so want this quote to mean something insightful.

DQ’s Day One: Chapters 1-3

1. It’s interesting to see the dynamic between the main girls (Hetty, Byatt, Reese). They can fist fight over food one minute, but still be best friends the next. Reminds me of my sister & I. LOL. Have you ever had this kind of relationship with someone?

I would say that I'm very lucky to have two close thats friends that I've been friends with since we were toddlers. We weren't siblings but we totally fought like that. We would have a fight then be like okay where we going tonight? I'm glad I have those relationships to this day even after graduations, weddings, and three different states.


2. Byatt sneaks out of the room when she thinks Hetty is sleeping, then crawls up in Reese’s bunk when she returns. Where do you think she snuck off to? & what did she mean when she said to Reese, ”If you know something...”? Reese shuts down & kicks her out of her bunk. Wonder what their secret is?

I think she's up to something but I have no idea what.


3. Hetty says, “And I’ve wanted boys, and I’ve wanted girls, but I’ve never wanted anyone enough to miss them, enough to pluck them from the slideshow of my old life and bring them here.”
People have different ways of handling emotional stuff like this. Some people (like Hetty) believe thinking or talking about your loved ones or past life would only make the situation harder to deal with emotionally. Put yourself in this situation. How do you think you’d cope with missing your old life/family? Would you be like Hetty & shut down emotionally to prevent more pain? Or would you be like the other girls, laughing & sharing stories of your old life?

I would probably be somewhere in between. I would talk about my old life at times but be more closed off and reserved depending on the situation. I think I would cope appropriately but definitely need some downtime for myself.


4. Personally, I’m really enjoying the book already! I love the writing style, the world building, & the characters. I know we’re only a few chapters in, but how are you liking it so far? What aspect of the book do you like best at this point (writing, world building, characters, etc.)?

I think the world building is good. I like the visualizations that make it seem really realistic.

Oh, I will work on those today. It ended up being a crazy day!