Sully ’s Comments (group member since Mar 23, 2015)

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

Jennifer wrote: "I like Catherine Bybee’s “weekday brides” and “not quite” series, and I am not a romance reader so for me to recommend them is something."

Thank you so much, I will have to check these out!

Hi fellow bookworms! I am starting to inch my way into the genre of contemporary romance and wanted to get feedback on your favorite novels. I really haven't read it until Sophia Kinsella wrote it. Anything with a sports theme is an added bonus. =)

Thank you in advance. Happy reading!

Finished!

Oh man, I feel slightly vindicated that (view spoiler)[my gut was right! (hide spoiler)]. Granted, I never would have suspected the reasoning behind the whodunit, but I just couldn't shake the mentioning of (view spoiler)[the poisoning of the patriarch originally. That just pointed a big red flag in my mind to the doctor. But I never would have guessed as to the wife and all. That seemed like such a weak excuse (hide spoiler)]

I also agree that the reveal on (view spoiler)[Martine was just so out of no where. Why wouldn't she have told them before, especially if her son knew a member of the family? That made zero sense to me at all (hide spoiler)].

I also agree it was weird that all the guys started suddenly propositioning Lucy out of the blue all at once.

Overall, I wasn't left completely enamored with the story, but I thought it was a fun light weekend read. I thought the ending and the reasoning behind the case could have been a little stronger, but sometimes people do stupid things for little to no reasoning at all.

I'm liking it. It's still really slow, but the characters are interesting. It hasn't gripped me and made me want to stay up all night to finish it (a la Girl on the Train), but enjoying it so far.

Up to Chapter 13 (47%)

This guess comes completely out of left field and I'm not entirely sure why I think so, but right now my gut is saying that (view spoiler)[Dr. Quimper (hide spoiler)] did it.

I'm seriously starting to think Lucy and I are soulmates. This line right here: "Not the details, perhaps, but cooking satisfies my creative instincts, and there's something in me that really revels in clearing up mess." (Loc 1386). We are the same person lol.

Did either of you relate at all to any of the characters through the reading. Who was your favorite?

Up to Chapter Ten (37%)

Sorry I fell so far behind!

I'm starting to get the feeling that (view spoiler)[the issues Mr. Crackenthorpe had with his food as Christmas might play a role in this mystery, as it came up again in the previous chapter (hide spoiler)]. I will also say that after the last chapter, I have to admit that perhaps Mr. Crackenthorpe is a little cuckoo for Coco Puffs with all his conspiracy theories.

Up to Chapter Nine (32%)

I think it's one thing to be an art collector and another to have a sarcophagus in your barn lol (but yes, either way I did think it was highly convenient).

I loved this line poking fun at my main man Mr. Crackenthorpe (I can understand why you would expect him as the suspect, he does fit the cliche to a tee): "Most exciting thing that's happened to him for fifteen years or so - and it won't cost him anything!" (Loc 819) It is probably pretty sad how well I relate to this character hahaha.

I also found truth in this line: "Sitting at a desk getting tangled up in figures." (Loc 1077) While I could never imagine being a pilot (my eyesight is so poor it was never a career option to even consider), I understand Bryan perfectly. Sometimes I sit at my desk pushing papers during the week and wonder if that's all there is to the world. If I should be out there trying to scheme up something more fulfilling (like Lucy's job!)

So far the plot is still dragging, though we did just introduce a buttload of new characters in the last segment I read. Curious to see what Emma knows. Very suspicious indeed.

Up to Chapter Six (22%)

Why would anyone has a (view spoiler)[sarcophagus (hide spoiler)] in their barn?!?! My mind will not get past that little tidbit at the end of the last chapter lol.

I agree with Amy. It felt a little like there were a lot of name drops with a hint or two of characteristics or incidents (especially with the Christmas presents) that I feel like I probably ought to know by reading the other novels in the series, but which meant nothing to me as a Miss Marple rookie.

I LOVE Lucy's job. Is that something people actually do for a living? If so, I may need to look into a career change for an early midlife crisis =)

It feels strange to admit, but Mr. Crackenthorpe resonates with me a bit. This line in particular: "Nothing but pavements and miserable little band boxes of houses." (Loc 571). I remember when we were home shopping, I had a staunch "No Cookie Cutter home" policy. My hubby didn't understand my insistence, but it was a deal breaker. Instead, we got a quaint little home with over an acre of land. Not quite up to Mr. Crackenthorpe's homestead, but I can appreciate the sentiment. I'm also a massive penny pincher as he is, and I long for the days when I can be old and cantankerous and it will be almost socially acceptable.

That's the one I read too! =)

Up to Chapter Four (11%)

Right off the bat, I felt a connection to Mrs. McGillicuddy. McGillicuddy is a name my dad and I used to throw around when I was growing up (I can't think of an exact example, but man did the name bring a smile to my face).

So far, the plot has been a little slow. The only main action so far was Mrs. McGillicuddy's witness of the murder, and even that was short lived without much detail (as happens in real life). I have, however, enjoyed the world building and the introduction of characters (though we haven't gotten much characterization yet). In the last chapter, I felt like I was riding the train with Miss Marple.

Quick side tangent: am I the only one who hasn't read any of the other Miss Marple series yet? I have read another Christie novel way back when, but none of this series.

Though the pacing is slow, I've enjoyed the story so far. I have a fascination with trains (I'd love to take the train from San Francisco to New York one day), so just the atmosphere alone has been entertaining. What do y'all think so far?

As for who-dun-it, no cotton picking idea yet =)

Gavin wrote: "Great!
How's Jan. 3?

Sounds great! Looking forward to it :)

Gavin wrote: "
Anyone wanna read 4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie anytime soon?
Would be fun to try solving the mystery with others."

Would love to join you for this one! My library had a digital copy available so I can start whenever =)

Up to Part Four

I'm still having a hard time getting into the plot even though I'm about 50% done now. I think my fundamental problem is that the pacing is too slow. Like Karen mentioned above, it doesn't have the "wow" factor or the progressive pacing to move the story along. I would say the majority of the novel so far has been spent on backstory and character development. While I hate a story with no development, there's a thing to be said about too much development as well. So far, Crooked Kingdom doesn't have that balance of characterization and plotting yet.

Up to Part Three (27%)

I'd kind of forgotten on this past part how annoying (view spoiler)[Nina and Matthias's relationship was. Their dialogue just doesn't feel natural in the way we fight - at least in the recent scene - so I'm hoping that's behind us for now (hide spoiler)]

The plot hasn't gripped me yet, but I will say that Inej's storyline is the most interesting. It's probably the only part that's really excited me much so far. The story feels very slow to start off, so hoping it picks up in the next part!

I kind of remember them travelling by sea in the Grisha trilogy but it's been a while since I've read the books and still not ringing a bell. Thanks for the insight though! :)

Up to Chapter 4: Inej (Loc 789)

I'm slowly getting up to speed with the characters and the plot again, though even with the hints sprinkled in my mind is a little fuzzy on what happened in the first novel. It's been so long since I read it and I remember I was a little disappointed when comparing it to the Grisha trilogy. My biggest question so far is do we know Retvenko from the first novel? I remember Wylan, Matthias, Inej, Kaz and Nina, but I'm drawing a complete blank on Retvenko.

While I'm not always a fan of Kaz and think his characterization is a little odd at times, I love this quote: "I'll tell you a secret, Hanna. The really bad monsters never look like monsters." (Loc 480) It works on so many levels when you compare it to real life, and to Kaz himself.

I also liked this little insight into Kaz's character: 'Kaz always spoke logic, but that didn't mean he always told truth' (Loc 634). After dealing with the election cycle here in the States, this sentence carried a lot of weight for me.

When are y'all looking to start your read in December? Have had this checked out forever and looking for an excuse to finally read it if you're looking for others to join. :)

Hope you have a fun vacation! I'm glad we were able to do five of the six together; thanks!

Up to Chapter 19

I think this installment just isn't quite my cup of tea. While Sydney goes through a portion of re-education that is along the lines of what I was expecting it to be, (view spoiler)[something that would explain why Keith was a zombie when he returned to the world (hide spoiler)], it still didn't add much to the story in my opinion. Also, with Keith, he wasn't really gone all that long. What, a few months at the absolute most? Sydney has been there just as long, and up until she triggers their attention, they really aren't doing much re-educate her at all. The whole process just seems like what the Alchemists are doing in the centers doesn't make much sense.

You've got a good point about Adrian and everyone telling him to give up. But at the same time, none of them really know what's going on with him, right (apart from Jill, because of the link). His relationship with Sydney is still very much a secret, so they just think he's worried about an acquaintance he met at the school. And that one particular scene with Nina really made me mad (I think you were right on point about his friendship with her only making it worse).

I do like (view spoiler)[how they were able to work out where the re-education center might be, based on the clues they got from Keith. I thought that was at least realistic (hide spoiler)].

From where the last chapter I read left off, it looks like some excitement is about to pick up. I hope so. Even with re-education and the (view spoiler)[rescue to get Sydney out of the re-education center (hide spoiler)], this book has been, on the vast majority, an extremely slow read for me so far. Fingers crossed!



Have fun on vacation! I am taking a trip myself March 23rd through 30th and will have minimal room in my luggage, so I will probably go ahead and read the last one in early March to make sure I finish it before I go on my trip.

So there's more of a plot now, but the story just doesn't flow, IMO. I don't know why, but it seems like a bunch of mismatched scenes stuck together instead of a connected story.

A similar issue I've noticed is that the dialogue often jumps all over the place, from topic to topic, without enough connecting transitions to clue the reader in and prevent confusion.

That's exactly how I felt about it. The plot never falls into a rhymthem, and it left me feeling a little disjointed the entire time, even with the pace and excitement picked up. For instance, (view spoiler)[her mother. And then her mother's marriage to the head of the House of the largest system. And THEN the realization that she is the daughter of that guy (hide spoiler)]. I had a hard time trying to figure out what the plot was supposed to be primarily about! Same with the dialogue, as you pointed out.

I've found more positives going for Asa and Eagle as characters, but I'm still not attached. They've formed a strong connection, but I'm not sure when that happened or why. I've never gotten a sense of what their bond is based on. Did you?

I agree on this as well. I began to see legitimate sparks between them as well, but as to the how and the why - or any of the logistics behind it - I'm still bewildered. There isn't exactly a turning point. It just kind of becomes, 'Oh, this is happening now'.

In reading some reviews, I realized that another thing I felt was lacking for the most part was the descriptions of the different planets and settings. That could have been so cool, with futuristic palaces and completely new worlds with which to play, but I had a hard time visualizing more than snippets of any of it.

This is a pet peeve of mine with space opera/sci-fi in YA. I would say about 90% of the time, I find this to be the case. Most of the time, the whole alternate universe/galaxy/etc. is really just a backdrop, and I feel it's a tease to nerdy readers like me to try to get us to pick up the book. There is SO much that could have been done with the politics and economics in these systems that could have helped developed the worlds. Instead, it's simply the setting for the story and a why to explain (kind of) Asa's heritage and the arranged marriage.

The plot seems to ebb and flow a bit with how it pulls in interest (it does have some good parts that are engaging, but I think, overall, it is still lacking something key to really making it a solid novel).

That sounds about right. What confused me was the other solar system (the really large one). If they are that large and vast, why would they be worried about the other two systems? But I guess, if you have the numbers, might as well conquer your opponents?

That is true. I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it, but that is a really good point. I like that about Winter's character in Lunar Chronicles as well, even if she is a little bit crazy. I think Eagle finally gets a bit of character development in the second half of the novel, but - like other parts of this novel - I think it's still lacking some fundamentals. He comes off as kind of cold and disinterested in everything for most of the novel.