Annalisa’s Comments (group member since May 04, 2018)

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

I am currently reading a book that will work for an i. I'm not sure how many are left at this point.

I'm not sure if you are saving this ARC books for some reason, but it isn't used for something yet.

I think I Love You link is to the completion post.

Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
Date: July 1st
Pages: 512 (note in BOM thread said that should go with this page number for TT because paperback had that number)
Rating: ★★★★

Spells:
A - Arabella (character)
B - Book of the Ancestor (series title)
C - Clera (character)
D - Darla (character)
F - Sister Flint (character)
G - Abbess Glass (character)
H - Hessa (character)
J - Jula (character)
K - Sister Kettle (character)
L - Author
M - Author
N - Nona (character)
P - Sister Pan (character)
R - Title
S - Saida (character)
T - Sister Tallow (character)
W Sister Wheel (character)
Y - Yisht (character)
Z - Zole (character)

Classes:
Sword on the cover
Red in the title

Book of the month
Thread
Discussion Questions Set 1
Discussion Questions set 2
Discussion Questions Set 3
Final Comment, there weren't any last questions

Finished this morning and I also noticed that the beginning and the end where much stronger than the middle of the book. However, I wasn't bothered by it. I found the comparison to Harry Potter interesting. However, when they went off and did stupid things in HP I admit I was more annoyed by it than I was here. The Harry Potter books came out at the wrong time for me and while I read them out loud to my younger siblings I did not myself find them as magical as most people I knew. Part of it was I read a lot more and for many it was the first book to really put them in a fantasy world. It wasn't for me, and I noticed the if we told the adults we would get in trouble, but we could go off on this adventure and maybe die plot devises. They bothered me. In Red Sister it fit more with the world and I wasn't as bothered by it. I realized the stupidity of it, but I was more forgiving.

The end of this book was very good though and while I wasn't surprised by the revelation, I figured it out about when Nona first touches the path. It did make me very interested to read the next book.

I'm a bit behind on buddy reads currently, but I'll get started soon.

Discussion Questions SET 3: chapters 21-34

12) I was thinking about the sisters' names, and how they all have a surface meaning, and a deeper meaning, like Abbess Glass: clear, lets light through, breakable - also invisible, so you might not know its there until you run into it. What do you think the name Cage says about Nona? What are the surface and underlying meanings to the Sister name you would give yourself?
Everyone else already talked about her feeling trapped and how she doesn't have choices. I think we are seeing that play out in this part of the story. I wonder how often a Sister picks a name when they are young and it doesn't fit later? I really hadn't thought about the underlying meaning of the name Cosmos. I like that the word has two meanings. One a flower and one the universe. People have different personality traits that can often seem in conflict however that person doesn't see them as such.

13) Walking the path takes clarity and serenity, but each person has a different recipe for what brings personal serenity. And what is serenity - is it just being 100% true to yourself? Does serenity need to be the opposite of being a fighter? Why do you think Nona can't achieve her serenity, or does she need to take a different path? What brings you serenity?
I don't know that I think of serenity and being a fighter as working together. However, I do think finding a place where you can just be in the moment helps with most activities. Nona does a lot of day dreaming and worrying she doesn't let herself just be. I'm going to assume that is why she has a hard time finding serenity. I think it is interesting that she finds the path through pain or anger. I don't know that I go seeking serenity very often. Maybe if I let myself spend time in a place outside and relax.

14) What do you think about Sister Pan words: "When you get to my age you need things like this to keep you alive. Take it from me. I have been too young to know, and I have been too old to care. It's in that oh-so-narrow slice between that memories are made. So enjoy it."
I liked this quote a lot. I think it is interesting that Pan thinks of herself as going between these places. She is too old sometimes but at the time she says this she isn't.

15) When they go to Caltess, Nona sees Raymel, and remembering Saida, attacks him. I was a little surprised there weren't more repercussions for that move. What do you think about the things now in Raymel that seemed to recognize and trigger something in Nona? Do you think she's been irreversibly poisoned?
I don't really know what to think about this. I wonder if there will be repercussions later. It seems like there should be. If Nona is really poisoned or if maybe she has an experience of near death before she can remember and thus has similar things that have been kept and bay and now they have woken. The poisoned part has me wondering if maybe it is something else. I don't know what though.

16) I love the quote "A book is as dangerous as any journey you might take. The person who closes the back cover may not be the same one that opened the front one. Treat books with respect." What book that you've read comes to mind when you read this quote?
I don't know that there is a book that has changed me. I do think there are books that influenced me in small ways. All Quiet on the Western Front was one of the first books I read that I remember feeling torn emotionally by. That changed the way I viewed books and the emotional power they have.

17) Nona sees Yisht digging under the dome, where the shipheart is. Do you think she is doing this on Sherzal's orders? Do you think Zole is a participant or a tool? I am so curious about the shiphearts and the emperor's Ark, and how they play into the mysteries of the ice with its tunnel systems and hidden "undercities abandoned by the Missing." Sister Pan's view is that the four tribes descend from travelers who came from another planet on a host of ships. Are you starting to put together theories about this, and the Path, threads, the Ancestor, etc?
I'm still pretty unsure about the history of this world. I do think there is something going on that gives the "ships" power. I don't know what that power is. It seems like it is a powerful thing though, so I can see Yitsh stealing the shipheart for Sherzal or herself. I really don't know what to think of Zole, part of me wonders if she is at the school to give Yitsh a reason to be there. I almost think Zole might not be involved. I like reading and discovering as I go. Sometimes I figure things out but most of the time I like to just let the story unfold.

We are getting very close to having all the books we need to complete classes and spells. We have 72 books that haven't been used for something yet, 78 books left for spells, and 14 for classes.

I think I saw an ARC that could finish Divination. I thought I might try and read something that was missing. However, I really want to read something mindless and I don't think I have a book that fits any of the class spaces that are open.

The Skylighter by Becky Wallace
Date: June 29
Pages: 422
Rating: ★★★★

Spells
B/W- author
S - Title

Characters
D - Dom
J - Johanna
L - Leao
M - Maribelle
P - Pira
R - Rafi
V - Vibora

Hi, team Severus Snape here. I'll be joining but I might be a bit late getting started. I want to finish a couple books before I start this one.

That's a good idea. I always hear good things about her books and I really like her children's books when I was young but like you said this one didn't work for me. I would like to know if the series gets better as it progresses.

I have to agree. Sparrow Hawk is a bit of arrogant. He wasn't a character I really liked. I think Yarrow was the only character I really liked at all. I wonder if those reading the second book will find it moves quicker, but I'm not curious enough to read the second book.

Would you read the second book? I don't think I will because I just didn't care for the writing at all.

Your right about her encouraging. I haven't had as much reading time as I want and I know I can't read both at the same time plus the other 2 buddy reads starting on Friday.

It might be possible if I had more time. Can you add a few hours to the weekends?

I keep wondering if I will want to join the BR for grey sister. I was also considering reading Rosemary and Rue one of July's BOM.

I noticed there are more points for BRs than BOM if you don't do DQ. If I have to pick one would it be better to read a BOM or a BR?

I was able to finish more than I expected. I only have one unfinished buddy read. It should be a quick read.

I need to finish a book that isn't a buddy read next because I can't renew at the library. I have been reading Red Sister though. I'm enjoying it. A lot of my library books are due this weekend so I'm hoping to have a good reading week. It was a good weekend for reading.

Eldarwen wrote: "This isn't the fastest read for me but I am enjoying it a lot so far!

Catching up on the rest of Comments and Questions
16&17 June
Chapters 1-8

As for me? Hmm.. Sister Scarf maybe, since I rarely ever not wear a scarf. "

I'm exactly the same, always wear a scarf even in summer when it is warm. In high school I got nicknamed scarf girl. I didn't care for it at the time, but looking back it could have been much much worse.

Comments and Questions
18&19 June
Chapters 9 - 20

7. So very much happens in this section, I almost don't know where to start. Ok. The Tacsis family sends 2 different delegations after Nona. The first time, Raymel's brother attacks her. Do you have any speculation what exactly is going on with her hands? I'm struggling trying to coincide a family with that much power, money, and influence having a son fighting in the 'pits'. Do you think we've really seen the last of this family?
I also wondered why the family would have a fighter in the pits. It seems a bit odd to me. I am not sure what is going on with Nona's hands, but it seems like it is something she can somewhat control. I highly doubt we have seen the last of the Tacsis family.

8. Nona appears so naive in social situations. She seems to place a high value on friendships. I found myself wondering if Clera had not somehow sold information on her in town and that is how she switched her penny for a silver coin. Do you see that naivete somehow playing a further plot point in the story?
I think the naivete in her social interactions will lead into the story somehow. She will need to learn about true friends and how to tell them from those who are not a true friend.

9. The faux trial, the truth test, the Shield test. Wow! It was nonstop. I had to keep reminding myself that Nona is not yet even a teenager. It was hard to stomach. That one man could force all of this cruelty and chaos. And that everyone went along with it. What was your biggest takeaway? What did you enjoy the most? The politics, the revelations, the action? Were you satisfied with how it eventually resolved?
I liked how we learned a lot more about the world and the play for power. It really shows what is valued there. I also liked how Abbess Glass had a plan that she carried out. I did like the resolution, however; I'm wondering about the opening of the book and how it relates to what we learned at the end of Red Class.

10. We learned more about the prophecy. Both what is rumored and what the Abbess believes. We also learn what Arabella and Nona will claim as their Sister names. Do you think it was really Arabella in the Prologue? Have you changed your viewpoint on Arabella?
I think knowing Arabella from Nona's perspective and not what Nona is told did change my opinion of her. I don't know if it was her at the opening. We only see the calm we didn't see the fight. We haven't really seen Arabella fight.

11. As we come to the middle of the novel, have your thoughts changed regarding any of the characters? The style? The book itself? Any major surprises? What do you think will happen next?
I am not really caring for Sister Wheel or Clera. I wasn't sure how I felt about them at the beginning but now I am pretty sure I don't care for them. As for the other characters Abbess Glass is probably my favorite after Nona.
I've been liking the way the story is told and I'm finding the book is easy to read and the world is engaging. I think the biggest surprise was the names they picked. I'm not really sure what will happen next but I'm guessing we skip some time to let our characters grow up a bit. They are still so young when this happens.

Sunshine, I hope things continue to get better and you get sometime to relax.

Barefoot Season by Susan Mallery
Date: June 23
Pages: 368
Rating: ★★★

Spells
B - Title
C - Carly (character)
D - Damaris (character)
E - Ellen (character)
G - Gabby (character)
H - Helen (character)
I - Isabelle (character)
J - Jared (character)
L - Leonard (character)
M - Michelle (character)
P - Pauline (character)
S - author

Buddy Read
Thread
Comment
Comment
Comment

Clearly I did not switch back to my other buddy read yesterday. I just read right though this book. I knew I needed a break from fantasy, but I guess I needed it more than I thought.

Through to the end of the book:
(view spoiler)[So we find out that Michelle knew that her father and Carly's mother were having an affair before they left and that is where all the resentment between them started. I found that explanation satisfying when knowing that Carly didn't stand by Michelle when she found out that Michelle knew before they disappeared.

Carly's ex-husband is a terrible person. He was dating both of them and then picked Carly since she had sex with him. I felt bad for Michelle and then understood how the events of her father leaving, and loosing Carly a second time would have caused her to join the army.

I really enjoyed the book. The ending felt a bit rushed to me. Carly/Sam and Michelle/Jared relationships didn't feel like they had developed as much as the last part of the book indicated they had. I liked both Sam and Jared but I didn't think that the ending fit with the rest of the book. I really liked the rest of the book so I'm having a hard time picking between a 3 and 4 star rating. The ending just didn't work for me and it felt a little like insta-love and I just don't care for that. The book also didn't feel like it was about the Michelle and Jared's relationship or Carly and Sam's relationship. It was much more about Carly and Michelle coming back together and finding themselves again. I feel like the romance was kind of tacked on at the end and for me it didn't add that much to the book. (hide spoiler)]