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

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

Question about Seeker: what if the book is one you have read recently? Also, I don't reread books...so many new ones I'd rather experience. Well there is one rather embarrassing exception to that rule, but I'm pretty much guaranteed that isn't going to be the book.

I'm sure if you suggested other buddy read books others would be interested. I've been hoping someone would suggest some Romance because I'm reading way to much fantasy.

So I think I maybe understand the roles, but then again I'm not really sure. I'm impatient and didn't wait until I got home. That's what my lunch break is for right?

It seems like reading at speed will be important for this. I don't think that is me. Also, having to get books from the library would put me at a disadvantage. If another team member needs to volunteer for something I can try and fill in.

I do have a long weekend and should finish up at least 2 of my current reads today. That gets me down to 4 books. I don't mind reading multiple books at a time but I'd really like to finish a few and not start new ones. However, next weekend I doubt I'll be reading much. I have a big project around the house. Reprinting bedroom and finishing up trim paint. I started last fall, so I'm not putting it off again.

I'm guessing it is also only books started after the date that count? If so I may need to sit this out. I'm drowning in started and not finished books.

I have only just started the second half of the book. So hopefully we can still have some conversation.

The rules don't display right on my phone because of the image so I'll have to wait to look it over this evening.

Team Severus Snape

Hagrid - I like him because he was different than all the other characters in a good way. Also, he has a dog.

Severus Snape - because Alan Rickman played him. Nothing more needs to be said.

Dobby - because he is a bit of an Eeyore and every story needs a grumpy lovable character.

DAILY QUESTIONS - SET 4
CHAPTERS 27-37 - PART 2

Q20. (CH 27 - CAROLINE) AS THE WAR STARTS TO WIND DOWN, CAROLINE LEARNED THAT PAUL WAS STILL ALIVE. WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT HER RUSHING TO FRANCE TO SEE HIM? HOW DO YOU THINK PAUL FEELS ABOUT CAROLINE?
Caroline seems like the type that would rush off. She is desperate to find love. It seems that Paul does care for Caroline. I’m not sure if it is love but the do feel something.

Q21. (CH 28 - KASIA) KASIA SEEMS TO BE STRUGGLING MORE THAN ZUZANNA TO BEING BACK IN POLAND. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?
Kasia has more guilt about what happened. She has to deal with the guilt before she is able to move forward.

Q22 (CH 29-30 - CAROLINE) HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN CAROLINE CAME BACK TO PAUL'S HOUSE TO MOVE IN? WHAT ABOUT WHAT SHE WAS ASKED TO DO? WOULD YOU DO IT? AND WHY DO YOU THINK SHE ULTIMATELY DECIDED TO HELP?
I was only a little surprised. I don’t think Caroline is going to get what she wants in this novel. I think if she and Paul had been together they would have found they had changed to much to find happiness. Also, Caroline wants things that Paul doesn’t want. I don’t think she really had a choice about helping them. If she wanted to feel good about herself she had to do it.

Q23 (CH 31-32-33 - KASIA) WHERE YOU SURPRISED AT WHAT KASIA FOUND WHEN WORKING AT THE HOSPITAL AND HOW THINGS EVOLVED FOR HER? DO YOU THINK SHE'LL FIND HER HAPPINESS?
I wasn’t surprised by what Kasia found at the hospital. It seemed like something that needed to happen for the story arc. I don’t think she will be happy. I’m not sure she can be happy.

Q24 (CH 34 - HERTA) WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS FOR HERTA? HAVE THEY CHANGED OVER THE COURSE OF THE BOOK?
I don’t dislike Herta but I don’t like her either. I don’t know that my opinion has changed that much in regards to her. She has a steady personality and doesn’t seemed to have changed.

Q25 (CH36 - CAROLINE) - CAROLINE HAS STAYED IN FRANCE AND IS DOING HER VOLUNTEER WORK IN PARIS. WHY DO YOU THINK SHE WON'T READ ANY OF PAUL'S LETTERS? WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE TURN OF EVENTS AT THE END OF CHAPTER 36?
I think she finds it to painful to read his letters. I think she is wrong not to read them and she is maybe losing some closure by not doing so. I also think she probably should have spoken to Paul, again for closure.

Q27 (CH 37 - KASIA - PART 3) 10 YEARS HAVE PASSED. WHY DO YOU THINK KASIA'S RELATIONSHIPS WITH HER FAMILY ARE WHAT THEY ARE? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HER AT THIS POINT IN THE STORY?
I’m not liking Kasia as much as I did at the beginning of the story. I think she is shutting herself off from the world and others, but not on purpose. I’m not sure she will be able to change this. However, she needs to do so. I don’ really care for the way she interacts with her family. However, I see why she is the way she is.

Q28 A LOT OF TIME WAS COVERED IN PART 2 AND THEN INTO PART 3 - DID YOU FORSEE ANY OF THE DEVELOPMENTS? DO YOU THINK WE'LL LEARN WHAT LILACS MEANS TO THE STORY?
I Did foresee the some of the developments. (view spoiler)[During the trial I knew that Herta wasn’t going to be killed. She has to live for the story. (hide spoiler)]
I do think we will find out what Lilacs means by the end of the book. If we don’t I think it would be a very misleading title, and I don’t think this is that type of book.

I started it,but this has been a busy week for me and I think it won't be until tomorrow that I really get to read much.

Discussion Questions – Set 3
Chapters 16 - 26

Q15. We hear now of some of the experimental operations carried out on the "rabbits" How do you think the girls are managing to get through it and still help one another?
I really don’t know how, but when things are bad you are willing to do things you never imagined to survive.

Q16 Caroline, still in New York, but no longer with a job in the French Embassy starts to sell war bonds. How do you feel about her character development?
I don’t really care for Caroline at this point in the story. She seems like a rich woman with frivolous concerns. I know that isn’t the case, but I don’t really care for her.

Q17 I am concerned that we are now over half way through the book, there have been some floral references but as yet we have no idea WHO the Lilac Girls are and WHAT their association is. Do you have any ideas on either the Who or the What?
I think after the story Kasia’s mother tells of her walk down Beauty Road that maybe they are all the girls who died, or all the girls who survived. However, it is all just conjecture. I’m also wondering how the story is going to conclude because it seems like at the 50% mark we are just now ending WWII and most books I have read previously end at this point in history. I’ll be interested to see what comes next. This whole book has been a bit slow for me.

Q18 Herta arrives at your front door - knowing what she has been involved in what would you do?
I think refuse to let her in.

Q19 this is more of a general question. There are a LOT of Historical Fiction books that focus on WWII What is there in this book so far that will make it stand out for you?
So far this book isn’t standing out. It is not a bad book but it isn’t a great book. It could easily end up in the dislike or the like category. The combined perspectives of the three women makes it different than most WWII novels I’ve read.

I've heard that multiple times about the movie not doing a good job representing the book. I normally skip the movie if tree is a book I can read.

I'm not entirely sure I'll get the book in time to join. I put a hold on it but with the movie more people are reading. It looked like there were enough copies in the system I should get it soon.

I'm sure others will join when it gets closer to the start time.

I might also join the Ready Player One BR. I've been meaning to read it. I'm noire though. Will have to see how all my books look at that point. I'm hoping with the long weekend coming up I can finish most of the books I've started.

I saw an email/message or something about reserves being added. Does that mean teams get new members or teams get replacements if needed?

Hi, June 15th is a good date for me. As I recall the first book was a quick read.

Here from Team Severus Snape.

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Rachel wrote: "If anyone is interested, I'd love to reread Illuminae or To All the Boys I've Loved Before! Also, if anyone is interested in buddy reading any of those series as a whole, let me know..."

I'd be interested in reading Gemina as well. I maybe over committing with the Buddy reads though, and I would also have to get a copy from the library and my local branch doesn't have a copy so it would probably be June before I'm able to get a copy.

Chapter 1-3

So far I'm really enjoying the story. I'm drawn in just like with the first book. I'll try and finish it up tomorrow. I really really like the cover on this book. It seems to fit Jack and Jill and the world they end up in amazingly well.

(view spoiler)[Like everyone else has said I hate the parents. How could they not see that they are horrible to their daughters? Well I guess they are selfish. I'm glad that the narration felt a little removed in this part of the book. Normally I wouldn't like it if I was reminded of the fact that I'm reading a story but I did like it here. "On the day our story truly starts--for surely none of that seemed like the beginning! Surely all of that was background, was explanation and justification for what's to come, as unavoidably as thunder follows lightning--it was raining." From Chapter 3. I thought this was a nice touch. I noticed in Every Heart a Doorway that I felt removed from Nancy a bit as well and I have that here as well. I think in most stories I would find that off putting but here it fits.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how the girls grow into themselves in the Moors. (hide spoiler)]

✼Danielle✼ wrote: "Chapter 1"


I completely agree with you both. (view spoiler)[Serena and Chester are horrible parents. They don't seem to love their daughters even as they age. I felt so bad for them when Gemma Lou leaves. Knowing from Every Heart a Doorway that they have a son made me wonder if they do a better job of parenting the second time round. Probably not. (hide spoiler)]

I wish I could draw better. I do water colors sometimes. I could certainly try paint it but photoshop might be the best tool. Anyone do graphic design?