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

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

This is going to be quite a creature.

I like the tiger head, butterfly wing combination.

What would you call this creature?

I find it interesting that you feel that way about Kade. From his first moment in the book I thought wow I don't think I like him. As the story went I he did improve. I guess first impressions aren't everything.

Im joining from Tower Team Severus Snape. I really enjoyed The Martin, so I also have high hopes for this book. I've heard this is a little less science fiction than The Martin, and that was part of what I really liked.

Also, not my typical read the June YA book that is.

There was a lot of hype around Children of Blood and Bone, it's part of the reason I hesitated to read it.

I think you have until the 16th of June to finish Lilac Girls. I'm hoping to finish sooner than that.

Kathleen wrote: "This is predominantly yellow right?



If so, you can put it down for the yellow cover."

Tineye says it is 53.3 %Kournikova (Yellow), so I'd say yellow. Looking at it I have a hard time deciding between yellow and red.

Starting to catch up with discussion. However, I know that I will not be able to keep up. It is about 3 hours of audio for every section. I know I have tomorrow to listen to the next set of three hours but since I only have the CD and not the digital for my phone it limits when I get to listen. It has gotten much better. However, I'm still not sure of the book it isn't making me love it. This could change.

Discussion Questions - Set 2
Chapters 9-15

8. (Chapter 9 - Herta) - Herta arrives at the re-education camp and realizes that they are killing the prisoners. She also meets Fritz again, someone she knew from medical school. She says she’s going to leave because of what they are doing at the camp. Do you think she will leave?
No, I don’t think she will leave. I think she might try to leave and realize it is a bad idea to do so.

9. (Chapter 10 - Caroline) - Paul returns to Paris, and then Hitler invades Paris. Paul gets a call in to Caroline. Do you think they will ever see each other again? How would you feel if your loved one was in the middle of a war zone?With a
WWII story it is so hard to know. I would like to think that yes they will see each other again. The odds are not in their favor though. I really don’t like to think about having a loved one in the middle of a war zone. The not knowing would be the hardest for me.

10 (Chapter 11 - Kasia) - Kasia and her family are caught by the SS and sent on a train to a camp. Kasia feels bad and thinks she brought this on herself. Do you think they are arriving at the camp where Herta works? Should Kasia feel guilty about bringing this arrest on everyone?
I think they are going to end up at the camp where Herta works. I don’t know if Kasia should feel guilty. I would feel horrible and likely would feel guilty. However, I am removed from the situation and I have a feeling Kasia won’t have time or energy to feel anything.

11. (Chapter 12 - Caroline) - Caroline takes on a top secret mission in locating all the camps - re-education and extermination. Do you think she might find Paul in one of them?
I would say it is possible she finds Paul. However, since this is a story I think it is more likely that she finds the camp where Herta and Kasia are.

12. (Chapter 13 - Kasia) Kasia and her family are taken to the same camp where Herta works. Her math teacher is murdered in front of her and she is assigned to pull her to the pile of dead people. She must be facing such desolation and hunger. Have you ever felt this same sense of isolation, hopelessness and anger? How do you think you would handle it?
I hope never to feel the same isolation, hopelessness and anger that Kasia does. I have a feeling I would have handled it like the way Kasia does.

13. (Chapter 14 - Herta). Herta and Kasia’s mother Halina are working together now at the clinic. They seem to forming some kind of friendship. How do you think this will play out with Herta being German and Halina being German/Polish?
I have a feeling it will get both of them punished. Herta wants more from the camp than she has and Halina can give her that companionship.

14. (Chapter 15 - Caroline) Caroline finds out that Paul and Reena are on the list of prisoners in Paris. She continues to support the orphaned children in Paris by selling some of her family silver. She stands up against anti-semitism in the shop. I really like this character’s gumption and willingness to stand up for what’s right. Have you ever been in that situation? If so, what did you have to do?
I can’t say that I have been in her situation, selling/buying something from someone who is racist. However, I have come across racism. It is always hard to deal with. I thankfully don’t have to deal with it often but when I do I try my best to speak up like Caroline.

Kathleen wrote: "Oh I though we were talking about Monte Cristo! lol

Well, I bought The Aeronaut's Windlass when it went on sale. I can't resist when books are on sale!

I'm almost tempted to ask ..."

Oh I'd want to read the first book The Name of the Wind, and then I might be interested in that with you. However, as I said way way to many books on my plate right now.

Kathleen wrote: "Annalisa wrote: "I saw that one and was tempted."

No ned to resist. Just give in!!! Goal is tOfinish just before TT ends so there's no hurry to it. We're all just gonna be reading it alongside our..."

I haven't read any Jim Butcher books before. I'm not sure he is the type of author I enjoy.

I saw that one and was tempted.

I may have just joined another BR. I've been wanting to read Artemis for a while now and this will be motivation. I think by the start of next week I will likely be juggling reading 8/10 books at the same time. I think I may need help as that is way to many to keep up with. Hopefully I can finish a few of them this weekend an get it to a more reasonable number.

May 30th should work for me to start Artemis. I also need to get a copy from the library, and that should give me time to do so.

I'd be interested in Artemis as well depending on when you start reading.

I've read a few reviews of the first book and I think I'm remembering enough of the story and characters to start the second this evening.

I don't read ARCs, mostly because the library doesn't have them. Sorry I'm not more help. Also, knowing how big Words of Radiance is I'm wary to commit to anything else. I loved The Way of Kings, but it took me a significant amount of time to read.

Kathleen wrote: "Hello Strangers starts tomorrow? Yey! I thought it was for June."

June 3rd for that one. I have a different buddy read that starts tomorrow.

I really feel like I'm stretching for the transfiguration.

I finished When Breath Becomes Air and I think the warning about crying at the end helped because I was not tearing. Without the warning and emotional preparation I think I would have cried.

My current books:

Reading:

(BOM)
(Green Cover)

Committed to reading:
(Buddy Read starting 5/21/18)
(Buddy Read starting 5/22/18)
(Another Buddy Read starting 6/3/18)

Maybe/Hopefully soon:
(brown cover and over 500 pages)







If there are any that are more useful than others here let me know and I will fit them in first. I've got to work on finishing up my current reads and the Book of the Month. I'm going to be doing a lot of a little bit of this book and then on the the next book for a while. I'm glad one of my current reads is short stories because I can set it aside and come back to it when I'm not in the middle of a bunch of time restricted books.

Book: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Date: May 20, 2018
Pages: 208
Rating: ★★★★

Spell Out:
K - Kalanithi author
P - Paul author
W - title

Classes:
Arithmacy 161-350
Defense Against the Dark Arts: Cancer? It is a stretch.
Transfiguration: Feather on the cover transformed into a bird or something into feather.