Nanci’s Comments (group member since Jan 29, 2016)

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

I finished answering my Malibu Rising questions the other day. Lots of good questions, but it always takes me awhile when I let them go and then answer 3 days at one time. I'm behind in my books too, Mary. I've had a much busier than normal last 2 months and August looks just as busy with a trip to Maine coming up. No complaints! We're at our home in Florida now and ready to escape the heat some!

Day 3 DQ's

9. The Riva house on the beach and Nina's husband's place on a cliff are described several times in the book as the most important settings. Do you find the houses and Malibu as appealing places?
What would your own dreamplace be like? And where would it be?

I have been to Malibu and it is very pretty. Most of the houses sit way above the beach, so access is not as easy as other beaches and public access is very limited. It is beautiful in a rustic way. I don't have a dream place. We travel extensively and I always love wherever we go. There are a few places I've said I would like to live, but mostly my dream place would be to just keep traveling and experiencing a wide variety of beautiful places.

10. As we are moving forward in the story, the siblings characters may be getting fleshed out a bit more. What do you think of Nina? Does it seem like she's following in her mother's footsteps in her choices?

Nina is still the glue holding the family together. She makes huge sacrifices to help her siblings throughout her life. Her choice in a husband was a bit like her dad, but I don't feel she's following in her mother's footsteps. She is much stronger and goal oriented.

11. Connecting to the previous question about Nina: while TJR is handing out information concerning her husband and their marriage rather sparingly, how do you see Nina's choice and their relationship? Any impressions on what Brandon is like?

I answered this in part above. I don't think her choice is good, but I think she's strong enough to live a life without Brandon if that's what happens. I feel like Brandon is going to be a disappointment and fall out of love with Nina.

12. What do you think about the relationship between Jay and Hud? How do you think Jay will react when he learns about Hud's betrayal especially as he seems to have found a real love interest?

Earlier in the book, I got the two of them confused from time to time. I was glad when their distinct personalities began to form. When I was reading the book, I thought that Hud's betrayal was going to cause a big riff between them, but I was hoping in the end they would return to being close again.

DAY 2 - 1959 "It was last December 1959"
41% 1981 "...in her arms, on her back."

5. 1959 - "It was last December, 1959" -
It sounds like a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song...Wow! What an explosive chapter. Your reaction? Mick was characterised as a sleezy womaniser, it was always going to happen or I didn't see that coming! And June's reaction? Sensitive woman with a huge heart or a doormat for putting up with what she suspected?

Mick was definitely a no good cheat! I thought his character was very well done and very true to life for some men. I lived through a similar situation with my father, so I wasn't surprised at his behavior. I understood some where June was coming from, but it was frustrating that she just could not get over him. I, personally, would never let a man treat me like that, but he seemed to have this over-riding power over her, no matter how awful he treated her. Her love was obviously not a healthy kind of love.

6. "He gave no thought to the idea that he might break his children like someone had broken him". "You're drunk and you're killing yourself with this stuff." Discuss Mick and June's parenting styles and how they have affected the siblings as children and adults.

Mick went and came as he liked without much regard for his family. Out of sight, out of mind. He was very immature and selfish. June was trying to keep things together, but not doing a very good job as she was so overwhelmed and focused on Mick and trying to keep him happy. As adults the kids didn't have a role model of a positive, healthy marriage. They didn't understand teamwork or the meaning of a true partnership with trust and love.

7. The title of the book is Malibu Rising and the author gives the reader a sense of the beach culture both in the past and the present time lines. What does it bring to the story and would it be as effective in another setting?

I loved that she chose the beach setting. Malibu is such a movie star, rock star, playground of the famous setting and I felt it added greatly to the setting. The kids basically raising themselves and running down to surf on their own made for a perfect setting for this type of story.

8. Already with the first set of questions there are varying opinions by the group about both Taylor Jenkins Reid as an author and how it compares to her other work. I loved Daisy Jones and the Six but I am finding this one as bit like Days of our Lives... but the author is skillful enough to make it into a page turner. Where do you sit, engaging tale well written or too much drama and as we are half way through do you see this ending in triumph or tragedy for the Riva siblings?

There is a lot of drama for sure, but I really enjoyed the story and found it a real page turner. When I read it, I figured some of the kids would turn out not so well, but I had hope that overall they would succeed and stay close to one another.

DQs Day 1: Prologue - 11:00AM

1. Both Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo have been BOMs in this group before. Have you read these books (or others) by Taylor Jenkins Reid too or is Malibu Rising your first book by the author? What are your expectations going in?

I have read all 3 books. My rating is: #1 The Seven Husbands #2 Malibu and #3 Daisy Jones. I didn't like Daisy Jones at all and couldn't quite figure out why others loved it. Then my RL book group chose Seven Husbands and I thought, "Oh no. Another book by that author I don't like." It totally took me by surprise and I loved the book. For Malibu, I didn't even realize it was the same author until about halfway through it, so I didn't have any preconceived notions. I thought the book blurb sounded good and I was listening to the audio which I thought was well done. I finished reading it May 29, 2022 and I'm glad I'm able to join in on the discussion now.


2. We have been introduced to quite a lot of MCs and their different POVs in the first 20% of the book. Do you prefer one character/POV over the others or is it still too early to tell?
I liked reading about all the characters early on. I had a bit of trouble keeping the brothers straight in the beginning.

3. The writing has quite a contemporary feel to it, especially the 1983 timeline, which makes it easy to forget the book is actually set in the past. What's your opinion on the writing and the back and forth between the two timelines so far, and how does it compare to other TJR books you've read (if any)?

I thought she did a good job with the back and forth of the timelines. It did make me listen a bit more closely, so I knew the correct timeframe, but that often happens when listening to a book.
Pretty early in I was hooked to the story and felt the writing was good.

4. "The story of June and Mick Riva seemed like a tragedy to their oldest child, Nina. It felt like a comedy of errors to their first son, Jay. It was an origin story for their second son, Hud. And a mystery to the baby of the family, Kit. To Mick himself it was just a chapter of his memoir."
We don't really know how June and Mick's marriage post kids 1 + 2 went (and ended) yet, but from what we've learned about each of the siblings and their (love) lives so far, how do you think their parents' story has affected them after reading the quote above?

That quote was spot on for how each child was defined by their father's desertion. My own father left the 5 of us when I was only 1 1/2 years old. It affected each one of us differently, but certainly impacted each one of us in our development and into our adult years. My oldest sister married very young, my next oldest sister dealt with her anger by blaming our mom, my next oldest sister ended up tracking down our father and going to live with him and his other 5 children, my brother went way south with drugs, prison and eventually an early death, and I ended up having an extremely close relationship with my mom, although I've had trust issues with men for most my life. The odd thing is all my sister's and I have had very long successful marriages, even though we never had a role model for one. I found it very interesting to see how it played out with the sibs in the story.

Keely, sorry your bf has been ill. No fun at all to not feel well while being in a hot building. Glad you at least were able to attend the wedding. Hopefully they at least had some fans. I always get hot at weddings with all the dancing!

I have not been reading as much either. Thank goodness for all the mega readers on our team!

They are so vicious! Walking 1/2 mile is still miserable. I also thought I would go crazy! It was early morning, so hardly anyone was driving by. I did have a few cars go by, but they just kept going when I signaled for them to stop. They probably thought I was crazy waving my arms all around my body and swatting madly! LOL

Melissa wrote: "Back from camping 🏕! Lots of deer flies! But good canoeing with family.
Looking at our new mini. Should we just keep plunking books on the book tab until something looks good?"

Glad you had fun, Melissa, but ugh, those deer fly! They bite so bad and then leave a sore behind. I was at my sister's in Kiawah, SC on a run once and all was well until I tore my gastrox and couldn't run, so was having to limp/walk. At the slower pace they all started biting me like crazy and I just had to keep limping the 5 miles back to her house. Totally miserable!

Sorry, I don't have anything that fits the last monster.

Melissa wrote: "No worries at all Nanci!"

Thanks for your understanding, Melissa!

Just read through all the comments. OMGosh! I think I got my book mentioned above in comment 1080 entered in time! I would have been upset if I'd read it and then just didn't get it logged in time and messed us up! Yikes!

I'm excited to move on to our next mini challenge!

Melissa,
I finished my book for Echidna. Sorry, I finished it on the 13th, but just now am getting to GR. Our kids and grands are visiting us and we've been really busy. I am about halfway done with another book, so I'll see how it might fit.

I took T160 MC is a mother with the same book you read, Melissa, The Swimmers for the monster Echnida. I should have it finished maybe as early as tomorrow.

Melissa wrote: "Nanci wrote: "I finished reading Malibu Rising on May 29. This challenge started May 15. Is May 29 too early to count for BOM for this challenge? I'm sure it's too early to use as a reread, but hop..."

Good news! The mods said as long as I read it during the challenge then I could count it, so it works! I'll answer questions as they come out and add it to the BOM spreadsheet.

Melissa, if you want to use Things We Lost in the Water, the MC is a mother. That is the only task it works for though.

Mary and Stacey, I'm with you on not liking Daisy Jones.
That really makes me feel ancient that the 80s are historical! Our kids were born in the 80s! Mary if you're feeling old and you were a teen in the 80s than I must be prehistoric! LOL

Keli, my guess is you'll like Malibu. I've liked her other books.

Whoa! Manticore is a monster that this team will roll up into a Persian rug in no time!

Melissa, I see that you read The Swimmers also and read your review. Totally different than what I was expecting by looking at the cover. Now I really want to get it read!

As for Malibu, I listened to it and found it very entertaining. I felt so bad for the mom, but at the same time I was very frustrated with her that she kept going back to him. I thought all the characters were done very well and could well imagine the constant upheaval and turmoil for the children growing up.
My short review if interested: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

I'll ask my question about the BOM in the captain's thread!

Mary C wrote: "So, I picked the wrong BOM the start first. But since there isn't a pressing deadline for answering questions, I'll finish Malibu Rising first.

It does work for "championship games" because a cou..."

Having read the book already, Mary, I can say for sure that it works for "championship games". Hope you enjoy it!

Also maybe as soon as tomorrow, I will start reading a book with a pool on the cover, which will work for "body of water"

I finished reading Malibu Rising on May 29. This challenge started May 15. Is May 29 too early to count for BOM for this challenge? I'm sure it's too early to use as a reread, but hoping maybe it will work for the BOM.

Melissa wrote: "I think Nanci has a book for this one!"

Thanks, Melissa, I do, but since Maddy has one that works for two of the tasks, let's use hers. We'll get around to mine at some point.

Oh no, Keely, just 4 pages over! That is a bummer. Hopefully we can still use it for another big page book. Moby Dick is quite an accomplishment. I think I've attempted to read it 2 or 3 times, but never finished it.