Apoorv ’s Comments (group member since Mar 26, 2014)

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

I am reading a shapeshifter book, and will follow that up with the BoTM hopefully, so some more points there as we go along. I was hoping to add another Shifter book, but I don't think I'm going to get to it before Week 1 ends. RL is a little busy this week, and I'm travelling the whole of next week - so I might be a little slow in getting my reading updates through. Apologies in advance.

I live in Boston, Massachusetts and am a Biomedical Engineer by vocation. I try and keep it even through all the genres, fiction and non-fiction included, so these challenges are always more fun for me since I get to dig deep in GoodReads and find more interesting books. NBRC is without a doubt one of my favourite places for team challenges; been doing this for a while now and hope to continue this for ever. Plus, being a GR addict is no help. I am LITERALLY here even at work. I need help! SMH!

I'm excited to chitty chat more with all you cool gals (many of whom I've played other challenges with across GR). This should be super fun! :D

Completion Post
Week 1 - UMBER

Book Read: Between Ghosts | Garrett Leigh
Date Read: 16-Jun-2019
Fits:

B: Title
R: Character - Regan Connor

It's so good to see so many known cool faces here. This is going to be a fun challenge! :D Yaaaay! :D

Ahh, thanks Carmen, for the message. I was lost on my way here. :)
Will catch up with the basics in a few, but it doesnt seem a lot different than the other Wheel-a-thon's!

For starters, here is my shelf!
Challenge-NBRC-Wheelathon

That's it, Barrel-ers!
Curtains on this year's Wheel-a-thon! :(

9955 points,
5th on the overall points list,
5th on the toughest letter list,
2nd on the BOM points,
315 books

We sure did a stellar job!
Thank you very much, everyone, for being perfect sports and great team players! This was FUN! :D

I sure hope to run into each one of you across GoodReads and more challenges! :)

Laura wrote: "I’m on the app on my phone, so it’s possible my system is what’s messed up, but our tracking spreadsheet shows we’re part way through spelling #10, but I only count 9 spellings on the official spre..."

Great catch, Laura! Thank you!
Updated the official spreadsheet to reflect what we have on the tracking one. Things should align now, hopefully!

Laura wrote: "Well, I’m kind of partial to most of what we do at AMMP. Our sister group, Game Night, has some great challenges as well."

I LOVE AMMP!
It has by far been the group that I have played most of my challenges in. :D

Laura wrote: "Vicky, I noticed that you put down Her Highness, Princess Perry for both the Candle on cover and the Brown cover between 301 & 500 pages. I thought we couldn't use the bonus books for the challenge..."

If it is something stupid, it is Apoorv!
You should know that by now, Laura! :P

megan wrote: "megan wrote: "The Summer Children
Dot Hutchison
300 pages
1 Dec

I don't think this book was used. ."

There was some issue with the spreadsheet and few books from last round. Vicky is working with the mods to get it resolved.

Kelly wrote: "Completed post - The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal

Carrots in text - 9% of the way through not sure if that will be accepted."

Kelly, would you able to note the statement that contains the word carrots? I tried looking up the book online, but I wasn't able to search, since I guess its an ARC as yet. Thanks! :)

megan wrote: "Is there a short story where the couple celebrates Hanukkah?? I was hunting for a book to fit this task, but if this takes care of it thenI won't keep searching ."

Yup, there is!
So, that task is covered! :)

Discussion Questions
Parts I & II

Midnights

1. Mags and Noel meet at a New Years Eve party and we read dialogue from 4 consecutive celebrations. To me, it’s pretty obvious Noel is interested in more than a ‘friendship’ relationship with Mags. What are your thoughts about why Mags is so reluctant?
I actually think it is the other way. Mags seems stuck with the notion of being with Noel more than just a friend. I don't think Noel has, through these four years, ever hinted at anything more than a deep friendship, so Mags reluctance to move on seems very unhealthy from her perspective.

2. Not sure, but Noel appears to have some experience with other girls…Natalie, Amy, Alicia…while Mags doesn’t interact with other boys. What’s keeping Mags from other boys and if Noel really likes Mags why is he kissing/dating other girls?
As I mentioned earlier, I don't think Noel realized his pent-up emotions for Mags all the while he was kissing all these other girls. He always looked at her as his closest friend, without realizing that she may not be thinking of him as just that.

3. It seems that Noel is really the one open to different things and specifically change vs Mags who appears likes things status quo. One quote ’everything was the same and everything was different’… what does this mean to you?
I think the quote holds a certain resonance within our everyday life too - especially when we come across people who we sort of lost touch along the way. The connection might be the same, but every person evolves with age and experience, so there is always a bit of misalignment that happens even with a person we think we know all too well.
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The Lady and the Fox
This was my least favourite story of the lot so far. I absolutely didn't understand, relate, or like anything - so I am going to answer these questions very superficially.

4. The man (Fenny) is outside standing still…in the trees always at Christmas, always in the snow… What do you think about this man? He says he’s where he’s supposed to be…he’s only allowed to come when it shows…why do you think he’s supposed to be there?
I guess he is stuck or cursed or just likes standing there in the snow. But I also think that there is a certain motive behind that or a hope that somehow, someone would lift that curse.

5. Fenny gives Miranda the Fox Damask from his coat as a present and she fixes it so the fox is no longer chained and returns it to him one year later, again as a present. Is this ‘fox’ magic? Would he have been able to be free of the lady had this not occurred do you think?
I think its magic, but I wouldn't honestly be able to tell - because I did not understand the purpose of the story at all. :(

6. The fact that Miranda’s mother is in jail is one aspect of this story that requires ‘imagination’. What does her mother have in common with Finny (the man in the snow) and/or the lady? Do you think her mother is really in jail in Thailand?
No clue what so ever! I was so lost by this point, that this angle threw me completely out of the park.

7. The book was written in a ‘different’ style. If you were going to put a label on the style, what would you call it and why? Does Link’s style remind you on another author you’ve read…if so, who?
I don't think I have ever read anything like this (and sadly it is not a reverential critique). I found it extremely disjointed and lacking a cohesive narrative.
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Vicky, the official spreadsheet is updated with everything we have so far. I am most likely not going to be around today at the deadline to capture the last-minute books. Would you be able to plug them in, if there are any more reads between now and then?

Laura wrote: "Apoorv, title of Kelli’s book starts with T."

Stop it, Laura!
You are making me look stupid - AGAIN!
LOL! :P

Kelly wrote: "Managed to finish it!
The Christmas Secret by Karen Swan
484 pages
S - Author"

Kelly, the letter S isn't part of our spell-out for PINETREE. Does the book fit any of those letters? I would hate to miss out on a book that was read. Thanks! :)

Tammie wrote: "Have we decided on 'candle'?"

I'm going to say yes!
That seems like the easier of the option with 6 different letters to focus on, while we work those mini challenge tasks.

Alright, our spreadsheet fairy is busy working her magic on our tracking sheet - I am going to start adding tentative names of folks who are claiming tasks in the Mini Challenge tab. Do take a look at it before you spend time searching something for a task someone else has already claimed! Would save you some time, hopefully!

Also, hold off on claiming too many tasks at a go, atleast till the time everyone gets a peek at the list. Once, we are in the thick of things, it will be a mad dash! OOOOH, I'm excited! :D

Tammie wrote: "Nanci or Apoorv...could you please check?
I am going to read this book...it is more than 500 pgs and has green trees on the cover...would trees be considered an 'item'?
[bookcover:Texas Heat|189160..."

The way I read it, the task expects us to have the cover include something green either in the text or cover. Trees work just fine, I would say!

Also, a bunch of us are reading the Christmas BOM, so props on finding the tasks it works for - we can definitely have some of 4, 8, 24, 36, and 40 covered in those!

Apoorv wrote: "
50-Pointers

➽ Read a book with only shoes or boots on cover.."

I am grabbing this task for starters with
You Remind Me of Me

It is CANDLE for me, for exactly the reason you mentioned above! I would love to see us get options and not fixate on a letter, which will give us the leeway to focus on the mini challenge.