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

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

Team Gilderoy Lockhart

This was too quick and intriguing to stop in between and write posts here. Well, that's honestly Dame Christie, so I shouldn't be surprised.

Having said that, and having read a bunch of her books, I have to painfully admit that this was certainly not her best work, but it wasn't even closer to her better works. The plot was too thin and unfolded exactly as predicted. Especially in her Hercule Poirot mysteries, there seems to be a lot more active voice, as opposed to this book. (I sort of associate passive crime more with Miss Marple than Hercule Poirot.) Ms. Christie is the smartest mystery author I know off, and when I managed to understand her line of thought and solve the crime before she/her characters did, I actually felt bad.

To that point though, I constantly felt that I've read so many books (or watched a bunch of movies) with plot lines similar to this revolving around twins, only to realize that this must have been the beginning of it all. Published in 1972, I'm pretty sure this was the benchmark for a lot of those stories. Don't you think so?

Anyway, I did like the fact that throughout the entire novel, Ariadne could have very easily come off as nosy, prying, and possibly irritating as a character; but Ms. Christie deftly manages to keep her antics engaging without making them overtly curious. This was not my favourite Poirot performance though. This was literally the last case her ever handled (though not the last released Poirot book), so maybe I was expecting more of him and more of his cleverness. It just seems like he got the simple end of the deal here.

All in all, I was slightly disappointed, but Dame Christie bad is so much better than many people's good, so I'm still glad that I read it.

I have finished a few, but was travelling, so haven'tr gotten around to post the completions. Will do so in the next day or so.

Eh? When did the start date change from July 2nd to 22nd?
The NBRC BR Spreadsheet still says July 2nd.

I got my book, and started with it yesterday. And I'm sort of hooked, don't want to stop for 18 more days! :O

Team Gilderoy Lockhart

Okay, I am lost!
I am up to Chapter 4, and I am surely lost as to what is happening and more importantly 'why'?

I loved how the book started with the three cousins out in the desert, and I was certainly hoping something less phantasmagorical and more emotive with fantasy sprinkled around. I guess, that is what is ruining the experience for me at this stage. I need a reset!

I am not the biggest fan of books with loads of characters. It takes away from the fun of enjoying a character's journey, because the author can't effectively carve a path for everyone in the 300 odd pages they have. This seems to be suffering from that same issue. Although, I am barely 30% in, and I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but I seriously need this book to give me a big boost, right about now!

MelanieJoy wrote: "I finally found the snitch! That took forever. Looks like the Slytherin player found it first. Oh well. I did the puzzle first so she's not too far ahead of me.
Going to read [bookcover:One Fine C..."

Yaaaaay, Melanie! WTG! Go! Go! Go!

P.S. Dayum! The cowboy on cover! ^_^

I am reading the 800 page book, but I am trying to get done with a couple of BOMs and BRs, before the end of the month. I will continue with it after that.

To that point, more biggies wouldn't hurt. It is just more points for us, and hell, we need more points, if anything!

Awesome sauce! Let me know, if you need a hand! :)

Christina wrote: "you know what would be helpful? ... how many of you took part in the uno challenge? did any of your teams had this tracking table that updated automatically when a new book was filled in, so you kn..."

I can help you with creating those formulas, if that works!

Here are a bunch of books that I found on a quick GoodReads search, which have a scale on the cover:

I've got a bunch of BRs and BOMs to finish, but if no one gets to it, I can look for the scale book.

June
Completion Post

Book Read: A Thousand Pieces of You | Claudia Gray
Date Completed: 23-Jun-2018
Pages: 368
Buddy Read: Discussion Post (Initial)
Points: 40+30 = 70
Challenge Shelf updated

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Spells:

A: Character A - Alexander
B: Character B - Beck, Theo
C: Character C - Caine, Marguerite
F: Series F - Firebird
G: Author G
H: Character H - Henry Caine
J: Character J - Josie
K: Character K - Kovalenka, Sophia
M: Character M - Marguerite Caine
P: Character P - Paul Markoff
R: Character R - Ramola
S: Character S - Sophia Kovalenka
T: Title T
V: Character V - Vladimir
W: Character W - Wyatt Connley

-------------------------------------------------
Classes:

Transfiguration: Cover - Skyline

Ashley wrote: "I'm listening to the audio book and the fake British accent is distracting me in some parts (it's so bad!)"."

When you get there, please tell me there is a fake (view spoiler)[Russian and French (hide spoiler)] accent as well, performed by Tavia Gilbert. :P

Team Gilderoy Lockhart
Chapters 1 - 9

The premise is certainly intriguing, and so far, I am hooked. I want to know more and the book has potential to take me there - so yaaay!

My first thoughts after starting the book, went to Dark Matter, strictly for its universe-jumping. That book was a brilliant take on the subject and the science played perfect foil to the dramatic narrative. So far, this book seems to exhibit promise as well.

I like the drama of Marguerite and Theo (view spoiler)[setting out to find Paul in completely different universes, unsure of which one it would be. There is some nice tension in that thought. So, the first jump to London, while not very fancy, certainly is an interesting start. (hide spoiler)]

But as much as the idea impresses me, the characters still have to make a mark, Marguerite doesn't really appeal to me as much yet, purely because I have a nagging sensation that she is going to turn into this addled teenager (view spoiler)[torn for love between Paul and Theo as we proceed. (hide spoiler)]
Theo, on the other hand, seems interesting. He has a certain known annonymity about him, that makes it intriguing. Paul, ofcourse, is the unknown personality, so there certainly is an air of excitement about him.

But, based on what happened at the end of the (view spoiler)[jump FROM London to the next universe, I am not sure who is really guilty. Why would Paul hint at Theo before jumping to the next universe? Is Theo the criminal? But then why is Paul jumping universes? (hide spoiler)].

Emily wrote: "I am going to to do His Inked Bride: Black Aces MC 823 pages, starting now"

Cool! I did start my 800 page book yesterday, which I will still continue and we can use that for something else later.

June
Completion Post

Book Read: The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared | Jonas Jonasson
Date Completed: 17-Jun-2018
Pages: 384
Buddy Read: Discussion Post (Initial)
Points: 40+30 = 70
Challenge Shelf updated

-------------------------------------------------------
Spells:

A: Character A - Alan Karlson
B: Character B - Benny Ljungberg
C: Character C - Charles de Gaulle
E: Character E - Esteban
F: Character F - Francisco Franco
G: Character G- Gunilla Björklund
H: Title H
J: Author J
K: Character K - Karlson, Alan
L: Character L - Lyndon B. Johnson
M: Character M - Mao Zedong
N: Character N - Nixon, Richard
O: Character O - Oppenheimer, Robert
Q: Character Q - Qing, Jiang
R: Character R - Robert Oppenheimer
S: Character S - Soong Mei-ling
T: Character T - Truman, Harry
W: Character W - Winston Churchill
Y: Character Y - Yuri Borisovich Papov
Z: Character Z - Zedong, Mao

-------------------------------------------------
Classes:

Potion: Brew the Potion - Carrot Orange (Orange) - 53.6%

Christina wrote: "Team Sprout used ghost and exorcism for DADA so I guess it works ;)"

Lovely! I am totally going to go search for Exorcism books till the time the captains take a final call on this.

Quickly double-checking on the 800-900 page book, is Emily still on it? I was about to start it, but I can swap it to something else, if she is reading it.

Cheering charm - We can have a book with a smiling and a frowning person on cover.

For the last option on DADA, if anything, can we use Ghost and Exorcism? If yes, there should be enough books to cover that.

Team Gilderoy Lockhart
Chapters 8 - 14

Now, to be honest, these chapters were a little dry to me. A lot happened, sure; but somewhere I am slightly frowning at the double story line - Allan of today, and of multiple decades ago.

Allan of today and his crazy (view spoiler)[on-the-run badass antics with his troop is absolutely fun. Its wacky and in many ways, over the top - but its fun! I love the whole scene when they came onto Gunnila's doorstep and the craziness of the whole elephant scene with Bucket. I laughed out loud for sure. (hide spoiler)] Tina, I love that you have toilet humour, and this part of the story would certainly make you laugh.

My concern at this stage of the book is with (view spoiler)[the historical Allan, I have to admit that whatever he did back then, is a great segway into how he easily does what he does at 100; but all the incidences seems a stretch too much. So much so, that I hardly trust the proceedings. More so when you drop in a big political name every other page, I am more inclined in looking at the happenings with a microscope and suspicion, (hide spoiler)]

So, am I a little disappointed? Maaaaaaybe! It certainly started off as a 4-star book; midway through, it is looking more like a 3-starer. Let's hope things kick back up and the craziness quotient sky-rockets!

Christina wrote: "(God, it's so hard not being captain when you're already so used to it lol) ."

LOL! I hear you, gurl! I miss the spreadsheets. :P
Good thing I have another challenge going on, which I get to quench my spreadsheet thirst. :P

JanEyre9 wrote: "I think I might have a thing for Swedish books written about old people. A Man Called Ove and The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules were really enjoyable - I'm hoping this one joins the club! ."

I LOVED LOVED LOVED A Man Called Ove. If The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules is anything like that, then I'm adding that to my list ASAP. :=)