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

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

There should be a "July Mini" tab in the tracking sheet.

Urania:
If you are reading a series book, make a mention of it.

Calliope:
There should also be a space for all of us to list the best books we have read during the course of this challenge - so feel free to list them there which may make it easier for other folks to choose from.

And you thought you could take a breath after slaying all the monsters?
Naww!! We need to have one final big bash!!

THE NEXT MINI CHALLENGE HAS ALREADY BEGUN! :)

Head on over here for more details

This is going to be soooo much fun!
Will get our tracking sheet set up later tonight - I'm excited! :)

M wrote: "Hell. I am finally home and comfortable settled on my couch. Breathing is doing better but I get the use a portable oxygen tank. The cats have decided I am a mattress. Here is the recent reading I ..."

YAAAAY!!
Welcome back home, M! So good to hear you are recovering well - I hope everyday is miles better than the previous one and you are ready to enjoy the days very soon. Take rest and enjoy the cat cuddles! :)

Jhmingos wrote: "Darren wrote: "Completion Post

Before the Golden Age 1
Read: 7/2
Pages: 223"

Will this work for the "ship" task since it has a spaceship ..."

Great eye, Jhmingos!
Spaceships totally work!

Current Open Monster Mini Tasks
Countdown to the End of the Monster Mini
https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...

If any of your recently read books that have not been used for other tasks, fit into any of these tasks, please drop in a word.

OPEN TASKS!

- Read a book with a rope on the cover.
- Read a book that has an 8 in the series number
- Read a book with a forest on the cover.
- Read a book where a character is an archer.

CURRENT READ FOR TASKS!

- Read a book with a musical instrument on the cover. - Jhmingos
- Read a book with a ship on the cover . - Diana
- Read a book where the MC bakes. - Diane

We have less than 24 hours to go!!

Do you folks think the host of trees in the background are forest-like enough?

Current Open Monster Mini Tasks
Countdown to the End of the Monster Mini
https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...

If any of your recently read books that have not been used for other tasks, fit into any of these tasks, please drop in a word.

- Read a book with a musical instrument on the cover.
- Read a book that takes place on a boat or ship.
- Read a book with a character who is deaf (any degree acceptable)
- Read a book with a rope on the cover.
- Read a book with a ship on the cover (spaceship allowed because Mods can be benevolent too).
- Read a book that has an 8 in the series number (e.g., #8, #18, #0.8)

LaurLa wrote: "LaurLa wrote: "Completion Post


Book: A Shadow of Guilt

Updated msg 521 with current tasks that book fits"

Haha! What are the odds! We both came to this book at the same time. Thanks for adding the details, LaurLa. :)

LaurLa wrote: "If we agree this one has a body of water, it works for both water and 500+ pp




I can commit to having it done by 7/15"

That certainly looks like water to me!

Current Open Monster Mini Tasks

If any of your recently read books that have not been used for other tasks, fit into any of these tasks, please drop in a word.

- Read a book between 500 and 650 pages (inclusive).
- Read a book between 500 and 650 pages (inclusive).
- Read a book between 500 and 650 pages (inclusive).
- Read a book with a musical instrument on the cover.
- Read a book with a body of water on the cover.
- Read a book whose title contains the word "FIRE".

Dawn wrote: "when does this mini end ? the 15th ?"

July 15th, 9pm GMT +1
But if you are thinking to take a breather, hold up!! The pesky monsters maybe leaving but the craziness has just begun. :P

Judy wrote: "I'm going to try to read one book for the 500-650 page range before the end of this mini but I'm in an uh interesting place re: work right now where I have no off days and am either intensely busy ..."

Judy, don't worry at all! Thanks for the note. Hope work settles down very soon and you have some breathing space to do things that make you happy. Take care!

Sharon wrote: "Whew, it has been a WEEK! I'm hoping to get to relax this weekend and finish some books.

Just wanted to let you all know I'm still here!"

It indeed has been a week!
I am glad you survived and are ready to relax and enjoy the weekend. Hope everything is okay and you are doing well, Sharon.

Thanks for the note. :)

Dawn wrote: "on mobile so can't edit the sheet! Am currently reading The Age of Bowie, which has MPG music"

Got you! Added it to the tracking sheet! Thanks!

Oh yes, now I remember. Read this a while ago and had totally forgotten that it was her boyfriend's advice that she did not pay any heed to. Thanks, Bobbi! :)

Bobbi wrote: "I have one!

Completion Post

The Circle - Dave Eggers
Pgs: 492
7/5/22

Tasks
Read a book where the MC ignores important advice"

Super, Bobbi. Can you give me a little bit more information about how the book fits that task? Thanks!

Current Open Monster Mini Tasks

If any of your recently read books fit into any of these tasks, please drop in a word.

- Read a book with MPG Music.
- Read a book with a musical instrument on the cover.
- Read a book between 500 and 650 pages (inclusive).
- Read a book set in Russia.
- Read a book where the MC ignores important advice.
- Read a book that has an 8 in the series number (e.g., #8, #18, #0.8)

Team Helen
DQs Day Three - "There came a day in laste summer..." to "Angrboda agreed." 62%

11. I love how the myths surrounding Loki are casually mixed into this book. I'm a fan of Norse mythology, though I don't know a ton about it. Do you know or enjoy Norse mythology? Do you like how the author is incorporating it into her book?
I haven't read much about Norse mythology so while I have been Wikipedia-ing things as they come up in the book. I am a lot more versed in Greek and Hindu mythology, but this is a fairly new world for me, so can't be a 100% sure if the author is doing a good job with those inclusions or not. But I would hope so since these are famous characters with very famous tales.

12. "Was I wrong to not tell them the world may not accept the the way they are?"

This is Angrboda's question after not only Loki's other wife, but Loki himself, refers to their children as monsters. How would you answer her question? Was she right to try and protect and hide them from the Nine Worlds? Should she have gone about it in a different manner?
I think she was bang on the money to let them know the truth. Yes, the world is a cruel place and as much as you would want to protect your kids from all that muck, knowing what Angrboda knows, it is only fair to prepare them in some capacity for what is upon them in the near future. She was being a mother and saving her kids as much as she can was just a natural motherly instinct and more power to her for doing it.

13. What an ending to Part One! Did you see what was to come? Did you already know the myths before or were you completely surprised? If you already knew the myth, did you like the author's interpretation of events? Were you as angry at the world as I was reading all that happened to Angrboda and her children, cause I was ready to fight!
I did not know what the myths say, but I wasn't necessarily surprised at what transpired given how that was what was being hinted at from the get go and it was only a matter of time when the shoe would drop. So, while I was disheartened at what actually happened and how cruel the so-called "gods" could be - it was something that was anticipated.

14. It seems that Angrboda's dreams can now transport her into other's thoughts. Do you think this is a one-off event because of how much stress she was under? If not, how do you think she'll use this skill from now on?
I do not think it is a one time event - this was infact a manifestation of her deep seated powers and I have a feeling this will help her reach out to her kids now that they are taken away from her.

15. So Angrboda has a new voice in her head. Who do you think the voice belongs to? Do you think it's connected to Angrboda's seeming inability to die? Do you think it's a friend or a foe?
It is rather difficult to say with certainty but I would like to think that the voice is of Angrboda's conscience. It is her inner voice that is talking to her and that is one way the author is trying to tell the readers to listen to one's inner voice, because chances are it will always give us the right advice in times of need.

Team Helen
DQs Day 2 — "He stayed with her as the days ..." to "... given her daughter a new obsession" - 40%

6. After Angrboda performs seid for the first time again, she starts having dreams where she hears someone calling to and beckoning her. Angrboda doesn't believe it to be Odin at first, but her suspicion changes over time. Who do you think it could be?
Oh, it most likely is Odin himself. He has played a major role in her life, and will most likely play a big part in her future. This was just a premonition of what is to come and how he come back to disrupt her life again.

7. Skadi reappears in this section, having left her husband behind. Do you think he'll come back into the story later? Why do you think she chose a husband as recompense in the first place?
Skadi is a sharp business minded person - so marrying someone from Asgard was a great way for her to gain access into the upper echelons of the Gods. I doubt how much the husband will feature in the book, but Skadi definitely will make the most of this union.

8. Hel was born with "dead" legs (or dead flesh on fully functioning legs? I'm honestly a little confused by it) and when she over exerts herself she starts turning blue. Angrboda attributes this to when she tried to save her daughter — but I'm not so sure. Do you have any theories on what the cause could be? Is it as simple as Angrboda believes, or do you think it's something bigger to be revealed later on?
Well, there is most certainly more to Hel's story. Maybe she was supposed to be born something else, like her brothers, but turned out to be human. Or she has Loki's shape-shifting abilities. There are a lot of theories and some of them might very well be highlighted or negated as the book progresses.

9. There have been several mentions of a witch who birthed a race of wolves who chase the sun and moon so far in the story — and now Angrboda has given birth to a wolf. Do you think she is the Old one the stories reference? Or, if not, do you think we will meet that character later on?
There are many reasons to believe she is the Old one, but there hasn't been much discussed about her history here and I personally do not know much about Norse Mythology to make an educated guess - but the story and Angrboda's current reality seem very similar to be overlooked.

10. Angrboda decides not to tell Loki about his and his family's involvement in her vision of the beginning of the end. What do you think of her decision? Do you think she made the right choice in not telling him?
I think she was justified in not telling this to Loki, primarily because he is a leaking pot and she would want to know more about her children's futures before divulging any details to him. But, I don't think she is going to be able to hold that in for too long. How else will there be a conflict in the second half of the book? Haha!

Team Helen
DQs Day 1 - Beginning to "... a promise she knew that she couldn't keep."

1.) What attracted you to this book? BOM points? That COVER? Because of the Norse Retelling angle to the story? Any expectations you'd like to share?
I haven't read a whole lot of Norse mythology. So while BOM points indeed had a role to play in me choosing the book, I always wanted to read something that I hadn't explored much before. And since I had no background information, I went into it with minimal to no expectations.

2.) What did you think of Angrboda's first meeting with Loki? I mean he brought her heart back in his knapsack basically because he was bored. But he was so charming, I'm not sure I'd care either. Though it didn't hurt I kept picturing him as Tom Hiddleston. LOL
I was categorically imagining him as Tom Hiddleston, because by golly is he gorgeous and perfect as Loki, Having said that, I did think the Loki portrayed here is a little bit more childish, which did not align with my imagination of Loki. That first meeting was sort of like that - it did not generate any sparks in my head, neither was it exciting - but the circumstances of him returning Angrboda's heart was definitely unlike any other.

3.) Thoughts on Skadi? Why do you think she helped Angrboda in the first place? And to such an extent? If Skadi was male, how different do you think that interaction would of been?
It did raise a question in my head as to why, but I am going with the thought that there are good people in the world who like to help others in need. But, in a heteronormative society, had this been a man, there would have been a lot more underlying connotations to their interactions.

4.) The quote from Skadi, "Time doesn't matter unless you are keeping track of it." Resonated with me. What do you think of this? Do you agree with the statement?
It definitely makes sense, but it also seems a little blasé to not be aware of how you spend your limited time in the world.

5.) Loki's reaction to the pregnancy was, let's go with interesting. What type of father are you expecting him to be? Do you think he will be a functioning part of the child's life?
Eh, I doubt if he would really be involved much, He himself shows up once in a few moons to meet Angrboda, chances of that changing with the kids is rather slim. Having said that, he would be very fun with them - probably even spoil them.