ClaireB’s Comments (group member since Jul 06, 2014)

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

Sammy wrote: "My plan, when finally winning the lottery, was to get Richard Armitage to read North and South (he played mr. Thornton in the 2004 adaptation). Methinks I should just set up an audiob..."

That would be so amazing. North and South is one of my favourite classic adaptation. And Richard Armitage in it !!! So good !

Sonia wrote: "I know it would be a shame to keep his physical attributes hidden, but I wander what would take for him to be an audiobook narrator. "

TAKE MY MONEY, I NEEDS IT!!!!

Hot damn !!!

Can't say no to that offer...
The good thing is that my drool will not be as noticeable in the water. haha

Marie (UK) wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ wrote: "DQ's Day 3
Chapters 15 -22

11. I know this is much earlier in the book but it is bothering me. What is the significance of the Game playing - particularly Monopoly being compuls..."

Thanks :)
As far as I'm concerned this theory is still not out of the picture.

DQs Day 4
Chapter 23 to End

(Serious spoilers to come. Do not read if you are not caught up.)

16- In the aftermath of lunch with the parental units, Stevie is really pissed. What do you think about how David behaved, and her conclusion that her parents let her stay because of the “boyfriend" thing?

From the glimpses we had of her parents I think she might be spot on. Looks like the parents are just very happy that she's making friends/dating a guy. Even though ultimately it seems like a trivial reason.

17- In Stevie’s first real relationship conversation, she almost finds out what opening up to another is like. Then, of course they are interrupted. Having her hide in closet seemed to just be a plot device. But, what do you think of what Stevie did next? Do you think she should have snooped? Would you have?

I get why she snooped. The guy was really acting suspiciously at times. It doesn't make it right, but it makes sense. I don't know if I would have. I would have been to scared to get caught.

18- Stevie is a pretty good investigator it seems. She figures out that a murder has occurred. Should she have gone to Larry right away? What did you think of the silent dance and the game in Ellie’s room?

It wouldn't have been a YA if she had done the logical thing and gone to Larry. Lol.
The silent dance was weird. Kinda out of place.

19- We have two unsolved murders in two timelines. Are you any closer to figuring out who done it in either time line? Are Bonnie and Clyde more red herrings? How is Ellie related to them?

I still believe there's some kind of game thing going on. And somehow that game started again in the present. Not sure what or how, but it's the closes I've come to a hypothesis.

20- A big reveal and a cliffhanger. Had you figured out who David was, and why Stevie recognized him? How many unanswered questions do you still have? Will you read the next book?

I thought David might have been related to one of the actors of the previous Truly Devious case...
I might read the next book. Not sure when, though.

DQ's Day 3
Chapters 15 -22

11. I know this is much earlier in the book but it is bothering me. What is the significance of the Game playing - particularly Monopoly being compulsory at least every week?

It's true that it's come up quite a few times. They keep saying that learning is like a game or something. Maybe it's a clue that the whole Truly Devious thing is a game that went too far.

12. What is Hayes hiding in his conversation with Gretchen? What does he owe her and do you think this is important ?

If we go with the game theory I'd say the game is starting again. And maybe Hayes was playing the game and lost. Which would mean Gretchen too. But I'm might be way off.

13. I like the point that Stevie makes about it being important to write everything down immediately. If you were Stevie and writing down what happened up to Hayes's death what would your list contain? What would be in your "brain attic" ?

I don't think I would be calm enough to sit down and write down everything I say. I'm not as cool headed as Stevie... lol

14. Solving Riddles is no more my forte than solving crime. So who can solve the riddle "What is always on a staircase but never on a stair?"

It's not my forte either... I honestly have no idea.

15. Stevie is worried that her parents are going to withdraw her from Ellingham. How would you react as a student and / or a parent in this situation?

As a student, I don't know. Maybe I would leace the school??? Not sure. As a parent I would pull out my child.

DQs Day 2 - Oct 17
Chapters 7 through 14

6.) What did you think of the yurt party? Anything or anyone peak your interest?

I felt unconfortable for Stevie. And I'm sure she wasn't the only one unconfortable in that group... But we got to learn more about some of the students, which was nice.

7.) What do you think about the overall setup of the school? Would you of wanted to go to a school like this for your last two years of high school? Would you send you kid to a school like this (your real or nonexistent kid)?

I don't know. I'm a bit uncomfortable with how elitist it seems to be. It's a weird school. I don't know if I'd like to be there. But as long as its students are happy to be in that kind of school, who am I to judge.

8.) The historic case seems very similar to the Lindbergh Baby case down to the multiple money drops, marked bills, questionable confessions, foreign suspects with limited English, random FBI agent involvement, and late introduction of the police. The biggest different is Iris being taken as well as Alice (plus Alice being 3). We now know what happened to Iris, do you think Alice has a parallel fate to the Lindbergh baby? Or do you think she's alive (or lived to adulthood anyway)?

I don't know about the Lindbergh case. I'll have to google it later.
I think Alice might be alive.

9.) Do you think the Senator her parents work for is involved somehow, or just a red herring?

I don't have an opinion on that. They might. Not sure though...

10.) Any thoughts on David, what his deal is, and why he seems so familiar to Stevie?

I don't know. Stevie seems to suspect him, but I think it's too easy. I'm sure he's not the bad guys she suspects him to be. But I have no idea why he seems familiar. Maybe he's a decendent of one of the actors of the case and looks like that person? After all Stevie has studied the case long enough to know the faces of the actors of the Truly Devious case.

DQS - DAY 1 - CHAPTERS 1-6

1. Upon starting the novel an illustration of Ellingham and a copy of a letter sent on 8 April 1936 are the first things the reader sees before they start the text. Why do you think the author starts with these and how important will the setting of Ellingham be in the novel?

I'm listening to the audio, so I don't have a map...

2. We are firstly introduced to an intriguing character called Dottie who it seems unfortunately is not long for this world. It is just a case of wrong place, wrong time or do you think this scene will play a more important part in the resolution of the mystery?

From that scene it seemed a case of wrong place wrong time. But I might be wrong.

3. There appears to be a dual timeline in the novel detailing past and present. Why has the author written it this way? Does it add to the present storyline getting a perspective on the events in the past?

I'm not always a fan of that kind of storytelling. I prefer my novels to be more linear. But when it comes to mystery novels, it's generally meant to give the readers some clues.

4. First impressions of the present day characters? How do you think they will interact in solving the crimes both past and possibly present?

So far I like our main character fine. As for the others, I find it a bit difficult to keep track of them all with the audiobook. But I can see how they all seem to hide something. I'm sure they will all be suspects at some point or another.

5. In the past time line, Flora has secret information about Iris. Any ideas of the significance of the hidden compact in light of Iris and Alice's disappearance?

Nope, no ideas yet. When listening to an audio I don't really make hypothesis. I'm just here for the ride. We'll see when we come to it.

Jenny wrote: "I give up. I am convinced that the world is ending.
Merriam-Webster just added "Irregardless" to their dictionary."

I am not okay with this!

Sonia wrote: "So, although halloween is not a big deal here, Eni is quite the fan, therefore, so is the kid

So, they decided that this week, instead of movie night on friday, every day will be movie night, and ..."

That movie is goofy and fun, and Chris is hilarious in it. Enjoy !

Here they just said we weren't allowed to go trick-or-treat. So no Halloween for us Belgians. Not that it was a big thing here to begin with.

Well, we all know by now that the Goodreads Choice Awards is a popularity contest more than anything. People will not vote for the books they read, but for the authors they like the most or the ones they heard about the most even if they haven't read it...
I remember a booktuber pointed out one year that one of the winners had more votes than actual ratings...

Sonia wrote: "Well, I have some of them on my TBR... does that count?

It never happened before. I haven't read a single book from the list.

And why isn't Emerald Blaze in there?!

*pouts*"

You can still nominate it. But Urban Fantasy seldom wins in the Fantasy category. It should be its own category, really.

My issue is more that I have such a huge backlog of books I want to read. I only buy new releases when it's something I really really crave to read. And then it's not even guaranteed I'd read it immediately... I still haven't read The House in the Cerulean Sea, and I bought it as soon as I could. And also, most of the time, I have to wait for the paperback. Hardbacks are expensive, take up a lot of space, and I just prefer to read paperbacks anyway.

The Goodreads Choice Awards have started. I've read very little of what was nominated so far. In fact, I haven't read so many books published in 2020... So few I actually feel uncomfortable voting for anything...

Oh, yesssss! I approve.
I've never watched that show, but you just showed me some good arguments for me to do so...

Oh, and by the way, I love you guys!

This team is crazy. No wonder I felt like my previous team was too calm. I got too used to this unparalleled level of craziness. lol