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

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

Sammy wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ wrote: "And now Sammy nominated another book I really want to read... well. This will be interesting"

On the upside, there's a high chance a book you want to read will get picked, lol."

Can't argue with that ;)

Sonia wrote: "I think I have it sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read for at least 10 years.

Since I had to move my desk around to work from work, I now have direct view of my bookshelf, and it is there......"

If it wins, I'm sure you can rely on my or another member of our team to take note of the ingredients for you.

My copy is in a box under my bed (when you have limited space on your shelves you have to make choices...). I keep forgetting about it. lol

And now Sammy nominated another book I really want to read... well. This will be interesting

Jenny, I approve of your BOM nomination. Hamnet sounds like a really interesting read !!

Sonia, Labyrinth is a good pick as well. It's been on my tbr FOREVER!

It will be hard to vote this round.

Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver

1906: A large manor house, Wake's End, sits on the edge of a bleak Fen, just outside the town of Wakenhyrst. It is the home of Edmund Stearn and his family – a historian, scholar and land-owner, he's an upstanding member of the local community. But all is not well at Wake's End. Edmund dominates his family tyrannically, in particular daughter Maud. When Maud's mother dies in childbirth and she's left alone with her strict, disciplinarian father, Maud's isolation drives her to her father's study, where she happens upon his diary.

During a walk through the local church yard, Edmund spots an eye in the undergrowth. His terror is only briefly abated when he discovers its actually a painting, a 'doom', taken from the church. It's horrifying in its depiction of hell, and Edmund wants nothing more to do with it despite his historical significance. But the doom keeps returning to his mind. The stench of the Fen permeates the house, even with the windows closed. And when he lies awake at night, he hears a scratching sound – like claws on the wooden floor...

Wakenhyrst is a terrifying ghost story, an atmospheric slice of gothic, a brilliant exploration of the boundaries between the real and the supernatural, and a descent into the mind of a psychopath.

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar

If the night sky holds many secrets, it holds Sheetal Mistry's secret the closest. A secret that explains why her hair is the silver of starlight, or why some nights the stars call Sheetal by name.

Stars like her mother, who returned to her place in the constellation Pushya years ago. Since that day, Sheetal has been forced to hide.

But as her seventeenth birthday draws near, the pull from the sky is growing stronger. So strong that Sheetal loses control, and a flare of starfire burns her human father—an injury only a full star's blood can heal.

Sheetal has no choice but to answer the starsong and ascend to the sky. But her celestial family has summoned her for a reason: to act as their human champion in a competition to decide the next ruling house of heavens.

Desperate to save her father, Sheetal agrees. But nothing could have prepared Sheetal to face the stars' dark history—or the forces that are working to shut the gate between the realms for good.

quick philosophical question; do we consider pancakes desert? or are they just considered breakfast food?
Here, in Belgium, it can just be anything: breakfast, lunch, desert, afternoon snack, supper.

And yes, probably that too.

Well, that's obviously someone who can appreciate good food :)
Me approve 👍

I just finished Queen of Air and Darkness. It was great. I loved it. Now I'm scared of what Cassandra Clare is planning for the next books in the (contemporary?) shadowhunter world. That epilogue!

How do we go about writing down all the potential ingredients. Do we use the planning spreadsheets? Do we use a thread in the lusties united group? Because I've got a lot here.

Also, I just realised I didn't create a shelf for this challenge. Do you think it's necessary? should I make one?

Sammy wrote: "I'm off to go finish my book in bed, but before I do...

"

I'm usually not one for salad, but if he serves it I'll have to ask for seconds 😍

Sammy wrote: "✿ Claire ✿ wrote: "If we have something like "chocolate-brown" in the text, can we count chocolate as a potential ingredient?"

Karen said it's about finding the word, context doesn't matter, so I'..."

I know context doesn't count. It's more the fact that it's part of a hypenated word that has me wondering if it counts

If we have something like "chocolate-brown" in the text, can we count chocolate as a potential ingredient?

This is exactly why I'm not planning to read many audiobooks for this challenge. I'm too afraid I'll miss out of the good ingredients.

Sammy wrote: "I managed to find 81 different ingredients in the first 250 pages of A Discovery of Witches so far, most of them multiple times. Including a vinegar. It's insane how much eating they..."

that's good to know. I might give it a try during this challenge. Not sure if it will be during this round. But if you can just save this list of ingredients that'd be great.
As fun as this challenge is, having to take note of every ingredient I find pulls me out of the story and make me read very slowly compared to my usual pace.

Judith wrote: "Steven, I wrote down all the food from the picnic scene. No worries there."

I wrote them down as well. :)

Judith wrote: "I think my problem with her love triangles is the shear number of them in any given book. And I feel that she’s a better writer than that. The don’t mind a good love triangle, but I’m not sure a bo..."

I agree it's getting to be a bit much at this point. And I had a hard time as well tracking all the characters. Hopefully, it will get better as we make progress through the book.

DQ Set 1: Days 1 &2
Chapters 1 through 4

1) Have you read other Cassandra Clare novels or are you new to the Shadowhunter world? What made you decide to take the plunge and read this BOM? Was it the beautiful cover, did it entice you? Not for nothing, the woman on the cover might want to adjust that sword grip in case she needs to use it.
I've been reading her books for 10 years now (can't believe it's been that long...) I've almost read all of her books. I still need to read the last in the Dark Artifices series and the Shadowmarket short stories collection. I was planning to wait till I read those before going into Chain of Gold but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to participate in this BOM. I'll catch up on those books eventually, anyway.

2) Quite a long cast of characters and POVs, sometimes I wonder why it was necessary. Though I have only read the Mortal Instruments series, so maybe it would be less overwhelming character roster if I'd read everything published prior to this book. Any current favorite characters? Any you are wary of already? I'm also afraid of multiple love triangles and possibly some sort of awful love polygon (number of sides to be determined). Thoughts on that?
As I said I've read almost all the books in the shadowhunter world, but I'm still overwhelmed by the number of characters in here. It would be easier if there weren't so many on the get go. The only thing that is a bit easier is that I'm familiar with their parents, and the family in general. I know more or less of their history.
I really like Cordelia so far. And Anna seems like a very intriguing character. I also quite like James. I'd love to know more about his abilities.
I think love triangles and love polygons are a requirement for Cassandra Clare. I don't think this book will be any exception... I don't hate it as much as you, and a lot of people apparently, do. But it'd be nice for Cassandra to change it up a bit... it's become a bit tiring in the shadowhunter world...

3) Holy literary references! Clare uses quotes often at the beginning of sections or chapters, so that wasn't surprising to me. But there are little literary nuggets dropped randomly in conversations. Are you enjoying them? Are you seeing parallels in this story to Great Expectations (Clare has stated this series is a GE retelling)?
She did that already in the Infernal Devices series. And as we are dealing with the children of Will and Tessa, two booklovers, I'm not surprised to see all the references here as well. And I just love it!
So far, parallels with Great Expectations weren't that obvious. Perhaps Tatania could be compared to Miss Havisham, and Grace to her adoptive daughter Estella? Yes, I think that fits. But I don't see the similarities between James and Pip except for his infatuation and obsession with Grace, if that's the case.

4) Are you liking the flashbacks? Do you think they add to the story and/or characters?
I don't mind them. I think they were useful to explain the relationships between the characters.

5) James seems to act very strange in Grace's presence and for all of their attraction and previous kissing, the kiss by the lake seemed to make James repulsed. Do you think this is tied to the demonic presence somehow? Do you think that silver bracelet causes Grace to have some sort of influence over James?
There's definitely something fishy going on with Grace. I wouldn't be surprised to discover she's using that bracelet or something else to influence James. And I have a feeling Tatania has a hand in it as well. It's weird how she asked James to cut the briars, when there's usually a servant to do it. And of course that's when he met a helpful Grace... I smell foul play.

Jenny wrote: "Leviathan Wakes and baking!!!!!!!"

Leviathan Bakes 😂

I've been eyeing Chain of Gold all day. I'm so excited to finally be able to start it !

Yeah !!! Let's cook the best literary dishes together :)