Michelle’s Comments (group member since Sep 19, 2013)

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

I haven't watched them yet, but I love the books! I should give them a try.

I will be reading Killman Creek, but probably not until June, Laura.

Just popping in to stalk the thread. Curious to see everyone's reactions at the end of the book!

Team Draco Malfoy -
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS SET 1
CHAPTERS 1-8

1. LILAC GIRLS IS MARTHA HALL KELLY'S DEBUT NOVEL TELLING THE TALE OF THREE WOMEN CAUGHT UP IN THE HORROR THAT WAS WWII. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE?
I'm not sure. Lilacs are one of my favorite flowers so I was drawn to the title before I knew it was a WWII book (also a fav!) Maybe the significance is something around the meaning of lilacs?

2. IN THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS, WE ARE SEPARATELY INTRODUCED TO OUR THREE HEROINES, CAROLINE, KASIA AND HERTA. WHAT ARE YOUR FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE GIRLS AND THE PLACES AND TIMES THEY LIVE IN?
It's interesting. They are so different, and in different life places / parts of the world. But you can tell they each have their own strengths.

3. WHY DO YOU THINK THE AUTHOR HAS BEGUN THE NOVEL IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACES INSTEAD OF ALTERNATE POINTS OF VIEW WITHIN THE SAME CHAPTER?
I actually like this way of starting the story. Each woman's journey is different. I think it was easy for me to not "like" Herta out of the gate because of where she is in life and her beliefs, but you have to understand that is what she knows as well.

4. DO YOU THINK PIETRIK HAS ROMANTIC FEELINGS FOR KASIA AND WHAT DO YOU IMAGINE HAS HAPPENED TO NADIA AND HER MOTHER?
I think that he likes Nadia, even though Kasia wants him to like her. Especially since he made it a point to take Nadia all the way home and left Kasia to fend for herself since she was almost there.
I hope Nadia and her mother are hiding someplace safe.

5. DESPITE HERTA'S POLITICAL BELIEFS DO YOU FEEL ANY SYMPATHY FOR HER IN HER SITUATION WITH HEINZ?
I do have some sympathy for her. I am trying to put myself in each character's shoes as I read their chapters. Her's is the hardest for me.

6. PAUL SEEMS TO BE THE EPITOME OF THE SAUVE, URBANE FRENCHMAN. DO YOU SEE ANY FUTURE FOR HIM AND CAROLINE?
I don't know yet. He is married, although he has explained how distant and removed they seem to be from each other. I don't know that I see a future for the two of them.

7 ALREADY I AM FINDING MY EMOTIONS ENGAGED BY THIS NOVEL. SADNESS, ANGER, INDIGNATION AND HORROR FOR WHAT I KNOW IS TO COME. HOW IS THIS BOOK AFFECTING YOU SO FAR?
I love the emotions of historical fiction. I can already tell I am going to love it. Very glad this is a BOM.

Wow - the intro is intense. I think I will like this one.

Great start!

Let's plan on both of those this week if you can fit it into your reading!

Vicki wrote: "Chapters 1-2

I began reading this with absolutely no idea what the book was about...none! The first few pages really grabbed my attention, especially when Kate [spoilers removed] The description r..."

Vicki, I am going in completely blind, too. Everyone raves about this series so I am interested to see how it grips me.

I requested the thread for Cold Hearted Rake for us.

I think the Kate Daniels threads are already set up? I'll go hunting. I can start both of those this week.

Mods, could we have a thread started for the first book in the Ravenels series?

Cold-Hearted Rake

Start date 5/22

Oh, I saw you might want to start Cold-Hearted Rake for those Lisa Kleypas BRs. I will do that one with you this week!

Karishma wrote: "I'm in! Team Tonks.

Is anyone reading the other books in the series first?"

Karishma, I was going to start the series this week to hop into these BRs. You want to do a BR for Cold-Hearted Rake together?

I would be down for any of those. I love historical romance, so any of those authors would be fine with me. I'll read them anyway!

Maybe the Bear and the Nightingale too. That one looks really interesting.

Have you read any Kate Daniels? I haven't started yet but I really want to during this challenge. I would have to start with book 1.

Hi Karishma! Poirot is my favorite from the Christie books. I just love him.

Finally starting this today! I'll be back with my thoughts.

I was so disturbed by this book that I won't read the next one unless it fits a challenge. But I would love to read something else together!

What do you have up next? I'm reading Lilac Girls for BOM and The Good Daughter. But I'm always looking for another recommendation.

Oh, Joanne, I can't wait to hear your thoughts about Behind Her Eyes. I can't say much without spoiling something. But let's chat after! Is it a BR? Maybe I'll hop over there to talk about it.

Also, yes, Las Vegas has been so hot, well, always, and I have to be really strategic about when I run. It's dangerously hot!

How is everyone's weekend going? I got a little reading in this morning (Lilac Girls) and I'm headed out for a run soon. Have to work this afternoon, though.

What are you all doing / reading? Anything good?

Updated and verified to here.

Ok, sounds good. We have lots of time to finish a shorty since Arithmancy doesn't have to be completed first for the other books to count. Takes some of the pressure off.

Hi everyone, and welcome to the weekend! Hope you all have sunny skies and time to read and relax. I usually work weekends but am fortunate to have today off for my daughter's final high school choir concert. She is graduating on the 30th and then off to college in Illinois this fall.

It looks like Slytherpuff deleted her GR's account and has dropped out of the challenge. Jenny is going to be helping me keep everything going and we will be ok, but I did let the mods know in case we can get a backup player. But we are off to a great start so if not, I'm sure we are going to still do well.

Does anyone have a short book (under 160 pages) planned? I just realized the short book I read has a cauldron on the cover so we can use that for potions instead. If not, I'll read another from that series. No biggie.