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

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

Taking a dinner break and will finish posting our completed books tonight.

Keep 'em coming, team! We are doing great knocking out some of the hardest tasks.

Beth, if you want to pick some of the character tasks, or location tasks, that might be helpful. Some specific things on those that might get challenging.

I have a lot of the books placed on the main sheet - I had to move a few tasks because while the books were tagged a certain way, they weren't on the main page genre list. Be sure each book is showing it on the main book page so we can count it!

Mary, when you get a chance can you shelve Wisecracker on your TT shelf? Thanks!

Diving into the spreadsheet now. I might juggle a few things. Double-check that all of your books are on your TT shelf. Thanks!

Not for this one - we just try to fill in every task before the end of the challenge.

No word yet, Mary, but I'll bump the thread. I do think it will count though.

I'll update the spreadsheet tomorrow as I have time. Keep filling up those tasks!

lol! I'm with you. I struggled through The Colour of Magic on audio last week, but I'm going to give Equal Rites a chance before I throw in the towel.

Chales wrote: "Finished

Completed task 13, feminism!"

Did you answer any of the BOTM questions for the extra points?

Beth, how was that one? I've been wanting to read it.

We are doing great!

Ok, I just listened to the Colour of Magic and I couldn't get into it, but I'm trying this one on the assurance that it's better. I'm not so sure about the writing style, but I'm doing this one as a book instead of audio to see if I get into it more.

DQs Day 6
Ch 51 - End

25. Willowdean, oh Willowdean. You are your own worst enemy. First she breaks Mitch's heart because she is finally (somewhat) honest with him, and then she lets her insecurities get in the way of Bo sharing his feelings. Have you ever let your insecurities and other people's opinions stop you from doing something?

26. Will sees Ellen crying, but lets the moment pass. Later on the judges ask her about loyalty during her interview and she has some some hard realizations about her friendship with Ellen, and finally gets her moment to apologize. Did you think their make up scene was realistic? Have you ever had a friendship end on bad terms?

27. Will digs deep to find her confidence and walks the stage in her swimsuit. That takes courage, regardless of your body shape or size! No way I could do it. And then she goes completely off script for her talent and does her best Jolene (great song, btw). Do you think her mom did the right thing by disqualifying her? If you had been the pagent director, would you have let her compete?

28. Will and her mother have a nice moment when Will is helping her get dressed. What do you think about their mother-daughter relationship? Do you think they are finally beginning to understand each other?

29. Willowdean leaves the pageant after Millie is named second-runner up. It makes me a little crazy that they leave it unknown. Who do you think is crowned the winner? Did you like the ending?

Posting DQs a little early since I won't get home until late tomorrow.

Sometimes a book just doesn't grip you! I get moody and I hate forcing myself to finish something. It takes me double the time it would for a good book. I'm glad you abandoned it.

Lorna wrote: "Hey gang! Can one of the caps please let me know if the following are valid for use towards TT or not pls :)

Fangirl, Vol. 1: The Manga

Heartstopper: Volume One

[..."

Unfortunately, since graphic novels is a main page genre for each of them, they aren't allowed for this challenge.
No graphic novels, poetry, or cookbooks main page genres.

Beth wrote: "Completion Post:

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Added to spreadsheet.

There is a reference to "Mummies" in the text -- "I'm fine not seeing any eight-hundred-year-old frozen mummies b..."

I think so, but let me double-check. I'm 99% sure variations count but I'm in a lot of challenges in different groups right now so I need to look.

I think we are good to go with mummies!

16. Dolly Parton night was a surprising treat for the girls! Definitely a different experience. It felt to me like it could have been a healing point or turning point for Will in more ways than one. What do you think about the scene, did it add anything special to the book, and do you think it will hold significance in some way later in the story?

First of all, I have a huge girl crush on Dolly Parton. I think she's just the best, so I would have been ALL about this. Will is still dealing with a lot of unresolved grief and some general teenage growing pains about life, so I hope it helps her heal. Plus, what a fun night out!

17. I’m almost over Callie and Ellen myself at this point. Friends fight, but this has really blown up. When Callie approaches Will in the bathroom with her mini speech and says that she knows Ellen has always “been good to Will”, what do you think her point was with the speech? Was she truly angry on her friend’s behalf when she went into her admonishment on how wrong it was for Will to be upset that Ellen was entering the pageant? Do you think she’s trying to help Will in a twisted way with her rude advice, or do you think she’s just trying to rub salt in wounds? Would you keep trying to speak to Ellen and make up after the rebuff she issued at Harpy’s after two months when Will tried again to make up?

Will speaks before she thinks, and I can't see any good in Callie because I don't like her character, so I'm suspicious of her motives. Ellen is clearly hurt by Will's behavior and she's trying hard to keep her at arm's length.

18. Mitch and Bo affect Will in different ways, but it’s pretty clear Will is using Mitch in more ways than one. She has him to hang out with on weekends when Ellen is gone, and she went from having a dance partner where she rested her head on his chest throughout several dances before pulling away from him immediately when they get outside so he doesn’t “get the wrong idea”. Mixed signals overdose! Do you think she doesn’t realize what she is doing, that she is subconsciously using him, or do you think she isn’t considering his feelings enough? What do you think is going to happen between them?

I feel sorry for Mitch, because clearly Will isn't into him but she is sending way mixed signals. Come on, girl. You are old enough to know you are going to end up hurting him. You disappoint me.

19. The Sadie Hawkins dance seems important in Clover City. I had heard of a song about it, but had no idea it was an actual dance at a school. What do you think about the traditions of finding inventive ways to ask people to the dance? Were you surprised that Bo was finally grabbed up for a date? What did you think of Will’s attempt to ask Mitch immediately afterward, and her creativity in doing so?

I was surprised Bo wasn't asked immediately by several girls, because he's new and fresh meat. lol. I'm clearly getting old because the thought of coming up with something clever to ask someone out sounds exhausting. I'd rather stay home. haha. As for Will, she gives me whiplash with her snap decisions.

6. Picking up on the previous grief question to turn it around towards Willowdean and her mother. Will seems to think (I'm paraphrasing here) that her mother is a heartless cow and wants to use Lucy's room all to herself without any consideration whatsoever for anyone else. I can't help but wonder though if the mother isn't somehow trying to be close to Lucy - her own sister - by setting up a craft room in Lucy's space. Everyone deals with grief in their own way, and while yes, I agree with her (unlike Will) that the dusty old things will eventually need to go, I feel like she's trying to find a way to cope at the same time.
Oh, I hadn't considered that she is trying to feel close to her sister! Such an interesting take on things. But I do think Will is being unreasonable towards her mom (clearly a lot of baggage going on there) and they need to sit down and really talk about how they are feeling.

7. Will and Bo. Thoughts? More particularly, Will's reaction to finding out that Bo will start going to the same school?
I think Will's freakout was over the top, and clearly shows she isn't as confident as she wants everyone to believe - she's a wild mess inside (like all of us). She needs to talk to him. And her mom. Dang, this girl could solve a lot of problems by talking it out.

8. The more I read, the more I wonder how Ellen and Will are (still) friends with the way they talk to each other. According to Will, they are drifting apart because Ellen is having sex and because of Callie (she doesn't quite say it but it is definitely there). Their interactions however do make me wonder, a lot. I feel like they're friends more because it's a habit than anything else. They're both dependent on each other - Will because she doesn't seem to have other friends and can't stay in the pool alone? Ellen because she needs a back-up when she goes to pick up her pay check?) What do you make of their friendship now that we know more. Irreparable rift? Habit? Undying friendship?
I think they are just growing apart. It happens, and unless something brings them back together they are going to form new friend groups and continue to grow in different directions. Will is jealous of Ellen, to be sure. This is probably the most real part of the book to me having been through something like this in high school

9. And this inevitably brings me to Will's interactions with Callie. It seems like Callie is at least trying, even though there is the fat-girl-issue, but she isn't completely ignoring Will, unlike Will herself, who barely manages to be civil to the girl. Sure, I completely understand the jealousy of thinking that someone is stealing your (best) friend from you, but it isn't helping Will's case that she is basically being a douche to the girl.
Callie seems like she's a mean girl, but is trying to be nice because she knows Ellen expects it. Will is right not to trust her, but not right in being rude.

List it all, Mary, and we can juggle things even if they are already placed.

Laura, we will need links to your three comments in the Dumplin’ thread to get the points. If you look on the sheet, I put mine to the right of the line with my book info.

Sophie wrote: "Lexi wrote: "It is probably a good thing I was not picked to write questions because my number one question is did people actually keep their phone in their bra? Even when I had a flip phone, I can..."

I put my phone in my sports bra when I run since I don't have pockets. It's annoying but that's my best option.