Karen D’s Comments (group member since Aug 25, 2015)

Karen D’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

1: Name and/or Username
Karen (also my username. I got really creative)

2: Where in the world are you?
Washington DC

3: 3 words that describe me
Happy, passionate, busy

4: 4 things you may want to know about me
1. I sing in a choir in DC
2.I'm a huge college basketball fan and March Madness may take priority over reading. sorry!
3. I've just discovered audiobooks, about a week ago. it's absolutely changed my commute. (Although it makes it harder to figure out pages read)
4. I have two cats that love to sit on whatever book I'm trying to read.

5: What, if any, are your goals for this RaT?
I'm hoping this will help me beat my record of books read in a month (currently 23). Especially since the next week is super busy for me, this will remind me to make time for reading when I can!

6: What was the last book you finished? I just finished It's What I Do: A Photographer's Life of Love and War by Lynsey Addario, it was such an interesting perspective of really terrifying places, and how she managed to balance her personal and professional life without sacrificing either.

Greenie McMuffin's Books 'o' the Month

March 11th
Pages read - 248 pages

Mar 12 pages: 356
Books finished:

Mar 13 pages: 280
Books finished:

Mar 14 pages: 266
Mar 15: pages: 213
Books finished:

Mar 16: Pages: 266
Mar 17: Pages - 265
books finished:
Mar 18: Pages: 264
Books finished:
Mar 19: Pages read: 168
Mar 20 : Pages read - 155
Mar 21 Pages read: 276
Books finished:
Mar 22 Pages read: 275
Books finished:
Mar 23: Pages read: 329
Books finished:
Mar 24: Pages read: 74

Totals:
Overall pages: 3435 pages
Books finished: 9

The Goldfinch, Discussion Questions chapters 6-7:

4. Why do you think Theo is keeping “The Goldfinch”? Is it really just because he is afraid to that he will be punished when he turns it in or is there another reason why he hangs on to it and keeps pulling it out of its hiding place to look at it?
It seems that it's also a tie to his mother. He knew she loved that painting, and he thought she would appreciate him "rescuing" it, so it's something that keeps her fresh in his mind.

5. What do you make of Theo’s remark that his father was doing an ok job raising him? I think that if his father was doing an ok job Theo wouldn’t be drinking nor doing drugs.
Well, he was present, which was an improvement as to how he was before, so that's something? It's all relative I guess. He mentioned that they were able to bond more, and it certainly seemed to be a better situation than living in a hotel near his grandparents. And lots of kids drink and do drugs even with really stellar parents.

6. Theo has lost both of his parents. Do you think he is better off now that his father is gone and he ran away from Xandra? I wonder how he will end up and hope he will be ok with Hobie. What about you?
It's hard to say if he's better off now. It will really depend on what he does for himself at this point. Being in Vegas, he was caught up in this lifestyle that probably would have gotten him killed sooner rather than later. That could certainly still happen, but he at least has more of an opportunity to break the cycle he's been stuck in.

7. Do you think Xandra is right, is Theo just like his father? If he is, in what way?
Well, they both stole, and both deal with substance issues. They both also seem inclined to escape their problems instead of trying to face them. It's a bit unfair to compare them, since Theo is a kid and still has time to grow up, whereas his dad should have already grown up and been more responsible. But Theo does seem to be on a path to be very much like his father.

8. We get to see a bit more of Pippa. What do you think of her? Is she going to play a bigger part in Theo’s life?
I think she will play a bigger part. The fact that she's reappeared a couple times hints at that. Hard to say what to think of her now, since Theo didnt really get to interact with her all that much given how sick he was. It was interesting to see the roles reversed between them, compared to their last interaction. I'm also curious to know more about how her head injury affected her, if it's really that significant that she has to go to that special school or if her aunt just gave up in trying to find a suitable option for her.

9. What do you think is the reason why Theo is feeling worthless and bad? Is it because he is holding on to the painting or is it the way he behaved in Las Vegas?
Probably both. He was pretty terrible in Vegas, so hopefully he does feel bad about that. And he feels responsible for his dad's death, much in the same way he felt responsible for his mother's.

10. Will Theo ever turn the painting over to the authorities? My guess is that he will, but it will be much later, and that's what preempts his having to flee the country. In the prologue he wondered if there were articles in the paper about him, which would make sense if he was referring to the painting being recovered. It's making big news now so it would certainly be big news if recovered later.

Earned:
1 red shard
150 coins

Karen's books:
Road to St. Patrick's Day: 14 coins
✔ 1 Mar: Book published in March - Has Anyone Seen My Pants? - published 17 March 2015 (I feel like this should get extra points since it was actually published on St. Patrick's day!) 2 coins
✔2 Mar: Green cover -
3 Mar: "LUCK" or "LUCKY" in the title
✔4 Mar: Book rated 5 by a mod: Hounded
5 Mar: Shamrock on cover or in title
6 Mar: One of 10 earliest books on GR (I've been on GR for over 2 years, but I didn't add any books to TBR list) Options: On Pluto, Peter: The Untold True Story, The Witching Elm, 2020 or My Name is Jesus Christ, The Rise of Renegade X, The Murdstone Trilogy, Violent Ends, Married Sex, Clusters, This Monstrous Thing
7 Mar: Book set in Ireland or written by Irish Author - Will use In The Woods
✔ 8 Mar: Read a book that features a castle, has Castle in the title or has a castle on the cover. Notes from a Small Island - includes visits to castles
9 Mar: Read a Book with Gold on the cover, in the form of Coins, Bars or a Pot of Gold.
10 Mar: Read a book with the word Pride, Heritage or Celebration in the title.
11 Mar: Read a book with a rainbow on the cover.
12 Mar: Read a book with Irish or Ireland in the cover.
✔ 13 Mar: Book recommended by a friend or a GR member - Notes from a Small Island - recommended by my parents
✔ 14 Mar: Read a book with a colored beverage on the cover.
15 Mar; Read a book with balloons on the cover or in the title.
✔16 Mar: Read a book featuring a green/spring landscape on the cover.

Quests tracked here
Finished: (7 coins)
- Embrace Your Inner Leprechaun
- Green is for Leprechaun (6 coins)
- The Blue That Soothes (14 Leprechaun coins)

Puzzles solved: 64 coins
- Day 2 ✔
- Day 3 ✔
- Day 4 ✔
- Day 5: womp womp
- Day 6: ✔ 4 coins!
- Day 7: ✔
- Day 8: ✔
- Day 9: ✔
- Day 10: ✔ 5 coins
- Day 11: ✔
- Day 12: ✔ - 4 coins
- Day 13: ✔
- Day 14: ✔
- Day 15: ✔
- Day 16: ✔ - 4 coins
- Day 17: ✔
- Day 18: ✔ - 5 coins
- Day 19: ✔
- Day 20: ✔
- Day 21: ✔
- Day 22: ✔ - 5 coins

Leprechaun read-a-thon: 25 coins
- 1 coin earned for recommendation (1 coin for recommending a book with a red cover)
- 5 coins for recommendation (spelling out NOTHING BUT READING CHALLENGES)
- 1 coin for recommending a book with a green cover that features a hobby of mine
- 1 coin for recommending a book with a blue cover set in the my part of the world
- 1 coin for a purple book in FRIEND recommendations
- 4 coins for answering Day 8's questions
- 2 points for recommending a book with "red" in title
- 3 coins for answering all day 10's questions
- 10 coins for Read-a-thon sprint relay

Books for read-a-thon: 2 coins (2 coins each)
- Read a favorite with a red cover
- Read a book, featuring a group of friends, with a Orange Cover.
- Read any challenge book you need with a Yellow (or Gold) Cover.
- Leprechaun Bonus (2 Coins) ~ Read a book, set in your state/country, with a Blue Cover - , set in MD
- Read a book with a Purple cover with co-authors (2 coins)
- Read a book with RED or ORANGE in the title. (2 coins)- Options: Red Rising, Written in Red
- Read a book with the word Yellow in the title (2 coins)
- Read any book with the word GREEN in the title. (2 coins) Options: The Big Green Tent, Green Island

BOM participation: 35 coins
1. The Goldfinch - 5 coins for 3 days participation, 5 coins for participating in all days, 10 extra points from very nice mod!
2. Ink and Bone - 5 coins for 3 days participation, 5 coins for participating all days
3. A Gathering of Shadows 5 coins for 3 days participation

Dress Like a Leprechaun: 10 coins
Completed:
- Beard
- Vest
- Coat
- Bow-tie
- Pants

Guessing A for day 5/6 :)

Fun with hijinks!

Day 4 - my guess is A, once again (it's got to come up eventually!)

Day 3 - sticking with 'A' as my guess

Discussion Questions for Chapter 1 - 3

1. We are introduced to Theo's mother. He lets us know she has passed away, but hasn't given many details yet. The quote from the book seemed very relevant to anyone who has someone close to them pass away in an accident - “Her death was my fault. Other people have always been a little too quick to assure me that it wasn’t; and yes, only a kid, who could have known, terrible accident, rotten luck, could have happened to anyone, it’s all perfectly true and I don’t believe a word of it.” Does this help you put yourself in his shoes a bit, and draw you into the story?

I thought it was a really interesting approach, and made it easy to put the reader in his frame of mind. I expected, based on that comment, that Theo was going to have played a more active role in her death, more so than just being the reason she wasn't at work. Like, maybe he convinced her to go to the museum or to visit that certain exhibit or something along those lines. But the fact that he blamed himself really shows just how devoted to his mother he was, and how much he lost when he lost her, so heartbreaking.

2. I loved the description by Theo's mother of the painting, The Anatomy lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp. I immediately had to look it up. Have you ever had a visceral reaction to a work of art that altered the way you viewed t he world? Would love to see pics with your answer! :)
Can't say that I have. Art has never really been my thing...

3. This book is FULL of quite elaborate descriptions and tons of detail. Do you enjoy books like this in general, or is this a new experience for you. What about the descriptions do you enjoy or dislike?
It depends on the book. Some authors are so gifted that the storyline ends up coming second to the imagery they create. Not saying that the storyline is insignificant here, but it's still really enjoyable just to get immersed in the writing.

4. 3 chapters and 120 pages into such a long book - how are you enjoying it so far?
I really like it! More than I expected to. It's long but it's easy to read, and emotional and I'm really enjoying Theo as a character. Looking forward to what comes next!

Rylie wrote: "Daphne wrote: "Rylie wrote: "For example, I'm going to read

and use it for both the Road to St. P and the third string. But, that's the only LRPG quest spot..."

Rylie, I enjoyed it! Not one that I'd want to stop strangers on the street and tell them they have to read it, but I thought it was engaging and fun to read. Although slightly disturbing, but my favorites usually are. :)

Would this work as a gold cover? Or is it too yellow?



Thanks!

Quests for Greenie McMuffin!

Earned:
1 red shard
1 green shard


✔Embrace Your Inner Leprechaun
Introduced here

The Ugly Leprechaun
P - It's What I Do: A Photographer's Life of Love and War - Paul
E - A Gathering of Shadows - MC goes by Stasion Elsor
A - Hounded - Atticus
C - How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
E - Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War - Elizabeth
Earn orange shard, 8 experience points, and 12 Leprechaun coins

The Almost Color of Gold
Acquire the following ingredients and mix, then serve to the masses.
✔•Malt - Read a book with a dark cover.
✔•Yeast - Read a book with little creatures (small pets). The Goldfinch - the small dog Poppers plays a large part throughout the book
✔•Hops - Read a book where someone cooks. You Deserve a Drink: Boozy Misadventures and Tales of Debauchery - she hosts a Chinese food cooking class
✔•Gold Flecks - Read a book where someone only has a little money. - Every Secret Thing - both Alice's and Ronnie's family are relatively poor

For calming the masses, receive 6 experience, a yellow shard and 12 Leprechaun Coins.

✔Green is for Leprechaun
✔Read a book with leaves or a tree on the cover to gather your leaves.
✔Then read a book with a gold cover or with gold in the title to convert the leaves to gold.
Earn 3 experience, a green shard and 6 Leprechaun coins for crafting your clover.

The Blue that Soothes
✔Read a book with 1 word in the title for the shortest string. Shiver
✔Read a book with 2 words in the title for the next string. - Secret Daughter
✔Read a book with 3 words in the title for the next string - If I Stay
✔Read a book with 4 words in the title for the next string. The Things They Carried
✔Read a book with 5 words in the title for the longest string. Notes from a Small Island

For soothing the leprechauns, receive 8 experience, a blue shard and 14 Leprechaun Coins.

The Power of Purple
Prove your love of all things short.
• Read a book with a short title (10 characters or less). Options: Red Queen, Slade house, Ink and Bone
• Read a short book (100-150 pages). - Ethan Frome, 128 pages
• Read a book with an short person. (Either mentioned as short, or a dwarf/hobbit/midget). Options: The Things They Carried

For proving your acceptance of shortness, receive 5 experience, a purple shard and 7 Leprechaun Coins.

There Be Gold in Them Hills
Combine all 6 rainbow color shards together.
Shake with an exciting book.Red Queen
Pour out one rainbow.
For returning the little green men to their home receive 1 pot of gold and 6 Leprechaun Coins. A pot of gold will produce 1 gold coin each week on Sunday.

Guessing A for Day 2

I want to guess R!

Greenie McMuffin here!

thanks reva! that makes a lot of sense and is really helpful for thinking ahead, since I'm still at the sewer rat level I hadn't even looked at the other more complicated monsters.

Question for those with much more experience than me.

Is there any benefit to building up both the sword and the magic staff? Or does it make more sense to just build up one and ignore the other?

RESERVE BOOKS

- Gone with the Wind - 1037 pages
- The Lake House - 593 pages
- Haunted House - 300 pages, #4 in series
- Last Night in Montreal, 247 pages
- The Memory Box, 358 pages
- If You Could See Me Now, 306 pages

15 books from 2015, to be added soon!

Shield Quests
One Shield to Rule Them All
(view spoiler)[The blacksmith needs some steel wool (a grey covered book) to polish the shield and smooth oil (a smooth book) to make it shine.

Then you must find the 5 Gems of Power and insert them into your shield.
White, Purple, Blue, Red, Green

Reward: One Shield - Negates one attack point from physical enemy attacks.

The Gems must be activated to achieve their full power. (hide spoiler)]

The Power of Blue
(view spoiler)[Requires completed shield from "One Shield to Rule Them All"

Read a circle of 8 character links. Entire name must match. Character must at least have a speaking role (or a significant active non speaking role). Either first or last name can match. Book 1 matches a character with Book 2. Book 2 matches a different character with Book 3.... Book 8 matches a different character with Book 1.

Example: Book 1 has a character named Tom Jones. Book 2 has a character named Tom Brody and Alice Jane. Book 3 has a character named Allen Jane .... Book 8 has a character named Bob Amber. Book 1 has a character named Bob Jenkins.

Activates the blue gem in the shield - halves damage of one turn per week (Sun to Sat). (hide spoiler)]

The Power of Green
(view spoiler)[Activate all the natural elements. Find each item on the cover of a book.
• Sun
• Mountain
• Trees
• River
• Cloud
• Lake
• Grass
• Sky

Activates the green gem in the shield - adds 1 max hp. (hide spoiler)]

The Power of White
(view spoiler)[Activate all the pure elements. Read a book with each of these words in the title or series.
• Pure
• Golden
• Light
• White
• Silver
• Angel
• Heal
• Magic

Activates the white gem in the shield - allows you to purify your hero once each calendar month. Purifying your hero will remove any lasting effects from monsters (e.g. disease). (hide spoiler)]

The Power of Red
(view spoiler)[Read 3 sets of uncharged and charged books. To charge a book take an uncharged books title and add one word to it.

Examples:
Darkest Night charged to The Darkest Night
Shift charged to Night Shift

Activates the red gem in the shield - allows you to double your attack power for one turn once a calendar month. (Includes weapon enhancements, does not include pets attack, only includes one strike during the turn so either slingshot or sword or staff may be doubled.) (hide spoiler)]

Cooking Quests

Spice Exchange - Repeatable Quest
(view spoiler)[Read 4 books each with at least one of the following qualifications: (Find Items Potion works for this quest.)
• 50% or more white cover
• Title begins with S, A, L or T
• The word salt (exactly) appears in the book text

Receive 3 servings of salt for use in cooking. (hide spoiler)]

Picking Herbs - Repeatable Quest
(view spoiler)[Read 4 books each with at least one of the following qualifications: (Find Items Potion works for this quest.)
• 50% or more green cover
• Title begins with H, E, R, B (Indefinite article may be ignored)
• The word herb (exactly) appears in the book text

Receive 3 servings of herbs for use in cooking. (hide spoiler)]

You're all nuts! - Repeatable Quest
(view spoiler)[Quest may be repeated once each month. (Find Items Potion works for this quest.)
Spell out the word SHOE using spell-it-out rules to evict the squirrels for the month. They are persistent though and will reclaim the shoe at the 1st of each month.

Receive 3 nuts for evicting the squirrels. (hide spoiler)]

Drop Bear Feast
(view spoiler)[To acquire Lady Karen's recipe complete the following: (The Queen would be very upset if you ate one before feeding the guests.)
- Deliver 3 Drop Bear Steaks to the castle
- Read a book with fruit on the cover and read a book with a cake on the cover for desert
- Read a book with a silver cover or with silver in the title or series for a platter to deliver the food on (hide spoiler)]

Here Birdy Birdy (acquire Falcon)
(view spoiler)[First you must track the falcon. You decide to follow the trail of mutilated, eaten mice. Spell out the word MOUSE using spell it out rules.

Then you must set a falcon trap. You need some netting and a lure. To make the netting read 3 books with a net on the cover or set at sea. To get the lure read a book about fishing or one with a rodent or bug on the cover.

Finally read a book with a bird on the cover to capture Lady Sonia's falcon.

Lady Sonia is so happy with the return of her falcon that she gifts you one of the falcons eyasses. Your baby falcon will return with 1 piece of mouse meat every week on Sunday.

To cook Mouse Meatballs: gather 1 mouse meat, grind, form into ball, sprinkle with salt. Bake 1 hour.
(Requires: 1 Mouse meat, 1 Salt and Kitchen)

Mouse Meatballs: Restores 3 hp. May only be eaten at rest. (hide spoiler)]

House Quests

Sticks and Stones may Build a House
(view spoiler)[Steps to build house:
1) Clear Spot - Read a book set in the plains. (Any plains.)
2) Make Foundation - Read a book about someone getting an education to build their foundation.
3) Gather Wood - Read a book mainly set out in the woods.
4) Gather Nails - Read a book with something pointy on the cover (knife, nail, stiletto, etc.)
5) Create Frame - Read a book where someone is framed for a crime.
6) Create Walls - Read a book where someone is closed off from the world either mentally or physically.
7) Add a Door - Read a book where someone moves houses.
8) Add Windows - Read a book with Glass, Window, Clear or See in the title.
9) Paint - Read a book where the cover is mainly (<70%) one color.
10) Garden - Read a book with flowers on the front.

Pick a house to add to your possession.

You get 2 experience for 4 steps completed, another 2 when 7 steps are completed and another 3 when all 10 are completed. Houses give you an excellent place to store things. (hide spoiler)]

Kitchen
(view spoiler)[To construct your kitchen complete the following tasks:
• Build the oven - Read a book that takes place in a hot climate.
• Build a fire place - Read a book with a red cover or one about firefighters.
• Hang a pot - Read a book about a witch or a chef.
• Build a sink - Read a book with a body of water on the cover or one that takes place mainly near or on the water.
• Buy bowls - Read a book with the word bowl (exactly) in a quote from the book text.
• Buy spoons - Read a book with a reflective object on the cover.
• Buy knives - Read a book where someone gets stabbed.
• Add meat hooks - Read a book where someone dies.
• Build a pantry - Read a book with someone who likes to shop a lot.
• Build a spice rack - Read something spicy (romance)! or something with peppers on the cover. (hide spoiler)]

Clinomaniac
(view spoiler)[Requires House.
Gather 4 large logs for the bed legs. Each log may be found in a book with a tree on the cover.
Gather 4 rails for the sides. Each rail may be found in a book over 500 pages.
Gather fabric for the mattress by reading a trilogy.
Gather feathers to stuff the mattress by reading a book with a chicken or duck in the story.

Receive 10 Experience and a Bed for gathering all the materials. Bed will heal you 1 HP every Sunday. (hide spoiler)]

1600 Count Rat-Tail Sheets
(view spoiler)[Requires Bed. (Find Items Potion works for this quest. However, each segment is separate.)
Give the tailor 10 rat tails for a Low Quality Sheet. (Restores 1 HP every Sunday)
Give the tailor another 20 rat tails to upgrade to a Mid Quality Sheet. (Restores 2 HP every Sunday)
Give the tailor another 30 rat tails to upgrade to a High Quality Sheet. (Restores 3 HP every Sunday)

Upgrading your sheet uses the existing sheet. Only one sheet exists at a time. (hide spoiler)]

Merely The Softest
(view spoiler)[Requires Bed and Requires High Quality Sheets.
Give the tailor 5 gold and 10 Merely Kat Pelts. (Restores an additional 1 HP every Sunday) (hide spoiler)]