Keli’s Comments (group member since Jun 23, 2016)

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

Christina wrote: "Keli, while checking your shelf I saw you finished Starboard Secrets on Oct 21. Do you happen to remember if you finished it before or after the countdown to Round 2 hit 0?"

I finished it at 12:45pm gmt on the 21st. I'm not sure if that's before or after the countdown

Do we need a red cover? Cos my hitchhikers was very red.

Tricia wrote: "Finally read

This has been on my TBR since 2015 and unfortunately, I didn't like it. I thought it was super boring! It was 200 pages of dysfunctional youth friends..."

That book haunted me. I kept asking people if they'd read it. Finally, I asked my friend to read it so I could talk to him about it. I thought the juxtaposition of the mundane writing to the horror of the story made the telling that much more sinister and heartbreaking. It was detached, like the people in that world were detached from the ethical or moral issues of cloned human beings. It was not emotional, so that you, the reader, could explore your own feelings as you realised what was unfolding. At least, that's how I viewed the blandness of the writing. The thought that it would be okay to raise a human, and instill in them from birth that all they are good for and meant for are donations to others, and that they will die young is twisted. They are slated for a life of dysfunction. As you can see, it still lingers with me. I finished that book and was a ball of emotion.

Added another six. Most were three stars,The Final Girl Support Group, The Castle of Otranto & Zombie's Bite were all okay. A Farewell to Arms was very meh. It will be my last Hemingway book, he just isn't my thing. I'm not his intended audience, with his causual racism and stilted simple sentences. The worst book was Zoo City. Beukes created an interesting world but it was too full of animal cruelty and child abuse and murder for me. It was unnecessary and prolific. The best book of those six was Flowers in the Attic. Though this contained child cruelty too, and the villains were truly villainous, there was something not gratuitous about it like there was in Zoo City.

I've put my oldest book from my tbr on to the top of my "up next" pile. I'm hoping to finally tick off Heart of Darkness.

Just finished my last book for this round. If we get another U word, I recommend An Unkindness of Magicians. Very good.

Also, it's a shame that we didn't get vuvuzela as one of our bonus words, as it appeared in Zoo City. Like what are the odds that vuvuzela would appear?!

Alyana wrote: "For anyone who fancies mystery thrillers, Undone is from the Cora Shields series. All books start with 'U'. I'll try the first book.."

Scribd have these in audio. So I will try to get a few of these in. Depends on how they monitor usage. I defo have the first one.

I added a couple other letters,but I will have both Z books up tomorrow and will then read an Unkindness of Magicians. Scribd audio do not give me location or percentages, so I have used chapter and timestamp for reference for the bonus instrument. Will this suffice?

I will err on the side of caution. I have plenty if other books with V titles and green covers. springs to mind. It's been so long since I started this series, I'm juat not sure I can or want to pick it back up. I really enjoyed thr first book.

Would you all call this green or blue?
I know there is TinEye, but I find it's sometimes unreliable. I mean it never sees white, just shades of grey🤨

I'm going to start with Zombie's Bite, then move to Zoo City.

Hi Sanz.

Christina wrote: "Aoife wrote: "Keli wrote: "I just finished flowers in the attic today. How perfect it would have been 😭😭😭 A V and banjo in the text."

Handy to know tho!"

That's what I thought but then I looked a..."

It's compelling. Not as bad as it sounds.

Christina wrote: "Keli wrote: "Hi all, i thought i already left a message. Sorry. Don't know what happened there"

I thought this might have been what happened! We all know GR likes to mess with us sometimes... *eye..."

Sorry, i have been ill and not really checking in. Check out Navajo Autumn, The Cold Dish and Open Season. I haven't read the last one but Ive got it andy sister-on-law loves the series

I just finished flowers in the attic today. How perfect it would have been 😭😭😭 A V and banjo in the text.

My shelf is https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

I'm a challenge reader right now. Though, I can be a mood reader, too. But i like reading for challenges as it gets me reading outside of my comfort zone. I recently had to read western mysteries and was surprised to enjoy them. Not a genre I would have picked up necessarily.

I read the Oct BOM not that long ago, so will be skipping that one.

Hi all, i thought i already left a message. Sorry. Don't know what happened there

I'm on team Pop. I love rap, and metal, and old country, and classical. Honestly, I don't think there's a style I don't like, except some modern country and polka. Good luck everyone!

I joined up too.

Janeylou wrote: "Ive got so much on at moment that i dont know if im going to be able to join in with this one this time 😞"

You'll be missed.

I'm sorry to hear about your brother-in-law, Suzanne. I, too, wish him a speedy recovery.

I agree with y'all about the Bluest Eye. It is a fantastic emotional and powerful book. But Toni Morrison can do that. If you haven’t read Beloved, give it a go. It's not an easy read, but it has impact.