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

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

I'm in for this one too. I can't decide which option to go for, though it will be moderate level which ever.
★ Read any combination of books that appeal to you:
✩ Moderate- 20 books
Or
★ A Little Bit of Everything: Read 1 Book from each category
✩ Moderate: 1 book from 10 different categories

10/10

Fiction:
My Name is Lucy Barton - 04/02/17
The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi

Mystery and Thriller:
The Trespasser - 23/01/17
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
The Girl In The Ice - 23/11/17

Historical Fiction:
The Wonder - 19/04/17
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
The Summer Before the War by Helen

Fantasy:
The Blood Mirror - 08/07/17
Marked in Flesh - 29/08/17
Feverborn - 23/12/17
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1) by Seanan McGuire
Vampire Girl - 06/12/17

Romance:
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me - 25/12/17

Science Fiction:
Dark Matter - 15/02/17
Morning Star (Red Rising, #3) by Pierce Brown

Horror:
The Fireman - 29/11/17
The City of Mirrors (The Passage, #3) by Justin Cronin
The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

Humor:
Scrappy Little Nobody - 21/11/17
Housebroken Admissions of an Untidy Life by Laurie Notaro
Alan Partridge Nomad by Alan Partridge

Nonfiction
The Geek Feminist Revolution by Kameron Hurley
Tribe On Homecoming and Belonging by Sebastian Junger
The Fire This Time A New Generation Speaks about Race by Jesmyn Ward

History & Biography
The Romanovs 1613-1918 by Simon Sebag Montefiore
White Trash The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg
Hidden Figures The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

Best Debut Goodreads Author:
A Promise of Fire - 12/11/17
The Girl from Everywhere by Heidi Heilig
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
The Mothers by Brit Bennett

Best Young Adult Fiction:
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepeys

Question for the mod.
I've found the plural for narcissus, narcissi, can i use it for narcissus?

I'm in.
Turns out I'm an alphabet purist.
26/26
A - Anne Bishop, Murder of Crows - 08/02/17
B - Sawyer Bennett, Alex - 28/02/17
C - Blake Crouch, Dark Matter - 15/02/17
D - Deanna Raybourn, A Curious Beginning 25/02/17
E - Elizabeth Strout, My Name is Lucy Barton - 04/02/17
F - Julie M. Fenster, Ether Day: The Strange Tale of America's Greatest Medical Discovery and the Haunted Men Who Made It - 09/02/17
G George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four - 07/01/17
H - Charlaine Harris, Dead Until Dark - 12/02/17
I - Ilona Andrews, Magic Strikes
J -Darynda Jones, First Grave on the Right - 14/01/17
K - Kalayna Price, Grave Dance - 04/02/17
L - Lilith Saintcrow, The Devil's Right Hand - reread -19/02/17
M - Christopher Moore, You Suck - 29/03/17
N - Neil Gaiman, The Ocean at the End of the Lane - 02/01/17
O - Robert C. O'Brien, Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - 30/01/17
P - Sarah Pinborough, The Language of Dying - 26/01/17
Q - Meghan Quinn, The Virgin Romance Novelist - 17/07/17
R - Rachel Bach, Honor's Knight - 21/03/17
S - Shaena Lambert, Radiance - 10/01/17
T - Tana French, The Trespasser - 24/01/17
U - Ursula K. Le Guin, The Left Hand of Darkness - 14/12/17
V - Lani Lynn Vale, I Like Big Dragons and I Cannot Lie 08/04/17
W - John Wyndham, The Midwich Cuckoos - 16/03/17
X - Xandrie Kovak, The Fervor - 03/12/17
Y - Yasmine Galenorn, Night Myst - 06/11/17
Z - Z L Arkadie, Find Her, Keep Her: A Martha's Vineyard Love Story - 11/05/17

Happy holidays to everyone! Are we still travelling? I've got quite a few books to update but won't if we're done. I hope you all are having a splendid holiday time.

RUBY COINS

BOM Oct 2016: 1/2 DQs


BOM April 2017: All DQs & Ask DQs

Ok I'm all about challenges. Its my new year's resolution. I'm in. Cos I started midway through one month I'm combining months 1&2.
✔Month 1: Read your Birthday Month
S - Sins of the Night 28/12
E - Equal Rites 18/12
P - The Language of Dying by Sarah Pinborough
T - The Tempest - 31/05/17

✔Month 2: Read 3 or 4 books with covers that match the color of your birthstone, sapphire:
1. 24/12
2. - 02/01/17
3. - 25/03/17

✔Month 3: Read your sign:
V - Vision in Silver 01/04/17
I - I Like Big Dragons and I Cannot Lie - 08/04/17
R - Radiance - 13/07/17
G - Grave Dance - 04/02/17
O- Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien- 30/01/17

✔Month 4: Read your Chinese zodiac sign:
H - Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris - 12/02/17
O - Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell - 07/01/17
R - Rivers of London - 19/04/17
S - Second Grave on the Left - 05/03/17
E - My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout - 04/02/17

Read 3 or 4 books with your favorite flower on the cover, tulip:
1. The Black Tulip
2. For You
3.

✔Month 5: Read 3 or 4 books set in a country you'd like to visit:
1. Ireland - The Trespasser - 23/01/17
2. China - False Nine - 29/04/17
3. Japan- Radiance 09/01/17

✔Month 6: Read 3 or 4 books from your favorite genre, UF:
1. Midnight Crossroad 15/04/17
2. Grave Memory - 27/04/17
3. Girl of Nightmares - 29/04/17

✔Month 7: Read 3 or 4 books with your child or a friend
1. A Curious Beginning - 25/02/17 (buddy read)
2. The Silver Witch - 11/04/17 (buddy read)
3. The Wonder - 18/04/17 (BOTM group read)

✔Month 8: Read 3 or 4 books written by some of your favorite authors
1. Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison - 22/08/17
2. Cormorant Run by Lilith Saintcrow - 10/12/17
3. Sixth Grave on the Edge by Darynda Jones - 07/08/17

✔Month 9: Set yourself a personal goal to exceed the amount of books you normally read in a month:
1. Golden Son - 07/06/17
2. Soulless - 10/06/17 (reread)
3. Rock Chick Rescue - 15/06/17
4. The Frog Prince - 16/06/17
5. Third Grave Dead Ahead - 20/06/17
6. Real Murders 22/06/17
7. Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet - 26/96/17

✔Month 10: Read one of your favorite foods:
P - Red Rising by P ierce Brown
I - Magic Burns - Ilona Andrews - 15/05/17
Z - Find Her, Keep Her: A Martha's Vineyard Love Story, Z L Arkadie
Z - The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata
A - The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard - 30/05/17

✔Month 11: Read 3 or 4 books by authors you've never read before, but have been meaning to:
1. - First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones - 14/01/17
2. - Faith Hunter, Skinwalker - 10/03/17
3. The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham - 16/03/17

✔Month 12: Read your favorite Book Crush's name:
J - Fated by Benedict Jacka -31/12/16
A - Alex - 28/02/17
P - The Poison Tree - 12/03/17
H - The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood - Howard Pyle - 24/02/17
R - The Devil's Right Hand - reread -19/02/17
I - Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews - 26/05/17
M - Murder of Crows - 08/02/17
E - Ether Day: The Strange Tale of America's Greatest Medical Discovery and the Haunted Men Who Made It - 09/02/17
L - Colder Than Here by Laura Wade - 25/05/17

I'm going for marshmallows level spell-it-out.
My favourite Xmas holiday treat to start:
P - Fortune's Pawn Paradox Series by Rachel Bach - 24/12/16
E - Equal Rites - 18/12/16
A - Rock Chick by Kristen Ashley - 02/12/16
N - Nineteen Eighty-Four - 07/01/17
U
T - The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman - 02/01/17

B - Fated by Benedict Jacka - 31/12/16
R - Rebel of the Sands - 11/12/16
I - Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
T - The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
T -The Trespasser - 23/01/17
L - Radiance by Shaena Lambert - 10/01/17
E - The Poison Tree

I got terribly ill this weekend and didn't do anything but sleep, so as soon as i can i will watch it. I remember the "artistic licence" they took with mina but i don't remember all the ways it was cheesy. I'm really going to look forward to it now.

Catherine wrote: "Finished Highland Spitfire"

Are you adding all of these to the spreadsheet? You should be able to post all of this on your own tab spreadsheet and the relevant parts to the "planning" tab.

I'm watching sunday while i carve pumpkins. :-)

14. What did you think of the story of the baby? How do think this story and the story of his origins would have affected him growing up? Knowing about Jack's childhood, do you think his "adoptive" mother was right in keeping him from the folk and raising him?

15. "One wore a face familiar familiar enough that it seemed to him that this must be a dream." Pg 139 Do you think Jack may have known about Hazel's double life this whole time and just not been able to tell?

16. Why do you think the school was attacked? Was it random because the beast after the prince is loose or was it chasing the sword and prince? Could it have been after Hazel?

17. Leonie told a story about how Jack had given away he was not human and Hazel wonders if there are other times his mask has slipped. Do you think Hazel's crush on Jack has made her blind to see this?

18. What did you think of Hazel's decision to join the revel? Do you think what she learned outweighed the danger? Do you think there will be any consequences for Jack?

19. Were you surprised to find out that Hazel has already been paying her bargain off since she first made the ? Does this mean that what's happened with the prince being released at this time is just a coincidence? Or do you think there might be some connection

20. It seems that Hazel dream about hunting with the folk might actually be a memory from her subconscious and night time 'Sir Hazel' seems very different from her usual self. Why do you think this might be so?

Can I just throw out there, now that I've read it again I still think the movie is better than the book. It's like Stoker gave Coppola the bare bones and he fleshed them out into sonething fantastic.

Questions Chapter 24-End

31. It was rather anticlimatic, especially when Van Helsing found the three occupied and fourth empty coffins of the vampires. I was like that's it really?!! At least the bit with Quincey and Harker hurrying to the box containing D had a bit more to it but not much.

32. Considering that Halloween is not a big deal here, no. Though 21st century England is far more secular or, at least, less obvious in its faith, maybe it's was a feast day back then and had more significance. But I think it more likely that Stoker probably had a time line in his head and more important and believable aspects to consider, like weather and tides.

7. Ben breaks his hand on purpose so that he can't play after his music teacher is killed when he plays when he is upset. I get him being upset, but this seems like an over reaction, when he could just learn to be more careful with his gift. What did you think about that? Also is that why he could no longer play the music?
If I grew up in town where fairies and magic were real and I knew growing up that my "gift" was given by a fairy (whose magic is a curse as well as a blessing) i think breaking my hand might not be that strange. Equally if I knew my music could kill, indeed had hurt someone, again I don't think maiming myself would be over the top. Even if i got training and unbelievable control over my playing there is every chance it could go wrong cos noone is perfect, so do I accept that I could kill someone accidentally even though I tried my hardest not too? Or do i make it so if I felt compelled to play it hurt so bad i couldn't? Again i might choose the latter.

8. Hazel mentions spaghetti, meatballs and peas as a common childhood meal that is comfort food for her. Do you have a meal like that that you associate with comfort from your childhood?
Chicken and biscuits with gravy.

9. Why do you think the prince was awakened and released now?
He's got to help Hazel in an epic battle against the momster in the forest.

10. I was surprised that Ben has not been to college to study music yet, but the fairies can collect on their seven year agreement. Am I misunderstanding something here? Is the time in Philadelphia the school that Hazel bargained for, or is it college?
Did she not ask that they get him into the school he wanted to go to? I don't think she put too many stipulations on it, poor thing.

11. I was surprised by how much Severin knows about the desires of Ben and Hazel. Is that part of his magic? Do you think he knows everyone's desires?
At first, I thought he could read minds but i later learned how he knew everything. Being encased for hundreds of years, listening to humans ramble on to you can make one an expert at human psychology. And allow into all their deepest secrets.

12. When Hazel is thinking about her family she thinks "Normal was a lot more tempting when it was out of reach." Do you agree or disagree?
What is normal? The neglect that she and ben suffered is not normal. It's definitely not normal that they are out there slaying dangerous fairies without their parents knowing. I couldn't even get away with smoking a cigarette without my mom finding out much less kill monsters! So is she missing that level of disinterest that borders on neglect? If that's the definition of normal, I'll take normal any day of the week. Give me food, love and attention.

13. Are you enjoying the story so far? Any favorite characters? I think it's a great story good pace, interesting characters and premise. Jack is my favourite character so far.

1) Fairfold sounds like an interesting town. I would love to live there! What about you?
I don't know. It sounds interesting but it also sounds a bit Stepford-ish. Everyone's okay with a tourist or two getting "lost" because they like to live in an enchanted town? That seems more scary than the fairies.

2) The story about Jack and Carter was amazing! There mom sounds very brave. Could you have done what she did?
Heck, yes. Well, the burning the baby bit would've been incredibly hard. That probably been the only point I'd hesitated. But I would've kept them both too.

3) So Ben seems to have been blessed (or cursed) with the gift of fey music. Why do you think he has chosen to try and deny it?
Probably cos he faltered. He must have some idea of the effect of hos music and it must've scared the dickens out a 12 year old boy to realise that their safety is largely on his shoulders with his ability to entrance.

4) The horned prince sounds creepy! And I find it interesting that the fey don't seem to mind people hanging around him. Thoughts?
I think it's weirder that the parents don't mind. Or that their okay their kids hanging out in haunted woods with an enchanted creepy prince. I don't think the fae care cause what can humans do to them? Or clearly, the Prince is not well regarded as they don't seem to care about him or tend his coffin.

5) What on earth do you think Hazel did on the night she can't remember? Any predictions?
Killed fae.

6) Hazel and Ben used to fight dark fey when they were kids. I'm sure this will play a role in the story. Do you think they were brave or foolhardy?
Foolhardy. But when your 11 it doesn't appear that way to you. Well, at least until something goes wrong and the weight or severity of your actions gets forced upon you, like Ben's music faltering. What insane fun it must've felt like to their child selves.

25.Not sure about the rats but the dogs did strike me. I wonder if it has something to do with making a conscious decision to enter Dracula's domain. He made a big old deal about it with Harker back in Transylvania. Maybe they couldn't enter of their own free will because dogs cannot consent to enter freely. It was only when the choice was made for them by their master could they enter. I do think it's interesting that once inside they were unaffected by the malevolence of the place.

26. I'm surprised about that too. But if they weren't so open nothing much would happen. I think Stoker would have had to gone the more traditional format otherwise. Although the Victorians were very open in their journals and personal letters. They just had a show on BBC4 about the letters between Queen Vicki and her children and they were verra verra open. I couldn't believe how frank they were.

27.Both. I thought D would want a playmate, like the three he kept in his castle. It's probably a lonely existence. I think Mina was to replace Lucy.

28.My thoughts exactly about needing to sleep there. So is his existence predicated on recharging in the very soil in which he began his unholy immortality?

29.Stoker has referenced all kinds of new "science" throughout. Physiognomy, phrenology, psychology and hypnotism are all mentioned before Mina is hypnotised. In fact, when Van Helsing is trying to get Seward to come to the conclusion about Lucy's illness and death he starts naming sciences that Seward can't believe cos they've not been proven like corporeal transference or materialisation or hypnotism. But Sewrd says yes to hypnotism.

30. For the first half of this i refer to my answer to question 26. Definitely helps.

I'll remove my T and put yours in, if that's alright. And the U can be used for either Turkey or Istanbul.

Glad you are better Sonia. Migraines suck.

I nominate
Prince of Thorns

Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that's true enough, but there's something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse.

From being a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg has the ability to master the living and the dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.

Mark Lawrence's debut novel tells a tale of blood and treachery, magic and brotherhood and paints a compelling and brutal, and sometimes beautiful, picture of an exceptional boy on his journey toward manhood and the throne. (less)

Sorry this is in reference to being the one to ask/post DQs. Just in case that wasn't clear.
How many DQs are required? Is there a specific time they need to be posted by? I'll give the last section a try.