Keri’s Comments (group member since Oct 03, 2017)

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

Eldarwen wrote: "The beta is the worst! o.O

I can't even put my finger on what exactly it is. It feels clunky somehow? And everything is so enormous yet you still don't manage to see anything on the book pages."

I don’t understand at all why they’d change things like this that no one wants changed. Instead they could be adding things we actually want, like half star ratings and to search if a book is on any page of a list!!

Camilla wrote: "Keri, you can do it also on your phone, just do not use the app, use a web browser. That's how I use GR when I'm not able to use a PC (like now). I don't like the app. And the beta version of the w..."

Same, I pretty much only use the app for updating my status on books or searching for books. It’s dreadful for mail or comments/notifications. So if I’m using the browser version, I can’t right click so how would I do it then?

Laura wrote: "Keri, if you’re using the app, you can’t. But on a computer, go to your post, left click on the time display of your post (upper right), and select ‘copy link address’. Then paste it here."

Oh gotcha, I’m 90% of the time using my phone but I can always wait to post something like that until I have access to a computer. Thanks! I never knew how people did that!

Eldarwen wrote: "Keri wrote: "Okay I have now answered and posted ALL the DQs for all 5 days on the House of Hollow BOTM thread.
I hope there are more BOTM going forward that I’d like to read—I enjoyed doing that ..."

Ok sounds good! I know how to copy a link to a thread and post it here, do I just state what post# mine are in them for the future?
I don’t know how to put a link in that takes you to that specific post…

Eldarwen wrote: "Keri wrote: "I’m trying hard to finish off series I have ongoing before starting any new ones."

*snorts*
Yeah? How's that working out for you?? ;-)

I told myself time and again to finish at least..."

It’s working as well as always, since each year I continue to tell myself this, and it seems I’m often unable to listen 😂

I have actually made a lot of progress on continuing series this year and last, but the whole not starting new ones? Not so much…

Okay I have now answered and posted ALL the DQs for all 5 days on the House of Hollow BOTM thread.
I hope there are more BOTM going forward that I’d like to read—I enjoyed doing that and reading everyone’s thoughts :-)
Do I need to do anything else to make sure we get the points?

Day 5 - 20 to End

17. This last part had some big reveals. Did you predict the identity of the Horned Man? What about the Hollow Sisters and how they came to be? Share your thoughts.
I had NO IDEA it was going to be Gabe!!! But it makes so much sense!
The situation with the Hollow sisters makes total sense too on why he would be after them. He loves his children and wants them at peace. I’m confused where the ones ‘wearing their skin’ came from though.

18. What do you think about how Iris' relationships with her mother and with Grey ended up?
I’m glad Iris has chosen to stand up more for living her own life, but is willing to give Cate some of herself still so she doesn’t re-lose her kids. Grey seemed the most extreme so it makes sense that Cate is able to connect with Vivi and Iris but not Grey. She’s too far off from her actual daughter.

19. Do you think Iris and Vivi will find any trace of Tyler? What did you think of that way to end the story?
I loved the open end to the story and how it gives hope they can find Tyler. I like to think they do because he kind of got the crap end of the deal. He was trying to help them and ends up getting the worst result. But on the other hand, he shook his head so Iris wouldn’t tell Grey he was there, so he may be at peace and not be there or want to come back.

20. What did you rate the book and why? What was your very favorite thing about it, and what is the thing you disliked the most?
I rated it 3.5 stars. I would’ve liked some more explanations to the weird things they could do, and where the ones who took the girls skin came from, etc. But I really liked the strong love the sisters had for each other even when they were not themselves. I’m glad I read this and it was perfect for October.

Day 4 - Chapters 15-19

13. Getting closer to the end now where all will be revealed. Does the character of Agnes Young and hearing the story of Tyler's near drowning shed any more light on the sister's story?
I feel like it should but I’m honestly just more excited to see all the pieces fit together. I definitely think Tyler’s sister that did drown is going to pop up. I’m guessing his almost drowning is why he’s immune to their ‘powers’.

14. I enjoyed reading the research Iris did into the masked man. Who do you think he is and what is his agenda regarding the three sisters?
I don’t know who he could be unless he’s related to the other place and like you’re not supposed to leave there or something? I agree tho I like the research and learning things that way.


15. "Outside Edinburgh was steeped in predawn darkness. We headed toward Saint Giles' Cathedral...We walked, shivering through the Old Town's warren of narrow lanes.."
" The ruins of the chapel sat on a squat hill overlooking a small loch in Holyrood Park... The ruins were two stories tall; only the corner of the chapel remained now the walls tendered in rough stone in some century long passed. "
How does the setting in Edinburgh's Old Town contribute to the spookiness of the tale? Would the story work equally as well in a more modern city or urbanised area?
I think old towns definitely lead to more spooky for me. But I’ve read spooky books SRT in modern areas as well.

16. Finally Iris and Tyler make a break through entering the strange place through the doorway.
"The Halfway.
It's putrid. It's a slowly rotting canker somewhere between the realms of life and death."
Your first impressions of this place? Is the story following the path you expected and how does the language contribute to your feelings of The Halfway and what happens there?
I knew they’d find the door and get there. It makes me nervous though, it doesn’t seem like the place is going to be welcoming them.

Day 3: Chapters 11-15

9.Let’s talk about Cate. What could Grey have possibly said to her to make a mother hate her child? (If she is her child.) What do you think of Cate and Iris’ relationship?
I am not a fan of Cate I feel like she’s controlling and very secretive. She knows more than she’s letting on. Her relationship with Iris is very co-dependent and I feel like it’s holding Iris back from trying to have a normal life that she wants. Grey must have said something about whatever happened to either them or her father, otherwise I can’t imagine such a hated reaction from her mother…

10. What do you think causes the sisters to have the power of suggestion, or the power of the kiss, or whatever you call it?
It has to be something from crossing over into an alternate dimension or whatever the place is called.

11. How do you feel about Grey's actions in the hospital and during the escape?
I don’t know whether to trust her. It’s hard to tell if the people weren’t what they seem or she used her power to make them seem that way? I trust she loves her sisters, but that’s about it.

12. The girl says “It is in me…In her…In you.” What is in them? And, may I say, yuck. This story seems very myth-laden. Has anyone recognized the myth yet, or do you think this is an original one? Are you enjoying the story so far? (Is anyone else having a flashback to the creepy video in season one of True Detective, or is it just me?)
I can’t actually remember that specific line but there were a few lines like that that confused me and I didn’t quite catch.
Haha I can instantly think of that creepy video from True Detective tho!!!

And, just out of curiosity, has anyone done a Google search on the flowers yet?
I had not, I’m surprised though b/c I’ve been k own to Google things throughout books!

Day 2: Chapters 6-10

5. Grey leaves her sisters a note that reveals the creepy guy is really a very bad person...that she's in peril. She provides a key and sends them to a super creepy apartment...'The missing sister, the dead body, the burned apartment, the gunshot wound, the armful of stolen artifacts. Even harder: the man in the skull, the flowers growing rampant in all the soft parts of a corpse.' What is your conclusion so far? I am hooked but have no idea what’s going on…and am loving it.

6. Vivi and Iris find a diary from their father...his notes supporting the Vogue article with all kinds of rumors about the girls. What do you think about their father? Was he crazy? Are his girls dead? I like the father I think Gabe probably felt crazy at noticing all the differences but with everything having some sort of ‘rational’ explanation, I’m sure it drove him nuts but he knows his girls and senses something’s off. I feel like he’s right but I can’t figure out how that can be…

7. What is with the flowers and vegetation found in the girls and around the girls? This organic, smelly stuff keeps showing up? What do you think is behind it?
The only thing I can think is if they are dead but somehow here, it’s like organic evidence of them actually being dead aka decay? But the flowers don’t make sense with that…

8. Tyler shows up at the end of this section of our reading. There's an article referenced with mention of a disappearance. Someone else came back. What do you think is next? What will Tyler's role be...hero, bad guy, or is his appearance a cameo/distraction?
I really like the character of Tyler so I hope he’s a good guy. The other that came back is super interesting and I can’t wait to find out more.

Day 1 - prologue - Chapter 5

1. What sort of stuff do you like in your horror books? Do you like the slow pacing here?
I like horror books that are creepy more than gory and also have some mystery to them. So far this is starting off with a lot of that right from the beginning!
I do like the slow pacing, it’s working for me here to get to know Iris as a character.


2. What do you think of the sister's and their relationship with each other?
I really enjoy the closeness of the sisters and how they have their own ways of showing they care about the others. They’re all so different but you can tell they care.

3. We are getting hints about the strangeness around the Hollow girls, and at what happened to them. What are your suspicions? Would you be like Cate with her daughters, and not push at the memories overtly or dig actively?
I have no clue what it could be at this point but I’m guessing something supernatural for sure. I suspect Cate knows more than she lets on and that’s why she’s acting like she does.

4. The descriptions (of Grey's clothing in particular!) is very atmospheric. Are you enjoying the descriptive language used?
That’s not really something I noticed a lot, but for me sometimes descriptions like that don’t keep my focus.

⚚♆ Cynthia ♆⚚ wrote: "I have the Legend series in my TBR but it is one of those I don't know if I should read or not... so it has been there for a loooooong time"

Lol same for me

I only read a tiny bit of NF, and mostly it’s memoirs or true crime like serial killer books. I am looking forward to Open Book and Unfinished which are some memoirs I hope to read by the end of this year.

Camilla wrote: "I've read the first three of the Legend book; realized only now that there is in fact a fourth book, oops! They weren't that special IMHO. I've also read Warcross #1 (which I thought was very good)..."

I have all those Marie Lu books mentioned amd am excited to read them yet I’ve only read The Kingdom of Back, which I didn’t love. And whichever DC Icons book she wrote, which I did like.

Eldarwen wrote: "Camilla wrote: "Eldarwen wrote: "That doesn't necessarily bode well for the first one.. :-/"

Yes, that would seem likely, wouldn't it. But to my utter surprise I've given it four stars, which I ve..."

I am TERRIBLE about 1-continuing series even when I like them, and 2-remembering what happened in the bokk(s) before the one I’m on. I always feel like I need to reread but if I did that all the time I’d never get through anything lol

I’m trying hard to finish off series I have ongoing before starting any new ones.

Eldarwen wrote: "Yes, that's exactly how you do it. You copy and paste the questions into a post, then add your answers.

DQs for each day are linked on the first page of the BOM thread so you don't have to hunt t..."

Thanks that helps!
And yes, I’ll enjoy reading through the whole thread seeing what others think and say! I’m excited to be joining one!

Ok I found the thread but I’m confused how it works? Do I copy and paste and answer all the questions posted so far?

Or is there like a thread I can go to for more info on how this works. Sorry if these are silly questions…

Eldarwen wrote: "Keri wrote: "Completion Post—Round 2

House of Hollow
Author: Krystal Sutherland
Finished: 10/24/21
Pages: 304 pages
Letters:
..."

This is my first time reading a BOTM for this group. Where do I find the DQs? I’ll go hunt around and see if I can find them. I’ll answer them for sure once I find them.

Completion Post—Round 2

House of Hollow
Author: Krystal Sutherland
Finished: 10/24/21
Pages: 304 pages
Letters:
V: Vivi (character)
I: Iris (character)

Bonus: October BOTM

Eldarwen wrote: "Keri wrote: "Completion Post—Round One

One False Move
Author: Harlan Coben
Finished: 10/22/21
Pages: 352 pages"


Can you add this t..."

Done! I keep forgetting if I don’t remember to add it when I start.
My two CR are on the shelf now too so we shouldn’t have this problem when I finish those today or tomorrow for round two lol