Cai’s Comments (group member since Jan 18, 2015)

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

Okay I am in.

Level: Steven Spielburg 25 or more books
Duration 01/02/2017 - 31/01/2018

1. 15/02/17
2. 21/02/17
3. 04/04/17
4. 17/04/17
5. 04/06/17
6. 24/06/17
7. 26/06/17
8. 05/12/17
9. 08/12/17
10. 20/12/17
11. 02/01/18

Previous Total : 233,152

31/1/17 254 pages

Current Total: 233,406

29/1/17 397 pages

Current Total: 219,952

I may be going blind. Is the duration for this the whole year? If it is, I would love to clear 1 a month from when I first joined Goodreads in 2014.

Is anyone else doing this challenge this year? It was in the newsletter.

I would love to do the spell out option if anyone else is participating?

Easy - 3 to 4 books.
Moderate - 5 - 7 books.
Difficult - Read 8+ books.

- Read an equal number of books from Old/Favorite authors and New/Never before read authors.
- Read one or more books with countdown in the title to symbolize the countdown till the New Year.
- Read one or more books with a play list associated with it because Dick Clark or someone else always does a musical countdown of the year's best songs.
- Read one or more books with fireworks on the cover because fireworks usually go off to celebrate the new year.
- Read one or more books with Champagne or other liquor because most people toast to the New Year.
- Read one or more books which celebrate the New Year.
- Read one or more books that have been on your TBR (To Be Read) list for a long time.
- Read one or more books that have a scene in Time Square.



Aiming for difficult but will be happy with easy.


- Read one or more books which celebrate the New Year.
In With the New 5/1/17
Jasper Jones 29/1/17

- Read one or more books with a play list associated with it because Dick Clark or someone else always does a musical countdown of the year's best songs.
The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson

Rules
Read a book for each of the steps below. Then if you like, have another cuppa and read some more. You may read the steps in order or out of order or skip steps, it's up to you.

Step 1 - Boil the water
Read books that are a bit "steamy", set in a hot climate or make you feel warm inside. Or books where the author's name or title begins with B, O, I or L.

Step 2 - Choose your tea
Read books with a color on the cover to match the type of tea you choose.
Black - black tea
Green - green tea
White - white tea
Brown - oolong tea
Red - rooibos tea
Orange - herbal tea

Step 3 - Steep the tea
Read books with page counts to indicate how strong you like your tea
Weak - under 150 pages
Medium - 151 to 300 pages
Strong - 301 pages or more

Step 4 - Sweet?
Read books to indicate how sweet you like your tea.
No sugar - Stand alone novel
One spoonful - Book one in a series
Two spoonfuls - Book two in a series
Honey - Book three in a series
Artificial sweetener - Book four in a series

Step 5 - Black or white?
Read books to indicate what else to add to your tea
No milk - General fiction genre
Just a dash - Romance/chick lit genre book
Lots of milk - Young Adult/new adult genre book
Cream - Fantasy/sci fi genre book
Soy milk - Mystery/thriller genre book
Lemon - Non fiction genre book

Levels
description Have a cuppa - 1 to 5 books
description Tea for two - 6 to 10 books
description Tea party - 11 or more books


Step 1: A book starting with I - In With the New 5/1/17
Step 2: A book with a red cover - 14/01/17
Step 3: A book with 301 pages or more - The Girl from Krakow - 20/1/17
Step 4: Book one in a series - The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson 24/1/17
Step 5: A romance/chick lit - Plus One 31/1/17

Level: Come What May

1. 19/03/17
2. 01/05/17

So I am doing Option 4 and aiming for Gingerbread House.

Option 1:

Option 2:

Option 3:

S - Craig Silvey Jasper Jones 29/1/17
H - Harper Lee Go Set a Watchman 23/1/17
O
R - Right Under Your Nose 20/12/16
T - The 24 Days of Christmas 22/12/16
B
R - Alex Rosenberg The Girl from Krakow 20.1.17
E
A - All I Want for Christmas is You 14/01/17
D

B
I - In With the New 04/01/17
S
C - Candy Christmas 31/12/16
U
I
T - Paige Toon The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson 24/1/17
S

Late to updating my list but I made it with 28 minutes to spare the other night.

Message 27!

Aiming for Gingerbread House using Option 4!

Because I am insane and like to challenge myself beyond belief...

Option 6: Scavenger Hunt Want-it-All
►The same Freestyle, but you must find at least one word from each letter grouping (i.e., one word from A, B, C, D etc.)

I am aiming for Supreme Court : 121 + words



A

Acquittal - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17
Affirmed - Plus One 31/01/17
Affidavit - Courting Trouble 16/08/18
Anonymous - Plus One 31/01/17
Answer - Plus One 31/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Appeal - The Florentine Bridge 11/02/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Arraignment - Courting Trouble 16/08/18
Ascertained - Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17

B

Bail - All I Want for Christmas is You 14/01/17
Bailiff - Confess 01/03/17
Bailment - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17
Bankruptcy - The Last Painting of Sara de Vos 12/05/17
Beneficiary - The Last Painting of Sara de Vos 12/05/17
Bill of Rights - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change 18/06/17
Bond - All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17
Booking - Plus One 31/01/17
Brief - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17 Plus One 31/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Burden of Proof - Courting Trouble 16/08/18


C

Challenges - Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person 12/03/17
Chambers - Dracula 21/2/17
Child Abuse - Courting Trouble 16/08/18
Circumstantial Evidence - Courting Trouble 16/08/18
Clerk of the Court - Courting Trouble 16/08/18
Closing - Plus One 31/1/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/2/17 Dracula 21/2/17
Collateral - Playing House 12/03/17
Common Law - Go Set a Watchman 23/1/17
Complaint - Dracula 21/2/17
Compulsory - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change 18/06/17
Conflict of Interest - All I Want For Christmas 16/2/17 Playing House 12/03/17
Consideration - The Florentine Bridge 11/2/17
Contract - Go Set a Watchman 23/1/17 Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17 Playing House 12/03/17
Controversy - Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person 12/03/17
Conviction - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17 Dracula 21/02/17 Confess 01/03/17
Counsel - Plus One 31/01/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Court - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17 Playing House 12/03/17
Court Reporter - The Good People 27/01/18
Criminal Case - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17
Criminal Prosecution - Courting Trouble 16/08/18
Cross Examination - The Other Side of the Season 18/02/17
Custodian - The Dark Age 16/02/18

D

Damages - Dracula 21/02/17
Debtor - The Last Painting of Sara de Vos 12/05/17
Decision - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17 Plus One 31/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Deed - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17
Defamation - True Blue 17/08/18
Default - Plus One 31/01/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Defendant - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17
Degree of Proof - Courting Trouble 16/08/18
Deliberations - Dracula 21/02/17
Deposition - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change 18/06/17
Discovery - All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17

E

Eligible - The Dark Age 16/02/18
Estate - Plus One 31/1/17 Dracula 21/2/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/2/17
Evidence - Go Set a Watchman 23/1/17 Dracula 21/2/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/2/17 A Bead in the Hand 14/03/17
Excuses - The Florentine Bridge 11/2/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/2/17 Dracula 21/2/17
Exhibit - Dracula 21/02/17 A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald

F

Fair and Impartial - Courting Trouble 16/08/18
Felon - Confess: A Novel 01/03/17
Felony - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17
File - The Florentine Bridge 11/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Fixtures - Playing House 12/03/17
Foreclosure - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change 18/06/17

G

Good Faith - Dracula 21/02/17

H

I

Indictment - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17
Injunction - The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson 24/01/17
Instruction - Dracula 21/02/17 Playing House 12/03/17
Issue - Dracula 21/02/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17

J

Joint Custody - Plus One 31/01/17
Judge - The 24 Days of Christmas 22/12/16, Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 The Other Side of the Season 18/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17 Confess 01/03/17 Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person 12/03/17 The Jolly Coroner: A Picaresque Novel 19/05/17
Judgement - Dracula 21/02/17
Jurisdiction - The Jolly Coroner: A Picaresque Novel 19/05/17

L

Lawsuit - Playing House 12/03/17
Legal Custody - The 24 Days of Christmas 22/12/16
Litigants - Go Set a Watchman 23/1/17

M

Magistrate Judge - A Clockwork Orange 04/04/17
Minor - All I Want for Christmas is You 14/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17
Motion - The Florentine Bridge 11/02/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17

N

O

Opinion - Plus One 31/1/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/2/17 Dracula 21/2/17

P

Panel - Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17
Parole - A Bead in the Hand 14/03/17
Partition - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change 18/06/17
Partnership - Courting Trouble 16/08/18
Party - Plus One 31/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Patent - All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 The Last Painting of Sara de Vos 12/05/17
Pending - The Dark Age 15/02/18
Perjury - Courting Trouble 16/08/18
Pleadings - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17
Precedent - Dracula 21/02/17 Playing House 12/03/17
Pro Bono - The Enchanted Island
Probate - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17
Procedure - Playing House 12/03/17 A Bead in the Hand 14/03/17
Prosecutions - The Jolly Coroner: A Picaresque Novel 19/05/17
Prosecutor - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17

Q

Quid Pro Quo - The Jolly Coroner: A Picaresque Novel 19/05/17

R

Record - Plus One 31/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Reverse - A Bead in the Hand 14/03/17
Right of Eminent Domain - The Jolly Coroner: A Picaresque Novel 19/05/17


S

Sentence - Go Set a Watchman 23/1/17 Plus One 31/1/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/2/17 The Other Side of the Season 18/2/17
Standing - All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Statute - Dracula 21/02/17
Subpoena - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17
Summons - Dracula 21/02/17

T

Temporary Restraining Order - My Story 19/05/17
Testimony - The Jolly Coroner: A Picaresque Novel 19/05/17 My Story 19/05/17
Title - Plus One 31/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Toll - Dracula 21/02/17
Tort - Commonwealth 02/05/17
Trademark - Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17
Transcript - Dracula 21/02/17
Trust - Right Under Your Nose 20/12/16 Plus One 31/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 The Other Side of the Season 18/02/17 Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17
Trustee - Plus One 31/01/17

U

Unanimous - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change 18/06/17
Uphold - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change 18/06/17

V

Verdict - Dracula 21/02/17

W

Warrant - Dracula 21/02/17
Witness - Go Set a Watchman 23/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17

Y

Your Honour - The Other Side of the Season 18/02/17
Youth - Plus One 31/01/17 Agent of Light Episode One 19/02/17 Dracula 21/02/17

Z

Zone - Plus One 31/01/17 All I Want For Christmas 16/02/17

119/121

13. The last section showed yet another development of Evie. She seems to have aged so much from the start of the book! And the relationship that formed between Viola and Evie was unexpected. How did you find the development of the characters?

I love that having children brought them together and made them grow as people. It was fantastic as I expected Viola to stay as horrid as she was earlier.

14. I was shocked to learn that Thomas was engaged to Winnie. I wonder what happened in the intervening years? If he decided he couldn't keep chasing Evie or if he beleived she had changed her mind? I guess it is much easier these days to communicate with people and get answers! :o

I imagine he would have pined and pined after her.

15. I cried at the end. I didn't even feel it coming, the tears just poured out. haha! How did you find the ending?

I cried too. I bawled and bawled then went and asked my partner when we can have another baby.

6. Two years have passed and the opening line of this part really surprised me! Have you enjoyed the development of Evie's character?

I have absolutely loved the development of Evie's character. She is very relatable. So strong and independent.

7. Four births and only two live babies. This was such a reminder to me of how lucky I am to live nowadays or I probably would have been another statistic (both my kids were born via c-section). I got quite teary with the births described here. Your thoughts?

I am so thankful that I did not have any serious issues with my labour. I am so grateful that everything was my choice. That I had the ability to give birth my way. I am so thankful for modern medicine.

8. Lovely romance with Lil and Leo! Have you ever played matchmaker?

I have tried but it has always failed. Not like these two.

9. Given all of the obstacles, do you agree with Evie's choice to be a Doctor?

Absolutely. She has the compassion that is needed. Given all the obstacles that she has encountered and overcome, she needs this.

10. I was quite disappointed with Evie going away with Tom seeing how she has watched so many "fallen" women herself. The big reveal at the end of this section seemed a bit inevitable. Your thoughts?

I was not disappointed at all. I loved it. She is more advanced than the women of her time so why not. Yes it is inevitable but it makes her who she is.

11. So we now know Mary's parentage! If I was Evie I would take the father's letter and go and talk to her mother and have them adopt Mary. But perhaps those are just modern sensibilities. Do you think it is at all possible for Evie to be able to be a single mother of two in this time period?

Absolutely. Evie keeps proving that while the odds are not in her favour that she can persevere through anything. While I don't agree with all of her choices, she can do anything that she puts her mind to.

12. Predictions for the end?

I have finished the whole book but I did predict a happy ending for all.

Okay. I am going to just dive into the deep end here and aim for Condominium.

Condominium - two or more staircases, ten or more walls and four or more fences

Walls - Read books where you would like to paint the cover to your walls. Each wall is one book.

Staircases - Read books that you would like to paint the cover spines to your staircase. Each staircase must have a minimum of four steps (books)

Fences - Pick a colour for your fence and read books that are predominantly that colour. Each fence is one book.

WALLS

1. 15/09
2. 23/09
3. 03/10
4. 26/10
5. 30/10
6. 03/11
7. 24/11
8. 27/11
9. 30/11
10. 30/11

STAIRCASES

One:

1. 07/09
2. 03/10
3. 04/10
4. 27/10

Two:

1. 12/10
2. 28/11
3. 29/11
4. 30/11

FENCES

I pick blue for my fence colour!

1. 30/09
2. 09/10
3. 21/10
4. 26/11

I also choose the theme Freestyle. Good luck everyone! Hopefully this clears the TBR piles a little.

Does November mean the end of November? Trying to figure out how much I can read.

1. What are your feelings towards Thomas?

I love Thomas. He is a secret feminist! However, I feel sorry for him that he feels he always has to clean up after Charles. Hopefully he will eventually let his father deal with him the way he should.

2. Mrs Whitman seems quite "enlightened" for the time seeing that she lent her dowry to her husband to set up the bank ; and she is also quite the romantic! Do you think she will continue to play a vital role for Evie?

I certainly hope so. As Evie doesn't have a really good relationship with her mother, she needs someone to look up to.

3. So guesses on baby Mary's father?

It's Charlie. No doubt about it.

4. Thoughts on Viola? She seems to have had her sights on Charlie. Would they make a good match?

I feel sorry for Viola. Like Charlie, they both have siblings that their parents put all their aspirations on and it fosters jealousy. They both need to pull their heads in though. They wouldn't make a good match as their jealousy would just extend to their own relationship and the would be quite volatile.

5. Your initial impressions of the book? The writing style / historical references / language used?

I absolutely love it. It is clear that the author has done her research. the writing style is very easy to read and it's hard to put down.

I am going for Moderate and will be spelling out PARTY!

P The Perfect Marriage 3/8
A Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 4: Graveyard Shift 8/8
R Revelations 12/08
T Tizzie HAll Save Our Sleep
Y Dexter R. Yager Sr. The Pursuit - Success is hidden in the journey. 20/08

I'm going to do this one. Will post my list tomorrow. I'm thinking difficult.

I too am catching up! Been sick!

1. What made you decide to read this book, besides it being book of the month?

I have seen so many positive reviews and posts on this book, the moment I saw it in the library, I grabbed it. Then I found out it was the BOM so I thought YAY I can participate!

2. What do you make of Amina? Do you like her? She seems to be a strong character.

I love her. The guts it would take to want to strike out on your own. I think people often forget the bravery it takes to do something like that in such a society.

3. The town of Dustwalk doesn’t sound like a very nice place to live. What do you think of this town and its inhabitants? I also wondered why the author didn’t give it a Middle Eastern name like the characters and some of the other towns.

Sounds like your typical low socio economic town that would be hell for those who want to be more than just poor. The inhabitants sound nosy. I think the author was trying to be more descriptive than practicality of naming it something middle eastern.

4. Can Amani trust Jin “the Foreigner”? Is it smart of her to go away with him? I wonder who he is and I have my suspicions as to why he is called a foreigner, do you have any suspicions about him?

In reality, no she shouldn't trust Jin but it's a book so YES GO FOR IT AMANI! I personally suspect that he may be the Rebel Prince. But too soon to know for sure.

5. Do you like the world the author has built? I’m still a little confused about what has happened and is happening.

I am not confused. I like that she is giving the places and character context by building up this world.