Cass☀️’s Comments (group member since May 09, 2014)

Cass☀️’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Here is my shelf.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Nothing is on it yet because I’ve been less a planner and more a fly by the seat of whatever mood I’m in reader. 😂

Quick clarification on the break down of books that fit the challenge. I see that there is the option of “ x color on cover”. So I could read almost anything I would like and it would qualify? Or would it be more helpful to the team to try to read books that fit the more specific prompts?

I have a bajillion books to read because I have this uncontrollable urge to buy books all the time. So, my goal this year was to make a dent in my massive physical TBR. 😅😂

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Welcome Jean, you'll have to post a photo one day of your views :)

Welcome Cass! Any second (or third) languages you can speak fluently? Or do you enjoy dabbling (I'm a dabbler!)"

Hi Karen! I would say my strongest is Spanish. I also dabble in Italian and French(if I am around people speaking them, it brings me back to when I was stronger but I don't get to use them as much these days). I am currently learning Danish. I am spending next summer traveling around with a friend of mine and his son only speaks Danish, so I am learning so I can communicate with him.

Chava wrote: "Cass☀️ wrote: "Hello Everyone!

My name is Cass! I live in Oregon. I have spent most of my life in the Pacific Northwest sans my few years in Phoenix, AZ for my undergrad. I teach high school lang..."

Hi Chava! Thank you! I have honestly been impressing myself too! lol. I am just trying to get back to reading a bit every day like I did before job and adult life. It has been doing wonders in my opinion for my vocabulary, memory, mood, etc. It has also given me the courage to go more out of my comfort zone for reading material!

Hello Everyone!

My name is Cass! I live in Oregon. I have spent most of my life in the Pacific Northwest sans my few years in Phoenix, AZ for my undergrad. I teach high school language arts and am trying to shift to instructional coaching or curriculum development! I love to travel. I really enjoy learning languages and about cultures, customs, and history. Oh, and trying new foods and experiences! I feel like a champion Jack of all trades, but master of none. 😂 I do really enjoy learning though, if I could have stayed in university collecting degrees, I would have.

I have participated in a challenge once before. It was the tower challenge. I will make a bookshelf now for this challenge.

I will read almost anything and everything I can get my hands on. I am trying to read 150 books this year and my goal has been to read 15-20 books a month. So far I’ve done pretty well with that. I think I signed up for less books, just in case I got busy but I might be able to help more than initially anticipated.

Looking forward to chatting and getting to know you all better!

I requested access to the spreadsheet- I would like to participate in this!

Claiming my spot! ☺️

Author’s Alphabet Challenge
Duration: January 1st, 2024 to December 31, 2024

Progress: 0/26
Last update:

A-
B- Berg, Elizabeth (The Story of Arthur Truluv)
C- Clark, Mary Higgins (Pretend You Don't See Her)
D- Duggar, Jill (Counting the Cost)
E- Esquivel, Laura (Like Water for Chocolate)
F- Foley, Lucy (The Hunting Party)
G- Gayle, Laura (Orcas Intrigue)
H- Hazelwood, Ali (The Love Hypothesis)
I- Ibanez, Isabel (What the River Knows)
J- Jimenez, Abby (Part of Your World)
K-
L- Lauren, Christina (Love and Other Words)
M- McCurdy (I'm Glad My Mom Died)
N-
O- Otsuka, Julie (The Swimmers)
P- Pooley, Clare (The Authenticity Project)
Q- Quinn, Julia (Romancing Mister Bridgerton)
R-
S-
T-
U-
V- Verne, Jules (The Mysterious Island)
W-
X-
Y- Yarros, Rebecca (Fourth Wing)
Z- Zacharias, Karen Spears (The Murder Gene)

I have decided to make 2024 the year that I make a dent in my physical TBR! I am excited to join this challenge with everyone!

My goal is going to be to read 100 books from my physical TBR.
Goal: 100 Books
Goal Progress: 46/100
Last Update: 5/4/24

1. Orcas Intrigue - Laura Gayle
2. Orcas Intrude - Laura Gayle
3. Orcas Investigation - Laura Gayle
4. The Hunting Party - Lucy Foley
5. I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy
6. Counting the Cost - Jill Duggar
7. What the River Knows - Isabel Ibanez
8. The Mysterious Island - Jules Verne
9. Fourth Wing - Rebecca Yarros
10. Iron Flame - Rebecca Yarros
11. Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries - Heather Fawcett
12. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea - Jules Verne
13. House of Earth and Blood - Sarah J. Maas
14. House of Sky and Breath - Sarah J. Maas
15. Around the World in Eighty Days - Jules Verne
16. Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne
17. Like Water for Chocolate - Laura Esquivel
18. Every Summer After - Carley Fortune
19. The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood
20. Love and Other Words - Christina Lauren
21. Love, Theoretically - Ali Hazelwood
22. Eyes Turned Skyward - Rebecca Yarros
23. Pretend You Don't See Her - Mary Higgins Clark
24. Love on the Brain - Ali Hazelwood
25. Circe - Madeline Miller
26. Part of Your World - Abby Jimenez
27. Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia
28. In the Likely Event - Rebecca Yarros
29. Icebreaker - Hannah Grace
30. The Swimmers - Julie Otsuka
31. The Helpline - Katherine Collette
32. The Authenticity Project - Clare Pooley
33. The Story of Arthur Truluv - Elizabeth Berg
34. Orcas Illusion - Laura Gayle
35. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
36. Tom Lake - Ann Patchett
37. Beartown - Fredrik Backman
38. Call You When I Land - Nikki Vargas
39. Sailing Alone Around the Room - Billy Collins
40. The Music of Bees - Eileen Garvin
41. The Murder Gene - Karen Spears Zacharias
42. Romancing Mister Bridgerton - Julia Quinn
43. The Serpent and The Wings of Night - Carissa Broadbent
44. Starling House - Alix E. Harrow
45. The Great Divide - Cristina Hernriquez
46. Homegoing - Yaa Gyasi

For the princess and the rogue trope task, would Heir of Fire work? With Aelin and Rowan? Or am I off the mark with that? What about even Throne of Glass or Crown or Midnight wirh Caelena and Chaol or Dorian?

Hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July that celebrates! I just got back from my brother’s wedding so I’ll be around and reading more! Are there any challenges that still need assigned?

Shelby wrote: "Cass - When you complete your 3rd post for City of Brass will you please let us know so we can get it added to claim those BOM points? :)"

I just posted this! Sorry it took so long. (:

DQs Day 3 - Ch. 10-14
9. As he walks through the Daeva Quarters, Ali is shot by a toy arrow, let loose by one of the children playing about. Rashid suggests to Ali that he should punish the boy by taking him to be raised in the Citadel, which Ali refuses. What do you think this says about Ali, and about others in the city’s upper echelon?
>> I think this illuminates the conflict that Ali is struggling with either to behave like all the other upper class or to be different. I think his decision to not punish the boy was a sign of his distaste for how cruelly his father and other upper class citizens treat those beneath them. It was a sign of rebellion against his father and I am enjoying seeing this development of Ali’s character.
10. Nahri and Dara have a moment, but are interrupted. Do you like this partnership, romantically or otherwise? Is it doomed, or meant to be?
>> I wouldn’t say that I like it, but I do find it sweet, because I am a sucker. I just would also like to add that I personally have found myself disliking romances like this, I read so much that I love finding authors who challenge the typical. If I wanted to read a romance, I would have picked up a romance. I want this book to take me on a journey, there wasn’t any need for this.
11. We learn about the terrible conditions in the shafit orphanage and the difficult lives all the shafit are forced into. Even though he immediately refuses to help, how do you think this will influence him in the future?
>> I think we will see him find ways to help the orphanage, because he does want to help them but he has to find a way to do so that won’t cause commotion with the King. Just like I talked about earlier, I think Ali struggles with balancing what is expected of him and what he wants to do.
12. As Dara and Nahri cross the last illusion shielding Daevabad, Nahri has an odd reaction and ends up flat on her back on the deck of the ferry, with Dara rudely refusing anyone’s assistance. Do you think this was caused by something related to what Nahri is, or something else?
>> I think this could be related to what Nahri is, but I am curious to see where this goes and so far the author has done a great job of creating curiosity by leaving the readers questioning like in this situation. It is a great way to hook the audience into continuing to read.
13. Muntadhir takes Ali to a secret room filled with dead Nahids. Do you think this room will be a turning point for Ali? Do you think Dara will discover this and his relic, and what do you think will follow if he does?
>> Like previously mentioned, I think this will add further conflict to Ali’s struggle to balance the expectations of his family and what he truly wants. Which in this situation, I am sure seeing a room like this would do to anyone, but this could possible motivate him to outwardly rebel against his family. It will be interesting to see how this transpires as we continue reading. I think Dara will also discover this at some point and I honestly couldn’t predict what would happen if he did, but I am looking forward to reading about it anxiously.

Thank you so much for all your kind words! Mom is in a lot of pain but she has an appointment for another X-ray tomorrow and then potentially going into surgery. So will hopefully have more answers soon!

Stacie, I will probably do a lot of updating later. I did quite a bit of reading, my mother fell and broke her shoulder, so many hours at hospital and at home with her. I’ll let you know here when I’m done!

I finished Peter Pan and The City of Brass. I’ll complete my last DQs later. Starting The Half Moon now should have it done today!

Does anyone else have issues with Goodreads on their phone? I feel like so many pages it won’t load the content. Like all the instructions and rule pages are blank for me on my phone.

I was also curious if we read older BOM and completed the DQs if we could get those points?

Shelby wrote: "Cass☀️ wrote: "Vicky wrote: "Okay here we go:

10 Awards - Read a book that won an Edgar
Solve for X - Read a book with a fraction in the title (e.g. The Vanishing Half, 7 1/2)
X marks the spot - R..."

Do you want me to add them to the sheet? I just found the chipmunk one lol or wait till i have them read tonight?

Vicky wrote: "Okay here we go:

10 Awards - Read a book that won an Edgar
Solve for X - Read a book with a fraction in the title (e.g. The Vanishing Half, 7 1/2)
X marks the spot - Read a book featuring pirates ..."

I have the read a book with a fraction in the title covered. I was planning on reading "The Half Moon". I can also complete the pirate one and read "Peter Pan". I haven't read that in ages. I can have both done tonight, if that works?

I finished a classic! I’ll add to spreadsheet in the morning.

I can read a classic today and help with that.