Cat’s Comments (group member since Jan 28, 2015)

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

Excellent work Domi! Have you got a new favourite author, r is Roald Dahl still the best?

it seems the next BOM has "vegetarian" in the text. which is good news :)

come up for air after Wheels, finished off the Dromes, spun

Golem
1 651+
2 Tagged Jewish or Judaism (at least 10 times)
3 MUD (any order) in title
4 Theme of hubris
5 tagged Folklore (at least 10 times)

Which, given we've been reading all the long ones for the last two months, is just classic spinning skills from me, yet again!

finished my last!

Oh Marie, that's NOT a nice week. but you've got a lovely weekend to make up for it!

As for book: whichever has the longer page count + publication etc bonuses :)

But if you put both on your challenge shelf we can pick the one we want more on your behalf :)

Attention!

We are into the last day (sob sob), so a couple of requests:
- it'd be helpful to know what books you anticipate finishing for the challenge, so we caps can have minimum last-minute panicked Captain Tetris
- specific call out for Keely: will you get The Lost Symbol done in time? (I assume yes, but helpful to know if it's at risk and I can hunt down a backup)
- please can you call out when you have submitted your last books
- BOMs: people who've read for BOMs, please, please PLEASE can you answer three sets of DQs and give us the links so we can get the points!

fab!

I'm going to switch Saar's dragon book into a food item, as it has the food bonus but not the relax bonus. And put Danielle's last one for dragon, as it has the relax bonus.

all about maximising our point! :)

Hey Sonia! 👋
Though I could do without your Xmas present completeness! I'm so far from being sorted on that front it's depressing. And I'm uninspired for suggestions too....

But! New monster

Zygons
1 200 to 299
2 Read a military romance or MPG Military or War
3 Letters UNIT in title
4 3 in publishing date
5 Set in Arizona or a state/country that touches Arizona (Mexico, New Mexico, California, Nevada,Utah)

DQs Day 3 - Parts IV & V

10. When Alice gave birth to her second child, she had a mantra. "I will love this new baby." I found it very odd. What do you think about that? Do you find any deeper meaning in it?

Not entirely unsurprising: she's not had a good year up to this point, so I don't blame her for being worried

11. What do you think about Bear showing up? Could it be real? Just a vision/hallucination?

Hallucination

12. Do you think Barbara was "just" a name for Peter? Or could there be something he hides?

It came very pat, for sure!

13. Louise got brutally beaten up. Toxic/abusive relationships seem to be a big factor in this book. Do you think that will have anything to do with the rest of the story and the reveal of the mystery?

I hope the untangling of these women from their abusers will happen, but not sure further.

Day 2 - 3 Dec
Parts II & III

6. The story is told through multiple characters and constant time jumps. Do you think it's working for the plot? If not, what would you change? Is it easy for you to keep track of the plot and characters? Is it impacting on your reading?

If you asked me to name and backstory the women I'd struggle a bit, but in the context of reading in the moment it's fine

7. We're introduced to the Van Laar family. What do you think of the mother (or the lack of her appearance so far) and the two Peter's? Do you think the grandfather or the father have a role in Bear's disappearance?

Peters are both obnoxious and abusive. The women are too scared to defy them.

8. We're also introduced to Delphine who says to Alice that "that one is free to do what one wishes in life, expectations be damned”, that Alice can do more and that she is smart. What do you make of Alice's reaction to this? Do you think Alice will end up standing up for herself and speaking up?

It was interesting, but she's clearly failed to act on it since then. You'd think the missing son would have spurred something, but nope.
Not sure she is going to find a backbone

9. I've noticed that the author has reduced the voice for a few characters. We see it with Alice from when she's 18 years old and with Tracey. Even with Louise as she's being asked questions by the Senior Investigator. Why do you think the author did this, especially with Alice and Tracey? Do you think Louise is like Alice and Tracey or very different? Have you noticed any other similarities between any of the characters?

They're all somewhat besotted by overpowering people not necessarily good for them. and certainly are all not making good choices.

I'm good with that! :)

And am looking forward to what image Karen's robot will come up with :)

(incidentally, did you know that robot is South African for traffic lights. very confusing)

Bookses, My Precious

Always Time for Second Breakfast & a Book

I quite like Council of Readers. but am intrigued by the possibility of more whimsy in the names :)

Do you have just the one robot that you are feeding, Karen, or a couple, to keep one clean of GR challenge nonsense?!

Totally there with you! <3

even without the delicious eye candy start to the day! :D

Finished an Office tagged book.

Might pick up a neurodivergent char one next.
Also started the last BOM.

Only a few days left, so super grateful for any and all updates, especially for Relax mini books - we want those completion points if we can get them!

Short short shortie done!

Day 1- Part I

1.) Have you read any Liz Moore books before? Or, did you buy it to find out what the big drip of pink paint on the cover means?

I haven't read any of her stuff before, and mainly bought for the BOM points - it looked sufficiently interesting that I was happy to spend!

2.) Have you ever gone to (or been a counselor at) a summer camp or the like as a kid? Did you like it?
Is the setting of this book descriptive (or nostalgic) enough to bring you into the story?

Honestly, I don't really feel the time frame particularly.

3.) So far we have been introduced to just a few characters; a couple of campers, a couple of counselors, a couple of useless parents, and a boogey man. What do you think of them so far?

Meh. Not really got to understand any of them.

4.) How did you react to Louise not being very truthful about the night Barbara disappeared? How will it come back to haunt her (if it does)?

Entirely unsurprised that there's lying liars in the story! Of course there will be repercussions, though I've not really got a handle on what's going on.

5.) If you have not read ahead, do you have any wild guesses about what happened to Barbara?
If you have read ahead, how do you like the way the story is unfolding?

Not read ahead, but seen some of the Part titles, so I have a thought, but there's not much to work with as yet: abusive husband/father of vanished wild child, repressive patriarchal family hiding secrets from the past and some townie v big house tension too...

I've been mainly reading for trickier tasks, so my page count has skewed lower. Happily I've had others who've tackled Count of Monte Cristo / The Stand etc

ah! oh! I picked up a vile office book with 100 pages, so I can take the short short shortie task

ETA: I say vile, it's not, but it is annoying

I think a marginal preference for another X, but really, whatever you want is best :)