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

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

✿~Danielle~✿ wrote: "I’ll do kiwi on cover"

Hurrah! I had a quick look and came up blank, hence the Kiwi author instead

Sarah wrote: "Cat wrote: "I'm reading a NZ born author"

I found the first Ngaio Marsh quite tedious - don't be put off trying some of her others! I've also never read them in order, so I read #1 a long time aft..."

Noted. I'm not finding it too bad right now, which is a good reference for later stories! :)

I'm reading a NZ born author

DQs Day 1
Ch 1 to 4

1.) Had you heard of this book before it was nominated for/was selected to be a BOM this month? Or read other books by the author? Any expectations going in?

Never heard, no expectations. Generally enjoying, but the use of italics for the national language is annoying - I associate italics with internal monologues. I wish a different font had been used instead (especially as italics without quotes is used for the internal thoughts!)

2.) How effective is the author at conveying the isolationist nature of Kaigen? And at the glimpses of what the rest of the world is really like? How do you think the Emperor has managed to do this so effectively?

Very effective, and their particular location even more so. Shades of Japan (ya reckon?!) hint at that - exclusion of traders and control of information goes a long way, but the high tech comms in use is interesting in it's clash with Mamoru's region.

3.) Misaki is an interesting character with a lot of repressed or hidden depths I think. I like that one of the main characters in an epic fantasy is not a 20 something who just happens to master everything in 5 pages. What are you most curious about her at the moment. Also, shout out to her friends, who seem like real women-friends. Yay!

The women seem very real - I like the mix a lot!
I'm curious as to why she agreed to go from a family and culture that allowed (encouraged?) her to fight and hone her skills into one that represses them, and why she's gone along with that so long too.

4.) Tekure (husband/father) has managed to make me hate him without even popping up on page yet. Go him. Do you think we'll get a scene where Misaki does her version of 'down with the patriarchy' before the end of the book?

Very much hope so! A synthesis of her blood control plus the pure ice to win the day?

5.) What do you think of the magic system so far?

I find it a bit strange that everyone seems to have ice magic - is that in the world? just in Kaigen? the uses and family variants are interesting

Teresa wrote: "I'm going to read another Mid-level - Finland book. That will finish off that country though. I need it for another challenge :D"

I'm very happy for a mid-level book, and there are plenty of untapped countries that we can cope without the Finland option! :)

got it, thanks! sorry - things can get adrift between sheet and here, but think we are fully synced (for now!)

TASK UPDATE

Mini Two DONE!!

Mini Three
WW158 Author born in Germany
WW160 character eats sausage
WW161 character plays football
WW162 letters BIER in title (any order) - claimed
WW163 castle on cover
WW165 E
WW166 R
WW167 M
WW168 A
WW169 N

WW6 mentions the Beatles
WW8 N
WW9 I
WW10 T
WW11 E
WW13 K
WW14 I
WW15 N
WW17 D
WW18 O
WW19 M

Mini One
Itinerary brand new! 2 medium & many hard countries welcomed!

Countries we CAN'T use are:
Albania
Bulgaria
Croatia
Fiji
Finland
Kuwait
Philippines
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Sri Lanka
Uruguay
Zambia

nothing to see here

Dawn wrote: "Happy Month 3 everyone !!

not sure on this new Goodreads logo, it looks so off haha!"

supposedly a magnifying glass and an open book..... I see the glass, but not the open book.

Yasmine wrote: "For the New Zealand task: character goes for a hike - I'm about to finish Powerless, where they have hunger games styles trials, and one of those includes climbing up a mountain over a day, do we c..."

For sure

and we are now into month 3 (sob sob) so caps have reset and we can start finishing books again!

Kaley wrote: "Finished my “snow on cover” book!"

Whoop! and we got a new country!

WW97 Author born in China
WW98 Red and Yellow on cover
WW99 Dragon on cover
WW100 "rice" in text
WW101 character speaks at least 2 languages
WW102 character considered to be part of a dynasty
WW103 C
WW104 H
WW105 I
WW106 N
WW107 A

yeah, but nooooooo! I don't like the ":A Novel"

but! never fear, it means I can put Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space in that task :)

Cheese Consumed!

I love that Sally - that you are pushing your reading habits! Fingers crossed it's a good one that rewards your commitment :)

NEW TASKS!

WW130 Author born in New Zealand
WW131 Red, Blue and White on cover
WW132 kiwi on cover (bird or fruit)
WW133 character goes for a hike
WW134 "haka" in text - claimed Sarah
WW135 MPG Adventure
WW136 N
WW137 E
WW138 W
WW139 Z
WW140 E
WW141 A
WW142 L
WW143 A
WW144 N
WW145 D

Sarah!!!!!!!!

Our new country for Mini 3....... NEW ZEALAND!

Hurrah - get us that Haka mention ASAP! :)

You can do it Kaley!

I've just finished my last for this month, a narrative nonfiction about the Challenger disaster. Very good
Now to go do all the admin to get those points!

Will be picking up Sword of Kaigen and also Desolation of Peace

Oooh! A surprise Swedish author delivered! 🙂

@Christene - whilst you look to be at your cap, we do have a short book (White Nights @128 pages) that hasn't been used, so you could finish a longer than 128 pages book in the next day and we can use that.

Can you let us know if you are done for the month, or if you'll squeeze another in, given that info? :)

reminder: please post three sets of answers to the Berry Picker DQs by tomorrow, 16 July, otherwise we don't get the points!

ETA: but you don't need to have finished it all by tomorrow, just to have the three sets of DQs answered :)