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

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

DQs Day 1 - 16&17 Sep: Vol One

1.) Some of the set up of this book reminds me of Rebecca and Jane Eyre with a dash of The Tennant of Wildfell Hall. Did you get those vibes and is that a good thing or a bad thing for you?

Bit of Turn of the Screw too!
Yup, all about the gothic vibes....

I did think the titles of the books mentioned in the text were interesting: very feminist, and with hiding / chasing being a theme.

2.) What do you think is going on with the staff at Hartwood? Everyone seems to either be hiding out there or at least sitting on a pack of their own secrets. Do you think Susan will get her comeuppance?

Oohh... Susan's a strange outlier compared to the rest of them. The "senior" ones clearly know more about Mrs E than she's let on to Margaret so far.

3.) Mrs Eversham. What do you think her business is that she keeps leaving for stretches of time? Do you think it's just her writing? Do you think her husband and daughter are actually dead?

It's something more than jsut "business". Whether the dad and daughter are still about (is she a runaway wife, escaping and hiding from him?) I do not know - enjoying the ride more than wanting to speculate!

4.) Margaret. Do you like her? What do you think she's hiding? Do you think she actually killed Richard, if so for what reason?

I like her. I doubt she's actually killed him, but he's not coming over as anything other than a stinker of a man.

5.) Are you enjoying the book so far? Guesses for what's really in the East Wing?

I am! The uncovered room is strange - someone being hidden in there? but whether with Mrs E's knowledge, or just Mary (do I mean Mary - the ghost-believing maid) hiding someone?? I very much doubt that it's the daughter.

289 pages
400 pages
169 pages

Current total: 1,391,717

Hurrah!

I'll split it into 3 parts, Judith first up, me second, you last. and allow two days per part. Precise breakdown this evening

384 pages

Current total: 1,387,589

currently reading:
There's barbed wire on the cover - in her body - if you are all OK with that. is 400 pages. not found an instrument yet, but not into the swing of that yet - time to warm up?!

Christina wrote: "Wait you said Oct 7 WHY OCT 7 THAT'S SO FAR AWAY *throws temper tantrum*"

But that's when it starts.... Sign ups will be soon(er)

Judith wrote: "
The Malevolent Seven by Sebastien de Castell

'Seven powerful mages want to make the world a better place. We're going to ..."

just finished this, and it is about as much fun as you'd expect from de Castell! I listened to the audio, and adore the narrator. Which is also to say: I very much hope this doesn't win!

When an army of giant robot AIs threatens to devastate Earth, a virtuoso pianist becomes humanity's last hope in this bold, lightning-paced, technicolor new space opera series from the author of A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe.

Jazz pianist Gus Kitko expected to spend his final moments on Earth playing piano at the greatest goodbye party of all time, and maybe kissing rockstar Ardent Violet, before the last of humanity is wiped out forever by the Vanguards--ultra-powerful robots from the dark heart of space, hell-bent on destroying humanity for reasons none can divine.

But when the Vanguards arrive, the unthinkable happens--the mecha that should be killing Gus instead saves him. Suddenly, Gus's swan song becomes humanity's encore, as he is chosen to join a small group of traitorous Vanguards and their pilots dedicated to saving humanity.

When everyone is watching you can run, but you can’t hide…

2051. Marlow and her mother, Floss, have been handpicked to live their lives on camera, in the closed community of Constellation.

Unlike her mother, who adores the spotlight, Marlow hates having her every move judged by a national audience.

But she isn’t brave enough to escape until she discovers a shattering secret about her birth.

Now she must unravel the truth around her own history in a terrifying race against time…

An explosive and unsettling novel set in the near-future, perfect for fans of Station Eleven, Black Mirror, The Circle and Friend Request.

395 pages

Current total: 1,385,144

404 pages

Current total: 1,378,919

This edition I've been fairly lucky with the lists, in that I've had books on there that I want to read (the dresses list has cleared out a few from the closet, for instance), but I do find it's kinda down to how well I am getting on with the lists, otherwise I treat it as a semi-passive challenge - I'll read what I like, and if they're lucky it'll get points.
Helps that we have a friendly Shelf Stalker in Angie, who makes sure to snaffle up any books that slip through the cracks.

Sophie wrote: " I've been bad about completions over the weekend."

or good about being present with family at weekends ;-)

Though as I've been busy plowing though various royalty books (they have Turf Wars dresses!), a leeetle frustrating!

That said, I am reading , which features royalty, and - though not hit it yet - am sure that "take advantage" will happen - possibly the fact that one of the MCs is married off for political convenience despite her strenuous objections fits?

478 pages
305 pages
203 pages
327 pages
324 pages
353 pages
420 pages
368 pages

reporting: 2,778

Current total: 1,377,001

oooh! non-literal rocks!
how about this interpretation?

big ol' "rock" on her finger ??

(I've just finished it)

Spun us a new literary one...

Protomolecule (Expanse)
1 450+
2 Form of hivemind in the book
3 Tagged "Series-to-read" at least 10 times - must be new to you series
4 "microorganism" or "microbe" in text
5 A book or series that has been made into a graphic novel

The wheels are out to get us all!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Whoop! Although we hadn't hit too many 800+ yet.

I've updated our monster info :)

2013 will TOTES work! :D

given no other editions, I might be feeling okay ish about it?

In general I wouldn't love it, and would suggest using the default page count, but.....

really ambivalent, is what I'm saying, but could be swayed either way and then make a passionate case!