Joanne’s Comments

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

Note: Joanne is not currently a member of this group.

I didn't specifically choose any books for animals, but in the one I'm reading, I already found one tricky and one easy. I'm making a note of the page numbers and quotes if we decide to move the book. It has a brown cover, so I don't know if we want to save it for wrath. We're doing pretty well at reading lots of wrath books so if we are trying to win that Vanity Prize for the most books for our sin, we may want to leave it there. I'll leave it up to the captains.

DQ Day 5 Chapter 20 to the end

20- Early in chapter 29, Hetty thinks to herself, “For a year and a half we’ve been as safe as we could ask for. The fence, regular supplies. Welch and the Headmistress to hold us together. A year and a half, and in a week I’ve torn it apart.” Do you agree? Do you think the events at the end are Hetty’s fault?

She and the other girls were not given any relevant information so I don't think they are to blame for the whole fiasco. The adults both at the school and the CDC should have been more transparent about the dangers and what was going on.

21- The chaos of chapter 20 is nuts. A bear, poison, evil people who think they have a better right to life than the others. The thing I found most disturbing in this part was that the extra girls, the remaining girls, the ones we know almost nothing about, seemed truly extra to the story. I felt nothing for them, and that bothered me. How did you all feel about this chaotic part of the book; the taking of Reese, the poison room, etc.?

I didn't feel for any of the characters and didn't even care if Hetty, Reese and Byatt survived to be honest. But I agree with others that it was hypocritical for Hetty to be so angry at the Headmistress and Taylor for wanting to get off the island and abandon the other girls when they went ahead and did it themselves. Also, why on earth would they not have noticed there was still a boat left on the island and gotten rid of it?

22- The reveal of the Tox, was a good story point, I thought. Would you have liked to get more info on this? Did you have any inkling that this was the cause, or what did you think it was? Do you think that the CDC (or whoever found this stuff) released it on the island, or was it found there in the girls?

I feel like almost nothing was explained. No info on why it affected so many people differently, what it did in the body, how they were trying to cure it, or any of the interesting stuff I was hoping for.

23- What happens next? Do they reach the mainland? Does Byatt recover, or is her essence gone? Why? Will there be a sequel, and will you read it if there is?

Honestly I don't care about these characters, but for the sake of the others they would infect if they reach mainland, I hope they don't. If I went in to this book knowing it was a series, I would be ok with the lack of answers and would continue the series, but I am annoyed at how I feel like nothing was resolved and it is apparently a stand-alone. I was originally debating between 2 and 3 stars but thinking about how unsatisfied I am with the ending, I'm going with 2 stars.

I'm planning to finish Wilder Girls tomorrow morning and that will be my last book for this round.

DQ Day 4 Chapters 14-19

16. I felt so bad for Reese to be able to see her father again and so different. Mr. Harker changed in ways none of the girls have. Why do you think the Tox is more aggressive with men? Is it just hormones or something else? Was Reese’s reaction to Hetty killing her father a normal reaction? Do you think Reese has lost hope now?

It's odd that it affects teenage girls who have gone through puberty, men, and adult women differently. My only thought is hormones but it's confusing. I don't know if Reese's reaction is normal, she is in shock and I can understand her feelings.

17. Byatt’s section was pretty intense. This is the first time that we see the Tox attacking someone and how horrific it is. By the end she seems pretty resigned and ready to die when Paretta tells her that they are evacuating and there will be no more help for Roxton. Do you think Byatt understood that she was condemned everyone to death by breaking quarantine?

Interesting that Byatt broke the quarantine by kissing that boy, while Hetty and Reece broke it by sneaking out all at the same time. So they are all responsible. I don't think anyone understood at the time what the consequences would be, because how could they? If Welch and the other adults had been more forthcoming with information about "one strike and it's over" they may have made different choices.

18. Welch and the Headmistress are really upset about quarantine being broken. Do you believe they know who did it? What do you think about Welch telling the truth to the Boat Shift girls on the dock before she kills herself? Do they believe her or are just to overwhelm to really process everything?

It doesn't seem that they know. I wish she had shared more information before killing herself. I had suspicions that no one really knew what was happening on the island, including their families.

19. Hetty was right when she said Welch held everything and everyone together (paraphrasing). The first night she is gone things start to fall apart. Hetty not locking the gate when they got back. Gun Shift girls falling asleep on duty. Both reasons caused Lindsey to die. Do you think Hetty will step up to lead to the girls to make sure things do not dissolve any further into chaos or let her guilt of not locking the gate overwhelm her?

Maybe, since she is the protagonist of the book, but I don't see her being a natural born leader. I don't think this guilt will overwhelm her because she already has so many other things to feel guilty about (breaking quarantine in the first place is what got them where they are now).

Day 3 DQs - Hetty (Ch 9) - 13

11. After all the tension in the beginning between Hetty and Reese, and now that they only have each other without Byatt as the middleman, they admit their true feelings toward one another. I felt like we didn't get much of a buildup to it so did you feel the chemistry between them? Did you think this turn in their relationship was believable? Forced? Necessary, or something to give the reader hope?

I don't feel any chemistry between them but I don't have any real thoughts of feelings about any of the characters. They just don't feel real to me. I did see it coming though with earlier hints in the book.

12. I didn't stop to consider how everyone's symptoms were so varied until Byatt started listing them for Teddy. Why do you think it reacted so differently with everyone it infected?

I don't have a theory on this but I hope we find out soon and that when we do, the science of it at least makes some logical sense. The explanation will probably determine how much I end up liking the book.

13. We learned a lot more about Byatt which made me rethink the previous interactions she had with her friends. Did Hetty and Reese really know the real Byatt? And is Byatt reliable as a narrator knowing that she's a compulsive liar?

Even though looking back, I realize that she was lying and didn't seem to have compassion the entire time, it became clear to me this section that she really does seem a bit sociopathic. I think Reese had some suspicions based on the comments she made to Hetty, but Hetty was oblivious. I feel like she is reliable narrator in her own POV chapters.

14. Byatt manipulated poor Teddy into removing his mask and kissing him. Why do you think she did this? To infect him, just because she could, or because she really believed it only affected girls (though come on, Mr. Harker!)?

I think she just didn't care. She saw a boy and wanted to kiss him so she did, knowing full well that he would be infected. She certainly wasn't surprised when he was. She seems like she likes to hurt people too after attacking those around her two other times also. She is being held against her will though and no one is giving her any answers, so I'm not saying I wouldn't be frustrated also.

15. When Mona told Byatt that "They'll ruin it," who do you think she was referring to and what do you think she meant by it? Mona then asks if Byatt would keep the disfigurements caused by the Tox even if there was a cure. What did you make of this? Why do you think they would want to keep them?

I was confused by this and interested that it was to Mona's room that Byatt went that first night when she disappeared. I find it hard to believe that any of them would want to keep their disfigurements, but maybe they've lived with them long enough that they feel they are a part of who they are and what they went through.

All my books planned for next week will count for colour cover. I plan on reading carefully to find animals but I don't know yet where or if they will have them. I assume if they have a new tricky animal we will use for that, but if there are easy animals, I will note them in case no one else finds them in a book not worth 5 points either way.

Oh ok! No worries! Just an idea when I saw that nice snake.

Up to you, but you could always read most of it and just save the last chapter for finishing after the new round starts.

Oh, I just meant since there is a snake on the cover, it might be more points to report it as finished next week when we have the mini-challenge to find all the animals.

Ozana that might be a nice snake book to save for finishing next week.

LOL!!!
I mean, if you say so...

I wonder if Save the Date has any animals. That's the only non-coloured-cover book I currently have planned for next week.

I think the Dan Brown is brown enough.
I looked at my friends list for the green book but I don't have anyone playing tower teams who read it as a friend.

Day 2 - chapters 4 - 8

5. The Boat Shift segment was intense! The description of the changes to the island were very evocative (and reminiscent of Annihilation, as Frankie mentioned). Are you going to be able to walk in the woods the same again? How effective are you finding the fungal horrors?

I don't go in the woods much but I love hiking when I get the chance. I don't think it will bother me. I'm not sure what the "fungal horrors" means. I don't remember anything about fungus at all, but maybe I missed it.

6. Welch. First, during the Boat Shift segment; Did you believe/agree with Welch at the first reading? And by the end of this section, looking back, do you still agree? Would you have done what Hetty did, and complied with the rule of silence? Then we discover Welch is communicating with someone (with a familiar voice....) about receipt, replacement and returns. By the end of this section we can guess at "receipt", but who / what is being returned?? Were you surprised by the reveal of Welch being in on "it"?

I felt like something was up as soon as they said they were throwing out the food. Maybe it's to keep the girls weak so the tox can better take hold of them? Food that is only a few days expired is generally safe to eat and certainly if people are starving, it would be better than nothing. Why throw out this but bring back a moldy orange and moldy bread? And pesticides? Why would they be given food that is unsafe to eat. I'm sure they could have washed it and it was probably the same type of food the rest of the world is eating. So I was immediately suspicious but obviously in that situation, Hetty had no choice but to go along because she would have been killed otherwise. I remember that it was a male voice on the walkie-talkie but not that it was "familiar". Maybe it is Reese's father?I think he is the only male they know. I am not sure about all the receipt/returned stuff.

7. Hetty has a big revelation about Reese "I've spent my every day since I met her telling myself the wrong thing. Telling myself over and over that she was cold, when maybe she was burning the whole time" I actually judged Hetty a lot at this point, for being so blinkered and oblivious, but I did like the adjustment she made during the conversation. How do you feel about Hetty, Reese and Byatt? Are they becoming more credible characters yet?

I don't really have strong feelings about any of them.

8. We have a switch in POV to Byatt. What do you think of this choice by the author?

I loved seeing what was happening and confirming that there was definitely something bigger going on.

9. The Byatt segment shows medical stuff happening. What do you make of that? Are they curing or creating?

I think putting together everything we know so far it seems like they are experimenting for their own purposes, and not to cure. Because if they had treatment that they suspected would work, they could just go to the school and try it out on the students without all the secrecy.

10. "Just before a flare-up, there's a moment. Hard to describe, hard to pin down, but for me it almost makes it worth it. The pain and the loss, all of it a fair price for this. This strength, this power, this eagerness to bare my teeth>" What do you think this quote means? Does it hint at reasons for the Tox? At future developments in the story line?

This definitely turns me toward the Tox being something man-made, and experiment for the inhabitants of the island.

DQ’s Day One: Chapters 1-3

1. It’s interesting to see the dynamic between the main girls (Hetty, Byatt, Reese). They can fist fight over food one minute, but still be best friends the next. Reminds me of my sister & I. LOL. Have you ever had this kind of relationship with someone?

Definitely reminds me of sibling relationships as a child. You can say and do the meanest things, but 15 minutes, it's on to something else.

2. Byatt sneaks out of the room when she thinks Hetty is sleeping, then crawls up in Reese’s bunk when she returns. Where do you think she snuck off to? & what did she mean when she said to Reese, ”If you know something...”? Reese shuts down & kicks her out of her bunk. Wonder what their secret is?

I'm very curious. I don't generally guess what is going to happen in books, but I feel bad for Hetty. I wonder why the two of them are involved in something an dnot including her. Aren't they all supposed to be best friends?

3. Hetty says, “And I’ve wanted boys, and I’ve wanted girls, but I’ve never wanted anyone enough to miss them, enough to pluck them from the slideshow of my old life and bring them here.”
People have different ways of handling emotional stuff like this. Some people (like Hetty) believe thinking or talking about your loved ones or past life would only make the situation harder to deal with emotionally. Put yourself in this situation. How do you think you’d cope with missing your old life/family? Would you be like Hetty & shut down emotionally to prevent more pain? Or would you be like the other girls, laughing & sharing stories of your old life?

I probably would shut down emotionally. I tend to not share much from my personal life and my past, even to people I'm pretty friendly with.

4. Personally, I’m really enjoying the book already! I love the writing style, the world building, & the characters. I know we’re only a few chapters in, but how are you liking it so far? What aspect of the book do you like best at this point (writing, world building, characters, etc.)?

I'm liking it. It's got a really creepy vibe but I'm hoping it will have a satisfying explanation for what is happening. I always love books with a biological agent, or sickness.

Mini Challenge!

Oh yeah, I forgot. Thanks

Well I've decided to read the backroom BOM. Picked up the free copy from the Kobo website and sent in a request to join the backroom group. What day does that one start?

Since it is a BOM, the captains should be discussing together if it's brown enough I think. Since many people will be reading it, they should all be able to use if for the same amount of points. Like Wilder Girls. I certainly wouldn't think it counted as a green cover. I wouldn't even have asked, would have just assumed it wasn't green enough. But if some put it for green cover, all teams should be able to.

Rebecca wrote: "It has some brown but it looks more black and grey to me 🤔"

Agreed. I don't think it's brown enough.