Lisa’s Comments (group member since May 01, 2022)

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

I've started Mockingjay - I don't think it will take me too long to finish, so I can take the S for this round. If I don't finish it by the time everyone else's books are read for this spell out, Ingeborg's could be swapped in? but hopefully it can be saved for the more difficult N letter.

Char wrote: "Erin, can you check if a certain edition of Anne of Island would work for Purple Cover? I'm on phone, so can't link it.
But the title is Anne De Redmond"

Tineye says Anne de Redmond is 51.1% violet...so I think that works?

Bernadette wrote: "The Book That Wouldn’t Burn feels like The Book That Wouldn't End. It's taking me forever to get through this one."

Bernadette - if you finish before me, feel free to bump me from the mini (WOOL prompt)!

I've finished my "U" book for the mini arena round, but I was a bit optimistic to think I would also finish my "R" book by today. I think I will finish it by 8/5 - so if someone else finishes something that works, feel free to boot me to keep things moving.

Char - according to the rules we can't use Character's first and last name initials for the spell outs....so I'moving a few things around.

Also, for WOOL in title - is it the word in the title or all of the letters in any order? I'm thinking the latter.....

If it is the latter, I could finish The Book That Wouldn’t Burn for that task.

I just saw the last mini is posted.

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

It looks like we get to spin two wheels. It looks like for the first round we have to do these tasks:

District 8 is textiles
WOOL in title
white colour cover (50%+)
#8 in series
white text on cover
item related to district on the cover
author first & last initials in TEXTILES
set in India (50%+)
plot element that can be linked to the district

AND this spell out:

URBAN TUNNELS

Does that seem right Erin?

I finished the first of my two battle books; the second one is shorter so shouldn't take too long.

Day 3 - Chapters 17-25

11. We learn a lot more about the library in this section, for example that new head librarians create new systems to secure their power and make themselves indispensable. I know we have a few librarians in this group… how do you feel about that? 😅 If you’re not a librarian –what would you do if the library you use just changed systems whenever it felt like it?
Not a librarian – I suppose it would depend on how often it occurred. If it wasn’t too often I hope I’d embrace it and look at the positive aspect that rearranging the books frequently will lead me to find things I didn’t know I was looking for.

12. We also finally had our stories converging, albeit briefly. Livira and Evar were exploring new places in consecutive chapters, both of them marking their origin/path (Livira with books, Evar with a knife) and then their journeys culminate in them meeting in what Livira identifies as an “in-between place”. Were you expecting them to meet so soon? What was your impression of their brief time together – and why did the meeting end so abruptly?
I don’t know that I was expecting anything regarding their meeting; although if I would have had an expectation it would have been that she was the woman Evar had been missing/looking for. Maybe she will be that woman in the future? And he just didn’t recognize her as an 11 year old child? I might have liked them to be together longer, but this was enough to put the idea in Livira’s head and I think she’ll be looking for him. I’m guessing the meeting ended so abruptly as she was promising to help him and the library didn’t like that.

13. In her time in the library, Livira acquired a companion in the raven: is he an ally or guide? Or something sinister? Do you think it’s actually “just” a (magical) animal or maybe even a character we know already?
I suspect the raven’s loyalties lie with the library, so he would be an ally as long as the libraries rules are being followed. I think in this section he’s been a helpful guide. At this point I’m leaning towards “just” a magical animal.

14. I can’t help but constantly think of the Book of the Ancestor as I’m reading this – the young girl protagonist who’s an outsider, the school setting, navigating friendships and political machinations while also learning about whatever type of magic there is… Have you read anything else by Mark Lawrence?
This is the first book I’m reading by this author.

I think we’re done planning battle books? 10 rounds for each of us. YAY!!

If no one else wants to claim a book, I could read Once We Were Home for the book battle.

Sounds good - I have it on my TBR for next week!

No, not an easy one. I think they'll successfully force us to go with more letters. Normally I'd be a bit more competitive, but I also don't want us to have to read books we're really not going to enjoy just for five points. So maybe we should go with something that starts with LIGHT and take the hit?

If that's what we decide The Light Through the Leaves is on my TBR and I'd be happy to read it.

DQs Day 2 Chapters 8 - 16

6. How are you enjoying the book so far? How's the pacing for you?
I’m enjoying it. The pacing seemed a bit slow at the beginning but I think it is picking up now and I think it is a good pace.

7. What are your favorite characters, situations, quotes so far?
I think I like the Livira storyline better so far, although the Evar storyline is growing on me as I’m starting to understand that setting/world better.

8. What are your fondest memories of a library?
I think my fondest memories of a library are of the summer reading programs I entered. I loved setting high goals to win prizes!

9. Library as prison... does that ring true for you?
I think anywhere you’re forced to be can be a prison, even if it is somewhere you would normally choose to spend most of your time.

10. If you could have one natural ability relating to books (view spoiler), what would it be?
I would love to be able to re-read my favorite five star books again like it was the first time! (i.e., no memories of the first reading so that I could experience the first read again).

If Char is willing, I’d go the ENME route too.

DAY 1 CHAPTERS 1-7

1. Ahhh.. The Library! My happy place. And what a beautifully intriguing cover! How often do you visit your local library and have you visited any famous libraries around the world. Do share!
I visit my local library at least once per week, whenever I have a hold come in. I have not visited any famous libraries around the world.

2. The first chapters describe a barren wasteland with an equally hopeless type of existence for Livira and her people. But straight away we establish that there is something special about Livira as she rises above her surroundings and the life she seems destined for. But circumstances change... your first impressions of Livira and how she influences her new destiny.
She’s obviously a fighter and willing to speak up, ask questions. The fact that she is outspoken and breaks from the norm seems to have grabbed Yute’s attention and gotten her a job (task?) in the library. Which is exactly where she wanted to go!

3. The chapter headings. How do they fit into the tale? Do you find them interesting as a guide or somewhat cryptic at this stage of the story?
I am not sure what the excerpts from other texts are telling us at this point…so I’d have to go with cryptic. But they fit with the library theme.

4. Enter Evar in Chapter 4 and the scene changes from the barren Dust to the mysterious and atmospheric library and its Mechanism. A lot of information to absorb about how it all works and the role of Evar and his "family". Does the author do a good job in getting across what the library is and does? Is it good, evil or omnipotent?
I am still confused about what is going on there. The last little bit maybe suggested that the mechanism can translate books into a common language though? I’m not sure if the library is good or evil, but there seem to be Escapes (are these part of the library itself or something else?) that are at the very least dangerous.

5. "Evar, don't turn the page. I'm in The Exchange. Find me at the Bottom" .
Who wrote this sentence and what is its purpose at this point in the novel? What impact do you think it will have in the story moving forward?
I’m not sure who this refers to at this point, but an educated guess points me towards Mayfield since he is the character who we know is missing. But maybe it is someone we haven’t been introduced to yet…

Is anyone else planning on reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes the last month of the challenge? Are there plans to do an informal buddy read? I would join (after I finish MockingJay).

I'm not home yet, but am not camping anymore so have more reliable internet access. It looks like all the mini tasks are filled - I am almost done with my last book for that list - Yumi and the Nightmare Painter.

A suggestion for the Battle - All the Missing Girls. I'm willing to read it, but also willing to give it up to someone else who might be interested.

I’ve finished Cork O’Connor #6, but I don’t think it works anywhere. I’ve downloaded #7 and I should be able to read it by 15th while driving home. Tomorrow I will have better internet and will see if we still need it.

Checking in real quick - my vacation is going well; today was a rainy day so extra reading was accomplished - I just finished Butcher and Blackbird. I think I marked it finished everywhere I needed to on spreadsheet.

I have two left to read that I've signed up for - Mercy Falls and The Berry Pickers. I'll finish them both by the 15th.

It looks like there will be more rain next week so I may be able to pick up another book from the mini - I'll figure something out when I finish Mercy Falls based on what's still open on the spreadsheet.