Stacey’s Comments (group member since Oct 26, 2014)

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

For the skinny dipping task - does it have to take place "on screen"? My MC talks about her brother and friend going skinny dipping as a reason shes NOT going swimming with them, but we dont actually "see" them do it.

I finished my last 2 books.

This was a fun challenge -- its my first stand alone Wheel -- thanks for being such a great team!

Book: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories
Completed: 12/8/18
Pages: 336
Letters: Editor S, Characters: Russell, Sophie, Ethan, Candy
*BOM -- Erin do you want me to put my links in the SS, or here?

Book: The Last Dickens
Completed: 12/8/18
Pages: 377
Letters: Character: Riley Osgood
MPG: Tagged Dickens 15 times -- on first page of tags.

DQs: December 6th
Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus
27. What do you think of Vaughn's pranks? Do you find them funny throughout the story? Could you relate to the way he thinks - like everything is just a step away from a disaster to happen?
I'm not a fan of pranks -- I guess I take things a little too seriously -- but I get where his were coming from. I liked the way he thought and saw things that others wouldn't necessarily see. It was an interesting way to look at it.

28. I've noticed that the stories in the book have some kind of continuity regarding fathers and them leaving. Did you get a similar feeling too? What do you think why Vaughn's dad left and what do you think of his mom and how she is handling the whole situation? There does seem to be a poverty, single parent thing going on. I don't know why he left, but clearly his Mom is not handling it well, and is forcing her son in to a lot of uncomfortable situations that he shouldn't have to be handling.

29. In my opinion, the quick love-to-be between Vaughn and Gracie felt a bit rushed. Do you feel the same way or do you have a different opinion? Do you think they go together well as a couple and why? I figured they had just kind of danced around each other for a while and were finally put in a position that allowed for it to grow. I'm not sure I buy them as a couple, but I can see them as being interested and trying some dating at least.

30. During the reading, I also wondered how kind was Gracie's dad, the pastor, to Vaughn. What do you think was the course of his actions, do you think it was really just out of kindness as Gracie pointed out? Overall, how did you 'experience' the pastor? Did he seem like an actual pastor? I LOVED this part of the story. My experiences with pastors have all been positive, but too often in stories they are portrayed as either very extreme and unbending or just crazy. I found his character and the situation refreshing.

Welcome to Christmas, CA
31. Would you like to live in a town like Christmas? If yes/no, why? I'm a small town girl at heart. As long as amazon delivers there, I'd live there in a minute.

32. What do you think you would be if you were a food? I do not have enough imagination to come up with a good answer to that.

33. Did you expect Rick acting this way and saving money so Maria could go to college? I didn't at all. It was a nice twist.

34. Personally, I really liked Maria as a character - especially when she helped Candy so much. What did you think of her? I liked her as well. While she had some teenage moments, she seemed like a genuine and nice person.

35. What part of Christmas is your favorite?
The music and the way it makes me feel.

DQs Days 5

Krampuslauf
22. Krampuslauf is an unusual holiday festivity. Does your community and/or country have unusual holiday traditions and/or festivals? Nothing that I am aware of. It was a totally new festival to me.

23. Penny and Silke were given the opportunity to decide if Roth was going to be punished. Penny showed more compassion with wanting Grieselda to punish him like Krampus would. What did you think about Roth being turned into a donkey? Well, he was an ass, so it was probably fitting. I was wondering if it was going to be permanent or not.

24. Joachim told Hanna that his people are often beseeched for favors, but seldom invited to share feasts. When he offered her a gift, Hanna wanted to never forget that there’s magic in the world. Why do you think she wanted that? I think she had forgotten for a time, and didn't want to go back to not feeling the possibilities in the world.

What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth

25. Sophie is having a hard time adjusting to college life. Having to say “just kidding” and wondering what she has done this time. Do you think she misread situations? It sounds like she may have been, but at that age you are still learning how to read others and she's in a very different situation than she's used to, so its understandable.

26. Russell said the only constant in his life was the Simpsons. I feel when he was talking about his grandmother that she is a constant too, regardless of the amount of time he could spend with her. Is there something or someone that is a constant in your life that helps keep you grounded? Probably my immediate family. I haven't had a very tumultuous life, though so I'm not sure that I have ever experience the uprooting effects of moving around so much.

Book: Breaking Creed
Completed: 12/5/18
How It Fits: Character: Ryder Creed, Character: O'Dell

Teri wrote: "Okay, thanks, I will get that sorted tomorrow, I’ve made good progress on the other so it should be fine either way."

Teri and Erin, Breaking Creed works for "character gets a dog from a shelter". It's currently without home, as it got rejected as a brown cover. That would free Teri up to read something else if needed.

14. We are halfway through. Do you have a favourite of the stories so far? Is there one you are particularly looking forward to reading?
I really liked the first one -- Midnights. The others have been meh. I haven't looked ahead, so no.

It's a yuletide miracle

15. Marigold's apartment was a suprise. Have you ever lived somewhere with things piled up around you like that or where you had boxes unpacked for months?
I've had boxes packed up for long periods, but usually in closets or in the garage, not my living space. I would think that would weigh on you.

16. I thought this story had a nice style. Have you read any books by Stephanie Perkins? What did you think? I did like this one as well as Midnights -- I fibbed above. :) I have not read anything by this author, but she has a nice flow.

17. I was trying to picture Asheville in my mind and ended up doing some google-ing. Have you ever been there or somewhere like it? Despite living in NC, I have not made it to Asheville yet. I have been to some of the more northern NC mountain cities, and they have a very similar vibe. It's a pretty fun place to visit.

Your temporary Santa

18. This story was the most unusual for me. I felt like there was a lot more going on than what I understood (like the nasty sister and the strange interaction with the mum in the hallway). But I find that a lot with Levithan books! How about you? I found this one challenging as well. I thought it was odd that the BF asked him to do this, and the sister?? I'm feeling there was a father issue there? But they seemed to have a contentious relationship regularly so I don't know.

19. I like how he is Jewish and his parents gave him the story about Santa and how "you can wave to him as he flies past if you want". Did your parents have any unusual Christmas stories or traditions? Not really. We were pretty straightforward in our stories. :)

20. Did you ever see Santa? When did you stop believing? I never did. And I was in denial for a long time mostly because I figured if Santa didn't exist then the presents would stop.

Angels in the Snow

8. Shy puts up a good front that everything is just fine when he is actually starving and lonely. Haley's invitation to dinner seems to be exactly what he needs. Why do you think he is making choices that are clearly making him miserable?
I think he has a bit of a chip on his shoulder from how he grew up and doesn't want to show any kind of weakness to anyone.

9. Haley asks Shy about his meals, invites him to dinner, and then brings muffins which she puts straight into the refrigerator without giving Shy a chance to stop her. Do you think she suspects that he doesn't have any food? What did you think of her solution of fixing dinner and then dragging him up to her apartment to eat it?
I like it and her. She knew something was up and wanted to get past Shy's pride and a shy, questioning kind of move wasn't going to get it done. She handled him well.

10. In the end, it turns out that Haley wasn't completely honest, and she confesses her deception to Shy. What do you think initially motivated her to deceive him? Why is she telling him the truth now?
I think she was still struggling with how to deal with her relationship back home and it was easier to fall back into her normal story than be honest. I think as soon as she was interested in Shy, it brought the other situation to a head, and she had to share that.

Polaris Is Where You'll Find Me

11. Given that Natalie has lived at the North Pole since she was a baby, did you find it odd that she seemed so completely alone at the party and separate from the elves?
I would have thought they would have gotten a little more used to each other, and she would have had at least a few friends, but I guess the elves were a pretty insulated group.

12. What did you think of Santa as a dad: the dress, the dance, the fact he can't be lied to? He seems a pretty typical Dad -- not thinking his little girl is growing up, wanting her to be happy, and also a little clueless about what is actually going on in her life.

13. The end of the story was really open ended. Do you think Flynn is right that she will go away someday and stop believing or do you think she will stay at the North Pole?
I think she might move away and have a more human life, but I think a part of her will always believe.

Book: Mrs. Scrooge (Rocky Hill Romance)
Completed: 12/3/18
Pages: 201
How it Fits: Character: O'Rourke, Character: Caroline, Series: Rocky Hill

I'm not sure what happened by I'm not finished with Breaking Creed yet. I will be before the deadline, but I don't want anything to get messed up if they are looking at dates.

DQ's - Dec 1

Midnights
1. Mags and Noel meet at a New Years Eve party and we read dialogue from 4 consecutive celebrations. To me, it’s pretty obvious Noel is interested in more than a ‘friendship’ relationship with Mags. What are your thoughts about why Mags is so reluctant?
I think she's just as interested, but doesn't want to mess up the "best friends" thing they have going on. Once they both leave, and come back it seems to be easier for her to make that leap having been without him for a while.

2. Not sure, but Noel appears to have some experience with other girls…Natalie, Amy, Alicia…while Mags doesn’t interact with other boys. What’s keeping Mags from other boys and if Noel really likes Mags why is he kissing/dating other girls?
I got the vibe that he's just one of those guys who has a bunch of girls who are friends, but never really serious. The guy everyone just wants to be around. Not sure why Mags isn't out there too, but maybe she is and its just off screen.

3. It seems that Noel is really the one open to different things and specifically change vs Mags who appears likes things status quo. One quote ’everything was the same and everything was different’… what does this mean to you? Everyone changes so much during college that its tough to come back to where you were. The people are the same people, but their way of looking at things has changed so much even in a short period of time, it makes for an awkward transition.

The Lady and the Fox
4. The man (Fenny) is outside standing still…in the trees always at Christmas, always in the snow… What do you think about this man? He says he’s where he’s supposed to be…he’s only allowed to come when it shows…why do you think he’s supposed to be there? I really felt like this story suffered from the short length. I'm totally guessing that he was some kind of fairy, that had made some crazy bargain with someone he shouldn't, but no idea about why he was there for Christmas or in the snow. *shrug*

5. Fenny gives Miranda the Fox Damask from his coat as a present and she fixes it so the fox is no longer chained and returns it to him one year later, again as a present. Is this ‘fox’ magic? Would he have been able to be free of the lady had this not occurred do you think? No idea. But that sounds good, so lets say it loosened the spell a bit. :)

6. The fact that Miranda’s mother is in jail is one aspect of this story that requires ‘imagination’. What does her mother have in common with Finny (the man in the snow) and/or the lady? Do you think her mother is really in jail in Thailand? Hmmm, it is strange that we never see the mother -- maybe she does have something more to do with the other two. I also found it odd that we never know why she's in jail, especially for that length of time.

7. The book was written in a ‘different’ style. If you were going to put a label on the style, what would you call it and why? Does Link’s style remind you on another author you’ve read…if so, who?
Besides strange? I've read a couple of fairy tale retellings that are similar, but I don't remember them off the top of my head. I think if this had been even a novella length, I would have "gotten" it a bit better.

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Teri wrote: "Stacey wrote: "I will be reading this week. I have it under the "dog on cover" 10 point task. According to tin eye it is a 57.1% brown cover. Do we ..."

Works for me. :)

I will be reading this week. I have it under the "dog on cover" 10 point task. According to tin eye it is a 57.1% brown cover. Do we want to move it to this 40 point task -- Create walls by reading with a brown cover that is between 301 and 500 pages? Is that enough brown?

Book: Autumn Falls
Author: Bella Thorne
Completed: 11/30/18
How It Fits: Character: E

Book: Come Sundown
Author: Nora Roberts
Completed: 11/30/18
How it Fits: Author: N

Book: Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas
Pages: 375
Completed: 11/28/18
How it Fits: Character: Garrett or Character: Ethan

I'd vote for Goodwill just for the extra difficult letter, but either one is fine for me. 😊

I've decided to do the first BOM next week. It's an anthology - how does that work for letter purposes? Can I use ANY of the author's names?

This has been a fun challenge and a great group! I'm sad there's only 1 week left.

Off to check out the new challenge....

Book: Midnight Riot
Completed: 11/26/18
Pages: 320
How it Fits: Character G: Peter Grant, Character N: Inspector Nightengale