Jackie’s Comments (group member since Jul 10, 2011)

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

Completion Post

Title:
Author: Heather Blake
Pages: 336
Date read: 7/22
Letters: O, K, E, L
Tag: No
Task: Read a book with a cat on the cover

Planning sheet updated

Maybe time for some Julia Quinn. :)

Annalisa wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Completion Post

Title:
Author: Guy Gavriel Kay
Pages: 383
Date read: 7/21
Letters: S, G, K, R, E
Tag: No
Task: Read a book with a ..."

I gave it 3 stars. The writing is good but it just didn't grab me. I know it's fantasy but the characters' actions were just so unrealistic that it really bugged me. I'll probably read the next book though (view spoiler)[because it ended with one of the MCs in a terrible situation. (hide spoiler)] I'm hopeful that I'll like the next one more.

Completion Post

Title:
Author: Guy Gavriel Kay
Pages: 383
Date read: 7/21
Letters: S, G, K, R, E
Tag: No
Task: Read a book with a bird on the cover

Planning sheet updated

Great, thanks!

Just want to confirm that on other teams' recommendations, if they say they recommend the whole series or any book by a certain author, then we can read any book in the series or books by that author.

Completion Post

Title:
Author: Martha Carr
Pages: 270
Date read: 7/21
Letters: G, L, R, E
Tag: No
Task: Read a book with a cityscape on the cover

Planning sheet updated

Completion Post

Title: The Scent of Rain and Lightning
Author: Nancy Pickard
Pages: 320
Date read: 7/20
Letters: S, N, L, R
Tag: No
Task: Read a book that takes place in two timelines - 2009 and 1986

Planning sheet updated

Completion Post

Title:
Author: Robin McKinley
Pages: 292
Date read: 7/19
Letters: R, E, L, I
Tag: No
Task: Read a book with a mountain on the cover

Planning sheet updated

Completion Post

Title: Kill Shot
Author: Vince Flynn
Pages: 385
Date read: 7/18
Letters: K, R, I, S, L
Tag: No
Task: Read #2 in a series - Mitch Rapp #2

Planning sheet updated

Completion Post

Title:
Author: MaryJanice Davidson
Pages: 268
Date read: 7/17
Letters: S, K
Tag: No
Task: Read a book with a fish on the cover

Planning sheet updated

Completion Post

Title:
Author: Michael Innes
Pages: 228
Date read: 7/16
Letters: S, I, E, R, O
Tag: No
Task: Read a book with a train on the cover

Planning sheet updated

Completion Post

Title: The Sun Down Motel
Author: Simone St. James
Pages: 327
Date read: 7/16
Letters: S, N, K
Tag: No
Task: Read a book recommended by someone in a different team - Harry Potter

BOM: Yes
DQ 1
DQ 2
DQ 3
DQ 4
DQ 5

Day 5 Questions - 83% - end

22. At the beginning of this section Viv is kind of freaking out over what she did. She starts to call the police, then changes her mind. Then she hears a car pull up and footsteps coming toward where she is. What would you do in this situation?
Probably do exactly what Viv did.

23. When Viv and Marnie are taking care of Simon Hess, another car pulls up and it's Alma. Did you anticipate her reaction to what was going on? Why or why not?
I was already pretty certain that Alma had helped with the coverup so no, I wasn't surprised. She realized that with Tracy's death, Viv was right about Hess being the killer.

24. Carly is being followed by Callum McCray (sp?) and loses him by pulling into Alma's driveway. Why does Alma cringe or flinch when she hears Callum's name?
She knew that Callum was Simon's grandson and that he was unstable.

25. One of my favorite scenes was near the end when a ghost in a suit comes in to the motel lobby to check in. Carly doesn't want to touch the ghost so she snatches a key from the case and passes it over the counter. The ghost says "Oh good 209. My old home." I got the shakes just hearing it. Did you anticipate that ghost making an appearance?
By this time, nothing with the ghosts surprised me.

26. Carly figures out what Viv did and gets to meet her aunt. Were you happy with the end of the story? If not, what would you have liked to see?
I would have liked for Viv to go free especially since her cancer was back. I felt like she would be exonerated eventually. I was a little peeved at Carly for her attitude toward Viv because of the suffering she caused Carly's mom and grandmother. Carly didn't seem to consider the suffering that Viv had gone through.

Day 4: 64% - 82%

17. Some of the major and minor questions developed throughout the story have been answered in this section: why young, pretty Helen was meeting with average Robert (Helen and her husband had planned to blackmail Robert); the connection of the girls' murders and their murderer (Simon Hess targetted women who were lonely); and why the murders had stopped after Viv had vanished (Simon was stabbed by Viv so he couldn't hurt any more girls). Did you see any of this coming? What clues gave it away?
I had no idea about the affair. I thought that Viv killed Hess.

18. Both Viv in 1982 and Carly in 2017 mentioned that Tracey might have been alive had her parents kept her in the house. This echoes the warnings that Fell parents have been giving their daughters: don't go jogging or don't work nights. What do you think of such advice? What else could Tracey, her parents, and her school have done to keep her safe from a predator?
These were extraordinary circumstances, not just the normal precautions that all females and their parents should take. The parents and school were warned that a man was following Tracy and yet they didn't believe the threat was real or even attempt to see if there was any basis for it. If they had taken the warning seriously, Tracy might not have been killed.

19. "The Sun Down Motel" has been tagged by 336 users as "Horror." What has been the most horrific scene for you so far? Is it a supernatural one or one connected to the murders?
I see this more as a thriller rather than horror. Probably the ghosts are the reason that some readers consider it horror.

20. At the end of the last chapter set in 2017 in this section, Carly claims her aunt may have done something wrong (alluding to the stabbing of Simon). What do you think of Viv's actions? Do you think she was right or wrong, justified or unjustified in her actions?
I think Viv was justified in killing Simon. He had killed all those other women and was going to kill her too.

21. With only 18% of the book left to go, what do you think will happen? Do you have an idea of what happened to Viv after she stabbed Simon? Do you think Marnie and Alma know what truly happened to Viv? Do you think Carly will find out what happened to Viv?
I think that Marnie and Alma may have helped Viv cover up Simon's death. After all, the picture of the garage where his car was hidden had been taken by Marnie. This makes me think that Viv is still alive with a different identity. I believe that Carly will find out the truth.

Day 3 - July 4- 42%-64%- (edited to correct percentages)

13. Thoughts on Viv telling Mrs. White that her husband cheats on her. Do you think this is what gets her into trouble?
I don't think this necessarily influences what happens to Viv. Following a potential killer is enough.

14. We have another encounter with the angry man ( this makes at least 3) Who is he? Why is he important to the story?
I believe he's the desk clerk who had a heart attack in the office. Right now I have no idea why he is important to the story but I think he may be.

15. Which story line (Carly or Viv's ) are you enjoying more? Why?
I'm enjoying both but Viv's definitely is more suspenseful. Her detective work was really good but foolhardy. She should have gone to the police with what she'd uncovered.

16. The ending of this section just raises more questions for me. If Viv buys a knife, didn't she get a chance to use it?
Where is the knife? Was it mentioned in the police reports? What do you think?
Viv was never found so no reason that her knife would be found either. The story seems to be leading toward a confrontation between Viv and the killer so it's quite likely that she did get a chance to use it.

DQs Day 2
21% to 42%

6.) This section opens with some spooky stuff going on. If you saw literal ghosts in the creepy place you worked, would you split right away? Would you of left with sketchy-past Nick? Would you go back to work or think the overnight creep factor was making you see things that weren't really there?
I would have been freaked out and leaving with Nick would have felt right because I wouldn't want to be alone. My curiosity would probably have taken me back but staying alone would be a problem. At least the ghosts didn't seem to be violent. I think my curiosity would win out. And the fact that Nick saw them too would help.

7.) Viv listens to guests' phone conversations. There is the saying 'people who eavesdrop are seldom happy with what they hear'. Or something close to that anyway. Do you think she may over hear something that results in her disappearance? Would you listen in if you were Viv?
I think that's a very real possibility. There is too much going on in that motel that people wouldn't want known. I don't know if I would listen in - probably so because of being bored.

8.) There really have been several deaths of young women in Fell, especially factoring in the size of the town. Do you think they are all connected? Connected to Viv's disappearance? Do you buy into the police stance of no connection between any of them?
Oh yeah, I think they're connected. Police don't seem to be too concerned about finding out what happened to any of them.

9.) What do you think of the complete laxness of management and staff at The Sun Down Motel? Anyone else wonder how the heck that place is still open? And more importantly, why?
That truly is a big part of the mystery. The owners hate the place. Why not sell it and move on? Even if you lost money on the sale, it would be worth it to get rid of it.

10.) Any thoughts on the candy machine? It keeps popping up in both timelines. Maybe nothing, but in this type of story, who knows.
Another creepy part of the atmosphere.

11.) Marnie and Callum are interesting additions to the character line-up, thoughts? Did you think it was strange that Marnie won't talk with Carly? Callum local nice boy-helper dude or creeper?
I think they both know things that they are not willing to share. It seems to me that Marnie is scared. Callum may have darker motives.

Day 1 DQ's: 0-21% (ends "he opened the door.")

1. The Sundown Motel...what a perfect name for a motel! Have you ever stayed at a motel before...something like the Sundown? What was the name of the motel...Any interesting experiences come of that?
I have stayed in motels before but a long time ago when they were pretty much the norm in a lot of areas. No interesting experiences - just a place to rest for the night when travelling.

2. Viv is young and working alone. I don't think I would tolerate my daughter doing anything of the sort. What were you thinking from the 1st few pages? Viv comments..."Being with people was easy, but being alone was hard. Especially along in the dark. The person who could be truly alone, in the company of no one but oneself and one's own thought--that person was stronger than anyone else. More ready. More prepared."
If you're truly alone, you have no one else to depend upon. So I guess I see what she's saying about being more prepared out of necessity. I'm an introvert so being with people, at least people I don't know well, is actually harder for me.

3. What do you think the significance of the door to number 103 banging open/shut is?
I don't know but it sure is spooky. The fact that so many people have been killed or disappeared is scary. Good atmosphere.

4. So far Carly's mom's reaction to seeing the newspaper clipping..."Vivian is dead" has really bothered me. What's your take? Have you already solved the case? Is Vivian dead?
I think Vivian is dead or for some reason she doesn't want to be found. After thirty-five years surely she would have turned up otherwise. On the other hand, it didn't seem that anyone really looked for her.

5. What did you think about the dual timeline between Viv and Carly? In what ways are Viv and Carly very similar? How are they different?
They're similar in that they are both young women away from home for the first time. But they are different in that they are products of their time. Vivian in 1982 was probably more naïve. She also didn't seem to have much in the way of moral support from family and friends. Carly has modern technology to rely on and can discover things that Vivian couldn't. She also seems to have a bit more support.

Completion Post

Title: The Curse of the King
Author: Peter Lerangis
Pages: 304
Date read: 7/15
Letters: L, N
Tag: No
Task: Read a book written in first person point of view - 57338 words

Planning sheet updated

Completion Post

Title:
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Pages: 308
Date read: 7/14
Letters: S, L
Tag: No
Task: Read a book with circles on the cover - Lens on cover are circular - 58,202 words

Planning sheet updated