megan’s Comments (group member since Jun 26, 2015)

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

I voted.

Just as long as I don't have to read any more shifter books.

Steven wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Erin, if you get called for jury duty, do it if you can. It is interesting to see the justice system in action. I have served twice, and been called in three other times, I think. Eit..."

Steven - you've responded more to this team thread, than actual team members did in some of our previous challenges.

Christina wrote: "I just realized I left out Prisoner of Azkaban of my Harry Potter reread *facepalm* but I'm already 3+ hours into Goblet of Fire..."

Noooo! PoA is my favorite.

I have a book I want to read that has the phrase “black widow” in it.

I claimed that last open spot on the mini challenge.

Finished my last book for the week.

Thanks Erin. I don’t have a home computer, just an iPad. Trying to get google sheets to open as a website instead of going straight to the app format was annoying the heck out of me.

Jenny wrote: "Megan, will you get to the third day questions for Daisy before tomorrow's deadline?"

I have it done, but I don’t know how to add a link in the google sheets app.

9. History is full of rock and roll bands with creative differences and disagreements between big personalities. This story is presented with interchanging POV's to highlight and give insight into this. What do you think of the opinions of each of the band mates and do you have any sympathy or empathy for any band mate in particular? Do you think that any of the animosity or disgruntled feelings are justified?
Most bands that have broken up in real life could had easily stayed together if groups didn’t have to spend so much time together. Creative differences always seems to be the excuse, but to me that always sounds like lack of compromise. Big personalities and the temperament of the artist and all that. If a group is lucky, the members who left are easy to replace. Kick Eddie to the curb. He annoys me anyway. I’ll take a Karen Karen solo please.

10. The premise of the story is revealing the reasons that Daisy Jones and the Six imploded. At this stage of the novel what do you think happened? Disagreements over creative differences or some spectacular tragedy?
At first I was sure someone would die, then I remembered that they were all talking during the interviews. They do have creative differences, but Billy seems to have handled the changes to his songs well. Daisy could go crazy and end up overdosing and sentenced to prison time for something. Or Billy could fall off the wagon and end up seriously injuring or killing someone while driving drunk. Seems like it’s going to be drugs involved.

11. Juxtaposed between the complicated relationships between Billy, Camila and Daisy, Graham and Karen seemingly are flying under the radar. Opinions on this and where do you think it is heading? Who do you think holds the power in this relationship and is it heading towards a Happily Ever After or acrimonious break up?
Karen hold more power than Graham for sure. Your can tell he is head over heals for her. Camila’s patience and understanding make her a saint. She has a power of much of the band that she and they don’t even understand. Billy stays sober for her. The songs he writes are all about her. Take that away, and Billy implodes.

12. Married man, troubled single girl, intense emotional connection between work colleagues = big trouble!! Discuss.
Singing love songs about someone else to each other. Even if they aren’t about Billy and Daisy, they have to make the audience think they are. Faking it can turn into the real thing with enough practice.

13. As I get further into the book I find the rapid fire conversation and the intense interactions draw me deeper into the characters and the story compelling me to keep reading on. Are you enjoying the book in the same way? Do you find the story original or feel that you have read or seen it all before.
Loving the uniqueness. It doesn’t feel 100% brand new, but this layout and approach was an excellent choice.

14. Mod Karen has revealed that the rights to this book have been optioned by Reese Witherspoon to make into a TV drama series. I think it's going to make great television. Who do you see in the starring roles? Established actors or is a star waiting to be born.
I want to see fresh faces for the flash backs. Lots of Disney Channel star opportunity there. Depending on how they do it. The older characters looking back, I could see Demi Moore as a great Daisy. Rick Springfield was in a Meryl Streep movie, so he can act and would be a great older Billy.

Day Two

5. During the making of Daisy’s first album, I appreciated her quote, “Being given things versus earning them. I was so used to being given things I didn’t know how important it is for your soul to earn them”. Do you think that Daisy will continue to think this way and work hard for the music she wants considering her increased drug use and drinking?

Yes. She’s all about the music. As long as she doesn’t have to worry about running out of funds for those habits.

6. During the studio session for Honeycomb, Karen sums it up best as indicating that Billy wrote it as a song of security, and Daisy changed it to a song of insecurity. What do you think of the continuing duality between Billy and Daisy? Will it be good or bad for them moving forward?

The push and pull between Billy and Daisy is what makes the duo. There is art in that line between love and hate. As long as that chemistry stays in balance, things will be magical.

7. Daisy is changing the dynamic of The Six when she joins the band and states, "You’re only in charge of me as much as I’m in charge of you." Do you think this equality approach is going to work?

No. Having her name out front changes everything. It sounds like The Six is an after thought. Back up bands are easily replaceable, as proven in the story. Even if there is equal work being done all around, a solo artist known by their name instead of their band will have more power. As long as her voice changes their music, from the sounds to interpretation, she has more pull than she thinks.

8. I'm a complete sucker for stories that have lyrics in them, are you enjoying the lyrics in this story? Do you have any favorites so far?

I love the lyrics. A story about a band has to have lyrics. I wish I could hear them being sung because my head just turns everything into Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. I want to hear them all, but especially Aurora’s lyrics with Daisy’s input.

It’s like every other holiday but with explosives! And soooo much humidity

Out at a new brewery with friends. I told them about trying to find these words that represent creepy/scary/frightening things in books. They came up with some suggestions I promised to pass on:
Bubonic Plague, Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock, Death Mask, Jigsaw, The Crusades, Bermuda Triangle, Genghis Khan, Catacombs, Hannibal Lecter, Area 51, Voodoo Doll, Jonestown, Electric Chair, Headless Horseman, Poltergeist, Trail of Tears, Loch Ness Monster, Hobgoblin (personal favorite)

Alysa wrote: "megan wrote: "Does anyone know if The Girls mentions Charles Manson at all? I know it is based on the commune/cult."

Nope, it doesn't. If I recall correctly, it's totally fictional..."

Bummer.

Does anyone know if The Girls mentions Charles Manson at all? I know it is based on the commune/cult.

That shifter series book I wanted to read will work for an I, has supernatural in the tags, and is 400+ pages. Glad I saved it.

Do our books for the mini-challenge have to fit any sort of genre?

I have a Lucrezia Borgia book I've needed an excuse to read.

Day One

1. This is a different type of book than I usually read. The interview formatting is interesting. What do you think of the formatting so far? Is anyone having trouble following it? I am reading it, but it reads like a podcast transcript to me so far.

Love the formatting. And a podcast transcript is a perfect explanation! All the jumping back and forth works for a non-visual format. Like quick and choppy edits. I really like it.

2. A main focus of the book seems to be the agency of the women in the music business. The two quotes that stuck out to me were “ I am not a muse. I am the somebody,” and “men often think they deserve a sticker for treating women like people.” What are your thoughts on this theme and quotes?

I like it. It’s not over done or in your face. The story is set during a time where so much could have been done with the massive feminist push of the 60s and 70s, but the story didn’t need it. Having two very different yet successful women as main characters in that time, help tell a story of gender equality better than any one-liner can.

3. Daisy’s parents are absent and extremely unobservant. She is very young when introduced to drugs, alcohol, and sex. The interview style presents what is really horrific in Daisy’s description of parental neglect, drug use at a very young age and statutory rape, as far as I can tell, in a fairly detached fashion. Anyone else react this way to this section?

Yes. Daisy’s dialogue change is drastic, but necessary. It’s the best coping mechanism. In order to survive, she completely detached herself from the person who lived that childhood. I think we will find out that in order to get sober and stay sober, she has to face those childhood demons head on.

4. The end of this section focuses on Billy and Camila. What do you think of their relationship and the choices that Camila makes? Do you think Billy will stay sober?

Camila is a saint. Something has to give, because her character isn’t realistic at all. I’m hoping there is a hole other story behind her relationship with Billy and that we get to learn about it. I don't think Billy will say sober. Not with Daisy around.

Daisy Jones page math:
Here are the chapters converted to minutes, for those who are listening to audio books.
1 - 21.05
2 - 37.5
3 - 10.9
4 - 47.75
5 - 7.65
6 - 19.9
7 - 87.9
8 - 184.25
9 - 72.5
10 - 34.9
11 - 0.74
12 - 11
13 - 0.8
14 - 1.1
15 - 3.2

total: 543 minutes

Add up the minutes to where you are and divide it by the total number of minutes. Multiply that by the number of pages in the book to get the page you are on.

EX
2+21.05+37.5+10.9+47.75 = 119.2
119.2/543 = .2195
.2195*368 = 80.78 ~81