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

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

The book I just finished has lots of food on the cover:
There's grain, fish, onions, garlic, chili, eggplant, melon.

Sorry I haven’t posted to the group these last couple weeks. My engineering group had grant proposals and a white paper draft for the FAA due the last day of May and it consumed more of my life than usual. I was able to get some reading in and kept up to date on the spreadsheet. I promise to do better from here on out. My brain need the vacation of something ridiculous.

I'm megan from Indianapolis. I'm an engineer in the aerospace industry with no kids, a pit bull, and a 17 year old cat that's somehow hanging on. I usually go for mystery/thriller/suspense and nonfiction, though the nonfiction thing makes reading challenges difficult. And non-WW2 historical fiction.

I participate in most NBRC reading challenges. Once upon a time, I was a team captain for the Cutthroat Book Club challenge - which is why I've never volunteered again.

I read the Hunger Games books back when they came out. I mourned Cinna more than any non-teenager should. And may have had a fanfic or two floating AO3.

shelf

Is it WOBBLE? This is an Olympics year. It's my all time favorite challenge, so I will already ask.

I’ll finish my last O book before I go to be tonight. I’m EST so it should give plenty of time.

Yay!

Brittany wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Brittany: How attached are you to reading The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing (Lara Love Hardin) this round? Because it is Non-Fiction, we ..."

As some one who reads 4ish non-fictions a month, I agree. I’ve suggested adding the subject of the book or the person who it’s about as spell it out options, but not enough people in the group read non-fiction for it to change.

Do we have enough orange covers?

Brittany wrote: "I got stuck on an 8-hour flight delay today while flying home for Thanksgiving. :( Sucked

Adding book now

I enjoyed Ancillary Sword, it was less chaotic, and you got to know the characters a lot ..."

Did it at least allow you to get some reading in while waiting? I always seem to end up stuck in Atlanta for extended lay overs. It gets crazy there.

Melissa wrote: "Megan! Shogun! Impressive.... Will you read the second in the series?"

Definitely.

Go team!

So much easier!

I shouldn't have a problem finishing the books I've listed - much more free time this week than the last two (WDW with the fam)

DQ Day3
10. Pupkin is,,, alive??? Okay, no big surprise there to be honest, but we did finally get some interesting background info from Louise and Mark's childhood, even if that's not how Louise remembers it. Do you think she really doesn't remember, has simply forgotten, due to trauma or it just having happened way too long ago, or does she remember but chooses not to acknowledge it? Or maybe Mark misremembers himself and it didn't even happen (that way at least)? They were both still very young after all, Mark especially. Is it possible to remember something that happened when you were only two years old?
She knew, just muffled it. Mark could have remembered what the adults had told him, just thinking he’s remembering it for himself. My earliest memory is from when I’d just turned 3 and held my sister in the hospital. I didn’t have a haunted puppet to tell me what I needed to remember either.

11. The second perspective adds a new layer, however it only got added halfway through the book. Were you surprised we got Mark's POV at all, and would you have preferred for it to be there from the beginning of the book? Also, has this last section changed your opinion on him in any way? He did save Louise from Pupkin after all....
Very surprised. Why not just make it third person POV and keep it cleaner? I’m glad we finally got his side of the story, but both sides are so skewed that it can be difficult to decipher which is more true than not.

12. To me, the last chapter feels a bit like a fever dream, like they were on drugs. I personally don't remember which MPGs the book has and don't want to check in case of 'spoilers' now, but do you think there's a possibility the house, our main characters, the puppets, the dolls, Pupkin, everything- isn't actually haunted and none of it is actually happening?? What if it's just a dream (which would be the worst ending ngl), mental problems like Louise wants to believe, or mold in the house that's affecting them like this plus possible drug use from Mark when he was away?
Oh, I like the idea of a spore or fungus over taking a crawl space as the parents age and are unable to keep up with the maintenance. I think I’d rather have it be that than what the book will likely make it. More psychological than paranormal.

13. I can't help but wonder how the book is gonna end... If Pupkin is indeed an evil puppet come to life I only see one way it can be destroyed - fire. Do you think they'll end up burning down the entire house (although Hill House (in the show at least) wouldn't let itself be burned down either, so who knows if that would work), or will the dolls and puppets take over? What do you predict will happen in the rest of the book?
Is the puppet alive or is it possessed by something that gives it life? Something demonic that could slip out of the doll and possess the actual wearer instead of something alive on their hand. I guess ‘life’ is an odd term for it. I still think there should be more chemicals involved in it’s demise. Maybe the whole property will have to be blown up –dolls included

DQs Day 2

6.) Were you expecting those wills? Why do you think both parents were so unfair on the kids?
I’m assuming it’s something to do with what’s haunting the home or people in it. I don’t think the home is haunted by Louise’s parents. They wouldn’t be malevolent spirits. Why no smudging?

7.) Yikes! killer stuffed squirrels! The first violent haunting here, was it effective?
I wish it was more effective. Again, the squirrels should have been bleached, burnt, and chopped up in a mulcher. As bad a puppets.

8.) Despite the various creepy things that Louise has experienced, she's refusing to let her aunt exorcise the house. Would you still be hanging onto rational reasons over accepting family help? She grew up with an aunt like this, so it shouldn’t have been so unbelievable that Aunt Gail cleanses spirits. Why not at least try when rational hasn’t worked.

9.) We've had more insight into the childhood of Mark and Louise. Does this change your opinion of either of them?
It confirms opinions more than anything. It fills in a lot of the cracks in the narrative only Louise provides so far. Can’t wait to learn more about Mark’s side of the story.

can we say this is enough white?

DQs Day 1

1.) What are your first impressions of the family and of Louise and Mark? How pivotal do you think their relationship (or lack thereof) will play in the story.
Aside: I plan to steal and use the phrase "Terminal Assholism" in future. Thank you Hendrix!
I think Mark got away with being a terminal a-hole for a reason we don’t know yet. Something Louise hasn’t disclosed or doesn’t think important.

2.) The book is organized into sections following the 5 stages of grief. Does this impact your expectations of the book at all?
I hadn’t even noticed. It makes sense with the loss of parents, but also the home that’s held memories (both good and bad and repressed)

3.) Okay. Life size dolls named after her children. Weird, creepy? Would you be excited to have them as part of your inheritance?
Creepy AF. Chop them up. Poor chemicals on them. Lye. Fire. Axe.

4.) Have you ever experienced a family post-death squabble/fight like the one Louise and Mark had in front of the junk clean out guys?
Yes, just this year when an uncle died. It wasn’t so much money but his belongings/collection for 70s/80s/90s/ Cincinnati Reds memorabilia that was worth more than his home.

5.) Did anyone else google Fellowship of Christian Puppeteers? If so, were you surprised to find they were a real organization? Has anyone interacted with them before or a similar organization for other religious beliefs? [note: please keep responses respectful to people's beliefs, this is a safe space]
I assumed it was fake because puppets shouldn’t exist.

Finished my Totalitarianism book while waiting for Hanson to play at Walt Disney World. Interesting combo.

My dude in Tokyo book should be the correct edition and page number now. It should be the Kindle one, but I’m doing this from my phone and it might need a double check.

Is the Melbourne book a Liane Moriarty? All of hers are in Australia, but I don’t know how far she strays from Sydney.