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

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

Oh, awesome!!

Suzanne wrote: "Through Chapters 1-2.

Not spoiler tagging the below because it's all in the book description.

I like the writing style. I have TONS of questions about the plot, but that is understandable since I..."

I really hope you like it Suzanne. There are some cliche YA bits, but the premise is unique.

I'm a huge science nerd, so I love the idea of parallel universes. Even from what the description of the book says, we know Firebird was created by physicist, but it seems to be more of a magical device.

Spoilers: just my thoughts because I've read this before and I don't remember there being more detail about the device itself. Hopefully I'm wrong and just forgot.

(view spoiler)[ I wish they would go into the science behind the Firebird, even if it is just bogus science. So far its just pieces of metal that lock together to form a puzzle. A funny back story maybe. Something like the Large Hadron Collider at CERN going down during an experiment and the back up power not working because a rodent chewed up cords or something. And this partial experiment, when failed, produces a new state of matter that's a portal or something.

PS: There really was a weasel that caused a power outage at CERN in 2016. The Large Hadron Collider was stopped safely, but if it hadn't...boom, portal to jump between dimensions!
(hide spoiler)]
I've put way more thought into this than any sane person should.

We seem to be close to finishing our classes. There have to be teams closer to finishing up tasks than we are. Is what's on the spreadsheet it, or will there be "pop quizzes" or "finals" or even "detentions" or other tasks?

Laura wrote: "
I agree; I like your ending better. It didn't need the HEA with Sam and it would have been more in tune with the other two books!



Thanks for reading this one with me Megan! I 'm happy to finall..."

Yes. It’s been a while, but I liked it. I remember enjoying two points of views from different time periods.

Still Me
Jojo Moyes
475 pages
17 June

Buddy Read: participation
Letters: A, C, D, F, G, J, L, M, N, R, S
Louisa Clark, Sam Fielding, Margot Dewitt, Joshua Ryan, Agnes Gropink, Nathan

Finally finished:
Jojo Moyes is one of my favorite authors. One Plus One is easily in my top 15 but there will always be a place in my heart for this series:
(view spoiler)[While I enjoyed the final book, I couldn’t help but think it wasn’t as unique as the previous two. Me Before You was gutsy. Choosing to have Will die solidified my deep respect for Moyes as a writer. Taking on the challenge of continuing the story after his death is something most authors would never dream of trying to top. But I enjoyed After you for it’s fun uniqueness and for giving us another surprise ending. Still Me felt a little flat in comparison. We didn’t get to Lou truly finding herself until the last few chapters, but getting to see Nathan again and adding Margot makes up for it. there is a part of me that wishes we didn’t know how it ends with Sam. Maybe a book ending with a lot of anticipation on Lou’s part as she rides the elevator up - reaffirming to herself that it doesn’t matter if Sam is on the other side of the door or not, she’s fully capable of the happily ever after that Will wanted for her without him. A different kind of HEA, like Frozen. Maybe Lou finally figuring out who she is and is meant to be and that she will face the future head on no matter what is enough to conclude the story. An ending like that might have given this story the unique strength to match the other two books. But, and ending like that would have left 99% of readers mad and demanding 😜 (hide spoiler)]

Laura wrote: "Ending
HEA aside; Moyes has written a beautiful book about finding yourself and coping with grief and loss.
4 stars from me!"

I agree. (view spoiler)[ I’m glad Sam finally redeemed himself. And the way Moyes pulled everything together to finish out the series. (hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 18. I’ve tried to write this three times but my phone has destroyed the post every time. I was super mad to begin with.
(view spoiler)[ I want to punch Sam in the throat. Was he purposely sabotaging this the whole time? Because he didn’t even try with the communication thing. Even if you suck at writing letters or hate it all together, you throw together a few lines for someone you love because it makes them happy. F for effort. F for not being a piece of garbage. Way to be like so many other unworthy men Sam. Grr. Lou: Go back to NY and hook up with Josh please!!!! (hide spoiler)]

And Treena: (view spoiler)[ YES GIRL!!!’ yay for actual interesting character development! (hide spoiler)]

I’m in on this one me too.

Yay! Starting this reread tonight. How does this work this time around? Are we going to use the chapter breakdowns from the last time and answer those questions or are we going to redo them? Or no set question list?

Leah on the Offbeat
Becky Albertalli
343 pages
15 June

BOM participation
Letters: A, B, E, G, L, N, S
Characters: Leah Burke, Abby Suso, Simon Speir, Nick Eisner, Garrett Laughlin

Current
for BOM
for BR
for Mortar and Pestle on the cover
Next:
for BR
Maybe reread:
for a BR because I loved this book. And, to answer Deanna's question: this book was definitely one of those books that made me add the release date of the next book to my calendar

8: So, Abby seems to be an annoying type of girl who will talk your ear off. How do you feel about Abby and how the other girls treat her? How do you feel when Leah invites Abby on the road trip? I think Abby is more the kind of girl who talks a lot when she gets excited. The road trip and college thing would have me pumped, especially if I was looking forward to finally being able to be somewhere that allowed me to be anonymous. Abby is well known in the community and she must live up to standards. Inviting Leah was a great strategic move on her part, if this is heading where we all know it will.

9: In chapter 13, we catch a glimpse of her mom. Do you like it when moms are so overprotective and want to do everything for their daughter together? I don’t think it is because her mother is over protective. She is still young and vicariously living her life through Leah. Her mother lost out on the late teens/early 20s college life and the years in which most people finally learn who they are without the constant pull of their hometown. So less over protective. More wanting to be involved.

10: How do you feel about Abby flirting with Leah? Do you think that they could have a relationship and it last? We all know it’s flirting, but it’s not enough to make me think Abby could really drop everything and commit to something with Leah. She’s flirts a bit, then goes back to her boyfriend and flirts some more while still being with Nick. Signs of someone who is still unsure and needing to hold on to this high school life she’s created until she can get out, then she might really be ready.

11: How do you feel about Morgan being racist. What would you do in this situation? While there are truths to college’s wanting to create a more diverse student population, Morgan seems to have no clue that Abby is overly qualified for admission into a state university. Yes, it was said out of jealousy and likely something her parents mentioned, but that doesn’t make me hate Morgan completely. She should apologize to Abby first and foremost (unless she did and I don’t remember??) and own up to it.

12: My feelings definitely changed for Abby. Have your feeling changed towards Abby? If so, then what changed and why? I don’t remember how I felt about Abby in the first book, but my feelings towards her have been fine through this book. Was she a total b*tch in the last book and I don’t remember?? I should investigate that.


Sorry I'm a little behind. My sister had an emergency c-section earlier this week and I've had to help with my niece and host my parents from out of town.

Especially when the author kills them off 😈

Charles Duhigg
401 pages
14 June

Class: Potions - Book cover is 61ish% orange

I really really want to get to this. Real life is killing my reading.

Yay! I've got this one. And it's on my Kindle, so I will get it done so much faster than with actual books.

Ahhh!!! I need to finish this. I brought to read over lunch, but no one can ever leave me alone to read.

Just starting this tonight. Late to the game because my sister had an emergency c-section over the weekend and I’ve hardly gotten to sit down.
My thoughts from the end of After You: Don’t leave Sam!!!! Hot paramedic with chickens are too rare to give up, even if you think the distance will work!! Stupid, Lou. Stupid. Thumbs down. Boooo!

Tina wrote: "I started the audiobook read by Stephen Fry today. He does a wonderful reading. I'm up to chapter 4.

The last time I read the books, I binge read them all in one week. It was my most memorable wee..."



I love Stephen Fry! I might just have to re-listen to this.