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

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

Gunit Kaur wrote: "Hi everyone! How's it going?
I just wanted to give the mods a heads up that I am going on a short vacation from 5th Dec to 10th Dec. So I might not be able to get much reading done during this tim..."

I can help cover any books. I only committed to two books a week for the challenge and have been reading fourish thanks to library availability.

Heads up - I added a note to the spreadsheet about my book American Midnight being non-fiction, meaning it only has the two options for spell it out. The limited options of my non-fiction has caused last minute scrambling in the past.

Slow because my book is long and science. It will be done though!

Good! Didn’t realize how much I rely on those countdown clocks.

I’m megan and I’m in Indianapolis, Indiana. My shelf is wheel7. Here’s the link. I would embed it but I’m on my phone and it’s a pain in the butt. https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

It’s all those BOM points! I’ve never participated in so many BOM books in my life.

Day 3 DQ

10. Charlie and Nora make a bet that Nora can finish everything on the list but Nora is a tad doubtful but she's determined to push through for her sister. Have you ever made a bet where you're bound and determined to win but knowing deep down inside that you may be doomed from the start? (For example: If I took a bet where I had to do a tower of doom thingy at an amusement park, I'm going to need a blindfold, some alcohol, and some prayers, and not necessarily in that order!)
This bet it very cliché and it’s all slowly falling into a romance trope I really hoped this book would avoid. And I’ve never taken a bet I knew I’d lose. I’m too competitive. Even if hounded by the other half of the bet.

11. We are starting to learn more about Frigid but I still want to know what the book is really about. Why do you think the cat has to stay?
Cat belongs to the dude who wins her heart? Cat is really a man? An invasion of rats only solved by allowing the cat to unleash it’s furry.

12. Libby is a little bit of a hot/cold person. She can turn her emotions quickly and I'm not sure if all of that is due to the pregnancy. Any ideas on what has her so upset at times and why she needs to distant herself?
Libby likely struggled just as much or more when their mother died. Nora has likely been caught up in her own struggles from the death and her sisters attempt to raise her. Being an orphan, even with a loving sister has to take an emotional toll that needs addressed. Never having a father means she doesn’t have positive fatherhood examples and she might be taking it out on her husband.

13. Finally, we end this section with Nora and Charlie in Charlie's childhood bedroom. This is a two part question. One, do y'all still have bedrooms at your childhood home? Mine got repurposed after I graduated college but I always think it's interesting who still has one and who doesn't. Second, Charlie immediately sensed something had happened when he saw Nora in the room. What do you think of the progression of their friendship and do you think Nora will start to open up and lean on him more?
My parents downsized about a decade ago and my childhood bedroom is now some other kids childhood bedroom. Now that Nora has been in Charlies room, I think it will make her close-up. Any reminder of the past or issues she had as a young adult are going to bring up walls until she talks to her sister. They need to get back to their relationship and opening up is the only way Nora and Libby will be back on the same page.

Day 2 DQ

6. So, "Frigid", the book within a book being written by Dusty and edited by Charlie. Fan fiction or a brutal hatchet piece?
Hatchet job. The shade of it all!!

7. We get more of the backstory of Nora's life. Does this history give you hope for her future as well as explain her current attitude towards love?
I don’t think it gives me hope, but it’s a book so we know what’s going to happen. It does explain a lot. It will happen when Nora figures herself out. And clears up her lack of communication with her sister.

8. Libby is at too much of a loose end - setting up a fake dating profile for Nora & everything!? What do you think this says about the sisters and their relationship?
It seems like Libby hasn’t let her sister in on how she feels about her sister’s unsuccessful relationships. Libby wouldn’t have tried to intervene if their communication hadn’t taken a backseat.

9. So we've seen the failing business to be saved, been on a date to a karaoke night - are you enjoying seeing the Small-Town Romance cliches (and I loved that the song mutilated was the theme for that classic Small-Town, Second Chance Romance, Sweet Home Alabama!) being subverted?
Yes. Small town romance cliches make me queasy. The banter saves it.

Day 1 DQ

1. The book opens up with the quote: When books are your life-or in my case, your job- you get pretty good at guessing where a story is going." Where do you think this story is going? Is this your first Emily Henry Book? Do you think it will be like any of the others if you have read them before?
I love how spot on this is. And relatable. Yes, it’s my first Emily Henry book. And I’m pretty sure our MC is going to fall into a twisted version of one of these tropes very soon,

2. Nora feels like she is losing Libby. She begins to notice all that they no longer know about each other, from Libby getting her ex's name wrong to the moments she has missed in the children's lives. Have you ever felt this way with a family member or friend? Did you ever do anything crazy to try to force the relationship back to what it used to be? How far do you think she will go to get this back with Libby?
My sister and I are the same, but I’ve never felt this kind of disconnected. I miss our childhood closeness, but she has 3 kids and I have a career (pretty spot on for this book) Alcohol brings us back around if we ever do drift.

3. Have you ever visited a place after reading about it in a book? If so, was it as you expected it to be? If you could visit any real place from a book, where would you go?
I visited Rome in 2019. We stayed just around the corner from the Piazza Navona and it’s Bernini fountain, Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, from Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons. We didn’t go because of the book - it was just a happy coincidence. It totally lived up to all the hype. St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican didn’t. The pantheon blew my mind.

4. I loved the list so much and the banter between the sister over it. What is your favorite item on the list? What would you do to fulfill it?
I loved the list so much and the banter between the sister over it. What is your favorite item on the list? What would you do to fulfill it?
The petting a horse one. Because I laughed hard at it. My sister and I would have the same conversation.

5. My favorite scene so far has been when Nora sends the message " What about Bigfoot erotica? .... As soon as I hit send, I snap to my senses. Why of all the words available to me is this what I said?” What’s your favorite scene so far?
Hard to beat Bigfoot erotica. I do enjoy the sister banter. It’s very familiar.

I’ll finish Book Lovers and mass drop the DQs into the thread over my lunch break.

They decided to block GR on the network at work, since it's a social media site (dumb). Probably because I left it open in the background so much. I have only been able to use my phone. We all know how user friendly the app is (not). I can get on Google Sheets at work and end up on there more often then crashing the app.

DQ - Day 3

10) What did you think of Pasiphae’s response to the death of her son, the Minotaur?
The death seems to wake Pasiphae up from this mentally unstable trance she's been living in since he was shut into the labyrinth. I still don't understand her deep connection with him versus her other children. Guilt?

11) Dionysus makes quite the entrance, doesn’t he? What are your thoughts on him and the interaction between him and Ariadne?
Having studied mythology in school, I know who Dionysus is and what he can represent. He’s going to be bad news. All the gods are bad news.

12) Phaedra comes into her own in Athens. What do you think of her in her new life?
She’s become very jaded but doesn’t seem to have matured. She’s still very naïve. Without anyone to advise her on her roll within the castle, I don’t think she will get to where she needs to be without breaking.

13) We see many examples of the gods playing with mortals in this story; Pasiphae with the bull. King Midas and his golden touch, Hera causing Semele to burn. What do you think it would be like to live in a world where gods existed and interacted with humans?
No thanks. Creepy. I’m good without gods.

14) Do you think the sisters will find out the truth about one another? If so, any predictions on what will happen?
I hope so. Phaedra needs to know the truth about her sister and her husband. Ariadne needs to know what happened after she escaped. And they both need the familial support they once gave each other.

DQ Day 2

5. Have you heard of Theseus before? What do you think of his backstory, does it compare with other well-known Greek heroes like Hercules and Achilles? Do you think it fits his humble and collected demeanor in the previous chapter?
I don’t remember Theseus from my previous mythology readings. As a king of a city-state, his backstory doesn’t have to equal those of other Greek heroes. It’s hard to believe a prince who will be king is so humble. Kings are politicians and they are never humble.

6. I don’t know about you, but “insta-love” stories royally annoy me. Ariadne spends a significant part of these chapters reveling in her undying and world-changing love and devotion to someone she just met. Do you think this is realistic, or just a cheap plot ploy from the author?
Barf. I detest insta-love, but it is on par for mythology stories. The use in modern stories is totally a cheap plot ploy. Love at first sight is infatuation and lust at first sight. Love it too complex of a feeling to fit into the eyes.

7. Why do you think Theseus left Ariadne on the island with no heads up whatsoever? How do you feel about her thoughts and actions, as she processes this new reality?
He no longer needed her. Her reaction is exactly how any girl who thinks herself in love would react. It had to be a mistake. Theseus could never do anything so cruel to anyone. It does not fit the narrative he created in Crete.

8. During the "great escape", Phaedra is left behind - do you think it was by accident, or purposefully (and if so, why)? Do you think it was wise of her to return to the Palace?
She was left purposely. Theseus doesn’t need her. Going back to the castle is her only option. She is lucky her father didn’t stick around. He would have been able to see right through her.

9. A common theme in Greek mythology is the linear progression of Fate - from Hubris (thinking and acting as if one is a God), to Atis (blindness of one’s puny nature, leading the mortal to commit an unforgivable or insulting act), to Nemesis (the anger and revenge of the Gods), and finally Tisis (the mortal’s punishment). Where have you noticed this process so far? Where do you think Nemesis will strike next?
Through Ariadne and Theseus. Phaedra will be struck eventually.

DQs Day 1

1. Excited about the book, or just here for the points? Were you familiar with the myths behind the story before starting this book?
Here for the points. I’m familiar with the characters and myths associated with the book thanks to a mythology class in high school. It’s why I tend to not read books based on ancient gods and societies. We’ve been painting and retelling and twisting their stories for centuries.

2. "Let me tell you a story..." I don't know about you, but I love opening lines like that. Do you have a favourite opening line? Have you ever bought a book on the strength of the opening line alone? (I have!)
No, I’ve never bought a book based on its opening lines. I think my favorite would be “All this happened, more or less” from Slaughterhouse-Five.

3. Asterion: The early years. I bet no-one was fooled by the few paragraphs of almost sweet baby and toddler descriptions: This was always going to end with a monster in a maze of course.
But do you think it served well as a way to establish Ariadne's character?
It was a great way to allow readers insight into Ariadne without outright telling us. And I did have to remind myself that this sweet baby would explode into a monster in no time.

4. What do you think of the writing so far? There's a lot of description and narration and very little dialogue, which tries in with the idea that Ariadne is telling the story to the reader. It allows for a lot more depth and detail than more dialogue-heavy storytelling does. Is that a style you enjoy, or do you prefer the faster pace of a book that is more about character interaction?
I prefer this style. Moving a story forward with dialogue instead of a character’s inner thoughts has always been lackluster or easy. It doesn’t paint a picture or bring characters into fruition.

I'm finishing up Boyfriend Material and dude gets drunk tons.

DQs Day 3

11. I love how the myths surrounding Loki are casually mixed into this book. I'm a fan of Norse mythology, though I don't know a ton about it. Do you know or enjoy Norse mythology? Do you like how the author is incorporating it into her book?
I do. If the known stories aren’t going to be woven into this, then why use existing gods? Though I could use a map or family tree chart to help remind me where everything falls. We took a deep dive into Freya/Freja when my niece Freya was born, but I don’t know much about the others outside names and what’s been in Marvel/Viking shows.

12. "Was I wrong to not tell them the world may not accept the way they are?"

This is Angrboda's question after not only Loki's other wife, but Loki himself, refers to their children as monsters. How would you answer her question? Was she right to try and protect and hide them from the Nine Worlds? Should she have gone about it in a different manner?
If she had been able to protect them like she wanted, then a world that may not except them doesn’t matter. But that depends on those who know of her whereabouts keeping it a secret from the gods.

13. What an ending to Part One! Did you see what was to come? Did you already know the myths before or were you completely surprised? If you already knew the myth, did you like the author's interpretation of events? Were you as angry at the world as I was reading all that happened to Angrboda and her children, cause I was ready to fight!
I had no idea what to expect. It’s been hard not looking up spoilers because I had no idea where this story was going to go.

14. It seems that Angrboda's dreams can now transport her into other's thoughts. Do you think this is a one-off event because of how much stress she was under? If not, how do you think she'll use this skill from now on?
I think it’s a deeper part of her magic tapping into her mind. Maybe from a part of her past she doesn’t remember that’s reaching out to her. Maybe this new-found skill will help return her to her children.

15. So Angrboda has a new voice in her head. Who do you think the voice belongs to? Do you think it's connected to Angrboda's seeming inability to die? Do you think it's a friend or a foe?
I think it’s a voice from further in the past. From her life back before her time in Asgard. Maybe from the person who showed her how to perform seid. Maybe it’s from her past self. Or future self. Or from a life even before she was the Old Witch. I don’t think its foe.

DQs Day 2

6. After Angrboda performs seid for the first time again, she starts having dreams where she hears someone calling to and beckoning her. Angrboda doesn't believe it to be Odin at first, but her suspicion changes over time. Who do you think it could be?
Probably Odin. Or any of the gods she showed how to perform seid. But, Odin wants to know where she is, so he makes the most sense.

7. Skadi reappears in this section, having left her husband behind. Do you think he'll come back into the story later? Why do you think she chose a husband as recompense in the first place?
Security? Protection? Likely what any woman would have done in the not so distant past. Being on her own is risky. With the way the story is going, he is likely to make a resurgence. Maybe he will want children?

8. Hel was born with "dead" legs (or dead flesh on fully functioning legs? I'm honestly a little confused by it) and when she over exerts herself she starts turning blue. Angrboda attributes this to when she tried to save her daughter — but I'm not so sure. Do you have any theories on what the cause could be? Is it as simple as Angrboda believes, or do you think it's something bigger to be revealed later on?
I think her dead legs represent the potion of her that was already dead and slipping into the beyond. When her mother saved her they couldn’t be fully returned to normal. As far as something later in the story, foreshadowing? Who knows. I don’t want to get that deep into analyzing the story. Will they be a problem for her in the future? yes.

9. There have been several mentions of a witch who birthed a race of wolves who chase the sun and moon so far in the story — and now Angrboda has given birth to a wolf. Do you think she is the Old one the stories reference? Or, if not, do you think we will meet that character later on?
I think she is the Old one, only because she was drawn back to the ends of the world. It’s a great place to hide, but she falls into place their so smoothly. If she’s given birth to a wolf now, then she could have given birth to wolves in the past, since she does not remember it.

10. Angrboda decides not to tell Loki about his and his family's involvement in her vision of the beginning of the end. What do you think of her decision? Do you think she made the right choice in not telling him?
I think she did. He is too flighty and quick to act. If his reaction is at all bad he could flea and never return. He also has a sort of estrangement with them that makes it seem like he wouldn’t tell them about Angrboda’s visions.

DQs Day 1

1.) What attracted you to this book? BOM points? That COVER? Because of the Norse Retelling angle to the story? Any expectations you'd like to share?
BOM points and to meet the 2022 Popsugar Reading Challenge task of reading a book about witches.

2.) What did you think of Angrboda's first meeting with Loki? I mean he brought her heart back in his knapsack basically because he was bored. But he was so charming, I'm not sure I'd care either. Though it didn't hurt I kept picturing him as Tom Hiddleston. LOL
Loki seemed, or tried to appear, aloof. The guy did go out of his way to return her heart. He can’t be that aloof. I think it mentioned thathe had felt drawn to it? Hinting at something like fate. And Loki will never be anyone other than Tom Hiddleston.

3.) Thoughts on Skadi? Why do you think she helped Angrboda in the first place? And to such an extent? If Skadi was male, how different do you think that interaction would of been?
I want Skadi’s intentions to be true, but in lives that rely on cunning and the ability to barter and trade, it’s hard to believe help would be given without something substantial in return. This is a great question. If a man had found Angrboba and known she was a witch, he might have done the same as Skadi or taken her hostage and kept her for his own witchy needs. Angrboda would have tried to flee or hide more if a man had appeared – reacting as any woman would do if they were confronted while alone. I also feel like a man would take her to authorities for some reason, like her presence would be illegal.

4.) The quote from Skadi, "Time doesn't matter unless you are keeping track of it." Resonated with me. What do you think of this? Do you agree with the statement?
Time is a human construct, so I’d say I do agree with it. Time is dependent on how you track it. If you life isn’t dependent on things like the changing of the seasons or day light, then it’d be very easy to live a life that doesn’t track time. Living a life where you don’t worry about looks or aging is a different thing all together.

5.) Loki's reaction to the pregnancy was, let's go with interesting. What type of father are you expecting him to be? Do you think he will be a functioning part of the child's life?
I think he will be a functioning parent when he wants to be. And likely do more damage during that time than it’s worth.

Day 3 DQs

11) Maybe it is just me, but I think there is something deeply symbolic about the fact that in the seemingly atheistic society a man is saved from black magic/the devil by a bird that is strongly connected to Christianity and is part of people’s inherent belief/superstitions. Do you think this was intentional on the author’s part and if so what possible message was he trying to pass on?
I’m sure it was intentional. Might as well go all in when risking your life by filleting the current regime. Though philosophically, communism is inherently atheist, privately practiced religion in the USSR was alive and strong. The Russian Orthodox Church had too much of a grip on Russians to completely rid it from existence. Thankfully it wasn’t - because Russian Orthodox churches are beautiful and would have definitely been destroyed. By publishing a book with parallels to region and using writing techniques like similes and metaphors, the author is all but taunting Stalin and the soviet powers, but the style is how he gets away with it. It's genus.

12) Connected to the question above: were there any superstitions you were brought up with or were told about by your family/friends?
If you count religion as a superstition, I come from a family that will think twice about walking under a ladder but not bother throwing salt over their shoulders. I've been superstition free for most of my adult life.

13) While the plot mainly concentrates on the weird happenings in “modern” Moscow and only few chapters are devoted to Jerusalem, do you think any parallels can be drawn between the two cities or their people?
They seem like the exact opposite. The state of Israel didn’t exist when this book was written. The area was under British occupation following the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The area “changed hands” so often that it was hard to develop it into the city, as the epicenter of multiple religion, deserved to be. So at the time of this books writing, Moscow would have been a great example of modern, thriving communism - making it the perfect communist propaganda. Devotion to theology can be compared to devotion to state/communism I suppose. If it's something you'd die for, then they are more alike than different.

14) One of the many memorable scenes was when people broke out in a “song and dance flashmob” despite their not wanting to (the evil workings of Korovyev, the “ex-choirmaster”, translator ad assistant of Woland). Have you ever participated in a flashmob or saw one performed in person? If not: have you ever been involved in a school play/choir/etc?
I was involved in several flash mobs while in college – mostly for organizations and awareness. Many years of dance lessons means I helped with choreography. I was heavily involved in the arts growing up and danced ballet through college. But don’t make me do a solo.

15) We already agreed that it is quite difficult to make sense of this book. Have you ever read a book that had similar effect on you? (fascination/bewilderment/what-am-I-just-reading? :)
It reads a lot like Orwell and Vonnegut or John Kennedy Toole’s style, but my little soviet knowledge and complete distaste with most religion makes it much more difficult to follow. I’ve had to take it really slow.
And it’s sooooo long. Satire should never be more than a couple hundred pages. They should be quick reads that get the point across while also being complete nonsense. It's why they are so fun.

DQs Day 2
7. The Haunted Flat -> 13. Enter the Hero

6.) Berlioz kept having things disappear from his apartment. What would you of thought if stuff was randomly disappearing from your home? Blame it on the kids? Partner? Ghost? Thief? Do you think it's supposed to represent Stalin's infamous purges where people simply disappear?

I would assume I had put it somewhere and forgot. It happens often enough. If the disappearing stuff is supposed to be representative of the purges, then I haven’t put two and two together. It might have made more sense if I had read the book 50 years ago.

7.) What do you think of Woland's posse of 3? Would you want to be a part of that group? Of the 3, do you have a favorite character?

No thanks. I don’t need any hell friends. I like the cat, simply because of how crazy/creepy/angry/cat-like he is. When you make a character an animal, it gets away with so much more. Cats are allowed to just rip heads off. It’s what they do to small animals to consume them, so why not humans?

8.) Thoughts on Stavinsky? Would you want him treating a family member? Considering this is the 1930's and it's a mental asylum, was it what you'd expect? Or more modern?

I always looked at asylum doctors as guys on the payroll of the mob or the police. No ethics or adherence to the Hippocratic oath. That they have mental asylums in the Stalin area is kind of surprising. Those people wouldn’t be able to help or be part of the collective, only take from it, so I assumed they’d just be purged too. The fact that it was there at all must mean it’s more modern than I would have given it credit for.

9.) This section made me think about the housing/apartment situation in Stalin's Soviet Union. Maybe because I recently moved house, it made me grateful for the choices I have available about my living situation. Did this resonate at all with you? How so?

It seems crazy to those of use in semi-capitalist countries, but if it’s what you’re used to and have no other option, it would seem normal. In the past I have had little option to where I lived when moving to a new city because no apartment complex ever allowed large dog or had breed restrictions. Only in areas where apartment communities must be competitive do they remove those restriction. When I last moved, I was able to shop around, which just caused more anxiety. In no way does that mean I am pro-Soviet style housing. I assumed the apartment was based on the authors apartment and from what I’ve read elsewhere, it’s spot on for the period. No matter how much we complain about the current housing market, we still get to choose, even if restricted to cost and availability.

10.) I still have like no idea what's going on really. I feel like I'm just going to keep reading and hope it either starts making sense or the book ends. How are you enjoying the book so far?

It's reading like a lot of other books from that era. Had I not looked into study guides and plot synopsis, I would have no idea what’s going on - Even with an understanding of Pontius Pilate and his actions against Jesus of Nazareth. Add paranormal creatures and early communism and I’m lost. I think I would have liked this more had I been reading it for a class.