Melindam’s Comments (group member since May 02, 2017)

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

I say yes. :)

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: Melindam wrote: "Elisabeth wrote: "That's one of my fave reads this year. Hilariously funny in parts."

I'm glad to have found another fan, Elisabeth. 😊"

:)
Yes it was. I was reading it, and then switching to audio at times. Which was fine except when in the car with my kids and they heard a few f-bombs. Oops. But they did find it very funny"

😅

Unclaimed Tasks - updated


Red cover (>50%)

Author initials found in RIOT

200 to 299

MPG Humor

Sophie wrote: "Melindam wrote: "Ouch, Sophie, that sounds really tough. Maybe you could ask them about their favourite books to divert their attention from the needle."

It's actually quite a nice shift in a lot of ways. I can disengage my brain and just manage the task in front of me. There were 3 of us all working in the same room so in any gaps we could chat which I don't normally get the opportunity to do much."

I'm glad you had the chance to have a nice chat with colleagues, Sophie.

Apologies, but I need to put my RIOT-author book on a hiatus until wheel ends.

I started reading it and it is absolutely fascinating, but it deserves so much more attention than I can give to it right now, so it is a decision made out of respect to author/subject and reader. 😊 It is a slow-read book, where I'll need to stop, check out music, etc.

On the other hand, I have claimed armor/helmet on cover and yellow cover.

I'm very much enjoying listening to The Unicorn Hunt in Dunnett's Niccolo Rising series, but I have just decided to postpone reading Herbert Von Karajan: A Life in Music and remove it from the sheet altogether.

I started reading it and it is absolutely fascinating, but it deserves much more attention than I can give to it right now, so it is a decision made out of respect to author/subject and reader. 😊

It is a slow-read book, where I'll need to stop, contemplate and check out music, etc. I think the Christmas holidays/January will be a good time for it

Elisabeth wrote: "That's one of my fave reads this year. Hilariously funny in parts."

I'm glad to have found another fan, Elisabeth. 😊

Thank you from all of us, Richard. 😊

Sure, Richard. :)

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Karen. :)

#49 by Kristen Painter

3 stars

I like this quirky-halloween-town with clean romances series. Very light & undemanding reading (audiobook narrator is also good) and this particular book has a U-character for Wheels. ;)

Kat,

I saw that you have finished Greenlights, so I 'm adding it to the sheet and moving your The Blade Itself a bit lower, to another G-letter. :)

DQs - Day 2 - 17 Oct
Then - Now 38%
first line "Can't the girl find..."
last line "shitshow of a strategy"

6. The author goes for the switching POVs and timelines method. How do you like these in general? And do you think it is a good fit for this book?
I don't mind the flash-back type of writing if it's well executed, but it wasn't the case here. I kind of understand that it was supposed to heighten the tension (or breaking up the sheer boredom - depending on your POV), but it made the whole story extremely jerky and was not done well at all.

7. We get to meet some more characters along the way in the "THEN" section: Dylan's uncle Terry, his brother, the mysterious Grace and other friends whose dynamics to Dylan and Marcus should shed some more light on their characters and motivation. But do they? Do you feel like you are getting to know them better? Or understand them? (Or care?)
I felt really bothered by the fact that the pervy uncle was supposed to be treated as kind of comic relief (alongside the wee-ing and breast-pumping in the NOW section - soooo hilarious, NOT!). Luke the brother was a decent bloke, but the rest of them was mostly there to drive home the fact that both Dylan and Marcus are a waste of space. As for Dylan and his poetry ... AHHAAHA!

8. What do you think about Dylan's and Addie's past relationship in France? Do you like it/find it convincing? What about their sudden meeting in the present and the insta-lust after all the emotional baggage they seem to be dragging with them?
Their past relationship kind of worked for me, I felt some connection there, but I absolutely don't get the insta-lust and longing in the NOW, at least not on Addie's part after all she went through. That was just BS.

9. I'm not really sure I'd call this book a "romance" though it certainly offers the trope of second-chance. Do you have any favourite romantic trope(s) or one that you especially dislike?
I read less romance these days than before, but I like a well-written enemies-to-lovers or forced-marriage trope. I dislike insta-love and hate love-triangles.

10. Any guesses what part Rodney may play in the plot or do you think he's just some kind of "filler" character?
Skipping this one not to spoiler things.

-------------------------------------

DQs - Day 2 - 17 Oct
Then - Now 38%
first line "Can't the girl find..."
last line "shitshow of a strategy"

6. The author goes for the switching POVs and timelines method. How do you like these in general? And do you think it is a good fit for this book?

7. We get to meet some more characters along the way in the "THEN" section: Dylan's uncle Terry, his brother, the mysterious Grace and other friends whose dynamics to Dylan and Marcus should shed some more light on their characters and motivation. But do they? Do you feel like you are getting to know them better? Or understand them? (Or care?)

8. What do you think about Dylan's and Addie's past relationship in France? Do you like it/find it convincing? What about their sudden meeting in the present and the insta-lust after all the emotional baggage they seem to be dragging with them?

9. I'm not really sure I'd call this book a "romance" though it certainly offers the trope of second-chance. Do you have any favourite romantic trope(s) or one that you especially dislike?

10. Any guesses what part Rodney may play in the plot or do you think he's just some kind of "filler" character?

*Giggles* Lexi, I very much share your feelings on them all.

DQs Day 1
Now - Now last line "...reach out and touch her."

1.) Is this your first book by O'Leary? Only reading for points and that lovely 'O' letter for Wheel-a-thon or was it already on your tbr list?
I have read and really enjoyed The Switch, but I wasn't particularly keen on reading anything else by O'Leary, so it was a why-not and taking-one-for-the-team kind of choice. :)


2.) Road trips. Love them, hate them? If you've gone on a road trip before what are some must have for the journey?
I used to go on long drives with my family when I was a kid and now taking longer train rides with my husband and son, but I have to say that I'm mostly enduring them for the purpose of getting somewhere. I'm getting old or what....

3.) Deb's comment about never having a baby obviously proved untrue. Do we think the baby daddy is going to make an appearance in the story? Or do you think it's a no name person who isn't relevant to the book?
Deb struck me like a truly unconventional, devil-may-care person, I don't think the baby's father would figure, but who knows?

4.) The flagrant unconcern about money by half the characters is a bit gross. Do you think that's at the root of Dylan and Addie's split? Or do you think it's the mysterious Grace? Marcus especially seems to not know the whole breakup story. Any guesses to why Dylan didn't seem to tell him the truth?
I'm sure that it'll turn out to be something more dramatic than just a matter of money (maybe cheating??), but finding this attitude really repulsive.

5.) Initial impressions of the cast of characters?
I find Deb really interesting, but I'm less than impressed with the rest of the characters. At this point I feel a total disconnect from them which does not bode well.
I'm listening to the audiobook and upped the speed to 1.90 which is not a good sign as I only do that to books I want to be over and done with as quickly as possible.

:D

Sammy wrote: "Except for those of us with a split personality thing going on trying to balance long reads for wheel with lots of short ones for turf."

I didn't mean to point the finger, so I just agreed with Cat. 🤭

Cat wrote: "it's all his! :)

Wheel prompting longer reads, after all!"

True. ;)

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Next book for spreadsheet. Lord have Mercy part 4- Big Son.

Author Lauren Gilley 483 pages kindle

Published September 2024."

Have added it to the sheet, Lisa.