Laura’s Comments (group member since Nov 04, 2015)

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

Truitt_T wrote: "Wow. MAN is a lot harder than I would have thought.

I have few in my tbr, but the letters are terrible. I'll keep looking."

I didn't even look because I figured it would be easy!

Weird. I thought I locked the Round 1 tab. I’ll have to check it.

Carrie, 2 more books to go.

Attempts to replicate Karolyn's voice-over voice

You will, in fact, be getting MAN.

And now back to my regular Capitol voice.

We'll be reading The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town.

I'll send Innocent Man over to them right now.


Anybody else reading The Wishing Game? It's giving me The Westing Game vibes! I think I might need to do re-read of that one soon.

DQs Day 3:

10. We read something that moves us, touches us, speaks to us and it... it changes us?"

Do you agree with that quote? Are there any books that changed you personally?

Of course. Every book I read gives me a new perspective about something. Even if it is incredibly close to my own experiences/beliefs, it varies at least a little and allows me to see things from other points of view.

11. We finally get the first riddle. Did you guess it before Lucy did?

I did not. I'm really bad with that sort of thing.

12. What did you think of The City of Secondhand and of Markham showing up like that? Is he just a sleezy lawyer, or is there something more sinister going on?

I keep getting Westing Game vibes. I might need to re-read it soon.

13. do you have to keep reminding yourself that the "contestants" are adults, not children?

Jack sees them as the kids they were when he first met them, and that affects they way they are presented to us.


Some other thoughts:

- Why would someone being a "famous artist" mean it's odd for them to bring a guest their dinner? I found this rather a lot weird.

I think she just meant that serving someone was beneath his status. I think it's often actually a money thing. 'There are people that are paid to do that sort of thing' is the attitude implied.

(And I think Lucy picked that up from her ex. He seems like a real piece of work!)

Maddielucy(Patti) wrote: "I can do
The Inn at Rose Harbor
The Inn At Seagrove
The Inner Circle
The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
The Innocent..."

Any opinions about which ending we should send them? I would like to get this sent in the next few hours. We have 2 more days after today, and 2 more books after this one.

I would vote for The Innocent Man or The Inn at Rose Harbor

Or which one would you prefer to read, Patti?

Quick reminder to anyone still working on the BOM Salt & Broom. The extra discussion points cut-off is June 25. The only one still on the spreadsheet is Fallyn, but just in case someone else is working on it and hasn't listed it yet, this is your reminder.

I’ve only finished the day 1 reading so far, but as I was picking it up to start again today something struck me. C.S. Lewis was called Jack. And his goddaughter was named Lucy. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was dedicated to her. Possibly linked to the author named Jack in our story and our Lucy?

Just finished the day 2 reading, and something tells me to expect more Westing Game rather than the fun of Willy Wonka or the magic of Narnia.

DQs Day 2 Chapter 6 - 11

6. Jack replied to Lucy's letter and Lucy decided to run away from home. What did you think of his letter and would you have done the same as Lucy?

If I was in Lucy's life, I very well might have. When she first told about the letter, I only thought how cool it was that her favorite author wrote back. Who among us hasn't fan-girled over an author commenting on your post in their author group? But as others in the book bring up the problems he was potentially creating for himself and danger that she put herself in, it was probably not the smartest thing in the world he could have done.

7. We get more insights on Clock Island. Every 'hour' is its own section like for example a beach. Would you like to visit the island? Do you find the idea of it fascinating or could you not care less?

I would love to visit. A private island, even off the cold coast of Maine? Yes please!

8. Every part starts with a quote from Jack's book. Do you think these parts are important for the story? Just showing off Jack's work? Something else?

I think they will probably end up being a key to whatever mystery/game Jack presents them all with.

9. It seems like there will be a deeper connection between Lucy and Hugo. Do you agree? And would you approve of it given that Hugo had first met her when she was still a child?

I think there might end up being something there. They met for half an hour. He had nothing to do with meeting her and didn't pursue knowing her. Wasn't he only 20 or 21 at the time? I don't think it is inappropriate.

Day 1 (Prologue - Chapter 5)

1. We have been introduced to a few important characters - Lucy, Christopher, and Hugo. Plus the off-page persona of Jack. What do you think of the characters so far?

I love Christopher. I think Lucy is well-meaning, but she has some growing up to do. I haven't seen enough of Hugo to think much of him, and Jack seems like an author I would love to meet.

2. We get a riddle right away in the Prologue:

"Two men on an island and both blame the water
for the loss of a wife and the death of a daughter
but neither ever married, and neither's a father.
What is the secret of the girls and the water?"

Then Hugo thinks to himself that "Five years ago, it [the ocean] had brought low the small, strange kingdom of Clock Island." Do you think the riddle is related to what happened five years ago? Any speculations on what it all means, assuming you haven't read ahead?

I didn't pay attention to the fact that Hugo was musing right after the riddle. I was trying to solve the riddle. But even Google has failed me on this one. :)

3. At the beginning of Chapter Two, Hugo says that he used to dream about living in Greenwich Village, but now that he can actually afford it, it doesn't hold the same appeal. He basically says that success kills motivation. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

I took it as now that he is older, that situation no longer appeals to him. Often the things we can tolerate and even think are fun when we are young and carefree become unappealing as we get older. And usually as we get older we get more successful and have more money. So now that he has money to do it, he doesn't have the desire because he is older and has obligations and days when his back or knees just hurt to much to enjoy that stuff.

4. What do you think of the wishing game Lucy plays with Christopher? Do you think this game and mindset are healthy? Do you agree with Lucy that it gives them hope, or do you agree with the social worker that it just gets their hopes up?

I hate to be a downer, but outside of the world of magical fiction, the social worker is probably closer to right than Lucy is.

5. Why do you think Jack finally started writing again? And what might be his motive in holding a contest for the only copy of the new book?

If you look at it like Willy Wonka, he's ready to be done and pass it all on to someone else. I bet he's going to gift the island to someone. Or maybe just the rights to his books.

I just want to say that I realize that we have more readers than Battle spots. Anyone who doesn't get a book in this round will have first priority in the Battle next round!

The only one on my TBR is The Inn at Eagle Point. It's on KU if anyone wants to read it.

ETA: The Inn at Rose Harbor - if you're a Debbie Macomber fan
Innocent in Death
The Innamorata and Her Clan of Dragons - #2 in a series, but standalone-ish.

All right, team! Start looking for your INN titles (or IN and then a word that starts with N).

People who still want a spot in the Battle:

Yasmine, Carrie, Patti
Preeti & Kari - one of you gets the Cupcake book, and one of you can take a different set.

ETA: For some reason I thought Patti already had a book in the battle, but it appears I might have been mistaken. So Patti is included in this message now, too. :)

Jenny wrote: "Ha!!! Found it on YouTube! My brain still works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo56b..."

Thanks! Now I want to know what was in the actual envelope in the minds of the moviemakers.

Jenny wrote: "I vaguely remember a scene in the movie where [spoilers removed]
It is not in the book though unless I missed it."

My daughter, who still knows everything, says that isn't in the movie. So if your memory isn't failing you, it must be a deleted scene.

I just finished. A few things struck me this time around.

First, I don't believe we ever get Katniss' mother's name. When I asked my kids (who are not yet at the point they forget the plot of the books they read last week!) they said that is correct. Nor is her father ever named. And no names for any of Peeta's family, either.

Second, I think Katniss' reactions at the end about Peeta are out of character. Or maybe just too extreme. Or maybe the one evening talking while keeping watch changed her and activated a "But Daddy, I love him!" type of extreme teenage reaction for her. She didn't treat him very well for most of the book, only doing better beginning the night before the games.

Jean wrote: "Part 2

Does anyone really believe that Snow didn’t manipulate the Quell to try and eliminate his problem with Katniss and Peeta and the rebellion? Of course he did. I remembered that they had to g..."

I can't decide if I believe it or not. The reasoning about showing the districts that not even the strong are safe makes sense. Especially when we got the wording for the 50th Quarter Quell from Haymitch's games. But I can also see Snow manipulating that to try to get rid of his Katniss/Peeta problem. If that was they case, it backfired spectacularly.

I’m about 75% through. I really thought I remembered the Games taking more of the time in this book, but it was about 2/3 through when they finally started.

Also, I could have sworn I remembered that (view spoiler)[Cinna was killed as Katniss was waiting in her tube to go up. But he was *only* beaten. (hide spoiler)]

At the time she wrote these I believe her only other books were the Gregor books, with a middle grade audience. So that might have affected her treatment of sexuality in the books.

I just started listening yesterday. I forgot how stupid and naive Katniss was. She really thought going back outside of the fence was a good idea after the crackdowns started? I guess things have been quiet in her district for a long time, but she’s just been in other districts and seen that Peacekeepers aren’t all like her ‘friends’ in District 12. She should have known better.

Truitt_T wrote: "Of course, I keep thinking I’m saving myself for when we end up with something truly difficult..."

Our plan is to be nice as long as you are! Remember, we do this again next round, same District match-ups.