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

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

Some points and already asked/answered questions:

1. Can all five books be the same book read by different people?
- Yes

2. For your definition of farm, do you have to sell the crop or livestock, or can it be subsistence, homesteading or for family use? I assume that since you added livestock that you are not distinguishing a ranch from a farm?
- Ranches/livestock work as well as farms, but it must be a commercial enterprise

3. Horns v. Antlers
- https://fossilrim.org/blog/antlers-vs...
- Unicorn = horn (and rhino)
- Narwhal = tusk, not horn
Musical Instruments on cover list

4. If Peru, Panama, Colombia or Venezuela together cross the 50% mark than the book can be used?
- Yes

Some Country resources, but double check. Just because a book is on a list does not mean it actually qualifies. The book must be set at least 50% in that country/State.

Crete
GRs Crete shelf
Lists:
Crete, Minoans - Fiction
Crete, Minoans - non-Fiction

Idaho
GRs Idaho Shelf
Lists:
Books Set in Idaho
Christian/Clean Books Set in Idaho

Peru
GRs Peru Shelf
Lists:
Books Set in Peru

Panama
GRs Panama Shelf

Columbia
GRs Colombia Shelf
Lists:
Best Colombian Literature

Venezuela
GRs Venezuela Shelf
Lists:
Literature of Venezuela

Latin America/South America lists:
Latin America Classics
Latin American SciFi
YA & Childrens Books in Latin America
Romance in Central/South America and/or Central/South American Heroes and Heroines
Latin American Fiction
Adventure Travel & Exploration in South America


Diactric in Author's Name list

Race to the Cornucopia mini-challenge

Make sure you get yourself the best resources possible at the start of the Games by getting bonus points for each of the tasks you fill. Each task can be repeated a maximum of five times. Each food item in text can be repeated once.

This mini challenge runs from June 1st to June 15 9am UTC

One Point Tasks
- Read a book with an orange cover
- "harvest" (plural OK, no other variants) in text
- Author initials in HERACLES
- Word in title is hiding a different smaller word (of at least four letters) inside it (not the singular form) - examples LimonCELLO; THINg; wereWOLF (or indeed WEREwolf); HUNGer but NOT GAMEs (as that's the singular/plural)
- One of the following food words in text (plural OK, no other variants): corn, grape, ham, bread, cheese, apple, fish, chicken, bread, rice, tomato, pepper, salt, honey, lobster

Three Point Tasks
- Horn on cover (instrument or animal equally OK. but not antlers please)
- Book set in Crete
- Book set in Idaho
- Author's name has a diacritic (Cornucopia was a concert tour for Björk. yes, it's tenuous, but go with it anyway!)
- "abundant" or "abundance" in text
- Takes place on a farm (farm meaning somewhere raising plants or animals to be sold for food)

Five Point Tasks
- Title (including subtitle) includes all the letters CORNUPIA (no need to duplicate C and O)
- The cover has at least 3 different food items
- Set in Peru, Panama, Colombia or Venezuela

@Lexie - Can you please put What Moves the Dead on your Book Games shelf and mark it as read? Thanks!

Hey Team Capitol! Just a quick reminder. We need actual food mentioned in the book. A page number or location, as well as a few words of the sentence would be great, please. The same applies to weapons, as well.

I would really like to know how old Haymitch was when he won. And also, we know from book 2 that (view spoiler)[the 'services' of the victors are sold/gifted for a night/period of time to people from the capitol. Maybe another reason Haymitch distances himself from everyone in District 12? So they have no one to use against him. (hide spoiler)]

Thanks!

@Sana, can you put Wicked Abyss on your Book Games shelf, please? Thanks!

MelanieJoy wrote: "I will be slower this week too as my parents are in town but they leave June 1. We have until June 15 to get the BOMs done, correct? Not May 31?"

I think that's right. The end dates for each BOM are on the BOM tab on the spreadsheet.

Carrie wrote: "Laura wrote: "Carrie wrote: "I added a book to the tracking sheet - do I need a completion post here?

Also for defense I used a mother who would die defending her son (?)"

Adding to the tracking ..."

Perfect! For us and for her. :)

Preeti wrote: "Yay! I got picked for DQs Day 2 for Salt & Broom. I just started reading it so the timing is perfect."

Yay!

Carrie wrote: "I added a book to the tracking sheet - do I need a completion post here?

Also for defense I used a mother who would die defending her son (?)"

Adding to the tracking sheet is enough. When I update, I sort by date read and then update anything that is not already checked off. So it will be seen.

As far as the mother, if it actually happens in the book, it would totally work. But if she just says she would, that might be stretching it. But if someone takes a bullet for someone else, that would work!

@Claire - Can you please put A Curse of Blood and Wolves on your Book Games shelf? Thanks!

Preeti wrote: "Book: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins
Date Read: May 21
Page Count: 387


Weapon:
Arrow on the cover

Shelter:
Katniss and Peeta hav..."

Did you make at least 3 comments on the buddy read thread? I see that we have one linked already in the spreadsheet, but I can only find one more after that.

I would think anything over 500 pages could be a brick.

Isn’t this the 74th Games? I thought I remembered there being a twist in the next book specifically for the 75th Games.

Never mind. I misread your comment as saying this was the 63rd Games. But you said there have been 63 previous games, so I’m assuming a typo. :)

Preeti wrote: "MelanieJoy wrote: "Thanks Preeti! I'll put this one on my list! She never disappoints, I'm constantly enjoying her writing. Even the romance novels are really good; often the romance part is in the..."

I think my favorite Georgette Heyer is Sylvester or The Wicked Uncle.

Day 4: Chapters 28-39

15. The way the different characters react to the trek through the magic wasteland is interesting. With all the magic that flows through this world, why do they not have transport spells? Did this trek remind you of any other stories?

It reminded me a little bit of the original Shannara books, where the trek is a main focus of the story.

16. We keep being reminded (by the narrator) that the wanderists are not good guys. Do you agree with this assessment?

Cade has a moral code. But he's not opposed to doing things that others might see as morally grey. I think in this case, the wonderists are all we have, so let's hope they step up!

17. What is your impression of the seven brothers? The Pandorals are benevolent? Really? Do we believe that?

Those brothers creep me out! And aliens who want to come to our dimension are never benevolent. Ever!

18. So. We get to see the apparatus. What would you have done with that temptation?

I'm really not sure. Maybe tried to steal it right then?

19. Is anyone who they say they are? Did you expect Mr. Bones?

I think they are all hiding stuff, but I really didn't expect Mr. Bones. From previous comments in here (and the previous question), I thought he might be a shape-shifter. But I didn't expect that.

The theme of the book might be, "Expect the unexpected."

Day 3: Chapters 19-27

11. The fantasy genre is known for its world building. How do you feel about the world building in this book? How does it compare to other fantasy novels you’ve read?

It was pretty good, but gradual. A little bit of information given and then some story, then something else happens, then more world building. I enjoy this over an info dump, for sure!

12. In this section we meet Cade’s former teacher Hazidan. What do you think of her character? Did you ever have a favorite teacher and were they similar to Hazidan in any way?

I see that Cade really respects(ed?) her, but I'm not sure I really like her. My favorite teachers were always much nicer/softer.

13. Chapter 25: Friends in Low Places had a pretty big reveal about the Celestials plans and how they’ve been herding Cade this whole time. How did you feel about this twist?

In retrospect, I can see it, but I didn't see it at the time.

14. At this point I think we have the whole team together: Is one of them your favorite?

Cade, of course!

Bonus for audiobook listeners: How are you liking the audiobook? Would you recommend it?

I enjoyed the narrator. I would recommend it.

Day 2 DQs
Ch 9 to 18

6.) Did Galass turning into a blood mage and Fidick being the cause of Lucian's death (I assume that's what the black cloud that left the tent did) surprise you? Or were you expecting their bit in the story to be over and just a footnote about Cade's character?

It did surprise me, but in retrospect it shouldn't have based on Cade's first reaction to them.

7.) We learn about more magic types and there's pretty much any type of magic you can dream up. What type of magic you like to have or what animal would you like an affinity with?

I'm not sure about magic, but I would like to have an affinity with horses.

8.) Is anyone else's favorite character Mr. Bones? Just me? mkay.

I'm listening to the audio, so when I saw this I was like, "Who?" Less then stellar listening on my part, I guess. But I do like him. I'm not sure I have any favorites yet, though.

9.) At this point I think it's clear Cade is a fallen Glorian of some sort, likely a Justicar. Do others agree with my guess here or do you have other thoughts?

At this point I had no idea what he was before.

10.) Assuming my guess in Q9 is right, why do you think Cade got the heave ho from the Glorians?

I would assume that his own moral code conflicted with something he was ordered to do.

DQs - Day 1: Chapters 1-8 (pages 1 -71)

1. The book has the MPG Dark Fantasy. Do you like this genre in general? If so, do you have any favourite authors or books?

I usually go for lighter fantasy, epic/high are particular favorites. This one sounded good, and I didn't even notice the MPG. (Just looked, and it has Epic & High Fantasy MPG, also.). But Dark Fantasy doesn't scare me.

Picture a wizard. Go ahead, close your eyes. There he is, see? Skinny old guy with a long straggly beard. No doubt he's wearing iridescent silk robes that couldn't protect his frail body from a light breeze. The hat's a must, too, right? Big, floppy thing, covered in esoteric symbols that would instantly show every other mage where this one gets his magic?

2. The book starts with the quote above. Is this your mental image of a wizard, too? Or something different? :)

My mental image of a wizard is usually Harry Dresden. And then I adjust if the book calls for something else. So, no, this is not my mental image of a wizard.

3. And the author lands us in the middle of a siege (ideal for the Book Games, right? ;) with 2 of the main characters Cade Ombra and Corrigan Blight. Cade is narrating what is happening and offering us his views on good and evil, the part they are playing and how they "win" this particular siege.
Do you think it's a strong start to the book? Has it got you intrigued?

I am intrigued, and I think it is a strong start.

4. As an extra incentive & entertainment, the Ascendant Lucien offers young girls and boys (sublimes) to the wanderists after the siege. We get introduced to Fiddick and Galass and learn that Cade decided to kill Lucien. We can actually start putting some pieces of Cade's character together. What do you think about him at this point?

At this point I don't know what to think about him. He obviously has a moral code he tries to live by, but I'm not sure what it is yet.

5. Some demonic highlights to this introductory part: Tenebris the demon, with whom Cade as an "infernalist" mage trades with to get his spells.
What were your impressions of Tenebris? How do you find the "religious/magical" system of the Infernals and the Celestines?

Drawing on Dresden again, Tenebris was not much like Bob! But he did remind me a bit of the demon that Harry summons in the first book, who is trying to get his claws on Harry's full name.

I'm intrigued by this magical system/world. Couldn't wait to read more, so I continued without stopping to answer questions!