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

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

Ashley wrote: "Laura wrote: "Ashley wrote: "No problem! I mostly stuck them there in case you needed it to complete a set, since I know we need specific numbers of things. I won't finish those 2 until the end of ..."

It might mess you up that I sometimes put a book down into a later itinerary. It's because I already have a few in the one we're working on and I don't know how long it will take me to get to another one. Then we can just shuffle things around as they are finished.

Ashley wrote: "No problem! I mostly stuck them there in case you needed it to complete a set, since I know we need specific numbers of things. I won't finish those 2 until the end of the month, it's a buddy read that I am spacing out!"

We need at least 3 mid-level countries and at least 2 hard countries. For easy countries it is the other way around. You can not have more than 6 easy countries. But we are allowed to have none if we chose. We've just included some to use banked books before the new Food mini was announced.

@Ashley - I'm going to move both The Odyssey and Ulysses to the Food spell-out. Both Greece and Ireland are easy countries, so only 5 points. But the spell-out letters get us 10 points each. And Os and Us are always needed!

The start date was July 2nd, so the end date would be August 2nd.

Wait, is it 1 month or 30 days? Because there are 31 days in July. So that would be August 1st.

DQs Day 6, July 7
Chapter 53 - 59 88-100%

24. For most of the first half of the book, I kept picturing a lot of tragic endings for multiple characters. Did the book end happier than you figured? Are you happy with the way everyone's lives turned out and do you think it matches their upbringing and experiences?

It did end a bit happier than I feared at times. I wouldn't exactly say I'm happy with the way everything turned out, but I thought it was all brought together very well.

25. We now know the final fate of the painting. Do you agree with the choice? Did the result end up fitting the artist mentality and the magic of the friendship or was it illogical?

It was perfect!

26. Louisa starts the book and much of it is her journey, but Ted surprisingly takes over as a big main character as well. With the past history it mainly seems to be Joar's experiences that are told the most. Do you think the book has a main central character that stands out the most? Do you think some of the other characters are not mentioned enough equally?

I think the painting, and the summer it represents, are the main characters.

27. We learn what happens with Ali. Spoilers if you have not gotten to this part, so I'll get it general. It was stated in a way that there is also beauty in a sense of also going out a certain way while they mourn and talk about tragedy. Did you think Ali would walk in alive also, such as when the car with the woman pulled up?

I was hoping, but not really expecting it.

28. If this is your first book by Fredrik Backman, are you planning to now read more? If you have read another book by this author, was the style of this one with the writing similar to the other(s) you have read?

The funny thing is I actually rated it slightly lower because I didn't think the quality of the translation was as well done. Come to find out that this is the first book he wrote mostly in English.

Ashley wrote: "My books have been less than helpful this round... I had a bunch of holds come up at the library and they were just not working for the tasks! Hate when that happens, but I definitely don't want to..."

Don't stress it. We have the food spell-outs now, so it's all good. And Everything is Tuberculosis can fill the E in Egypt.

I read Great Big Beautiful Life the month before the challenge. :(

Probably. But Liberia is a hard country, so we would get 20 points using it in an itinerary.

I’ve got a museum trip in a current book. You should add Red Pyramid to the archeologist task.

I actually like that series better than Percy Jackson!

I don't know if anyone else has read any of the Amelia Peabody books, but Priya, if you don't want to read another right now I can do the archeologist task with the next one for me.

We're going to Egypt!

Author born in Egypt
Red, White, Black and Yellow on cover
"pyramid(s)" in text
camel on cover
character is an archaeologist
character goes to a museum
E
G
Y
P
T

@ Bernadette - You put 285 for the page count for Don't Make a Sound, but the edition you shelved is 279 pages. Which is correct?

Priya wrote: "I finished The Good Father for mention of Don Quixote so Spain is done."

Back in a second with a new country.

I put a book down for the marsupial task, but it is also MPG Travel which is our last Traveling Task, so if anyone else reads a book with a marsupial, feel free to move mine.

Tara wrote: "Hi all -

Quick check in - I'm visiting family and it has been hectic so not as much reading getting done. I should be done with both books I'm reading in the next couple days and will for sure be ..."

I hope you've had a good time!

@Ashley - can you add Captive of the Pirate King to your Tower shelf, please? Thanks!

Looks like Honey Versus Vegemite is only about 20 pages, so that wouldn’t work. But it sounds like Tricia has it covered.

I believe so, Tricia. I know I linked the same one that was on their spreadsheet.

We've got two difficult tasks for Australia. Here's what other teams have read.

Teams who have done Australia:
Lotus Tower
Burj Khalifa
Elizabeth

Vegemite in text:
Imago - MM
Christmas Wish List - MM
The Woman in the Library

Features a Marsupial:
The Bunny, the Wolf, and Their Kangaroo Omega
Braver: A Wombat's Tale - Middle Grade
Naked Tails - MM


I can listen to In a Sunburned Country for the marsupial task, but it might take me a bit to get to it.

My Spanish author book has an ocean on the cover. If anyone wants to read a Spanish author, we can switch mine.

We're going to Australia!

Author born in Australia
Red, White, and Blue on Cover
mentions Vegimite
features a marsupial
character goes to the opera
ocean on cover
A
U
S
T
R
A
L
I
A