Alyana ’s Comments (group member since Feb 14, 2021)

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

Answered DQs Day 2 - Chaps 11 - 20.

DQs Day 2 - Chaps 11 - 20

6. Picking up on the previous grief question to turn it around towards Willowdean and her mother. Will seems to think (I'm paraphrasing here) that her mother is a heartless cow and wants to use Lucy's room all to herself without any consideration whatsoever for anyone else. I can't help but wonder though if the mother isn't somehow trying to be close to Lucy - her own sister - by setting up a craft room in Lucy's space. Everyone deals with grief in their own way, and while yes, I agree with her (unlike Will) that the dusty old things will eventually need to go, I feel like she's trying to find a way to cope at the same time.

Yes I completely agree with this. We all grief on our own way and this is probably Will's mom way to grieve and move on at the same time.

7. Will and Bo. Thoughts? More particularly, Will's reaction to finding out that Bo will start going to the same school?

It's awkward seeing your crush in the same school but I think Will overreacted in some way.

8. The more I read, the more I wonder how Ellen and Will are (still) friends with the way they talk to each other. According to Will, they are drifting apart because Ellen is having sex and because of Callie (she doesn't quite say it but it is definitely there). Their interactions however do make me wonder, a lot. I feel like they're friends more because it's a habit than anything else. They're both dependent on each other - Will because she doesn't seem to have other friends and can't stay in the pool alone? Ellen because she needs a back-up when she goes to pick up her pay check?) What do you make of their friendship now that we know more. Irreparable rift? Habit? Undying friendship?

It's probably because they find it hard to accept that there is a chance they cannot friends anymore. It's a difficult decision for anyone to break a friendship that's been built since you were kids.

9. And this inevitably brings me to Will's interactions with Callie. It seems like Callie is at least trying, even though there is the fat-girl-issue, but she isn't completely ignoring Will, unlike Will herself, who barely manages to be civil to the girl. Sure, I completely understand the jealousy of thinking that someone is stealing your (best) friend from you, but it isn't helping Will's case that she is basically being a douche to the girl.

I am guilty of this. This happened to me a long time ago and it was really immature of me. I guess it's normal for teens to act this way, feeling your friend being taken away from you. We cannot control what is happening around us and Will will eventually realize her mistakes and shortcomings.

10. Did anyone else have that moment of "oh shit, something really terrible is going to happen on the date" when Ellen and Tim tell Will that Patrick Thomas is Mitch's best friend. Or is it just me who thinks that there is a very obvious lack of mobbing and finger-pointing? Not that this is a bad thing, on the contrary! Though I do find it odd since Will has A LOT of issues and basically hates people who are not Ellen (and Bo).

Will definitely has a lot of issues that needs to be taken care of. She needs someone who will help her cope up with those things. Her world is only moving around Ellen and Bo and I'm still hoping that there is one person who will come to rescue her.

Marie (UK) wrote: "been out this afternoon A friend of over 45 years is leaving the village this weekend; we both worked nights when our children were small helped each other out with child care , picked each other's..."

What a wonderful friendship you have Marie! I'm happy she's not moving far away.


Re: BOM - I started Dumplin' yesterday and just answered the first set of questions on the thread.

DQs Day 1 - Chaps 1 - 10

1. What do you think of Willowdean? Does she feel like a sufficiently real person?

Willowdean seems like a likable person who just wants to feel loved especially by her mom.

2. What you you think about her relationship with Ellen? They are starting to keep secrets from each other now - do you think that this is the start of a drifting apart or will they stay close?

Keeping secrets between friends is normal in my opinion. Although it's not good, there are some things that are better kept from someone than to be told.

3. Bo is interesting - the opposite of Will in terms of being reserved in comparison to her chattiness, but with something lurking in his backstory. Do you want to have a guess at what's up with him? Would anyone NOT have done the same as Will and followed him to the abandoned school in the hopes of more making out?!

I would be interested on finding out more about Bo but I would prefer it to be on the safe side. I would rather let that person tell me willingly than do something and will end up with bad consequences.

4. Will claims ownership of ""fat"" when she introduces herself to Bo. How successful do you think she is in her aim to stop it from being an insult?

Body issues are hard to talk about at any age, even myself, I still get insulted when it comes with the word fat. I guess Willowdean will eventually get the confidence she needs as the story goes on.

5. Lucy has clearly been a big influence in both Will and Ellen's lives, and yet they haven't been talking about her at all since her death. Do you think this is a normal reaction to a sudden death? Would you be like Will's mother, and get rid of everything, or keep it?"

We all grieve for someone we love differently. I would probably keep some of the things that are really important.

✿~Danielle~✿ wrote: "Alyana wrote: "Finished The Third Wife. On ss."

Can you add a read date please, as it’s showing as on currently reading shelf?"

Done. Sorry I was using my phone when I posted the update, forgot to change it on GR.

Finished The Third Wife. On ss.

Adobo is the most popular dish from my home country (Philippines) although I haven't read this book yet.

Just finished Gone Girl, updated on ss.

I should be done with my book for 141 by tomorrow. The Third Wife.

I can take the brown and skull cover.

I will join in for Dumplin' too but I wanted to finish one book first.. Didn't get enough reading time yesterday.

#3 and #1

I can probably cover task #207 with and #233 with or . If I can't read them this month, probably in June, but whoever gets to read for it first, I am okay with it.

Finally finished A Promised Land. Updated on SS.

Thank you Frida! I'm feeling better now, back to reading.

Thank you Marie..

Got my second dose yesterday, woke up feeling sluggish so I wasn't able to read much today.

Carrie wrote: "Or does this rule mean that it can?
Thoughts?

Books count that are started after your team thread is created. Provided the book is started during your challenge period, it can be used at any point..."

Yeah from what I understand, I think books read after this thread has been created (Sept 2018) can be used to any stop.

Carrie wrote: "Looks like everyone has claimed a spot and things are moving along nicely this round!

That picture of Kathmandu City is stunning!!!"

Yes! Hi Carrie, are you able to finish your book from the Petropavlovsk stop?

Just finished , updated on ss.