Lisa - (Aussie Girl)’s Comments (group member since Sep 26, 2012)

Lisa - (Aussie Girl)’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Alicanto is also despatched.

Wintersmith from Disc World is up next

Dragon King of Arms is gone.

Back to the Greek Monsters with the mighty Python!

Happy slaying.

Natasha wrote: "I'm happy to announce that I had two books that fit two tasks."

That's great Natasha. It's a team effort . 😁

Tipua has been despatched!

Our first monster from the new Disc World Wheel is - Dragon King of Arms.

Keely wrote: "I added the new wheel to the spreadsheet and updated the Fun Stats tab as well."

Thanks Keely!

Hey team.. A new monster Wheel is up..

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

Reason - It's an Old School classic that somehow I haven't read yet.

Gilbert Markham is deeply intrigued by Helen Graham, a beautiful and secretive young woman who has moved into nearby Wildfell Hall with her young son. He is quick to offer Helen his friendship, but when her reclusive behaviour becomes the subject of local gossip and speculation, Gilbert begins to wonder whether his trust in her has been misplaced. It is only when she allows Gilbert to read her diary that the truth is revealed and the shocking details of the disastrous marriage she has left behind emerge. Told with great immediacy, combined with wit and irony, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall is a powerful depiction of a woman's fight for domestic independence and creative freedom.

The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown

If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go?

In New York City, bookseller Cassie Andrews is living an unassuming life when she is given a gift by a favourite customer. It's a book - an unusual book, full of strange writing and mysterious drawings. And at the very front there is a handwritten message to Cassie, telling her that this is the Book of Doors, and that any door is every door .

What Cassie is about to discover is that the Book of Doors is a special book that bestows an extraordinary powers on whoever possesses it, and soon she and her best friend Izzy are exploring all that the Book of Doors can do, swept away from their quiet lives by the possibilities of travelling to anywhere they want.

But the Book of Doors is not the only magical book in the world. There are other books that can do wondrous and dreadful things when wielded by dangerous and ruthless individuals - individuals who crave what Cassie now possesses.

Suddenly Cassie and Izzy are confronted by violence and danger, and the only person who can help them is, it seems, Drummond Fox. He is a man fleeing his own demons - a man with his own secret library of magical books that he has hidden away in the shadows for safekeeping. Because there is a nameless evil out there that is hunting them all . . .

Because some doors should never be opened.

Judith wrote: "September, it'll be up in time to be included in the newsletter"

How exciting. Can't wait to see what is in store!

Hey awesome Mods,

Are there any more Monster Wheels in the works?

Suggestion for another Wheel - Holiday Monsters! Happy to help with some Monsters.

Vicky wrote: "I'm going to pick up a Lovecraftian book - no clue if it will work for a cult, but it's been on my shelf for ages and will work for Alicanto's author initials or Tipua's pages if nothing else. I'm ..."

Congratulations on the new bub, Vicky! Exciting time for you.

Vicky wrote: "I immediately thought of Ender's Game for hivemind, but I don't think it's really apparent until later books... but I'm also thinking that cults and other group-think communities could work as well!"

I'm sure that would work. This Challenge is one of the more flexible ones.

Keely wrote: "Some of those tasks in Protomolecule look hard!"

Yes, but I'm sure we're up for it!

Audrey Jr has gone to the big garden in the sky!

Back to one of the undefeated Greek monsters - Cerberus.

LISA'S COMMENTS FOR BOOK TOKENS

DAY 1 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DAY 2 - DQ'S https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DAY 3 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DAY 4 - Missing questions.
DAY 5 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Day 4 skipped?
Day 5-Thoughts day

16. Who did you really think it was to ask for the workers to dig up the body on the day of the hotel's biggest night? Who's body did you think it was?

For a long time I thought the body was the missing brother of Eddie's, I somehow missed he was missing not actually confirmed dead. Although that's maybe what the author was wanting the reader to think. After half way through I realised he wasn't dead and knew who he was. Who the body was, I missed that. It as an interesting development though.

17. What were your feelings on Grandfafa threatening and paying off the kids to shush away the death/murder of Cora?

It was pretty typical of that generation and class I suppose. I really hated Francesca actually, she didn't had one redeeming feature. Again, I'm sure the author deliberately wrote her like that. She was despicable, as was her whole family.

18. What was your reaction when Angelica spit out "the body was Cora the cleaner," when Owen said he found a body and it was his mother?

That was a great reveal!

19. Was you surprised to find out it was Michelle/Shelly who was behind all the sabotage happening?

She was on my radar for something untoward.. It did make sense she was involved somehow.

20. Did you guess correctly to some of the mysteries in the book and what were they?

I really enjoyed this book, even though I had worked out about half way through who Walker was. And it was Eddie's Mum who was involved not the Dad. All the plot points came together very satisfactorily for me by the end. I would definitely read another Lucy Foley, I like her style.

Well done, District 11.

And a big shout to the Mods and the Captains for all their hard work for our amusement.

DQs Day 3

11,) This section opens with basically teenager destructive antics to The Manor. If we remove the knowledge of the place burning to the ground in like a day, would you think those antics being even remotely effective long term? Or would it just cause more issues for the local populace?

That sort of thing never works.. it's just a pain for the people who have to clean it up. Hopefully it doesn't evolve in to violence where people are hurt.

12.) There was some more woo-woo around The Birds. But also some important information about their origin story. What did you think of the discussion with the vicar coupled with the woo-woo aspects around the wooded areas.

I'm sure I've seen a movie with a similar theme to this. Pagan historical rituals brought back to life in the present and scaring the cr** out of people. Pretty sure this is going to have a human component to it, but I could be wrong.. We'll see.

13.) Well, Owen's secret is out at least to us readers. As well as Michelle's true identity. It looks like almost the whole summer gang from 2010 have arrived at the party without even planning the reunion at The Manor's opening. How do you think Francesca will react when she finds out who her husband actually is?

For someone supposedly in control she sure seems clueless about the past coming back to bite her! I'm thinking there is going to be some huge confrontation with the result that Francesca ends up dead!

14.) DI Walker keeps running into random people in random circumstances. Do you think his past self is connected in some way to this hot mess of a secret reunion?

That's what I was thinking, he was one of the teenagers from the past, but I'm not sure which one?

15.) At just over halfway through the story, any guesses to who really did the deeds? The murder and the fire. Think it's the same person or with enough vendetta's to go around think it's different people?

It's going to be someone left of centre, maybe the fire was lit as a diversion for the murder. That would make sense.

DAY 2

6. "There are times when it's better to keep a secret from our loved ones than to hurt them with the truth. Right?"
Do you think Mum and Eddie working secretly at the Manor will result in some grief when it comes to light? Do you agree or disagree with Eddie's Mum about keeping secrets from loved ones for the right reasons?

7. "She's looking round in every direction like an animal sniffing the air for a predator"
"The vivid green and blood red of lettuce heads, frondy explosions of carrot tops waving gently in the breeze"
"out of the garden gate onto the main drive, which snakes between emerald lawns sparkling with dew"
Do you enjoy Lucy Foley's style of writing and her use of metaphors and adjectives to describe a scene? Does it enhance or detract as the reader tries to puzzle out the plot?

8. Why do you think the author has introduced the summer journal quarter of the way into the novel? What information do you think it will reveal?

9. What do you make of Owen and Francesca's relationship? Together forever or convenient for now? Who holds the power in the relationship?

10. Are you getting a sense of what the mystery of "the birds" may be at this stage of the story?

Edward R and Jane E ride off into the sunset after being defeated.

New monster is - Cherufe.