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

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

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.

Melissa
1542 books | 254 friends
see comment historyDQs Day 1

1. We meet some of the characters in this section (maybe all?) What do you think of them so far?

There certainly is an array of characters - some of them endearing (Eddie) to not so .. (Francesca, she seems down right social climber, snobby) And they all have secrets so it will be interesting to unravel their places in the storyline.

2. Bella seems to have an ulterior motive for going to The Manor. What do you think it could be?

Some vendetta with Francesca.. well that's where the author seems to be leading us at the moment.

3. The Manor seems to be a unique place to stay. Have you ever been to anywhere that fancy? Would you ever want to visit a place like that?

I love holidays, all sorts so yeah I'd be up for staying at The Manor. I've stayed in a few fancy hotels , one of the most interesting is when I went to Vermont and stayed in the Von Trapp Lodge. And hiking up to Maria's chapel and also her grave is on the Estate. It wasn't planned it's just where the tour stayed and it was really interesting.

4. How are you enjoying the back and forth with the past and present? We already know The Manor is burning and someone is dead but who could it be?

I'm guessing Francesca, she seems the one that most characters would have a problem with.

5. We start off with a man being dead in front of a black feather and Francesca finding one in her bed. What do you think the connection could be? Who do you think the man is? Her grandfather maybe?

Mmmm, the supernatural is an interesting part of the novel. But is it supernatural or superstitions someone is using for their own gain. Time and pages will tell.

What... an upcoming New Wheel.. Would it sweeten the deal to say Monster Wheels are among my most favourite challenges EVER.

Thanks Mods, when you are ready..

Thanks Mods. Good for my day. 😊

Eldarwen wrote: "Haha! Give us a month or two ;-)"

Ah yes. Of course! I'll just have to play with the Monsters till then. 😍

Thanks everyone, we had a great team.

A big shout to the amazing housekeeping of the Captains. Great Job.

Mmm.. I wonder when the next Team Challenge is.. I'm a glutton for punishment, LOL.

I like your optimism Andy!

DQs Day 5

19. Have you ever forgotten an important event? How did you make up for it? Did it involve pastry?

I don't think so. Just not the way I roll.

20. So, who is the daftest of the two? Miles, for not telling Daphne what he was doing and basically doing all the things he knew Daphne’s dad did to her as a kid. Or Daphne for immediately stomping off in a huff and assuming only bad things and refusing to talk to Miles? (I can’t be the only one who is so sick and tired of this kind of thing happening in every contemporary romance book?)

Yeah, I hear you. It was pretty angsty with all the hurt feelings being thrown around.

21. The readathon seems like a lot of fun! Anyone even a tiny bit surprised that Miles was there? If you were to set up a dream readathon – budget not a problem, where would you hold it, who would be the participants (kids, adults, women between 33 and 37 only, etc.), and would there be a theme? Any other cool additions, like readings by certain specific authors?

22. What did you think of the book overall?

This isn't my usual style of novel but it was very readable and quite enjoyable. 3.5 stars.