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

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

LISA'S POSTS FOR BOM TOKENS

DAY 1 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DAY 2 - DQ'S - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DAY 2- ANSWERS - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DAY 3 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The Gelth are done like a Christmas Dinner!

Next up - The Woman in White (Literary Monsters)

Just for Christmas, the Ood is defeated.

New monster - Professor Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes)

Happy Holiday Monster Hunting.

DAY 1 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DAY 2 - DQ'S - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DAY 2- ANSWERS - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DAY 3 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Day 3 DQs

9. What are your thoughts about the saint? What is the significance of her severed hand? I have to admit that I'm still confused about who she actually is.

To tell the truth, the Saint's appearance didn't make much of an impression on me. I'm struggling to remember that bit actually. I'm not Catholic but Saints and Relics which often includes bones are a big part of that religion. Especially in medieval times. I think the Saint in this story is echoing that.

10. Is it just me, or did anyone else wonder about the thief-wheel after the prince was killed? I thought they were going to do something about it later on, but apparently not.

I thought it was cleverly done. Maybe it's something for the sequel, LOL.

11. Do you have a favorite character among our motley crew?

It was a good mix of characters, they all offered to the cohesiveness of the plot. The bone dog and the chicken spring to mind for the comic relief although Fenris made an excellent hero/love interest as well.

12. Was there any particular fairy tale that came to mind as you were reading this? This is clearly styled similar to a fairy tale but with many of the usual elements of a fairy tale being subverted.

None in particular. A fairy tale, yes but I was thinking it more was like an old fashioned quest. Like King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. I really enjoyed reading it.

Carrie wrote: "Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Carrie (friend)
3031 books | 107 friends
see comment historyDaily Questions: Day 1

1. Marra clearly struggles with being a princess. Early on, she states that she had ..."

Thanks Carrie, that is interesting. Is the graveyard still above the waterline? It does seem creepy that the remains of the old town are under the dam.

QUESTIONS DAY 2

5. Bone dogs, drowned boys and magically pulled teeth and all quite vividly described. Where does the contents of Nettle & Bone sit on your horror meter ? And how about that demon chicken. What role does the wry humour have in the story?

A- Some of the horror is a bit creepy but not cringe worthy. I really like the humour and think it provides a good balance to the creepiness. The demon chicken gets all the good lines.

6. Enter our hero Fenris. The Magic Moth indicated that Marra needed him to complete her quest. What do you think Fenris' role with be?

A - To be the Knight in Shining armour/love interest. As long as he doesn't end up dead I'm fine with it.

7. The Goblin Market. Thoughts? How important do you think the events that happened there will be to the plot moving forward.

A. I like the way the author wrote this scene. It is very visual. You can nearly feel Marra when she get the tooth magically removed. Yikes. It is a pivotal scene because this is where Fenris enters the picture and gives us some more important informaton about Marra's quest.

8. By Chapter 14 Marra has a merry band of supporters ready to battle King Vorling. Agnes, Dust wife, Fenris, Bone Dog and last but not least the Demon Chook. Who do you think will survive and who will be become tragic collateral damage?

A. Gee I hope no one dies. I suspect Fenris' head is on the chopping block.. or maybe the chicken becomes chicken soup, LOL.

QUESTIONS DAY 2

5. Bone dogs, drowned boys and magically pulled teeth and all quite vividly described. Where does the contents of Nettle & Bone sit on your horror meter ? And how about that demon chicken. What role does the wry humour have in the story?

6. Enter our hero Fenris. The Magic Moth indicated that Marra needed him to complete her quest. What do you think Fenris' role with be?

7. The Goblin Market. Thoughts? How important do you think the events that happened there will be to the plot moving forward.

8. By Chapter 14 Marra has a merry band of supporters ready to battle King Vorling. Agnes, Dust wife, Fenris, Bone Dog and last but not least the Demon Chook. Who do you think will survive and who will be become tragic collateral damage?

Carrie (friend)
3031 books | 107 friends
see comment historyDaily Questions: Day 1

1. Marra clearly struggles with being a princess. Early on, she states that she had not realized "a nun had more power than a princess, that she could close a door". I found this a very striking quote in that we always think of royalty as being powerful and living lives of luxury. What did you think of this quote? Do you believe that Marra is happier at the convent than she could ever be at the Palace with her family?

Marra seems a bit lost in both places. Despite being very hard on herself she is an intelligent and deep thinking girl who has worked out her place in the world she inhabits quite early. Being the "spare" never seems to be fulfulling either in a book or in real life.. Just ask Prince Harry!

2. I am big fan of fables and myths. I love learning about new things. Before reading this book, I had never heard of a dust-wife or a church grim. Were you familiar with either concept? What do you think about them? Is it comforting to think of a dust-wife or church grim keeping watch over the dead or do you find it creepy?

Neither had I. It is an interesting concept and some people would find it creepy. But not me, one of my favourite holiday things to do is to wander around historic cemeteries checking out ancient gravestones.

3. Were you bothered to discover that Marra's mother, the Queen, was aware that the Prince had murdered Marra's oldest sister? Does that make you dislike the Queen or does it make you respect her more in that she is looking out for the welfare of her kingdom?

It's horrible by today's standards.. but just think back to medieval times where females only currency was how fertile they were and pumping out the heirs to the throne. The Queen didn't seem a very warm character although she would say in sacrificing her daughters all the people in the Kingdom would live.

4. It's early in the book yet, but part of my favorite thing about this book is Bone Dog and the chicken with a demon in it. Have you found yourself growing attached to either one? Do you think either one will play a significant role in the story?

That's my favourite part as well. They provide the comic relief when parts of the story get a little gruesome. Definitely adds to the enjoyment of the story .

Great Work Team Classical.

And thanks to the Mods and Captains also for a job well done.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all.

I've got my DQ's ready to go.. just waiting for Carrie up first.

Another wheel over... sigh. Well done everyone, I really enjoyed playing with you all. Big shout out to the Mods for another great Challenge and our Team Captains for all your time, keeping everything together!

I always pick up some unexpected reading in Challenges as I read anything for points, LOL, but only read a couple of clangers this challenge. Favourite book I read was probably because I just love the characters of Strike and Robin although nothing to do with music.

And now to start hoarding those colour covers in preparation for UNO 2024!

Hope everyone has a very happy Christmas and holiday season.

I finished the Dave Grohl book yesterday. Found it really interesting and probably wouldn't have picked it up without this challenge. 😊

I'll be finished my last book later on today.

Defeated - The Thames Ice Snake

Nex up - Literary Monsters - Dementors (HP)

All good. Seeing I'm second I'll start after the Wheel is over if that's okay. So my questions should be up around Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

My current book I’m reading also has a p which I haven’t added to the spreadsheet yet (the letter not the book). So that’s another one. It’s a long book and I’ve had a busy pre Christmas week but I’ll catch up with my reading this week. Can’t believe we’re in the last week of the wheel!

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney

The New York Times bestselling Queen of Twists returns…with a family reunion that leads to murder.

After years of avoiding each other, Daisy Darker’s entire family is assembling for Nana’s 80th birthday party in Nana’s crumbling gothic house on a tiny tidal island. Finally back together one last time, when the tide comes in, they will be cut off from the rest of the world for eight hours.

The family arrives, each of them harboring secrets. Then at the stroke of midnight, as a storm rages, Nana is found dead. And an hour later, the next family member follows…

Trapped on an island where someone is killing them one by one, the Darkers must reckon with their present mystery as well as their past secrets, before the tide comes in and all is revealed.

With a wicked wink to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, Daisy Darker’s unforgettable twists will leave readers reeling.

DQs, Day 5 Chapters 46-end

20. Between Henry, Martha, and Opaline, whose story was most compelling for you and why?
21. Holy moley… Lyndon! I did NOT see that twist coming (ch 52), did you? What are your thoughts about his story?
22. What did you make of the relationship between Opaline and Martha? If you guessed, did you get it right?
23. What about Mme Bowden? Did you enjoy her resolution? If not, what other scenario would you have preferred for her?
24. What did you make of the magical elements in the book?
25. Is there anything that struck you about the plot, story, characters, etc that hasn’t been part of a discussion question over the 5 days?

20. I enjoyed both the time lines, maybe Henry and Martha just a tad more.
21. Lyndon.. pretty obvious he was a d***. What an awful man.
22. It seemed quite plausible that the baby survived and was going to be Martha's mother or grandmother.
23. I was a bit confused about how Mrs Bowden just faded out. I get she was the custodian of the bookshop till Opaline's descendant arrived.. but in Melissa's response did she mean that Mrs Bowden was actually Opaline? I'll have to read some more answers to figure that one out.
24. I liked the descriptions of how the bookshop "grew" with the magical tree. It was a very visual story which I enjoyed.
25. Liked the ending with the Emily Bronte story just waiting to be discovered. Added a nice touch.

Lisa Posts for Book Credit Tokens -

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