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

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

The Paris Apartment

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Guest List comes a new locked room mystery, set in a Paris apartment building in which every resident has something to hide…

Jess needs a fresh start. She’s broke and alone, and she’s just left her job under less than ideal circumstances. Her half-brother Ben didn’t sound thrilled when she asked if she could crash with him for a bit, but he didn’t say no, and surely everything will look better from Paris. Only when she shows up – to find a very nice apartment, could Ben really have afforded this? – he’s not there.

The longer Ben stays missing, the more Jess starts to dig into her brother’s situation, and the more questions she has. Ben’s neighbors are an eclectic bunch, and not particularly friendly. Jess may have come to Paris to escape her past, but it’s starting to look like it’s Ben’s future that’s in question.

The socialite – The nice guy – The alcoholic – The girl on the verge – The concierge

Everyone’s a neighbor. Everyone’s a suspect. And everyone knows something they’re not telling. (less)

LISA'S POSTS FOR BOM CREDITS

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

Day 4

59% 11:00 PM
80% 01:00 AM

13. From the four siblings, I was surprised to find out that Kit had been sending the party invitations to his father for the last few years. I would have expected it from Nina and Hud first. Was it a surprise for you too? What do you think the future relationship (if any) will look like between Mick and his children? I feel he is quite an unredeemable character so it could go towards many different directions.
Probably because Kit had no real memories of her father so she could idealize him and secretly hope for the big family reunion instead of the complete disassociation. No surprise that Mick has no understanding what he has done to his family and when he wants them back he turns up. He is a complete narcissist.

14. Now that we know the story between Brandon and Nina and her reaction to his mistress' appearance, I can finally see the fire awakening in Nina. She has a chance to not commit the same mistakes as her mom. Do you think that she will finally stand up to herself and what she wants or will she fall into old habits? We haven't seen the last from Brandon, what do you think he will do to try to get Nina back?
Thank goodness Nina made a stand. Otherwise her character would have not developed at all and would have taken her character into pathos.

15. Nina has taken very well the situation with Casey. How do you think the others will react to the news?
I wasn't surprised of Nina's reaction. She had been dealing with both her disfunctional parents all her life and trying to keep going for her siblings. In some ways Casey turning up was an extension of that scenario.

16. I am worried about the fate of some characters. Now that we are getting closer to the end, do you think everyone will have a HEA or the story is leading toward some heartbreak and bittersweet ending?

It's going to end up with fireworks. I had a thought... (view spoiler)[ That Casey and Mick would have a showdown and she would pull out a gun and shoot him. With all the family drama in this book a la DOOL I wouldn't be surprised at all. (hide spoiler)]

Looks interesting. I'll volunteer as well.

I'll volunteer for Team Ajax - plus I'll use my BOM credit for an extra entry please.

41% 5:00 PM
59% 10:00 PM

9. The Riva house on the beach and Nina's husband's place on a cliff are described several times in the book as the most important settings. Do you find the houses and Malibu as appealing places?
What would your own dreamplace be like? And where would it be?

I visited Malibu on our Aussie pilgrimage to Disneyland with our kids in 2000! Nice, but didn't seem all that special to me, although probably spoiled coming from the land of beaches with no one on them. I'd love an English Manor House or French chateaux but updated so it wasn't a drafty pile of stones and with indoor 2022 plumbing! And gorgeous gardens... with gardeners. And staff to do all the cleaning of course.

10. As we are moving forward in the story, the siblings characters may be getting fleshed out a bit more. What do you think of Nina? Does it seem like she's following in her mother's footsteps in her choices?

I get what the author is doing with Nina, but after a while she is turning her into a martyr and it's not very interesting. I hope by the end she screams, "enough" and sails off into the sunset being who she wants to be and doing what she wants and stops living her life for everyone else. Her parents have a lot to answer for . Her mother couldn't cope but I see her father as worse. He totally abandoned them even when their mother died. Unforgivable in my book.

11. Connecting to the previous question about Nina: while TJR is handing out information concerning her husband and their marriage rather sparingly, how do you see Nina's choice and their relationship? Any impressions on what Brandon is like?
I think it mentions that she isn't really invested it's just easier to go along with him and doesn't disturb what she's trying to do with her siblings. It's convenient.

12. What do you think about the relationship between Jay and Hud? How do you think Jay will react when he learns about Hud's betrayal especially as he seems to have found a real love interest?

It's always going to be awkward when you're with your brother's ex. But this is a case of Jay didn't really want her but doesn't what his brother to have her either. It's going to be a showdown though. The sh** is going to hit the fan!

Jenny wrote: "DAY 2 - 1959 "It was last December 1959"
41% 1981 "...in her arms, on her back."

5. 1959 - "It was last December, 1959" -
It sounds like a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song...Wow! What an ..."

Oh my god, I was expecting Marlena and Roman to run into Stefano as well. OMG... it's been years since I watched DOOL,( is it even still on TV? ) but this comment made me literally LOL.

DAY 2 - 1959 "It was last December 1959"
41% 1981 "...in her arms, on her back."

5. 1959 - "It was last December, 1959" -
It sounds like a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song...Wow! What an explosive chapter. Your reaction? Mick was characterised as a sleezy womaniser, it was always going to happen or I didn't see that coming! And June's reaction? Sensitive woman with a huge heart or a doormat for putting up with what she suspected?

6. "He gave no thought to the idea that he might break his children like someone had broken him". "You're drunk and you're killing yourself with this stuff." Discuss Mick and June's parenting styles and how they have affected the siblings as children and adults.

7. The title of the book is Malibu Rising and the author gives the reader a sense of the beach culture both in the past and the present time lines. What does it bring to the story and would it be as effective in another setting?

8. Already with the first set of questions there are varying opinions by the group about both Taylor Jenkins Reid as an author and how it compares to her other work. I loved Daisy Jones and the Six but I am finding this one as bit like Days of our Lives... but the author is skillful enough to make it into a page turner. Where do you sit, engaging tale well written or too much drama and as we are half way through do you see this ending in triumph or tragedy for the Riva siblings?

Elisabeth wrote: "Karolyn wrote: "A few clarifications for the Mini….

Rule clarifications:
Urania: Whole numbers only for your series chains. You can start at any point, but they need to be consecutive numbers. You..."

Thanks for asking that Elizabeth. I was wondering the same thing.

Also if Sixty and I are reading the BOM can it be counted as a pair?

DQs Day 1: Prologue - 11:00AM

1. Both Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo have been BOMs in this group before. Have you read these books (or others) by Taylor Jenkins Reid too or is Malibu Rising your first book by the author? What are your expectations going in?

I absolutely adored Daisy Jones and the Six. And I've read Evelyn Hugo as well. Didn't like it as much but still a decent read. So high expectations for this one.

2. We have been introduced to quite a lot of MCs and their different POVs in the first 20% of the book. Do you prefer one character/POV over the others or is it still too early to tell?

It really is an ensemble cast. Although I have a soft spot for Nina so far, trying to keep it all together must be exhausting.

3. The writing has quite a contemporary feel to it, especially the 1983 timeline, which makes it easy to forget the book is actually set in the past. What's your opinion on the writing and the back and forth between the two timelines so far, and how does it compare to other TJR books you've read (if any)?

I like the two timelines. It's a bit of a guessing game so far, trying to work out how their upbringing has effected the siblings now. This seems to be a bit of a thing with this author, it was especially used in Evelyn Hugo as I remember.

4. "The story of June and Mick Riva seemed like a tragedy to their oldest child, Nina. It felt like a comedy of errors to their first son, Jay. It was an origin story for their second son, Hud. And a mystery to the baby of the family, Kit. To Mick himself it was just a chapter of his memoir."
We don't really know how June and Mick's marriage post kids 1 + 2 went (and ended) yet, but from what we've learned about each of the siblings and their (love) lives so far, how do you think their parents' story has affected them after reading the quote above?

The effects of their parents marriage on the siblings is one of the major themes. What's that old adage about the sins of the fathers revisited on their children. It's pretty sobering how a father's neglect has ripples for his ex-wife and then his children.

Oh , and loved the Easter Egg about Celia and Don Adler was mentioned as well. I had forgot though that Mick Riva was in Evelyn Hugo, it must have been the blink and miss it chapter and no recall he was mentioned in Daisy Jones! It's a bonus that the books have links. Give more depth to the reading.

Shannon wrote: "Thanks lisa!!!"

No problem. 😍

Love the new Mini Challenge!

I've got a couple of chapters left in so I'm going to stop reading and finish for the new mini for Caliope - Reading a book that a team member (DeeDee) finished through the challenge.

I can do main page music - . A guitar is also behind him you can see the neck of it, and the bottom so I think we can use it for instrument on cover also.

Hi Mods, Shannon is away on holidays and can't get access to the book, so I'm going to take her day. 👍

Shannon wrote: "Would anyone like to take my DQ spot for Malibu Rising. Im on vacation rn and have no access to a library"

I can take it Shannon. I'll head over to the thread.

Deedee wrote: "Finished:

A Rip Through Time (A Rip Through Time #1) (2022) by Kelley Armstrong
Page count: 342
Letters: A, K, R


I'm reading..."

I've just about finished that one too. . It's really good.

Yay, for the Aussie monsters.

Yeah, lots of things out to get you, real and mythical.. How about the Bunyip or the Rainbow Serpent. Or the good old red back or funnel web spider.. or enormous tarantula! King Brown snake.. the list is endless 😁

Elisabeth wrote: "My Ken Follett 800 pager is turning out to be a faster read than expected. Nearly halfway in 2 days."

He does weave a page turning tale at times.

This book I finished a few days ago would fit Lern Hydra 5. It is no 16 in a series. T205

Me too. Glad there is another one to finish up on.

Sixty wrote: "I just spent the night in the hospital. I don't know how the next few days are going to be like for me, but I will hopefully be able to maintain pace."

Sorry to hear that, hope you are feeling better soon.