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

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

Judith wrote: "Whenever you want. In Australia it’s been Aug 2 for awhile 🙂"

Ah yes, I keep checking to see if the DQ's are up... it's 12.51 pm here now. The fun of world challenges.

Ariel wrote: "If anyone is still looking for a team member, I am volunteering myself. I am new to the challenge but would love to participate.

I am averaging about 20 books a month so far this year and my user..."

Ariel, would you like to join up with us..

So CB - 20 books
Emma 30 books
Lisa - 13 books - 3741108-lisa---aussie-girl
Vicky - 10 books

... I will be away overseas for the last few weeks of the challenge with unknown wifi so reading over the target will work well.

Emma wrote: "CB wrote: "I love this challenge! So glad it’s back.

I read about 20 books per month, and am looking for a team. My GR ID is 21653598-cb

Lisa and Emma - do you want to start a team?"

Yes please..."

Great Emma and Vicky.

So CB - 20 books
Emma 30 books
Lisa - 13 books - 3741108-lisa---aussie-girl
Vicky - 10 books

Get well soon, Sixty. At least it's been a silver lining with being able to read and contribute so many great books.

Sure. Are you good with spreadsheets, cause Emma and I might need some help. With the spread sheets that is, I think we've got the reading totally under control. 😁

So CB - 20 books
Emma 30 books
Lisa - 13 books - 3741108-lisa---aussie-girl

The first month is 80 books maximum. We need 3 more people.

Hi ladies, I loved playing My Restaurant Rocks last time. Looking for a team.

I read about 12-15 books a month. I'm not very good with spreadsheets though, actually just the set up. Once it's in play, I'm good.

Oops, I'll delete and pop it in the right thread. 😁

I'm always sad when a a group challenge ends and we've been such a terrific team. Fingers cross we finish in the top 3!

I've got four on the spreadsheet which I'll definitely finish plus possibly one for the battleship. I'll see if I can find a couple of short ones which fit the missing categories and that's me done. Happy reading all.

Oooh.. looking forward to it.

Are you going to play Karen or being the Maitre d?

Once I got the hang of it, I loved the Restaurant last time. I will never look at fish and chips with vinegar the same way again!

Another week of Battleship will start soon. I’ve read for two weeks so I’ll sit out this round. Anyone who hasn’t read and wants a turn head over to the thread. 😀

Maybe the book titles, comedy/tragedy. After we get all the book titles, does someone/group have to string them together to make a story? That's the most difficult rather than just reading and finding stuff.

Day 5
20 Jul 2:00 AM - 7:00 AM

17. I love how the author describes how the party goes feral starting with that awful Vaughn Donovan. Have you ever been to a party where things spiralled out of control?

It really captured the mood of those Hollywood style parties for sure. Many moons ago since I've been to a wild party.. remember one from high school days where someone took one of the parentals cars for a joyride and wrote it off! (I wasn't involved was just at the party!)

18. I fist pumped the air when Nina tells herself to stop being a doormat and goes to find her dad (or as she says, her "f&*(ing nothing"!!). That whole scene where she confronts him felt so cathartic. I loved the line "It would not be her that bent and broke anymore." How did you find it?

Yep, it was the big pay off for the reader, Nina finally growing a pair. But I found it a bit telling that she still waited till her siblings gave her permission to head to Portugal. It was in character though, enjoyed the ending.

19. There are always many sides to a story. Why do you think Mick came to the party? If he was your dad, would you have forgiven him? Would you have wanted to see him again after the party?

Even though the author did give us some Mick backstory, it still didn't change my opinion of him. He was a very smooth talker. I think the siblings handled it well, no thanks to their parenting though. Nina does have to get all the credit here despite at what cost to herself. I'm thinking down the track they may have made contact with their father but on their own terms.

20. The party changed the siblings in lots of different ways. How do you think their lives will be different now?

They will all move on and travel through life on their own terms.

21. Final thoughts on the book? Would you read more by the author?

I don't really like all that Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous trope, but TJR is a really good writer and that saves it for me. The ending was pretty strong. Definitely read more of her books.

Dracul

Why it fits - Earth, Wind and Fire.. Dracula is the Master of the Earth and Wind and Fire is his foe!

The prequel to Dracula, inspired by notes and texts left behind by the author of the classic novel, Dracul is a supernatural thriller that reveals not only Dracula's true origins but Bram Stoker's--and the tale of the enigmatic woman who connects them.

It is 1868, and a twenty-one-year-old Bram Stoker waits in a desolate tower to face an indescribable evil. Armed only with crucifixes, holy water, and a rifle, he prays to survive a single night, the longest of his life. Desperate to record what he has witnessed, Bram scribbles down the events that led him here...

A sickly child, Bram spent his early days bedridden in his parents' Dublin home, tended to by his caretaker, a young woman named Ellen Crone. When a string of strange deaths occur in a nearby town, Bram and his sister Matilda detect a pattern of bizarre behavior by Ellen--a mystery that deepens chillingly until Ellen vanishes suddenly from their lives. Years later, Matilda returns from studying in Paris to tell Bram the news that she has seen Ellen--and that the nightmare they've thought long ended is only beginning. (less)

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!