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

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

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.

LINKS FOR BOM CREDIT AT MESSAGE 94. 😊

DQs Day 5

1. What did you think about Ariadne's reaction when Phaedra confides in her regarding Hippolytus ? And Hippolytus' answer to Phaedra when she expresses her feelings to him ? Did you suspect it wasn't romantic love?

I didn't see that coming... that Phaedra would form a romantic attachment to Hippolytus. It didn't really seem in character to me. She was deluded, he never showed any romantic interest in her at all, he treated her like a mother figure.

2. Ariadne and Theseus finally meet each other again after all these years. Was their reunion scene satisfactorily enough for you ?
Ariadne had let go a lot of her anger years ago, and moved on with Dionysus. She only felt contempt for his actions I guess. I didn't really expect a showdown so was content with how it all played out with Theseus.

3. We learn more about Dionysus: his worshippers and blood rites, his obsession with his status as an Olympian god, and his interaction with his brother, Perseus. Did your opinion about him change after those scenes ? Were you expecting his relationship with Ariadne to change like that ?

He just fell victim to the God complex unfortunately. Once Ariadne witnessed the ritual the writing was on the wall in regards to her relationship with Dionysus, all downhill from there.

4. What do you think about the way Phaedra's and Ariadne's stories ended ? Does it give enough closure or is there something you wish ended differently ?

Wow, talk about a downer ending, LOL. I had forgotten what Ariadne's fate was going to be, it's been years since I've read Greek legends. It seems both women were victims of the patriarchy in their own way. Ariadne's fate especially didn't seem fair, her whole story was dictated to by the men in her life and it didn't serve her well at all!

5. Did you enjoy the book ? If you had any expectations, did the book meet them ? Will you be reading more by this author ? She recently published another Greek mythology retelling: Elektra.

I was fairly neutral about it thus the 3 star rating. Yes, I'd read Elektra especially if it's BOM for points... 😘

Saar The Book owl wrote: "I've almost finished my book for the Battleship. Can this also be used for the Mini?"

Pretty sure it can only be used for one or the other not both.

I've got up next. It was published on 6 March 2018... does the March count for a 3 in publication date? Also MPG Paranormal>shapeshifters.

LISA'S POSTS FOR BOM POINTS

DAY 1 - 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/...

DQs Day 4:

15. What do you think about Dionysus' encounter with Hades, the god of the Underworld?

I enjoyed the story, it showed the more human qualities in each God.

16. It seems like Ariadne loves her life in Naxos, what do you think of her relationship with Dionysus?

She seemed content and happy with it, till her sister came and put doubts in her mind. Begs the question, is ignorance bliss or is truth despite the pain always better?

17. Ariadne is horrified by the bloody rites she witnesses between Dionysus, the maenads, and the resurrected goat. In attempting to understand the maenads’ participation, she reflects: “The ritual gave fearful shape to the anger and the grief that had driven so many of them here in the first place; they screamed and danced in their blood-soaked frenzy by night so that they could live serenely in the sunlight.” Does this explanation make sense to you?

Is it a cathartic experience? Express all their pain and anger so they can go on? I sort of understand what Ariadne is getting at but don't know if I agree with it really.

18. Were you more drawn to Ariadne’s or Phaedra’s chapters? Why do you think the author chose to include both of their perspectives?

I don't prefer one over the other. They balance each other out which I think is the intention of the author.