Lauri’s Comments (group member since Jan 23, 2016)

Lauri’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Lauri wrote: "Question - will The Chestnut Man still count for BOM points if I finish it this week?"

It will not count as a BOM. It has to be a month after start date, which would ..."
Okey dokey then.... I will concentrate on finishing what I have going instead! My plan for our last week is: The Girl With All the Gifts for a sin bingo, May We Be Forgiven -- my Thanksgiving pick, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and a nice, fluffy Christmas book....



Happy reading, everybody!

Question - will The Chestnut Man still count for BOM points if I finish it this week?

Completion post!

A Catered Thanksgiving by Isis Crawford
Finished 12/8/19
Page count: 340
Works for yellow cover



Could someone please add it to our spreadsheet for me?

Double completion post!!

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus
Finished 12/6/19
Page count: 329
BOM: YES!
I still can't post links, but my msgs. are: #79, 211, 262, 288 & 289



Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Finished 12/6/19
Page count: 456
Works for blue cover and YA. ALSO mini challenge "want to read!"

Now I want a puppy!

Day 5 - Discussion Questions
Chapters 32 - End

24. Ellery keeps coming up with somewhat plausible theories, but is getting shut down in chapter 32 since another theory was proven false. Still, her mind is always working. Do you think she's showing intelligence with some of her theories or do you think she's reaching too far and just making a fool of herself playing detective?
I'm right there with her! I don't think she's a fool at all. The police have been too low key with everything. Never found Sarah, nothing much discovered about Lacey -- now they find Brooke's body far away... For such a small town, this is just too much coincidence.

25. Do you think Declan is being fair to Malcolm in the apartment getting so upset? What do you think about them making up later; was this all realistic?
I think both Declan & Malcolm have their own issues & would probably benefit from some nice meds and visits with mental health professionals. No one can say with any certainty how anyone should act in order for it to seem "realistic."

26. Were you surprised about who the killer turned out to be? Was this a good twist and well done for a mystery, or were you not satisfied?
I think it was an excellent twist! I never once considered the actual guilty party. I was going off on all sorts of tangents with Ellery.

27. Do you think the mother had something going on with the killer in her past, based on the last line that he whispered in Ellery's ear?
Most definitely. Sad to think that he couldn't distinguish between the 2 girls, though.

28. Overall, what do you think of the book? Would you read more of the author?
I was creeped out, but I think I would read just about anything she wrote. Very entertaining overall.

Day 1 DQs

1. At the very beginning we are hit with a chilling image and as Officer Marius is descending into the basement looking for one of the little girls he "...becomes aware of the room. Glancing around, he realizes what it's been used for. He's disgusted." What do you think this room was used for?
Not too sure at this point...Rape? Torture?

2. We get brief look at what happens to Laura before Thulin and Hess get called out to the scene. While looking over the body and the garden Thulin notices a chestnut doll and has an odd reaction to it. "It's a simple doll consisting of two spheres and four sticks, but briefly, for some reason she can't explain, it makes Thulin's heart stop." Why do you think she had a strong reaction? Could it be a repressed memory?
Must be something in her past triggering such a reaction. I need to know more!

3. Speaking of Thulin and Hess. I'm a bit put off by the both of them. Thulin seems to think homicide is boring and Hess just seems to not give a flying rat's behind about anything. What do you think of our MCs so far?
They almost seem like minor characters. I'm much more involved with Rosa right now than either of those two...

4. Then we have Rosa and Steen, the parents of Kristine who is missing and presumed dead. They each have a different way of handling their grief. Rosa has thrown herself into her work as a politician and Steen is drowning his sorrows in alcohol. As a parent it's really hard to imagine losing a child. How do you think you would handle losing your child? Do you think their reactions are typical for parents who have lost a child?
I would probably go into a deep depression. I have only one son, and although he's already an adult, just the though of losing him makes me ill.

5. Do you think Kristine Hartung is still alive? Or is it a cruel joke being played on her parents? Why or why not?
I think she is being kept alive & it making the chestnut figures for some sick reason.....

DQ Day 5 - Chapters 26-31

20. We now know who the father of the twins is. Have you suspected him? Do you think that the way they have discovered it was too accidental/not very realistic?
I'm not really surprised at all. Poor Ryan, though, to find out so strangely. Sadie really is a piece of work not to have told the twins.

21. How do you think why did Sadie lie about who the father of the twins was? Was it only because he was a married man and she didn't want to ruin his family?
Sadie only cares about Sadie. She must have an ulterior motive for everything she does & all the havoc she wreaks.

22. Ellery now has Kyle and Liz as her suspects. Do you agree with her? Or do you have somebody else in mind?
I admit that I didn't give Kyle much thought and Liz didn't even cross my mind at all. I'm so confused now! What about Katrin?

23. Malcolm invites Ellery to a clown museum, which sounds very interesting to me. Would you like to visit such a museum? Or have you visited a similiar or other non-traditional museum?
Clowns totally creep me out -- even before IT! So definitely negatory!!

Day 4 - Discussion Questions

16. It seems that one character has so far flown under the radar and yet to me is highly suspicious. The Policeman, Ryan Rodriguez has been in every scene and yet only at the end of this section is he coming under Ellery’s suspicion, I think he may be working alone or in concert with other characters – Why might I be thinking this and who might he be working with?
I was thinking he's involved ever since it was mentioned that he was so broken up at the funeral.... I'm guessing that Vance has something to do with it all.

17. Why did Sarah go missing? She wasn’t in the homecoming court so why her? Is the reason for this the reason Sadie feels so guilty?
Well, Sarah & Sadie were twins, so it might have been a mistake & by then it was too late to fix. Sadie knows more than she's letting on. She probably should feel guilty.

18. Viv changes her mind about a connection between what happened previously and what is happening now she is quoted as saying “Even if someone was unhinged enough to get away with murder and brag about it five years later, the MOs are completely different” Why do you think she changes her mind and do you think she is right about there being no connection?
She probably isn't all that smart plus Ellery has a long standing fascination with true crime. She's much more analytical than Viv.

19. Everything started after the death of the teacher on the overpass – do you think there is a connection between that and the developing storyline . Do you think Malcolm, Ellery and Ezra will tell someone what they have found out?
They'll have to tell an authority figure eventually. I just hope that none of them ends up dying!

Reading update: I still hope to finish [book:The Seven Husbands of Evelyn HugoFall of Giants|7315573] before the end of the challenge. I will definitely finish A Catered Thanksgiving and BOM Two Can Keep a Secret this week. I have Sorcery of Thorns almost finished which can go for this week's mini as well as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo... I remain hopefully optimistic!

It's me and I'm still alive! I had the last 5 days off and hardly got any reading time in at all!! We did Thanksgiving at my in-laws' on Thursday & then a big 90th birthday party for my father-in-law on Saturday. It all went very well, but I'm exhausted! I've been cooking since Tuesday evening. I'm almost looking forward to going back to work just so I can sit down!! I hope everybody who celebrates had a nice Thanksgiving... It's so hard to believe it's already December.

Completion Post!
So Faux, So Good by Tamar Myers
Finished 11/28/19
Page count: 256
Works for Contemporary it's also #4 in series if it matters😊



Could someone please add it to our spreadsheet for me?

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Completion Post!
Hex Marks the Spot by Madelyn Alt
Finished 11/26/19
Page count: 246
Works for green cover



Could a dear captain please add this to our spreadsheet for me...Thank you!

Day 3: Chapters 12-19

11. So we've heard from Sadie again! (every time I hear her name she reminds me of Sadie by Courtney Summers and I have to keep reminding myself: wrong book sis)
I wonder if substance abuse is the only thing she struggles with, or if there's more to her. She feels a bit off to me... Is she hiding something, or is that just who she is? Do you think she knows or at least has an idea of what happened to her sister? Why does she not want to talk about Sarah at all, and why did she leave Echo Ridge? Would you have left?... Is she even still at the institute?
Ah! Shady Sadie.... She is an enigma. I feel so sorry for the twins. Personally I think she knows everything. She may also be mentally ill & the substance abuse serves to mask the pain. She could be anywhere at all by now!

12. Even though Sadie has hardly ever been back to Echo Ridge, I have a feeling Ellery and Ezra's dad might be from there. Do you think we have met the twins' father by now? Could it be Vance, or Peter, or somebody else completely? (I actually have a theory, and it's neither of the guys I just mentioned lol)
Maybe, maybe. Could be some random guy or maybe officer Rodriguez is their older brother...

13. Viv has been acting very strangely towards Ellery. What is her problem? Do you think she's jealous of Ellery for getting nominated for Prom Queen, or that she has kind of gotten into their friend group without even trying?
Teenage girls can really be bitchy, self serving, egocentric and downright mean! Viv is stranger than most...

14. I can't stop thinking about what happened in the past. First Sarah went missing, then years later Lacey vanished and had been found dead shortly after. Do you think Sarah shared the same fate, or is she still out there somewhere? Are their cases related? And then Mr. Bowman has been killed in a hit and run - what a nice introduction to town our twins had here. Do you think this is connected to everything else that's been going on in town, with Daisy and Declan being back, etc.?
I think Daisy knows too much & I wouldn't be surprised to see her run off or be another victim. Events are most definitely interrelated. Serial killers don't start out that way. It's like potato chips -- you can't eat just one...

15. Just like Viv, Brooke has been acting weirdly as well, but I don't think it has anything to do with Ellery. She seemed worn down when El sat with the girls at lunch, and Mr. Bowman's death seemed to get to her way more than to her peers. Do you think she had anything to do with the hit and run, or maybe was involved with the late teacher? Is this why she was so agitated at the party? Where do you think she vanished to when she slept over at Katrin's the week before but was gone for at least 20 minutes?
She could be genuinely enamored of Malcolm, but then there's her reaction to Mr. Bow man's death and why oh why would she talk to Vance?
The plot sickens!

Completion Post!
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Finished 11/24/19
Page count: 407
Works for the Bad Booklist mini challenge!



Coula a dear captain add it on to our spreadsheet for me, please? Thank you!

Thanksgiving is going to be totally crazy. We're going to make everything & take it all over to my in-laws' house. Not sure how many people will show up... THEN I'll be cooking again all day Friday for my father-in-law's birthday party. He'll be turning 90 on Nov. 30th. We purposely set up a luncheon at a Chinese restaurant so that no one will have to cook or clean up. Then Mom announces her desire to have an "after party" at their house. So I'm cooking again! *Sigh*
We're going to have our own Thanksgiving on Sunday night because my son is off that day. So, you guessed it -- more cooking. Yaaaaayyyy!!

Checking in here! I'm almost done with Caraval for the bad books list, Hex Marks the Spot & So Faux, So Good for my cozy mystery bingo challenge which I will definitely finish this week. Fall of Giants is going incredibly slowly -- don't know if I'll finish after all. It's good, but the size prohibits me taking it out of the house. It's like the old phone books used to be! Still working on Ghost Story & The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo...

DQ Day 2: Chapters 6-11

6. It's taken me a bit to understand what's happening in town currently and in the past. Has anyone else struggled or have you caught on well? Do you think the author has set the scene well, or are there improvements/other ways you think would work better?
I think that I pretty much get it. The author drops little snippets of extra stuff every so often which is disconcerting. I have trouble when they switch POV between Ellery & Malcolm. I always have to look back to the beginning of the chapter...

7. We meet Declan Kelly in this chapter, Malcolm's brother. What are your impressions on him? Do you think he murdered Lacey? Or has anything to do with Sarah's (Sadie's twin) disappearance? The hit and run of Mr Bowman or the threats around town? If not, who do you think is responsible for all of them, or any of them? Do you have any theories so far on the connections of the occurrences? I feel like there's so many suspects and Sadie is definitely hiding something.
I think Declan is just a convenient scapegoat, a red herring thrown our way to look guilty. Sadie must know more than she's telling & don't forget about Nana! My money's on Vance.

8. The Homecoming Court announcements: Did it surprise you that Ellery was nominated for Queen? Why do you think she was 'chosen' as a potential Queen? It's kind of ominous to the Homecoming, isn't it? I feel like Homecoming is where things will go crazy. What do you guys predict will happen?
The whole idea of having events at Murderland just floors me. What are the school officials thinking! I think Ellery was chosen as a Homecoming princess because she's Sadie's daughter. All the clues have been very elaborate so far. I definitely don't think it's a high school student.

9. As an Australian, I don't understand the craze around Homecoming. We have Formals which is similar to Homecoming but no one is chosen as a Queen or King. Did you go to a Homecoming in High School, or something similar? What was it like? I went without a boy (too cool for boys back then) and went with one of my girl friends. We had a blast! My aunty actually helped me design my dress and made it for me. It was actually my first introduction on how to dress feminine and like it!
I never got into Homecoming & never even went to my proms. Although I did the cheerleader thing, I never even got into the football games! I think small towns put more emphasis on things like homecoming in general.

10. It seems like Daisy has been through a lot... Her breakdown in the car and shutting herself in her room. What do you think is going on with her? Do you think she's finally dealing with Lacey's death or do you think something else is going on with her?
Not really sure about Daisy. It seems like a fullblown psychotic break to me. I wonder if she could possibly be involved?

DQs Day 1
Chapters 1 to 5

1.) Why are you participating in this BOM? Just for extra Tower Teams points? Because you were interested in/going to read this book anyway? Have you read other words by this author?
Totally for Tower Team points! It seems like a quick read & it's holding my interest so far...

2.) I'm loving Ellery's true crime obsession. Pre-child I used to have the Discovery ID channel (true crime, all the time) on a lot as background. Though I'm thinking this is foreshadowing of not good things to come. What do you think? Have you read any of the crime books mentioned so far?
I have In Cold Blood on my TBR. It's supposed to be really good. I need to be in the mood for that type of book or movie, though. I definitely would not have been interested when I was Ellery's age. I don't think anything good can possibly come from an interest of that nature -- especially not in that town.

3.) Characters, first impressions. What do you think of Ellery & Ezra? Sadie, and the fact they refer to her by her first name and not 'Mom'? Malcom & Katrin? Familial relations seems to be a central theme to this book and specifically sibling relationships. There's been several twin references and references to other sibling relationships (Declan, Daisy, Lacey's siblings, etc). Do you think these types of ties will play into the main story line?
Mainly I feel confused about them thus far. I need more back story & character development. None of the relationships seem healthy to me.

4.) This book is set in a small town and that type of atmosphere has been highlighted strongly during the set-up of the story. However, it isn't really the bucolic small town setting being highlighted by the author, but the everyone is in everyone else's business and will judge the crap out of your entire family if given the chance. What do you think of small towns? Would you like to live in one (or do you already)?
I live in a very small town -- and worse yet on an island. You can't go to the store without running into someone you know. I totally get that part! Also here (Oahu, Hawaii) it never really matters what you do with your life, it always comes back to what high school you graduated from, what year & do you know my cousin so-and-so.... Not as many busybodies as is portrayed in this book, but still.

5.) I loved the epitaph of Mr. Bowman's tombstone.
"Tell me and I forget
Teach me and I may remember
Involve me and I learn"
What did you think about it? Do you agree with the statement? And why do you think there has been such a focus on a seemingly sad, but random hit and run?
I totally loved that saying! I'm thinking that he probably said it all the time & truly believed in the philosophy. My best guess is that he knew something & they shut him up permanently...

Onward!!

Completion Post!
Death Perception by Victoria Laurie
Finished 11/17/19
Page count: 314
Works for yellow cover OR I found DELUXE for our mini challenge on page 266!! "-just please ring up the Super Deluxe wash, okay?"



Could one of our dear captains please add it to our spreadsheet for me? Feel free to use it wherever you see fit. Thanks so much!