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

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

Song of the Nile
Stephanie Dray
Finished 8/28/18
Page count: 398
TWT: Sorcerer's Stone - Task 2- Get Past Fluffy
Task: RAB with song in the title
How it fits: Song in title!

I had soooo much fun with this challenge! I don't know what I'm going to do with myself next month...
We were under a hurricane/tropical storm warming this weekend, but it didn't materialize. Thank goodness! The islands of Hawaii & Maui caught the worst of it -- flooding and even a huge brushfire, but Oahu is just fine. The worrying & watching the news sure cut into my quality reading time! I'll finish up my last 2 books for TWT and the 2 BOMs & maybe I can squeeze out an epic or two 🤓

A Dose of Murder
Lori Avocato
Series: Pauline Sokol#1
Finished 8/26/18
Page count: 305
TWT: Order of the Phoenix Task #3-Get a New Professor
RAB with a predominately pink cover
How it fits: Very pink!

I have
which could fit the dinner/feast category....

I will finish my other books up this weekend. Almost done with A Dose of Murder (pink cover), Song of the Nile (Song in title), Every Which Way But Dead (pixies in book).

Also trying to do the 2 BOMs. Pretty quick reads...

GO team Hermione!

Discussion Questions--Day 2 (pg. 77-151, audio pts. 3 & 4)

7. The novel is told from two POVs, Gwen's and Hooks. Should Pete's POV have been included? Why or why not?
I don't know, really. He seemed a little scattered. Maybe he had too much on his mind or ADD. I'm not sure that would have been a good thing.

8. In many ways, both Hook and Smeeth are "lost boys" as well. What are your thoughts about how you become a Pete, Hook, or Smeeth because of, in spite of, your life's experiences?
It's all nature vs. nurture really. Hook could've turned out to be a completely different person if his mother wasn't such a total bitch. I'm sure everyone knows full siblings who are totally different even though they had the same upbringing! And then there are the sociopaths. You just never can tell!

9. Almost all of the Lost Boys have given up their birth names and taken on nicknames. Is there a significance to this?
Yup! Put the past behind you and reinvent yourself!

10. When Justice is made the temporary leader, Pete says to him, "Try to go with your gut, kid. Not by the rules." Where is the balance between following the rules and going with your gut?
I'm a big rule person, but then rules are made to be broken, right? You need to find a happy medium or else there'll be total anarchy.

11. Who is your favorite character and why?
I really do like Gwen.

12. What moment in the book, so far, has made you decide you like or dislike it?
When we see how deeply Pete cares for Bella. And yes, I am liking it!

Discussion Questions - PART ONE - Day 1 & 2

1. Assuming most of you read The Girl on the Train or at least heard about it, what did you expect going into Into The Water? Have your expectations been met so far?
I still haven't read it. It's on my TBR though :)

2. When Jules was first told about Nel, she was relieved for a moment, because it was no one she 'cared about'. Then she was angry. What to you think happened between the sisters that drove them apart so badly that Jules doesn't even properly know her niece? How has this introduction formed your first opinion of Jules?
So far I'm thinking Nel was a selfish bitch who didn't care about her sister or much of anything really.

3. Katie's sudden death understandably was very hard on her family. Her mum took pills upon pills to numb the pain, but "after a while she came to grasp that the horror of rediscovering her daughter's absence, over and over again, was not worth the hours of oblivion." What are your thoughts on this quote? And where do you think Louise vanishes to in the middle of the night?
I'm not really sure where she goes! She doesn't seem much like the type to have an affair or anything...

4. Into The Water is told from quite a lot of different perspectives. Do you think this adds to the story, or does it make things more complicated? Does it affect your reading flow?
I'm a bit confused and disconcerted at times

5. Nickie Sage claims to be a psychic and sees or at least feels things that others don't. Why do you think has the author, Paula Hawkins, included this character? Do you think she actually is important to the story, or could it be told without Nickie? Do you personally believe in the occult like tarot readings and seances?
I'm wondering now if Nickie is really legit. I don't necessarily believe in the occult -- but yet I don't dismiss it either!

6. Nel was working on a book on the Drowning Pool before she passed away. Do you get her obsession with the river, and is this the only reason so many people from Beckford seem to have disliked her? Would you personally choose to read a book like hers?
I've always been fascinated by witches and their persecution, so I would definitely read her book. I think that people have always been mistrustful of those they think of as witches and were quick to point fingers. I don't think the town appreciates Nel's project because they don't want negative attention

7. Finally, it's time for theories. It seems to be very likely that Katie's and Nel's deaths are connected in one way or another. What do you think happened, who are your prime suspects?
We definitely need to take a hard look at Robbie Cannon. At the very least, he's a rapist!

Death Without Company
Craig Johnson
Finished 8/23/18
Page count: 271
Series: Walt Longmire #2
Triwizard: Chamber of Secrets #4- Attend a Ghost Party
Task: RAB with death in the title
How it fits: duh! Death in title

A Bone to Pick
Charlaine Harris
Finished 8/22/18
Page count: 168
Series: Aurora Teagarden #
BR/BOM: No

Cast of characters: Aurora Teagarden, Bubba Sewell, Aida & John Queensland, Aubrey Scott, Amina Day, Arthur & Lynn Smith, Parnell & Leah Engle, Macon Turner, Torrance & Marcia Rideout, Lillian Schmidt, Carey & Linda Osland, Jack Burns, Sally Allison, Sam Clerrick, Joe Nell Day, Patty Cloud, Eileen Norris.

Day 1 DQs
Parts 1&2

1. I love the overall premise of this book. Steampunk version of WWII where one of the bombs dropped in Europe exploded in one of Europe’s biological labs and releasing a virus that kills everyone, but one child carries immunity - Gwen.. What do you all think?
I am definitely loving this version of Peter Pan's dark side. What a re-imagining!

2. Gwen meets Pete and Bella in her hideout. Pete decides to take Gwen and Michael with him and Bella to help them find Joanna. What do you think this says about Pete’s character?
He is a caring individual -- deep down inside. He is also most likely intrigued by finding a healthy female...

3. Pete thinks Gwen could save Bella and the other kids who live in the Lost City underground. He wants to take her to Doc. Would you go willingly with Peter?
Even though it's hard to trust others at this point, but really what is the alternative? I would so go...

4. The overall atmosphere of this story is rather darker that other re-tellings. I find it very exciting. Do you like this re-telling, and if so/not, why?
I'm enjoying it immensely! It's exciting, terrifying and very, very dark. Have I mentioned the darkness yet?

5. Early on in this story, we hear that Hook's mother actually put her own son's eye out. Why do you think she did this? What impact did this have on his overall character?
What evil! What an unnatural mother! I wouldn't be surprised to find out later that Hook is not her biological son, but rather a cuckoo's child she was forced to raise.... How could he not be affected by such harsh treatment? At this point, I think it's every man for himself. There's no pleasing Mummy anyway!

6. In this version, how do you think Pete took command of the Lost Children?
I think he just has a reassuring, take-charge manner. What child wouldn't respond to that? All children want order and routine deep inside & respond accordingly.

The Ice Queen
Alice Hoffman
Finished 8/19/18
Page count: 211
BR/ BOM: no
Cast of characters: Ned, Nina, Jack Lyons, Seth/Lazarus Jones, Iris, Peggy Travis, Frances York, Dr. Wyman, Marina, Mariposa

The Glass Forest
Cynthia Swanson
Finished 8/17/18
Page count: 352
Triwizard: Deathly Hallows Task 3 - Shell Cottage
RAB with a funeral
How it fits: Funeral is for MC Ruby's father, Henry Glass

Along Came a Spider
James Patterson
Finished 8/16/18
Page count: 435
Triwizard: Goblet of Fire Task 5 - The Maze - RAB with spider in the title

Lauri here for team Hermione! Just started this morning and it sucked me right in!

Rachel wrote: "If someone has a book with woods on the cover that they could read quickly, please feel free to kick off my claim of The Passage. i will not be offended LOL. It's a long book so I've been prioritiz..."

I was trying to read it too, but not for a task! Those epics are sure time consuming! It's interesting, I swear that book could be used as a doorstop - - or a weapon!

Aloha! I'm still going crazy here.... 🤓 I've been staying up waaayyy past my bedtime to read, getting up at 5:30 during the week to read before work & foregoing TV most nights. Too much fun!! I'm off on Thursday & Friday & plan to binge read some more!

I made my weekly pilgrimage to the library tonight and I found these books that I'd like to claim for Triwizard:

Order of the Phoenix Task 1 - Clean Up Headquarters
RAB with Pixies or Fairies
Every Which Way But Dead
Rachel has a pixie sidekick named Jenks!

Order of the Phoenix Task 3 - Get a New Professor
RAB with a predominately PINK cover
A Dose of Murder

Elen wrote: "Lauri wrote: "Hello everyone! Hope you all are enjoying your weekend!

I just finished a book & found it has opal in the text! I would like to claim that for Triwizard, please! It's Half Blood Pri..."

Thanks Elen! I went back and checked my last 8 books & you were right! I did forget to add Homeplace to my TT shelf! I fixed it now. Good catch!

Homeplace
Anne Rivers Siddons
Finished 8/12/18
Page count: 419
Triwizard: Half Blood Prince Task 2 - Silver and Opals
RAB with "opal" in the text
How it fits: opal is found on page 181!

Hello everyone! Hope you all are enjoying your weekend!

I just finished a book & found it has opal in the text! I would like to claim that for Triwizard, please! It's Half Blood Prince Task 2 - Silver and Opals
RAB with "opal" in the text!
Homeplace
I'm off to add it to our books read thread! Could someone please add it to the planning thread for me? I finished today 8/12/18...

Also I noticed my Death Without Company is listed on 2 places on the TWT planning spreadsheet. I know it can only count once, so if you could please remove the 2nd entry ( Prisoner of Azkaban Task 5 - Defeat Dementors)

Thank you!!

A Swiftly Tilting Planet
Madeleine L'Engle
Finished 8/11/18
Page count: 278
MPG Sci-Fi
Read for the Maze!

Murder in the Paperback Parlor
Ellery Adams
Finished 8/11/18
Page count: 304
Triwizard: Chamber of Secrets Task #3 - Take Polyjuice Potion
RAB with a cat on the cover
How it fits: cat on cover!