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

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

Late to the party, as usual! I've been wanting to read this book for quite awhile now. Let me just say that I was hooked from the very beginning!

Jojo seems like such a good boy! He's already learned some of life's hard lessons at an early age. There seems to be a sense of magic already.... Can't wait to learn more!

Set 3 Chapters 14-20

13. We finally meet Lily. What do you think of her? Is she what you expected?
She seems to be very sweet and she cares deeply for Toby. Her looks surprised me! Too bad she couldn't have helped Toby when she was a fish!

14. Screw you, Evening!"I shouted. "Screw your duty and your dying and...and your going off and leaving me to deal with this alone!"Why would October say she is doing this alone? For what I can see she has a lot of resources and help available. All she has to do is ask. Why wouldn't she ask for help?
I believe it's some kind of fae/ changeling code. Like not saying thank you!

15. Why did October let the Doppelganger in? Was she really fooled? From what I've read so far I wouldn't have expected her to open the door.
I think she was just so excited at the prospect of seeing Gillian again, she opened the door in hopes of having her back in her life once again. The doppelgänger quickly acted strangely, tipping Toby off. I thought that the "no close neighbors?" question was the most odd!

16. I am so confused. There are a lot of new characters and I feel not enough of an explanation as to why they are there. What do you think of the book so far? Do you like the writing style?
I am enjoying the book very much! I like the addition of characters in these chapters! I was tiring of Toby being such a lone wolf. I like that her friends are looking out for her. It makes her more lovable.

17. Can we trust Devin? Does he really care for October or does he want something in return?
im going to go out on a limb here & say yes! Even with all the sex with anyone, etc. he seems to really love Toby.

18. Will October find Evenings killer in this book? And more important will she survive with all her limbs still attached?
Maybe the quest for the killer will remain unresolved in this book, but Toby will definitely live to fight another day!

A Torch Against the Night
Sabaa Tahir
Finished 7/29/18
Page count: 452
BR: Yes! Comments: Msg. 59 / 60
Cast of characters: Laia, Elias, Keenan, Izzi, Helene, Hannah, Livia, Mamie Rila, Afya, Gibran, Darin, Marcus, Shan, Keris, Harper, Dex, Shaeva

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
J.K. Rowling
Finished 7/29/18
Page count: 341
BR: Yes! Comments: Msg. 539 / 541
Cast of characters: Harry Potter, Petunia, Vernon & Dudley Dursley, Arthur, Mollie, Ron, Ginny, Fred, George & Percy Weasley, Hagrid, Hermoine Granger, Dobby the House Elf, Gilderoy Lockhart, Draco & Lucius Malfoy, Professor McGonagal, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Lord Voldemort....

Dark Triumph!

Finally got book #2!

This deals with Sybella's story. I was very intrigued with Sybella's character in the 1st book. This story picks it right up and explains why she was so enigmatic in Grave Mercy.

Sybella: (view spoiler)[ She had a horrible childhood. Her father is a scheming old bastard who uses everything & everyone to get ahead -- including his own children. Sybella is bound & determined to save her younger sisters from her own fate. She's helping the Convent of St. Mortain with their mission, but is really following her own agenda. She wants to be the one who kills her own father! (hide spoiler)] Yikes!

This should be a fast one. I've been looking through the comments & see that this is not one of Ms. Christie's stellar works. I haven't read them all & I intend to at some point, so here goes!

Mrs. Oliver is delightfully wacky! I love her already. I want her to be a little less polite and show some backbone.

Mrs. Burton-Cox is indeed odious. What nerve she has!

M. Poirot is, as always, unflappable with tremendous insight.

Onwards!

This is my 2nd time reading this one. The first time, I think I rushed through it & now I'm trying to savor it a little more. I already see that there're things I missed!

I love the world building! Ms. Andrews makes it all seem so matter of fact & believable. Love Karmelion! I am fascinated by the way they relate to the shifters & vampires. It's like they all co-exist even if they don't like it very much.

Love the kitty!

I'm nearing the end & I can't get over the cruelty shown here!
After all they've been through together, poor (view spoiler)[Izzi! I was screaming NO! When she bled out, I admit I cried...

Elias has been in and out of seizures/consciousness. I refuse to believe he's going to die! I couldn't believe it he took off on his own to Kauf to try to break Darin out. Then to be told Darin is dead? WTF? Then he gets caught by the warden! (hide spoiler)]

What else could possibly happen?

Abir, I am so glad you're reading the books! I love the movies, but the books are always better! Especially in this case. If they were to include everything that's in the books in the movies, each one would probably end up being 8 hours (or more!) long.

I remember going to see the first movie and being a bit disappointed because the characters didn't look the way I'd imagined them in my head! Only Ron looked the way I thought he should...

Yee-haaw! Triwizard tasks are posted! Check it out! Is serious strategy in order here?

Catch of the Day
Kristan Higgins
Finished 7/28/18
Page count: 377
BR: Yes!
Comments: Msg: 68 / 70 / 78
4 stars! Laugh out loud funny!
Cast of characters: Maggie Beaumont, Malone, Skip, Christy, Will & Violet Jones, Fr. Tim O'Halloran, Mrs. Kandinsky, Octavio, Georgie Culpepper, Mrs. Plutarsky, Lena Beaumont, Emory, Jonah Beaumont, Paul Dewey, Chantal

I finished today! Thank you all for your kind words & funny thoughts! Reading is mostly such a solitary thing, GR & things like buddy reads help bring us all together & I believe we all feel a little less isolated. It makes it fun!!

I laughed, cried, shook my head and snorted aloud -- sometimes on the single page or chapter!

Poor Maggie! She got all of her exercise riding that bike of hers in inclement weather or jumping to conclusions! She got into trouble a lot like that...

I didn't really like Chantal too much & couldn't see why Maggie was her friend at all. I get that Maggie was a nice person, but still...

The Parentals: (view spoiler)[ I was pretty surprised when they announced their divorce! Nope. I sure didn't see it coming. I thought Daddy was just such a Mr. Milquetoast, he'd never stand up for himself, just keep on hiding out in the bomb shelter. Mom was so mean! I guess she was just bitter over the way her life turned out. But, hey, life is what you make of it. I was even more surprised about Christy's reaction to the separation! (hide spoiler)]

Malone: what is UP with this dude!? I picture the old taciturn salty dog staring out to sea... (view spoiler)[ His public image is so different to hot Malone in bed or sweet Malone that comforted Maggie after Colonel passed... Or the dude that took her to the Lumberjack Festival to cheer her up. And why wouldn't he tell her his first name? I get that he had a hard life, but sheesh! And it still seemed odd that Chantal would confide in him rather than Maggie, even if Jonah was the baby daddy. I'm glad it all worked out in the end & a puppy, too!! (hide spoiler)]

I am definitely going to look for more of Ms. Higgins' books when I want to laugh out loud.

I Hunt Killers
Barry Lyga
Finished 7/28/18
Page count: 359
July BOM
Participation in discussion: Msg. 150 / 188 / 207 & 258
Solid 4 star rating for creepiness!!
Cast of characters: Jasper Dent, Howie Gersten, Connie, G. William Tanner, Billy Dent, Melissa Hoover, Lana, Deputy Erickson, Helen Meyerson, Doug Weathers, Virginia Davis, Jeff Fulton a.k.a. The Impressionist, Deputy Hudson, Irene Heller

I'm trying to complete 2 BOM's plus 6 BR's. Today I finished one of each! I know others are hard at work, too. So hopefully we'll make a very good showing there...

I've just started reading this again. I've lost count of how many times I've read the whole series! The very first time I read them aloud to my son who is now 25! We saw all the movies & I still never miss a Harry Potter Weekend on TV!

For all of you who said that this is your least favorite book, who could not like a flying car? I don't care all that much for spiders either, but am much more frightened of Nagini and the basilisk!

The world building is, as always, extraordinary, and I think of Ms. Rowling with her baby in a carriage writing away in a cafe. Thankfully for us all she never gave up on her dream.

We meet Dobby for the first time & learn more about the Wizarding World. As strange as Dobby may seem, he turns out to be a steadfast friend...

Onward!

Aunt Dimity Takes a Holiday
Nancy Atherton
Finished 7/27/18
Series: Aunty Dimity #8
Page count: 199
BR/BOM: No
Cast of characters: Lori Shepherd, Dimity Westwood, Bill Ellis, Rob & Will Ellis, Nell Harris, Derek & Emma Harris, Earl Elstyn, Gina & Simon Elstyn, Oliver Elstyn, Claudia Landover, Peter Harris, Kit Smith

DQs 4: Chapter 28 - Epilogue

22. Jazz made a shocking decision to go visit Billy after no contact with him. He asks G William to help him get in quickly. Why do you think Jazz finally made the decision to visit Billy? Would you trust what Billy tells you?
I was totally surprised by Jazz's sudden decision to go visit Billy in prison! I thought he had severed all ties (pun fully intended!) and rightly so. I wouldn't trust Billy any further than I could throw him!

23. Why do you think Billy’s request to Jazz about moving the birdbath signified? Do you believe it was a signal? Or just another way to mess with Jazz's head?
I'm pretty literal. I would have believed that moving the birdbath made sense. It was just a thought to make Gramma happy. While Jazz was moving it, the thought occurred to me that there would be something gruesome buried under it... It must have been a signal for something.

24. The Impressionist tells Jasper that he was never supposed to talk to him or see him, which leads me to believe he was taking orders from someone. Do you think Billy was telling the truth about not having contact with him? Do you have any theories of who is pulling his strings?
No clue whatsoever! Makes me believe I'm a mentally healthy & well-adjusted person deep down inside.

25. The Impressionist has a pretty terrifying trophy in his finger belt! What do you think is the significance of the dual “L-O-V-E” and “F-E-A-R” tattoos?
My first thought was that he'd killed Billy and taken macabre trophies since ha was all about the trophies. But that can't have been the case since Billy is now at large & up to his old tricks again. Poor Melissa!

26. “Sure you are. You just ain’t killed no one yet.” Do you think Jazz killed his mother? Or is Billy messing with his head with the note?
I am SO hoping that Billy is just messing with Jazz. Maybe mom is still alive somewhere...

27. Final thoughts of the book and overall rating? Are you intrigued enough to continue on with the series?
I thought it was really well done. A bit gross at times, but I suppose a serial killer has to be. I gave it a solid 4 star rating. I could not second guess anything & the characters seemed very realistic to me. I cared about them. That's what you need in any story.

I just found this thread! I'm on chapter 15 right now. I'd forgotten how fast-paced this series is. Lots of action & the world building is continuing quite nicely. I sometimes find the jumps in the POV somewhat disconcerting & occasionally have to go back to see who is speaking/thinking.

Laia seems to be coming into her own more. Her strong personality & perseverance are becoming more evident with every passing day!

I was so surprised that the Commandant would (view spoiler)[try to kill her own child! What an unnatural mother! Then to intentionally poison him & let him die a lingering & painful death? (hide spoiler)]

This society seems to me to be a loose combination of Ancient Rome / Sparta & some middle eastern countries. They're ruthless!
Poor Helene! (view spoiler)[It's bad enough for her to have been tortured, but now she'll have to hunt down & kill her best friend...(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Erin, I've got a bunch of Buddy reads to finish as well! I was thinking we'd have all of August to finish them! This July 31st is really a game changer. Now I need to settle down and focus! Yikes!

Ok! I jumped into the BR for Shakespeare's Landlord which I finished earlier this month. Please see msg. 20 & 21!
Still can't post a link.... 😊