Geri’s Comments

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

Note: Geri is not currently a member of this group.

Bought the book for $2. Be back Feb 11.

Cathy M. wrote: "Ugh I caught the flu, probably the worst I've ever felt with the flu, so haven't read anything since Friday. I didn't give up on this one yet, just haven't had the energy to read."

UGH! The flu is getting around! I hope you feel better soon!

Ok. February works. Nice to have you join us Akkisuitok!

I’m like Claudia. I haven’t given up on Incryptid. I may try another. But I want to focus on completing October Daye.

I would be interested in Indexing. Maybe late January, like Jan 28. If that works for you. Or the second week in February, Feb 11?

14. When you started reading through Episode 5, what did you first predict would happen? Were your predictions a lot different than what actually happened?

I was surprised by many of the revelations. I really enjoyed the book in the end.

15. Did you suspect any time before that it was Sadie’s doing sending the postcard or did you believe Claire was the one behind? What do you think Sadie’s motives for sending it were? Do you think she’d known how obsessed Mattie would’ve gotten?

I guess I should have known Claire did not send the postcard. I think Sadie hoped Mattie would get closure and stop thinking about her mother. But it definitely back fired!

16. Were you relieved when Keith was found dead? Do you think he deserved it?

He sure did! And I do think Sadie was the one who stabbed him. She got her revenge and was able to follow through when it counted.

17. Claire’s actions in the end didn’t entirely comply with what we’ve heard about her throughout the story. Do you think May Beth was telling the truth about Claire hating Sadie or feel like Claire was actually telling the truth?

Yes, Claire wasn’t as terrible in the end. But she definitely wasn’t mother of the year either.

18. What about the ending? Did you like how open it was? What would you have prefered to happen?

I had to think about it and in the end I was okay with the ending. It’s like real life, sometimes we don’t get all the questions answered. I do prefer to believe that Sadie is fine and one day will be back.

Claudia - I think you are right about Verity being Buffy-like. I loved Buffy the tv show. But for some reason it did not work for me here. I do wonder if Seanan was inspired by Buffy. I may have to do research.

DeVann - I haven’t read Rolling in the Deep. But I will. And I will probably reread Into the Drowning Deep again this year. Now that I know Mira Grant is her pseudonym.

Have you read Feed? I think I’m going to give that series a try too!

9. Sadie's memory of Claire's last night with her, caressing her forehead while she pretended to sleep, showed how starved for attention from Claire that she really was. Was this Claire's way of showing Sadie the affection that she couldn't ordinarily show when she was high? And what do you think Claire meant when she said "I made you"?

This was a tender scene. I think Claire couldn’t show her affection when Sadie was awake. But when she thought Sadie was sleeping, she was able to say goodbye to her daughter in her way.

10. When Sadie picks up Cat, she not only tells Cat her real name but also concocts the story about picking up Mattie to go on a road trip rather than keeping with the story she's told everyone else on this journey. Why do you think Sadie changed her story?

She may have been tired of the lies. And telling half truths was better.

11. We hear on the podcast that Silas Baker had been arrested for sexually abusing children he was coaching. I really hope we learn more about how that happened! But at this point, what do you think happened because last we knew, Sadie didn't turn him in (she made a comment how he was still out there and alive) and it seemed to be a hidden secret that no one knew? Do you think it might've been Javi who turned Silas in?

I want to know too. It might have been Javi. Or did one of the abused kids accuse Silas?

12. Sadie finds Keith's trophies in his room - the scraps of cloth for Casey, Anna, Joelle, Jessica & Sadie. Frankly I was surprised there wasn't also one for Mattie since Sadie is so sure that Keith is the one who killed her. Seeing this evidence but not quite believing this about the stand-up guy Ellis believes Keith to be, he gives Sadie information on where to go next. Do you think Ellis will tip Keith off that Sadie is tracking him down? That could explain why Sadie is now missing.

Could be. I really find it interesting how Keith is able to fool so many people!

13. Sadie has said several times how she's dangerous and how she has a knife. I know I'm minimizing what she's done up to this point (pulling the knife on Caddy, Silas & Ellis) but bear with me, this is fiction after all. So far she hasn't been able to do much but threaten people, doesn't seem capable of following thru (which is not a bad thing!). Do you think, when the time comes & she finds Keith, that she'll be able to go thru with it (getting her revenge/killing him)?

Not sure. The suspense is killing me!

5.) This section opens with “I want to live my life on the Internet. Everything is perfect there.” This makes me think of the addictive nature of social media, especially for teenagers. And disturbing because we all know it’s a lie, nothing is that perfect. What did you think of this quote?

I could see how Sadie would feel this way. Nobody would make fun of her stutter. And she could only show the things she wanted to show of her life online. So, sure, things would appear to be perfect. But I do agree that nobody’s life is actually perfect.

6.) when the chapter ended with the lock box Silas was hiding at the run down house breaking open, what did you think was inside? Did your thoughts change once you read Sadie’s reaction to its contents?

I did think it was money at first. But it definitely wasn’t money after Sadie reacted the way she did.

7.) Were you surprised she called Javi? After meeting with Sadie, why do you think he wasn’t answering Noah’s calls/texts?

Sadie and Javi made a connection. This definitely doesn’t happen often for Sadie, I think. So I was surprised a little. Not sure why he was not answering texts.

8.) What do you think May Beth wants to talk about off the record? It sounds like she thought Keith was a saint and not the monster let through the front door, so I don’t think it’s that he was an abuser to the girls. So, some other secret? Or maybe she thought the girls were sexually abused and didn’t know by whom?

I’m not sure exactly what she wants to say. But she was so obviously fooled by Keith. So she is definitely not a good judge of character. But I am very curious about what happens next!

Devann wrote: "yeah i don't like verity as much as october, although i think it's because it's harder for me to relate to her personally. like toby is just an absolute mess and i'm like #same lol but verity is li..."

Yeah, I finished. I will admit to skimming after I got halfway through. The creatures were interesting. But I am more into characters instead of storylines.

I tend to like dark and heavy so I guess that’s why I liked Parasite. And probably why I did not like this book as much. Verity was a little too light for me. Like you said so into clothes and such. Toby is darker, more badass and funnier.

If there is another book for Into the Drowning Deep, I’d be into doing a buddy read!

1. As discussed in the thread (see msgs 38 - 41), some of us went into this book unsure and have been sucked in! What were your thoughts before starting?

I was a little skeptical too. I’ve had trouble with other books written in non traditional ways, like the book Sleeping Giants.

2. I'm listening to the audio, which seems perfect for this mix of podcast and Sadie's internal thoughts. Do you like the structure (different timelines / types of narration)?

I am listening to the audio too. And really enjoying it! It is an engrossing listen!

3. The podcast narrator, West, is very ambivalent about whether this is a compelling story: "girls just go missing sometimes" he says, though his boss keeps pushing him to follow the story. Do you think that West is right - that girls going missing is routine, and not interesting to listeners?

Sadly, he is right, bad things happen to young girls all the time. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore the stories. I am definitely finding it all compelling.

4. Sadie's voice is SO vivid (and the audio narration of the stutter is wrenching), it makes her a compelling character to follow. We see different people interact with her stutter differently - it's an effective way to shine a light on the treatment of otherness. What other messages do you think the author is seeding in this book?

It is heart breaking to hear Sadie struggle with speech like she does. It definitely makes her a complex character. And it is interesting to see how other people react to her.

I also find Sadie’s family dynamic interesting. How her sister treated Sadie versus her mother. And Keith, Ick! I find it interesting how much Sadie loved her sister and the lengths she would go to for her. But I am not sure the sister deserves Sadie’s devotion. I have mixed feelings about that.

It’s good to know about the different MCs and creatures. I tried to like Verity, but she didn’t come to life for me. Character development and character driven stories are most important for me. And I totally agree that relationships in a lot of urban fantasy are annoying.

I agree here that Verity’s relationship wasn’t irritating. But I will probably try to catch up with October Daye series before continuing with this one.

I wasn’t thrilled with Seanan’s Every Heart a Doorway book either. But I did enjoy Parasite and Into the Drowning Deep and will continue with those series!

I started yesterday. I went into this without reading the description. So I really didn’t know much. I am finding the book ok, kind of light. My opinion is probably based on comparisons to October Daye series, which I am very invested in now. Toby is sassier and I like the Scooby gang she has with her like May and Quentin and Tybalt and Luidaeg. I do find the whole ballroom dancing thing interesting, though.

Is this a favorite series, DeVann?

I had hoped to make 2019 the year to shorten my tbr list. But with all these recommendations, it keeps getting longer!

I hope you enjoy The Fifth Season, DeVann. It took me a bit to get into it. But the payoff was good.

I am looking forward to reading Sadie too!

Moderators of NBRC wrote: "I was going to get the kindle version of this book but I received a gift card to my local book store for Christmas so tonight or tomorrow I'll buy a paper copy and post the breakdown!

~Laura"

The perfect Christmas gift!

I’ll give this series a try. I may be starting the book a few days late!

I think I’ll be checking out everybody’s recommendations!

DeVann, I did not know Seanan wrote under the name Mira Grant too. I just read Parasite and I read Into the Drowning Deep earlier this year. And I did not realize!

Devann wrote: "@Jessi I'm gonna work on picking my recs for you today but I just wanted say that I was going to rec the October Daye series and I went to your read books and saw you already rated all of them 4 or..."

Hey DeVann, I got off track with the BRs for October Daye. But I am still reading them. I have 3 more and I will be caught up with the series. Toby rocks! LOL

Roger - president of NBR United - wrote: "Geri, I am picking Damned If You Do by Marie Sexton even though all of the books look good."

Great! I choose The Mermaid Murders. I read a sample and it looks good!

I’ve had this book for awhile. Glad it was chosen for the BOM. Much more fun to discuss the book with others.

Roger

I haven’t read much M/M Romance but I pick for you Damned If You Do. It is listed as one of the best of 2018 by Audible and part of their romance package, if you are a subscriber. I am!

I also pick Cry Wolf. One of the best M/F paranormal series I have read.

And Vicious or The Fifth Season 2 great Fantasy books!

Hopefully, you haven’t read all of these books already!