Vi’s Comments (group member since Jun 04, 2011)

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

I'll possibly be starting Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide. It's set in Botswana. Is anyone else reading a Botswana book? If not, I would like to reserve as this will be the second (and last) book we can read.

Waiting to start Hell's Bell tomorrow. It'll be close to midday so hopefully I get time to read. I have a birthday dinner in the evening to go to and my brother and SIL are visiting after. And I also need to break a lot of bread.

I started baking sourdough bread during the pandemic - I bake on and off and now I'm in my 'on' period. Planning for some focaccia and ciabatta this weekend along with some cookie monster (aka blue bread with choc chips) bread.

And each country can be used only twice?

I'm being a little slow but we essentially keep creating itineraries of 11 books right? Is this throughout the whole challenge? I need to reserve some books then!

Thank you Keli. What a comprehensive list!

Checking in the thread on a Monday morning



Why do weekends always seem to fly by? 1 day of shuttling kids to football/birthday parties/playdates and another day of forest walk and it's already Monday.

I have not planned my reads at all. But I will get to it the next few days at home.

Hi Mel, second time.. And I've played with most of you at some game or other I think. So glad to be playing again.

I forgot about Seanan McGuire. I love all her books - especially under Mira Grant. I would love to be stranded at that not-so-deserted island now. We've got all (my) the major authors covered.

I'm not a mood reader but I do have to plan my reads. With work and the flying weekends, I find I do better with a bit of planning.

Hi everyone! I'm Vi. I'm from India but currently living in Netherlands. I have 2 kids, 11 and 6. This is my 4th time participating in Tower Teams. I did the first two ever - 2012, 2013 - and captaining saved my sanity during pregnancy, and 2023. This, Turf Wars and TART are probably my favourite team challenges. I drive to work 3 days a week and I discovered audio books make the drive so much better.

🏯What are your favourite places in the world? India (many many unexplored places), Italy (each place that I went has interesting history), Taiwan (lots of hikes to go), Switzerland (the hills and the greenery)

🏯 What are the places you would love to visit the most?
A lot. Scotland is on my must-do, Ireland, Greece, Croatia (just the top of the list)

🏯Preferred mode of travel?
Train or car. Sometimes boat. And cycling for short-er distances.

🏯Desert Island question: if you were allowed to take the (all) books of only three authors with you, who would they be?
Nora Roberts (romance and extensive backlist)
Brandon Sanderson (again, extensive backlist, fantasy genre)
Agatha Christie (extensive backlist, mystery)

My Bookshelf: tower-teams-x1

I started it too. I agree with you on the prologue. (view spoiler)[Especially his thoughts about Dalinar, Nivani and Elhokar. Awful Gavilar. And also the cost/process of ego and greed that you think you can outwit Stormfather (hide spoiler)]

I am going on a quick trip so there won't be much progress but I also read that there is a lot of therapy-speak in this installment and I'm not looking forward to it though.

I'm so happy to see your reactions! I feel seen now haha.

No, 1st May is good. Have to hurry up with my other reads first.

I'm in too!

I finished the book - I had to take some time to really digest and my feelings. I kinda forgot what happens in each chapter so I can't really comment on it so I'm just reading up for now.

You're all right.. now there is so much MH representation and therapy speak. I'm told it will be worse in the next book so...

Moash - (view spoiler)[I agree with you Karen. He's influenced by Odium but he knows Kal won't die. Feels like he is petty enough to bring Kal down. Punishing because Kal is stronger to resist and find a path. But, the strength of character for Kal to survive the regular onslaughts! (hide spoiler)]

Honestly I can't wait for you guys to finish reading because I would like to discuss more then.

Great insight, Judy!

End of Chapter 48.

Lots of things are happening - the pace feels faster compared to the previous books.

Kaladan: (view spoiler)[It's so painful to read his POV sometimes. Just when he was getting respite as a Surgeon, the invasion happens. But also wanted to say how he helps the people with mental health problems - and how it was treated. Nicely done as a reflection.

It is also sad to see Lirin and Kaladin's dialogue. A surgeon vs a Radiant with different oaths. How it must have shaped Kaladan's childhood. (hide spoiler)]

Moash: (view spoiler)[Wow, I didn't expect that he will be playing such a pivotal role. I expected Teft but not Moash. But how he's playing on Kaladan's depression and planning to drive him to suicide is just diabolical and shows far he has fallen. (hide spoiler)]

It's interesting how Kaladan is caught between Lirin and Moash.. both of opposite extremes. Fun Fact: There's a /fuckmoash subreddit.

Adolin: (view spoiler)[ here's another different father/son relation that also has a communication gap. While Dalinar is definitely brave to own up to his misdeeds, how difficult it must be for Adolin and Renarin to hear about it.

I love how eager he is to see Maya. And the fact that he's forging a bond with Maya just speaks of his character (hide spoiler)]

Shallan (view spoiler)[Wow, everybody knows about her alters. I just wish she would hurry up and have an open conversation with Adolin. Maybe that would also mean that she can swear the next ideal. (hide spoiler)]

More later...

Till Chapter 7. Action-packed and interesting so far

Prologue:(view spoiler)[It was heartbreaking to read Nivani's POV regarding her marriage. Even when so many things are different, the household management still resides with women. I wonder if Jasnah and Gavilar had some last words.. I'm not sure if it was mentioned earlier in the book or I read it somewhere.. (hide spoiler)]

Till Chapter 7: (view spoiler)[It's nice to see Shallan working with her alters instead of getting lost. I don't know anyone with DID but the way it is written so casually in the book normalizes it somehow.

The flying barge: What an awesome invention! Nivani doesn't give herself. enough credit. Now I hope they are able to go back safely.

Kaladan: I really like the opening - action packed. New Fused! Poor Kaladan - depressed and having a kind of PTSD where he's not able to work through his feelings.
(hide spoiler)]

I will be starting this next week I think - I have to finish up my current audio book first.

There is so much hints dropped but I really want to know NOW. There 7 more books to go with 2 now and 5 far in the future. Patience has never been my strong suit.

@Judy

Yeah, it was the first book - I didn't read it for the same reason. I would have rage thrown. There were other books that do it and it always always annoys the heck out of me. More so now after 2 kids than in my 20s. I read her second and the ending was so OTT and irritating that it completely spoiled the experience. I think that's one of her most rated book. Just concluded the author may not be for me.

I just completed it - took me longer than expected as I didn't drive as much this week.

I agree - this novel is better than Lift's. Rysn as a character is so much better to read about than Lift for me,

(view spoiler)[ The questions that Sanderson has raised in this series so far subtly and not so is something to appreciate. I liked how Rysn has grown as a character with enough self-understanding and empathy.

I don't think we've encountered Sleepless before. I could be wrong. Though I can't understand physically what's the difference between kremling and Sleepless are.

Lopen: He is a lot but I enjoyed him in the doses we are shown. (hide spoiler)]

End:
(view spoiler)[ I just wanted to say that the fact that Rysn's not being magically cured with functioning legs elevated this book for me. It's really a pet peeve - ex with Romance you see the character is magically cured of infertility with a child or three. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to read such an ending (hide spoiler)]

I'll be starting today - listening on the drive back.