Suzanne’s Comments (group member since Aug 13, 2015)

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

I'm halfway through Shards of Earth by the same author Sophie. I'm loving it - it's been checking off every "things I want in a Space Opera" box for me.

Oh another thought about adults acting like children. I noticed several years ago that whenever I was with my siblings in my parents' house, we all reverted a bit to childhood roles. That was a good observation for me, as I then tried to be less "let mom do everything".

DQs Day 3:

10. We read something that moves us, touches us, speaks to us and it... it changes us?"

Do you agree with that quote? Are there any books that changed you personally?

There are tons of books that have changed me personally - that's a thing I like most about reading! Lots of times it's just little ways - another point of view, another reason to not be judgmental, or a way to show kindness. A couple of examples: The Hate U Give, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, A Man Called Ove - all of those taught me things.

11. We finally get the first riddle. Did you guess it before Lucy did? No, but I guessed all of the other ones before Lucy :)

12. What did you think of The City of Secondhand and of Markham showing up like that? Is he just a sleezy lawyer, or is there something more sinister going on? That totally gave me Willy Wonka vibes, and I thought it might be a test. I like how Lucy handled it.

13. do you have to keep reminding yourself that the "contestants" are adults, not children? No, lol but maybe because the whole place appealed to my inner child.


Some other thoughts:

- Why would someone being a "famous artist" mean it's odd for them to bring a guest their dinner? I found this rather a lot weird.I might have too - I just thought they meant it was odd for Hugo to bring a guest to his dinner.

- One for the backroom BOM regulars: Did the whole bizarre scarf thing give anyone else Hot Prof and Daisy vibes? Although I have read Dino Island (which is NOT something I've learned from - at least not that I'd admit to lol) , I didn't think of them. I guess I took it more at face value.

Melindam wrote: "Suzanne, hope you'll enjoy the book about Peter Jackson and the LOTR movies. I loved it. 😊"

I got it on audible as soon as you mentioned it. So it's great having a reason to get to it!

The weather here has been funny. I am not a fan of hot weather, and later this week it's supposed to get very hot - 98 F - so about 37 C. But last night was a hard frost and I had to cover my garden so it didn't all die.

Yes, good point - I don't think either is super easy but the Duchess one is worse.

I prefer the first one - Anything You Can Imagine - as Melinda recommended it, and it's not a re-read.

I can read Anything You Can Imagine
or
Any Duchess Will Do

"I Only" starts some books too.
I could read I Only Roast the Ones I Love: Busting Balls Without Burning Bridges if wanted, but I'm fine with us going for Teddie's book!

DQs Day 2 Chapter 6 - 11

6. Jack replied to Lucy's letter and Lucy decided to run away from home. What did you think of his letter and would you have done the same as Lucy? I would have wanted to do the same, but would have been too chicken. I mostly liked his letter - I feel like he validated her right to wish for a loving family.

7. We get more insights on Clock Island. Every 'hour' is its own section like for example a beach. Would you like to visit the island? Do you find the idea of it fascinating or could you not care less? I would love to go there! I loved the descriptions and want to see more. Note: it was also funny because I just finished Catching Fire which also involves a Clock.

8. Every part starts with a quote from Jack's book. Do you think these parts are important for the story? Just showing off Jack's work? Something else? I think at the very least they give me the feel of how his books go, and probably a feel for the upcoming challenge.

9. It seems like there will be a deeper connection between Lucy and Hugo. Do you agree? And would you approve of it given that Hugo had first met her when she was still a child?I do agree - I don't think the age difference is TOO huge since she was 13 and he was quite young when she first met him. Plus, he wasn't at all creepy towards her when she met him as a child.

Mags is for sure #goals. I also hope to be as good of a person as she is. She was loved by her fellow district tributes, volunteered for one of them, and sacrificed for them. The hero of the story!

I'm getting close to the end, but am going to answer these with the mind-set I had at this point in the book.

Discussion Questions : Day 1 (Prologue - Chapter 5)

1. We have been introduced to a few important characters - Lucy, Christopher, and Hugo. Plus the off-page persona of Jack. What do you think of the characters so far?
I'm not sure what to think of Hugo. But I'm doing the audio version and love the accent. He seems really grumpy. I didn't think much of anything about Jack since I hadn't met him. And I adored Lucy and especially Christopher. I wanted to learn more about what happened to him, and just see more of him in general.

2. We get a riddle right away in the Prologue:

"Two men on an island and both blame the water
for the loss of a wife and the death of a daughter
but neither ever married, and neither's a father.
What is the secret of the girls and the water?"

Then Hugo thinks to himself that "Five years ago, it [the ocean] had brought low the small, strange kingdom of Clock Island." Do you think the riddle is related to what happened five years ago? Any speculations on what it all means, assuming you haven't read ahead?
When I first heard this I didn't pay much attention because it was a prologue and I didn't realize there would be so many riddles in the book. I now know what it means, but I wouldn't have guessed anywhere close to that.

3. At the beginning of Chapter Two, Hugo says that he used to dream about living in Greenwich Village, but now that he can actually afford it, it doesn't hold the same appeal. He basically says that success kills motivation. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? I guess I don't agree with success kills motivation. But I think that success CAN change priorities and things you may have previously thought were goals just aren't anymore.

4. What do you think of the wishing game Lucy plays with Christopher? Do you think this game and mindset are healthy? Do you agree with Lucy that it gives them hope, or do you agree with the social worker that it just gets their hopes up? Hmm...I can see both sides. I think that having hope for things is important though, and so in that sense the game is good. They both need something to wish/hope for.

5. Why do you think Jack finally started writing again? And what might be his motive in holding a contest for the only copy of the new book? I had no idea about that. But I kept thinking of Willy Wonka and the golden tickets.

Beth - thanks so much for sharing that information about Mags. I had no idea and now I love her even more! That's a great resource you found!

Melindam wrote: "If Snow was originally a tribute of the Capitol (??) I wonder when they stopped having to send tributes to the Games."

Yes - the Capitol not having tributes seems unfair! Perhaps that's why they enjoy the games so much though - they don't have the "worry" factor except in an abstract way.

As far as this "game" - first off:

in my opinion there is no way this tribute selection was set up 75 years ago (and how appalling it has been going on so long!). At least I THINK they said 75 years?? Aaah...listening, plus my brain.
Second, I liked getting to know more of the tributes in the arena setting. And of course, really rooting for most of them to live. Seeing the intelligence and sacrifice of so many. The first time I read these books - seeing the traps and what happened in the arena was my primary interest. Ugh, that made me so very Capitol. I was more interested in the people this time, but it probably helped that I vaguely remembered what happened.
Also, how brilliant is Peeta and his manipulations with words in his efforts to help Katniss!? And now in his efforts to help the districts. I'm team Peeta (although I feel sorry for Gale).

I agree about the Gale kiss - it really did feel like he was "staking his claim" there. Katniss wasn't at all ready for that - she's dealing with too much already. I identify with her protective instincts - and her field of who she wants to protect has widened - poor Katniss.

And yes District 11 - sniff. That whole scene was meaningful, sweet, brutal, etc. And it's one where I definitely picture the movie for some, but seems like the book was more um...graphic(?) At least what I pictured in my head.

As for the Capitol - it's like they love the tributes as heroes but totally don't get what is going on. The scene where they have the feast and throw up so they can eat more....so appalling when people are starving throughout the districts.

Truitt - I love that lyric too! So glad you quoted it here!

Yes! And those people are expected to celebrate them and cheer. Awful. But I guess it's cheer or get shot.

I've REALLY liked learning about the other districts - I had forgotten a lot (although having the challenge has helped with that). Things in the district seemed a lot more brutal to me than they did in the first book. Roo's district was so brave. And District 12 got so much worse.

My narrator is Carolyn McCormick. And she's not awful, I just don't love her Katniss voice :)

Note: As a teenage girl I would have LOVED the love triangle thing. What a dream to have two hot guys both in love with me. Lol, now I just feel sorry for everyone and want everyone to just be happy.