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

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

Here is the official countdown timer:
https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...

Can you all believe it has been 10 weeks!?

I'm not sure - I'll for sure finish mine - Bobbi will you be finishing yours? We have them all claimed at least. I'd say just read what calls to you the most :)

I can't believe it's almost over - Saturday will come swiftly! I'm into my 2nd musician book and will for sure have it done. And I've been listening to a "U" book that is a bunch of short Christmas mysteries from all over the world. Most of them are pretty good!

Thanks! I think I'm OK for once. I'm almost through with Charm City Rocks which has been really good. And the other one is short :)

DQs, Day 5 Chapters 46-end

20. Between Henry, Martha, and Opaline, whose story was most compelling for you and why?
I like Opaline's story the most by far. Henry was so indecisive, and he and Martha were slow to do ANYTHING. I would have loved to see more Opaline.

21. Holy moley… Lyndon! I did NOT see that twist coming (ch 52), did you? What are your thoughts about his story?
I was really glad that Opaline went after revenge, because I hated Lyndon. I even hated that in Ch. 52 he was still so sure he was right about killing, and so hateful about the twist thing.

22. What did you make of the relationship between Opaline and Martha? If you guessed, did you get it right?
I DID get it right, although I guessed it pretty late in the story - around where Martha's mother talked to her.

23. What about Mme Bowden? Did you enjoy her resolution? If not, what other scenario would you have preferred for her?
I guess she just made magical appearances? I wanted to know more and have a better explanation (or maybe one I could understand.
24. What did you make of the magical elements in the book?
They were ok. My favorites were Mme Bowden and the bookshop itself - I loved how it changed displays, etc.

25. Is there anything that struck you about the plot, story, characters, etc that hasn’t been part of a discussion question over the 5 days? Not that I can think of :)

Yes one week left :)

I'm reading the BOM right now - it's pretty good. Then will work on U's

Oh no worries - it may have been from a book that was deleted by someone - probably was :) Thanks for confirming Lindsay :)

DQ's Day 2: Chapters 13-22

5. In this section, we find out how Opaline ends up in Dublin. What do you think of Armand and her relationship/friendship with him? I feel there is something off about him but he does seem to want to honestly help her. I was really suspicious of him, and kind of still am, but it seems like for no good reason. He's helped her a lot so far, especially with her escape from her brother. But ??? He kind of pings my danger radar.

6. In many ways there are parallels with Opaline and Martha's stories. Both are running from abuse and from a life they do not want and both have ended up living in a basement apartment where the vanishing bookshop was located. Do you think these parallels will continue? Do you think this plays a part in Martha solving the mystery of the Lost Bookshop? I think it will for sure play a part. I'm so intrigued, and want to keep reading. And I'm so curious about Martha's tattoos.

7. The old library in Italy! What a coincidence that a book that showed up in Martha's apartment, A Place Called Lost, is the same story of how Matthew's father built the building where his shop was! I just love how the author is building the connection from the past to the present. Do you have any guesses yet about what the connection or what happened to the Lost Bookshop? Have you read magical realism before? It's one of my favorite genres to read.
I have read some magical realism, but I'm not an expert on the genre. I'm sure liking this one though! I have no idea what happened to the Lost Bookshop, although I'm super curious!. I really loved the book that Martha started reading that explained the connection to the old Italian library.

8. "Were we all preconditioned to love certain things? A moment in childhood, lost to memory but indelibly marked on our souls?" This quote jumped out at me while I was reading and made me think. I don't know when I started reading or where my love for reading came from. My mom always says I was carrying a book around before I could walk! But I have no specific moment where I fell in love with reading just that I always have loved it. It made me think was there a moment that happened but I can't remember? Something so significant it created something in me? Or was I preconditioned to love reading? What do you think about this quote? I think certainly from childhood there are certain things we love. For me, it's Disney, books, and Star Wars. I just have an irrational love of all three.

9. I think Madam Bowden is going to prove to be a character with surprises. Could she be Opaline? Or a descendent? I think she knows about this vanishing bookshop and why it shows itself to certain people and not others. Oooh I hadn't thought she could maybe be Opaline. Interesting guess. I'm super fascinated by the character though and I'm looking forward to learning more. I love her 3 husbands, and her personality.

DQ'S DAY 1 - CHAPTERS 1-12

1. Love the cover, love the blurb! I'm expecting big things from this novel. "The thing about books" she said "is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of."
Is this why you love to read or do you just enjoy good old fashioned escapism? Discuss.
I don't think the two are mutually exclusive - my most satisfying reads let me escape, but also imagine different lives/want to be a better person. That's a great quote - I'm glad you included it!

2. In the Prologue and the first two chapters we are introduced to the main protagonists, Opaline, Martha and Henry. First impressions of these characters and what differences and similarities to you notice about them? Opaline and Henry seem very similar with their fascination with learning about old manuscripts and books. Martha and Opaline seem very similar with their escaping from male domination. It'll be so interesting to see where this goes!

3. In a novel about books (and big bonus points to the author for Wuthering Heights being the first book mentioned) there seems to be a lot of novels names and famous authors mentioned in the early chapters. How many of these have you read and loved.. or hated! I have read and loved (or at least liked) quite a few of them - I love Dickens when I'm feeling energetic, and the Bronte sisters, although it's been awhile. I haven't even tried Ulysses.

4. The novel is taking place in two time lines with Opaline in one and Martha and Henry in the other. How do you see the two timelines/storylines being linked and being a novel with a magical theme do you think the characters in the two timelines might actually meet? I have thought certainly the stories are linked, but it hadn't crossed my mind the two timelines might meet. That would be cool!

Oh and just a note - non-U books are more than welcome! We have lots of other letters :)

I'm listening to The Unknown Beloved which I've had forever from Kindle Unlimited. It's pretty good so far.

There's a series called "The Undertaker's Daughter" that might work. There are a couple of Will Trent books with U titles, but both are mid-series. Ha but least tonight, I haven't found a great helpful answer :)

Last round I listened to Under Currents which perhaps loosely fits that. Hmmm....there's a series called "Unhuman" that's comedy crime fantasy - British humor kind of like Terry Pratchett. I'll see if I can find some true mystery/thriller to recommend though.

Nice reading everyone! Keep an eye out for "U"s if you can - I know we are kind of burned out on them.

@Bobbi - can you put Deck Z on your wheels shelf?

@Lindsay - I couldn't tell from the Matza Ball book description about the "musician" thing - does the book have a MC musician or a musician author? We have to give a reason.

It is for sure fine with me as long as it's not a huge burden on you. If any of the rest of you would like to do a musician book though, please speak up!

I keep finding M books

Thanks for the update Kari - I hope your travels go well!

Then I'll hope for lots of reading time too :) But either way - travel safely!

Cordelia wrote: "I finished Wuthering Heights today! I am finding it hilarious that I actually read Anne Bronte before reading Emily."

You are taking the path less travelled :) Good job finishing that!