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

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

COMPLETION POST - Brown

Book: The Dream Guy Next Door by Lauren Blakely
Date Read: 11/18/21
Pages: 310

Letters:
B: Blakely (author)
O: Oliver (character)
W: Wednesday (character)
R: Rodriguez (character)

COMPLETION POST - Brown


Book: The Left-Handed Booksellers of London
by Garth Nix
Date Read: 11/18/21
Pages: 416

Letters:
N: Author (Nix)

I wrote Day 2 questions and have answered the first 3 days worth. Links are in spreadsheet.

DQs - Day 3 - Chapter Nine - Twelve

10. We are about half way through the book now and I've been looking at the cover and trying to see how it fits with the story. The cover feels dark to me and so far I don't really feel that in the story. Do you feel like the cover fits the story?
That's a good point - I hadn't thought about the cover! I don't HATE the cover, but you are totally right - it doesn't really match the feel of the book.

11. So the old fashioned booksellers in charge might feel the need to remove Susan if they find out her father is one of the Ancients. It seems like Merrihew and Thurston are not greatly respected in the Booksellers realm. How do you feel about them? Do you think they might be involved in what is happening to Susan? I felt like Thurston and Merrihew were kind of like some of the tenured professors at my work - totally interested in their own pursuits and research and resentful of anyone who distracts them from it.

12. We keep getting all these references to books, musical groups, and other pop culture from the 80's. Take for example this quote: "The ground floor facing the street was all floor-to-ceiling high windows, with a wonderful display of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose complete with a cardboard castle to the left of the central revolving door, and a selection of new release thrillers an mysteries built up in a series of pyramids in the window to the right, including John Le Carre's The Little Drummer Girl, Jeffery Archer's First Among Equals, and Ken Follett's On Wings of Eagles." That sentence is long and the following one is not much shorter. How do you feel about all of these references?
I like all the references! Especially since so many of them are about books.

13. In the last section Vivian gives Susan a steel knife and salt and tells her how to bind something to herself. Do you think she will have to bind something? Any idea who or what she will bind? At this point, I wondered if she would end up binding Vivian or Merlin.

DQ's - Day 2 - CHAPTER 5 to CHAPTER 8

6. Merlin and Susan get pulled into the May Fair. "The happiness is unsettling, all the smiling and laughing". Was there a part of the fair that stuck out to you? And would YOU have noticed the colorless rose?
Thought I'd better answer my own questions! I really liked the May Fair - it was spooky and chaotic and colorful. Those "children" (shudder). I liked the descriptions of the food too. I would NOT have noticed the rose because I'm not very observant, and I would have been overwhelmed by all the sensory input!

7. Susan seems to have some sort of powers of command, which we see with the wolf at the end of the fair, and hear more about at the end of Chapter 8. What are your guesses about her heritage? Do you have any new guesses about her father? I didn't have any specific guesses about her father although I was hoping it was some sort of animal god.

8. My favorite part of these chapters was reading about the New Bookstore and its contents. If you could spend time in there, what would you want to check out? Oh man, I'd want to spend SO much time in there. I'd want to see where all the doors sent, look at the art, and browse all those cool books!

9. The grandmothers were interesting. Any thoughts about them? If I were one of the grandmothers, I'd totally be hanging out with my mastiff. What would you have keeping you company? As I said here, I'd totally hang with my mastiff. (Just like now - if I'm home then we are always within a few feet of each other.

Sounds good - I'll do the rest of the questions as well (at least the ones up to now). Thanks Lisa.

I've updated the spreadsheet for what I'm planning (well hoping, because I think there's too many) to read by November 30th. I have to fit books into specific prompts for another challenge, so finding books that fit that and Pumpkin was a little challenging.
Thus I don't have any "bonus" books, but December 1 I'll read as many bonus books as I can.

One question:
I'm almost done with Left-handed Booksellers and was thinking I'd finish it today. BUT - it does have U characters. Would you rather have me wait and finish it after we are on Pumpkin?

I enjoyed the movie too! It made me want to re-read the book - I last read it as a teenager so it has been quite some time!

DQ's - Day 2 - CHAPTER 5 to CHAPTER 8

6. Merlin and Susan get pulled into the May Fair. "The happiness is unsettling, all the smiling and laughing". Was there a part of the fair that stuck out to you? And would YOU have noticed the colorless rose?

7. Susan seems to have some sort of powers of command, which we see with the wolf at the end of the fair, and hear more about at the end of Chapter 8. What are your guesses about her heritage? Do you have any new guesses about her father?

8. My favorite part of these chapters was reading about the New Bookstore and its contents. If you could spend time in there, what would you want to check out?

9. The grandmothers were interesting. Any thoughts about them? If I were one of the grandmothers, I'd totally be hanging out with my mastiff. What would you have keeping you company?

Brown - Completion Post

Swarm by B.V. Larson
Page Count 263
Date Read: 11/16/21
Spell Out Letters:
B: Author (B.V.)
W: Wilson (last name character)
R: Riggs (last name character)

Bonus: Yes - tagged Space Opera 33 times

DQ'S DAY 1 - PROLOGUE - CHAPTER 4

1. I nominated this book because titles with libraries or books naturally draw me in and I've wanted to read a Garth Nix book for ages. What are your reasons for reading.. long term Garth Nix affectionado or "It's only about the points, baby"?
I'm reading it NOW because of the points, but I've owned it for a bit. I too like when books might be talking about books so "Library" or "book" in the title is a draw.

2. Wikipedia (The Oracle of quick searches about whatever and sometimes actually factual) defines a prologue as "Opening to a story that establishes the context and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one and other miscellaneous information." What have you learnt in this particular prologue that seems important to the story moving forward? I think the big thing I learned was the magical creature appearing - that set the town of these first chapters for me.

3. Chapter 1 introduces us to our main protagonists in a scene filled with murder, fashion descriptions and a giant louse! First impressions of Merlin and Susan and any sign if they will be friends or enemies or maybe even frenemies ? I think they will be friends and maybe more. Merlin is so quixotic. I think because of that and because of all the creatures, I keep getting a "fantastic beasts" vibe.

4. Right handed and left handed booksellers policing multi layered worlds and realities. Set in 1983 London but the language and environment heavily leans on the Victorian Age. Are you comfortable with the preliminary world building, do you find it interesting and unique or same old same old in the YA fantasy genre? I stay away from YA usually, but I do read a lot of fantasy. I like the world building so far, but it's also pretty mysterious!

5. It seems someone is after Susan, probably because of her mysterious missing father. Who do you think he is and what maybe is his significance in this alternate world and to the plot in general? I'm curious - but I think he must be someone supernatural. Her mom is so vague that I'm wondering if he somehow messed with her mind. Also, Susan needs to get to Trafalger Square already - I think her mom is giving her hints!

Completion Post - Brown

Book: Assassin's Orbit by John Appel
Pages: 448
Date Read: 11/15

Letters: (all characters)
O: Okereke
N: Noo
W: Walla

Bonus:
?? It visually looks brown to me, but tineye says its mostly VIOLET??

I'd say something that stirs your emotions like that is well worth the time spent :)

Completion Post - Brown

Book: Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie
Date Read: 11/14
Pages: 324

Letters:
B: Character Superintendent Battle
O: Character Ariadne Oliver
R: Character Colonel Race

Stephanie I'm glad you are feeling better. I hope that continues!!

Brown - Completion Post

Book: Big Damn Hero by James Lovegrove
Date Read: 11/12
Pages: 334

Letters:
B - title
W - Wash (character)
R - Reynolds (character)

Bonus:
Yes - tagged 31 times space opera
Brown? I feel like my book looks tan, but tineye says its grey

I am NOT going to continue with Dino Island. Some cliffhangers just have to remain a mystery I guess!!

Completion Post - Brown

Book: Home for a Cowboy Christmas
Pages: 352
Date Read: 11/11

Letters:
R: Reynolds (Dwight)
O: Orso

Completion Post - Brown

Book: The Lost Girls
Pages: 261
Date Read: 11/11

Letters:
W: Chastity Wiggins

Oh dear. Lol I need to wash my brain! It ended on a cliffhanger too, but...

Lol Dino Girls is....well....bad in so many ways. It is basically like the "wonderful" cover.
.
BUT the discussion chat is funny. My eyes hurt from rolling though - and I REALLY need to get it read and deleted from my kindle before my dad sees it (we share an account). Eeek.

Brown - Completion Post

Title: Thrawn
Page Count: 427
Date Read: 11/10/21

Letters:
W: Wullf
B: Barris
N: Nightswan

Bonus: YES (tagged Space opera 88 times)