Insiyah’s Comments (group member since Apr 12, 2022)

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

DAY 1 CHAPTERS 1-7

1. Ahhh.. The Library! ..My happy place. And what a beautifully intriguing cover! How often do you visit your local library and have you visited any famous libraries around the world. Do share!

- I literally just tried to visit the Bodleian Library at Oxford yesterday. Sadly it was closed, though I did end up seeing Chatsworth House's library today, and wanted to get myself lost there forever!

2. The first chapters describe a barren wasteland with an equally hopeless type of existence for Livira and her people. But straight away we establish that there is something special about Livira as she rises above her surroundings and the life she seems destined for. But circumstances change... your first impressions of Livira and how she influences her new destiny.

- She's a plucky young lady for sure - it's immediately obvious that she's too... something for her little home.

3. The chapter headings.. how do they fit into the tale? Do you find them interesting as a guide or somewhat cryptic at this stage of the story?

- They're a little hint no doubt, but I honestly can't be bothered to read into them more.

4. Enter Evar in Chapter 4 and the scene changes from the barren Dust to the mysterious and atmospheric library and its Mechanism. A lot of information to absorb about how it all works and the role of Evar and his "family". Does the author do a good job in getting across what the library is and does? Is it good, evil or omnipotent?

- Answering this after reading the book means I do know what the library does. That said, I was confused before.

5. "Evar, don't turn the page. I'm in The Exchange. Find me at the Bottom" .
Who wrote this sentence and what is its purpose at this point in the novel? What impact do you think it will have in the story moving forward?

- Spoilers. It was a good one though!

Hi! Sorry for disappearing (again!) - it's been a busy week with travelling + graduation.

I finally managed to get on my laptop and log The Book that Wouldn't Burn - can we use that for T?

Caly ☯ Crazy Book Lady wrote: "Beth wrote: "Countdown to the end of our current battle round:

https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown..."

On the spreadsheet, why does it say Team B district 4 ..."

It's there, you're right. That said, this is in the internal sheet which is for our team's use, so no harm done. The main SS has it correctly.

Volunteering for D12!

Part 3

(view spoiler)[- The tone of this book is defiant. First was desperation, second was loneliness, and now definace.
- Peeta pleading for them to kill him is probably the most sensible thing he's said so far in this book.
- Katniss actually proves to be a pretty sensible leader.
- Peeta slowly coming back to himself is sweet to see. He and Katniss are both so wary of each other, and yet they're taking the first steps to regaining their trust in each other.
- The arena traps brought to the Capitol as security measures is a bit of a headf**k, since the arena becomes the testing ground for these security measures. They're experimenting on kids. And presenting it as entertainment.
- “Katniss will pick whoever she thinks she can’t survive without.” Why is Gale phrasing that like it's a bad thing?
- Gale is either throwing himself at Katniss or pushing her away like she's poisonous. Can he make up his mind already?
- FINNICK!
- PRIM!
- Finally almost at the end of this book and looking forward to the end bit (I remember loving the concluding chapters last time I read this).
- Katniss is in the hospital just how many times in this book now? In the beginning, when Peeta attacks her, when she has her breakdown, when she gets shot, and now at the end.
- How traumatised do you have to be to not be able to speak.
- Katniss ends up right where she began when the book started.
- What Katniss did to Coin makes a lot more sense to me as an adult with a reasonable grasp on politics and psychology than it did as a young teen who was just starting to understand the greater world around her.
- There's hope in how they go back to bringing District 12 back to life.
- What Katniss says about how she needs Peeta's spring - that makes a lot of sense to me, and was something I felt pretty strongly about in Part 1 of this book. Gale's passionate, and that's great, but Katniss already has that. Peeta's calm is what anchors her and keeps her feeling safe. (I think it's clear I'm team Peeta!) (hide spoiler)]

Part 2

(view spoiler)[- Prim's analysis there - "Whatever it takes to break you." It really underscores just how important Katniss is simply as a figurehead.
- That breakdown was long coming.
- Katniss trusts Haymitch only when it comes to Peeta.
- It's interesting to see the writing technique here. Collins doesn't waste time on useless descriptions. We don't know there's a screen in the room until Haymitch mentions it, because we don't really need to. The dialogue is so much more important. Writing wise, I think this book is the best one of the three.
- Finnick's story is fucked up. Though I do enjoy how he uses the secrets as a weapon.
- It's funny to me, the idea that the President is so closely involved in manipulating the lives of the victors. I have a visual in my head of President Snow holding the puppet strings. But also - if he didn't pay them any attention, let them fade away, they would not have been half as powerful.
- Well, that's a reunion for the tales.
- You don't know what you had until you lost it.
- Why, why, why is Gale kissing Katniss? Now? While she's clearly mourning Peeta? He himself admits that he knows she won't be with him especially while Peeta's like this, but then he kisses her anyways? Is he a masochist?
- Over the course of this one part of the book, Peeta goes from thing to thing. Evil-mutt version seems pretty accurate. And sad.
- I think Katniss training to become a soldier is really when she's just starting to become defiant.
- And now he's a soldier. With Katniss. And Gale. What. (hide spoiler)]

Part 1 Notes and Comments (posting these all at once because I wrote them all on my phone)

(view spoiler)[- Katniss was on medication for long enough that her thoughts and memories were completely muddled? I think I'm realising that for the first time.
- She's seventeen years old. And been through hell and back.
- "I killed you, I think as I pass a pile. And you. And you."
- Chapter 1 really gets you right in the guts. Kudos to Collins - it's such a powerful chapter in terms of emotional impact. At the same time, she peppers in reminders about what happened in the last two books so the reader can refresh their memory.
- The whole prep team thing is f***ed up. What happened to them, and what they're prepping Katniss for. At the end of the day, District 13 is using similar tactics to the Capitol. The only difference between them is the cause, and that is a matter of opinion.
- I understand Gale's point of view, but his attempt to keep information from Katniss strikes as extremely manipulative. He's supposed to be the one person she can trust.
- Poor Peeta.
- I love the little moments where Katniss is not reacting, just being herself. Bringing Buttercup back, that bit where she tries to show Boggs her mental instability bracelet and then works with it having disappeared, when she sings for Pollox. Those moments are so genuine, particularly because she's just being her.
- The overall emotion of the first book was desperation, and the second was loneliness. I wonder what this book's is. (hide spoiler)]

Thank you! I've also started my Buddy Read of Mockingjay, and I've got a bunch of the other BOMs lined up, so that's my next couple of days + flight time

Can you do it? I'm on my phone right now and won't have laptop access for two more days

This seems like the perfect time to pop back in, so hello!

Yes, I do have a DER book - Deryni Rising

Hey everyone, hope you're all doing well. I'm temporarily off for a few days and won't be reading or coming on GR at all due to a religious period over the next 9 days that I'm attending in Colombo, Sri Lanka. I'll log back in on the 17th. See you all then, take care, and happy reading!

Or Jack opens the door - I'm not sure which one it was

Lucy enters through the door into the Jack's mansion when she runs away

The Familiar BOM starts today! https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Beth will be doing DQs tomorrow as well!

Human resilience works, right?

Janine - Enraged, Nanny Negotiations and The Silver Fox need to be added to shelf. Thanks!

Beth wrote: "Janeylou wrote: "Can we only claim 3 at a time again"

Oh I don’t even think of that. Oops I know I claimed more.

Thoughts from others? Maybe 5 max is at a time is reasonable?"

Let's stick to a maximum of 5 to 6 for now, which leaves space for others to claim some as well. You can always claim more later!

Caly ☯ Crazy Book Lady wrote: "I would like to toss my hat into the ring for this one early since I am a slower reader.
When the challenge starts I have 2 books that I plan to read that work.

Dead Mountain #4 i..."

Added to the SS!

Build Your Shelter Mini Challenge

Learn how to make the best shelter

Read books with the following MPG to create your shelter. Your team can read each genre a maximum of 3 times:

Non Fiction
-Specifically focused on survival in extreme conditions, wilderness survival, or emotional and psychological resilience.

Romance
- Use the bed sheets for a tent!

Science Fiction
- To gather some advanced materials for your shelter.

Historical Fiction
- So you can lay the foundations and learn from the past.

Mystery
- Enhancing your problem solving skills.

Thriller
- Create a camouflage and protect against the unknown.

Fantasy
- Enables you to use magical elements to strengthen your shelter.

Nature
- Use the natural elements to survive in your shelter.

Contemporary
- These will give you new ideas for patterns and methods for creating your shelter.

Young Adult
- No shelter is awkward, and therefore complete, without a love triangle.

Literary Fiction
- You may need to take your time making a shelter, so this genre will help build your patience.

Crime
- They are out to kill you. Use this genre to build a shelter that is protective.

Horror
- Will help you be on alert and create natural alarm systems for your shelter.

Paranormal
- So you can communicate with with spirits and other entities to maintain peace in the shelter.


Create the walls
Create a series ladder for the walls by reading books in a series. You need 8 series book in order (which can include multiple of the same series but doesn't have to) to create each wall. Each series book must be a whole number for the wall.
You are creating up to 3 walls.

You can add in one .5 book (that meet the usual challenge requirements in terms of page count) per wall for windows. The window has to be in the run of the series numbers (you couldn't have 3.5 window in a wall made up of series #5 - #13). Windows have to be within the range of your wall, so if your wall is #2-9 then the window can't be either #1.5 or #9.5.


Example under spoiler:
(view spoiler)[Wall 1:
A Court of Thorns and Roses book 1
All the Broken Places book 2
Mockingjay book 3
Tyrant's Throne book 4
High Five book 5
The Hanging Tree book 6
Last Scene Alive book 7
Rattle His Bones book 8
wall is complete
We decide to also add in A Court of Frost and Starlight (book 3.5) as a window. (hide spoiler)]

Now for the door
Steal shelter books from other teams to make your door.
(This means reading a book another team has already read for their 'shelter' category.)
Get creative about how their book would be a door.
Is it a brown cover and therefore you are using it for your wooden door?
Does it have a door on the cover? That's obvious and not so creative, but, hey it works.
Does it have a character who is a builder? Great - get them to build your door!
You will need 4 books to complete your door.

◈ Every book read, i.e. every task completed, is worth 5 points. Each book can be used for one task only.
◈ Books for tasks can be finished in any order. No need to complete each part in order to get the points.

◈ Books can be started at any point since the start of the Book Games challenge (May 15).
◈ Books need to be finished after the start of this mini challenge on July 1st 9am UTC
and before July 15th 9am UTC.

◈ Books used for this mini challenge do not need to be separate books from what you are claiming for your main tasks.
◈ The usual book length rules apply.
◈ Team spreadsheets will be updated with a mini challenge tab so that you can track your books and claim your points.

Agreed - I actually enjoy the descriptiveness, because it really helps visualise the environment that the scene is set in