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

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

DQs Day 1, Ch 1-5

1. This book begins in 18th century Cairo, with France and Turkey fighting over Egypt. I have never encountered this conflict in fiction before. Have you? Were you familiar with it before you started reading?
France and Turkey? No, not that particular concept. My knowledge of Egyptian history goes about a thousand years back to the Fatimid Empire. I'm not familiar with Egyptian history post the 1500s.

2. Nahri has several mysterious powers, including healing, the ability to sense illness in others, and the ability to understand and speak every language she hears. Which of her powers would you like for yourself?
Language, of course! Understanding the nuances of a language in the way it is spoken by native speakers makes such a difference!

3. What do you think of the world building so far? Do you find it confusing, or do you feel like you’re along for the ride?
More confusing, to be honest. That said, I'm beginning to get that Nahri and Ali are on the opposite sides, so to speak.

4. So far we’ve met 3 significant players in this book: Nahri, Ali, and Dara. Do you have a favorite character so far, or one who intrigues you the most?
Ali; he's a goody-two-shoes scholar and so am I.

Skip task: Read a book where the same vowel appears in the title at least 5 times (Direction: South)

S - Shuggie Bain (title: Shuggie)
K - The City of Brass (ch: Kaveh)
I - Never Let Me Go (author: Ishiguro)
P - Pride and Prejudice (title: Pride)

Eldarwen wrote: "Here are all of our current
Don't Feed the Chipmunks
tasks:


◈ 5. Read a book set in, or by an author from Malaysia. - E - The Ghost Bride (author from Malaysia) - up for grabs if someone else..."

I can do solve for X - The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak

Eldarwen wrote: "Insiyah wrote: "I've started Never Let Me Go and Young Mungo. Hoping to get done with at least one of them today."

The UK cover for put..."

The cover is weird, but the story is pretty good so far - I like the author's writing style

I've started Never Let Me Go and Young Mungo. Hoping to get done with at least one of them today.

I got my hands on Bleak House! Let ,e know when you're ready to start, Andy :)

Completion Post


The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue
Read: 31-May-2023
Rating: 3.5 stars
304 pages

Mini:
Crayola Tower:
Title: T (The), P (Pull)
Author: E (Emma), D (Donoghue)
Characters: Julia Power, Bridie Sweeney, Kathleen Lynn, Sister Luke

Elisabeth wrote: "My goodness husband and I are hopeless in bookshops. Hit the secondhand one today aiming to get Fahrenheit 451 which I did--amongst the other 7 and his 4."

That sounds about right - I walked into a second-hand bookshop for maybe two and walked out with 10 once.

Michael wrote: "Can we start the June BOMs before June? Or need to wait?"

"you must finish the book after the start of Tower Teams, and within one month of the BOM starting"

Have fun!

Completion Post


Book: Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
Date Read: 30-May-2023
Pages: 838
Rating: 4 stars

Mini:
Crayola Towers:
Title: Anna Karenina
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Characters: Kitty, Anna Karenina, Aleksei Vronsky, Konstantin Levin, Stepan Oblonsky

Andy wrote: "Insiyah wrote: "Andy, are you still planning on reading Bleak House?.."

yes Insiyah, planning to start it anyway"

Same! I'm planning on getting it from the library tomorrow. Do you still want to do a buddy read? I'm planning on starting on Thursday.

Edit: Okay, it's checked out at the moment. I've put a hold on it, but go ahead if you want to start.

Eldarwen wrote: "Yaaay, you managed to slay the doorstop hehe."

I'm just so, so happy I'll be done with Anna Karenina today. I liked it more than I thought I would, but it's a clunky book and really takes willpower to get through.

Completion Post


The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Date Finished: 26th May 2023
848 pages
Rating: 5 stars

Mini:
Lord Vetineri: Sabran is nearly assassinated; her husband is assassinated instead.

Hi everyone! Apologies for disappearing - I didn't pick up my laptop during the weekend at all. I did pick up books - I finished Priory, and I'll finish Anna Karenina today. I'm going to keep The Luminaries until June before I get to the books I have in mind for June.

Andy, are you still planning on reading Bleak House?

There's a lot of black, but I honestly can't tell if there's enough black for use in Rainbow Towers.

Sally, can you add Suck it up, Buttercup to your TT shelf, please?

Alejandra wrote: "I have several editions of Harry Potter. I can read this one for green



and whatever color we need I can read from an other edition fo..."

I have the same edition! I went and bought it specially for Slytherin cover despite already having the entire series, and then bought another edition of it as Sorcerer's Stone for my brother, so now I have three editions in the house :D

Completion Post


Book: Summer of Salt by Katrina Leno
Date Read: 24-Mar-2023
Pages: 288

Mini:
Rainbow: beige/pale yellow cover
Crayola: S (title), K, L (author: Katrina Leno), G, M, P, H (ch: Georgina, Mary, Penelope, Harrison)

A rare small book in the midst of all my behemoths.

Laurie B wrote: "I'm here too - faithfully reading all of your posts and trying to finish a book to contribute. I only signed up for 2 books per month, and since I joined the team halfway through May, it will likel..."

We still have a lot of books for our Free Choices to go, so your book will definitely be useful there :)

Haley, can you please repost your BOM participation links? The links seem to be broken.