Kerri’s Comments (group member since Sep 29, 2015)

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

DQs Day 10
Ch 25-27 / 84%

38. Did anyone else see Jake impersonating a CIA agent coming to close that window of uncertainty? I knew he had to do something but that was a ballsy move. Do you think he sold it well? Better yet do you think the evidence he received from de Mohrenschildt adequately closed the window of uncertainty for him take action when it comes to saving Kennedy?

I'm not entirely sure how he got away with that one, but I applaud his ingenuity! I think he sold it rather well for who he was dealing with... and even then if de Mohrenschildt had asked better questions, I don't think he would have been able to fool him. I don't think there would ever be a way to completely close the window of uncertainty, but I think Jake got as close to closing it as possible.

39. Well as last bets go it wasn't Jake's most profitable but it did help some in terms of expenses. For all of Jake's talk about the past harmonizing with itself and the future did you see the beating coming? Did the way Wanda called for her dad when Jake came to collect tip you off that the past was about to finally make known what Jake escaped when he left Tampa in a hurry because he didn't like the way Gutierrez was talking about him?

Oh I knew all his bets were going to come back to bite him, no matter how careful he was. He more or less said as much right before he made the bet in Dallas with the guy who eventually ended up beating him up. I'm more surprised that Jake really does NOT pay attention to the harmonizing. He did once, in Florida, and from there on out he was like "Huh, look at the past harmonizing" and just kept IGNORING IT. If I had that many alarm bells going off when I went to my old apartment I would have simply kept driving.

40. Speaking of the beating Jake took that was intense. I'm more surprised that he lived given how strongly time was resisting Jake's efforts to stop Lee Harvey Oswald this time. Between the damage done to his body, the head trauma, and the obdurate past are you surprised that Jake recovered any memory at all of why he was there in Texas in 1963? What did you make of all the little clues he found while he was searching for them with Sadie?

I was surprised he lived, too! It was pretty touch and go and, if the past truly did not want to be changed, I don't think he would have made it. But perhaps the past is as okay with this particular potential change as it ever will be. I liked the journey of him piecing together his memory and trying to figure out what he was doing all over again.

41. Chapter 27 had a slight shift in format. Suddenly each subsection is tied directly to a date leading up to JFK's assassination as Jake plans how he is first going to stop it and second manage to be there without putting Sadie in danger. What did you think of the almost diary style of the chapter? Was it too much of a divergences from previous chapters or would you have preferred the book was more solidly dated all along?

I kind of liked the dated parts because it gives everything a sense of urgency. I like how it was just introduced because I don't think it would have had the same impact if every section was dated throughout the story.

42. Because of the head trauma Jake is plagued by random bouts of sleep. Do you think this is going to play a role at all in his attempt to prevent Oswald from assassinating Kennedy or will it magically disappear and lessen in effect the closer he gets to zero hour like the stomach bug did on his first attempt to save Harry Dunning and his family from Frank Dunning?

I think he has to get through a breaking point where whatever change he's going to enact becomes inevitable and then the sleeping bouts will clear up. But I think he's going to have a hell of a time trying to get to where he needs to be to pass that breaking point. The past is really fighting him on this one!

June 25th - DQs Day 9 Chapters 23&24

34. Something I enjoy about this book is the detail of everyday life in 1963. I was taken aback by the primitive quality of the hospitals at that time. Is there anything about the time period that surprises you?

I keep bringing this up, but I can't believe that you didn't need a picture on your driver's license back then! Like, how is that secure?? I'm also constantly in shock over the price of things, haha.

35. Do you feel that Sadie is growing as a character, or is she more of a foil for Jake’s character development?

I like Sadie fine, but she definitely feels a little bland to me compared to Jake. I suppose it makes sense as we're constantly in Jake's head/ For as big a role as she's playing in the story so far, though, I wish she were more developed.

36. Whenever Jake bets, it makes me nervous. Would you have relied on betting in tight circumstances, or would you have tried something else?

At this point, it's the only way he can make money since he's staying in Jodie and I highly doubt they would ever hire him again as a teacher now that they know his credentials are less than legit. That being said, I'm still nervous every time he makes a bet because forever ago, in the chapter when he went to the place in Dallas, he kind of hinted that it had unwanted repercussions later. I forget the exact wording, but it's been giving me anxiety this entire time, lol.

37. What do you think Sadie’s role will be on 11/22/63?

I'm not 100% that Sadie will still be around when 11/22/63 comes around. I do wonder if she'll be another distraction, like when Jake was trying to surveil the Walker shooting. Who knows, but I just don't see their relationship ending well. I'll be pleasantly surprised if it does.

DQs Day 8 - 23 June
Chapters 19 - 22, 68%

30.Things are happening! The Oswalds are here and Jake is observing their every move. There’s a scene in which a random old lady in the street calls Jake a coward for not interfering with Lee abusing Marina. I think she’s right - and think it’s very interesting that he felt so strongly he had to interfere with the Dunnings, but doesn’t really seem all that affected despite constantly witnessing the abuse. Sure, he needs to stay on mission and not interfere so he doesn’t change the future too much too soon but… do you think he should at least try to do something?

I think that's the exact reason why he won't interfere... he's afraid to screw up the one thing he came here to do. Which kind of still makes him a coward. I'm not too surprised he would interfere with Dunning but not the Oswalds as the Dunning murder was a lot more personal to him. Still, he's a resourceful guy. He could probably think of some way to help Marina without getting directly involved. But would even that alter the course of his mission? Maybe. The past is obdurate, after all.

31. We also finally reach the Cuban Missile Crisis. I say finally because I was wondering when this would come into play, and was then surprised how it played out. Jake seemed to know so little about it and said it was mostly a throwaway thing in his one American history class in college. We go into detail on Sadie’s panic before anything even really happens, then we skip the actual event. How do you feel about some of the narrative choices King makes regarding the events he chooses to detail and what he skips over?

Honestly, I'm glad we skipped over the nitty gritty of the Cuban Missile Crisis. This book is too long as it is, haha. The point of the story is Oswald, so it makes sense that we focus more on his actions as opposed to big moments in American history.

31. Sort of tangentially related, mostly a question for the many Americans here: I’ve always wondered whether that was something specific to my history teacher, but in my history class (in Germany!) we spent way too many lessons discussing the Cuban missile crisis in excruciating detail (and skipped over some events much more relevant to German history…). We also talked about the Cold War and Red Scare soooooo much despite being, you know, not in North America. How big of a topic was that in our respective history classes? Do you feel like you got a decent all-around picture of this time in (American) history? Or was it not discussed at all / skipped over / too recently in the past to be addressed in history classes?

High school was a loooong time ago, haha. I remember going over the Cold War in some detail, but probably not as in depth as the World Wars. And it seems I've dumped a lot of that information from my brain as I've grown older. I remember the larger details, but most of it has been shoved aside. And I'm quite sure my education wasn't as thorough as it could have been.

32. I keep wanting to call Jake “George” and thought it was funny when Sadie said she doesn’t like the name and he then tells her his real name is Jake. Do you think Jake and George are really the same person? Who is who? Who do you like more?

I do think Jake and George are the same person but now you're making me wonder! Still, the only time I call Jake by his actual name is when I come to answer these questions, haha. I have to agree with Sadie, though. I like the name Jake better.

33. In this section, Jake and Sadie got back together, and as I think most of us expected, her (ex-)husband finally shows up. This gives us our first dramatic action scene since the first attempt at stopping Frank Dunning (unless I’m mistaken). Once again, this scene mirrors events we have already seen, and this time Jake remarks on it explicitly (when that guy with the unzipped pants shot the prostitute and then himself). Before this, we had Jake being creeped out by Sadie behaving so similarly to his ex-wife. Yes, “history repeats itself”, but some of these things seem so fishy! Any speculation on whether there’s something going on behind the scenes that isn’t “fate” or “destiny”?

I think that, for someone who is CONSTANTLY talking about how the past harmonizes, he paid very little attention to seeing the same car multiple times that gave him the weird past tingles. Like, come on, Jake!! I don't know if that's the past working against him or working against his overall mission by giving him something else to do on April 10th, but it seemed like such an oversight on Jake's part.

This has been one of my favorite TT teams, so far. Everyone works so well together!

Happy anniversary, Nanci! It sounds like you have a lovely day.

Jen, your trip sounds wonderful! I've always wanted to visit Alaska, even though I'm not built for cold weather, haha. It just looks so beautiful in pictures.

Shannon wrote: "Correct @kerri"

Thanks, Shannon!

I just finished a book with eggs in the text. We just have to finish after the spin, correct? Not start it after the spin?

I can kind of see what they're saying? Though that explanation is confusing 😅 I guess, if you were giving directions somewhere, you wouldn't use 'under' all that much, but 'up' is more of a possibility (i.e. "go up the stairs")?

Posting this a little early because I know I won't have time to tomorrow, haha.

DQs Day 5 - Wimbledon 1995 & The 1995 US Open

18. Nature vs nurture. Carrie has her issues with tennis, but her real struggle is with relationships. How much of that do you think is due to who Carrie is innately as a person and how she was raised?

19. I don’t know much about tennis, but I found myself really enjoying the matches as they are described. I got so pumped up while Carrie was playing! Did you find all the tennis terms, both during and after matches, to be a hinderance or did you enjoy getting immersed in the sport through Carrie’s eyes?

20. Carrie Soto, the star of our novel, has been seen previously in a TJR novel where she was a minor character. TJR seems to enjoy connecting her books which makes me wonder… could her next book be about one of the minor characters we’ve come across in Carrie Soto is Back? And, if so, who do you think it would be?

21. ”But right now, in this moment, I love this drugstore cologne more than I love the smell of Wimbledon grass or California oranges or the rubber of a freshly popped can of tennis balls. This drugstore cologne is my home.”

I really loved this quote and it made me start thinking about some of my favorite smells. What are some scents that you love? What scent would be your home?

22. And, finally, how did you like this book? What was your rating? Would you consider reading more from this author if you haven't already?

DQs - Day 4 - The 1995 French Open (76%)

14. At the end of The French Open Section, can you feel any character development in Carrie? If yes, in what ways do you think she may have changed? Also has there been a change in your feelings towards her? Still dislike/like her or not any more?

I can certainly see some development in her character. The fact that she agreed to have a drink with Nicki Chan blew my mind! And allowing herself to express her emotions (crying while in front of the world) is huge. I think she's starting to realize just how isolated she's made herself, especially now that her one constant (her dad) isn't by her side. I never disliked Carrie though I don't think we would get along if she were real and I met her. I respect the hell out of her and I'm truly enjoying following her journey.

15. There are some hard lessons for Carrie to take away from Paris and some vital discussions between her and her dad as well as between her and Bowe about parental expectations and expectations from one's own self. Do you think Carrie is ready to accept the different POVs and use them to her own advantage?

I think she's getting there and is more open to their points of view now that she's alone at Wimbledon. Being separated from them really brings home how much she cares for them, I think, and brings down her walls just a little bit.

16. This is what Carrie Soto is thinking of her opponent Ingrid Cortez while playing against her in Paris: ... she has a burden I have never had. In order to keep getting paid, she has to keep looking beautiful on the court. I wonder, briefly, if it weighs on her. Or, if, conversely, it frees her from the pressure I live with, the pressure to win. Either way, it’s a prison. Both her beauty and my ability—they’ve both got an expiration date."
This reflection struck a chord with me. Building on what has been previously discussed about media pressure and also how men and women athletes were/are still treated differently, what are your thoughts on this issue?

I think Carrie hit the nail on the head. Women in sports are expected to be either exemplary or so good looking it doesn't matter if they aren't the absolute best and it's gross. I think it's gotten better, but it's still quite apparent. Here's hoping that we keep progressing forward so that women athletes are judged the same as male athletes and for the same reason.

17. Do you have any other quotes that "spoke" to you (in any part of the book up to the 75% mark) or you made a note of for further reflection?

Ya know, not really. Not to say that there aren't stellar lines in this book, but nothing that really spoke to me and made me want to write it down so I wouldn't forget.

DQs Day 7 - Chapters 17 - 18, 58%


26. We have met quite a few secondary characters thus far. Is there anyone that stands out for you & you’d like to know what will happen to them as a consequence of the final choices/deeds of Jake as the novel is concluded? (I know there is still loads of ground to cover, but still.)

Though I'm not a huge fan of the romance subplot, I have to say I find Sadie interesting. Mostly, I want to know she gets out of all this okay because the poor woman has been through it. I get the feeling that might not happen, but I'm really hoping it does. I'm also curious about that weirdo Silent Mike, haha. I trust him about as far as I can throw him, but he's certainly an interesting character.


27. We have finally reached the part where the Oswalds moved into the flat opposite Jake's rented place, so he has a chance to observe them and "listening in" on sone of their interactions. Jake knew before, but now has first-hand experience of how brutally Lee Oswald is treating his wife. Have to admit I was a bit surprised at Jake's behaviour. Maybe it was just me, but it seemed that he took all this as part of the parcel and did not show any empathy or sorrow. Do you agree with this or have you had different impression on his behaviour?

Jake is usually the first to try and help someone out if he thinks they are being mistreated. But Jake is also utterly dedicated to not triggering a butterfly effect when it comes to Lee Harvey Oswald. I think, he really was George Amberson who knew nothing about 2011, he might try and help. He's on a mission, though, and he's already given up a woman he loves for it. He did seem to think about the whole situation very callously, though.


28. In the novel there are several references to the period of 1958-1963 concerning cars, ads, clothes, health issues, etc., but for me the most interesting is music! There are lots of songs and performers listed as we are going ahead (“Sugartime” by the McGuire Sisters, “Bird Dog” by the Everly Brothers, ”In the mood” by Glenn Miller – just to name a few).
If you are reading a book and come across some references to existing music/performer/composer, do you make a note and check them out? Maybe listen to some music related to the period depicted in your book (if applicable)? Or have a playlist that may fit your mood for certain genres/books? Or not that interested to take notice of it?

(As an interesting aside: The movie “Grease” (filmed in 1978) is set in the summer of 1958, while the time setting for Dirty Dancing (from 1987) is the summer of 1963.)

I love music so, usually, if I come across an unfamiliar song in a book, I'll make a note of it. A lot of the time, I already know the songs, but I love discovering new things when I read! I also think it helps to pull you into the story to listen to what the characters are listening to. I've never thought to make a playlist, though! That's an excellent idea.

29. Movies from that time are also mentioned: “The Long, Hot Summer” (with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward), “Vertigo” (with Kim Nowak and James Stewart), “The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp”(with Hugh O’Brian). Have you seen any of these films? Or are there any other films from this period you love and would recommend?

I don't watch a lot of older movies (or movies in general...) but I have heard of all those movies! I can't think of any movies from that time period that I really loved, but I'm happy to look through the answers to this question for suggestions!

Bonus Q: If you had the chance to star in any theatre play/movie, what would be your dream role? (and yes, for the sake of this question let’s play-pretend that we are all promising actors/actresses here brimming with undiscovered talent. 😊 )

Does musical theater count? Because I think it would be amazing to play Christine in the Phantom of the Opera. Oh, or Elphaba from Wicked. Or Angelica from Hamilton!

Elinor - I hope you have fun with your cousin!

Kristen - Happy 16th to your daughter! It sounds like she had a pretty great day.

Happy belated Canada Day to all the Canadians and Happy Independence Day to all the Americans!

I'm also staying away from claiming Wheel spots since I'm a slower reader. I wouldn't want to hold up our momentum! Still, I'll make sure to peek over there whenever I finish a book to see if it will fit a prompt. Right now I'm trying to finish 11/22/63 before the 16th and tearing through Carrie Soto to get my questions ready. Definitely enjoying one a bit more than the other, heh.

Also, definitely agree that cover is more teal, Cris.

DQs Day 3 - The Australian Open (58%)

9. Gwen sends Carrie a gift the start day of the Australian Open…a Discman! The first song it plays is ‘The Bitch is Back’…I love this album. I immediately went to play me some Elton John tunes😊 Do you have a song or routine that gets you revved up…sets a tone to put you in the right state of mind?

I have different Spotify playlists for different moods, haha. If I wanna get revved up, I turn to a lot of upbeat, fast paced tunes or something that makes me want to move. Early 2000s pop is my go-to cleaning music, lol.

10. Reflections--
Carrie thinks…I inhabit the silence of this moment with my father, when we are still asking questions and do not yet have to live with the answers. What do you think she means at this moment in time with that comment?
"Te quiero mucho, pichona," he says.
I open up my eyes, "I know. I love you too."
Javier and Carrie both have many reflective moments throughout these matches… Is this a premonition of what’s to come with the open or even more in the future?

I think she was talking about that moment before you commit to a decision where you don't have to think about living with the consequences because you haven't made the decision yet. It's a quiet place to exist, I would imagine. I really love Carrie and Javier's relationship. I love it so much that I'm getting increasingly nervous that something is going to happen to Javier...

12. We hear from the media in various forms throughout. What are your thoughts about some of their comments so far? Do you believe any of them have affected Carrie or the game? I was thinking about this especially when Gwen indicates Elite Gold was pulling back some of their ads prior to the French Open. Gwen has a role in her job with managing all of this…what are your thoughts about the impact of media and advertising with sport?

Listen, I have never been so ready to fight a fictional character than I am to fight Briggs Lakin 😤 He reads like a dudebro that think women should stay in their place and thinks it's perfectly fine to call Carrie a b**** just because she's not personable. Who cares?! Why does she have to be?? I mean, Carrie isn't the nicest person, she's competitive, aggressive, and a little full of herself. But put those qualities into a man and I bet this Lakin jerk wouldn't be calling him a d***.

*deep breath* Oof, that man got me heated in the last section! So I can only imagine how it would affect Carrie or any other athlete that has to listen to the vitriol. I think she tends to ignore it as best she can, but I'm sure it can get under her skin. I think media and the talking heads can certainly have an affect on athletes, at least when it comes to their mental game.

13. Carrie’s been doing some very smart training thanks to her father. She’s been practicing in recent weeks with Bowe on clay and Bowe has challenged her, calling her a ‘quitter’. And here at the end of this segment, she’s just had a challenge from Nikki Chan. Is she going to win? Is Nikki? What do you anticipate happening in Paris?

I don't think it was very fair of Bowe to call her a quitter, but I think he hit the nail on the head when it comes to her fear of losing. I'm assuming Nikki is going to win the French Open as clay is her best playing surface, but I think Carrie is gonna have a much better showing than she did at the Australian Open. And then Carrie will have an extra fire under her because she'll be tied with Nikki for the most Slam titles. That would lead to a more exciting Wimbledon and US Open!

DQs Day 6
Ch 14-16 / 50%

22. Up until now, Jake didn’t stay in one place for long, but now he’s settling into a new life in Jodie. How do you think this will affect his original mission to stop Lee Harvey Oswald and prevent the JFK assassination?

He's creating roots and that's probably not a good thing when it comes to trying to kill a potential killer. If he becomes too known in the area, that could end badly. Especially if he keeps using the same name as he moves on with his life. Because I can't imagine he's actually going to stay in Jodie.

23. Jake lets his relationship with Sadie end over his refusal to tell her about his life. Do you think he should have told her the truth, or is he better off ending things now? Why do you think so?

I think if he had told her the truth, she wouldn't have believed him anyways. He probably would have ended up getting ostracized and that wouldn't be good for his mission, either. It's probably better he ends things with her thinking he's odd and a liar instead of mentally unstable.

24. Jake freaks out when he sees that part of Sadie’s name is “Doris Dun” and instantly starts comparing her to Doris Dunning. We have seen several similar name pairings and events throughout the novel so far that Jake finds important. Do you think there is any significance to this, or are these things merely coincidence?

Jake thinks of it as the past reacting to his presence, I think, and I would have to agree. There's just too many coincidences that pop up in his life for it to be random. I wonder if it's the past trying to freak him out and make him leave things well enough alone, like a warning that it's about to start messing with him in bigger ways. Who knows, but it feels quite ominous.

25. We are officially halfway through the novel. How are you liking it so far? What are your thoughts on the pacing? (We are halfway through and haven’t even seen Lee Harvey Oswald yet, which seems odd to me given the premise of the book!)

I'm liking the book okay. I have to admit to being a little bored at the moment 😅 I understand that we're establishing Jake in this world and he has time to kill before Oswald shows up, but did we need to know about it? Did we really need a random love story thrown in? Unless the town of Jodie and Sadie pop back up later in the book, it just felt like a lot of wasted time. I'm hoping we get more into the mission now.

DQs Day 2 - The Comeback (40%)

5. Welcome back sports fans! If any of you have read other Taylor Jenkins Reid's novels, you know she loves looking back at interesting eras in time. The Golden Age of Hollywood! 70s rock and roll excess! Why do you think TJR chose to focus on 90s sports for this novel? Do you think it was only to bring Carrie back or do you think there was something special about sports during that time?

Well, one of the articles that was included in this section mentioned how athletes were slowly becoming more like celebrities and I think that was really evident in the 90s. Perhaps TJR is exploring that or she just wanted a book set in the 90s, haha. I'm not much of a sports fan which is why I've put off reading this book for so long. For how much I'm very lukewarm about tennis, though, I'm really loving the descriptions of the practicing and the games. And, of course, the character work is awesome, so far.

6. In this section we are introduced to Bowe. What do you think about him? Do you think he is a good match for Carrie (in sports or romantically)?

I like Bowe. I can see why Javier isn't his biggest fan because of past behavior, but I think he's a good foil to Carrie. He realizes that she's just a very straight-forward person who is not one to sugarcoat anything, even if it would be the kinder thing to do. I dunno if I would love it if they ended up together romantically, but I can see it happening and I wouldn't hate that.

7. In this section, there is a letter from the editor entitled "Why I'm Thankful for Carrie Soto" in which the author, Helene, says that Carrie was inspiring to her as a child. Do you find inspiration in any sports legends past or present? If so, who and why?

Nah, I've never been into sports in the slightest. The only sports I watched on a regular basis was the Olympics and there still weren't any particular athlete that I looked up to from the games. I find many of them incredible, but I don't look to them as personal role models.

8. Up next is the Australian Open! Any predictions on what is going to happen in the next section of the book? Also how are you enjoying the book so far?

Carrie has to lose, else this would be a much shorter book, haha. I think she's gonna make a strong showing, but won't be in the finals. She's going to shock everyone enough that they start paying attention to her more, I think. As for my enjoyment, I'm flying through this! I'm enjoying learning more about Carrie and her motivations and I'm excited to see where this goes.

DQs Day 1 - Chan v Cortez & The First Time Around (26%)

1. The most popular releases by Taylor Jenkins Reid have been BOMs in this group before (Daisy Jones & The Six in 2019, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in 2021, and Malibu Rising last year). Have you read any of these books (or others) by TJR too or is Carrie Soto is Back your first book by the author? What are your expectations going in?

I've read all three of those books and really enjoyed each of them! I think the only one I gave less than five stars was Malibu Rising and I still liked it a lot. Going into this book, I'm expecting it to be a quick, compelling read because that's what the other three had in common for me. I'm interested to learn more about Carrie as I didn't love her character in Malibu Rising and I want to know if getting to know her better will change that.

2. After the first chapter is set in 1994 and Carrie Soto decides to get back into the sport to get her record title back the next few chapters follow her early years up until she felt like she had to retire because of her knee injury (and because she felt humiliated lbr) somewhat 30 years later. Her dad always wanted her to be the greatest whereas her mother just wanted her to be kind and happy. It doesn't seem like Carrie is either at this point in her life, also not the greatest anymore. How do you feel about her as a character so far? What do you think (sort of) being forced into retirement by her own body has done to her, mentally and physically; do you think she's changed at all in the last 5 years?

I mean, at the point of her retirement, I think she still qualifies as "the greatest". No one has as many titles as her, after all, and the only reason she's fallen off is because of her knee injury. Which she may not have if she had just listened to her dad who had to retire because of the exact same thing. That annoyed the hell out of me, haha, but it was also exactly in line with her character. She is the definition of "driven" and "ambitious". I'm hoping that the years between her retirement and her comeback were restful for her because her whole life has been a freakin' grind and it sounds exhausting. The fact that she's willing to come out of retirement just to maintain her record, though, is a sign that she's hasn't chilled out at all.

3. What we've learned about Carrie's childhood and teenage years has quickly started to remind me of 'King Richard' the movie about the Williams sisters' life and I'm seeing a lot of similarities between Carrie's dad Javier and the Williams' (movie) dad (as I'm sure is often the case when athletes' parents are involved in their kids' sports careers/futures).
Javier seemed to have good intentions and only ever wanted what (he at least thought) was best for his daughter, but they grew apart after going separate ways in 1979. As we know, they've found their way back together (does this sound weird seeing they're father and daughter??), but things definitely changed between them. How do you feel about Javier and about his and Carrie's relationship growing up vs now?

I think Javier was trying his best to raise Carrie the only way he knew how to as a single father. He truly loves her and, I think, wants the best for her, but he was definitely a little narrow-sighted when it came to what her wanted for her life. And I think he's finally realizing that. As for Carrie, she's built her entire worth on how good she is at tennis (which I do think is partially her father's fault), and I dunno if she knows who she is without it. I do love the dynamics of their relationship and how well the author is making it feel so real and nuanced.

4. It seems like Carrie doesn't believe in love (or actually of being worthy of being loved imo). She's been having flings/ONS left and right apparently, and appearing in tabloids with random guys regularly. The one time she let herself finally believe this could be IT for the long run was with Brandon Randall (who some of us already knew from Malibu Rising) who was cheating on his then wife with her. No surprise he left her for (yet) another woman, but were you surprised Carrie took him back after he wanted to go back to his ex-wife and she rejected him? Do you think losing her mother at such a young age and only ever having her dad as a single parent in her life has influenced how she views love, relationships and generally a deeper bond with other people?

As I mentioned in the previous answer, I don't think Carrie really understands who she is without tennis and being a winner. I think she thinks that she is only worthy of love if she is on top and, even then, she never knows when to let down her walls enough to truly let someone in. The one time she partially did (Brandon), she ended up dealing with a giant man-child and being left anyways. I don't think she's ever seen a healthy relationship that she can truly remember since her mom died young and her dad never talked about her. So it's hard for her to know what true love looks like.

Nanci wrote: "Kerri,
Looks black to me too."

Thanks, y'all! I'll update the spreadsheet.

Color question for everyone. What do you think the predominant color is for this cover?:



TinEye says black, but I'm not sure.

DQs Day 5
Chapters 12 - 13 or 41%

18. We're now leaving Derry behind and moving around the US a bit, from Tampa to a small town near Dallas. If you were in that time, what place or state in the US would you want to travel to? Would you in Jake's shoes also try to settle in one place or would you try and travel around the country first and see other places / live a little?

Somewhere up north, haha. I mean, any place in the US wasn't great for Black people in that time, but I'm thinking somewhere far from the Deep South would be a tad bit safer for me. I'd probably find some place to settle because travelling alone wouldn't be a great idea, either.

19. When Jake got his new degree, this seemed oddly easy to me. As a non-American, I'm only vaguely familiar with the US education system. In my country getting teaching degrees is nowhere as simple as filling in an exam remotely and sending that in (also not 50 years ago), and this degree would not be accepted by possible employers. What are your thoughts on Jake's opportunity here to go back in time to teach again (even just as a substitute)? And do you think he'd have had it just as "easy" if it was less time in the past, let's say if he only traveled back 30 or 10 years?

Hahahahaha, that "exam" was hilarious 😂 There's no way that "degree" would do anything for him if he wasn't stuck in the late 50s/early 60s. It seems sketchy even for that timeframe! Still, I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that they don't need their photos on their licenses. I'm glad it worked out for him, though, because he really seems to love teaching. It's a good way to occupy his time while waiting for his main mission to start.

20. Jake has now also started writing a book and a memoir. Did you know that Stephen King was also a teacher before he became a full time writer? Do you think he's characterizing Jake based on himself for any reason or is it just pure plot-relation that this main character shares his professions?

I think there's definitely parts of King's previous experiences wrapped up in Jake. It makes sense... write what you know and all that. It certainly makes Jake a more realistic and nuanced character in my eyes.

21. We meet Sadie, and to be honest, I didn't quite like the way Stephen King introduced and described her character, but then again I'm finding myself not liking his writing in multiple occasions. What is your first impression of Sadie and do you think she'll become an important part in Jake's future?

I feel like she's going to be a love interest and I don't think I can adequately express how much I do not want this, haha. Why does this book need a romance element? Whhhyyyy??? I like Sadie but I really want them to remain friends. I don't think I'll get my wish, though.

Bonus: Do you think if you went to the past you would be interested in connecting with people there, maybe finding a (romantic) partner and continue living life or would you just wait it out until you got to the point in time where you wanted to change something?

I don't think I'd want to make any true connections, like a romantic relationship, because I would know it wouldn't be permanent. Also, I would want to stay as lowkey as possible so I wouldn't have any issues accomplishing my one task. Not to mention I'd be terrified of drawing attention to myself because racism, ya know? Of course, I would have never taken this mission on in the first place 😅

I'm loving this Fourth Wing discussion 😂 I haven't started it yet but, based on some of your thoughts and feelings, I know this is gonna be a book I either loathe or love. Really hoping for love, but I'm not above hate-reading for points, lol.

Also, have to third the Murderbot love! I just caught up with the series the last couple of months and I adored every book. Murderbot is hands down one of my favorite characters.

Happy last day of June! I'm gonna pick up the latest book in the Wayward Children series and get a start on Carrie Soto. I got lucky and found a physical copy at my library today, so I'm ready to go!

Woo, I'm excited to do DQs for Carrie Soto! I've really enjoyed the TJR books I've read, so far.

Sorry I haven't been around much, I'm on vacation this week and have been taking advantage of having free time to hang out with my family. On top of that, my reading has been really lagging this month 😩 I'm attempting to avoid a complete slump, so I've picked up a few shorter books to kick off July while I plug along with 11/22/63.

I've been keeping up with the chat, though, and the communication and teamwork is on point! I'll take a look at the Wheel (I admit to being confused, too!) and see where I can help out. Hopefully July is much better reading month for me. I want to be able to help us close out with a bang!