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

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

Aww, I hope you're feeling better, Suzanne. It sounds like you had a fun if exhausting day trip!

Welcome back, Nanci! I hope you had a great trip!

Volunteering for DQs, as well (Team Ashara)

I'd like to volunteer for DQs :) (Team Ashara)

I'm still working on 11/22/63 but, I gotta admit, it's slow going right now 😅 I just find myself getting so bored, but I'm pushing through.

I'll happily sign up for DQs for Fourth Wing! The FOMO is kicking in hard with that one, so I'll definitely be participating in the BOM.

DQs Day 4 - 18 June
Chapters 9-11 32%

14) What do you think the cards symbolize for the yellow card man? I'm starting to think it could be like a warning, but I'm also connecting him to Al. They both died at the same time. Now that the yellow/orange/black card man has committed suicide am I alone in worrying that Jake may never make it back - and therefore not be able to reset things if he makes a mistake?

I'm wondering if the Yellow Card Man (and his card) were part of the link that made the rabbit-hole work. Like, now that he's dead and gone Jake won't be able to travel back to 2011. He's the only one that seemed to change with each trip back. Or maybe he's a symbol of how tough the current goal Jake has in mind happens to be... like, he was normal when he was just there scoping things out, a little more unhinged when he came back to stop Dunning the first time, and now that he's back to stop Oswald, he's dead. He's kind of an enigma, if I'm honest, haha.

15) Jake originally thought Carolyn's accident wasn't his to fix, but ended up fixing it anyways. What do you think the reasoning behind this was? The stay at the cabin in the lake sounds magical and relaxing. Do you like to canoe? And have you ever played cribbage?

I think it was a very "in for a penny, in for a pound" kind of moment, He's already committed to staying for the long haul and taken care of Dunning, so why not help Carolyn out while he's there? It seemed like the universe wasn't really pushing back on it, either. Though Jake's approach was strange to say the least, lol. The stay at the cabin sounds amazing! I think it was just what he needed to reset before starting his main mission. I love being on water, so canoeing is right up my alley. Cribbage, however, does not sound like my thing, haha.

16) Jake seems to be enjoying his time in the past a lot more than last time. Do you think there is a reason for this? Do you think you would be happy living in the past knowing what would happen? The general feel in this section is that of simpler and more trusting time. But how is it that nobody is even a little suspicious of a new guy, with such an oddly specific bet and other strange behaviors?

I think Jake has really settled into the 50s lifestyle. For a cisgendered white man, I'm sure those times seem a lot simpler and favorable. And the fact that he has a ton of money (for those days) is making it smooth sailing for him. I'm sure for anyone that doesn't fit into the norm for whatever reason would have a much harder time of it. For me, there's no way I would have such an easy time navigating that world and I definitely wouldn't be happy being stuck there.

17) How do you feel about Harry dying in Vietnam? Is Jake right in feeling he wasted his time saving Harry or do we know too little about Harry's life to reach a conclusion? Should we be judging at all, and if so, based on what criteria beyond life and death?

I had a feeling Harry wasn't going to survive to make it to Lisbon Falls, one way or another. I don't think Jake can fully judge whether or not he wasted his time. On one hand, he saved most of his family from a terrible fate and Harry might have had an incredibly fulfilling life until he went off to war. On the other, Harry lived a much longer and possibly equally fulfilling life (though in different ways) in the original timeline. And who knows how this recent trip down the rabbit-hole will change Harry's fate? It's hard to say, really. I don't think it was a waste of time to give him a happier childhood.

Bonus: (we had a fantastic team discussion with this one) I suspect that that event was one of those where so many people remember where they were that day/moment, how they felt, etc. Any others you all can think of?

The only thing I can really remember is 9/11. I kind of remember when Princess Di died and how big of a deal that was, but I don't remember, like, where I was at the time I learned about her death. I remember the minute details of where I was when the second plane flew into the World Trade Center. It's a memory that I'll never forget.

DQs Day 3 - 17 June
Chapters 7 - 8, 26%

10) We find out more about Frank Dunning. He is portrayed as a smooth talker and good looking. Do you find this stereotypical of someone who will go on to murder most of his family? It always seems to be someone no one suspects. Jake's opinion of him obviously isn't very good. Do you think Jake would feel differently if he didn't know what Frank was going to do?

I don't know if it's stereotypical, but it definitely happens a lot. I don't think people typically expect their neighbors to murder their entire family, so even if they're unattractive and not quite charming, it's shocking. I think Jake would have been taken in if he didn't know what Frank was going to do, though he may have been standoffish because of his experiences with his alcoholic ex-wife. I don't think he would have noticed the coldness in his eyes or anything like that, though.

11) Jake plans how he is going to stop Frank. Would your thought process have been the same as Jake's? How would you plan to change the event?

I think the choice Jake went with was the only possible choice. If he left Frank alive, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't kill his family some other time. Which is why I would fail hard on this mission because there's no way I would be able to kill Frank without getting caught, haha. Especially with the universe actively working against you! Perhaps if I had a long range weapon... but I don't see that being easy to obtain in 1958 for someone like me.

12) There is something off about Derry. The place itself feels weird and the people act strange. Would you stay somewhere where you don't feel welcome? Would you investigate more into what was going on?

Absolutely not, haha. Especially as a Black person in the 50s! I probably wouldn't have lasted a week in that hostile little town. I certainly wouldn't be trying to dig into their business! Oof... I can only see that ending in bad ways...

13) Well, stopping Frank didn't go to plan but he did get stopped. What do you think the consequences of changing the event will be in the present, if any? Do you think he will go back and try again? If so, what do you think he will do differently?

I'm wondering if Harry ever left Derry... if he ended up being stuck in that town like I'm sure happens to a lot of the people that live there. Or if he gets caught up in the events of It. And, if Harry never moves, does that mean he never meets Jake? And if he never meets Jake, will Jake completely forget about him as he emerges through the rabbit-hole? Or, since he was in the past, will he remember him only in that sense, some random kid he saved? Time travel is confusing... I think Jake will try to help again when he goes back for the JFK mission unless Harry's life is significantly worse in this new timeline where his family didn't die Halloween night in 1958. Then he might just let things play out as they were meant to before he changed them.

Just popping in to say hi! I've been keeping up with the chat but haven't had a moment to actually contributed, haha. I'm currently trying to catch up with this chonk of a BOM. It's taken me a moment to get into it, but I'm starting to really enjoy it.

Y'all are really taking these chipmunks down, haha! It's nice to be on a team that works so well together :) I'm hoping to be able to contribute more once I get through 11/22/63.

@Kristen - Ugh, that's so frustrating! I'm hoping y'all get to go to Rome but I'm sorry your original vacation was messed up.

Day 2 DQs
Chapter 4 - 6 or 18%

#5. How did you feel when you read Harry Dunning's essay? What would you have done if you had the power to enact change in the past?

Harry's essay was heartbreaking. I can see why it made Jake cry when he read it! I'm removed from the situation and it still made me emotional. Messing with time is such a slippery slope. I feel like I would give into the temptation to change something like what Harry experienced, but who's to say it won't ruin something else?

#6. Money is a big deal in any timeline. Would you be able to acclimate to the past in terms of financial transactions as well as Jake? Do you think Jake acclimated TOO quickly?

I mean, it seems a lot less complicated than transactions these days, haha. I think the fact that checks where still a thing when I was younger would make it a lot easier for me to acclimate to the 1950 way of things. What really blew my mind is the fact that his driver's license had no photo!

#7. Fashion is also an issue in the past. Do you think Jake is having an easier time of it because he is a man? What would be the most challenging fashion change for you to get used to? Is there something you would love to be able to wear?

Jake is 100% having an easier time of adjusting because he's a cisgender man. He pretty much had to update his pants, get a haircut, and he was good to go, haha. I think the most challenging fashion change for me would be the hair, being a Black woman. I'd have to find a salon and I heavily doubt there would be a good one in Lisbon Falls, Maine... The dresses I could handle (dresses can be so comfy!) but the hair would be a mess.

#8. There are a lot of interesting nods to older Advertising terms and slogans that King uses to help the reader recognize the timeline change of the past. Which one stood out to you the most and why?

The radio jingle was the one that struck me. You don't really hear jingles like that anymore, so it stuck out the most!

#9. If you have read any past King novels, some of these chapters have a lot of connections to early books about Derry, Maine, and surrounding locations. Did you find any Easter eggs from previous stories? If you haven't read earlier King novels, what about Derry seemed to stand out as unique to you?

I haven't read It, but I definitely caught those references! It took a few times hearing the name but, as Jake was driving into town, I literally put the book down and said "Isn't this where It takes place?" Then there was a bit of Googling and dot connecting, haha. I enjoyed the connection and it explains, somewhat, why the people of Derry are so standoffish.

Day 1 DQs: ch1- 3

1) I have only read a few of Stephen King's books. Is this your first book by the author or are you quite familiar with his storytelling?

I've read quite a few King novels, though this is one of the rare ones that isn't horror. So far, it still feels like a King novel, though, and I'm enjoying the writing!

2) What do you think about the character Jake so far? Would you have gone along with what Al wanted and took the initial step back into the past, or would you have not humored him and tried to get him help?

I'm liking Jake so far. He's seems like a regular dude being pulled in to an extraordinary circumstances. It'll be interesting to see how he handles it. I probably would have gone along with Al, as well, because doing what he asks (walking to the back of the pantry) wasn't going to hurt anyone. I don't know if I would have taken the mystery steps down and out, though... or I may have come back immediately after realizing I was in the 1950s. I'm a Black woman... small town America in the 50s would have been way less safe for me.

3) I am not sure how I would feel if I just stepped back into the past the way Jake and Al have, but I am really curious about how the time travelling works in this story. It seemed that Jake was somewhat calm about it. How do you think you would feel if it was you?

I kind of answered this in the last answer, haha. I would be scared and turn back almost immediately! I mean, at least they are in Maine and not the deep South, but I still wouldn't want to stay. Jake seems pretty chill about it, though.

4) I think it is clear that Jake is going to pick up Al's mission to try and stop the JFK assassination. Would you choose to continue Al's mission? Also how much do you know of the history surrounding this event?

Hahahaha, NOPE! Because there's no guarantee that saving JFK would actually change the world for the better and what if it makes things worse? I don't think I would be willing to take that chance. I also don't think I would be capable of A) living in the 50s/early 60s for the length of time it would take to complete the mission or B) straight up murdering Oswald. I know a little about the events surrounding JFK's assassination, but not a ton.

DQs Day 6
Chapters 24 - epilogue

23. Nisreen and Nahri have a very heated discussion after Nahri accidentilly killed a Geziri cleric. Nisreen believes that Nahri needs to be more thoughtful of her people and what she represents and wants to push her to become a bigger symbol to their tribe. Do you believe Nahri is too selfish or too close to "collaboration" with the Qahtanis and should have kept greater distance and shown more loyalty to her people?

The only thing I agree with in Nisreen's diatribe is that Nahri was thinking more about how her patients' outcomes would affect her standing with the king than, ya know, actually caring for them. But I mostly agree with Nahri in that they were putting way too much on her all at once. And not just the healing stuff. They expected her to be this shining beacon for a people she knew nothing about a few months ago and have loyalties only to them, which makes absolutely no sense. Ali was her friend (as much as she told herself he was a mark) and it's not like any of the other Daeva truly tried to get to know Nahri as a person and not just the last Nahid. Except Dara a *teensy* bit.

24. Ali clearly showed some magical connection with water, even before the Marid possessed him, that might come from his mother's side of the family. What are your thoughts on this hidden ability?

I definitely think it has something to do with his mother's side of the family. He had a memory when he was recovering showing his sister could control water (at least when they were kids) and his mother seemed alarmed that they were playing around with this ability. I'm thinking they were plots afoot from when they were babies to get one of the other on the throne.

25. What are your thoughts on the King's actions, e.g. exiling Ali. He seems to not want to order him killed, even though he knows the exile will bring about his death either way. Why could he not forgive Ali too and spin a tale in his favour like he did for Nahri?

I think he's a little afraid that, no matter what Ali says or whether or not he endorses it, there's a plot to get him on the throne instead of Muntadhir. And the king seems like he loves power above all other things. He's not willing to let that come to pass but he's also not willing to give the order to have Ali killed. So he's being a coward and exiling him so he can pretend that he didn't order the death of his youngest son. Nahri, however, is more useful to him and his need to hold on to power... or so he thinks. I don't think this is going to play out the way he wants.

26. What an epilogue! Jamshid has a hidden identity, what do you think this means?

Well, Nisreen kept saying he would heal too quickly if they got rid of whatever mark is on him, so I'm wondering if he is a Nahid, as well. Dara had mentioned that Jamshid would be a "good match" for Nahri in his stead.

27. What a cliffhanger! Nisreen says Manizeh can do anything (even bringing Dara back), clearly meaning she's still alive. Do you think she is somewhere out there or was she maybe even referring to Nahri herself?

I had a feeling Nahri's mother was going to be alive, haha. I think she's plotting to get the Nahid's back on the throne and might even be working with the ifrit's to ensure it happens. Who knows!

Bonus: Will you continue reading this series or do you think you'll stop with this trilogy now? I personally will go hunt down the next two books immediately.

I will absolutely be continuing! After a cliffhanger like that, I need to know what's next!

Hey team! Y'all are kicking butt with those chipmunk challenges! I'm a slower reader, so I'm trying to focus on page number books. Speaking of, I'll be starting our doorbuster tonight now that I've finished my current read and am almost done with The City of Brass! Looking forward to jumping in.

Also, I wanted everyone's opinion on the cover color of the book I just finished. What would you classify this as?:



I'm thinking maybe tan? But I really have no clue 😅

DQs Day 5
Chapters 19 - 23

19. In this section there appears to be a love triangle developing. Was this what you expected. Where do you see this going?

Right now it feels like Ali and Nahri are firmly going to be friends and I'm living in my happy little bubble where it stays that way. Love triangles are not my thing and I'm gonna be a little annoyed if that's the direction this story takes. Please no love triangle 😩

20. Dara lets Nahri know about the King’s marriage plans for her. He lets her know that they can’t be together. Are his reasons valid or should Nahri put up more of a fight?

I see where Dara is coming from but he also didn't even ask how Nahri felt before deciding that this course of action is what was best. What if Nahri doesn't want children? That was his main argument and it could be a non-issue. Either way, it was crappy of him to make this decision for the both of them. And Nahri has so much going on right now that I'm not surprised that she's too tired right now to fight yet another battle. They definitely need to have more of conversation about this.

21. Ali and Nahri both have a hidden agenda and are using their “friendship” to achieve that. Do you think they are aware of each other’s objective?

I know they're both suspicious of each other but I don't think either of them truly knows what the other is plotting or at least the full extent of their plots. And it seems like they're slowly starting to trust each other so perhaps they aren't really trying to find out every detail of their secrets. For now.

22. We learn that Ali has a separate agenda that the King is not aware of? Where do you see this heading?

Ali's plots usually end up in disaster 😅 And, though this one may not be completely disastrous, I don't see it going the way he thinks it will.

DQ Day 4
Chapters 15 - 18


14. Nahri meets the king of Daevabad for the first time but doesn't seem to have a lot of further interactions with him. What do you think the king's plan is truly? He offers her everything but doesn't ask for much in return - yes, he revealed to Ali that he wants to marry her to Muntadhir, but is that really all?

I'm definitely suspicious of the king's motivations. I think he's willing to do anything to keep his throne and may see Nahri as a threat. I'm also suspicious of his claims that there is a curse on Nahri and she's not really a shafit. Why does she have human blood, then? Can a curse really change her blood? I think he's just using her to bring the Daeva tribe in line under his rule by passing her off as the last Nahid, even if he doesn't believe it, and marrying her to his son.

15. Prince Ali, fabulous he.. Were you surprised at this further development in Ali's character? The extreme hatred he displays towards Nahri? For some reason, whenever I read the passages from his point of view, I feel he comes across more like a brat rather than a hate-filled person, yet that seems to be what he shows most often when Nahri is around. He now feels he is a murderer, which, granted, he now is. He also realises that his father has been testing and playing him, and will now use him to his own ends. Do you think the poor boy will finally start growing up?

I think Ali was thrown into a situation that he was far too young to handle. And I think his dad did that on purpose. He wanted him as off-balanced as possible when he sprung the whole "I know you've been helping my enemies" thing on him. His dad is crafty like that. Ali was not built for politics and it shows, haha. I do feel bad for him most of the time, though.

16. What do you think will be the outcome of Dara's quest in the middle of the desert with a future king and a contingent of warriors, who may or may not be hell-bent on killing the Afshin? Are they going to find the ifrit before their journey comes to an end?

I'm curious why the ifrit have suddenly vanished. I suppose they may not have the forces to take on more than just Dara and Nahri, but it seemed like they had it out for the Afshin. Either way, I don't think this trip is gonna end well for Dara...

17. Nahri's first patient! And what a patient that was! Did this first true test of her skills - towards someone she does not know or care about - live up to your expectations?

Well, I expected her to fail spectacularly, so it pretty much met my expectations, haha. I think it was a terrible first test of her abilities, though! And now that woman is going to go out and start casting doubt on the king's claims about Nahri. The fact that her teacher was like "This is eeeaaasy" and just kept pushing her bothered me to no end. This is a girl who was literally picked up off the streets of Cairo, has been living as a human her entire life, and has no formal healer training. Y'all are just asking for a disaster. Which... perhaps that's the point?

18. Any predictions on who Nahri's father might be? I have to admit, I thought it was the king himself. But would he really want to marry his daughter to his son? Hm. What do you think?

I'm still thinking she might be part ifrit. Wild assumption, I know, but the fact that the ifrit said they were working with her mother but her mother was supposedly killed by ifrit makes me wonder. I really, REALLY hope the king is not her father or, if he is, Muntadhir is not his biological son because ewwwwwww.

Janeylou wrote: "Have claimed for blue..but theres not a light blue and not sure if this classes as bright ??"

I would say light blue, as well, but maybe 'light' will work for 'bright'?

I'm quite enjoying The City of Brass so far! I will definitely admit to being confused by all the different daeva and djinn at the beginning, but now that I'm settled into the story, I'm loving it.

DQs Day 3 - Chapters 10-14

9. As he walks through the Daeva Quarters, Ali is shot by a toy arrow, let loose by one of the children playing about. Rashid suggests to Ali that he should punish the boy by taking him to be raised in the Citadel, which Ali refuses. What do you think this says about Ali, and about others in the city’s upper echelon?

Knowing what we know about Rashid now, I feel like this was test. Rashid wanted to see if Ali thought the same way most purebloods do. I think this just reinforces what we've already seen of Ali... that he's a man with a strong moral code. Definitely stronger than a lot of the upper echelon though he is rather 'holier-than-thou' about it sometimes, haha.

10. Nahri and Dara have a moment, but are interrupted. Do you like this partnership, romantically or otherwise? Is it doomed, or meant to be?

I mean, it was bound to happen and I'm not mad about it. I just wish there had been a bit more of a slow burn. At this point, it seems pretty doomed as Dara is probably about to get thrown in prison and who knows what they're gonna do with Nahri when they discover what she is. It's definitely not lookin' good!

11. We learn about the terrible conditions in the shafit orphanage and the difficult lives all the shafit are forced into. Even though he immediately refuses to help, how do you think this will influence him in the future?

It's clearly on his mind because he thinks about it a couple of times after the encounter. Ali was willing to help the shafit even before he saw the orphanage, but I don't think he's going to throw money at the issue until something drastic happens. I certainly think he's more sympathetic than most purebloods.

12. As Dara and Nahri cross the last illusion shielding Daevabad, Nahri has an odd reaction and ends up flat on her back on the deck of the ferry, with Dara rudely refusing anyone’s assistance. Do you think this was caused by something related to what Nahri is, or something else?

I definitely think it has something to do with her heritage. I wonder if she's not a human/djinn mix but djinn and... something else. Maybe an efrit?

13. Muntadhir takes Ali to a secret room filled with dead Nahids. Do you think this room will be a turning point for Ali? Do you think Dara will discover this and his relic, and what do you think will follow if he does?

I think it's going to have quite the impact on Ali. I think it's going to bother him to no end that all the Nahids have not been properly buried, as religious as he seems to be. Also, I don't think Dara will discover the relic... I think Nahri will. And we know she's quite the thief 😁

Looks like I'm gonna have to finally cave and buy a copy of Fourth Wing. If I can find it! Hopefully my library will have a copy if I can't... the fantasy books don't usually have much of a wait for them in my neck of the woods, thank goodness. Hopefully your copy gets to you soon, Elinor!

And thanks Lisa for making the spreadsheet more manageable! We really have read a lot of books 😲

Day 2 DQs : Chapters 5-9

5. So many groups! We had a couple of chapters in this part that described some of the tribes in Daevabad and elsewhere - the Daeva/Djinn, Ifrit, Simurgh, Zahhak and I'm sure I haven't listed them all. Where on the confusion scale are you - with 1 being totally confused and 10 being "I've got this". And are you ok with your level at this point in the book?

I have to admit, I was following along nicely at first, but with all this new information, I'm sitting comfortably around a 7 on the confusion scale 😂 Like, I'm pretty okay with keeping all the tribes/groups/people separated but there are still moments where I'm like "Who are they again?" It's definitely a lot, but it hasn't detracted from my enjoyment so far.

6. Somewhat related to this - we learn that Suleiman curbed magical abilities because the daeva harmed humanity. I learned (thanks Google) that in the non-book world Suleiman the Magnificent was the longest-reigning Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1520 to 1566 - he ruled over at least 25 million people. Did you know anything about Suleiman and what do you think of his inclusion in the book?

I know nothing about Suleiman, but I'm eager to learn more about him! He sounds like a fascinating person. I'm excited that he was included in this book because I think it's great when different cultures are represented in fantasy. Especially when they are non-European/American.

7. We now know Dara was a slave for many years and was forced to do some things that haunt him. How does this make you feel about his character?

Ugh, my heart broke from Dara when he was telling Nahri about his enslavement. Especially when he first woke up and was so panicked about possibly being enslaved again. I can't imagine the horrors he has seen...

8. Ali's father was portrayed as brutal when we first met him at the execution, and then later he seemed like a pretty good ruler as he listened to and judged people's problems. What do you think - good king or bad king?

I love that he's so nuanced! One thing that annoys me in books is a flat antagonist, so I'm happy that the king isn't just this unforgiving tyrant. I think it helps to really flesh out his character to see that he can be both good and bad all wrapped up in a complicated package.

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?

I haven't and I kind of love that this is set in a time/place that isn't seen a lot in fantasy. I'm enjoying the setting and it's made me curious about the occupation of Egypt during that time period. Time to do some research!


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?

Definitely the last one! How amazing would it be to be able to communicate with people no matter where you travel? That sounds like a dream come true.


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?

I'm enjoying the worldbuilding, so far! I will admit that there is a lot of info to take in at the beginning, but I feel like that's because I'm not as familiar with the culture and mythology this book centers around. And that's on me, not the book. Either way, the author is doing a good job introducing the reader to these topics without being too overwhelming, in my opinion.


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?

I find them all fascinating, but I have to admit that I'm most interested in learning more about Dara. Probably because he's so secretive and it's clear that some trauma is lurking in his past. Why is he reluctant to return to the city of Daevabad? I want to know more about his story.