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

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

Teddie wrote: "Hope you're feeling better today Samantha!

I love seeing 5 star books on our Books Read thread - both are now on my tbr.

At one point, when I was young and naive, I decided I would never let my ..."

Ahahaha, I've told myself that before. And then I browse Goodreads and, all of a sudden, there's 10 new books on my TBR. Sigh... it's a never-ending but always enjoyable cycle ;)

Samantha wrote: "And of course I get a sinus headache on the first day of reading -.- Going to try and push through on starting a book *cross fingers*"

Boo :( I hope you feel better soon!

Yay, it's officially TT time :D Good luck, team!

I can't click on the link, either. I had to go the roundabout way (i.e. going through the group discussions) to access it.

I have a question. If we do DQ's for a BOM, should we link that post or mention it somewhere else in the Completion Post?

@Emily - I know a lot of folks that love those books. Personally, I've only read the first one and I was not a fan =/ Of course, I'm not huge on the romances, anyways, so maybe that's why. Like I said, a lot of my friends loved the series!

@Ivy - Trust me, I was not a huge fan of Lila's in the first book. I still don't much care for her, but she gets a little better as the story goes on. I really like Kell and Rhy and their dynamic, though. I'm anxious to see what happens in the next book! I'm not sure if I can keep up with your pace, but we can talk about it afterwards, hah ;)

Discussion Questions for 5.03.17
Start -"Hi. I'm Gina. Dan said..." 97-195
Ends-.."The line of it, how it bends in like some kind of bow"

1. What are your first impressions of Gina? How do you feel about her session with Mae? This session really bothered me. I wasn't sure if they actually wanted Mae to work, or post on social media all day. "For a company that thrives on order and efficiency, the Circle also seems to endorse—require, even—loose and extravagant socializing. What do these two seemingly opposite values say about what working for them entails? How does Mae’s value set evolve to accommodate these expectations?" (http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guid...)

I do not like Gina. She seems pretty high and mighty and the way she talked to Mae was just rude. I would have gotten fired from that company. When I go to work, I'm there to work, not play around on social media. I understand that the company is pretty much built on and around social media, but there is a time and a place. And to make it seem like it's evaluated as part of your job performance? That's insane.

2. Mae gets pulled into Dan's office for failing to RSVP to Alister's event. What do you think about this conflict between Mae, Alistar and how Dan mediated? [The whole time I was reading this section I was thinking to myself "Are you kidding me? What a baby!"] Do you think The Circlers are forcing new employees to participate in events by singling them out when they don't attend?

Oh my goooooood, Alister! I rolled my eyes so many times when I was reading that scene. Who almost cries because someone he doesn't even know didn't go to his party?! There was absolutely no need for that conversation to happen, especially with a boss present, and I think Dan just made it worse. Of course, Dan is a company man and the company is all about being social, so he was just doing his job. I understand wanting new people to feel welcome, but making team participation mandatory sounds awful. Not everyone is social and, if you force them to be, it will probably negatively affect them and their job performance.

3. Mae and Mercer get into an argument regarding their communication. Mae cannot even sit and listen to what Mercer is saying because he "talks so slow". Mercer is frustrated with Mae because she gets all her information from social media instead of speaking directly to him. "Every time I see or hear from you, it's through this filter. You send me inks, you quote someone talking about me, you say you saw a picture of me on someone's wall...It's always a third-party assault. Even when I'm talking to you face to face you're telling me what some stranger thinks of me. It becomes like we're never along. Every time I see you, there's a hundred other people in the room. You're always looking at me through a hundred other people's eyes." How do you think social media has affected the way we communicate with others? How has technology changed our relationships (the quality of our relationships) with other human beings?

I was totally on Mercer's side during that conversation. Though I don't think social media is inherently bad, I do think that it can affect people's interactions if they overuse it. Not everything a person does needs to be Tweeted or put on Facebook. There is such a thing as oversharing... Also, she was being crazy rude to him through that whole conversation. I get that he is her ex. I get that she was a little peeved at her parents for painting him as some big hero. Honestly, I probably would have been a little annoyed, myself. But I also would have appreciated the fact that he was there in a (at the time) emergency when I couldn't be. At least try and be civil?

4. Mae enjoys kayaking and stops at Marion's kayak rental business on her way home from her parents. She seems very at peace when she's paddling in the bay. When and where do you find solitude? What types of technology are you comfortable invading that space? Josiah and Denise find out May kayaks but doesn't document anything and are appalled. They are even further disgusted when they find out Mae uses a paper pamphlet. They even go as far as questioning her self-esteem. [I found it ironic that they questioned her self-esteem and in turn she felt even worse about herself. "Goddamnit, Mae, give a shit! Be a person of some value to the world."]Are we now expected to document everything we do instead of being in the moment? Is our self worth now dependent on what we "share" with the rest of the world?

Edit: I forgot to answer the first part of this question =X
If I want solitude and to unplug, I go somewhere in nature, like to a park or just outside, and go for a hike. Either that, or I'll hide in my bedroom with a book, lol. I do usually have my phone with me, but it's mostly just so I know what time it is and if there's an emergency. I do have kids, so you never know.

That conversation made me cringe more than the one with Alister, ugh. They were just so condescending! I do feel like people tend to feel the need to document occasions and activities instead of just enjoying them. People did it back when there was no social media, but not nearly to the same extent. I even catch myself becoming more concerned with getting a video of my kids opening presents than just sharing in their joy of the moment. Part of it is being separated from family and wanting them to experience the moment, as well. But I certainly don't actually think that our self worth is connected to how much we share online.

5. How do you feel about the medical bracelet the circlers are required to wear? "To Heal We Must Know. To Know We Must Share" is posted in the clinic, do you agree with this motto? Would you wear one of those monitoring bracelets? (I feel like it's a double edge sword.) How much privacy would you be willing to give up for those amazing health care benefits?

I actually kind of like the medical bracelets... Of course, I work in the medical field, so I just find them fascinating! And to get one for free?! Sign me up! The medical field has some pretty strict privacy laws, so I would be okay with it monitoring all of my bodily functions cause, in theory, the only person see it should be my doctor and anyone actively involved in my medical care. Of course, with The Circle, it's probably all on the cloud, and I would not be okay with that at all.

6. Mae spots Kalden at the circus event. What do you think of their relationship? I find it odd that Mae cannot find any information on Kalden, given all the resources she has access to. Why do you think Mae is not more zealous on her pursuit of Kalden? Kalden seems to be very secretive. He avoids personal questions, Mae cannot get in touch with him, what do you think he is hiding?

I like Kalden. He's weird and nothing like the other people that work at The Circle. Actually, I don't think he does work there. I think Annie may actually be on to something thinking that he is a spy. I don't think he's a spy in the sense that he's trying to steal trade secrets, though. I think he's trying to get dirt on The Circle. Like an investigative reporter or something like that. I'm not sure if Mae really has a relationship with him, other than obsession. Feelings are weird in your twenties...

@Ivy Ohhh, the Darker Shades of Magic series is great! Well... the first two books are fantastic. I haven't read the last one as of yet. Perhaps we could do a buddy read when you get to the third book :)

May 2 Start - Book I 1-96 Lisa
Ends- "Before Mae could unpack any of what just happened,
a new face was beside her

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS SET 1

1. ALTHOUGH THIS BOOK WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2013 I WAS AMAZED WITH THE OPENING PAGES DESCRIBING THE CIRCLE'S CAMPUS IN LIGHT OF NEWS REPORTS THIS WEEK OF THE OPENING OF APPLE'S AMAZING NEW HEADQUARTERS! WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS IN REGARDS TO THIS BOOK AND HOW MUCH OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE REAL LIFE TECH WORLD DO YOU THINK WILL INFLUENCE THE PLOT LINE OF THE STORY?

I didn't know about the new Apple headquarters, though that is a bizarre coincidence! The setting made me think of Google headquarters, actually, because I've heard tale of what an awesome tech place it is to work. I do think the story will be influenced by the goings-on in the tech world of 2013 but I'm not sure how much it will affect the plot line.

2. INITIAL IMPRESSIONS OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERS MAE AND ANNIE? DO YOU GET THE FEELING THAT THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS NOT AN EQUITABLE ONE AND HOW DO YOU THINK IT MAY CHANGE AS THE STORY PROGRESSES?

I like Mae! She reminds me a lot of myself after I graduated from college and found myself working at a dead-end job. Thankfully, I escaped it, as well. I'm not a huge fan of Annie, however. She comes off as really abrasive and kind of a jerk. Annie seems like the type that will stab Mae in the back if she starts climbing too high, too fast.

3. DO YOU LIKE THE CONTINUING FORMAT OF THE NOVEL AND THE LACK OF DEFINED CHAPTERS? WHY TO YOU THINK DAVE EGGERS HAS WRITTEN THE BOOK THIS WAY?

I do like it, actually. It makes it really easy to get lost in the book without those mental stops. And I don't know if he had a specific reason. From what I've read of Dave Eggers, he seems a bit quirky in his book writing style. Maybe it's just author's preference with no specific reasoning.

4. MAE AND FRANK? WHAT DO YOU THINK FRANK'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE STORY LINE WILL BE? DO YOU SEE ANY RELATIONSHIP EVOLVING BETWEEN THEM?

Meh, I haven't seen enough of them together to really have an opinion on "Mae and Frank". I think Frank will be playing a big role in the book, though, since he's shown up quite a bit already. As for a relationship... I'm not seeing it.

5. BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR AND IF SOMETHING IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT PROBABLY IS ARE TWO SAYINGS THAT IMMEDIATELY SPRING TO MIND WHEN READING THIS BOOK. AT THIS EARLY STAGE WHERE ARE YOU IMAGINING THE STORY IS HEADING?

I have no earthly idea, lol. I sense something sinister brewing in the background, especially after the introduction of the "SpyBot 2000" O_o I have no idea why everyone was so excited about those things! They seem invasive and creepy to me.

6. DOES THIS BOOK REMIND YOU OF ANY OTHERS YOU HAVE READ OR ARE YOU FINDING THE STORY FRESH AND ORIGINAL?

At this juncture, it doesn't remind me specifically of anything I've read before. I'm liking it, so far.

I've kinda already started with the current BOM (which is a lot more interesting than I thought it was going to be), but I think my first official book for TT will be .

I've been meaning to read it for awhile and I picked it up at the library when I picked

Teddie wrote: "I'm lucky too - I'm in NYS so I have my local and the NYPL system.

I just ordered TWD compendium 1 - lol. In spite of this last season, I am still a big fan of the tv show. I'm glad Glen made it ..."

I'm finding myself falling out of love with the TV show. I never finished last season and I haven't watched any of the current season. And it's not like I'm really itching to, either. I guess it feels kind of like the story line is always the same, with a sprinkling of interesting elements. Maybe I just needed a break and I'll get back into it.

A Study in Charlotte

The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other.

I second the recommendation for TWD. It's pretty graphic (haha, puns!) but great!

The town we moved to in New Mexico is tiiiiiiny, so the closest bookstore is about an hour away. I've been using our local library frequently and it actually has a pretty good selection for a small town library. It's been pretty good for my bank account, too, lol.

I'm still thinking about your last question, too, Teddie. There's so many to choose from...

@Danielle - I'm very sorry for your loss :(

@Teddie - I saw! Good way to start out our challenge. Also, yay! I absolutely love that book. It's a fun, quick read.

That date is fine for me :)

Samantha wrote: "If you were only able to read one book for the rest of your life, what book would it be?"

This is a tough one because I don't usually re-read books. Not even the ones I love! It would have to be a stand-alone since I don't think I could handle reading just one book that's part of a series (I don't like loose ends, lol). So... hmm...

I think it would have to be The Westing Game. It was my favorite book as a kid and I still re-read it from time to time.

What is one genre you would be interesting in trying that you don't really read?

Probably the Wheel of Time series which, to be honest, I have not finished. It sucked me in at the beginning, but then it felt like it was dragging on and on and on. I stopped around... book 9 or 10? I've often thought of giving it another go as it started out so good.

What is a book that everyone else seemed to love but you just did not like?

@Emily - Who wouldn't want to be a wizard for a day? I also like that we both mentioned we would want our day to be a relatively safe one, lol.

These are all great questions. I'm with Grace in that I rarely like TV/movie adaptations. That being said, I think the Geisha Trilogy would make for a good movie, especially with the special effects technology we have today.

And I'm agree with Terry Pratchett as I've just started reading the Discworld series (I'm enjoying it so far!) and I love Good Omens.

Ohhh, Grace, that's a tough one! Um... probably Hermione Granger during her time at Hogwarts. I would just love to be in that world (and able to do magic!) and if I'm only there for a day, there's less chance of being there during the horrifically dangerous bits.

New question! Who is your favorite book villain?