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

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

I just put a hold on Book Lovers, as well. I'm hoping it comes in soon enough for this!

I'd like to volunteer for DQs! Team Circe :)

DAY 2 - 1959 "It was last December 1959"
41% 1981 "...in her arms, on her back."

5. 1959 - "It was last December, 1959" -
It sounds like a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song...Wow! What an explosive chapter. Your reaction? Mick was characterised as a sleezy womaniser, it was always going to happen or I didn't see that coming! And June's reaction? Sensitive woman with a huge heart or a doormat for putting up with what she suspected?

I definitely saw it coming, but I also read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo so I had some further context. Even without it, though, Mick seemed like the kind of guy who is a smooth talker but is very self-centered. As for June, I will never tell someone how they should react to finding out their partner cheated. Would I personally have let him back in? Hell no! I wouldn't have listened to a single word he had to say after his girlfriend dumped the result of his unfaithfulness in my arms when I already had *two kids* to take care of. But I also have the benefit of living in 2022 instead of the 1950s. I mean, that locksmith wouldn't even change the lock for her because her *man* wasn't there to approve it! Ugh... June is a softhearted person who truly believed in Mick and that bit her in the butt.

6. "He gave no thought to the idea that he might break his children like someone had broken him". "You're drunk and you're killing yourself with this stuff." Discuss Mick and June's parenting styles and how they have affected the siblings as children and adults.

Mick was a terrible father. Point blank period. Even when he came back for a short amount of time, I feel like he did more damage than good. Stayed just long enough for the kids to get attached and then bounced. I understand that he was pretty messed up from his own childhood, but you'd think that would make him even more determined to not make his children go through a similar situation. As for June... sigh. I won't excuse her alcoholism. She had four children to take care of! But... at the same time... she had four children to take care of by herself while her philandering ex-husband was constantly plastered in her face and, after the second divorce, barely any money. She still harmed her children irrevocably, she was still pretty self-absorbed, but she actually tried to be a good mother. Those kids deserved better parents...

7. The title of the book is Malibu Rising and the author gives the reader a sense of the beach culture both in the past and the present time lines. What does it bring to the story and would it be as effective in another setting?

I'm really enjoying all the surf/beach culture talk in this book. It reminds me of when I was younger and we lived in Florida. All the lingo is coming back to me, haha. I'm sure this story could be as effective in a different setting, but I like that the author chose this one.

8. Already with the first set of questions there are varying opinions by the group about both Taylor Jenkins Reid as an author and how it compares to her other work. I loved Daisy Jones and the Six but I am finding this one as bit like Days of our Lives... but the author is skillful enough to make it into a page turner. Where do you sit, engaging tale well written or too much drama and as we are half way through do you see this ending in triumph or tragedy for the Riva siblings?

So far, I'm truly enjoying this book. It's compelling and, even though there is a ton of drama in the Riva's lives, it doesn't seem over-the-top to me. Especially considering the circle in which they travel. I want the Riva siblings to have a happy ending, but I get the feeling, since we know this house is about to burn down, that it's gonna lean more towards tragedy.

DQs Day 1: Prologue - 11:00AM

1. Both Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo have been BOMs in this group before. Have you read these books (or others) by Taylor Jenkins Reid too or is Malibu Rising your first book by the author? What are your expectations going in?

I have read both Daisy Jones & The Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and loved them both! I'm expecting this book to have great writing and compelling characters.

2. We have been introduced to quite a lot of MCs and their different POVs in the first 20% of the book. Do you prefer one character/POV over the others or is it still too early to tell?

It's still a bit early to tell, but I do really love Nina so far. I want to know more about Kit, though, she seems interesting. And June seems awesome, too!

3. The writing has quite a contemporary feel to it, especially the 1983 timeline, which makes it easy to forget the book is actually set in the past. What's your opinion on the writing and the back and forth between the two timelines so far, and how does it compare to other TJR books you've read (if any)?

I'm loving the writing style so far! It's so easy to slip into a TJR novel because her writing is so accessible. I'm also a sucker for dual timelines, so I like that we're getting to see the relationship between June and Mick, as well. So far, I would have to say it's giving me a good vibe, but I don't know if it'll quite reach the same mark as Evelyn Hugo. We shall see.

4. "The story of June and Mick Riva seemed like a tragedy to their oldest child, Nina. It felt like a comedy of errors to their first son, Jay. It was an origin story for their second son, Hud. And a mystery to the baby of the family, Kit. To Mick himself it was just a chapter of his memoir."
We don't really know how June and Mick's marriage post kids 1 + 2 went (and ended) yet, but from what we've learned about each of the siblings and their (love) lives so far, how do you think their parents' story has affected them after reading the quote above?

It makes sense that it would affect the Nina the most as she was the oldest. It also makes sense why she's taking her divorce hard. I'm not sure what happens between Mick and June, but it's clearly not good if he considers their relationship only 'a chapter in his memoir'. Nina as the eldest probably took whatever happens the hardest. And Jay has the kind of personality where he would try and see the funny side of things. As for Hud and Kit, I have less of a feel for those two, so I'm not sure.

I have a question about the series chain. Do the books need to be finished in sequential order, as well? Like, if I were reading the second book in a series, would I have to wait to finish until whoever is reading a first book in a series is done? I'm thinking the answer is no, but I wanted to make sure.

That's great to hear, Trinia! Hope his recovery continues smoothly :)

I love that there's so many possibilities in the new mini!

As for my reading plans, I'm definitely picking up Malibu Rising, so hopefully that can go towards Calliope. I'm also planning on reading Hide, which seems like a good word to throw into a tragedy title. I'm also planning on reading The Neverending Story, which has definitely been on my TBR more than a year. I'm not sure what else I'll be picking up, but I'm sure we can make it fit into one of these!

Vicky wrote: "Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Hopefully someone else gets that one! Maybe when it's down as a visual I'll get an aha moment. :)
"

This one is definitely visual! This is the idea, only with the..."

Thanks for the visual, Vicky! That one was definitely throwing me for a loop.

I just finished Cards on the Table, which would work for "greater than #9 in a series". Would it be okay to throw that in the planning sheet or should I leave the book that's already there?

DQs Day 5

19. What did you think about Ariadne's reaction when Phaedra confides in her regarding Hippolytus ? And Hippolytus' answer to Phaedra when she expresses her feelings to him ? Did you suspect it wasn't romantic love?

I would have had the exact same reaction if my sibling came to me and said they wanted to run away with their younger stepchild. Like... oh no, baby, what is you doing???? And Hippolytus at no point showed he reciprocated her feelings so I understand why he reacted the way that he did. It was a doomed situation all around. I think Phaedra never really got to experience love beyond a child's puppy love for a hero, so she lost her mind a little bit when she developed true feelings for someone. I half wonder if it was the gods messing with her, as well.

20. Ariadne and Theseus finally meet each other again after all these years. Was their reunion scene satisfactorily enough for you ?

Ya know, it was. Part of me wanted her to curse him to the depths of the sea, but I think her realizing that she is pretty much apathetic to him was even better. It shows that he held no power over her anymore. At least beyond that of a king.

21. We learn more about Dionysus: his worshippers and blood rites, his obsession with his status as an Olympian god, and his interaction with his brother, Perseus. Did your opinion about him change after those scenes ? Were you expecting his relationship with Ariadne to change like that ?

I kind of saw it coming because what god isn't obsessed with being worshipped? I knew his humble life of Naxos with Ariadne, his sons, and his small collection of worshippers wasn't going to satisfy him forever. I was not expecting them to be ripping up goats! And his weird thought that he truly had power over life and death? Yeah... that was never going to end well. And, once Ariadne saw it, it's no surprise that their relationship changed. It was the exact opposite of what she wanted and, though I think it was naïve of her to think a god would be okay with only a few followers, I get why her feelings changed when Dionysus got more power hungry.

22. What do you think about the way Phaedra's and Ariadne's stories ended ? Does it give enough closure or is there something you wish ended differently ?

Phaedra was doomed as soon as she decided she was going to declare her love to Hippolytus. She refused to listen to reason and ended up feeling such shame and fear that she saw no other alternative but ending her story. I wish it had gone differently for her, but her ending made sense. Ariadne's ending, however, made me want to flip a table. Why didn't she stay on the boat?! Why didn't she let Dionysus deal with the fallout and sail back to Naxos? Did she really think she could plead for mercy from Perseus right when he was on the brink of battle?! And she knew about his shield... why would she stare directly at it?! I know it was a heat of the moment kind of thing, but it still felt like such a cheap way for Ariadne to die. I mean, I know it's a Greek mythology retelling so that's just the way the cookie crumbles, but I still wanted her to live the rest of her life with her boys on her island paradise, dang it 😭

23. Did you enjoy the book ? If you had any expectations, did the book meet them ? Will you be reading more by this author ? She recently published another Greek mythology retelling: Elektra.

I did enjoy this book! I always enjoy when Greek mythology retellings bring the women involved to the forefront and this was no different. I liked the author's writing and I would definitely be interested in checking out more books by her. Elektra sounds like it would be incredible!

@Stacey - Have a great vacation!

Just dropping by to check in. I'm gonna be finishing up Ariadne today and then I need to decide what to pick up next! I was thinking maybe Jade City as I've been wanting to read that for ages.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend so far!

DQs Day 4:

15. What do you think about Dionysus' encounter with Hades, the god of the Underworld?

I thought that was an interesting story and one I hadn't heard before. I especially like that Dionysus' mom got to become a god. Take that, Hera.

16. It seems like Ariadne loves her life in Naxos, what do you think of her relationship with Dionysus?

It seems so out of the blue. I suppose Dionysus has loved a mortal before, but it feels like he chose Ariadne as his next love on a whim. I dunno... he's definitely better than Theseus and Ariadne deserves some happiness, but I feel like it's all going to come crashing down on her.

17. Ariadne is horrified by the bloody rites she witnesses between Dionysus, the maenads, and the resurrected goat. In attempting to understand the maenads’ participation, she reflects: “The ritual gave fearful shape to the anger and the grief that had driven so many of them here in the first place; they screamed and danced in their blood-soaked frenzy by night so that they could live serenely in the sunlight.” Does this explanation make sense to you?

Erm... I don't remember this being in the chapters I read for this section? Ariadne saw them washing blood off their clothes but that was it. I suppose I know what happened now 😂

18. Were you more drawn to Ariadne’s or Phaedra’s chapters? Why do you think the author chose to include both of their perspectives?

I liked them both in their own ways, but I have to admit to being more engaged when reading from Phaedra's POV. She has a strength of character that made me more invested in her tale. Ariadne is a quieter character and I still enjoyed reading from her POV, but I wasn't quite as captivated. I think the author chose to include both their POVs so that we could get the full scope of the myth and to provide contrasting views of everything that went down.

Trinia wrote: "Hey Gang...
just wanted to update y'all... my husband will be having surgery next week and I'll be busy getting him prepared and settled in afterwards. Still reading, just not as much as I would li..."

I hope your husband's surgery goes well, Trinia!

DQs Day 3

10) What did you think of Pasiphae’s response to the death of her son, the Minotaur?

I mean, he was her son, even if he was also a monster. I get her being sad. But I kind of agree with what that one, older advisor said to Phaedra. I think she's finally processing everything that happened to her and mourning all that she lost because of it.

11) Dionysus makes quite the entrance, doesn’t he? What are your thoughts on him and the interaction between him and Ariadne?

I want to like Dionysus, but I totally get why Ariadne is so hesitant to fully trust him. He seems nice and fun, but he's a god and they have proven time and again how cruel they can be to humans for the slightest reason. That entrance was pretty epic, tho. And at least he provides some company for poor Ariadne, even if she doesn't trust him.

12) Phaedra comes into her own in Athens. What do you think of her in her new life?

I love Phaedra so much. I love that she doesn't believe Theseus' lies about what happened to her sister. I love that she can see through his crap. I love how smart and strong-willed she is. My one fear is that she is going to try so hard to forget her sister in order to maintain her new life that she will legitimately forget her and stop trying to find answers.

13) We see many examples of the gods playing with mortals in this story; Pasiphae with the bull. King Midas and his golden touch, Hera causing Semele to burn. what do you think it would be like to live in a world where gods existed and interacted with humans?

Oh I would hate it, lol. You never know if some random person you accidentally slighted in some infinitesimal way would turn out to be a god in disguise. Then you're turned into a newt or some such nonsense because you scuffed their shoe. I don't need that kind of constant dread in my life! And let's not even talk about Zeus and his need to *ahem* get cozy with whomever he finds appealing that day, whether they want to or not. A world populated with gods interacting with mortals is not one I want to live in.

14) Do you think the sisters will find out the truth about one another? If so, any predictions on what will happen?

I think so? Dionysus said that he saw Phaedra sailing to Naxos in a mighty ship in a vision, so I have to assume that they will meet again. I just don't know if Phaedra will have discovered the truth of things or if she'll even recognize her sister at that point. And, now that I'm thinking about it, Dionysus didn't say that Ariadne was still around in this vision... I dunno, I suppose I'm hoping for the best, but expecting the worst, lol.

DQs Day 2

5. Have you heard of Theseus before? What do you think of his backstory, does it compare with other well-known Greek heroes like Hercules and Achilles? Do you think it fits his humble and collected demeanor in the previous chapter?

I know a little of Theseus, though not as much as I know about the other heroes you mentioned. Theseus in this book came across as super full of himself to me 😂 I did enjoy hearing his story, though. He's a good storyteller!

6. I don’t know about you, but “insta-love” stories royally annoy me. Ariadne spends a significant part of these chapters reveling in her undying and world-changing love and devotion to someone she just met. Do you think this is realistic, or just a cheap plot ploy from the author?

Typically, I also hate insta-love. But when I consider the source material... it tracks. It doesn't make a lick of sense, but it tracks. That didn't stop me from rolling my eyes so hard I gave myself a headache, though. Like, Ariadne, girl... get it together.

7. Why do you think Theseus left Ariadne on the island with no heads up whatsoever? How do you feel about her thoughts and actions, as she processes this new reality?

I have to admit, I don't remember this part of the Greek myth, so I have no idea. I'm currently leaning towards "Because he's a giant #$@hole". I feel like she's reacting exactly as a princess who betrayed her people and abandoned her home because she thought she would be safe with this man who then abandoned her would react. In other words, not very rationally, though I am proud of her for having the presence of mind to ration the supplies left to her.

8. During the "great escape", Phaedra is left behind - do you think it was by accident, or purposefully (and if so, why)? Do you think it was wise of her to return to the Palace?

Oh, Theseus most definitely did that on purpose. He was already planning on leaving Ariadne stranded on a deserted island... I'm sure that would have been much harder to do if Phaedra had tagged along. I think Phaedra could have played it off like she wasn't a part of the escape, but I'm glad there was the distraction of Daedalus' escape to help make sure no one even noticed she was gone.

9. A common theme in Greek mythology is the linear progression of Fate - from Hubris (thinking and acting as if one is a God), to Atis (blindness of one’s puny nature, leading the mortal to commit an unforgivable or insulting act), to Nemesis (the anger and revenge of the Gods), and finally Tisis (the mortal’s punishment). Where have you noticed this process so far? Where do you think Nemesis will strike next?

I dunno, maybe Hubris will come for Theseus. He certainly thinks highly of himself and I can only imagine it'll get worse after this. But Ariadne might be caught in the crossfire since she is currently hiding in a possible god's secret island getaway. What if said god comes back? I can't imagine that would go well so maybe that's where Nemesis will come into play.

DQs Day 1

1. Excited about the book, or just here for the points? Were you familiar with the myths behind the story before starting this book?

I got this book from Book of the Month back in May 2021, so I'm definitely excited to read it! Though I'm a bit shame-faced that it took me so long, haha. I am familiar with the myth of Theseus and the part Ariadne played. I'm excited to see how the author plays around with the myth!

2. "Let me tell you a story..." I don't know about you, but I love opening lines like that. Do you have a favourite opening line? Have you ever bought a book on the strength of the opening line alone? (I have!)

I'm notorious for being a cover-buyer, so I usually don't even open the book to read the opening line 😂 I did love the opening line in this, though, and agree it was a great way to start the story. Especially since it's a Greek myth retelling and it harkens back to oral storytelling, to me.

3. Asterion: The early years. I bet no-one was fooled by the few paragraphs of almost sweet baby and toddler descriptions: This was always going to end with a monster in a maze of course.
But do you think it served well as a way to establish Ariadne's character?

I think it served to show that the gods are kind of awful. That they were curse this innocent to become a monster just cause they don't like Minos. I also think it helped to establish the type of woman Ariadne would become.

4. What do you think of the writing so far? There's a lot of description and narration and very little dialogue, which tries in with the idea that Ariadne is telling the story to the reader. It allows for a lot more depth and detail than more dialogue-heavy storytelling does. Is that a style you enjoy, or do you prefer the faster pace of a book that is more about character interaction?

I'm really enjoying the writing, so far. It invokes mythology in my mind because of how, like you said, it's Ariadne telling us a story. I don't mind that's not particularly dialogue-heavy because I feel like we're getting very in tune with Ariadne as a character. And, since the book is about her part in this myth, I'm happy about that.

Hello, all! I hope everyone had a good weekend/long weekend if in the US. Back to work today, but I got a lot of reading done this weekend! Finally started on Ariadne and I'm nearly finished with The Picture of Dorian Grey for our Battleship game. I'll take a peek through my TBR to see if I have any books that might help with our new monsters.

@Jax - As someone who has been to Shaker Heights, OH, I think it definitely counts as a suburb!

@Vicki - Thanks for updating the monster tabs! It's a big help when trying to figure out how my reads might fit.

@Erin - Ugh, our poor pup spent most of the weekend hiding in his crate because of neighbors and fireworks, so I know how you feel. Hopefully they didn't go on too long.

Louise wrote: "Kerri wrote: "I have a question. How specific does the mention of a volcano have to be? Because there is a group of islands that were created by a volcano in Fevered Star and it is ..."

Awesome! I updated the spreadsheet.

I have a question. How specific does the mention of a volcano have to be? Because there is a group of islands that were created by a volcano in Fevered Star and it is mentioned in the story. Would that work?

That is a lot to happen all at once, Trinia! Sending you, your aunt, and your husband my best wishes.