Rebecca’s Comments (group member since Nov 01, 2011)

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

Sonia - #25 I THOUGHT THE SAME THING. It was killing me to come here and blab on and on. SO stressful and yet now I'm completed hooked!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Chapters 10 - 12 DAY 6

23. Did Claire actually fall in love with Paul or was she just so afraid of being alone? She cheated on him multiple times, is that "being in love?" She took care of him in the hospital, but was that guttural fear just because she can't be alone?
This relationship is very hard to figure out. She says over and over that she loves him and she can't live without him (two different things really) and is utter non-functioning when he is gone. I think she did love him. He was kind to her and took care of her and she in return WANTED to take care of him. To her that is the ultimate love. I think her cheating was something she pushed to the side as just fulfilling a need (like eating) and to her it had nothing to do with her love for Paul (I'm not agreeing with this logic, but it was her POV).

24. Do you think Lydia really forgives Claire for choosing Paul over her? Do you think Claire forgives herself?
I don't think Lydia can truly forgive her yet. I think the desperate emotions going through the both of them are making them desperately cling to each other. I'm not saying that Lydia CAN'T forgive her, but it seems too soon to suddenly forgive and move on. I definitely don't think Claire forgives herself....there is too much going on for her even to process everything really.

25. Do you find yourself yelling at the book? Things like GET OUT OF THE HOUSE or CALL THE FBI AND STOP STRAGGLING! What do you find yourself saying or thinking?
YES! First of all, the slow looking around the house that has CLEARLY been lived in recently...BYE. LEAVE. Call someone else. Also, as soon as Claire went into the garage DRIVE AWAY IMMEDIATELY and then call for help. Don't sit around and wait. Even when I didn't know Paul was alive, they know other people are involved so even without Paul there is so much danger. GAH DUMB!! That's me (and my husband was giving me super strange looks and even jumped once when I yelled.)

26. Do you think Paul's father started this or do you think this started long before him? Do you think it goes so deep as to include politicians and law enforcement?
I think someone mentioned that it felt like a weird brotherhood/cult thing and I'm starting to agree. I think his father got into it from someone else and passed it onto Paul. It seems almost too professional to just be something that Paul's father decided to do one day....but I guess serial killers can be like that. I think it definitely includes politicians and law enforcement. Mayhew should easily be able to connect the videos to Anna, but said they were fake. Maybe he just didn't want to bring Claire into it. Also I'm thinking the FBI is also looking for whatever is on the USB that Paul wants.

27. SO MUCH WAS REVEALED IN THIS SECTION! Questions were answered, loose ends were tied up. Did you expect Paul to be alive? Is he telling the truth about being purely a distributor?
From the first I thought Paul was still alive...but then I thought he wouldn't fake his death if he had such incriminating files on his computer and in his house....there for anyone to see. I guess his situation was so desperate that he didn't care and will be in hiding forever. Or whatever is on the flash drive is enough to blackmail himself free?

I believe Paul when he said he's just the distributor...he seems too smart to be the one actually torturing and murdering people. We will see though...

The Nine Worlds in Norse Mythology Mini-Challenge

I've only completed a couple books so far, but here's where they fit!

Asgard
- Read a book with plenty of sky on the cover
[bookcover:The Mapping of Love and Death]

Midgard
- Read a book where someone bites
Library of Souls

Alfheim
- Read book with beautiful cover
[bookcover:The Heir]

Steven wrote: "Not if he DID do that, but then spent the rest of his life trying to make up for it. I dunno. Maybe just I'm too hopeful lol!"

I would love to have hope for Paul. Maybe the author is reeling us into so much hate for him, that we will be completely blind-sided to find out he is innocent.

I now don't think Paul faked his death....though it would have followed with his controlling nature. I just think he would have done a better job of covering everything up if he was going to pretend to be dead.

Well now I'm hooked and totally creeped out (starting chapter 10 now).

Discussion Questions for Chapters 8-iv

18. Claire's crime is now known. Were you surprised? Does it seem in character?
I'm not surprised, because I didn't think it was anything like murder or drugs, so assault seems possible. Also when she took her tennis racket too everything in the garage...that clued me it that she isn't totally bland and calm about everything. Also, when she explained why she did it.....I'm not surprised at all or all that upset about it. What a horrible thing for a women to say ABOUT ANOTHER WOMEN!! Ugh it makes me sick

19. Paul now seems to be a terrible character - serial rapist, stalker, hard core pornographer, bigamist, kidnapper? murderer? Do you think someone with that much to hide could really have kept everything from his wife? Is Claire going to start having A-ha moments as she researches his life?
I don't know. I can't decide if he really did all these terrible things or if maybe he was just obsessed with rape (also super creepy). It seems pretty obvious that he did...but I'm expected many twists and turns in this story. I can believe he kept it from his wife, there have been many terrible people in history whose families could not believe it. Claire admits that they basically have separate lives and maybe that's why she could miss it. She doesn't seem like the suspicious type, which maybe worked in his favor. I think she will definitely have more"Ah-ha" moments....whether they are true or not is a different story.

20. I haven't read a lot of Slaughter novels, but those that I have read always seem to have dirty cops. How careful do you think the author has to be navigating Atlanta? Does she get arrested daily by angry cops? :D Sorry, my original question was almost exactly like #15. :D
I've never read any novel by her, but I think there is a dirty cop here. I think maybe FBI Fred isn't dirty (but super creepy), but pissed off that Paul is so rich that he can get away with ANYTHING and definitely thinks Claire knows about it. Mayhem might be dirty....or he's covering up an investigation. Or something is amiss. I think Slaughterhouse probably has to be careful what she does....but I think most cops can see it as fiction? Hopefully?

21. Anna Kilpatrick - she was killed and dumped. Why weren't the other women, Julia included, found in the same way?
So if Paul was "in on it" then maybe he found a better way to hide their bodies forever. It seemed like an act of desperation on the murderer's part. But, now that he is dead...maybe his accomplice (the murderer perhaps) wanted to be rid of the body quickly and just dumped her.

22. Ben Carver - involved in Julia's case or just a red herring? And did I miss something or is the quote in the Dr. Seuss book not explained yet.
I didn't understand the Dr. Seuss quote at all. I think it was more ravings of Sam...putting the quote together with his daughter in some garbled way. I don't think Ben Carver is involved in the case at all, especially since Anna has since be abducted.

Sophie wrote: "Added to shelf now.

Had a v slow weekend as have had a splitting headache for the last 2 days. Hoping it sorts out soon so I can get back to reading and enjoying life.

Struggling not just to fini..."

I would just continue reading it. I think most people will finish it early and go back and answer the questions each day.

Discussion Questions - Chapters 5-7 (Day 3)

13) Now that we're almost a third into the story, how are you enjoying it?
I like it, but it's going in a very dark direction. I don't really want to read this at night before bed or when I'm home alone. I still don't love or hate anyone in the book so it's hard to connect with them. I'm dying to know what happened, but also am a little afraid to find out.

14) Why do you think Adam is pushing so much for the files Paul had? Do you think it has anything to do with the embezzling or the videos Claire found?
I think it has to do with the embezzling. It seems like all this hidden stuff is just hitting Claire in the face wam wam wam. Maybe to forced her to investigate or to bring her back to her sister.

15) What do think of Captain Mayhew? Did you think his asking about all the possible places copies of the videos could be was suspicious?
I think it was suspicious. It almost seemed like he was expecting Claire to bring in those photos. Of corse I like him more than the FBI agent. Maybe he's investigating the videos and the FBI the embezzling.


16) Why do you think Paul had Lydia under surveillance every year? Do you think he was obsessing after the one that escaped from him or that he felt guilty for what he tried to do?
I do not think he felt guilty. I think he was a psychopath and was stalking her because he liked control. She rejected him and took the power so he needed it back.

17) Do you think the videos that Claire found are real? If so, who do you think is the man in them (since Claire ruled out Paul)?
I think they're real. If not, why have the same 2 people each time? I have this weird theory that the man running for Senator (who keeps getting mentioned offhandedly is the man in the video. Paul finds out and is using it to black mail him (maybe the 3 mil). Who knows.

Discussion Questions - 13 Nov (Day 2)

8) the opening scene between Paul and Claire indicated they had a happy marriage but it seems that there were many secrets in Claire's life with Paul, do you think they were as happy together as it seemed at the start? It was too good to be true. I thought in the first scene when she was flirting with the bartender that something was wrong.
I think she loved her husband but was constantly cheating on him. It seems like she thought she could do both. I wonder if he was getting revenge on her by trying to have her kidnapped.

9) what do you think Claire had done to have an ankle monitor and now be on parole? She doesn't seem like the kind of person that would be on parole. My first thought was drugs, or drunken behavior..
My first thought was also alcohol (maybe s couple DUIs) but when she said she was encouraged not to drink but wasn't forbidden so then I wasn't sure. Maybe something with illegal taxes or money? Since she didn't go to jail but had an ankle bracelet. From her grandmas comments it seems like she assaulted one of her tennis friends. Maybe she was sleeping with her husband?

10) do you think the burglary of her house had anything to do with her husband's murder? Probably so. Too coincidental not to. I think there's something strange about it, but maybe the author was just using it as a way for Claire to find the weird video. Or maybe they're targeting her because she's rich. Or they're covering something up to do with Pauls death. Too many possibilities.

11) what are your thoughts about the video Claire found. Wow! Hard to imagine someone you loved would be into that sort of thing, and you didn't have a clue. I cannot even imagine finding them, especially after her husband is dead and gone. I would be extremely worried, but at the same time what can she do about it? He's gone and there's no use tarnishing her memory of him now.

12) given Lydia's history of lying, stealing and drug abuse, do you think it was understandable that her family didn't believe her about Paul's assault years ago? It seemed unusual to me that they would choose to exclude her from their family, even if she did make it up. The mother doesn't impress me much. Although, people with drug problems will do a lot to feed their habit. I'm not sure how this would have helped Lydia.
This is really tough because I absolutely believe her since she is narrating this story and has been honest at least in her personal thoughts. So it's hard for me not to be absolutely angry that her family didn't believe her basically cut her from their lives!!! I can see where they were going through so much emotionally that maybe it was easier to believe she was lying as usual, but that's not really an excuse. It's such a tough situation, but I think they should have at least listened to her and even if they didn't believe her they shouldn't have shut her out. Also I agree I don't like Helen at all.

I agree. I love doing the BOM DQs but I always forget where the stoppages are for each day.... And with a thriller if you go ahead you may have more answer for the DQs if you know too much.

I agree. I love doing the BOM DQs but I always forget where the stoppages are for each day.... And with a thriller if you go ahead you may have more answer for the DQs if you know too much.

I'm reading pretty girls but who knows when I'll be done. About 18% in right now

Discussion Questions Day 1 Chapter i-2

Q1) How do feel about the opening commentary ?
Totally creepy and made me dying to know what happened!! Also really sad that such a terrible thing happened and that the parents were unable to cope with it and lost their marriage on top of it.

Q2) What is your first impression ? Do you like the alternating view points or do you find them irritating ?
I don't mind alternating view points (usually), but I think in this novel it's going to annoy me because I'll be dying to find out what happens next....which must be the authors way of keeping us hanging on.

Q3) What did you make of Paul's behaviour ? Why did he go into the alley
I was very confused by it. I had a feeling that he was in on Claire's kidnapping. The first day without her ankle bracelet....he took her in to a dark alley (uncharacterstically)....her phone is taken (no GPS) and then she is kidnapped? Hmmm I'm suspicious.

Q4) What is your impression of Claire and her general attitude ?
Hmm I think I actually like her. We haven't seen much of her, but I am surprised by anyone who is arrested and can be so nonchalant about it. I wonder what she was accused of and if it was a mistake (which apparently it's not because I think she would be more outraged by it).

Q5) What do you think of Lydia 's reaction to the news about Paul ?

Q6) The book's synopsis tells us the connection between Claire and Lydia. Do you think you would have made the connection from these initial introductions?
I don't think I would have connected them. Right now it seems like the only connection is possibly Paul. Maybe Paul was an old boyfriend of Lydia who then married Claire? I guess that could still be true even as they are sisters.

Q7) Do you like any of the characters we have met so far?
Hmm I think it's too soon to tell. I don't hate anyone yet but I don't particularly love them either.

Karen - I'm also thinking Paul's death was faked. How does someone go from robbing a couple to killing one or them? I'm so suspicious of him and I think it's easy to fake something like that (maybe it's too many spy tv shows I watch).

Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs
458 pages (hardcover)
Published: Sept 22, 2015
3rd in series

Characters - Addison, Emma, Jacob, Sharon, Myron, Nim, Kim, Caul, Alma, Olive, Bronwyn, Horace, Claire, Bentham
First word: The
Animals (not pets): Talking dog, Bear
Magical people, Evil creatures, Kidnapping, time travel, slavery, drugs, someone dies
Setting: present and unknown time
11 chapters
Quote at beginning

I'm in and I volunteer for DQs (Team Loki)

Stacie is a machine for reading wrote: "You guys are amazing! I get squeamish at removing a splinter!"

Oh I am too! Anything to do with blood, etc freaks me out (except when it's not human for some reason) which makes me coworkers laugh.

What a smarty-pants group we have here!

I cannot imagine doing eye surgery... Or any surgery for that matter. My hands have gotten steadier with more and more eye dissections, but I would be terrible to operate on someone's eye!! Most surgeons I know don't even drink coffee because they can't risk shaky hands. That's also something I couldn't live without!

Taryn wrote: "RebeccaS wrote: "Taryn wrote: "RebeccaS wrote: "Taryn wrote: "Ooh that's awesome! Research is amazing. I worked in a lab for years, and loved it. Missed the outdoors though. My job now has both an ..."

Have you ever tried planting in pots? I did that at my last house and it actually worked wonderfully. For anyone without a ton of "garden" space I definitely recommend it.

Taryn wrote: "RebeccaS wrote: "Taryn wrote: "Ooh that's awesome! Research is amazing. I worked in a lab for years, and loved it. Missed the outdoors though. My job now has both an outdoor and a lab component, so..."

I would love a garden! I tried to plant one when I first moved to this house, but our back patio (no yard) is completely shaded by our neighbor's tree!! So I have all the tools and will be ready when I move again to plant a vegetable garden. My mom has a huge one! It must be awesome to just go outside and pick something from the garden whenever you need it!


Sophie - I do research with eye diseases and the immune system.