Preeti’s Comments (group member since Sep 26, 2021)

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

Book: The Test by Sylvain Neuvel
Date Read: Aug 5
Page Count: 108


Weapon:
Pg. 21: Guns and impunity.

Shelter:
Red on the cover

Food:
White cover

Defense:
Author’s initials SN can be found in DEFENSE

2: Author’s initials SN in MASONRY DEFENSE
3: white cover, Author’s initials SN in GENERAL ELECTRONICS
4: Author’s initials SN in FISHING
6: Author’s initials SN in TRANSPORTATION
8: white cover
9: Author’s initials SN in GRAIN PULSES
10: Black Text on cover
12: Black Text on cover
14: Author’s initials SN in POLITICS COMMUNICATION, Set in London.

Christian Kane!

Sammy wrote: "

It's a sad day... today we bid farewell to two of our semi-finalists. Tom, and Tom.

Bye Tom, and Tom. 😢

Tune in tomorrow for the grand Finale of the First Annual Thirst Games!

May the odds..."

Book: Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha #1) by Tomi Adeyemi
Date Read: Aug 3
Page Count: 544


Weapon:
Pg. 9: Though we’re only young girls, he keeps his hand on the pommel of his sword.

Shelter:
Red on the cover

Food:
Pg. 377: Savory meat pies and sweet plantain pass under our noses as vibrant music and thundering drums reverberate through our skin.

Defense:
Character who is a soldier: Admiral Kaea

1: RICH in title, #1 in series
3: Author’s initials TA in GENERAL ELECTRONICS
6: Author’s initials TA in TRANSPORTATION
10: Black cover
11: Author’s initials TA in AGRICULTURE
12: Black cover
Capitol: Author’s initials TA in POLITICS COMMUNICATION

Same here, please and thanks. Sponsor points to Tom Hiddleston.
My last vote: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

(P.S. Is a link to one previous vote enough? I can add my other vote links if required.)

I have updated my completion post for Kiki's Delivery Service to include the district tasks it works for.

Book: The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo
Date Read: Aug 2
Page Count: 387


Weapon:
Pg. 140: an ornamental sword at his hip

Shelter:
Red on the cover

Food:
Pg. 9: She’d had to sing over the cheese, the cabbage, and the almonds to make up for the lost money

Defense:
Features many characters who are inquisitors

1: Jewellery (luxury items) on the cover
10: Black cover
11: FARM in title
12: Black cover
Capitol: Set in Madrid

Tom Hiddleston!

Preeti’s BOM Participation Post:

Day 1: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 2: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 3: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo - Day 3

Chapters 24 - 33

9. We keep hearing how people smell. Luzia of orange blossoms, Perez of plums and amber. Why do you think the author keeps mentioning this? Do the smells mean more than just an odour?

I have absolutely no clue. With Luzia, it makes sense as every time the fragrance is noted, it is when she has been performing some kind of spell so it could be that it is an after-effect. But with Perez, to my recollection, it was only referred to once and to be honest, I didn’t pay much attention to it.

10. We are over halfway through the book. What has been your favourite part/scene/person/line so far?

There have been some interesting bits and a few lines that I found interesting while reading but sadly, none that caught my attention so much that I remember them now. My favourite character so far has definitely been the Holy Child, Teoda Halcón. She reminds me of the child in the Emperor’s New Clothes.

11. Valentina and Marius seem to be rekindling their marriage, finding love where there wasn't before. Why do you think the author is adding that part of the story when she could have left it out?

Why do I get the feeling that this is only included to show Valentina that what she thought was the only thing missing in her relationship with Marius, love, was not so?

12. Now we are over halfway and know more of Luzia, the competition and this world. Why do you think the publisher and possibly the author chose this cover over any other possibilities? If you could remake the cover, what would you want it to look like?

The cover is what had me interested in the book. It reminds me of many paintings of the time which looked like a collection of random items but actually contained not only hidden messages but entire narratives.

Keely wrote: "Preeti wrote: "Book: Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便 [Majo no Takkyūbin] #1) by Eiko Kadono (43868 words)
Date Read: Aug 1
Page Count: 208


Shelter:
Red..."

Done. ☺️

Book: Kiki's Delivery Service (魔女の宅急便 [Majo no Takkyūbin] #1) by Eiko Kadono (43868 words)
Date Read: Aug 1
Page Count: 208


Shelter:
Red on the cover

Food:
One of the characters, Osono, is a baker.

Defense:
Blue cover

1: Set in Japan
4: Blue cover, Blue text on cover
6: Blue cover, Broom on the cover which the MC uses to travel
10: Author’s initials EK in LIVESTOCK

Tom Ellis!

July



Book: Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries #6) by Martha Wells - Jul 2
No. Of Pages: 168

Book: Compulsory (The Murderbot Diaries #0.5) by Martha Wells - Jul 2
No. Of Pages: 8

Book: Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory (The Murderbot Diaries #4.5) by Martha Wells - Jul 2
No. Of Pages: 19

Book: So Sure of Death (Liam Campbell #2) by Dana Stabenow - Jul 3
No. Of Pages: 308

Book: Nothing Gold Can Stay (Liam Campbell #3) by Dana Stabenow - Jul 4
No. Of Pages: 350

Book: Better to Rest (Liam Campbell #4) by Dana Stabenow - Jul 5
No. Of Pages: 308

Book: The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (The Doomsday Books #1) by K.J. Charles - Jul 6
No. Of Pages: 331

Book: Dracula by Bram Stoker - Jul 9
No. Of Pages: 488

Book: Lady Osbaldestone’s Plum Puddings (Lady Osbaldestone's Christmas Chronicles #3) by Stephanie Laurens - Jul 11
No. Of Pages: 212

Book: My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh - Jul 12
No. Of Pages: 289



Book: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel - Jul 14
No. Of Pages: 339

Book: Ella's Ice-Cream Summer (The Ice-Cream Café #1) by Sue Watson - Jul 14
No. Of Pages: 334

Book: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2) by Suzanne Collins - Jul 15
No. Of Pages: 391

Book: The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer - Jul 16
No. Of Pages: 305

Book: A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books #2) by K.J. Charles - Jul 17
No. Of Pages: 336

Book: Lady Osbaldestone's Christmas Intrigue (Lady Osbaldestone's Christmas Chronicles #4) by Stephanie Laurens - Jul 18
No. Of Pages: 308

Book: One by One by Freida McFadden - Jul 23
No. Of Pages: 295

Book: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins - Jul 24
No. Of Pages: 390

Book: One by One (Professor Maxie Reddick Files #1) by Helen Bridgett - Jul 25
No. Of Pages: 385

Book: The Ghostly Grounds: Murder and Breakfast (Canine Casper Cozy Mystery #1) by Sophie Love - Jul 26
No. Of Pages: 198



Book: The Book That Wouldn’t Burn (The Library Trilogy #1) by Mark Lawrence - Jul 27
No. Of Pages: 559

Book: You Like It Darker by Stephen King - Jul 28
No. Of Pages: 484

My Jul Total: 6805

Running Total: 1,226,548

New Group Total: = 1,233,353

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo - Day 2

Chapters 13 - 23

5. Luzia’s refranes combine elements from diverse cultural traditions, creating a powerful form of magic tied to her Jewish heritage. Does the portrayal of Luzia’s magic suggest that blending different cultural traditions enhances personal power and resistance, or does it emphasize the delicate balance and possible loss of identity in such a blend?

I think the fact that the blend is so very seamless shows how much of similarities there are between cultural traditions around the world. Having said that, I also think if all cultures are not given the same amount of respect, there is a distinct possibility of some of them dying out all together. We see that in many places that have been colonised and had their traditions and histories almost wiped out.

6. Characters like Valentina and Hualit demonstrate varying levels of ambition and moral compromise on their paths to security and success. Is pursuit of personal safety and financial security a justifiable reason for ethical compromises, or should ambition be tempered with moral integrity?

Moral integrity is, in my opinion, one of if not the most important things to keep intact. But it easy to make such statements when one is safe and secure. If it comes down to choosing between morals and survival, the latter will always have more of an impact on what people choose to do.

7. Have you done other reading set in late-16th-century Spain? If not, are you having any problems following the political intrigues and social mores? What’s your favorite time period to read for historical fiction?

I don’t think I have read anything set during that period. I have a slight understanding of what was happening in that part of the world so have been finding it relatively easy to place the story within the larger picture. This does, however, make me want to read a bit more about that part of the world.

8. What do you make of Santángel? At one point we get the line, “And Santángel would be free.” Free from what, do you think?

I thought it was interesting that the author chose that name as there was a person in real life called Luis de Santángel who lived in Spain in the late 15th century and was a 3rd generation “converso” whose grandfather converted from Judaism to Christianity. When I read that line, the first thing that came to mind was that there might be an understanding between Don Victor and Santángel that once a suitable replacement was found, Santángel would be freed from whatever contract there was between his family and that of Don Victor’s that had him bound to them.

Nosy bonus question. Are you reading this book for historical fiction, for fantasy, for romance, and/or for DQ points for your BG team? 😉
The combination of historical fiction and fantasy as well as the setting means I would have wanted to read this book even without the DQs but that it was selected as the BOTM translated into it getting read a bit faster rather than it joining my ever-growing TBR list and getting read some day in the future… hopefully.

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo - Day 1

Chapters 1 - 12

1. Although Valentina feels shame in her actions to confront Luzia and her magic she still threatens her to use it at her dinner party. What were your thoughts and do you feel bad for Valentina and her desperation?

While I don’t agree with her methods, I can understand Valentina’s actions as those to her seemed her only way to get back some control over her life. She has a great deal of ambition but no resources to make her dreams happen.

2. Valentina did not want Luzia to leave the house and gave her extra chores. Why do you think Valentina did not want Luzia to leave the house?

Valentina is a prisoner of her circumstances and to me it felt that her heaping chores on Luzia to prevent her from leaving the house was partly out of jealousy of Luzia’s relative freedom and partly from the fear that she might not return.

3. How did using music and song to make Luzia magic work make you feel or think of.

I think the music helped Luzia focus her mind and also gave her magic structure and a direction to follow.

4. Don Victor(De Paredes) shows up at Casa Ordobos to make sure Luzia has a room with and even hints at having her join him if not. Why do you think having Luzia in her own room benefits either of them?

This looked like Don Victor showing his upper position where it came to the power dynamics within Casa Ordobos. By insisting on Luzia having her own room thereby changing the order in the house, he demonstrates that his opinions matter more than those of the members of the household. It would also help him with having privacy if and when he wanted to make any moves on Luzia.

Maria Jo wrote: "It really irritates me when people don't return library books. I was really excited about reading The Book That Wouldn’t Burn, and I've had it on hold since it was announced as one ..."

Hi. Do you have Storytel where you live? The audiobook is available there and they do a two-week free trial.
Everand also has the audiobook and the ebook and does a 30 day free trial.

Christian Kane!

Laura wrote: "@Preeti - am I missing your comments on the Mockingjay buddy read? I can't seem to find them and they aren't linked on the spreadsheet."

Nope. I haven't yet added them. Somehow every time I have sat down to write them over the last week, something has come up that needed to be taken care of immediately. I will add them today, latest by tomorrow.
This time, I definitely will not forget as I have post-its stuck everywhere to remind me. ☺️

Book: You Like It Darker by Stephen King
Date Read: Jul 28
Page Count: 484


Weapon:
Pg. 101: He also has a KBI badge on his belt, but isn’t carrying a gun.

Food:
Orange on the cover

Defense:
Green, blue and brown on the cover