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

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

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/...
Day 4: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 5: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

DQs Day 5: Chapters 32 - End

19. I was excited that Louise and Mark were going to contact Aunt Gail. I liked meeting Barb. I was surprised that they could not really help, and suddenly, we were back where we started, in the creepy house with the puppets. Why do you think Barb and Aunt Gail were in the story?

I think they were there to show us a different perspective as well as to have Louise and Mark get more information about their family history, things that their parents had kept from them. I would like to think it was also a way to have Louise and Mark realise they weren’t as alone as they thought and that they did have people rooting for them.

20. I found the horror of Poppy’s plight with Pupkin to be the most concerning. Did you find the horror in this book effective? Which parts creeped you out the most?

I felt so bad for Poppy, that was a horrible experience to go through. There were lots of parts in the book that scared me but I think the parts that creeped me out the most were the needle in the eye, Louise being manipulated as a child, and Poppy going through the same experience.

21. Gary Hendrix is also known for his humor. I laughed out loud when the puppets got together to form a golem. What parts (if any) did you find humorous?

That was a welcome relief as I could picture it and it brought much needed levity to the story. There were lots of little funny bits sprinkled throughout the book and I think that it shows that the author knows when a break is required in the stream of horror.

22. I was shaking my head when Louise gave her daughter her stuffed animals. I would want no part of that house to be a part of my daughter’s life! How did you feel about that part?

Initially, I was very worried until I remembered the bit when she sees them hiding under her bed and realised that it must have taken great effort on their part not to be swept up by Pupkin’s control. I think it showed very clearly the love they had for her and I would want to protect them and have them build an equally loving relationship with my daughter.

23. How do you feel about the ending?

After everything that led up to it, it was pretty meh! But then I can’t think of any other way it could have gone except maybe have something happen that would leave an opening for future sequels to the book which is a technique I am to a large extent glad wasn’t used.

DQs Day 4: Chapters 23 - 31

14. After Mark's story, the siblings kind of bonded. What did you think of that and the hug. At that point of the story, did you feel like they were going to be unified or that it would be short-lived?

I think each finally became aware of what the other had gone through in their lives and therefore were in a better position to understand why each did and said the things they did. I had a feeling that this common experience was going to create an unbreakable bond between them that should and would have been there if those events hadn’t occurred.

15. So they made a plan to go back in and take care of Pupkin vs. just burning down the house? Why?? Pretend you don't know how that turned out - what would you have decided to do after they both shared their Pupkin experiences?

I think it makes sense that they would want to attack the root of the problems. The fact that Pupkin was locked away didn’t lessen his ability to create chaos so I don’t think burning the house would have served any purpose at all. Once I had identified Pupkin as the culprit behind all the crazy happenings, I think I would also have planned on stopping him.

16. The battle! I don't even know what to say other than I kept needing to put the book down. Did you expect this level of brutality? Would you have been able to cut off the arm?

That was SCARY! I had to stop reading this part in the night and wait until the middle of the next day to continue. I was expecting a good amount of blood and gore but it still had me scared silly when it did happen. I don’t think I would have been able to do any of the things Louise and Mark did.

17. Did you expect Pupkin to show back up like he did?

I was stunned and horrified at this part. Poppy’s father turned out to be a right idjit and reading what he did and said made me very happy Louise was no longer with him.

18. What did you think of Gail? If you haven't finished already, what do you think will happen?

When she first came into the story, I had a feeling she would play a bigger part at a later time.

Bonus: Are you systematically removing all puppets from your house now? If so, don't worry - they'll be back =O

I have never quite liked hand puppets. I think it is because I always associate them with Punch and Judy shows and have always preferred the tradition string puppets. I am never going to forget this book though and will not be able to look at puppets the same way ever again.

DQs Day 3: Chapters 16 - 22

10. Pupkin is,,, alive??? Okay, no big surprise there to be honest, but we did finally get some interesting background info from Louise and Mark's childhood, even if that's not how Louise remembers it. Do you think she really doesn't remember, has simply forgotten, due to trauma or it just having happened way too long ago, or does she remember but chooses not to acknowledge it? Or maybe Mark misremembers himself and it didn't even happen (that way at least)? They were both still very young after all, Mark especially. Is it possible to remember something that happened when you were only two years old?

I was expecting something like this but was still shocked when I did reach this part. Learning about what happened to Louise and Mark as kids helped make so much more sense with the way the two behaved around each other as well as why their parents did and said some of the things they did. I think the trauma of the event made Louise suppress all knowledge of it as a coping mechanism. As for remembering things at that age, I think it is very possible and depends on the individual.

11. The second perspective adds a new layer, however it only got added halfway through the book. Were you surprised we got Mark's POV at all, and would you have preferred for it to be there from the beginning of the book? Also, has this last section changed your opinion on him in any way? He did save Louise from Pupkin after all....

I think the second POV was at the perfect timing, just when we think we know everything, we get yet another reminder that maybe things aren’t as they seem. I had a feeling all along that we weren’t getting all the information about Mark and this part really helped learn us more about him and his life-path.

12. To me, the last chapter feels a bit like a fever dream, definitely like they were on drugs. I personally don't remember which MPGs the book has and don't want to check in case of 'spoilers' now, but do you think there's a possibility the house, our main characters, the puppets, the dolls, Pupkin, everything- isn't actually haunted and none of it is actually happening?? What if it's just a dream (which would be the worst ending ngl), mental problems like Louise wants to believe, or mold in the house that's effecting them like this plus possible drug use from Mark when he was away?

I did initially think that the ending would be something like us discovering that it had all been the imaginings of one or both of the characters. I was hoping it wasn’t going to be anything like that mainly because I was convinced Pupkin was not a figment of anybody’s imagination.

13. I can't help but wonder how the book is gonna end... If Pupkin is indeed an evil puppet come to life I only see one way it can be destroyed - fire. Do you think they'll end up burning down the entire house (although Hill House (in the show at least) wouldn't let itself be burned down either, so who knows if that would work), or will the dolls and puppets take over? What do you predict will happen in the rest of the book?

At this point I think anything can happen. I am expecting a big showdown and am curious to see what the dolls and puppets do at that time.

DQs Day 2: Chapters 8 - 15

6. Were you expecting those wills? Why do you think both parents were so unfair on the kids?

There was just something in the way the relationships between the parents and the two children was described that had me expecting something odd to happen so I wasn’t entirely surprised by the wills. I think it reflects what each of the parents thought of the two kids.

7. Yikes! killer stuffed squirrels! The first violent haunting here, was it effective?

Yikes indeed! I don’t think I would have been as (relatively) calm as Louise in dealing with them. This was a scary but effective way to show the readers what to expect going forward.

8. Despite the various creepy things that Louise has experienced, she's refusing to let her aunt exorcise the house. Would you still be hanging onto rational reasons over accepting family help?

Somehow I got the feeling that it was more that Louise didn’t want her aunt to get to know some of the things that had been shoved deep down and hidden both figuratively and literally. In Louise’s shoes, I might also want to maintain control of what was going on and would be worried about what somebody else would learn just by being there.

9. We've had more insight into the childhood of Mark and Louise. Does this change your opinion of either of them?

I think the author has done an excellent job of making us create these images of Mark and Louise in our minds and just as we think we have got them pegged, he does an about turn and makes us rethink all our previous notions. I quite enjoyed the fact that throughout the book we are being shown how much damage preconceived ideas can cause.

DQs Day 1: Chapters 1 - 7

1. What are your first impressions of the family and of Louise and Mark? How pivotal do you think their relationship (or lack thereof) will play in the story.
Aside: I plan to steal and use the phrase "Terminal Assholism" in future. Thank you Hendrix!

I feel that the relationship between the family members is going to be a large part of the plot and that we are being told that this is a dysfunctional family with a lot of secrets not just from the world but from each other as well. My guess is that we are going to learn why they became what they did.
I agree… “Terminal Assholism” is an awesome phrase, one I see myself utilising a lot from henceforth.

2. The book is organized into sections following the 5 stages of grief. Does this impact your expectations of the book at all?

To be honest, initially, I didn’t notice this but once I did, things made a lot more sense. I think the chapter headings act as route markers that have us aware to a certain limit of where the author is taking us.

3. Okay. Life size dolls named after her children. Weird, creepy? Would you be excited to have them as part of your inheritance?

Now I love dolls of every kind but even I would have been completely creeped out getting ones like them. I would so not want to have anything to do with them let alone having them be bequeathed to me.

4. Have you ever experienced a family post-death squabble/fight like the one Louise and Mark had in front of the junk clean out guys?

I have never seen a fight quite like that but I have noticed that a death in a family, particularly a large family and even more so one with pre-existing issues will have all these problems rising to the surface and many petty squabbles starting up.

5. Did anyone else google Fellowship of Christian Puppeteers? If so, were you surprised to find they were a real organization? Has anyone interacted with them before or a similar organization for other religious beliefs? [note: please keep responses respectful to people's beliefs, this is a safe space]

I had never heard of this organisation so I did have to do a bit of research and found it interesting to read about them. I wasn’t surprised at all to see puppets being used as there are many cultures around the world that used puppets and dolls as methods to pass on stories of religion and culture from generation to generation.

The first two books of the Phineas Fox series by Sarah Rayne have musical instruments on the covers. Sadly, they seem to only work for P for the series and MC name.

Beth wrote: "I noticed that lines 36 and 45 on the Temp sheet have the same book."

Sorry, that's me. I was just so excited to find a book with both an E and an O that I added it, forgot all about it and then added it again. I have deleted one of the entries.

Hi. We need more lines on the spreadsheet, please and thank you.

Melindam wrote: "A new spin might have fallen through a black hole, so here it is: 😜

>401 pages"

Thanks, Melinda! I thought I had posted the new spin but looks like I managed to forget to actually post it in the middle of adding all the new songs to my spotify playlist.🤦🏻‍♀️😊

Melindam wrote: "Preeti wrote: "P.S. Any recommendations of songs set in space would be highly appreciated. Thanks!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KPLH...

Thi..."

Thanks, Melinda! I have added them to my spotify playlist.

Melindam wrote: "Currently reading and listening to Haydn's London symphony."

What do you think of this book? I haven't read very many biographies and I have to read one for a challenge. My library has 3 Claire Tomalin biographies, this one, Samuel Pepys and Katherine Mansfield, and I couldn't decide which one to read.

Currently reading: A Fallen Empire Omnibus Books 1-3 (Fallen Empire #0.5–3) by Lindsay Buroker
Goodreads Rating (at present): 4.27

Listening to: Space Oddity by David Bowie
(not simultaneously because of the audiobook but in between when I had to stop for lunch)

Connection: Both are set in space. Also, there is a character in the book who feels quite alienated because of who he is.

P.S. Any recommendations of songs set in space would be highly appreciated. Thanks!

I completed an Oscar Wilde book and will be adding it in a little while.

October



Book: House Party Murder Rap (Evie Parker Mystery #1) by Sonia Parin - Oct 1
No. Of Pages: 186

Book: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #1) by Douglas Adams - Oct 4
No. Of Pages: 200

Book: The Forgetting Moon (The Five Warrior Angels #1) by Brian Lee Durfee - Oct 5
No. Of Pages: 800

Book: Death by Coffee (Bookstore Cafe Mystery #1) by Alex Erickson - Oct 6
No. Of Pages: 320

Book: The Thirteen Problems (Miss Marple #1) by Agatha Christie - Oct 7
No. Of Pages: 315

Book: A Play for Revenge (Starlight Cove #4) by Cynthia Ellingsen - Oct 9
No. Of Pages: 316

Book: The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle by Taryn Souders - Oct 12
No. Of Pages: 288

Book: Red Mars (Mars Trilogy #1) by Kim Stanley Robinson - Oct 13
No. Of Pages: 572

Book: The Inimitable Jeeves (Jeeves #2) by P.G. Wodehouse - Oct 15
No. Of Pages: 228

Book: Triptych (Will Trent #1) by Karin Slaughter - Oct 17
No. Of Pages: 518



Book: Right Ho, Jeeves (Jeeves #6) by P.G. Wodehouse - Oct 19
No. Of Pages: 257

Book: Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens - Oct 20
No. Of Pages: 918

Book: The Code of the Woosters (Jeeves #7) by P.G. Wodehouse - Oct 21
No. Of Pages: 302

Book: King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian by Marguerite Henry (33035 words) - Oct 21
No. Of Pages: 176

Book: Mirabel's Missing Valentines by Janet Lawler - Oct 22
No. Of Pages: 32

Book: The Clicking of Cuthbert (Golf Stories #1) by P.G. Wodehouse - Oct 23
No. Of Pages: 224

Book: Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1) by Jean Webster - Oct 24
No. Of Pages: 249

Book: A Damsel in Distress by P.G. Wodehouse - Oct 25
No. Of Pages: 256

Book: How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix - Oct 26
No. Of Pages: 451

Book: House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas - Oct 27
No. Of Pages: 803



Book: Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison - Oct 28
No. Of Pages: 336

Book: Basil and Oregano by Melissa Capriglione - Oct 28
No. Of Pages: 232

Book: Into a Canyon Deep: A Chris Black Adventure (Chris Black Adventure #1) by James Lindholm - Oct 31
No. Of Pages: 306

My Oct Total: 8295

Running Total: 1,567,038

New Group Total: = 1,575,333

Shelby wrote: "Anna, Preeti - I saw you guys read the BOM. Do you plan on participating in the discussion thread? Remember we need to answer 3 sets of questions in that thread in order to get the BOM bonus points."

Yes, I will be answering them and should have them posted in the next few days, definitely before the last date.

I am also reading the next one, Starter Villain. I bought the audible audiobook the day it was announced and am looking forward to it.

Thanks for the update, Vicky! I hope you have an excellent weekend.

I have added a book to the spreadsheet - The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra - which is mostly set in Varanasi in India.

NBRC - Serious Readers Challenge 2023 - Level 2 - Part 3

Level 1
Pt.1: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Pt 2: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Level 2
Pt. 1: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Pt. 2: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...



201. Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1) by Jean Webster - Oct 24
202. A Damsel in Distress by P.G. Wodehouse - Oct 25
203. How to Sell a Haunted House by Grady Hendrix - Oct 26
204. House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas - Oct 27
205. Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison - Oct 28
206. Basil and Oregano by Melissa Capriglione - Oct 28
207. Into a Canyon Deep: A Chris Black Adventure (Chris Black Adventure #1) by James Lindholm - Oct 31
208. The Secret of The Old Clock (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #1) by Carolyn Keene (35317 words) - Nov 1
209. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - Nov 2
210. Maybe a Mermaid by Josephine Cameron (54322 words) - Nov 3



211. The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra - Nov 4
212. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke - Nov 4
213. The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor - Nov 6
214. Tilly and the Map of Stories (Pages & Co. #3) by Anna James (65543 words) - Nov 8
215. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende - Nov 10
216. Eternal Hero (Omniverse Chronicles #1) by William Grace - Nov 11
217. A Fallen Empire Omnibus Books 1-3 (Fallen Empire #0.5–3) by Lindsay Buroker - Nov 11
218. Five on a Treasure Island (The Famous Five #1) by Enid Blyton (39105 words) - Nov 12
219. Death Notes (Phineas Fox #1) by Sarah Rayne - Nov 16
220. The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie - Nov 17



221. Chord of Evil (Phineas Fox #2) by Sarah Rayne - Nov 18
222. The Hidden Staircase (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #2) by Carolyn Keene (36118 words) - Nov 20
223. Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang - Nov 22
224. The Rainbow (Brangwen Family #1) by D.H. Lawrence - Nov 22
225. Our Little Secret by Kiersten Modglin - Nov 24
226. The Prize by Irving Wallace - Nov 25
227. The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #3) by Carolyn Keene (33782 words) - Nov 26
228. The Mystery at Lilac Inn (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #4) by Carolyn Keene (36406 words) - Nov 26
229. The Secret of Shadow Ranch (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #5) by Carolyn Keene (34312 words) - Nov 26
230. Magpie Murders (Susan Ryeland #1) by Anthony Horowitz - Nov 28



231. The Waitress by Emily Shiner - Nov 29
232. Stinger by Robert R. McCammon - Nov 30
233. Brick Lane by Monica Ali - Dec 1
234. Starter Villain by John Scalzi - Dec 2
235. Five Go Adventuring Again (The Famous Five #2) by Enid Blyton (38936 words) - Dec 2
236. Purrs and Peril (Norwegian Forest Café #1) by Jinty James - Dec 3
237. Along Came Holly (Mistletoe Romance #3) by Codi Hall - Dec 3
238. Once Upon A Christmas Carol by Karen Schaler - Dec 4
239. All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells - Dec 5
240. They Thirst by Robert R. McCammon - Dec 8



241. Limelight (Penny Green #1) by Emily Organ - Dec 9
242. The Rookery (Penny Green #2) by Emily Organ - Dec 10
243. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb - Dec 11
244. Artificial Condition (The Murderbot Diaries #2) by Martha Wells - Dec 12
245. The Maid’s Secret (Penny Green #3) by Emily Organ - Dec 13
246. And Then She Vanished (Joseph Bridgeman #1) by Nick Jones - Dec 14
247. M. S. Subbulakshmi: The Definitive Biography by T.J.S. George - Dec 14
248. Rogue Protocol (The Murderbot Diaries #3) by Martha Wells - Dec 17
249. Exit Strategy (The Murderbot Diaries #4) by Martha Wells - Dec 17
250. The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, Vol. 1 (The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service #1) by Eiji Otsuka & Housui Yamazaki - Dec 18

Shelby wrote: "My last book for the round is posted and I'm off for my long day at work. Not looking forward to the crazy today. I bartend for a sports bar and there's a big UFC fight in Dubai so it'll air here s..."

I am sending you tons of luck.
You have my sympathy! I totally get it. Many years ago I worked as a manager at two different betting shop chains in London. I was constantly amazed at how much stupidity oozed into the shop every time there was a major race or match. Thankfully, there were some really nice people, both on the staff and amongst the customers which prevented me from going crazy.