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

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

Day 3

Chapters: 14 - 20

11. Whether the stories are true or not, are you interested in the back stories of Margaret’s family? What did you think of Freddy’s first interaction with Bernie? (The one that contained the only laugh out loud line so far “Because of your wardrobe?”)

Margaret’s family histories are intriguing even if questionable. In fact, that one doubts the veracity of her narrations is very significant and speaks to the lengths to which she would go to ensure the sanctity of her privacy. That said, the multi-generational saga adds depth to the book and mirrors the novel’s themes of storytelling and legacy.

12. Who exactly is Jodi? Will she be a part of the BIG REVEAL?

At first, I was convinced that she would turn out to be Margaret’s daughter. Having read some parts of the book, my opinion changed and I felt that while playing a significantly important part, hers is not going to be a central part but rather one of moving the story along.

13. I do not have kids, but Hayden’s list of “what ifs” to worry about was a lot. Do you parents worry about that stuff?

Hayden’s list of “what ifs” is a sign of his anxiety which is perfectly understandable given his upbringing. These are universal fears that all parents find themselves having to deal with at some time or the other but in Hayden’s case, these emotions are intensified by his history.

14. Why do you think Alice thinks that Margaret’s tales of her childhood are true, as opposed to the stuff about her family before she was around? Do you find her insightful or naive?

Margaret’s childhood stories have a feeling of authenticity because they give the feel of lived experience. Whereas, her pre-childhood tales, those of her ancestors feel more constructed. They seem to have been edited and exaggerated to maximum effect. I don’t know how much of this is family lore, stories passed down the generations and how much has been edited by Margaret herself to suit her ultimate goal.
As for Alice, I think she is both insightful and naive. She seems to have a talent for picking up on emotional clues and is quick to pick up the authenticity of Margaret’s vulnerability. However, she also entirely underestimates Margaret’s manipulation and this, I think, shows her naivety.

15. Think the visit to Alice’s family will go well? Think we will meet Hayden's family also?

Considering the strained mother-daughter relationship, I think that the visit to Alice’s family will be eventful. But I also think that having listened to Margaret’s tales, Alice is going to be more aware of the need to resolve conflict and that this is going to lead to issues getting resolved and family relations becoming stronger.
I highly doubt if Hayden’s family will be introduced to the readers at this stage. That they have not featured as much so far has me thinking all the more that this is a well-thought out strategy by the author and that they will play an important role in the later part of the book.

Day 2

Chapters: The Story - 13

5. Margaret is lying – and probably not just about one singular thing. Do you think she’s even telling Alice and Hayden the same story? Personally I’m also really curious where Margaret’s sister Laura is – to me it feels like she might be key to the whole story… anything specific that made you perk up?

I think she is purposely telling Alice and Hayden different stories. I thought initially that this was a way to test their honesty particularly with the NDA both had to sign. But now I think it has more significance and that this is going to be an important element of the story.
Laura, or rather her absence, had me very curious considering how important a part she played in Margaret’s life. How this connects to the secrets in Margaret’s life is what I am most curious to know, whether this is going to turn into a story of sorrows and losses or deceptions and entanglements. Or maybe even both!

6. Similarly, it was kind of an aside but I thought it was interesting when Margaret mentioned the Ives family’s rivalry with the Pulitzers. Is it just a random coincidence that Hayden is a Pulitzer-prize winning author who now also gets to talk to her? Especially since she requested him? And he has a bunch of family issues too?

I got the feeling that this was done more to set the scene, so to speak, to let us know of the atmosphere of the times. I think Margaret’s selection of a Pulitzer winning author was a way to make us wonder if that had any significance.
I do feel, however, that his family problems are not just background, that there is going to be a reveal at some point of how everything is connected and Margaret’s having requested his participation is going to be a major linchpin.

7. I was a little shocked when they were already kissing 25% in – and then not surprised when Hayden rejects Alice. Do you think he’s telling the truth when he says “I’m not going to hook up with someone whose dream job I’m about to take from them”? Or is there something else going on?

This was much too insta-lovey for my liking. Sadly, it did not surprise me but that is more because I find many romance authors add insta-love elements to their books. I hate that they do and am always hoping to find a book where the author has used a different approach.
With his family background and the emotional baggage he has been lugging around, I think Hayden is afraid and this is his attempt to guard his emotional vulnerability more than any professional conflict.

8. We get quite a bit of detail on Alice’s job and research process as a journalist: what she’s searching for, working with fact-checkers, etc. Do you enjoy these types of details, i.e. minutae of characters’ jobs and hobbies?

I love it when authors include details about the characters’ lives and their backgrounds. It grounds the story and adds to the dimensionality of the narrative.

9. I’ve been to Hearst Castle, but long before I actually knew anything about him. The Ives family seems to be quite obviously inspired by him (and I guess he was name-dropped for plausible deniability). Is there a specific family dynasty you’re really interested in?

Showing the Ives family’s parallels to the Hearst empire is, I think, a great move on the part of the author. Placing the timeline and setting of the book within a real historical background makes the story and the characters more approachable and understandable.
The families I am most fascinated by are the big business dynasties in India like the Tatas, the TVS family, the Kasturi family, the Birlas, the Godrej family, the Wadias, the Mahindras and many more. Many of these predate Indian Independence and I find their impact on Indian society to be most fascinating.

10. Bonus question: So… anyone else feel like they’re reading Evelyn Hugo 2.0?

When I first heard about the book, I felt like there would be similarities which there are. They both have the concept of a reclusive celebrity working with a journalist to create a narrative of their past. Both feature a story-within-story structure and include themes of fame, identity and secrets. However, that is where the two books part company which each moving on a different path towards a distinct destination.

Day 1

Chapters: 1 - 7

1. Emily Henry is a popular contemporary romance author and a fair few of her books have been previous NBRC BOM selections. Any expectations for this book going in?

My journey through Emily Henry's bibliography continues to be one of mixed feelings; I am hoping this fifth book manages to capture my interest more than some of her previous novels have.

2. What are your first impressions of Alice? And sending that drink to Hayden?

Alice appears the eternal optimist but at the same time somebody who is ambitious enough to chase after her dreams. Her sending the drink to Hayden shows this combination of flirtation and confidence with the ability to easily approach people, even if they are not as approachable.

3. Would you agree to the month long trial or tell Margaret she's a nutter and move on to something else? Why do you think Margaret is doing things this way?

Getting to interview somebody like Margaret would be a once in a lifetime opportunity even for a layperson, for a journalist, something like this could make their career. While the trial seems odd, it make sense that somebody as secretive as Margaret would want to test not only their writing skills, and ability to handle her complex story but also their persistence and trustworthiness.
My guess is that Margaret being so used to control the narrative and having many secrets hidden away from the world at large is using this method to ensure that the story is written the way she wants by somebody whom she trusts completely.

4. After learning a few tidbits about Hayden's family and how he grew up, did you opinion change a bit on his character?

After learning about Hayden’s family and upbringing, it becomes obvious that his cold demeanour has nothing to do with arrogance. His guarded nature is a result of having to deal with his personal demons formed due to his family dynamics. While I appreciated the yin-yang aspect of the two main characters, I found them to be highly formulaic and am hoping the story as it continues changes my opinion.

The book I just completed is on Pg. 68 of the Books You Wish More People Knew About list. It is numbered #3716 but I have added the page number here and on the spreadsheet as they are numerous pages of books on the list all numbered #3716.
A Simple Plan by Scott Smith

I added Children of Time (Children of Time #1) by Adrian Tchaikovsky to the spreadsheet. I am so glad I got around to reading it. Absolutely loved it and I can't wait to get into the next book in the series.
It fits the "tagged time travel" task and the "multiple generations" task. Is it ok if the book skips generations and if the multiple generations are those of spiders who make up half of the main characters?

Yay, notifications are back! 🥳 I hope it stays🤞🏻

Insiyah wrote: "Great!

Can you see if it fits in with any of the tasks in Mini 2 or 3?"

I have already added it to the spreadsheet.

Chava wrote: "Hi all. I’m still around but have had a major allergic reaction and am unable to see properly."

Yikes, that sounds awful! I hope you are feeling much better soon. I feel your pain... I have a major issue with insect bites.

Insiyah wrote: "My bad - I just read your earlier post.

Can you post the link here to your post on the GR librarians group? The captains have a few librarians, so I can request it there as well and hopefully get..."

Thanks, Insiyah! Luckily, one of the librarians has changed the page count so all should be correct now.

Insiyah wrote: "Preeti, can you confirm the page count/link for The Friday Night Knitting Club? The page count is different from the link you've added to spreadsheet. Thanks :)"

Hi, the page count on GR is wrong (366). I have asked on the librarians' group for the page count to be changed to the correct one from Amazon (388 pages). It hasn't yet been done but I am guessing (and hoping) that it will be done soon.
I left a message (430) about this and left a note on the spreadsheet. I think they got lost amongst the messages.

Hi. I finished reading The Friday Night Knitting Club (Friday Night Knitting Club #1) by Kate Jacobs and updated the spreadsheet.
GR is showing the page count of this edition as 366, but Amazon has it at 388.
I have already requested on the GR Librarians page to have this changed, but it hadn't been done yet when I updated the spreadsheet. This is to let you know why the page count is different. Thanks!

I have completed and updated my 2nd Bhutan book.
Is the last date for round 1 today (16th) or tomorrow (17th)? Thanks!

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/...
Day 4: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 5: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 6: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Day 6

Chapters: Part Four, Chapter 30 - Epilogue

23. I’m having a hard time being impartial with questions, as I feel like the last part of the book descended into mayhem and confusion without a solid roadmap, simply to forward action, some random, some meaningful. Is this book magical reality - where did the magic bits go? Is it historical fiction - or did an exotic setting just get used as a backdrop for a romance? What are your thoughts about the last part of the book compared to the first parts?

I had high hopes going in particularly with its comparisons to The Mummy but this turned out to be a holy mess. (Or should I say “hole”y mess…) The book is classified as fantasy but it didn’t feel like it, more like historical fiction with a smidge of magic.

24. Do you think the characters stay true to themselves, or grow or change? Which characters do you find multifaceted vs 2-dimensional? Which characters are still too shrouded in mystery and secrets to know who they are?

I found it very difficult to bring myself to be interested in any of the characters.

25. Let’s talk about Elvira. Do you find it plausible that she, another naïve girl traveling solo, was able to get to Egypt from Argentina to find Inez at the perfect time? And after just being betrayed by her mother - HER MOTHER - do you think it likely that Inez would let her cousin meet an unknown man alone? How did you react to Elvira’s fate, and do you think it was consistent with the tone of the book?

This was such a strange and abrupt part of the book. I still don’t know what purpose it served.

26. Any guesses as to where Inez’s father is, or thoughts on whether he’s still alive? Do you think he has the magical sheet Whit is searching for?

I still think he is stuck somewhere needing to be rescued. I also think that he has the magical sheet and that somewhere along the way an exchange is going to be demanded of it for one of the characters, quite possible Inez.

27. How did you interpret the final cliffhanger dialog in the Epilogue? Has it been Porter or Whit - or both - Inez has been interacting with? Twins? Are you planning to read the next / final book?

I had to go back and read the epilogue because I had managed to delete it from my memory. This made no sense at all seeing as Porter was referenced just once when Whit said he was the oldest brother.
Seeing how much I have grumbled about this book, one would think I wouldn’t want to read the sequel but I plan on doing so nevertheless. Not immediately, but at some point just to satisfy my curiosity.

Day 5

Chapters: Part Three, Chapter 24 - Part Three, Chapter 29

18. Now that we know the death of Lourdes was greatly exaggerated, do we think Inez's father is actually dead? Do you think he sent the ring to Inez to hide it from Ricardo or from Lourdes?

At this point my imagination was working overtime. I decided (hoped) that it was a case of Inez’s father being stuck in another dimension/era and having to be rescued. I think he sent the ring to Inez so that there would be somebody to rescue him. Oh, wait, that only works in my version of the story… Sorry, by this time timelines had diverged, that of the book going one way and my imagined storyline going another…

19. Any guesses as to why Whit doesn't want to go home and why his family might want him home so badly?

I thought it was because they wanted the heir back in the family setting but this part of the book felt very disconnected to the rest.

20. Anyone actually surprised that Lourdes is the actual family traitor?

Nope, not at all. She was whom I had pinned as the antagonist all along.

21. Do you like the additions of Inez's drawings in the text?

They were nice!

22. Thoughts on Cleopatra's real death . . . asp bite or poison?

I have always felt that the whole “asp” story was an embellishment. I think she was much too smart to go with something as unpredictable as that.

Day 4

Chapters: Part Three, Chapter 18 - Part Three, Chapter 23

14. Inez and Whit are either flirting or fighting. What do you think of their dynamic? Are you rooting for them to end up together?

I still don’t feel any connection to either character so I honestly don’t care. Their relationship is much too insta-lovey…

15. What do you make of Whit’s backstory ? Knowing that he is bound to Ricardo by a life debt, do you find it easier to trust him?

I get why he is so attached to Ricardo but I find his character to be very inconsistent. I don’t like him leave along trust him!

16. We get quite the shock when Inez’s mother shows up in her tent! Do you believe she is telling the truth about Ricardo or is this some kind of double cross?

I haven’t believed anything about Inez’s mother from the beginning so am taking everything that relates to her with a pinch of salt.

17. Finally, a discovery! We’re about 2/3 through the book. Any guesses where this is headed? What are you hoping happens to Inez at the end?

Until Inez’s mother showed up, I thought the ring would turn out to have the power to bring back somebody from the dead. I thought it would end up being a struggle between Ricardo wanting to being back his dead wife or one of Inez’s parents bringing back the other. Now, I think it has more to do with finding Cleopatra’s tomb and who gets their hands on the treasure.
My alternate version of the book would have them find Cleopatra’s tomb, have her spirit come back to life and take over Inez’s body… yes, I dislike Inez that much!!!

Day 3

Chapters: Part Two, Chapter 13 - Chapter 17

10. As we reach the halfway point I am seeing more and more similarities to the Amelia Peabody series. Is anyone else finding this. Does this affect your impression of the book?

I have the Amelia Peabody series on my to-read list but have not got around to it yet.

11. We have been introduced to a number of Characters is there anyone that particularly stands out?

Isadora and her father are two characters I am very curious to know more about but the one person who has me most interested is Inez’s mother who I am guessing is going to be the biggest surprise.

12. We have been introduced to Isadora and her Father. Why do you think he doesn’t let her out of his sight?

Again, I think it is a combination of Isadora’s personality and the times.

13. Inez seems to be attuned to Cleopatra and sees some of her memories. If you could choose to see one memory of a historical figure whose memory would it be?

There are so many people in Indian history whose lives I would love to know more about from their own points of view, particularly women like Rani Lakshmibai, the Queen of Jhansi, and Rani Chennamma, the Queen of Kittur.

Day 2

Chapters: Part One, Chapter 6 - Part One, Chapter 12

6. In this part Inez spends some time with Mr. Hayes. What did you think of their afternoon in Cairo? Did you enjoy their banter?

Sadly, I don’t like either character as of now, and I found their conversation to be trite and predictable. I was hoping that Inez would be more interesting than she has been so far.

7. After sensing familiar magic from an old trinket, Inez buys it and later has a vision of Cleopatra. What do you think this vision means? Do you believe Cleopatra’s burial site can only be found with Inez’s help?

This is one of my major complaints about this book… the magic system has been hinted at but nothing has been described or shown so far other than this ring. I think that this ring possibly has information embedded in it that leads to a place with significance to Cleopatra and that somebody wearing it who is attuned to it would be able to access the details.

8. Every now and then, the point of view shifts briefly to Mr. Hayes. Do you enjoy these moments from his perspective, or would you prefer the story to stay entirely with Inez?

It is interesting to see another character’s viewpoint and this is adding some much needed dimensionality to the storyline.

9. Inez finds a letter from her mother, in which she suspects that Tío Ricardo is involved in illegal activities. Does this letter, along with the boat conversation Inez overhears, make you suspicious of Tío Ricardo? Or do you think he’s not responsible for Inez’s parents’ murder?

This was the point at which I felt that Inez’s mother and/or her father were involved in something shady. Until now while Tío Ricardo was hiding something, it didn’t feel nefarious, so this felt like an attempt to shift suspicion on to somebody else.

Day 1

Chapters: Prologue - Part One, Chapter 5

1. The first line is “A letter changed my life.” Would you say this was a good start, cheesy start, or are you indifferent?

This sentence drew me into the story and made me curious to know what was going to happen so I have to say this was a good start.

2. Why do you think Tio Roberto wanted to immediately send Inez back to Egypt without even seeing her? Do you think he’s hiding something? Or do you think it’s just typical of men at that time to dismiss young women and enforce them being chaperoned and taken care of?

I think it is a combination of both! He is definitely up to something, not an evil something, just a cloaked something, exactly what that is I am guessing we will get to know as the story progresses. However, he is also a product of his times and this seeps into the way he views Inez.

3. The ring scene with Thomas Sterling was definitely outrageous; I felt Inez's outrage and all of her shock. Do you expect to see the ring later in the story? Any guesses to its significance?

This scene definitely showed Thomas Sterling to be a nasty piece of work. It also showed Inez’s naïvety and her complete lack of awareness of the larger world around her. My guess is that the ring is going to turn out to be a linchpin on which the entire plot rests.

4. What do you think of the writing style and the pacing so far? Are you enjoying the lyrical, rich descriptions or do you prefer a more fast paced story?

I love the way the people and places are described, but the writing feels a bit too repetitive and the pace inconsistent. Also, I somehow managed to miss seeing that this book is classified as Young Adult, but the writing showed itself to be so, and not in a good way.

5. In Ch. 5 we see politics at play, and we can tell this is just the beginning. How do you think this will affect your enjoyment of the book? Will it enhance the story for you or will you feel bogged down by the details?

While we have been introduced to some of the political elements, it felt very flat and I am hoping this improves as the book continues.

I have completed my Solomon Islands book. That leaves two books, one set in Bhutan and one in Vanuatu, both of which I will be done with by the 16th.