Judith’s Comments (group member since Apr 15, 2015)

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

It’s on my tbr so glad to hear it’s good!

We have our first completed spelling and on our way with the next one!

Our word is really long so to have one done already is great!

Happy reading everyone and as always let us know if there are any questions. Or more importantly great book recommendations :)

DQs - Day 2 - 17 Oct
Then - Now 38%
first line "Can't the girl find..."
last line "shitshow of a strategy"

6. The author goes for the switching POVs and timelines method. How do you like these in general? And do you think it is a good fit for this book?
I don't mind it and sometimes for second chance situations can be effective at understanding the "how it started" when reading about the "how it's going". I really don't like the 'Then' sections because of the characters so it's not really doing it for me.

7. We get to meet some more characters along the way in the "THEN" section: Dylan's uncle Terry, his brother, the mysterious Grace and other friends whose dynamics to Dylan and Marcus should shed some more light on their characters and motivation. But do they? Do you feel like you are getting to know them better? Or understand them? (Or care?)
I feel like the author is writing about characters she overheard discussing at a party or something and not about characters she actually knows anything about. Everything is just really shallow. And none of them seem like characters I'm all that interested in learning more about.

8. What do you think about Dylan's and Addie's past relationship in France? Do you like it/find it convincing? What about their sudden meeting in the present and the insta-lust after all the emotional baggage they seem to be dragging with them?
Not very believable. Overall this book so far isn't doing it for me. I feel like it was written by a different author than The Flatshare and The Switch.

9. I'm not really sure I'd call this book a "romance" though it certainly offers the trope of second-chance. Do you have any favourite romantic trope(s) or one that you especially dislike?
Insta-love, love triangles, and hidden pregnancy/secret child I hate. Enemies to lovers and fake dating/marriage.

10. Any guesses what part Rodney may play in the plot or do you think he's just some kind of "filler" character?
Filler? or to provide some distraction? A fifth person so it's not just 2 couples in the car? Hopefully it turns out to be something interesting. But not holding out too much hope.

DQs Day 1
Now - Now last line "...reach out and touch her."

1.) Is this your first book by O'Leary? Only reading for points and that lovely 'O' letter for Wheel-a-thon or was it already on your tbr list?
I've read her book The Flatshare and The Switch both of which I enjoyed so this was on my tbr. I did partially nominate this though because I knew it would be during wheels and the 'O' would likely be useful to my team if my nomination won.

2.) Road trips. Love them, hate them? If you've gone on a road trip before what are some must have for the journey?
I've enjoyed the road trips I've taken. Must haves are great music, a variety of yummy snacks and a chill attitude. The chill attitude is really the most important. Things can and will happen including traffic and bad weather, you just have to roll with it.

3.) Deb's comment about never having a baby obviously proved untrue. Do we think the baby daddy is going to make an appearance in the story? Or do you think it's a no name person who isn't relevant to the book?
For some reason my brain thinks the baby daddy is Marcus from a drunken one night stand with Deb he doesn't remember. Why do I think this? I don't know, partly because of how they interact? I'm probably wrong.

4.) The flagrant unconcern about money by half the characters is a bit gross. Do you think that's at the root of Dylan and Addie's split? Or do you think it's the mysterious Grace? Marcus especially seems to not know the whole breakup story. Any guesses to why Dylan didn't seem to tell him the truth?
People from this level of wealth with distance and indulgent parents I think are just built different. But I'm guessing it was a factor in whatever when down for their breakup. It seemed really bad from the snippets shared about the actual event. And I'm guessing Marcus assumed some things that Dylan never corrected.

5.) Initial impressions of the cast of characters?
Addie: seems like a free spirit or was anyway. I'm getting the impression she's a bit of a different person than she was in France.
Deb: independent person who is a good ride or die for Addie
Dylan: also seems to of become a different person after whatever happened from the breakup. But was a very spoiled person without a lot of life direction.
Marcus: honestly, seems like spoiled jerk-face. wondering how much of it is an act but not a person I'd want to spend time with.
Rodney: harmless wack-a-doodle. maybe. Or maybe this book takes a dark turn and he's a serial killer, it's always the quiet ones.

DQs Day 1
Now - Now last line "...reach out and touch her."

1.) Is this your first book by O'Leary? Only reading for points and that lovely 'O' letter for Wheel-a-thon or was it already on your tbr list?

2.) Road trips. Love them, hate them? If you've gone on a road trip before what are some must have for the journey?

3.) Deb's comment about never having a baby obviously proved untrue. Do we think the baby daddy is going to make an appearance in the story? Or do you think it's a no name person who isn't relevant to the book?

4.) The flagrant unconcern about money by half the characters is a bit gross. Do you think that's at the root of Dylan and Addie's split? Or do you think it's the mysterious Grace? Marcus especially seems to not know the whole breakup story. Any guesses to why Dylan didn't seem to tell him the truth?

5.) Initial impressions of the cast of characters?

Boo Louise, I hope the healing goes well and you can get the rest you need!

Judith's BOM Tracking

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 5: IX - Afterword

19. The last sections of the Artic story are hard reading. Why do you think Bradley included these sections, in general, and extended the story after Graham was abducted?
Closure maybe? And it's part of Graham's survivor's guilt I think and goes to why he was the way that he was and reacted to things in his new time.

20. What was your reaction to the big reveal and unveiling of what was going on?
It got a bit meta there. I wasn't expecting all of that but it was also not completely surprising.

21. The ending is ambiguous. What do you imagine happening? Would you read a sequel?
I'm not sure I'd read a sequel, I don't think it needs one. I like how it's ambiguous though. I'm hoping they all meet back up and enjoy Alaska.

22. In the vein of books being retold from another POV, who's POV would you want to read?
Knowing Graham's or Maggie's thoughts would of been nice.

You can use A, d add once that’s a sort of nickname but you can’t use the D for the title of Duke. Even if he’s referred to a lot as the Duke.

24hrs until we are underway!

Alright everyone here is the tracking sheet, Teddie made it look so pretty. Thank you for putting this together for the team!!

I'll also add it to the top post for easy reference, but here is the link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

There are a few books in there already and can be used as examples (including the first BOM for those planning to read it).

The main tab of interest is the R1-Book tab. You'll enter the relevant book information in columns D through V. Which may seem like a lot of columns but it's because we have a long word and each letter has it's own column.

The R1-Spellout tab is locked. As captains check and enter books we'll fill that out. It's connected to the Book tab via formulas, we locked it so nothing accidentally gets overwritten.

If you participate in the BOM, the tab is there to log your participation.

The member tab is fancier than normal and will allow people to track where they are in relation to their reading caps.

Let us know if you have any questions!

Yay! We have the whole team 😄

No shows make me sad.

We’ll get the tracking sheet out later tonight, promise!

I'm so glad everyone is excited and ready to start. There are a lot of fun things in store for this year's Wheels.

Just waiting on one more person and then we'll have our full team.

Teddie, Lexi, and I will have a tracking sheet out hopefully today and people can start entering books they plan on reading.

If anyone has questions, please just ask!

I added it to a top post, but our Round 1 word is:

CLOGGED SHOWER DRAIN

DQs Day 4, VI - Chapter Eight

15. What do you think was that little moment when Graham saw Adela for the first time?
I don't know for sure, but there was definitely some sort of recognition in there somewhere.

16. There’s been quite a bit of emphasis around food in this story – Graham learns to cook, brings the bridge tea in bed, makes different dishes… What role would food play for you in the context of a different world/timeline?
Food is complicated. It is necessary for survival. It conveys a vast amount of history and culture (Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat, I found this an interesting read several years ago about many things I never, ever had thought about from forks to the availability of wood for cooking fuel). But it also allows you to express your creativity and care for another person.

17. Arthur’s observations when he, Maggie and the bridge are sitting in the gallery regarding how traditionally feminine fields are still considered near taboo for men was a bit of a stunner to me; what were your thoughts on them?
Facts. 100%. I think there are 4 male teachers at my son's elementary school, one of which is the physical education teacher. The only other male that works there is the custodian. It's just one example but it holds. Also, at least in the US, part of the reason for low pay for teachers is historic. At one point primary school teachers were almost exclusively young women who only taught for a few years before marriage and started having babies.

18. What do you think of the book so far? Are you eagerly reading on to what happens next, or can you wait until you feel like picking the book back up?
At this point I'm just curious to see where it goes since I'm not really sure what's going to happen next.

Apoorv wrote: "I came here to request the mods to open Team Long Overdue Bill for a hot second, and saw the DIY disasters with their hammers staring me down. Not sure I care about the long overdue bill anymore......"

Are you still around? FYI mods don't watch this as closely as the thread in the captain's group. You might be better off popping in there and remember to include the link to your team thread.

DQs Day 3, V - Chapter Six

10. Why do you think the expats and bridges are of the opposite sex? Do you expect any actual romance between Graham and his bridge?Why hasn’t her name come up yet? Or did it and I missed it?
I'm not sure it's probably part of the experiment in some way or another. I initially thought our MC/narrator was male just because the expat was, which was quickly corrected of course. And I agree with Angie that her name is going to be some sort of twist. Otherwise, why hasn't it been used yet.

11. The theremin scene is interesting. So there is a "hereness" and a "thereness" for the expats, that they can somehow almost control? How did they find this out? Any ideas on why this thing affects electrical devices?
I'm guessing they found out by accident or maybe internally it feels different and they noticed during all of those med screenings they have and started trying to do it on purpose? Some parts of the body act almost like electricity, maybe that has something to do with it?

12. There are horrible historic facts that our expats were unaware of, but are told about. In a twist, what are a few happy or amazing things that you would love to share with someone out of their time if given the chance?
All the types of travel or medical advances. I'm thinking about the cold that went through the expats. Things like a fever were a legit concern for death at one point. I know people still die from flu every year. But most people take meds for a day or so and then go back to work/school.

13. Do you have an idea yet of what the “sides” are in this war? Is the Ministry somehow good? Or is the Brigadier et al the goodies?
I agree with everyone else, not really good v evil. More us v them.

14. So that last chapter before the break had a lot going on. Why did Graham have that reaction to our heroine?
Overwhelmed and didn't quite know what to do with himself. The rules for romantic engagement are so very different compare to what he knew prior.

For those who haven't already gotten stuck in, Team Traffic Jam is open for check in: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

We know all. Yep.

Hehe