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

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

DQs Day 4 ~ Ch 21 to 27

16.) “The curse can be broken only by the maiden, the mother, and the crone, who must speak Nathaniel’s true name thrice to cast him out.”
Anyone have “Beetlejuice” go through your head?
Do you think that Gracelynn noticed the name by the blood moon in the grimoire as the true name? Will she remember when it matters? Am I wrong here?
It did kinda give a Beetlejuice vibe though the power of 3 is a real and common theme in a lot of things too. Hopefully she remembers that name, I'm assuming she will.

17.) Would you ever date again or hug a family member if you could read people’s thoughts when touching them?
There's a reasons we have internal thoughts and those we choose to voice out loud. That is not a super power I'd be interested in.

18.) Have any of you seen a “faith healer” or a snake handler in person? What was it like?
How much of the control that Bellflower seems to have over the congregation is religious fervor and mob mentality vs his power over them? Did that make sense?
No thankfully on both counts. Most of those people are on the edge, desperate, and struggling just to get through today. Finding someone who might have answers to make life a bit easier would seem attractive. Then with a little bit of his power, boom.

19.) Did anyone have super-villain monologuing vibes when Bellflower was telling Grace about the history of him and her family?
Anything in that speech that surprised you?
It did and I wish the author had come up with something better than a super villain info-dump.

20.) I keep thinking back to the Salem witch trial times when reading this, and it is many many years after those horrible times. But, it is exactly the same. Why? Is it ignorant and proud of it mentality, or the evil influence of "Beetlejuice"?
Fear driven by a lack/unwillingness to understand and accepted those who are a bit different I think makes us repeat a lot of history in slightly different ways. Like swap witches for LGTBQ+, and there we go again. It's sad, depressing, and a bit dangerous.

Bonus.) Any predictions on the ending? Good will triumph! Because it seems to be that sort of book.

DQs Day 3 ~ Ch 14 to 20

11.) Jakob’s decision to get Deirdre out of Tin Mountain seemed desperate, but I think he was trying to prevent another event like the one that took his mother’s life. Do you think the decision was a good one or one made in haste that could cause more harm than good?
I think it was the best option he saw available to him at the time to save her life and give her a chance. I don't know about more harm than good. But she's away from any true support system she had and I'm not sure it's working.

12.) Grace is visited by Anneliese and gains a new power from the encounter. Do you think this ability to read thoughts will be needed to stop the madness and bring the town of Tin Mountain out of the curse? Do you think that Grace may gain other powers to aid in the fight?
It'll be harder for people to hid secrets from her I guess and it already gave her hints about what's wrong with her grandmother. At this point it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for more powers to develop.

13.) We learn from Anneliese’s journal entries in the grimoire the real reason that Nathaniel Walker had her burned as a witch. Also, Anneliese’s strength and determination to protect Jakob and not allow Walker’s tainted blood to run through her descendants. What did you think of this revelation and Anneliese’s stand?
It explains the motivations behind what the demon/devil/incubus is wanting from the witches, power and a powerful offspring. Anneliese is a strong woman, a lot wouldn't be able to stand up like that and leave their child alone in the world.

14.) Deirdre ignored Jakob’s warning to never show the Grimoire to anyone and showed it to Esme. Then later, the girls at the school are talking about it and seem to have sneaked a peek inside it. I was afraid that this might be the start of Gentry getting a hold onto Dierdre. Then the use of the book to get a little revenge on Phoebe. I think a line has been crossed. What do you think? Do you believe that she will be able to reign everything back in and not use the book for ill intentions again?
I do feel like that's a slippery slope and everyone has their breaking point with bullying. Deirdre reached hers and crossed a line and it's going to be harder I think each time to make the right decision and say no.

15.) I really want to know the promise that Dierdre made to Gentry all those years ago. Do you have any ideas or guesses as to what the promise may have been or why it was made?
Maybe it was along the lines of no, come back when I'm old and you can have my power then? but if the demon wants a child, that doesn't really work. I don't really have a guess on this one.

Dignified and restrained, describes the mods to a T.

Sophie wrote: "Judith wrote: "Sophie wrote: "You've got 2 whole weeks break!"

We are very giving like that. hehe"

I don't feel like people appreciate our generosity"

Should we tell them it almost started on May 1st providing no break?

DQs Day 2
Ch 6 to 13

6.) Well, the connection between the women has been explained. Anyone surprised? Were used surprised Ebba popped up as an adult?
Nope, not surprised. I was pleasantly surprised to see Ebba pop up again and know she found her way in the world to reach adulthood and make a life for herself.

7.) And now we also have a reasonable amount of the back story. Was anyone surprised about there being an actual grimoire? Do you think it's the same preacher/devil/spirit? Or descendants on a revenge mission?
The formal witchy things like a grimoire was a bit surprising I wasn't expecting those details but a more vague 'witch of the mountain but really more of an herbal wise-woman' type of thing. At least before I started reading.
I agree with Cat, if it's the same devil that seems like a wee bit of a cop-out.

8.) Did you enjoy having the interlude with journal entries and find an effective way to convey that information?
I liked this method instead of going the dream/vision/woo-woo option of getting the backstory to Gracelynn.

9.) This quote struck me as funny, sad, and true "Why is it that most of a woman's troubles in life have to do with a man?" Reminds me of phrases along the lines of "why are we taught to fear the witches instead of the men who burned them?" which is also appropriate for this book. How do you think these phrases apply to current times?
too much that it's unsettling to be honest.

10.) All kinds of random dramatic love pairings going happening on Tin Mountain. Is it distracting, necessary, a bit much?
It shows connections, regular life happening in the mist of crazy things happening. But yes, the Aunt Val/preacher scene was a bit unnecessary, the alluding to that relationship was sufficient. Also the Morris/Seth relationship, I appreciate the double diversity (homosexual & interracial) but if it's in there as a throw away and the author doesn't really do much with it, why include it? Morris I think was mainly beat up because of the still, not his relationship with Seth. right?

Real life has been quite busy but we can certainly do a Discworld monster wheel at some point. And I'd need help at least creating the list as I've only read a few of the books in the series (I know, right! Bad Judith).

There's a new wheel coming out in May so not a rush

Sophie wrote: "You've got 2 whole weeks break!"

We are very giving like that. hehe

Cat wrote: "noooooooo Judith! I've been reading it since 1 April, and am now 34% in.....

I don't care about Phoebe, barely care about Diana and her non-issues with the perfect family, and Marcus' travails in ..."

FACTS.

It was honestly such a letdown. And I think I started skimming through certain parts.

I'm almost afraid to read any more from Harkness even though I'd love Gallowglass's story. And honestly some really interesting things could happen with Baldwin's character even though for most of the series he's a complete dink.

DQs Day 2
Ch 6 to 13

6.) Well, the connection between the women has been explained. Anyone surprised? Were used surprised Ebba popped up as an adult?

7.) And now we also have a reasonable amount of the back story. Was anyone surprised about there being an actual grimoire? Do you think it's the same preacher/devil/spirit? Or descendants on a revenge mission?

8.) Did you enjoy having the interlude with journal entries and find an effective way to convey that information?

9.) This quote struck me as funny, sad, and true "Why is it that most of a woman's troubles in life have to do with a man?" Reminds me of phrases along the lines of "why are we taught to fear the witches instead of the men who burned them?" which is also appropriate for this book. How do you think these phrases apply to current times?

10.) All kinds of random dramatic love pairings going happening on Tin Mountain. Is it distracting, necessary, a bit much?

Cat wrote: "I am also trying to read Time's Convert which is historical fiction + witches + multiple storythreads and am struggling so hard."

Time's Convert was a bit of a hard slog for me too when I read it. It's be far the weakest of the 4 books. I think part of it was I never cared about Phoebe and this book didn't help. It felt as long as the original three to read while being like half the length.

And I don't think there was enough of a pay off at the end.

Sorry that's probably not what you want to hear.

DQs Day 1
Prologue - Chap 5

1. Historical Fiction and Witches. Do you enjoy reading either or both of these types of books? Did the cover, genre, story catch your eye or was it because of the BOM that you're reading?
I read a far bit of both genres (HF & paranormal) but usually don't venture often into the horror which this has that MPG tag. Hopefully it doesn't get gross. The cover is beautiful. Hmm, I'm reading it now because it's the BOM but I would of gotten around to it eventually I think.

2. The Prologue captured my interest right away. What part do you think Anneliese is going to play in the rest of the book?
I'm assuming all of the women are connected to her through Jakob. And she comes in some way (visions?) to help fight an evil (the preacher?).

3. Deirdre seems like a wild child from what we've read so far. Do you think Robbie is going to end up causing her problems? When she helped to deliver Hannah's baby she seemed to be able to calm her with her thoughts. Do you think she will end up having some calming influence that can be transferred by her thoughts?
Maybe and I'd say that's a great skill to have for a midwife in the middle of the mountains. Robbie, probably will break her heart? I'm hoping she doesn't end up preggers.

4. What do you think of Gracelynn's dream of the two women standing before a burning tree? Could it be a memory or an omen of what is to come?
I agree with Abigail and assumed it's probably Deirdre and Anneliese. I took it as a warning of danger.

5. All three women, Anneliese, Gracelynn, and Deirdre, seem to be interesting in their own ways. Any early ideas as to how they will be connected, if at all? Any early favorites?
I'm assuming they are all related somehow. No, I'm interested in them about all about the same. I'm most curious about Gracelynn and her life before the mountain. There's a lot of hinting, so assuming more to come there.

Abigail wrote: "I nominate The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Nana is on a road trip, but he is not sure where he is going. All that matters is that he can sit beside his beloved owner Satoru in the fr..."

Hello Abigail!

This book was a BOM in May 2022 (the link to the spreadsheet of past BOMs is under rule #5 in the top post for convenience).

Please feel free to swap out your nomination with something else. Though I do recommend the book as it is a wonderful read.

Thank you!
NBRC Mods

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

A grim and gothic new tale from author Alix E. Harrow about a small town haunted by secrets that can't stay buried and the sinister house that sits at the crossroads of it all.

Eden, Kentucky, is just another dying, bad-luck town, known only for the legend of E. Starling, the reclusive nineteenth-century author and illustrator who wrote The Underland--and disappeared. Before she vanished, Starling House appeared. But everyone agrees that it’s best to let the uncanny house―and its last lonely heir, Arthur Starling―go to rot.

Opal knows better than to mess with haunted houses or brooding men, but an unexpected job offer might be a chance to get her brother out of Eden. Too quickly, though, Starling House starts to feel dangerously like something she’s never had: a home.

As sinister forces converge on Starling House, Opal and Arthur are going to have to make a dire choice to dig up the buried secrets of the past and confront their own fears, or let Eden be taken over by literal nightmares.

If Opal wants a home, she’ll have to fight for it.

Melissa, I think it’s fine for you to have day 1

I'm in for DQs

FYI, at least in the US this book is on KU for those who have it

:(

my library doesn't have a copy of this but it looks interesting

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/...

DQs Day 5
Part 5 to end

17. What do you think of the ending with Frank? What do you think caused his final response?
I found it fitting for his character once he knew all his big dirty secrets were out. That his wife and son were all set to frame him for murder probably didn't help. I honestly think the final straw was Lal knowing the truth about his perverted, slimly self. Unknown, that knowledge could be seen as power but out in the light of day? He could never one-up Lal ever again. And Frank couldn't live with that.

18. Were you surprised by the family’s response to Nell especially Rose’s response? Would you have sided with the family or Nell?
No, I wasn't surprised. It's a family full of horrible people of course they would be on board with the most self serving outcome. Rose's response to me though made the most sense. I can't imagine her trying to tell her children all the details of what happened between her and Frank. and then drag them into a media circus that would likely end with their father going to jail for life. It is beyond messed up but I can follow her logic.

19. This book deals with serval major themes. Do you think the author handled them well? Especially each person’s response to what Frank did to Rose?
Hmmm. Most things in a bizarre way, yes. The author didn't glorify most of the themes but showed what a dumpster fire and toxic family forms from them. It was a bit too blasé for me about the basically incest between Rose and Frank. 14? I mean WTF.

20. Finally, the epilogue. Did you think it was necessary and were you surprised?
I'm not sure what that added at that point in the story. I'm not surprised Frank was a crap person all along. I really don't know what the author was hoping to get out of including that flashback.

DQ Day 4: Part Four

13. The relationship between Billie and Nell - do like like this relationship and how it's developed over the course of the book? How does it fit with the other parent-child relationships we see (explicit or implied, like with Frank and The Admiral)
I think it's interesting and glad they had that talk. Oof. Both of them have had a rough go and crap parents. I think Nell is doing her best to be there for Billie and provide stability. It seems one of the healthier ones around. Dom's kids have mainly been mentioned in passing so don't have the best handle on those.

14. Cora and Dom: did anyone expect that twist?! What do you think of this big reveal?
I called it! At least the Cora part, I didn't see Dom having the knowledge or any where near that level of involvement. But it makes a lot of sense in hindsight. If I was Nell, I'd pick Billie up and run.

15. The Bonehunters: what do you think of the different Bonehunters? In day 1 Lisa asked about how digital / social changed the mechanics of the hunt. Have your thoughts been played out in the book? Given at the start we were all thinking about it as a hunt, and it's ended up being a relationship book, who has the move to digital for the Bonehunters affected their interactions, with each other, the world and the hunt?
I think it's made it more insidious and impossible to get away from. Like internet trolls who gather together and crash sites and ruin people's lives without ever revealing themselves or even leaving their house. Ingrid was unnerving and scary but she was a real, physical person Dom was able to fight off of Nell in the moment. You can't really do that digitally.

16. Who's portrait are they actually hung up on, if it's not Bridget (given that Bridget was clear there was a portrait of her in the last part)?
It's got to be Rose. No one else makes sense at this point. GROSS.

Posting for Lexi

DQs Day 5
Part 5 to end

17. What do you think of the ending with Frank? What do you think caused his final response?

18. Were you surprised by the family’s response to Nell especially Rose’s response? Would you have sided with the family or Nell?

19. This book deals with serval major themes. Do you think the author handled them well? Especially each person’s response to what Frank did to Rose?

20. Finally, the epilogue. Did you think it was necessary and were you surprised?