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

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

My current 'nominate until I read it or it wins'. If it happens to win, I'll swap it out.

The Malevolent Seven

'Seven powerful mages want to make the world a better place. We're going to kill them first.'

Picture a wizard. Go ahead, close your eyes. There he is, see? Skinny old guy with a long straggly beard. No doubt he's wearing iridescent silk robes that couldn't protect his frail body from a light breeze. The hat's a must, too, right? Big, floppy thing, covered in esoteric symbols that would instantly show every other mage where this one gets his magic? Wouldn't want a simple steel helmet or something that might, you know, protect the part of him most needed for conjuring magical forces from being bashed in with a mace (or pretty much any household object).

Now open your eyes and let me show you what a real war mage looks like . . . but be you're probably not going to like it, because we're violent, angry, dangerously broken people who sell our skills to the highest bidder and be damned to any moral or ethical considerations.

At least, until such irritating concepts as friendship and the end of the world get in the way.

My name is Cade Ombra, and though I currently make my living as a mercenary wonderist, I used to have a far more noble-sounding job title - until I discovered the people I worked for weren't quite as noble as I'd believed. Now I'm on the run and my only friend, a homicidal thunder mage, has invited me to join him on a suicide mission against the seven deadliest mages on the continent.

Time to recruit some very bad people to help us on this job . . .

I’m in for DQs! It’s been a long time since I read this and I’ve been meaning to do a reread and then continue the series

Cthulhu

450+
Two U's in author name (first or last)
A cult is important to the plot
Retelling that is in conversation with an issue in the original
Tagged tentacles at least 1

I just finished off sandworm but not in a good position to spin if someone once to have wheel fun.

Otherwise I can spin later this afternoon!

Jenny wrote: "I keep meaning to read the novellas, but I haven't done it yet. I will add it to my TBR."

some of them are certainly better than others. The Churn I'd say is one of the better ones and is Amos's back story. It explains a lot about him and why he is the way he is. And some of the characters in there pop up again.

Lexi wrote: "Also, if anyone has a book they are reading for the following tasks, we have one task left per monster:
1. Tagged sand at least 1
2. Author initials (all) in DELETE
3. 175-225 pages
4. MC has a pet"

I found one for sand on my tbr list but waiting for the hold to come in from the library in case some starts something sooner.

FYI - all of The Expanse series books are tagged sand (including most of the novellas). I know some of us are working on the series. I do recommend the novellas, they fill in interesting bits about side characters.

I've got it!

And I just finished my last book as well.

I hope everyone enjoyed themselves :)

We have just about a day left in Round 5 and the challenge itself. Please let us know if there is something on the tracking sheet you won't be able to finish so we can shift books around.

Also as you finish your last book for Wheel-a-thon 2023, please post in the thread.

Thank you so much and I hope you've enjoyed this year's wheel :)

No worries, thank you 🙂

Maritza,

can you add Spicy Pickle to your wheel shelf when you get a chance?

Thank you!

Lexi wrote: "Happy Saturday, everyone.

Has anyone found any other good purple books or musician books that you think the team would like?"

I'm in the middle of the audio for The Meaning of Mariah Carey and am finding it really interesting. I knew her early life was rough but just wow. It's explaining a lot about why she is the way she is now. She reads it herself and is doing a really good job.

Most of the purple books I've read so far are later in the series of things that aren't stand alones. And a few were really bad and wouldn't recommend them to anyone, but I finished them because, points!

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 Chapters 46-end

20. Between Henry, Martha, and Opaline, whose story was most compelling for you and why?
Opaline by miles. By the end of the books I really didn't care much what happened to Martha and Henry.

21. Holy moley… Lyndon! I did NOT see that twist coming (ch 52), did you? What are your thoughts about his story?
I didn't expect it but when revealed I wasn't shocked. It did explain the huge age gap between the 'siblings' though in a time of very high infant/child mortality the gap wasn't a major clue by itself.

22. What did you make of the relationship between Opaline and Martha? If you guessed, did you get it right?
I was expecting them to be related. so not surprised there either.

23. What about Mme Bowden? Did you enjoy her resolution? If not, what other scenario would you have preferred for her?
I feel like her just poof-ing away was an easy cope out for the author almost like she could figure out a way to have Mme Bowden exit gracefully, stage left. So went with *poof*.

24. What did you make of the magical elements in the book?
They were fine and not overly woo-woo.

25. Is there anything that struck you about the plot, story, characters, etc that hasn’t been part of a discussion question over the 5 days?
Honestly whatever I'd have to say here has already been said by others. The book started stronger than it ended for sure.

DQ Day 4 Chap 32-45

15. We finally see Martha start college! Before she goes in, she starts to question herself and it's Mrs. Bowden who gives her a pep talk to actually go. Would you need a pep talk to restart college again? Can you sympathise with Martha and what emotions & memories college brings up for her?
Yes, especially if it was full on enrolled and not just a random night class.

16. The book brings one of the darkest parts of Irish history to the forefront with the Mother & Baby Homes. If you knew about them, do you think this was an accurate portrayal of the institutions? If you hadn't heard of them previously, how did the cruelty from the staff to the women make you feel?
It's probably more accurate than any of us would like it to be. When people who generally have no power/say in their lives, suddenly are no longer at the bottom of the pecking order, it does not bring out the best in people.

17. Henry ends up coming back to Ireland looking for Martha after leaving to end his engagement. Henry finds out that Martha never got his note. Would you accept this explanation?
Henry is a bit of a tool but at least he was self aware enough to call himself a dickhead. I really am not engaged with his character at all.

18. Opaline's baby was taken from her before she was able to even see or hold the baby because the child was born with the cord around her neck. Do you think the poor child is dead or that they lied to Opaline?
Alive for sure.

19. While in the asylum, Opaline shows a lot of compassion and empathy with the other women. Do you think over time she'll lose yourself and become hardened?
I hope not, but it depends on how long she's stuck in there I think.

DQs Day 3: Chapters 23 - 31

10. Armand pops up again twice in this section, revealing his true colours at the end. What do you think is the purpose of Armand in Opaline's story? especially as he has been a pivot point for her life many times.
Honestly? Probably to just get her knocked up and leave her and give her drive to be the best bookseller that ever sold. To stick it to him.

11. Henry has a revelation or two in this section. What do you think of his approach to building a relationship with Martha? and his father?
Passive milquetoast, especially with Martha. The approach with his father makes more sense. Not really coming across as much of a catch to be honest. I think poor Izzy dodged a bullet by getting dumped by him.

12. Martha luckily escapes from abusive Shane with no comeback to her externally, and in a pretty passive fashion (the house / Madam B / drunkenness puts paid to him, and then Madam B finagles a clear up). Why do you think the author chose this route rather than give Martha a more active role in finally freeing herself?
With the level of abuse she'd experienced, that just wasn't going to happen. The fact she was able to get on a bus in the first place is pretty much a miracle in itself. But there is a layer of convenience to the whole thing that makes it a bit unsatisfying.

13. We've two different treasure hunts going on - for a lost book in 1920s and for a lost bookshop now. Are you more invested in one - which and why?
Honestly, neither. Maybe the book more than the bookshop.

14. If you were inventing a lost book, who would you pick as the author?
Maybe Shelley that someone else mentioned. Or a new Hurston book could be interesting.

DQ's Day 2: Chapters 13-22

5. In this section, we find out how Opaline ends up in Dublin. What do you think of Armand and her relationship/friendship with him? I feel there is something off about him but he does seem to want to honestly help her.
Armand is setting off all sorts of warning bells in my head. Shifty that one. Not sure it'll be all that nefarious or if he's just smarmy.

6. In many ways there are parallels with Opaline and Martha's stories. Both are running from abuse and from a life they do not want and both have ended up living in a basement apartment where the vanishing bookshop was located. Do you think these parallels will continue? Do you think this plays a part in Martha solving the mystery of the Lost Bookshop?
Probably and yes I think they are very much connected.

7. The old library in Italy! What a coincidence that a book that showed up in Martha's apartment, A Place Called Lost, is the same story of how Matthew's father built the building where his shop was! I just love how the author is building the connection from the past to the present. Do you have any guesses yet about what the connection or what happened to the Lost Bookshop? Have you read magical realism before? It's one of my favorite genres to read.
I'm guessing the connection will be personal but who knows really. I enjoy magical realism when it's done well (subtly woven in and not overly woo-woo) and so far it is here.

8. "Were we all preconditioned to love certain things? A moment in childhood, lost to memory but indelibly marked on our souls?" This quote jumped out at me while I was reading and made me think. I don't know when I started reading or where my love for reading came from. My mom always says I was carrying a book around before I could walk! But I have no specific moment where I fell in love with reading just that I always have loved it. It made me think was there a moment that happened but I can't remember? Something so significant it created something in me? Or was I preconditioned to love reading? What do you think about this quote?
I think some things just speak to your soul. Whether it's a person, activity, story, song. Anything. And I think some things just are and don't really need an explanation.

9. I think Madam Bowden is going to prove to be a character with surprises. Could she be Opaline? Or a descendent? I think she knows about this vanishing bookshop and why it shows itself to certain people and not others.
I think she's at least connected to Opaline. With magical realism though it could be her or her spirit I guess. I think the bookshop shows itself to people who need it. Maybe?

Stacey wrote: "I just added a book to the "R" line that was colored yellow but empty. Not sure what that meant, but please let me know if I should move by book to the next open "R" line :)"

Just that it was the last opening in the spelling so it didn't get overlooked. Helps to avoid having multiple partial spellings at the end.

Yesterday (?) I moved a book I had in the R spot in the first spelling to an N since we seem to have a harder time with those. And moved an R from a different spelling up to the first R as to not have a hole there.

Basically just book tetris, sorry if it caused confusion. But a highlight like that is really "hey don't forget about me" :) It's easy to overlook an empty line as you scroll down.

DQ'S DAY 1 - CHAPTERS 1-12

1. Love the cover, love the blurb! I'm expecting big things from this novel. "The thing about books" she said "is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of."
Is this why you love to read or do you just enjoy good old fashioned escapism? Discuss.
I think for me both are true as well as I just love to learn and experience things from different perspectives.

2. In the Prologue and the first two chapters we are introduced to the main protagonists, Opaline, Martha and Henry. First impressions of these characters and what differences and similarities to you notice about them?
I think there are different socio-economic backgrounds between them. But I think they are more alike than different. All seem to be a bit lost, running from their families to some extent, but also searching. They are searching for different things but none really want to stay in the situation they are in forever.

3. In a novel about books (and big bonus points to the author for Wuthering Heights being the first book mentioned) there seems to be a lot of novels names and famous authors mentioned in the early chapters. How many of these have you read and loved.. or hated!
I've read most the actual books mentioned thus far or read books by the authors mentioned with 2 exceptions. David Copperfield and James Joyce (I'm assuming that's the 'Joyce' mentioned). I hate Hemingway with a passion. I never liked his books or writing style and then I learned about the type of person he was. It didn't help other than to lower my opinion of him even further.

4. The novel is taking place in two time lines with Opaline in one and Martha and Henry in the other. How do you see the two timelines/storylines being linked and being a novel with a magical theme do you think the characters in the two timelines might actually meet?
I'm guessing they are linked by location and with the cracks in the wall it seems things may start connecting together slowly.

Done for round 4

I’ve got it and yep its fine to count the DQ bonus points in round 5.