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

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

DQ Day 3 Chapters 14-20

10. So we are half way through the book. Thoughts and feelings? Loving it? Hating it? Ambivalent?
I am enjoying it. I'm lumping it in with Sarah Maas's books. Where I know it's garbage with it's tropes and googly eyes. but very readable and a fun yarn if you have low expectations for it to change your life. Like a good evening soap opera, it's silly and fun, some stupid drama but better than reality TV.

11. Jeremiah gets killed pretty quickly as his signet shows. Do you agree that power can't be allowed?
In the military? When you can't control when you read people's thoughts? So problematic I don't know where to start. One, I think as he should he was going literally insane and likely wouldn't of lasted to gain any type of control. Two, secrets are important to the government and military operations. Three, I think there are a lot of secrets this particular government isn't interested in sharing.

11. What's the deal with Andarna? Why do you think 2 dragons have bonded with Violet?
I read a little ahead so I know what her deal is. But not sure why 2 bonded with her other than the little one felt like it.

12. If you coul choose a Signet what would it be? https://www.julesbuono.com/fourth-win...
I like Mira's in being able to protect your squad with wards.

13. Were you surprised about Amber's betrayal? How about when Xanden completely believed Violet but Dain didn't?
Nope, it pushed the story forward with a character no one would miss. Just glad it was her and not Imogen (too obvious) or Rhiannon because I hope that friendship is legit and for life.

DQ Day 2: Chap 7- 13

6. This section starts with two scenes with each of the male love/lust interests. The comparison of them continues very clearly. Do you like Xaden or Dain better or neither?
Well I like Xaden better than Dain because I think Dain is a patronizing douche nozzle. I kinda hope Violet punches him in the nads. I feel like she's putting up with him because they've been friends forever but I also think she's almost ready to punch him in the nose. Or at least I hope so.

7. Violet uses alternative methods to survive the fighting challenges. Do you think that counts as cheating or using the resources available? Do you think she is aware that she only has this information because she comes from a privileged background and her sister count sneak in it? Do you think one of the professors should have noticed after 5 rounds?
Hmm. In this world? I'm not sure it does. Are there rules against it? If not, then it's not cheating. Playing dirty, yes indeed. I do think she knows it's a leg up but not so sure it's all that different than any other legacy. The main difference is she's a legacy that prepared to follow in the footsteps of her other parent for a whole different life. Other legacies have at least some of the same knowledge she does. And, who says the professors didn't know or suspect? I think that's implied but if Xaden figured it out some professors likely did too. Which brings me back to it's not cheating.

8. The obstacle course is straight out of American Ninja warrior (and other similar TV shows) including ending with the giant ramp. Did you enjoy this section and how Violet figured out working with her height limitations? Have they told us how tall she is? (Though in real life, the shortest person to make it up the wall has only been 5’1” – I just Googled it).
I don't remember a height being mentioned. I've been picturing her around 5ft even and small framed. As for her getting to the top, gurl do whatcha gotta do.

9. Finally, we meet the dragons. Was it all you were hoping for? Did anyone guess the black one when it was first introduced in this section? (Also, I am not taking the fall seriously at the end of my section since we still have 2/3 of the book to go).
My guess was the black one. I think the little bit with the dragons is fun and the most interesting part. I like they smelled the scales in her armor.

Bonus: If you could have a dragon from any book or movie, which one would you want?
Toothless of course. What a loveable goob. That can burn you alive :P

I did some minor book shuffling this morning and completed a new set of wheel tasks. The new set of tasks are:

Tower Teams 7: Sloth
Read a book with the animal "platypus" in the text
Read a book with the animal "zebra" in the text
Read a book with the animal "chipmunk" in the text
Read a book with the animal "heron" in the text

I don't have a time to search in banked books right now to see if we have any that work. But if these ring a bell for a book you've read recently, as always give a shout

The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden

A gripping and atmospheric debut that is at once a chilling gothic mystery and a love letter to Victorian fiction.

Nobody ever goes to Hartwood Hall. Folks say it's cursed...

It's 1852 and Margaret Lennox, a young widow, attempts to escape the shadows of her past by taking a position as governess to an only child, Louis, at an isolated country house in the west of England.

But Margaret soon starts to feel that something isn't quite right. There are strange figures in the dark, tensions between servants, and an abandoned east wing. Even stranger is the local gossip surrounding Mrs. Eversham, Louis's widowed mother, who is deeply distrusted in the village.

Lonely and unsure whom to trust, Margaret finds distraction in a forbidden relationship with the gardener, Paul. But as Margaret's history threatens to catch up with her, it isn't long before she learns the truth behind the secrets of Hartwood Hall.

fits: governess = educator

Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See

The latest historical novel from New York Times bestselling author Lisa See, inspired by the true story of a woman physician from 15th-century China—perfect for fans of See's classic Snowflower and the Secret Fan and The Island of Sea Women.

According to Confucius, "an educated woman is a worthless woman," but Tan Yunxian—born into an elite family, yet haunted by death, separations, and loneliness—is being raised by her grandparents to be of use. Her grandmother is one of only a handful of female doctors in China, and she teaches Yunxian the pillars of Chinese medicine, the Four Examinations—looking, listening, touching, and asking—something a man can never do with a female patient.

From a young age, Yunxian learns about women's illnesses, many of which relate to childbearing, alongside a young midwife-in-training, Meiling. The two girls find fast friendship and a mutual purpose—despite the prohibition that a doctor should never touch blood while a midwife comes in frequent contact with it—and they vow to be forever friends, sharing in each other's joys and struggles. No mud, no lotus, they tell themselves: from adversity beauty can bloom.

But when Yunxian is sent into an arranged marriage, her mother-in-law forbids her from seeing Meiling and from helping the women and girls in the household. Yunxian is to act like a proper wife—embroider bound-foot slippers, pluck instruments, recite poetry, give birth to sons, and stay forever within the walls of the family compound, the Garden of Fragrant Delights.

How might a woman like Yunxian break free of these traditions, go on to treat women and girls from every level of society, and lead a life of such importance that many of her remedies are still used five centuries later? How might the power of friendship support or complicate these efforts? Lady Tan's Circle of Women is a captivating story of women helping other women. It is also a triumphant reimagining of the life of a woman who was remarkable in the Ming dynasty and would be considered remarkable today.

DQs Day 1, Chapters 1 - 6

1. As someone who grew up with the Pern books, I love diving back into a world with dragons and dragon riders. And this one has extra bonus Gryphons, apparently!
Do you have any first impressions of the main characters (Violet, Dain, Rhiannon, Xader) and the world building? Do you want to know more?
Violet, I like that she has some struggles and has to be smart about things instead of a complete special snowflake where everything just happens to work out for her fairly easily. Hopefully that continues.
Dain seems very patronizing and annoying. Like a guy who wants his future wife to be a virgin but bangs a few squadrons worth of ladies and doesn't see the hypocrisy in that. And I'd assume he's a narc.
I hope Rhiannon is as real of a friend as she's starting out as. I hate it when authors don't have female leads have real friendships with other female characters.
Xaden, there's more there beneath the surface. My initial thoughts on him are he seems like he's got a lot of secrets.

2. What do you think of Violet’s mother and sister? Any idea about why her mother chose to order her to the Rider Quadrant instead of the Scribe Quadrant?
Mira seems like a good older sister and is doing her best in a crappy situation. Her mother, there is definitely something going on, I'm not sure what the issue is with her being a Scribe. Maybe her mom is afraid she's going to learn something if she reads unredacted reports from the field? It's not like Violet was going to work in the laundry. Being a top notch Scribe is nothing to poo-poo. Though in truth neither is working in a laundry, clean linens can save your life.

3. The brutality of the selection process and the casual acceptance of murder is something else. What do you think the purpose of it is? (If there is one beyond societal norms.)
Would you have given your boot to a stranger?
I'm guessing it has something to do with the dragons and the selection process? Dragons haven't really come into the story yet so I think there are a lot of unknowns there. No, probably not to be honest but then I'm an introvert and when I'm nervous even more so. I wouldn't of talked with anyone enough for a boot exchange to come up.

4. So this is a world at war, but at the battle briefings at least, they don’t seem to know why the outer provinces are currently attacking the borders. Any ideas about why this is happening?
Based on the first briefing I'm guessing the dragon side has something the gryphon side wants. Not sure if the dragon side took it or what. Maybe? I don't know it's so early in the story.

5. Do you think that Violet will survive and get chosen by a dragon? If so, any predictions on what kind?
Of course she'll get a dragon this is set up to be a multi book series. I'm going with that big mean black dragon or a blue one who randomly decides to take a rider this year after all. Something completely opposite from Violet's small stature.

Letters of hoax, they can be in any order

Hmm. We have a need for so many I’s.

Anyone want to read All Systems Red? It’s on KU (I think) and like 145 pages. We love converting people to loving Murderbot

Audio is well done too

It’s on there, we used it for an I letter I think since you had 5 holiday related books

Never mind! Lexi has her brain working and we'll use Jamie's Mockingjay for rebellion :)

We've been busy spinning the Wheel like crazy today and Sith actually came back around.

So Brittany, your alien book is being put to the task.

We do need another book that has a rebellion if you all have one in banked books or that you'd like to read

Aoife,

Can you add Wolf Called to your TT shelf when you get a chance?

Thank you!

We are holding off on pulling Immortality because of the I.

One of my banked books works for rebellion, so that's covered. Leaving us with the alien task.

FYI Tricia, we grabbed your Lost in the Linework for a wheel task.

I remember you saying you like to keep track!

Aoife has a banked book, Private Charter that should work for the transport task

I went poking around in the banked books. I found the word elephants in The Sea of Monsters

And we can spell elves with Everything is Beautiful which is on the tracking sheet. so I added those books to the wheel tasks.

You can use the librarian connection, probably the most straightforward

It doesn’t have to be the animal, it’s just there for reference and if people don’t understand why that character is grouped with 3 other animals

You'll probably see that one again, but not this year.

The mods are taking a bit of a breather before launching our next team challenge.

We have a new set of tasks, Discworld Bingo

Read a book you can connect to an elephant
Read a book you can connect to elves
Read a book you can connect to cats
Read a book you can connect to The Librarian (an orang-utan)

If you have a banked books that works for one of these let me know. But if we are using the books for an X, I, O especially we are likely best off to leave it in the spell out.

Also, feel free to grab with a new book.