Melissa’s Comments (group member since May 12, 2019)

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

I finished The Paris Apartment. It was okay. I added vinegar to #30 fish dish, and am working with finding the other foods.
Yes, PLEASE, use my letters!!!

17. The wrapping up of this was very hectic, with bonus tear-gas fueled bathroom sex! Was the ending satisfactory to you?

I was glad it wrapped up! I guess it was nice that Ben didn't die, and the ultimate baddie did.

18. Jess blackmails Sophie into helping out the sex-trafficked girls. What did you think of this plot line?

Sure. I mean she should help out.

19. Any changes in your view of the characters over the course of the book?

I was a bit tired of Mimi after a while. I liked Jess. They were all pretty self absorbed.

20. Finally, do you think the inversion of the normal view of Paris as the city of love was effective here?

Maybe? It did give us a bit of the underbelly.

13. There is a lot going on in this section with many twists. First we head to Amsterdam and the Ben/Nick encounter was this expected. What are your thoughts on how Ben treated Nick when he moved into the apartment?
Ben is a strange character in general.

14. Ben and Sophie embark on illicit rendezvous courting danger, while Mimi is on an obsessive mission to seduce Ben. Where do you see this ending?

Well, it seems like they're pounding us over the head that it is one of them who killed Ben. I'm loosing a bit of interest - it seems a little slow.
15. Jess and Theo succeed in gaining entry to the exclusive club owned by Jacques but are thrown out when they attempt to access the locked room, with one of the dancers being fearful when she spots them down there. Ideas on what is behind the door?

Maybe a lover of the husband?

16. We learn a lot about Mimi’s heritage and her connection to the Concierge. Do you think she’s aware of the connection?
Nope

DQs Day 3 - Mimi - Sophie
9. Now, we know they are one big (not so) happy family. What do you think of the family dynamics? Do you think it is odd to live in an apartment in someone else’s house? This also means that anyone could have a key.

Yes, this is a strange family. It is probably all tied up with money. I guess AirBnBs are a little like an apartment in someone else's house, and that's not creepy. I think it's just the fact that they don't make their family relations known is weird.

10. We have learned about the father and his view on sex/chastity with two of his children (“becoming a man” and his daughter’s outfit). How do these two scenes reflect on the family and character development?

Well, the father seems to wield all of the power. The children seem to suffer under his tyranny.
11. Ben seems to have been investigating the family business. What do you think is really going on and is represented by the “wine” transactions? I think there is one obvious choice, but I will wait for others to comment.
I'm not sure. Something else is being traded.

12. Finally, do you have a favorite character so far? Do you think the characters have developed much or are they still mostly defined relationally?
I'm most interested in Mimi. She seems very different from the rest.

Alicia wrote: "The notebook finally fell out of the crevice in the chair it was stuck in so here I go...anyone know why my books aren't linking to Goodreads? I have been having to add the link myself"

Hmm... not sure? I usually add the link.

Keely wrote: "I will be starting with The Paris Apartment as that one needs to be done sooner and then I will hopefully move onto The Four Winds.

I haven't had a chance to looks at next month's BOMs yet, but I..."

I'm working through The Paris Apartment. It's definitely a quick read,... although it's taking me weeks (I'm frustrated with my reading speed these days....)

I'm going to scan Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board for a papaya or something. That book was okay. Some of my students at school are reading it.

Heather wrote: "I am reading non-fiction, I am hoping that it mentions food somewhere but I doubt it so even though it is worth 4 letters I may only have 3 with spell out :( Maybe not the best choice for this chal..."

Yes! I love non-fiction. I try to read one a week, but HA, my reading is pitiful right now!!
I just read The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear which was amazing. It's by the author of The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women which was also amazing. Not much in food. Near the end they have a picnic or something, and I had to stop the book to write it all down! But I didn't get enough to cover the amount of pages it went for, so I hear you.

Keely wrote: "I'm not sure if it has been done already but we need to have the area about our restaurant completed by the 23rd.
I'm not very good at that sort of thing but I could try and think of something in ..."

Sorry about this! This was in my plans to do... School has taken over my life! I think your blurb is fantastic and thanks for writing it :)

Sorry to have not been around much. I’m gonna try to finish up about five books this weekend And I’ll read the comments!

But I can put in tea :)

Hmmm I thought it was a minimum of two ingredients…. And a maximum of 4….

Just finished Crown of Midnight. They didn't eat much. Mostly fighting monsters! I spelled out water for tea, but I din't have another t for the tea, so if anyone has extra letters, my water could use a bit of tea :)

Alicia wrote: "ill go through and work it all out if need be.

Ugh, the little notebook that I write words down in, fell between the gap in my recliner and is either stuck still or fell where I can't find it. So..."

LOL
Get the broom ready... Whenever I go searching for things like that well,... there's a lot more there than I bargained for....

Excellent!
Yeah, I’m not worried:) I like playing the game :) It’s fun to look for food while reading:)

Heather wrote: "I can change ten to Outlander, there was fruitcake mentioned in that."

I love that you found a fruitcake in Outlander. While reading that at any other time, the fruitcake would go unnoticed ...

Alright teammates! Don't worry about overreading! Lol! I'm starting to pick up in my reading again. I'm not sure I'll get to 20 books a month, but you know, one can have goals :) I went to a town book sale yesterday. 50 cents a book! I got 20 :) There's September :) I am wanting to read a classic along the way too. I'm thinking of Wuthering Heights.

Camilla wrote: "I am so sorry, but I need to withdraw from the game. I am just not currently able to read almost at all, I've finished only one book so far in September and that one I'd started in August. This has..."

No hard feelings Camilla! Be well. Hope to see you in another challenge in the future :)

For lines 58 and 60 - are we looking for a pepper and an onion?
I could switch something from my last book - as I didn't use the peppers that were mentioned.

Heather wrote: "I have spotted an issue with meal 9 I think. Different meals require books with different page counts and desserts, drinks and cocktails require a minimum of books with 500 pages, both the books us..."

Good catch!