Ashley’s Comments (group member since Apr 27, 2022)

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

Added in some library holds that I should get in the next 2 weeks! Love waiting on those!

I MIGHT... but I also have a bunch of books that I want to read that I don't want to have to worry about finding a fit for them. I usually have a mid-year slump for specific tasks, and have to slim down my challenges to 1-2, which is where I'm at now (not including year-long challenges). I may wait until after Towers... or longer...

I'll get bored after a bit of trying to think of what to read, and start challenges again, lol

Wooo! I finished the maze!
https://maze.meic.dev/maze/74/

😆🙃🤪

Finished , and almost done with . It's been a busy weekend, and this week will prob not help, but by midweek I should be able to read more. I'm slightly behind with reading this month, too many kid related/school-ending activities to attend! I WILL CATCH UP!

The Chipmunk tasks don't look terrible, yet, so I assume there are saving the truly horrific ones for later! I will have a look around at X-related things... (in all my spare time....)

I am reading Throne of Glass, should be done sometime soon, few days maybe (this is a busy weekend, so less reading will get done), and she's an Assassin, so it should work for Vetinari!

Melanie wrote: "Ashley wrote: "I know there's a lot of talk about this everywhere, but I just can't decide where the best place to put The Assassin's Blade in the series is. Some say read it first,..."

Thank you Melanie!

Someone told me that 3rd is good because there's a scene in HOF that makes more sense and is more emotionally charged if you've read AB, so I think I'll do it that way! I've been so excited to start, so I went ahead and started Throne of Glass last night... it was LATE, so I only read like 30 pages, but I was so glad to have made a decision!

Verification Post

DQ #1: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DQ #2: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
DQ #3: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Added link to last DQ for The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. :)

DQs - Day 3 | Chapters 12 - 18

10. I've noticed Carlota's perceptions are often described using non visual cues: she hears a lot, and even smells Montgomery behind her bedroom door but then dismisses the idea. After her attack, she finds herself noticing that "Her fingers, in the mirror, looked very long, the nails almost too sharp and the eyes...". Do you feel Carlota ever questions her own nature as a human/hybrid or is she too ingenuous to do so? Do you also feel the author is using alternate senses and, if so, as clues for the reader or red herrings?
It’s obvious even at this point in the book that she’s a hybrid, it just remains to be seen to what extent and why/how. I don’t think she questions anything though, because in her mind she has no reason to question it.

11. For much of this part, I felt Montgomery was conflicted regarding his feelings for Carlota. He "writes" to his wife using what I felt was a brotherly perspective only to realise, a few lines and drinks later, he could not resist kissing her if she were there in that moment. What did you make of this change of heart and do you find his various missteps bring something to the story?
Montgomery is such a sad man. I feel sorry for him. He misses his wife, everything reminds him of things that plague him with guilt.

12. We're already halfway through the story - Doctor Moreau and Montgomery are both complex characters. Am I alone in thinking Carlota and her hybrid friends deserve to be more thoroughly fleshed out and layered?
I agree, I would much rather there have been more character development on this front. While Montgomery is a great and interesting character, Carlota and the hybrids are barely discussed.

13. What did you make of the scene where Carlota loses her virginity by the cenote - did her reaction seem natural to you or did you find yourself questioning her fearlessness? In your opinion, if Carlota is herself a hybrid, what effect might that have on their progeny?
I didn’t question it, but maybe I’ve read too many romance novels with virgins who seem to have no problem jumping into a full-blown sexual encounter with little discomfort!
As far as reproduction, if she’s a hybrid that wouldn’t be possible, right?

14. There's a storm brewing as the hybrids plan to join Juan Cumux and Carlota attempts to retrieve her father's notes and formulas. Do you think the hybrids will remain subservient once they remove themselves from Doctor Moreau's influence or could the story turn dark?
I doubt it, no one wants to stay caged forever and there was discontent at the beginning. I see no way that they will stay meek.

Lorn! I'm definitely reading EOD and TOD tandem! I've even got it marked out already and I haven't even started the first book! I'm so excited for that experience!

I know there's a lot of talk about this everywhere, but I just can't decide where the best place to put The Assassin's Blade in the series is. Some say read it first, others say 3rd (before Heir of Fire), and still others say 4th (after Heir of Fire).

Has anyone here read the series? For those of you who have, what do you think is best and why? I want to start it, lol!

Would the Throne of Glass series be useful for the "Lord Vetinari" tower? Wikipedia says "As a youth, he enrolled in the Assassins' Guild which, apart from teaching its students how to kill other people for money, also gives them an excellent academic education."

I'm trying to decide if I want to go ahead and start that series or hold off and do some others I have lying around.

DQs - Day 2 | Chapters 6 - 11

6. As Sonia noted, we jump six years. Do the characters, especially Carlota, feel six years older? Do you like books that have time jumps or would you have preferred to see Montgomery get used to working in his new jobs? (Sonia already asked about the fallout but feel free to add that here).
Honestly, maybe older, especially Carlota.
I have a love-hate relationship with time jumps. Sometimes I think they are great, and really serve to move the story along. Other times, I just get confused, especially when the timeline jumps back and forth. In this case, I think the jump is necessary.

7. Do you like the method of telling the same scene from both points of view? Is there one point of view you prefer?
No. I tend to find this tedious, although it can sometimes be insightful.

8. And we have the start of a love triangle. What do you think of the two young men and Carlota’s reaction to them?
I’m hoping that the idiot Eduardo is the reason a rebellion happens and that he gets EATEN… is that too strongly worded? Maybe I’ve been reading too much of Dino Island…

9. So far this feels very much like a historical fiction book with relationships being forwarded over the science and hybrids. Do you agree, and were you expecting that?
Yes, I very much have that vibe, although I think Mexican Gothic was a lot like that as well. It took a long time to get around to the “why”, so I am not surprised.

Bonus: If you were part critter, and didn’t have the health concerns, what species would you prefer?
Hmmm… I think a big cat would be fun. A wolf is always the obvious choice, and that could be fun too, but I think big cats are “sexier” animals, so I want to be sexy… if animals can be considered sexy… maybe I’ve read too much shifter fiction…

Melindam wrote: "@Ashley B

I see that more than 2 people are volunteering from other teams to write DQs, so if you are OK with it, you could volunteer as well. It is raising our chances. :)

(as far as I remember,..."

I went ahead and volunteered, we shall see what happens!!

Volunteering for Team Dez :)

DQs - Day 1 | Chapters 1 - 5

1. Have you read the original Island of Dr Moreau book? Or watched any of the films? I only saw the 1996 movie, so, in my head, I keep seeing Dr Moreau as Marlon Brando, Val Killer as Montgomery and Fairuza Balk as Carlota.
I have not read or watched anything about Dr Moreau, so this is all fresh and new to me!

2. In the movie, Fairuza was one of the hybrids, although here, she only has "treatments" with jaguar genetic code. Do you think it's just a ruse from the doctor and she is actually the first hybrid?
I think so, it makes sense to further the plot.

3. Montgomery's past was a sad one. And he looks like just a drunk with some natural instincts to protect the innocent. Were you surprised he was considering not to accept the job, and then when the incident happens and he needs to kill the hybrid he decides to stay?
I’m sure guilt is a factor here, and I’m not really surprised. I’m sure there is more to be discovered as well.

4. I'm a bit disappointed that he didn't explain exactly how his studies came to be. In a scientific point of view, how is it even possible? We're in the 1870s... way before in vitro fertilization or genetic advances... and he manages to separate and mix genomes, or as called in the book gemmules? Not to mention that the original story was written way before cloning was a thing....
This is definitely a plot hole, but I don’t know that it really matters here. My guess is this is less Sci-Fi and more gothic horror-esque… so facts are maybe not as needed to further the plot.

5. So, hybrids are dangerous. Specially when they're still developing, and their animal instincts are overpowering the human ones (in theory, since we had no idea what the level of brain maturity the developing hybrid was). Back in the movie, there is a rebellion and it doesn't end well for humans. Do you think it will be the case here?
Perhaps! Especially if Carlota is a hybrid as well!

And a bonus, Am I the only one that is sad that we're jumping 6 years? I wanted to see the fall out from the incident.
Sad, no. I think it will maybe come up throughout, flashbacks or referring back!

Also, it looks like Sammy volunteered for City of Brass backup. I would assume that means me doing so is pointless?

I would volunteer for the Stephen King book, but I don't know that I'll have that book when needed for writing DQs. I am planning to attempt to read it though.

....I am glad I didn't have a drink in my mouth... Morning Glory MILKING FARM....

I voted for the Red one, solely based on KU status! The rest all looked fine though! I think we need to make sure the whole team here votes NOT for Milking Farm... I don't know if I can do another weird erotica book...

Helllllo!