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

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

Vicki, can you please add these to your wheels shelf

Bridge of Clay (Markus Zusak)
In the Lives of Puppets (T.J. Klune)

If everyone can make sure all their books are added and for any books that don't have a mini task, if you haven't already checked, please double check that there isn't something we can use!

Found a quick book for electric vehicle!

Tom Swift and His Electric Runabout, or, the Speediest Car on the Road

hah!!

My numbers are loooowww. I feel like this round has skipped days or something! Where has the time gone!?

Unclaimed for Relax Mini:

tagged 'puzzle' at least 5 times
with a character who drives an electric vehicle
that features one or more books
out of your comfort zone

Ok, so I thought on the mini task and used the teams thoughts and our previous experience with "doing a task wrong" on the Garden mini to make a decision. Since there is a distinct possibility of a penalty or the potential loss of the completion bonus, I'm going to err on the side of caution and have us use a different book, with the take of "the mention of a book within a book".

Vicki wrote: "Our books need to be finished by Dec. 7, right? Do you know what time on that day? I live in PST."

End of Boring Wheel of Life: 7 Dec 9pm UK: https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...

DQs Day 3 - Parts IV & V

10. When Alice gave birth to her second child, she had a mantra. "I will love this new baby." I found it very odd. What do you think about that? Do you find any deeper meaning in it?

I think there is a lot of psychological trauma here.

11. What do you think about Bear showing up? Could it be real? Just a vision/hallucination?

My thought was a hallucination, as there is some serious PTSD and trauma going on.

12. Do you think Barbara was "just" a name for Peter? Or could there be something he hides?

Hmmm, I think it's just a name, but that man is hiding A LOT!

13. Louise got brutally beaten up. Toxic/abusive relationships seem to be a big factor in this book. Do you think that will have anything to do with the rest of the story and the reveal of the mystery?

Yes, yes yes.

Day 2 - 3 Dec
Parts II & III

6. The story is told through multiple characters and constant time jumps. Do you think it's working for the plot? If not, what would you change? Is it easy for you to keep track of the plot and characters? Is it impacting on your reading?

I think it works, and it definitely ramps up the tension. I am not struggling to keep up.

7. We're introduced to the Van Laar family. What do you think of the mother (or the lack of her appearance so far) and the two Peter's? Do you think the grandfather or the father have a role in Bear's disappearance?

Again, all the characters are DEEPLY problematic. I'm finished already, but I remember distinctly feeling like both had something to do with Bear's disappearance at this point in the book.

8. We're also introduced to Delphine who says to Alice that "that one is free to do what one wishes in life, expectations be damned”, that Alice can do more and that she is smart. What do you make of Alice's reaction to this? Do you think Alice will end up standing up for herself and speaking up?

I really felt more connected to Delphine here and remembered feeling like she was the only character with any... character. I think Alice is a standard "I get walked all over" woman for that era, and not likely to change.

9. I've noticed that the author has reduced the voice for a few characters. We see it with Alice from when she's 18 years old and with Tracey. Even with Louise as she's being asked questions by the Senior Investigator. Why do you think the author did this, especially with Alice and Tracey? Do you think Louise is like Alice and Tracey or very different? Have you noticed any other similarities between any of the characters?

As much as I want to run with the idea that oppressed women come out stronger in the end, I don't know that it will carry through here...

Day 1- Part I

1.) Have you read any Liz Moore books before? Or, did you buy it to find out what the big drip of pink paint on the cover means?

I have not, this was my first. I definitely impulse bought it from B&N because I liked the cover....

2.) Have you ever gone to (or been a counselor at) a summer camp or the like as a kid? Did you like it? Is the setting of this book descriptive (or nostalgic) enough to bring you into the story?

I have been to a summer camp, but not an overnight one.... well, I vaguely remember an overnight school related summer camp type trip, but I think I blocked that out.... I don't remember loving it, but I'm not sure I was much of a "summer camp" kid, in fact, I'm pretty sure I got in trouble there a lot.

3.) So far we have been introduced to just a few characters; a couple of campers, a couple of counselors, a couple of useless parents, and a boogey man. What do you think of them so far?

They all seem ... well... awful, except perhaps Louise.

4.) How did you react to Louise not being very truthful about the night Barbara disappeared? How will it come back to haunt her (if it does)?

She obviously has something to hide. AND OF COURSE it will come back to haunt her!

5.) If you have not read ahead, do you have any wild guesses about what happened to Barbara? If you have read ahead, how do you like the way the story is unfolding?

The tension is high, I love it.

hmmm, an interesting take, what does the rest of the team think?

Cathy! Can you confirm on of your Mini Challenge tasks for me, you have Rise of Empire in R24 (that features one or more books). My assumption on this was that the book you read featured a book in the text, like referencing a book as part of the narrative. Is this what your book does?

Hi Team! I'm not ignoring you all! It was a busy weekend. This time of year is a bit chaotic for me, running a retail store, but I am working behind the scenes. Feel free to chat away and I promise I will see it! :)

Vicki wrote: "Hey, team, I got some blessed news yesterday. My granddaughter whose husband is in the marines and (poor guy) stationed in Hawaii texted to tell me they are having a baby!!! She and their two other..."

How exciting!

Natasha wrote: "It was just my husband and I for Thanksgiving so it was very low key and I loved it. We made too much food for the two of us (lots of leftovers) and decorated the Christmas tree."

That sounds lovely Natasha!

Since there is a completion bonus for the Relax mini, we should focus on getting that completed.

As far as the other minis... there is no benefit to completing one over another, or completing at all, everything is worth points, of course, but there is no completion bonus, so we can add books that don't work for Relax to those as they fit.

Cordelia wrote: "Hey, life just got unexpectedly busy which also led to me having my lowest reading month this month in like a decade. Sad times!

I just added Child of the Prophecy to the read list. I have severa..."

That's ok Cordelia! I had a month like that last month!

Beach Holiday definitely refers to a vacation!

Roe wrote: "The only one it MIGHT work for from that list is library wont stock- its a dark romance so myl ibrary doesnt stock those but idk if other libraries would."

I think it's meant to be personal, so if you know your library would say no way, it works!