Karen ⊰✿’s Comments (group member since Sep 23, 2012)

Karen ⊰✿’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

End of Part III

Oh my goodness I am bored.
But I have come so far now.

I don't remember much about Priory, but I did enjoy it.
This book is just slow and bloated and the characters are boring.

Although according to the reading schedule I should stop, I have to finish otherwise I will never want to pick this up again

I hope everyone is having a good week!

Mine has been complete chaos- after getting back from holidays my husband had (planned) surgery and then half the team have been sick while we have a huge project happening.
I’m absolutely exhausted 😩 hopefully can have a quiet weekend

Yum and happy birthday Richard!

Part 3
I’m in chapter 63 and struggling
The pace has slowed back down to how it was in part 1 and I keep getting Glorian and Dumai confused - their characters just don’t seem to be written uniquely enough. I’m not sure if that is because there is meant to be some reveal about them actually being twins separated at birth or something?….🤦‍♀️
Anyway. I’m struggling and keep finding myself literally eye rolling. Can’t believe how much of this book is still to go 😬

End of Part 2

This part went much faster. I think whereas part 1 was setting up the characters we are now seeing a lot more how they interact and the action is heating up.

Canthe - (view spoiler)[ wtf is going on here?! Tunuva went from skeptical to lustful within a.. day? And she has some super spooky stuff going on how she can get people to give their secrets, even get them to keep her in the Priory, doesn't get hot etc. Is she some kind of 'witch'? Is she somehow connected to Wulf and the mystery around him? (hide spoiler)]

Wulf - (view spoiler)[ Speaking of, I am concerned for his welfare as the only survivor now of more than one terrible incident. How is he going to survive once he is found? (hide spoiler)]

General comment - (view spoiler)[ everyone seems attracted to everyone else. We don't seem to have a new character introduced without someone lusting after them. I don't remember this happening in book 1. And it isn't listed as a romantasy so I think it is sticking out to me more and becoming a bit tiresome actually. lol. But otherwise I'm enjoying the pace in this part and looking forward to part 3 (hide spoiler)]

Oh, and I agree, Judy (view spoiler)[ that Tunava's son is still alive. Seems too convenient to make this a plot point without a "twist" on the way (hide spoiler)]

Oh well done! I didn’t have time this morning to figure it out. Nice work 🥳

I finished


such a feel good, easy series to read :)

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "On one of my read books, disappeared of the spreadsheet.

So I put it back on -


336 pages finished 6 July"



Thanks, Lisa. Sorry that was probably me working off this little laptop this morning :o

Catherine wrote: "Nice, thank You Karen. Also waiting for the book to become available from Libby is rubbish so I decided to purchas the kindle and audio since its Amazon sale day happening."

I have the kindle and audio, too. Will switch to audio soon once I have finished my current listen and see what it is like

Update



Mini 1 - countries
Countries we have read twice
Afghanistan
Bhutan
Cuba
Czechia (Czech Republic)
Ethiopia
Fiji
Ghana
Israel
Kenya
North Korea
Palestine
Poland
Romania
Rwanda
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Thailand
Uganda
Ukraine
Zambia
Zimbabwe
-we are in our 8th itinerary-

Mini 2 - tasks
Open:

96 Read a book first published in December of any year


Tina reading for 60 Read a book tagged "Education" at least 10x https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/... and
Elizabeth is reading for 86 Read a book which has the main location (setting) on the African continent



Mini 3 - Wheel

Japan:

WW108 Author born in Japan
WW110 character eats Sushi
WW111 cherry tree(s) and/or blossom(s) on cover
WW112 features a geisha


Russia:
Lisa reading for WW149 character (dreams of) going to St. Petersburg



Mini 4 - Part 1
Not read:

F03 turmeric
F08 ube
F10 paella
F13 naan
F14 pho
F15 kimchi
F21 quinoa

Part 2 has many letters available so I won't list them here :) I can't get the formula to work to find out how many are left, and don't have the time right now.. but here are how many we started with:
Letter Total required
A 26
B 8
C 7
D 4
E 16
F 4
G 4
H 4
I 16
J 2
K 7
L 11
M 11
N 9
O 21
P 7
Q 0
R 8
S 10
T 5
U 7
V 3
W 1
X 1
Y 3
Z 2

Elisabeth wrote: "Is anyone reading for the African continent setting in Travelling? A friend just dropped in with a pile of books to offload and one of them is a Chinua Achebe I have on my TBR shelf. A quick read i..."

I don’t believe so. I think it is all yours!

End Part 1

As above, I have had trouble keeping the characters in my mind and the different storylines.
By the end of this part we do start to see some threads beginning to tie their stories together.

I asked the robot for a spoiler free summary of the characters at this point. It gave me this:

🏯 Tunuva (East / Priory)
Tunuva is a dedicated sister of the Priory of the Orange Tree, trained in secret to fight a long-dormant evil.

She’s part of a tradition-bound community that is both powerful and isolated.

Her storyline introduces the belief systems and ancient responsibilities of the Priory.

👑 Glorian (West / Inys)
Glorian, a royal daughter, struggles with the heavy expectations of duty, faith, and succession.

We see early palace politics, religious tensions, and her resistance to the life planned for her.

This POV explores the burden of legacy and how women are often trapped in roles they didn’t choose.

🌄 Dumai (South / Seiiki)
Dumai’s quiet life in a mountain temple is disrupted by events that force her into a bigger role.

This region introduces the mythology of the gods and the balance of power between dragons and humans.

Dumai’s storyline hints at ancient forces awakening.

❄️ Wulf (North / Hróth)
Wulf, a warrior with a mysterious past, is navigating a new and unfamiliar role in the north.

His section is shorter in Part 1 but gives a taste of political instability and hidden secrets.

Remember: each storyline has a unique tone — political (Glorian), spiritual (Dumai), faithful/resistance (Tunuva).


I feel like Wulf is probably the most surprising to me as a POV as it did feel like this was a story told from the female POVs. He has had a smaller section too, so I guess we may see more of him.

I'm interested in what is rumbling under the earth and how Glorian and Dumai may be connected in dreams somehow?

Judy wrote: "I'm now about 20% in, at chapter 21, and things are finally starting to happen! It's taken me a bit to understand who's who (and I'm still iffy on some relations...) but I think I'm finally starting to grasp some things and am interested in what's going on instead of just feeling like I'm along for a ride I'm largely indifferent to. Makes sense since it's close to the end of part 1!..."

I just finished part 1, and I'm so glad to read this as I feel exactly the same way! I wondered if it was just because I'm reading a bit then leaving it or a week or two before coming back, but I've had a lot of difficulty staying engaged and understanding who all the characters are.

Gosh that Stinking Bishop sounds awful!

Hahaha
Yes, I understand space smut is in order!!

Nice - enjoy the time Lisa!

Yes … Empress Murders lives up to the critics of being completely wacky. It is one of the strangest books I’ve read for a while!!

HI all

Just checking in from the sunny Sunshine Coast in Qld.

We have been to Amaze World https://amazeworld.com.au/
and
did this free flight owl experience where you walk through the forest feeding a barking owl which was amazing
https://skywind.com.au/
and yesterday went to Australia Zoo. I first went about 30 years ago when Steve was still running in - very different experience then compared to now!! It is a great zoo, though, and a nice tribute to him
https://australiazoo.com.au/

Today we are heading out to an island to go snorkelling.

So I am reading, but slowly ;) and not online a whole lot. I hope you are all having a nice week!

Yum!

And we have covered it with our books :)

Oh my. Cat. Wendy, Yasmine! So close!

Yes they are weird additions to that!