Vicki’s Comments (group member since May 01, 2018)

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

To my awesome team captains, I have a minor issue. :)

My book I am starting to read is posted on the SS BOOKS tab, but it opens up to a weird site or something for prizes. I can't change it and I don't know if it matters but it's The Pear Field in case you want to check it out.

I was looking at post modern on listopia. Some good options are there, but knowing the parameters are super helpful. Thanks! 😊

Jenny, you go girl! 🙌🏻

Discussion Questions Day 1
Prologue - Part 1 Ch 5

1. The first line is “A letter changed my life.” Would you say this was a good start, cheesy start, or are you indifferent?

I don't know if I'd call it cheesy, but it certainly didn't grab me and make me necessarily want to see what it was all about.

2. Why do you think Tio Roberto wanted to immediately send Inez back to Egypt without even seeing her? Do you think he’s hiding something? Or do you think it’s just typical of men at that time to dismiss young women and enforce them being chaperoned and taken care of?

Tio Ricardo doesn't know his niece, but I found it off-putting that he sent a proxy in his place. While reading his letter to her, I felt something was off. I wonder if her parents are dead because their bodies were never found. I think her parents might truly have not wanted her there for reasons unknown, but her uncle might also have felt it unsafe for her to be there and was being protective, especially if he has an idea of foul play (or was involved in it) against her parents.

3. The ring scene with Thomas Sterling was definitely outrageous; I felt Inez's outrage and all of her shock. Do you expect to see the ring later in the story? Any guesses to its significance?

It infuriated me! The audacity (no matter what) to just take it off her finger was awful. But then for the conductor (ticket-taker) to simply assume the man was right because he has an official title was almost more enraging! Ugh...just awful! The ring must be a well-known piece of jewelry whether the thief was truly who he said or not, it must be worth a lot, possibly even just for the historical value.

4. What do you think of the writing style and the pacing so far? Are you enjoying the lyrical, rich descriptions or do you prefer a more fast paced story?

Personlly, I'm enjoying the pacing. I think the writing is lyrical and beautiful, so the slower pace works well with the plot so far.

5. In Ch. 5 we see politics at play, and we can tell this is just the beginning. How do you think this will affect your enjoyment of the book? Will it enhance the story for you or will you feel bogged down by the details?

I am iffy on politics in a plot. If it becomes too detailed or somehow pits one political view against another and even makes it evident that one political view is being dismissed, I don't want anything that mimics what our politics in the U.S. have been over the past several years. But so far I'm okay with it.

Does anyone know how to add a book so that it shows up for the 2025 reading count. I had read The Revenge Pact and it showed up twice. One edition was "Unknown Binding" and the other was Kindle. I removed the Unknown Binding edition but it removed the edition I read too. Ugh...

Angie, the disconnect is my brain! lol I found what was wrong. I only saw my names at the bottom of the BOOKS tab. I didn't see the one way at that top that said DO NOT MOVE. So sorry to take up so much time.

Thanks, Apoorv and Angie. Question though: I thought all of the books had to be listed on the books tab too, so I didn't see the one on the top of the SS. I thought maybe I'd left one off but I didn't think I'd read a book I'd forgotten about. So the one I didn't see on the books tab was only on the mini-2 and that's okay? Or what am I missing? Just don't want to mess things up. lol

My cap shows 30 and my books read for this round so far shows 6, but I've only read 5. Maybe I got someone else's book count/points added to mine somehow? The only other thing I can think of is that the book I added to the cheese tab was counted twice?

Jenny wrote: "OK guys. The mods have thrown some cheese at. us. You may notice a new tab on the spreadsheet; Say Cheese.
From this point on in the challenge, any book that is finished can be used for a cheese sp..."

I just finished one but I started it yesterday. Does that still count?

And can articles be eliminated or not in this case?

Jenny wrote: "Well, the answer to your question of speed is buried in the question of how much do we want to win this TT?
The sooner we finish a country on the wheel, the sooner we get a new spin, a new country,..."

Perfect! I didn't know I could start the books as long as I don't finish them before all of the first itinerary was completed. I just wasn't positive about the others. Thanks, Jenny. :)

And I want to win!

Need a wee bit of clarification. OK, I know that we cannot read our books for Itinerary 2 or 3 prior to finishing the previous ones, but other than that does it matter how quickly we get to the other ones for travel and mini-world wheel? Also, when can we add books for the regular world wheel tasks? Lastly, do we have the entire length of the challenge to get to any/all of our books or do we need to finish any of them by a certain date so as not to lose points?

Sincerely, your favorite pest!

Okie dokie

Jenny wrote: "The mods clarified something about the minis, and it is worth sharing.
We can use banked books (books already read and not used for another mini task) for Mini 2- Traveling. So, when a new task is ..."

I read The Golden Doves today (528 pages) set in France. Should I add it to the books tab for country (obviously easy) or bank it for a possible Mini-2 Traveling? If I try to save it for the mini, do I still add it to the books tab and leave it blank or leave it off altogether?

Good find, Cilla!

Angie ☯ wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Does it matter if we start with the country books or traveling or world wheel tasks first? I have one book that I need for another challenge due today so I wanted to start with that o..."

Yes, I understood that so I'm good. :)

I have two books down! YAY! Starting on my 3rd one now, but whether or not I finish it tonight or tomorrow depends on if hubby wants to watch our shows together tonight.

Does it matter if we start with the country books or traveling or world wheel tasks first? I have one book that I need for another challenge due today so I wanted to start with that one but it's for the world wheels.

I read my first book and I was SO surprised that I loved it and couldn't put it down! A fast read at 122 pages for sure but I ended up having to buy it or so I thought. I will have to make sure all of my books in the future are available through my public library or Libby or KU because I won't be able to buy a lot of books, especially for 122 page book that was $9.30 but Amazon had "Rent for $3.61" which I'd never seen before so of course I went the cheaper route. The book would be excellent for high school classes. Sad, angered me but really good.

Thank you, Teddie and Jenny. :) I might have noticed it if it hadn't been between 2:00 and 3:30 AM. I was trying to figure out stuff on my laptop and finally figured out how to add a link. I have never had a Mac before so it's taking some getting used to and I have only used it once before on our trip to FL in February, But I finally got it! :)

Jenny wrote: "If you look at the tab for the mini challenge you are using, you will see a reference number to the left. Put that number (or letters and numbers) in column C on the Books tab.

As to where to put ..."

Sorry, Jenny, but I need help understanding. I added The Pear Field to the BOOKS tab but it's for novels. I have no idea what number to assign it. I tried adding 119 but it didn't transfer over to the novels tab. I don't know what I'm doing yet. lol

Angie ☯ wrote: "

Our Tracking Spreadsheet, the mini challenges pull the information from the "Books" tab. (This is how the official spreadsheet is setup and how we need to report.) So, please add all the informat..."

I started adding books but not sure what to put for the Mini Ref# or whether to put it for novel, traveling or wheels.