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

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

I'm sorry that I forgot to add 2 books to my TT shelf, but they're added now. Damaged Intentions and The Rose and the Sword

I'm back from our trip and just added a few more books. A couple have terrible page counts so obviously feel free not to use them! Just wanted to add them in case we "need" them. lol

My book for The Witch's Heart was returned to the library automatically so I don't know if I can get another book in time for the BOM but I have a whole month to answer the DQ's so hopefully I will.

DQs Day 4 - Chapters 30-38

15. In this section, we see Beth really open up in the interview and describe two different Christmas flashbacks. The first, when Beth was 14, Lily was bruised and had been clearly abused by her foster family. We also (at least according to Beth) see the beginnings of Lily as a serial killer. Do you feel any sympathy for Lily? Do you agree with Beth that Beth could have stopped her?

I do feel bad for Lily the way Julian treats her and how she's treated in foster care; however, as she grows up she's 100% responsible for the choices she makes and I don't have much sympathy for her in her more grown up years.

No, I don't think Beth could have stopped her because it seems like nobody can tell Lily anything. Her personality is too strong and she is so manipulative that I think she'd have definitely been able to manipulate Beth.

16. What did you think of the interview with the lawyer Ransom Wells? Why do you think he and Beth never told the police about Lily, even after the murders?

Maybe it falls along the line of opening a can of worms. Perhaps since Ransom had been in love with Mariana he didn't want to further damage her image and he figured Beth was not guilty so why bring it up? Also, he insinuated that perhaps Mariana was raped and perhaps that would bring more shame on her.

17. Beth gets a wonderful shopping trip with her mom that immediately gets ruined when they return home and Lily is there. Lily is clearly the favorite. Why do you think that is?

I think Lily is the favorite partially because Mariana feels guilt that she doesn't have custody of her and the few times she sees her, her daughter is terribly mistreated by Julian. It's possible that Lily is more like Mariana than we realize and that might also make her feel closer to her.

18. Can Shea trust Michael? He seems almost too good to be true.

I have distrust Michael since the beginning, especially after he'd withheld that his father was in on Beth's case. Why wouldn't he have told Shea that?

LOL Thanks, Jenny :)

I wrote my DQ for The Book of Cold Cases and posted them on the SS but they were moved. I thought they should be in the DQ Written column where I had placed them. I had planned on answering questions for Day 4 so I could get points for participation AND my questions I wrote. Just want to make sure we get our fullest points!

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "DQs Day 2: Chap 20-29 - I think this is Day 3...

10. Beth's house has seemed important from the beginning of the story and there have been a lot of descriptions of the "Frankenstein ugly" house. D..."

Jeez lol Thank you, I corrected it. :)

DQs Day 3: Chap 20-29

10. Beth's house has seemed important from the beginning of the story and there have been a lot of descriptions of the "Frankenstein ugly" house. During one of Shea's interviews Beth told her to go upstairs and see her childhood bedroom and then she said, "Not all of the answers you want so desperately are going to come from me. Some of them are going to come from this house." What do you think Shea learned from the house when she perused Beth's room?

11. We now have a better insight into the note that was left at the murder scene that said, in part, Am I bitter or am I sweet? In this section we got a lot of details about how this "bitter/sweet" was played out in the house with Mariana and the two girls. Lily also told Beth that everything was her fault and she could have stopped it. What do you think the note will reveal about the murderer and how do you think Beth could've stopped it or could she have?

12. Julian's treatment of Lily is rather atrocious, especially considering how young she is when she first visits them. Why do you think he hates her so much and who do you suspect Lily's father is? (I have only read through chapter 29 for my questions, so I don't even know if that is revealed. Just curious what others are thinking about the situation.)

13. Lily told Beth she wanted a lot of things, including the house. Beth told Lily she hated the house to which Lily said, "That's because you don't understand it...It's an abomination that shouldn't exist...It's exactly like me." What do you think she meant by this?

14. Lily appears to have more power in the relationship between her and Beth, but based on Beth's current day ability to manipulate others, do you think Lily really is the more powerful one in their relationship? Why or why not?

DQs Day 2: Chap 12-19

5. Shea is trying to explain the taps being turned on and the cupboards being opened by themselves through telekinesis. If you had experienced what she did, do you think you would have tried to explain things logically or do you think you would have believed it was ghosts and left it at that?

I don't believe in ghosts so I probably would've tried to figure out some logical reason that happened. That being said, there were other things that happened so it did get creepy It would have definitely made me wonder.

6. After getting a cat, Shea calls on Michael to ask for advice on how to care for it, through the conversation she thinks about wanting to meet him. Do you think they will end up together or perhaps just remain as friends? Could Michael be interested as well?

So far their relationship is purely business. I do think they'll meet but I don't have any expectations they'll be romantic as of yet.

7. Mr. Greer’s former secretary tells Shea Mrs. Greer wasn’t competent and that she was "sent away somewhere when she was eighteen". Do you think she was crazy or do you have any other theories?

With all of the ghostly occurrences in the house and the house being a sore spot for Mariana, I do think she either had mental issues or some kind of paranormal abilities and perhaps was thought to be insane.

8. While listening to the recording of Beth’s interview Shea hears a voice in the background whispering “I am still here” and poor Winston gets spooked. Did you find this scary? Do you think cats/animals have a feel for the supernatural? If it were you, would you come back to the house after hearing that?

I found that part very eerie! I do think animals sense anything out of the ordinary, so I assume Winston does too. I would not want to go back, but if my passion were the same as Shea's and it was my only way to get an interview, I probably would go back too.

9. Finally, in order to get in the mood for more scary stuff. Have you or someone you know have any scary/ghostly experiences you might like to share?

Nope! I've never experienced anything ghostly that I can remember. I have had times in my adult life where I woke up and saw a face or a person and I screamed. It's happened recently and I truly scream so it's very frightening. My husband gets woken up and comforts me. I've always assumed it was a figment of my imagination/part of a nightmare...but I couldn't remember any dream so maybe ghosts do exist? Hmmm

Thank you! Maybe now you understand "thorn in your side!" lol :) I was looking at the wrong one BUT in my defense I have been up since 3:30...ugh! Left at 4:30 and it's 9:15 and I am still awake. LOL

The Year We Hid Away
272 pages
Read: 6/02

Can you please add this to the SS. I don't see where I can add anything or where you added my DQ response for Day 1. Do we have another SS for June that I am missing?

Thanks, Jenny :)

I tried to post my DQs responses on the SS but it wouldn't let me.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

It says "View Only" but I have been accessing it. Is it because I'm on a different computer (my laptop)?

DQs Day 1: Chap 1-11

1. Have you read the The Sun Down Motel by this author? If so, does it change your expectation for this book? Either way, what are your expectations for this book?

I did read The Sun Down Motel in 2020 and I loved it! Based on that reading experience, I'd have to say that I expect this book to be excellent, keep me on my toes and guessing, and definitely full of twists and turns. I don't know that it changes my expectations for this book, but it definitely helps me know my expectations.

2. The MC writes about cold cases and is in her late 20s and divorced. I have read quite a few horror/thriller/mystery books recently where the MC is a recently divorced, usually a bit older, woman. Have you experienced this as well? Why do you think authors might make this choice? Why do you think the choice was made for this book?

I can't say that I know the answer to that; however, my guess would be in part the audience the author is aiming for which is adults, and many adults either have gone through divorce or likely all know someone who has. So there should be a maturity level of the character.

3. This section includes the start of the interview. Did it go the way you expected? Any one comment really stick out to you?

I don't know that I had any expectations for the interview in particular other than I was curious why Beth agreed to the interview after not giving any for so many years. The comment that stuck out to me was "The fever of madness was about to break after all this time...Beth knew all about madness." It set the tone and I saw it as foreshadowing of some things I expect I will learn about her as I read.

4. What do you think about the ghostly occurrences in this section? How do they add to the story (or maybe detract)?

I am not that much into paranormal and ghostly characters/plots, but I still felt they added to the mystery. I questioned why there was so much description of the house. What secrets does the house hold?

Jenny, if anyone did want to tell you to shut up we already know you won't so why bother! lol I am amazed at how wonderful this team is and how much fun we have and how well we all get along! The cap/co-caps set the mood so thank you to our head honchos!

Angie ☯ wrote: "That's right on the BOM time, Vicki! You have 30 days from when it kicks off to read and participate in the questions.

Well, except for the ones near the end - they have to be finished by the end..."

Thanks, just wanted to make sure. :)

Jenny, I'm halfway done with my book.

I just now checked out and I was cracking up at the glossary's description of Hermes..."Little shit" LOL

I'm going to jump in on that one since it's a KU book. I just need to read it sometime before a month is up which would be June 22? I will probably read it on Wednesday though. It looks funny and I do love me some mythology!

Tammie wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Happy Sunday, all!
I just spent an hour cutting back overgrown vines that were trying to take over my patio and my neighbor's as well. Had to do it before it got too hot today, but no..."

I thought this book was amazing! It's definitely not horror in the same sense as some of his other books. I loved the historical aspect and the multitude of allusions in particular, partly due to my age and having been alive when Kennedy was assassinated. I hope if you don't read it now that you will at some point in the future. I know we all have different taste in books, so I really hope you like it too!

Jenny wrote: "You can start it whenever you like."

Perfect! I'm going to finish my current book that I need for TT May mini-task and then I'll start on it tomorrow most likely. Maybe I can get it done prior to leaving for our trip, but I'll have to wait and see. My last graduation this year is tomorrow night. How do they get to be 18 so fast!!!

One more question (for now): If I decide to read it on June 1, is that allowed since it doesn't start until June 2?

I will be able to do my questions. I have my book in hand and am excited to do this for my team! Thank you :)