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

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

Jenny wrote: "Yes, yes you are. So many lovely points.
If you get a chance, go to the thread and let them know you can do your day."

Okay, I'm heading over there now!

Jenny wrote: "Vicki! You got DQs for The Book of Cold Cases!!!!! Did you notice? Are you available for that date?

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

I will be gone on that day and in Oregon, but I can read the book on our way up there (over a 10 hour drive...ugh!) and I will take my laptop with me. So I can commit to the questions! Woo hoo! I feel so special! lol

Are we allowed to also get points for the DQ's responses if we are getting points for the DQ's?

Cilla, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Nothing more important than family, especially at times like this. Please take care of yourself. My prayers are with you and your family.

Jenny wrote: "Ha! I did invite you!!!!!!
So, I am not the crazy one. Phew!

Go here, and join the group...

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/..."

Saying that you are not the crazy one insinuates that I am! LOL (Guilty!) Where did you send it? It's not in my GR email because the last message you sent to me was on May 1. I am so confused because it isn't there. I just don't want something like that to happen in the future. Did you send it to my personal email?

Jenny wrote: "Teammies!!!!!!

You should have received an invite to join The Aegeans supergroup.
When you get a moment, head over to the Belly of the Horse to say hello. Or at least let us know here if you joine..."

Jenny, I just now saw this message but I haven't received an invite yet. Did you boot me out? LOL JK I assume it would come to our Goodreads private messages?

I haven't been on for a few days due to RL. I just added another book to the SS and no worries. I will get all of my books done. I had a fun couple days though. Spent half a day at the mall with my daughter and granddaughter who were looking for a graduation dress. Too fun (or not!). Yesterday I went to church in the morning with my other daughter and her hubby and their two youngest, 4 and 2. After church I went to a baby shower and was there 5-6 hours but a lot of fun and good visits. It was for a girl that my daughter took in when she was in 7th grade. My daughter was a teacher of the girl's sister and she had asked my daughter if they could both live with her. Obviously a bad home situation. My daughter said their dad would never go for that and they said yes he would. They told him about it one day and he signed papers the next day. It was EASY for him to "give them away." Anyway they're obviously family now as that was 10 years or more ago.

I have 3 grandkids graduating! So I am going to be busy this coming week and then a reminder that we're leaving for Depoe Bay, Oregon, on June 2 but will only be gone a week. I might or might not get anything read that week. I should get at least one read though because I do have another challenge and will have to have one book read during that time.

I hope everyone is having a great day/week/year and that you're all finding some amazing books to read! :)

Jenny wrote: "Well, you could start five books like I did, and finish the one that grabs your attention the best."

LOL oh boy, what great advice! :)

Lol Jenny, I've been to Wisconsin WAY back when my third child was one! That was in 1976! I can't remember the name of the town but it was a farming community. We also went to Wisconsin Dells.

Kaley wrote: "Vicki wrote: "I am done with my big book 11/22/63 and I loved it maybe even more than the first time I read it back in 2016. Part of the reason I love it so much is because I lived ..."

Absolutely! Much of it is sci-fi so I do think that my having been alive at that time helped me appreciate all of the historical aspects of it that were true to what happened. But so many allusions!

Tammie wrote: "Added 11/22/63 to my list! I was too young…don’t remember it but I do remember my parents had a 45-single of a speech he did…not sure why I remember that."

I hope you love it!

Jenny and Angie, I was born mid-century (1950) so when Kennedy was assassinated in my birth town it was a double whammy for me! Dallas was known for nice people at that time, a time when men would nod their heads and tip their hats at you. lol My grandpa owned a chicken farm and had 193 acres in Liberty Hill, TX. So I didn't get to Dallas much but it's always been in my heart. Once a Texan, always a Texan. lol

DQ: 18 May - Sugi and Chikako's Hotel for Pets & Between Friends

9) Considering Satoru seems to be quite perceptive overall, do you think he knew about Sugi’s less charitable feelings about him, both in the past and during this visit?

I think he probably did suspect it but didn't want to believe it so shrugged it off. But I feel for him.

10) So far, the chapters have all been combining Satoru and Nana’s journey with Satoru’s past with several other people, as well as their backgrounds. How do you feel about this interlude (chapter 3.5) focused entirely on the man and his cat? What does it add to the story?

I liked it a lot and feel that it added pleasure for the reader to get more insight into the relationship between Nana and Satoru. At least for me, it made me feel more connected.

11) For the first time, we got a hint of what’s going on with Satoru when the dog said, “he smells like he isn’t going to make it” in chapter 3, and this came up again in chapter 3.5. So it sounds like Satoru is ill… was that your prediction for question 4?

I wasn't really sure at that time and I didn't seriously predict an illness at that point in the book.

12) Squabbles between cats and dogs were really present in these sections. So: Are you a cat person or a dog person or both (or neither)?

I am 101% (or 1001%) a dog lover for sure! When I was younger my aunt had a mean cat and I mean scary mean! I grew up always having a dog, mostly smaller ones like Pekingnese, Shih Tzu, and dogs of that size and type. I have never been without a dog in my life except for about a year after meeting my husband and he literally had 7 cats!!! I insisted he close of the animal door and keep them as outside cats because of my fear...sorry if that offends anyone. I currently have 2 dogs, Rocky a (assumed to be) lab/border collie mix and Jazzmine who is 100% Bichon Frise. Our 3rd dog Buddy died a few years ago and we still miss him and say things inadvertently about him such as "can you take Buddy out to pee?" when we meant Rocky. We will always miss him! :(

BTW: We gave the cats away and got our first dog together, Buddy. My husband had never had a dog but he LOVES them! ;)

DQ: 17 May - The Unsentimental Farmer

5) I really like reading the cat's thoughts. It can be quite funny. Do you think these are convincing cat thoughts?

I have never owned a cat nor ever really liked them (sorry, cat lovers!), so I don't know. That being said, I love the cat's POV. Nana is fun and snarky and I love that in any character!


6) In this chapter we are introduced to Yoshimine, another potential owner for our cat. What do you think of him and his backstory?

I really like Yoshimine a lot and I enjoyed his backstory. I like that he appears to be transparent and is open. Plus, being a grandmother myself, I love his relationship with his grandmother.

7) Do you think Yoshimine would have been a good owner for Nana ?

I am iffy on this one because when he took Nana out of her crate, he wasn't very kind about it and that gave me a question about his being a good owner. I've never been around cats though and I don't know if they are as close to their owners as dogs are. My dog does not leave my side...can be annoying. My point is that I don't know if cats need the same kind of love and care as dogs do sense they can roam more freely and leave their homes (from what I understand) and be gone a long time without being with their owner. I do, however, think that Yoshimine would have provided his basic needs and not been abusive.

8) Yoshimine has already a kitten called Chatran, and Satoru makes fun of him for naming his cat with such a cliché name. What is for you the most cliché cat name(s)? In French it is quite common to call a cat Chaussette (meaning sock), Mistigri or Felix (actually a cat food brand).

I have absolutely NO idea! Felix? That's the only cat name I can even think of but that one is in the question. But that is probably the most cliché name. lol

I am done with my big book 11/22/63 and I loved it maybe even more than the first time I read it back in 2016. Part of the reason I love it so much is because I lived that time and lived in Pasadena where so much happened after Kennedy's assassination. Plus there are TONS of allusions to things in history from that approximate time that anyone my age would definitely recognize. Some of the allusions are simple and not obvious at all unless you lived it. I hope that others will read it at some point, especially if you were alive at that time and old enough to remember that awful day and the days after.

Chales wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Chales wrote: "Finished

Updated my shelf and the TT SS."

I see you gave it 5 stars :) I don't know your reading preferences but I was pretty darn sure..."

I know a lot of people love Verity and I love thrillers, but for some reason it was not one of my favorites of hers. I hope you love it!

Chales wrote: "Finished

Updated my shelf and the TT SS."

I see you gave it 5 stars :) I don't know your reading preferences but I was pretty darn sure you'd love it too.

DQs 16 May: Prologue - The Husband Without a Wife

1. How are you liking the way the story is written with its alternating POVs ? Is there a POV you prefer?

I don't mind the alternating POV's, but what I don't care for is getting clued in to the switch from one POV to another without identifying whose POV each part is being told in; however, once I was more cognizant of the different POV's it is going fine now.

I love Nana's POV because I have always liked when an animal is a character and I can get inside the head of that animal. The only problem is I am not a cat lover and have no idea how they are except for my aunt's cat from years ago which was my only knowledge of cats and their behaviors...thus, my dislike for cats other than to look at them.

2. Through the flashbacks we get to know Satoru's personality a bit more. What do you make of him so far ? What did you think about his way of helping his friend Kosuke?

I think Satoru is pretty dedicated and loyal as well as kind-hearted. I think he meant well and what he did for Kosuke was selfless.

3. Talking about Kosuke, what's up with his parents ? It seemed to me that Kosuke was genuinely convinced that his father would agree to keep the cat (Hachi). What did you think about his backstory?

I don't know why he would think his father would let him keep the cat when he made more than one reference to his dad hating cats. Plus, his dad is a total jerk anyway who's not treated Kosuke with any tenderness, so why would his dad let him keep it?

4. Why do you think Satoru can't take care of Nana anymore?

It seemed like a sudden thing happened since he's had the cat for five years now and just suddenly has to get rid of him. Yet, he does obviously care very much about Nana. I honestly didn't pick up on any real clues as to why he said he had to give him away. He had moved when he found him just so that he could keep him, so it's something big I'm sure because people don't easily give up their furry babies!

Got my first book done! Woo hoo!

Excellent work guessing Hangman, Donna! :) And so many points! lol

I have just added another book and I'll start with it because it fits another challenge. So I'll start with by Toni Anderson but it's only 326 pages. I'll knock it out pretty fast if hubby doesn't need my help in the garden when he gets home. After that I will start so I can get the BOM out of the way.