Nistha’s Comments (group member since Apr 16, 2023)

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

Which book are you thinking with Ante?

I could also do Ten Tiny Breaths or Tears of the Giraffe if we are going with TE (with hardish endings) but happy if someone else wants to take it as well..

If we go for ante, then there also options as well

I can't also find anything .. If we have enough supply drops to protect piles, then we can use 1 here right?

Does anyone have access to YSSELA'S RUN: THE POWER OF ONE ?

There's also A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants

Unfortunately I don't have access to any

Just finished reading it and updated! Hope it still counts towards BoM points

Its fine captains! Mistakes happen.. on the sunny side, we are still #1. Great team work everyone!

DQ's Day 4 Ch. 18-23

14. Lucy's winning streak comes to an end and she loses the riddle to Melanie. How do you think this is going to affect her and the way she is playing the game? Do you think she still has a chance to win? What do you think she is going to have to face as far as her fear?

It shouldn't really impact her as all the remaining players get to realise they are enjoying the game itself than the fear of losing. And well, since Jack likes underdogs, it had to be the fact that she was one of them. Hmm, I wonder if she has to face her parents .

15. Jack's riddle comes back again "Two men on an island and both blame the water...". We find out what it means in this section. How awful for him to see 'fan' letters that depict children going through such terrible things and how horrible for those poor children begging for help. Jack tried to help this girl and it ended with the worst possible outcome. Do you think Jack should have done something different? How would you have reacted if you were Jack?

It becomes a problem when you get overly attached. / emotionally involved in your work and not start respecting the norm. He should have dealt with it better. I would have been utterly devastated but probably sought some outside help to neutralise the situation.

16. We also learn why Jack started writing his Clock Island books and the life he faced as a child. Does this change your opinion on Jack in any way?

I did know he was facing monsters of his own. He grew as a character.

17. Lucy learns that Christopher is going to be going to a new foster home and tries to leave the island but Hugo stops her. We also learn more about Lucy's past. Each person seems to have gone through some terrible event in their lives and these books have helped them through it. Do you believe books have that power? Are there any books as a child or an adult that have helped you through a tough time in your life?

I do believe books are incredibly powerful. They can be your best friends. Being an only child, they have been a great support system to me. Like with books, loneliness what? Even today books help me out of many situations where I feel stuck.

DQs Day 2 Chapter 6 - 11

6. Jack replied to Lucy's letter and Lucy decided to run away from home. What did you think of his letter and would you have done the same as Lucy?

No, I think it was too much of a risk. The maximum I ran away from my house as a kid was just past the gate, having packed my bag with some shawls and handkerchiefs haha.

7. We get more insights on Clock Island. Every 'hour' is its own section like for example a beach. Would you like to visit the island? Do you find the idea of it fascinating or could you not care less?

Yes, love it! I would love to visit such a fantasy as a well.

8. Every part starts with a quote from Jack's book. Do you think these parts are important for the story? Just showing off Jack's work? Something else?

I think they are important and would tie up at the end to something. I can't figure out yet what is it.

9. It seems like there will be a deeper connection between Lucy and Hugo. Do you agree? And would you approve of it given that Hugo had first met her when she was still a child?

Haha, initially, obviously that seems inappropriate but now that they are both grown up, why not. I wonder if there's more to who Lucy is and her sister's story tying up to everything.

Discussion Questions : Day 1 (Prologue - Chapter 5)

1. We have been introduced to a few important characters - Lucy, Christopher, and Hugo. Plus the off-page persona of Jack. What do you think of the characters so far?

I think the characters are good so far with distinct personalities and motivations. I do feel that Lucy is very attached Christopher and I don't know if there is more to it. I am eager for a love story as well.

2. We get a riddle right away in the Prologue:

"Two men on an island and both blame the water
for the loss of a wife and the death of a daughter
but neither ever married, and neither's a father.
What is the secret of the girls and the water?"

Then Hugo thinks to himself that "Five years ago, it [the ocean] had brought low the small, strange kingdom of Clock Island." Do you think the riddle is related to what happened five years ago? Any speculations on what it all means, assuming you haven't read ahead?

I do think it is related but have no idea what it can possibly mean.

3. At the beginning of Chapter Two, Hugo says that he used to dream about living in Greenwich Village, but now that he can actually afford it, it doesn't hold the same appeal. He basically says that success kills motivation. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

This might not be the case always. Success can lead to more motivation till someone burns out or faces something which destroys the meaning of the success altogether.

4. What do you think of the wishing game Lucy plays with Christopher? Do you think this game and mindset are healthy? Do you agree with Lucy that it gives them hope, or do you agree with the social worker that it just gets their hopes up?

It is never wrong to hope for something good and want good things/miracles to happen. This reinforces a positive mindset. Hopes are good until they become obsessions.

5. Why do you think Jack finally started writing again? And what might be his motive in holding a contest for the only copy of the new book?

Lol, no idea. He seems like a guy who does whatever and whenever he wants.

Judy wrote: "🚨 Battles for Round 3 are about to commence! 🚨

We will again battle District 5, this time we read first!

Our starting book title is "If We Were Villains" - so ideally, our first book would start..."

I can do An Inspector Calls - its a play but hopefully thats allowed?

Oh! So sorry Christina!

I finished the book and this one felt more average - almost a repetition of the first. The second game did not do much for me except introduce to some interesting characters. I would say Haymitch's character development has been the best so far. I really hope in the last part Peeta's character has more to offer than just being a love striken boy.

I have reached the part where the games have begun. I am not sure how I feel about tributes re-participating, I was hoping to find different players with Katniss/Peeta as mentors. It just felt a bit repetitive with Peeta playing the same love angle. I do feel Katniss's character has grown a bit. I am also a bit bummed she did not get to explore her feelings for Gale. I am excited about the rebellion. But overall, liking this book a little bit less than part 1. Still fast-paced though.

I have started reading this and reached about 20%. I am so glad to be reading this without watching the movie so that I can form my perceptions of the characters. Seems to have started with a right triangle. I wonder how they will show the games this round. I still quite like Peeta - he is so calm and understanding without trying to be needy or pushy. I still need to know more about Gale than him just being a buddy to Katniss - I wonder how they will weave in his skills. It was also so sad to read how District 11 was treated.

I don't mind playing it safe. Its a gamble in any case. So my thinking would be to either play safe in both rounds or pray to book Gods and go rogue in both. Though I think in one of the rounds, it can indeed turn out to be all negative (or maybe proportion of negative points higher than positive so net negative)

I think I get around 12-16 hrs of audiobook time with spotify. I usually use borrowbox for my audiobooks which is free from my library.

This is interesting and gives a lot of options as well! I will just start more books and delay finishing my current books till 01 July then :p

ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "Personally, not a fan of the book battle. I truly despise any tasks that require book title overlaps. Maybe that’s just me, as I know some people love the hunt.

However, at least it’s not as grue..."

Haha! It sure leads to many unusual weird books. However, sometimes I don't mind trying out new books - I would have never thought about reading them. I usually tend to go for shorter books so that I don't commit a lot of time and it still adds 5 points. But I agree, it definitely leads to more options than the round one mini with very specific things.

Will we have any other minis in Round 2?

DQs Day 5
Chapters 27 - Epilogue

21. Wow what a ride! What were your initial thoughts and feelings after finishing the book?

To be honest, I quite enjoyed the book throughout. I liked the pacing, the setting and the house as a being. I was happy with the way it ended. It had the gothic vibe.

22. An integral part to the book is the way the story of Starling House is told through many different viewpoints, with truth and lies and rumors and heresay and opinions often woven together. Did you find that you learned more about Starling House through each story? Did this type of story building and layering work for you? Why or why not?

I liked this layering and how the same story gets different based on point of views or as it passed on heresay. It did work for me because I have experienced this in real life. It also makes me wonder about myths and what were their origins.

23. In the ending battles, the MCs were fighting beasts of nightmares and of their own making, inside dreams. Do think it's hard for good dreams to win out against nightmares? Explain your thoughts.

I feel the bad forces of nature are always tempting or easy to give into while good forces are hard to retain. So it is a struggle to get good dreams over nightmares.

24. A major theme in the book is wants and needs, and how they seemingly twist into each other if you want hard enough. In this theme exploration, what was the message you got from the author, and did it resonate with you?

I somehow did not think of this as a theme. I felt the character shift of a selfish girl to selfless one due to love was a major theme - with the right motivation and just a genuine hange of heart.

25. Would you recommend this book? Explain.

The book worked for me but I am not sure if it will work for everyone. If someone asks me, I will tell I liked it.