Gwen|| Bookish Blondie’s Comments (group member since Jan 24, 2022)

Gwen|| Bookish Blondie’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Judy wrote: "Fiona wrote: "Finally finished the BOM, that one really wasn't for me"

Oof... really not a win for any of us, eh? 😔

I'm unfortunately not any more optimistic for the next 3 BOMs, they all sound l..."
I requested access and was accepted in minutes. I do have 42% German ancestry lol

Fixed! I read the paperback and switched the edition. Date added for Paradise Problem.

I will be out of the country traveling from June 24th- July 2nd. I will be reading just unlikely to update the tracker much during that time period. I will add any that I miss when I return.

15. The way the different characters react to the trek through the magic wasteland is interesting. With all the magic that flows through this world, why do they not have transport spells? Did this trek remind you of any other stories?
This story much like many fantasies follows the Hero's Journey archetype. You need the trek in order for the sacrifice/resolution to be worth it.

16. We keep being reminded (by the narrator) that the wanderists are not good guys. Do you agree with this assessment?
Yes. Nobody is purely good or evil in this world or the real one.
17. What is your impression of the seven brothers? The Pandorals are benevolent? Really? Do we believe that?
I think they are benevolent to those who serve a purpose.

18. So. We get to see the apparatus. What would you have done with that temptation? Destroy it. No real good could come of it on either side.

19. Is anyone who they say they are? Did you expect Mr. Bones?
I'm just going to be honest and say this book has not been entertaining and I genuinely don't care who anyone is. I've yet to find a truly likeable character in this novel.

Should be fixed now

11. The fantasy genre is known for its world building. How do you feel about the world building in this book? How does it compare to other fantasy novels you’ve read?
The world building is almost nonexistent in my opinion. Other books have done it far better.

12. In this section we meet Cade’s former teacher Hazidan. What do you think of her character? Did you ever have a favorite teacher and were they similar to Hazidan in any way?
Haziden comes across as a huge jerk much like almost every other character so far.

13. Chapter 25: Friends in Low Places had a pretty big reveal about the Celestials plans and how they’ve been herding Cade this whole time. How did you feel about this twist?
I think it's a cheap ploy tbh.
14. At this point I think we have the whole team together: Is one of them your favorite?
Corrigan is probably my favorite so far, but that's not saying much

I just did my latest. I selected shelter but it can fit in any of them.

Just finished book number eight, getting ready for my first audiobook. I have to mow around 6 hours each weekend so I listen to audiobooks while I’m on my riding mower.

Glad it wasn’t just me confused lol

6.) Did Galass turning into a blood mage and Fidick being the cause of Lucian's death (I assume that's what the black cloud that left the tent did) surprise you? Or were you expecting their bit in the story to be over and just a footnote about Cade's character?
I think it has more to show how no one is truly good or evil in the book since that particular storyline is tie to Tenebris as well as Cade.

7.) We learn about more magic types and there's pretty much any type of magic you can dream up. What type of magic you like to have or what animal would you like an affinity with?
Mostly nature/animal magic. I'd love to be able to speak to cats and conjure up a cat army to do my bidding.

8.) Is anyone else's favorite character Mr. Bones? Just me? mkay.
I enjoy Mr. Bones. He's perfectly surly and grumpy.
9.) At this point I think it's clear Cade is a fallen Glorian of some sort, likely a Justicar. Do others agree with my guess here or do you have other thoughts?
It seems fairly obvious he is as this doesn't feel like red herring.

10.) Assuming my guess in Q9 is right, why do you think Cade got the heave ho from the Glorians?
Probably because he had no real qualms about killing people on the justiciars side.

Judy wrote: "Awesome, thank you! Looks like the read date didn't carry over though, can you please double-check that's added?"

I realized the wrong edition was in. I got the right edition and the correct read date is in!

Judy wrote: "Cris (The Biblio Blonde) wrote: "I’ve got my first book finished, but we’re out of town for a couple of days, so I’ll update the spreadsheet when I get back!"

Yay! Hope you enjoy your trip :)"

Books have been added! I've read 5 novels so far! Starting on number 6 in a few minutes.

Judy wrote: "Gwen|| Bookish Blondie wrote: "Started the BOM this morning and commented on the thread. Working on book #3 today. So far, its' much more enjoyable than my first two reads."

Glad at least one of u..."

I was referring to my third independent book, but the BOM is fine so far too. I like the fantasy genre.

Started the BOM this morning and commented on the thread. Working on book #3 today. So far, its' much more enjoyable than my first two reads.

Melindam wrote: "DQs - Day 1: Chapters 1-8 (pages 1 -71)

1. The book has the MPG Dark Fantasy. Do you like this genre in general? If so, do you have any favourite authors or books?

Picture a wizard. Go ahead, cl..."

1. The book has the MPG Dark Fantasy. Do you like this genre in general? If so, do you have any favourite authors or books?
Lord of the Rings is my favorite series of all time, so I definitely love fantasy and I would argue it could be very dark, so yes I enjoy it.
Tolkien is the obvious choice.

Picture a wizard. Go ahead, close your eyes. There he is, see? Skinny old guy with a long straggly beard. No doubt he's wearing iridescent silk robes that couldn't protect his frail body from a light breeze. The hat's a must, too, right? Big, floppy thing, covered in esoteric symbols that would instantly show every other mage where this one gets his magic?

2. The book starts with the quote above. Is this your mental image of a wizard, too? Or something different? :)
He sounds like Disney's Merlin, Gandalf or Dumbledore. So yes, he sounds like the canonically recognized famous wizards.

3. And the author lands us in the middle of a siege (ideal for the Book Games, right? ;) with 2 of the main characters Cade Ombra and Corrigan Blight. Cade is narrating what is happening and offering us his views on good and evil, the part they are playing and how they "win" this particular siege.
Do you think it's a strong start to the book? Has it got you intrigued?
More than anything it shows no side is "good", just that there are factions.
4. As an extra incentive & entertainment, the Ascendant Lucien offers young girls and boys (sublimes) to the wanderists after the siege. We get introduced to Fiddick and Galass and learn that Cade decided to kill Lucien. We can actually start putting some pieces of Cade's character together. What do you think about him at this point?
He is a great antihero. He's not all good and not a straight villain. He'd fit in on both sides.
5. Some demonic highlights to this introductory part: Tenebris the demon, with whom Cade as an "infernalist" mage trades with to get his spells.
What were your impressions of Tenebris? How do you find the "religious/magical" system of the Infernals and the Celestines?
Tenebrism literally sounds like the book form of the devil Raphael from the video game Baldurs Gate 3, so I'm interested.

The system just shows that they all are involved in magic that is dangerous and harmful and again there are no actual good sides in this war, at least in the first 8 chapters.

250. A Substitute Wife for the Prizefighter✅
251.A Lady Awakened✅
252. The Secret Seven✅
253. Not on the Agenda✅
254. It's Always Sonny: A Second Chance Sweet Romantic Comedy✅
255. Their Last Resort✅
256.The Unwanted Wife✅
257.Among the Imposters✅
258.Among the Betrayed✅
259. Among the Barons✅
260. Among the Enemy✅
261.Never Saw You Coming✅
262. Caper Crush✅
263.Out of His League✅
264. Replacement✅
265. Role Playing✅
266. The Hound of the Baskervilles✅
267. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It✅
268.The Proximity Factor✅
269. Funny Story✅
270. Not That Kind of Ever After✅
271. More Than Maybe✅
272. Freak the Mighty✅
273. Office Mate✅
274. The Wrong Daughter✅
275. The Wrong Wife✅
276. Picking Daisies on Sundays✅
277. Under Pressure✅
278. Happily Never After✅
279. The Relationtrip✅
280. My Knight Before Christmas✅
281. The Malevolent Seven✅
282. The Heir and the Spare✅
283. Mr. Right Now✅
284. Golden Child✅
285. The Adults✅
286. The Wingman✅
287. The Paradise Problem✅
288. Don't Let Me Break✅
289. What Might Have Been✅
290. The Earl's Untouched Bride✅
291. Swimming Naked✅
292. Tear Stained Beaches✅
293. The Bronze Horseman✅
294. Tempted Away✅
295. Through the Fire✅
296. Water Under the Bridge✅
297. Goalie✅
298. The Fourth Child✅
299. Effie Olsen's Summer Special✅
300. Nothing But It All✅
301. Only for the Week✅
302. The No-Judgment Zone✅
303. Evil Twin✅
304. All Your Perfects✅
305. Grinder✅
306. Crushed✅
307. Beyond Eden✅
308. It Was Always You✅
309. The Write Time✅
310. All the Little Raindrops✅
311. Mile High✅
312. Priceless✅
313. The Nothing Girl✅
314. The Write Choice✅
315. From the Start✅
316. Enemy Crush✅
317. Faking It with the Frenemy✅
318. Blake's Mistake✅
319. A Dangerous Kind of Lady✅
320. The One I Want✅
321. An Ugly Love✅
322. The Temporary Wife✅
323. The Ones We Fight For✅
324. Hate Mail✅
325. Stealing My Ex✅
326. Band Together✅
327. Passing Notes✅
328. The Rancher's Betrayed Wife✅
329. Bad Boss✅
330. Cruel Lies✅
331. Go Hex Yourself✅
332. Salt & Broom✅
333. An Unexpected Roomie✅
334. Frozen by L.A. Casey✅
335. Bad Unicorn✅
336. If You Only Knew✅
337. The Prince✅
338. Greeking Out✅
339. The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks✅
340. The Honey Farm on the Hill✅
341. Wuthering Heights✅
342. Crazy Kisses✅
343. The Girl He Needs✅
344. No More Secrets✅
345. Crazy Love✅
346. His Just Desserts✅
347. The Hitchhiker in Panama✅
348. One Summer in Crete: Escape to a Magical Greek Island in This Gripping Holiday Read✅
349. Grill Me, Baby✅
350. A Piano Bar in Crete: The perfect summer feel-good read✅
351. There's Something about Greece✅
352. Starling House✅
353. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe✅
354. The Silver Chair✅
355. Prince Caspian✅
356. The Last Battle✅
357.The Magician’s Nephew✅
358. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader✅
359. The Horse and His Boy✅
360. The Last Unicorn✅
361. Love, Theoretically✅
362. Girl Wash your Face✅
363. Tequila Rose✅
364.Autumn Night Whiskey✅
365. Northanger Abbey✅
366.But He's My One Regret✅
367.Resisting the Grump✅
368.Her Last First Date: A Sweet Romantic Comedy✅
369.Secret of the Andes✅
370. The Do-Over✅
371.Love from Scratch✅
372. Sadie on a Plate✅
373. Lilliana Jones and the Temple of Groom✅
374. The Picture of Dorian Gray✅
375. Wrong for You✅
376. Dukes and Dekes✅
377. Run For Your Honey✅
378. On the Honey Side✅
379. People We Meet on Vacation✅
380. The Hot Shot✅
381. The Ones We Hate✅
382. Tempting the Neighbor✅
383. The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen✅
384. Sex, Lies, and Online Dating✅
385. I'm In No Mood For Love✅
386. Rubber Duckie Shifter Next Door✅
387. Failure to Match✅
388. The Love Fixers✅
389. Prickly Company✅
390. Against a Wall✅
391. My Billionaire Grump✅
392. Coming Home For Her✅
393. The Prenup✅
394. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone✅
395. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban✅
396. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix✅
397. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets✅
398. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows✅
399.Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire✅
400.Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince✅
401. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two✅
402.The Phantom of the Opera✅
403. The Stand✅
404. You Deserve Each Other✅
405. The Canterbury Tales✅
406. The Rivals✅
407. Anna Karenina✅
408. Don Quixote✅
409. The Wishing Game✅
410. David Copperfield✅
411. Vow of Revenge✅
412. The Enceladus Mission✅
413. The Alchemist✅
414. Vanity Fair✅
415. Middlemarch✅
416. You Are the Girl for the Job: Daring to Believe the God Who Calls You✅
417. Ulysses✅
418. Business or Pleasure✅
419. Tess of the D’Urbervilles✅
420. Bleak House✅The Guncle
421. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time✅
422. The Woman in White✅
423. East of Eden✅
424. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall✅
425. Tuck Everlasting✅
426. The Guncle✅
427. Parental Guidance✅
428. The Mill on the Floss✅
429. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing✅
430. Awk-Weird✅
431. Into the Wild✅
432. Walden✅
433. Where Butterflies Wander✅
434. Pretend to be Mine✅
435. The One True Me and You✅
436. Tributary✅
437. She's My Kind of Girl✅
438. When a Scot Ties the Knot✅
439. The Swiss Family Robinson✅
440. The Terrible Personal Shopper✅
441. A Reckless Match✅
442. First Kiss Train Wreck✅
443. Escape to the Country✅
444. The Layover✅
445. The Count of Monte Cristo✅
446. One More Song✅
447. The Roommate Pact✅
448. A Daring Pursuit✅
449. Dirty Little Midlife Crisis✅
450. A Way Back Home✅
451.0The Three Musketeers✅
452. Les Miserables✅
453. The Frightened Runaways✅
454. The Strange Birthday Party✅
455. The Familiar✅
456. Mine To Keep✅
457.The Kissing Game✅
458.To Sir Phillip, With Love✅
459. Cyrano de Bergerac✅
460. The Hunchback of Notre-Dame✅
461. The Man in the Iron Mask✅
462. Keeping the Score✅
463. Kiss My Putt✅
464. The Brothers Karamazov✅
465. The Catcher in the Rye✅https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...#
466. The Guncle Abroad✅
467. The Wrong Bride✅
468. To Sleep in a Sea of Stars✅
469. Summer Ever After✅
470. Together in Thyme✅
471. Raindrops on Radishes✅
472. Eldest✅
473. For Butter or Worse✅
474. A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel✅
475. Legends & Lattes✅
476. A Big Surprise for Valentine's Day✅
477. A Fake Girlfriend for Chinese New Year✅
478. A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas✅
479. Dancing at Daybreak✅
480. Flavors of Forever✅
481. Ransom Road✅
482. Comfort Me with Apples✅
483. Lavished with Lavender✅
484. Glimpses of Gossamer✅
485.Wishes on Wildflowers✅
486. Dune✅
487.Joys of Juniper✅
488. Cadence of Cranberries✅
489. The Worst Best Man✅
490. The Pillars of the Earth✅
491. Brisingr✅
492. The Forsyte Saga✅
493. Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family✅
494. A Little Life✅
495. Inheritance✅
496. The Secret History✅
497. NtsikaYethu✅
498. U! Get That Monkey Off Your Own Back!✅
499. Devil in Ohio✅
500.Saving Noah✅

30 is honestly a modest estimate. I was in a car accident in February, and I'm still recovering, so I've read more this year than usual. I'm on the mend, so I'm hoping by summer, I'll be more mobile and active and that number should go back down,

I realized my shelf wasn't added to the thread.
Here it is;

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "Gwen|| Bookish Blondie wrote: "Judy wrote: "ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "I am not really much of a sports fan, but I do enjoy Hanif Abdurraqib! I've listened to him on a few podcasts and he was..."


I haven't met a type of potato I haven't liked yet.

I officially just finished my first read of The Book Games. I typically read 1-2 books a day when I'm bored at work and will read more on the weekends if I don't have much going on. So it's not abnormal for me to read 10+ books a week. I'm just blessed that I am a fast reader and my job allows me to read during work hours.

The Unwanted Wife just finished this. I did not enjoy it unfortunately.

Going to read The Unwanted Wife first. I’ll probably get two books read today.

I’m starting the BOM too.

I’ll start Freak the Mighty on Friday.