Nyssa’s Comments (group member since Jan 07, 2011)

Nyssa’s comments from the MobileRead Book Challenges group.

Series (Re)Started This Year

1. Sookie Stackhouse / The Southern Vampire Mysteries

2018 - The Year of the Series


I'd like to concentrate on reading series this year. I will only make general info posts for the earlier books in a series.

Here is an example:

2018 Read #00
Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies
Author: J.K. Rowling
Book Club: N/A*
Review: 5 Stars
Series: Pottermore Presents
Book#: 01

I may, however, include a series review with the last entry.

* Book Clubs include:
Flights of Fantasy = FoF
Fantasy Buddy Reads = FBR
The Folly Irregulars = FI
Fantasy Book Club Series = FBC
MobileRead = MR

First?

I second both of Orlok’s recommendations! They are both awesome books!

2017 Read #13



Fairy Tale Flirts 5 Romantic Short Stories
Author: Lisa Scott
Book Club: N/A
ITAO Category: N/A
Review: 4 Stars
Series: Flirts! Collection
Book#: 04

2017 Read #12


Beach Flirts! 5 Romantic Short Stories
Author: Lisa Scott
Book Club: N/A
ITAO Category: N/A
Review: 4 Stars
Series: Flirts! Collection
Book#: 02

2017 Read #11


Flirts!
Author: Lisa Scott
Book Club: N/A
ITAO Category: Romance
Review: 5 Stars
Series: Flirts! Collection
Book#: 01

I feel your pain! All of my reading has been centered on school textbooks. I miss just reading for fun, but I haven’t had the time or energy.

I’ve been binge watching various shows instead and even there I’ve drifted between shows, not completing or catching up on any.

So, I had a whole thing typed up abut how I used to organize my shelves until it hit me that you are doing this because people steal books from you. Now instead of book cataloging, I'm wondering how you can track down the thief, retrieve your stolen books, and beat the crap out of the person(s) who took them.

2017 Read #10


Marked in Flesh
Author: Anne Bishop
Book Club: N/A
ITAO Category: N/A
Review: 4 Stars
Series: The Others
Book#: 04

Everything was going really well until the last 2 or 3 pages....

(view spoiler)[ If Simon and Meg were skinny-dipping together, and Simon was in human form, how did he go from kissing to licking Meg, and how was she holding/stroking his fur? (hide spoiler)]

Just read Chapter 33; found myself holding my breath and shaking. I have a feeling this is going to be really bad, and Pollyanna will be leaving the building for ever!!

Christa wrote: "Based on the "messages" Simon received, I think it's a combination of (view spoiler) ."

Yes, that does make sense. Thanks.

I'm currently reading chapter 4.

Lorenzo went up a notch in respectability, for me, when he removed himself from the table.

I keep losing track of who Michael is.

I'm kind of worried about Hope, but I love her surname.

Marked in Flesh starts where Vision in Silver left off.

There's something about the warning that I'm trying to parse. (view spoiler)[ Are the Elders actually asking how much human they want to keep, as in human conveniences; how many humans they want to keep, as in number; or some combination of the two? (hide spoiler)]

No, I don't really, I just have more flexibility at the moment.

I'm not taking classes right now, and I've been sneaking in extra reading time at work.

Students have been taking their state assessment, end of course, and final semester exams over the last month, so I've had a lot of downtimes, even as a test administrator. Basically, I make sure they're logged into the correct test, that they know all of the testing rules, that they have all of their supplies, and that they use the full amount of their allotted time (meaning, if it is an hour long test, then they must sit there for an hour even if they only took 20 minutes to complete the test). Some of my students are also allowed extra time, and a few have taken advantage of that. Oh, I also have to make sure they're not cheating.

Technically, I'm supposed to continuously walk around the room to monitor them and be on hand if they have a non-test related question. Since I am an ESE (Exceptional Student Education) support teacher, however, all of my groups are small (15 students or fewer) and therefore easy to monitor from a single spot in the front of the room. This allows me a little extra reading time during my work day, along with however many hours I can squeeze in at night.

The only time I'm busy during testing is when students are taking a paper-based test. Then, the kids that I work with usually have an accommodation that requires me to read those test questions and answer choices out loud to them.

Add the fact that a lot of teachers have started showing movies in class now that we only have a week left in the school year, and if I'm lucky, I can just sit in the back of the room with my Kindle.

I started book 4 a few minutes ago. Along with switching between the Peter Grant series and this one, I reread the last chapter of the previous book to get myself back into the respective world.
That's what I had just done when I commented above.

I do think I will be taking a break from this series after this book, though, because I just will not pay $13.99 for the next installment.

Realization:

"A thousand cuts" has been mentioned numerous times throughout the series, and I've always just taken it as "one too many cuts leads to death or insanity". It wasn't until the end of Vision in Silver that it hit me, "Oh! Damn! They literally mean 1,000 cuts!", after rereading the reaction to the scars on Meg's back.

Now, I feel kind of sad because it feels like Anne Bishop might be limiting the potential of the series. Unless she already knows how it will end, and the 1,000 cuts are significant to the finale.

**********

I'll be starting Marked in Flesh in just a bit.

2017 Read #09


Whispers Under Ground
Author: Ben Aaronovitch
Book Club: N/A
ITAO Category: Fantasy
Review: 5 Stars
Series: Peter Grant / Rivers of London
Book#: 03

Oh yes, they all count! (The ponies, I mean). :)

2017 Read #08


Vision in Silver
Author: Anne Bishop
Book Club: N/A
ITAO Category: Urban Fantasy
Review: 5 Stars
Series: The Others
Book#: 03