Hollie’s Comments (group member since Dec 17, 2018)

Hollie’s comments from the Safety in numbers, never go into a book alone. #Group Reads group.

Thankyou so much Dana! And great! Xxx

I know exactly what you mean! So many books so little time! Well it’s my birthday tomorrow and of course I have asked for books! One i have asked for is “The Wives” by Tarryn Fisher, it’s a thriller, if you guys would like to find it on good reads and see if you want to give it a go. Might be fun to do as a group read?

I just knew he would be fine 🙏😉 xxxxxxxx

Any update on your husband Dana? I have been thinking and praying about you both. I am sure reading is the last thing on your mind right now and as I am still getting through the Harry potters (nearly finished half blood prince) that leaves just you Kendra, so not much of a group read for July so let’s have a month off of Safety in numbers and see how we all feel beginning of August x

Oh Dana, I am so sorry to hear that. I know it can be easier said than done, but you must keep faith 🙏. Of course my thoughts and prayers are with you. Does your husband have any other health issues? It’s times like this when I wish we were not so far apart and could help you more, here in England things are gradually getting back to normal, everyone is going back to work etc, is this happening in America? Please keep us updated with how your husband is, I have every confidence that all of this will blow over for you 🙏 xxx

Kendra wrote: "Oh Dana, that's heartbreaking! I feel for you. My Dad lost his best friend to suicide and I've seen how devastating it can be. And you're right--it's a tough enough time right now as it is. Please ..."

I definitely agree that this long, big book can be a challenge to get through at the best of times.

Long distance/social hugs to you both.

P.S And this message is to both of you, please never feel like you have to carry on with a book with this group if either you are not enjoying it or if something comes up so your heart isn't in it. I never want "Safety in Numbers" to feel like a chore for either of you. xxxxxx

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Dana wrote: "So I just finished this today. Honestly this book has generally always been my least favorite I would say. Which is funny because I've always loved the movie, but I think they made enough changes i..."

Oh Dana! I am so sorry for your loss! It must have been such a shock and my thoughts are with you and your family. Of course you can be open on here, this group is a safe place.

I am so sorry I didn't read this message sooner but I usually wait till I have finished the book before reading yours and Kendra's posts about it.

I hope you are feeling a bit better now the world is gradually getting back to normal regarding the virus.

If there is anything I can do please let me know. My prayers are with you and your family.xxxxxxxxxxxx

JUNE: (HISTORICAL FICTION)

Ok, I finished this book last night. As I have done before, I am going to talk about my thoughts and feelings regarding this book before I read your comments, then I will reply to your posts about how much of what you guys say I can relate to.

I have to start by saying that I think this has to be my least favourite of the series so far. (Isn't it interesting how people have different preferences!)
There could be a couple of reasons why I feel this way:
- This was a VERY long book for me, I am not the quickest reader
so for me, this was a bit of a marathon. This is not to say that I didn't enjoy the book because I did, especially the fact that (view spoiler)[ something very significant happened, this something being the death of Harry's very much loved (by some, feared by others) Godfather. (hide spoiler)] (As sad as this was.)
- The other reason could be that as much as I love Hogwarts and all the characters in this series, I cant help but feel that five books in (one being enormous), one after the other, I think I am ready for a change of scenery. (Temporarily of course.)
Therefore I think I am going to have just a short break from Harry Potter, read one book of another genre then carry on with the series, I just feel I need that small break in order to really enjoy the rest of the series rather than seeing it as I have to reach the finish line.
Anyway, lets talk more about this book!

(view spoiler)[ I actually loved the whole feeling of 12 Grimmauld Place, the dark, dinginess and the eeriness of it, and the character of Serius's mother randomly screaming abuse from her painting if she got woken up was just absolute gold in my opinion. (hide spoiler)]

I was surprised to discover how annoying I found one of the characters in this book, I was surprised because in the previous books, this character has never bothered me before, can anyone guess who this character might be?...... It's Cho! In this book I couldn't stand how she is suddenly one of those girls who very much craves attention, and if she does not get that attention or exactly what she wants, she is very quick to throw a tantrum, stomp off and look for it elsewhere. (view spoiler)[ I think Harry had a very lucky escape with things not working out there! (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ I now need to talk about the absolute vile creature that goes by the name of "Umbridge." I think it has really hit home to me now how much I have grown to love Harry's character, This hit me, by how angry I felt about the way Umbridge treated him. At some points I was literally boiling with anger, and felt so powerless not being able to climb into the book and defend him! I just could not express my satisfaction enough when she finally met her match with the centaurs, characters that she had no power over, and got her well deserved comeuppance. (hide spoiler)]

I feel with a book this size I could go on and on talking about different things that happened in it but I will try and keep it to a limit.

(view spoiler)[ I need to ask you guys how you feel about the way that Serius died?? I don't think I get the whole "arch with the veil" thing, yes it obviously kills whoever goes through the veil but how? and why? and what are the voices on the other side of the veil about? Have I missed something or is all this explained in later books? (hide spoiler)]


I will finish by talking about the ending, I think this is what has made me realise I am ready for a change. (view spoiler)[ I may be in the minority, but I personally felt that the grand finale battle between the death eaters, part of the DA and part of the order just went on for far too long, for me it suddenly turned very "Star Wars ish" with red and green light beams being thrown back and forth, if I remember, this went on for about 11 pages and then there were more of these beams being thrown back and forth when the battle was extended between Voldermort and Dumbledore. Did anyone else feel this battle was a bit overcooked? (Maybe it's because I am not much of an action lover.) (hide spoiler)]

Overall I kind of like the feeling that my time at Hogwarts is not over and I will be returning very soon.

Hey guys!! This book looks so good, I am definitely going to read this book in the future as I am still making my way through the Harry Potter series (very nearly finished “Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix”) I didn’t know you could create your own threads, that’s great! Obviously I don’t need to create one for June as you already have, but I will add it to the book schedule so that If anyone else joins us in the future, they can see what sort of books we read in “Safety in Numbers”.

Oh wow Dana! The big 30!! How are you feeling about turning 30!? Let’s hope everything is back to normal by then and you can go out and celebrate.

Those sound like great books. The flowers in the attic, Dollanganger series, is my absolute favourite series of all time!! I could literally not put them down, I know they are very old but I only read them about 5 years ago, absolutely fantastic! I must say that since then I have read other V.C Andrews books and I was sooo disappointment. “My Sweet Audrina” springs to mind, was no where near as good as the Dollanganger books.

As I am still making my way through the Harry Potter’s why don’t you and Kendra choose a book between you for June and I will create a discussion thread. X

Come on everyone! Last book of the series! How do you guys feel about this? Sad that this adventure is coming to an end? Or happy? (Ready for something else).

Please discuss your thoughts and feelings about "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" here.

MAY: (FANTASY)

Dana wrote: "So I'm a little over half way through this book at this point. And I just have to admit that this time around it doesn't have the same spark for me that it always had in the past. I don't know if i..."

Totally agree that J.K Rowling is the absolute best at throwing surprises into her plots! And yes Rita Skeeter is so so awful! I don't know who's character I found more annoying her or Gilderoy Lockheart as both are just so unlikeable! In "Order of the Phoenix" where I am right now Harry Ron and Hermione are literally just about to arrive at their first lesson of "Defence of the dark arts" with Umbridge and I feel like I have forgotten but am about to be reminded how truly vile she is.....im excited! lol

Finished!!! Ok I am going to write a first post about my thoughts and feelings regarding this book, then I am going to read your posts and see if our views relate...I LOVED this book! It is interesting because I often find that I don't always like books with lots of characters as I get confused, but for some reason it is not bothering me in this series. I am really enjoying getting to know each character as they are introduced, maybe because they are not just ordinary people like in a lot of books. They all have such interesting qualities such as Madame Maxime being a half giant, or Mad-Eye Moody having half a wooden leg and a magical eye that doesn't miss a trick! (view spoiler)[ In this book I must say that I really noticed the change of genre from young readers (about age 7-10) to young adults (about 11-15). Not only did I notice a lot more romance but also a much more higher level of macabre, for example earlier on in the series, we met Moaning Murtle, who's death seemed to be seen as almost comical the fact that she died in the girls toilets and liked to chill out in the you bend of the toilet of the cubicle she died in. Then we had Cedric Diggory's heart-breaking very serious and tragic death, very different! (hide spoiler)] As I have said before though I am really enjoying how the books are getting darker.

Please discuss your thoughts and feelings about Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince here.

APRIL: (FANTASY)

Hi everyone!! I have still not finished “The Goblet of Fire” 🙈 I am trying not to feel rushed as for me that can take away some of the enjoyment of a book if you don’t take it all in. I am sure I will catch up with you all eventually and I am so sorry that I have been not as active on here recently, I just want to say how much I appreciate those of you who have stayed in “Safety in numbers”. I love how the name of this group completely contradicts all what is going on in the world at the moment but is breaking no rules, isolation can bring on a massive feeling of loneliness for a lot of people and I have never been so grateful to be in a group like this where we can go to and talk about the same places in our books (Hogwarts for example). We may not be able to leave our houses in a physical sense but books definitely allow us to leave them in a mental sense. The UK went to the next stage of lockdown last night. Let’s all use our books to get us through these very strange times. As always please come on here to offload any feelings you have, as Dana has said before, this is a safe place. Stay safe everyone! Xxxx

Please discuss your thoughts and feelings about Memoirs of a Geisha here.