Monument 14 (Monument 14 #1) by Emmy Laybourne → Start Date: June 23, 2014

[Vicki]

Finished Ch. 25

I think all of chapters 21-25 are (view spoiler)[ building the characters of Robbie and Mr. Appleton. I don't like either of them! Robbie because he got too fresh with Sahalia and she is SO naive! Mr. Appleton yelled at the kids right away and that was a HUGE turn off! I am with Niko...boot them out! But I guess he finally caved and they are staying a couple of days. I think trouble is brewing! (hide spoiler)]

Niko: (view spoiler)[ I feel sorry for him because he seems like he REALLY wants to protect all of the kids but everyone is against him and no one has his back. (hide spoiler)]

Hands: (view spoiler)[ The 25th chapter on hands is amazing. I was visualizing the details that must have gone into all of Niko's drawings and he seems to truly care about the kids. I almost cried when I read about his drawings. LOL I wonder why he kept them secret. Do you think it's just his way of having his own personal space/privacy, or is there something more to it? The pics just really touched my heart. One thing I can visualize VERY well and really miss is my mother's hands. I don't know what it is about hands, but I remember my mom's so well. I miss her SO much! (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Finished and WOW!!! What a book! So much action and nothing specifically predictable. It's so good! I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it.

I just knew that (view spoiler)[ Mr. Appleton and Robbie were trouble! What a PIG Robbie was!!! Ugh! And Appleton wasn't much better. I felt so bad for Josie that she was in that position to shoot Robbie but she did what she had to. (hide spoiler)]

I thought for sure that Jake (view spoiler)[ might save the day or at least come back, but what happened to him? He just suddenly "couldn't do this anymore" and walks off into the sunset. Where'd he go? Was that the end of him or will he resurface in book 2? (hide spoiler)]

Astrid: (view spoiler)[ I feel really sorry for her! She must be pregnant with Jake's baby and he just seems to have disappeared! But now she is using Dean. He's too head-over-heels in love with her and is blinded to her tactics. I think he knows but is hoping against hope. (hide spoiler)]

I really wasn't expecting Niko to (view spoiler)[ let Caroline and Henry off the bus to go back and stay with Dean and Astrid. I sure hope they are all safe. (hide spoiler)]

[Gisbelle]

I loved these kids so much :)

[Vicki]

I do too! Such a great book!!

[Gisbelle]

The whole series is outstanding.

[Vicki]

Have you read all of the books?

[Kathy]

I'm about 5 chapters in and I will post my thoughts after work today. Glad you liked it Vicki! :)

[Gisbelle]

Vicki wrote: "Have you read all of the books?"

Yes, I've read them all. And rated all of them 5 stars, except for 2 novellas. This is one of my all time favorite series.

[Vicki]

Yeah, it's really good! I'm excited to read book 2!

[Kathy]

Ok I'm done. Sorry I didn't post any of my thoughts. I liked it but I had a hard time putting my thoughts together on this one. So now that I'm done I will give it my best shot. lol!

Dean (view spoiler)[ I liked him. I think it was right of them to stay and the others to try to get to Denver so then they can have grown-ups come and help them. I was crying by this point in the book. It was so sad/happy for Jake to find their Christmas card like that and then Alex getting upset that Dean wasn't coming with them. (hide spoiler)]

Astrid (view spoiler)[ Oh my gosh! She's pregnant! But I think she is going to be a good mom. And can see why she wouldn't want to leave because who knows what would happen to the baby if she went out there! Also it has to be Jake's baby, right? She didn't tell him obviously. (hide spoiler)]

Jake (view spoiler)[ Why did he leave? What upset him so bad that he all of a sudden just changed course like that? I hope we will see him in book 2. (hide spoiler)]

Robbie and Mr. Appleton (view spoiler)[ I could tell Robbie was a bad guy, but I couldn't tell about Mr. Appleton. I think Mandiann was right that he was trying to get Robbie out of there because he knew he was a bad guy and felt guilty for bringing him there and that was why he wouldn't look Dean in the eye. (hide spoiler)]

Caroline and Henry (view spoiler)[ Yeah, I couldn't believe he let them off outside the gate either. But I'm glad they didn't leave because now at least Chloe won't be the only young kid there. (hide spoiler)]

Overall (view spoiler)[ I loved the action and I thought it was as realistic as it could get with the kids being left in charge and all. And I can't really say why I was having a hard time putting my thoughts in order, only that I kept thinking that it was strange and kind of awkward with Dean watching Jake and Astrid and Sahalia trying to act grown-up when she wasn't. I don't know of any other way to explain it. lol! (hide spoiler)]

[Kathy]

Vicki wrote: "Finished with Ch. 5


This book is full of action from the get-go! Wow!

Dean: [spoilers removed]Alex: [spoilers removed]Chloe: [spoilers removed]Natural Disaster: [spoilers removed]Dean: [spoiler..."

Alex (view spoiler)[ I just thought he wasn't crying until the internet was down was because it was all a shock to him and then when no one could get online it was too much pressure. He knew then that there would be no calling anyone to help them. But it was probably a little bit of not getting online too! lol! (hide spoiler)]

[Kathy]

Vicki wrote: "Finished Ch. 10 and OMG!!! This book is FULL of action!

Where do I start? Oh, that one [spoilers removed]

I couldn't believe that the little kids all [spoilers removed]Astrid: [spoilers removed]D..."

Creepy guy (view spoiler)[ I know! He scared me half to death! *shudder* (hide spoiler)]

The fight in the bathroom (view spoiler)[ I didn't think about it getting in the water! And that was just crazy! Poor Astrid trying to choke Batiste and Chloe biting Max. Just crazy! (hide spoiler)]

Josie (view spoiler)[ She was really good with the kids and I'm glad she was ok. I was really worried about her for a while. (hide spoiler)]

[Kathy]

Vicki wrote: "Finished Ch. 20


I can't believe all these kids have gone through! This book reminds me of another that I think you buddy read with me and Trisha, and these kids were stuck at their school during ..."

Sahalia (view spoiler)[ Definitely trying to grow up too fast. I think the same thing when I see girls doing that kind of thing. Why would any parent let there child out of the house in the clothes they were sometimes I will never know. (hide spoiler)]

Brayden (view spoiler)[ I think he was only after Josie in the first place was because he knew Niko liked her and he also knew how goodlooking he was and that Josie would like his attention. (hide spoiler)]

Lady at the back door (view spoiler)[ That is such a hard decision to make, especially for kids. They want to trust grown-ups and they want to help, but it could be bad to let someone in they don't know like Robbie. He was good at hiding his intentions and making everyone think he was a good guy. And actually I was getting a little frustrated with Dean because he would see things and ask himself questions but then think nothing of it. (hide spoiler)]

Jake and Brayden (view spoiler)[ I was sad to see them doing things like that. But again I thought it was realistic in what kid or someone would do in a crisis situation. If it's available and they can get their hands on they will because they want to escape the world around them and what's going on. (hide spoiler)]

[Kathy]

Vicki wrote: "Finished Ch. 25

I think all of chapters 21-25 are [spoilers removed]Niko: [spoilers removed]Hands: [spoilers removed]"

Hands (view spoiler)[ I think it said a lot about Niko's chatacter. He is always trying to help and getting refused or some kind of flak for being a boy scout. And it really helped for Josie to really see him, that he is a good guy. I don't know why he kept it secret, maybe he didn't think they were any good? I miss my mom too and my grandma. I remember my grandma's hands, they were always so soft. lol (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Kathy!!!!!! :)

[Vicki]

Awe, I love your comments! I'm so glad you had a chance to read it!!!

I want to know what happens with (view spoiler)[ Astrid's pregnancy and what the heck happened to Jake. Something got to him!! I hope he is okay somehow and that he is there for the baby if the baby lives. (hide spoiler)]

I hadn't thought about Mr. Appleton (view spoiler)[ wanting to get Robbie out because he knew the pervert he was, but that's probably spot on. I just didn't like either of them and knew they were trouble! (hide spoiler)]

I started yesterday and am a little over halfway done. I need it for the 11th two month challenge. I'll be posting some comments soon.

[Kathy]

Yes I didn't love it but I really liked it and I'm anxious to read book 2! I need to check my library to see when I could get it and then we can talk about setting up a date to read it!

I will start Out of Breath soon. I need to read with Gisbelle and I have one more to read for the 2 month reading challenge but that one will be a very short one! lol! :D

[Vicki]

Sounds great! I have book 2 already. :)