August 2020 Readalong: The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

[Laurie (barksbooks)]

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James is the poll winner for the August readalong! Grab your copy now and join us!

Please use % read and spoiler tags as needed because some of us are slow-pokes (me, haha!) Thank you and enjoy.

[Laurie (barksbooks)]

Ignore my error on the broadcast email, everyone. This book won for August, not June as stated in the message title. I don't know why they let me send messages!

[Karla]

this book is so great!!!

[Laurie (barksbooks)]

Karla wrote: "this book is so great!!!"

I keep hearing that! I'm so excited to read it!

[Kimberly]

This one sounds great! I'm in. :D

[destiny ♡]

I have the ebook on hold at the library, so I'll join if it comes in on time! :)

[Tracy]

Excited!

[Latasha]

I’ll be joining in for this! I’ll be listening to the audiobook. I’m excited to FINALLY be getting around to it. I love The Broken Girls and hear good things about this one too.

[Kimberly]

I just ordered it. I haven't read anything by this author yet, so this seemed like the perfect time.

[Erin]

Hope you all enjoy, I really liked it.

[Latasha]

commenting here again so I will get updates.

[Shainlock]

I loved the Broken girls too and am also on Library hold grrr.

[Kimberly]

I got my copy ahead of time for once!

[Latasha]

Kimberly wrote: "I got my copy ahead of time for once!"

i did too.

[em]

I got this one early from the library! Can't wait.

[Frances]

Ladies, I’ll be joining you for this Readalong. :)

[Kimberly]

I'm planning on starting this one at the beginning of the month, for once!

[Karla]

Can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts!

[Latasha]

starting this monday.

[Kari]

Just started last night and I'm super intrigued, especially by Viv's story. I have high expectations for this one--I've heard great things.

[Noelle]

I'm sorry, but I skipped ahead on Audible. I'm really enjoying it :)

[Kimberly]

I think I'll start this one today...

[Tracy]

Will start soon!

[Becca]

I’m starting THE SUN DOWN MOTEL right now! I’m so excited, this book has landed on my TBR every month since it’s release 😅. I’m excited to finally be doing the dang thing.

[Kimberly]

Becca wrote: "I’m starting THE SUN DOWN MOTEL right now! I’m so excited, this book has landed on my TBR every month since it’s release 😅. I’m excited to finally be doing the dang thing."

It's so funny how it takes a group read to get to some of those TBR books!!
I'm enjoying this one so far, and I was in a bad reading slump before this.

[Frances]

I ended up finishing the book faster than expected, ladies 😔. The Readalong book became a Readahead for me. I’ll join in the discussion according to your pace.

[Latasha]

It’s that good?

[Frances]

The way the book was written... the chapters being alternately narrated by aunt and niece.. teasing you to read a little more every night into the wee hours of the morning...

[Latasha]

Ohh I see.

[Frances]

Shucks. Was that a spoiler? I wasn't sure. I hope it wasn't. Should I delete my post?

[Kimberly]

Frances wrote: "Shucks. Was that a spoiler? I wasn't sure. I hope it wasn't. Should I delete my post?"

I don't think so. Once you start reading, the format is obvious--you didn't say anything about specific content. I am reading it now, and am just excited that it sounds like a compelling read! (I'm enjoying it very much).

[Latasha]

Frances wrote: "Shucks. Was that a spoiler? I wasn't sure. I hope it wasn't. Should I delete my post?"

Nah, i wouldn't consider that a spoiler.

[Frances]

Whew! Thank goodness! I’m new to book discussions. 😳

[Carol]

I just got mine! Looking forward to it.

[Erin]

Frances wrote: "The way the book was written... the chapters being alternately narrated by aunt and niece.. teasing you to read a little more every night into the wee hours of the morning..."

That makes it an even more interesting read.

[Latasha]

I'll be behind on this one. I haven't got to start it yet but i WILL listen to this book this month! i am determined.

[Kimberly]

Latasha wrote: "I'll be behind on this one. I haven't got to start it yet but i WILL listen to this book this month! i am determined."

I had a slight setback, but am back on track now!

[Becca]

I took a day off of reading this one but I’m nearing the end! When things get spooky, things get REAL spooky & I’m really diggin’ it.

[Frances]

I don't know how a Readalong works. At what pace do we go? Becca, I want to ask you what you found spooky. Do you just put a spoiler tag? Or do we wait until mid-month? :)

[Michelle❀]

I started it the other day and I know I'm only on like 6% but I'm having a hard time getting into it. I hope it gets real good soon.

[Laurie (barksbooks)]

Frances wrote: "I don't know how a Readalong works. At what pace do we go? Becca, I want to ask you what you found spooky. Do you just put a spoiler tag? Or do we wait until mid-month? :)"

We are easy-going. Read at your own pace all month and use % read and spoiler tags if you feel you might spoil a surprise.

[Kimberly]

I finished the last 2/3 in one sitting last night.

[Frances]

I found it helpful that the chapters clearly identified that it was Viv or Carly who was narrating. It allowed me to get into the mindset already without the guess-work that other books make you do. I found that I looked forward to Viv's chapters more than I did Carly's. I liked her character more. But what I did like about Carly's chapters were (view spoiler)[ reading about Nick because I kinda ended up having a crush on him hee hee (hide spoiler)]

[Kimberly]

I agree about how helpful it was to have the chapters identified by whose POV we were seeing in advance. In this case, the format worked really well.

[Becca]

Frances wrote: "I don't know how a Readalong works. At what pace do we go? Becca, I want to ask you what you found spooky. Do you just put a spoiler tag? Or do we wait until mid-month? :)"

Sorry, I'm days late at replying, but without going into too much detail, I found some of the stuff that happened at the hotel at night spooky! I absolutely loved those scenes.

[Frances]

Becca wrote: "Frances wrote: "I don't know how a Readalong works. At what pace do we go? Becca, I want to ask you what you found spooky. Do you just put a spoiler tag? Or do we wait until mid-month? :)"

Sorry, ..."

Which of those did you find spookiest? (view spoiler)[ I always have a hard time with ghost children. My ❤️ breaks for them. Ever since I became a mother myself, I became all mushy. But also because ever since I watched the movie The Changeling, movies with ghost children have been my undoing (hide spoiler)]

[Becca]

Frances wrote: "Becca wrote: "Frances wrote: "I don't know how a Readalong works. At what pace do we go? Becca, I want to ask you what you found spooky. Do you just put a spoiler tag? Or do we wait until mid-month..."

Ah, I have yet to see The Changling & I need to remedy that someday. (view spoiler)[One of the creepiest parts I found was when Betty would sit at the end of the beds? LIKE UH, I'D BE OUT OF THERE IN A HEARTBEAT. Also, in general, I just know that I'd freak if I was somewhere and EVERY SINGLE door opened at the same time.

I really love it when a thriller-esque book has paranormal elements.

I don't have any children of my own, but I can only imagine how heartbreaking it would be to see children hurting in horror (or any genre). I remember BAWLING over the scene in The Sixth Sense where we meet the girl-ghost; I don't want to give too much away in that movie in case you haven't seen it! (hide spoiler)]

[Frances]

Becca wrote: "Frances wrote: "Becca wrote: "Frances wrote: "I don't know how a Readalong works. At what pace do we go? Becca, I want to ask you what you found spooky. Do you just put a spoiler tag? Or do we wait..."

Yes, definitely. On my creepy list are: (view spoiler)[ghost children, poltergeist, and weeping ghosts who have unfinished business here on earth like Betty (who in some books and movies don't even know they are dead) (hide spoiler)]

[Kimberly]

Supernatural events are my favorite in any genre! Creepiest for me (view spoiler)[ are "creepy children". I think the movie THE CHANGLING was amazing! (hide spoiler)]

[Frances]

I like creepy stories that aren't just plain creepy but that have a human element to it, but which of course are usually sad. (view spoiler)[In this book it's Betty getting killed, and the little boy having that accident in the pool. In The Sixth Sense there were so many sad back-stories to the ghosts that we got to learn, which for me made it one of my favorite scary movies. Same as The Changeling. Not just showing dead creepy children for shock value. Same as MAMA. Learning their pain helps you remember that they were human once. (hide spoiler)]