City of Ghosts (October 2020) Buddy Read Discussion ~ Elysian & Hafsah & Alex

[Althea ☾]

Welcome to the City of Ghosts Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on October 2nd and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each day we will be reading by chapters or page numbers. Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 10/01
Oct 2: Chapters 1-5
Oct 3: Chapters 6-10

Week of 10/04
Oct 4: Chapters 11-15
Oct 5: Chapters 16-20
Oct 6: Chapters 21-25
Oct 7: Chapters 26-end


PARTICIPANTS
~ Elysian
~ Hafsah
~ Alex

[Elysian]

Hey guys, idk when u wanna start reading, but I just wanna say that I am a fairly slow reader so I will start the book a bit earlier so I can talk with you guys about it. I have nothing more to say though.

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Okay! Should we start it at the beginning of the month then? I can start whenever.

[Elysian]

❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) wrote: "Okay! Should we start it at the beginning of the month then? I can start whenever."

Yeah I am ok with that.

[Hafs, Games Procrastinator]

its a really short book so we might be able to get through it quick
To accommodate everyone's reading pace we could do 3-4 or even 5 if possible chapters a day seeing as they're quite short.
If that's okay with everyone i think we should start it right away!

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Okay! Five chapters a day starting tomorrow? Is that too fast? There are 27 chapters, so we could split it like this:

2: 1-5
3: 6-10
4: 11-15
5: 16-20
6: 21-25
7: 26-end (Only two chapters for time for review)

[Hafs, Games Procrastinator]

that ok with me :)
@Elysian does that work??

[Elysian]

yeah. I will probably be a bit behind tho, but I try to follow the schedule as good as I can.

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Okay, awesome! I can't wait to start!

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Just finished the first four chapters! Believe it or not, this is my first Victoria/V. E Schwab book. I'm actually really enjoying it. I don't know exactly what I expected with it being middle-grade and all, but I love it so far. Jacob and Cassidy are adorable! I know this doesn't happen much in middle-grade books, but I kinda ship them?

[Elysian]

It is my first Victoria Schwab book as well. I am very behind on reading popular authors.

Personally, this book is not for me. I do not like Cassidy at all. She gives off such bad "I am not like other girls" vibe. I hope she gets some character development or I am not able to handle that.

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Yeah, the "not like other girls" trope is the worst, I hope something happens there.

[Hafs, Games Procrastinator]

I haven't read any other Schwab books either so i didn't know what to expect from a new author in terms of writing style.

So far I agree with the I am different/I'm not normal" thing it's the most annoying thing ever..

I love their friendship though. Jacob reminds me of a friend I had in middle school-well sans the ghost part

I don't think I'll want to read another of Schwab's book but its too early to tell maybe I haven't warmed up to it as much because it's not a genre I usually pick up?

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Just finished the next five chapters! Nothing much else seemed to happen, other than an overly excited veil and a creepy lady in red. I really want to know what Jacob does when he disappears; hopefully nothing shady. I really like him and I hope he's a good person.

[Elysian]

I already read my chapters for the day and read all 15 chapters.

Well, Victoria Schwab usually does not write middle grade so even though I do not like this book I expect her YA and New Adult books to be better.

I am not really invested in the characters and I think of Cassidy as very annoying so- I could not care less about most of the things currently going on.

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

I'm never very invested in anything in the first book of a series, but I do like Jacob. Cassidy's annoying, but I stan a good friendship!

[Elysian]

❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) wrote: "I'm never very invested in anything in the first book of a series, but I do like Jacob. Cassidy's annoying, but I stan a good friendship!"

I mainly read standalones so if I am not invested with a book in some kind of way it is automatically a bad sign for me. If the first book of a series is dull and I cannot get invested enough to care I will not read the next. Idk

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Elysian wrote: "❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) wrote: "I'm never very invested in anything in the first book of a series, but I do like Jacob. Cassidy's annoying, but I stan a good friendship!"

I mainly read standalon..."

I tend to find that series get better as they go and have time for character development. Books that are meant to be a standalone normally have good development just in that book, but for series, it takes a little longer.

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

I just finished the ten chapters from yesterday and today and I've got to say, the book is getting much better very fast. Yeah, Lara is kind of he worst, but the predicament that Cassidy's gotten herself into is super intriguing!

[Elysian]

So I finished the book last night and well right a review today.

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Elysian wrote: "So I finished the book last night and well right a review today."

Okay! Can you link it? I'm interested to see what you think!

[Elysian]

❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) wrote: "Elysian wrote: "So I finished the book last night and well right a review today."

Okay! Can you link it? I'm interested to see what you think!"

ofc! :)

[Elysian]

❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) wrote: "Elysian wrote: "❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) wrote: "I'm never very invested in anything in the first book of a series, but I do like Jacob. Cassidy's annoying, but I stan a good friendship!"

I mainl..."

Idk, I have read a few series where I thought the first book was good and the other ones gotten weak. I will often just continue a series to make a hate review when I really disliked the first one yk? In my opinion, if a 300 page standalone manages to get me invested in the characters and makes me emotional why cannot a 600 page book, first of the series make me terribly excited for the next book?

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Elysian wrote: "❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) wrote: "Elysian wrote: "❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) wrote: "I'm never very invested in anything in the first book of a series, but I do like Jacob. Cassidy's annoying, but I..."

That's a good point. I've often read super hyped series (i.e. The Mortal Instruments) and not liked the first book but ended up liking the rest. I also like seeing how characters slowly create relationships over the course of a series. I live for the slow-burn!

[Hafs, Games Procrastinator]

I'm so sorry fro not being active on updates :(

Just finished the book and will be writing a review in a few
Main pointers:

-I really tried to like Cassidy's character and i failed miserably
-I'm not sure I'll continue the series but i would love to give the darker shade of magic books a try
-I love that because this is a middle grade book there is no romance idk what I would do if I had to deal with a love story on top of the very annoying characters
-I now have the newfound and persistent urge to visit Edinburgh

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

@Hafsah Don't sweat it! It happens sometimes :D

My top points (though I still have the last few chapters from today):

- Cassidy was a no go ("I'm not like other girls" trope).
- Jacob was adorable and needs to be protected at all costs
- Boring most of the time but it had its moments (when Cassidy first got stuck in the Veil
- Maybe middle grade isn't Victoria Schwab's thing?

[Elysian]

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

Here is my review. I almost forgot to send u guys the link lol.

[Elysian]

Hafsah wrote: "I'm so sorry fro not being active on updates :(

Just finished the book and will be writing a review in a few
Main pointers:

-I really tried to like Cassidy's character and i failed miserably
-I'm..."

Btw, I was in Edinburgh for actually a long time. (Actually lived there for about a month or so, because of an internship ) It is very pretty there! I actually also went to the Edinburgh castle and all the other tourist attractions. The city is beautiful and it is not too seldom that you randomly see people wearing kilts.

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Elysian wrote: "Hafsah wrote: "I'm so sorry fro not being active on updates :(

Just finished the book and will be writing a review in a few
Main pointers:

-I really tried to like Cassidy's character and i failed..."

That sounds so cool! I definitely want to visit then. People actually wear kilts in Scotland for everyday stuff? I thought that was just a misconception or stereotype!

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Just finished the book! I'll link a review as soon as I write it.

Here it is: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Elysian]

❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) wrote: "Elysian wrote: "Hafsah wrote: "I'm so sorry fro not being active on updates :(

Just finished the book and will be writing a review in a few
Main pointers:

-I really tried to like Cassidy's charac..."

Nope, actually a few people do that. Not all people- but you will see two or three people wearing kilts in the city. Especially during summer! I doubt they wear it in winter.

[Alex (The Scribe Owl)]

Elysian wrote: "❀ Alex ❀ (The Scribe Owl) wrote: "Elysian wrote: "Hafsah wrote: "I'm so sorry fro not being active on updates :(

Just finished the book and will be writing a review in a few
Main pointers:

-I rea..."

That's so cool xD I really want to go to Scotland now.