Cat’s Comments (group member since Jan 28, 2015)

Cat’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Team Silk Road is open for the wandering journey!
Come say hello!

My shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

So the previous BOM, The Names, was genuinely great, albeit with MASSIVE domestic abuse trigger warnings. I highly recommend it! (And it could be used for the Book-Mobile BOM Excursion mini square or ladder: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...)

Travels? I enjoyed revisiting Barcelona recently. It was disconcerting how much busier it was from the first time I went (15 years ago), but was amazing to see an almost finished Sagrada Familia, and the difference on the inside, from my first visit of careful path through scaffolding to now, it's interior is virtually finished.

Hello everyone! welcome to the latest free-wheeling reading adventure!

First off I want to say right now: your Captains' vibe for this challenge is low-key. For various reasons we want to just read without the full-on pressure to complete everything and push hard.

What this means is that, while we will look to place books to get as many points as possible, from the mini-excursions, we won't be doing the "please read for this task!" requests. If you want to read aggressively to task we absolutely won't stop you, but we aren't going to be prescriptive and demanding. This time is really is about the journey, not the destination! ;-)

So, team rules this time are:
- kick back, relax, read what you want
- take it easy on yourself and assume the best of each other
- have fun, and do recommend any great books you read along the way
- do post here once a week, so we don't have to chase you down. if you are going to wander off for a bit please let one of us know here or via PM

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We will be using a tracker sheet to help plan and see where we are at for the spell out and any excursions - thank you Danielle, again, for excellent work there! I'll pop the link in the first post (abusing Mod privileges!) - please feel free to put planned books in there. Captains will put them against letters and excursion tasks, but do note how they fit.

Feel free to claim excursion tasks - ideally no more than 3 so everyone who wants to has a chance to explore :)

Last bit of admin: can you post a link to your challenge shelf, please, and remember to post your books to that shelf by the time you mark it as finished :)
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So! Yay! new wheels - can't wait :) And I'm excited by the blast-from-the-past mini challenges, inspired by previous wheels. How many wheels do you remember playing in? any favourites spring to mind?

And any favourite books or travel experiences you want to share whilst we wait?

we did! still scarred!

we're waiting Lori to return from travels before opening up - tomorrow or Weds :)

DQS set 2: A Night of Travel- Matt's All-American Burgers
Oct 5- A Night of Travel thru Matt's All-American Burgers

6. Are you more like Cassie- adventurous and a risk taker or Izzy, more careful and think things through?

I'm slightly more think things through

7. What are your thoughts on "The Woman" now hearing more of her story.

Yikes, she's a Bigger Badder Bad than I thought! Avoid avoid avoid!

8. Drummond Fox has the Book of Memories and it is often used more to forget than to remember something. Can you pinpoint anything in your life you would willingly forget on purpose? Cassie is now on this adventure on her own because Drummond made Izzy forget the Book of Doors but Cassie was now able to see the Library. Was the trade off worth it?

I don't think the trade off is worth it. Taking away someone's autonomy is a bad look, even if it is based on traumatic events in Fox's past.

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DQ'S DAY 1 - START - BOOK PEOPLE

1. "This is the Book of Doors Hold it in your hand and any door is every door"
If you could open a door to anywhere, where would you go?

I don't know that I could! I'm not sure I've ever memorised a door in sufficient detail!

2. The first page of the novel starts with this lovely sentence - so true for book lovers.
"I've read it before but as I get older, I find comfort in re-reading favourites. It's like spending time with old friends." - Mr Webber
Does this ring true for you? What is your favourite comfort read?
PS - Have you read The Count of Monte Cristo? If you have do you agree or disagree with Cassie's opinion?

I do like to reread, with Discworld being particualarly good at getting me out of a slump (not Rincewind!), and reread classics on occasion to see how the passing of time has changed my reaction to them.
I have read Count... ages ago. My vibe was mostly surprise that no-one recognised him, and at his massive unwillingness to grow and let go of a grudge!

3. After Cassie's and Izzy's first outing with the Book, despite Cassie's delight it seems that Izzy's reservations are valid. Can you see the positive and negative aspects of owning the books - So far other than the Book of Doors, the Books of Pain, Shadow, Memories, Illusions and Luck have been revealed. If you could own one book which one would it be? Which one wouldn't you touch with a ten foot pole!

I don't fancy Despair or Pain. Illusions and Luck seem risky to living a happy life, ditto Memories. So Door seems the best of the lot so far....

4. Everyone seems terrified of the mysterious Woman? Who do you think she is and why is her name capitalized?

The Big Bad. I wonder if she is also Lottie or possibly Mrs Kellner ?

5. Cassie goes to Mr Webber's apartment to get some answers.
"Why did you give me the book Mr Webber" she asked the room "and where did you get it. What is the secret behind it?"
These are the "64 million dollars questions"!! Do you have any theories or is it too early in the story to come to any conclusions?

Beyond wondering about Mrs K being The Woman, nothing much. Lund the Lunk will presumably be tied in in other ways too.
Desmond is particulalry dim, not thinking about his foot prints being a huge giveaway, so he's going to be more hindrance than help when he speaks to Cassie & Izzy, leading the hunter dude straight to them....

Here for DQs

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "I'm good for Day 1.

PS - I can't believe my choice got picked for two BOM's - great, except it's outside the Challenges, LOL. Some gals have all the luck!

Anyways, hope everyone enjoys the book."

it's nice to see Judith knocked off the BOM Winners podium! there was a stretch when she got at least one each month.
I've come to realise that I am not a person with my thumb on the reading habits of the group!

I'm in for DQs.

I'll get to fire shortly

She's pretty lost from their point of view!

And isn't Cemetery Boys featuring Day of the Dead?

There's Under the Volcano which is weird.

I've made the note with mods - we've not decided who's IC team build yet - so do it! :)

And Danielle and I can make clear from the get go that it's relaxed time chez nous! (I'm actually minded to relaxed too, given work pressures over the AUtumn)

Sammy - my team is not going to be pushing hard this time, if you want to join us: one of the teamies want's to be a "bad" teamie, reading for themself, so you can join on the same basis. only an idea, zero pressure x

Amanda wrote: "Hi ❤️

When do the BOM polls typically open? & more specifically, when will the November one open?

TIA!"

The last couple of days of the month preceeding. You'll find links in the newsletter. They usually close on 7th of each month.
So November's will be added in a few days, and be active until 7 Oct.
Subject always to real life!

SET 2

6. There's a quote from Bear "maybe freedom is just about choosing the life you want"
Do you think this is true? And do you think it's a revelation that all three versions came to?

7. Julian's life seemed the hardest for him and Maia to find happiness. Do you think this is due to the lack of Cora in their story?

8. Did you expect the resolution of Gordon's journey?

9. We don't see much of Gordon Snr at all, until the Epilogue. Did the end of his story satisfy you? Do you think that his life would have been different if he was Hugh, as hinted?

10. Overall thoughts about this book? Did the conceit work well?

I updated with more :)

apart from the ghost jaguar pirate treasure warrior (missing only the kitchen sink, I think!), I think they were all of merit, though some will be skewed by mood too :)