The Challenge Factory discussion

Penni & K-Terror - Wither, Fever

Checking in....

Hey there! Just realized if you don't read this one I'm gonna talk to myself! HaHa!

Or guilt someone into it... Shhh....

Uh..no pressure.. ;)

I loved it! I'll chatter with you if you want me to :)

LOL - I figured I'd read this one first to make sure I got it since the other one there is at least one other person :-)

When do you want to start? Do you have a rough time frame of when would be good?

Jenne wrote: "I loved it! I'll chatter with you if you want me to :)"

5 *'s! That is awesome. Glad to hear it is good.

I read this when I first discovered dystopians. I was sucked in early on. It's pretty dark for YA but it doesn't read like a YA at all.

Yay - I'm excited to read this! I have this on audio and can read it whenever works for you. Early sounds groovy. ;)

I might be able to start this Sunday or Monday.... I have a couple that I'm needing to finish from this month.

Penni wrote: "I might be able to start this Sunday or Monday.... I have a couple that I'm needing to finish from this month."

Cool - I'll plan to start Sunday/Monday too. :)

I'm almost done with a Molly Harper book and will start this one. Likely tomorrow. :)

Sounds good. I will plan to start tomorrow also.

Chapters 1-5

Interesting and fairly dark... First of all, what kind of name is Rhine? :)

(view spoiler)[ I feel bad for Rowan. I wonder where he was when she was taken. It sounds like they caught & killed the one intruder who they assumed was a "gatherer"... But then another one may have come into their house and she found her brother's cot empty right? So in assuming this is when she was caught/gathered..?

Rose is interesting too and she seems to have a fondness for Rhine and trying to prepare her for being one of the governor's wives and what that will mean.

20 years life span would really suck. Wonder what caused that in the subsequent generations. (hide spoiler)]

Just getting started tonight. I will try and catch up :-)

No worries! I'm multi- tasking and set it aside - will be picking it up again today.

Kristin ~ Experiment in Terror Junkie wrote: "Chapters 1-5

Interesting and fairly dark... First of all, what kind of name is Rhine? :)

I feel bad for Rowan. I wonder where he was when she was taken. It sounds like they caught & killed the..."

OK - I'm through Chapter 5. This is an odd situation. (view spoiler)[ I thought that the one sequence was a dream sequence where she found Rowan's bed empty, and that she got taken on her way home from work - said something about Rowan would know when she didn't come home. Although I'm listening on audio and sometimes conversations vs. thoughts vs. dreams, etc are hard to separate. The idea that they would kill the other girls not taken - I don't get that. Why? You can get more money - even though not a lot - by selling them. Just dumping them on the side of the road and letting them fend for themselves. Why kill them? And who is behind the wives thing - Linden or his father? Such a weird concept. (hide spoiler)]

Maybe it was on the way home - I'd forgotten she'd said that too. LOL! So, ya, it's a bit confusing. I haven't read further yet but hopefully it will clarify some of this... I'm listening in audio too but have the kindle version. I should look back through that section about Rowan's empty cot.

So far, Gabriel is my favorite person in the book. :)

OK, almost through Chapter 7 and (view spoiler)[ she answered an ad in the paper for a study and it was a trap. I find it interesting Linden doesn't realize or seem to comprehend what he is doing. Although I guess often the priveleged have little knowledge outside their sphere of themselves. it is interesting how living with the kbowledge of impending death - basically a you know the date of your death - affects them in such different ways. (hide spoiler)]

I'm nearly through Chapter 7 too now...

(view spoiler)[ Gabriel is still my favorite. :)

I keep getting caught up in thinking about how their life ends in a mere 4 years (in Rhine's case). Like, how can this end well? I'm guessing if it's possible, it would be through a possible break through in science and they can figure out how to vaccinate against whatever causes their early death.

So far Linden seems like a decent guy. I'm wondering if he understands how he came by his 3 wives... He appeared to really love Rose.

"Clueless" is a good way to describe him Penni!
(hide spoiler)]

Finished Chapter 10

(view spoiler)[
I know Cecily is young but she is really annoying and spoiled...
And what was up with Jenna reminding Rhine why they are there? She's sleeping with Linden (supposedly) but she reminds Rhine about that after Linden almost kisses her..?? Is that like a jealousy thing?
(hide spoiler)]

I thought at first Jenna would be an ally, but she also said (view spoiler)[ she would never sleep with him and she appears to be doing it regularly and with no issues. I thought it odd that Rhine didn't tell Jenna that the reason he isn't sleeping with her is because she said no. I also find Linden kinda odd. Smart in some ways. Really dense in others. The fact that they all just act like everyone should be happy, happy after they buy, drug, and cart the girls home - never a discussion about it is weird also. You would think there would be at least initially something said in reference to it. (hide spoiler)]

What did you think about the window being opened in Rhine's room?

That Vaughn is a snake.

The juxtaposition between what Rhine is going through (and all the girls and the sister brides and all that) and the descriptions of things like tourist boats off New York and joggers is surreal.

It's interesting about the window, especially given she is the one with the (view spoiler)[ plan to escape. So I don't know if Linden offered the open window knowing she needs that - as a way to show he sort of knows her and sees her? It's weird he has slept with the other 2 girls but since the one time Rhine said "no", they've spent time talking..

I thought he didn't know what his dad did to get the girls there but now I think he must. Otherwise wouldn't he have asked the girls about their background or something? Three girls appear - poof - and he marries them.

I'm not trusting Jenna. I think Jenna is out for Jenna but not sure what her game is yet...
(hide spoiler)]

How far have you read to?

Yes - Vaughn is super creepy!

I'm in the middle of Chapter 14 I believe. At the part where Cicely has a fit about Linden talking about taking Rhine to a ribbon cutting (like Vaughn would allow that) and then her telling Gabriel and wanting him to come with her to escape - then the domestic interrupting them and asking about what Vaughn had said to her while she was under the medication.

Linden was there at the van and picked them right? And since the girls heard the shots in the van, I would think he would have also? It's just so weird that no one has addressed it - even as - you're here now this is your life get used to it (at least until she tries her first escape).

Yea - I'm not sure about Jenna either.

Ok.. I'm having a hard time reconciling the Linden from the beginning of the book to the Linden of now... Clearly I'm giving him too much credit. The Linden at the beginning of the book would never open Rhine's window for her ~ but Gabriel would...

Linden is an enigma. I think his dad is behind a lot of it. And just the way he was raised - entitled. He thinks what he lives is normal and right. However, I still think he has to have known something about what was happening at that van at the beginning. I wonder if we will find out later more what is in his head.

Chapter 15 - (view spoiler)[the sister wives all working together to get their outdoor privileges back. I wonder what Vaughn did with Rose's baby. I am nervous for Cicely as the go to the Expo. When Linden took Rose to the Expo in the limo and she's scared to death to get in and have the windows up and Linden just thinks its odd. Does he really not know they were gassed? (hide spoiler)]

Ah - he's shocked that she had parents and knew them. Wonder if they will start talking now.

"What made you want to be a bride?"

Hmmmm... Clueless...

Now I'm creeped out... Gabriel...

(view spoiler)[what happened to him?? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 20

(view spoiler)[ I wonder if Vaughn would have saved the baby with the "Baster" if it were a girl?

Concerned about Cecily.... Why does no one else seem to be concerned about her besides Rhine?

(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 22
(view spoiler)[
The house must be bugged for Vaughn to know all.. With all of the holograms, I wouldn't doubt it! I was very nervous for Gabriel when she met up with them in the basement.

Poor Cecily... She can't even get a free moment with her baby...

Funny how Rhine becomes "first wife" when she's the only one that hasn't slept with her husband.

Jenna :(. Think Vaughn did something to make her illness start earlier than 20? Cecily isn't doing well either... (hide spoiler)]

Just finished!
(view spoiler)[
Ok wow. I didn't think Cecily would have done that to Rhine... But since she came through for her in the 11th hour, I'm guessing she didn't mean to do it out of spite but was just so young and easily manipulated by Vaughn and really thought she was helping Rhine...

What do you think happened to the little server with the golden key card? As well as Cecily? No good deed will go unpunished I'm sure.

Honestly, I wasn't sure how it would end, but I did not see them being able to leave... I have a feeling I should just end this series now and assume they shipped off into the sunset, met up with her brother, and all three lived happily ever after... But I'm a glutton for punishment and already bought book 2...

This book was a slow build for me... Took a little while to get into it but by the end I felt hooked. I ended up liking all three of the sister wives and actually think I might even like Linden too somewhat. He will be devastated to lose Rhine. If they had met under different circumstances, I wonder if they could have had a chance...

(hide spoiler)]

Let me know if you're interested in continuing on with book 2? I have no time frame in mind so am flexible if you would want to wait until next month to read. (no pressure)

Kristin ~ Experiment in Terror Junkie wrote: "Now I'm creeped out... Gabriel...

[spoilers removed]"

I don't know - I'm just to the part that he was missing.

I want to keep going, but only have so much time to listen.

Kristin ~ Experiment in Terror Junkie wrote: "Just finished!

Ok wow. I didn't think Cecily would have done that to Rhine... But since she came through for her in the 11th hour, I'm guessing she didn't mean to do it out of spite but was jus..."

I have a feeling I will want to continue. It would more than likely have to be next month though if you could wait until then. My February is booked to the ma\x....

I'm on Chapter 17......

Hope to finish by tonight. Dang this work and kid stuff always getting in the way of reading lol.

Haha! It really does!!! Finish at your own pace though - I'll be around. ;)

I'm glad y'all are liking it! It's rather dark and an original concept. The author is really young herself.

PS - Next month is totally fine. I knew you were just trying to squeeze Wither in this month so am just happy that worked out!

OK - so tell me.

With all the hologram stuff and other high tech stuff running around, does Vaughn not have cameras in the place? Is that how he knew about the kiss?

Right now, Linden is asking Rhine about whether she knew that Jenna had sisters and that they died. Has he not put 2and 2 together yet?

Did Vaughn do something to kill Jenna sooner?

If this thing is a virus, why doesn't it spread and kill other people?

The whole Vaughn/baby thing is weird.

Remember when we called Linden clueless? Well, I really think he is.. In fact, Rhine uses that very term for him herself! It's like he lives in his own little bubble... And since he's never lived a life remotely close to what the sister-wives have had to endure and his dad has seemingly raised him under a protective shell, I don't think he had any idea how the other half lives - so to speak.

Gun shots? He probably thought it was a muffler back firing.. For real!

I still need to know more about this virus...

A lot of your thoughts and comments are along the lines of how I was thinking too at the same place..

Holograms - what a fake world.

Oh, I meant to really, really, REALLY agree with the weirdness if the Vaughn & baby thing.... I felt really bad for Cecily as well as kind of surprised she didn't go off on the old man. I guess that's not her way though.

Kristin ~ Experiment in Terror Junkie wrote: "A lot of your thoughts and comments are along the lines of how I was thinking too at the same place..

Holograms - what a fake world."

There is a lot of parallels drawn - holograms vs real world, reflection vs. real, what's better, reality or fantasy, and of course lots around freedom - are we free, what is it, is it worth it.

Kristin ~ Experiment in Terror Junkie wrote: "Oh, I meant to really, really, REALLY agree with the weirdness if the Vaughn & baby thing.... I felt really bad for Cecily as well as kind of surprised she didn't go off on the old man. I guess t..."

I'm supposing because it is a boy? And since Vaughn had not u/s he knew it was a boy so that's why it got to live? But he's not letting it out of his sight and it seems like such an unhappy baby I'm wondering if what he is doing to it makes it uncomfortable in some way. He also seems to want to keep Cecily from getting too much of a hold on it.

I'm on chapter 24 and I'm getting so close. I don't want to put it down. RL may intervene, but I'm close.

Penni wrote: "Kristin ~ Experiment in Terror Junkie wrote: "A lot of your thoughts and comments are along the lines of how I was thinking too at the same place..

Holograms - what a fake world."

There is a lo..."

Honestly there was a point in this book that I thought she should just ask Linden and/or Vaughn to bring Rowan to the house to live since Vaughn wanted his son happy by keeping her there and Linden would surely understand her wanting her brother there. I know she's a "kept woman" under lock and key with very little/no freedoms. But her life before really sucked too!

I just got to the part where Cicely told Rhine that she was the one that told Vaughn and Rhine told her she killed Jenna by doing that. That girl is clueless - as Rhine says a perfect match for Linden.

I'm so close to the end - so close so close.