The Procrastinators Book Club discussion

Welcome to the The Last Graduate Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on December 20th 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 12/20
December 20: Chapters 1-2
December 21: Chapters 3-4
December 22: Chapters 5-6
December 23: Chapters 7-8
December 24: Chapters 9-10
December 25: Chapters 11-12
December 26: Chapters 13-14

PARTICIPANTS
~ Mina
~ Darcey

Firstly, I want to say it's nice that we are reading the sequel together.. like we planned when we finished A Deadly Education, and even before this book was published 😂

Secondly, I want it to be noted that I had forgotten the MC's name... I'm just gonna leave that there 😂 I remembered it was an unique name and maybe that it was on G.. but when I saw her nickname is El... yeah blank.

With all that said, I'm starting the book, and hoping to be able to do the first two chapters.

I love this series so much!

mina wrote: "Firstly, I want to say it's nice that we are reading the sequel together.. like we planned when we finished A Deadly Education, and even before this book was published 😂

Secondly, I want it to be ..."

😂😂 yes i'm very glad we're finally BRing the sequel together, i can't wait to discuss with you! and honestly same about the characters and their names... I also drew a blank when i saw El😂 but we'll work it all out again, i'm sure.

Jen K wrote: "I love this series so much!"

i'm glad! i'm excited to read this :))

First 4 chapters:
Ok so I’m getting back into the rhythm of this, now! Like you, Mina, I forgot who everyone was and what mana is and everything haha, but I’m working it out now. I’m glad El has actual friends now, and Chloe doesn’t even seem that bad! But dang the school really has it out for El… and won’t let Orion kill anyone, which seems to be upsetting him, which is pretty funny given everyone else would love to be left alone haha. Orion is still an iconic little weirdo, and so precious, and I wish we got more Orion content. And El is still hilariously rude!
Also ok, I can believe monsters and a school trying to kill them and stuff. But a school where you’re upset at getting an A+?? Now that’s crazy haha, that is something I almost can’t believe!
Anyway I look forward to seeing what they do about this failed mal summoning, given their previous attempts haven’t gone great lmao.

Oooh, one of he enclaves disappeared that's interesting.

I wanted to at least finish chapter too.. again I started drifting to sleep so I stopped I think half-way through the chapter.

* Leskits don’t usually hunt individually. Mine opened its toothy maw and emitted a loud krrk krrk krrk noise like an angry ostrich—I’ve never heard an angry ostrich but it’s the noise I’d imagine coming from one—

Omg.. I'm curious now how that sounds
... aaaaand I looked it up 😂

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiLAh...
On 0:23.. it does sound scary and it's only once, imagine a repeated sound.

* Imagine going to this school for three years, one month, two weeks and five days 😳 Craaaazy

Finished chapter 5. I may be missing something, but why is everyone crying, even El, that the gym is restored to the original?

I think the world was a touch too complicated in the first book, or maybe even thought the book is quite wordy the words didn't describe it well enough. Either way, taking that into the account and the fact that I remember very little about book one, I get confused with what the hell is going on 😂😅

mina wrote: "Oooh, one of he enclaves disappeared that's interesting.
* Leskits don’t usually hunt individually. Mine opened its toothy maw and emitted a loud krrk krrk krrk noise like an angry ostrich—I’ve never heard an angry ostrich but it’s the noise I’d imagine ..."

omg i completely forgot about that enclave haha, but yeah that is interesting! i wonder how it will tie into the book and storyline? i wouldn't be surprised if more enclaves started disappearing.

and i'll listen later😂 but yes this school is completely insane!

mina wrote: "Finished chapter 5. I may be missing something, but why is everyone crying, even El, that the gym is restored to the original?

I think the world was a touch too complicated in the first book, or ..."

i think they were crying because they missed the outside world so much and they hadn't seen trees etc in years, so it made them super emotional.
and yes same, i don't know what's happening half the time😂 but i kinda love it anyway! it's crazy haha, i feel like i should also stop reading this at 3am, and maybe then i'll understand more...

i finished chapter 6, i probably won't read much (if any) tomorrow.

my thoughts:
FINALLY BRO HAHA. like i know romance isn't the main genre, and there is much more to these books, but i love the romance anyway and i'm so glad we've finally gotten some actual sections with it haha. also i love Orion so much, and we haven't gotten much Orion content! i love the way he literally has his head in the clouds for 90% of the time, except when fighting or with El.
anyway, i'm starting to get properly into this book again! i'm enjoying it! how are you finding this overall, mina?

Ch 6.
Orion got high 🤣🤣🤣
😂 Omg, they are so awkward.
you brew yourself a cup of nice go the-fuck-away tea

Finished chapter 8.
(view spoiler)[it's interesting how El decided to save a bunch of them, but would they all do the same for her? Also, since I don't remember book 1 characters, it feels like things are moving too fast, like when did she have the time to get attached to so many people. On one hand I get that she was there for three years so there was time.. (hide spoiler)]

All in all, I'm liking it.. the wordiness is a bit killing me, but I also find that to be the charm of the book, but also of Novik's writing if I remember correctly. I'm also partially confused like while reading the first book, so at if nothing else there's consistency 😂😅

Chapter 9
(view spoiler)[Well El's thinking is so great. She was ok with helping the people she knows and loves but was afraid if she got to know others and see if they are great that she would want to save them too... and now she's going over the course with all teams. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 10
(view spoiler)[😭😭 Aad thinking of El as her sister..
Precious becoming judgy on her own like El.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 11
(view spoiler)[Okay, I know you like Orion and El, but I'm meeh about it? I like that we have "romance" that's taking a backseat in the story, but also I find it a bit cringy.
One moment they are lusting after each other and are about to have sex before Orion stops them because El apparently doesn't care. Then the next moment she is like oh, don't you dare touch me I'm going to break your hands if you do. And then you have another moment when they act so awkward and nervous around each other. I guess the inconsistency of their relationship is irking me.
(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

@mina

re: ch 8 spoilers
Yeah same, I can’t remember any characters from book 1 so I can barely keep up with what’s going on😂 but ah well. I (vaguely) remember her two main best friends, plus Orion, so that’s what matters!
And yes same, there’s a lot of wordiness and I sometimes find myself skimming, but that’s just her writing I guess!

re: chapter 10 spoilers
Yesss I know, Aad is so cute and I loved all the bonding they’ve done together lately😭 so cute. And precious is an icon haha.

re: chapter 11 spoilers
Ahh yeah I get what you mean about the inconsistency of their romance, but at the same time I’m so obsessed! I feel like they’re mainly awkward because neither of them would get much practise while in the school (especially not antisocial El haha) and El constantly yelling and threatening him is just her way of caring, I feel like. And threats is just typical El really, because she’s rude and moody, and we love it haha. The list is obviously easy to explain because they’re teenagers, but yeah, I can completely understand why you’re getting whiplash from their relationship haha.

Chapter 12 (I managed to catch up faster than expected, but I’ll wait for you to finished GGBB before finishing the book):
(view spoiler)[ ok so a lot went down here… and now El is on a mission to save everyone in the school?? She obviously can’t just get them all to run out together, given the freshman etc need to progress through all four years to graduate, so I’m wondering what she’ll do. Maybe she’ll create some wards with the rest of her year level, and actually fix the school so that no mals can get inside? And it becomes the school it was supposed to be? Hmm. Either way, I know we’ll finish on a huge cliffhanger haha, I can feel it 👀. El’s really joined Orion in trying to be a hero! (hide spoiler)]

Gaaaaaah, Orion.. you dumbass

I finished the book.. but we'll talk about it over WA msgs

mina wrote: "Gaaaaaah, Orion.. you dumbass

I finished the book.. but we'll talk about it over WA msgs"

EXACTLY. haha yep sounds good