Anna Brock > Recent Status Updates

Ch. 3: Talks about yes friendship is the key, but how you work through disagreements can depict if divorce is likely. 1) harsh start up: “you’re the problem” start to a convo. 2) 4 horsemen: Criticism (not a complaint, but an attack), Contempt (disgust), Defensiveness, and Stonewalling. 3) Flooding (too many emotions at once), 4) Body Lang. 5) the worst: failed repair attempts. ALL FIXABLE but major indicators

Ch. 2: before getting into the 7 principles, he makes a note that above all else, having a marital friendship is what’s most important. It’s what will set up Positive Sentiment Override: something I didn’t even know I’ve been referring to when saying NOT complaining about my spouse to my friends has been so important in our relationship, and now I know why! Keeps us attuned to each other, another key point

Already excited for this one. It’s starting out with some qualifying statistics for the author’s research and counseling style, but the most impactful thing in these first 16 pages is he’s saying what I’ve always considered: active listening is very important but it’s not the secret to a happy marriage. Communication is said to be what matters most but I’m interested in what the “Something” else is

This is starting to become a Sarah J Maas book, the way all the good plot and reveals are happening in the last hundred pages. If it keeps this up, it may make up for the painful first 200 pages.

“WHAT.” - me, audibly out loud.

Storyline? Great. Our main character? Pissin me off. Once again clearly a male author and male main character because now that he’s winning, his ego is taking over. In one fight he just had to mention he was taller and bigger than the Apollo Primus, calling everyone weaker than him a girl even though Mustang is a proven badass, and now “I don’t play because I win too easily; let the kids play” brooo stop

The plot armor is next level. Finally the action scenes are getting some good build up, but then culminate in “and we sacked the castle in 5 minutes” “it wasn’t long before I beat him” “oh big scary mutant bear, wait jk nevermind I just so happened to randomly find a trap I knew was my friend’s” bro what let him struggle a bit

Listen. Love that our guy is getting back into the fight in an ethical way. He’s realizing not all the golds are monsters. However. House Ceres has been established as unobtainable ever since the beginning of the game. I’m supposed to believe three idiots with swords then one big guy with a tree took it down in 5 minutes?? This whole book has rushed plot lines to get to an outcome the author wants without explain

The story is an interesting one, but again we had a big time jump of a month in this game and it feels like plot armor. All the sudden a lot has changed and we aren’t given the explanation as to how we got there. It feels rushed. Also I’m kind of over all the names for things that the reader is just supposed to assume the meaning of. “IonBlade” “slingBlade” “durosteel” like you can get there but eh

29 chapters and over 200 pages later, I’m FINALLY faced with the first plot twist that actually has me reacting to this story line lol. So far it’s been a pretty predictable storyline, with lots of time jumps that make me feel disconnected from the main character. The writing style is also one that has taken some getting used to, lots of short sentences.

So we all agree this is his coffeeshop, right? He built it? Also waiting to hear more details about this accident cuz so far, all I’m hearing is he was in a life altering accident and she left him…

Okay only beef with the plot so far is I wish she would’ve tried getting hired elsewhere and the coffeeshop was her last choice. Maybe it’s just me but in this situation I feel like I’d just move on to another job opportunity. If she has tried elsewhere and they were all “fully staffed for the summer” or something like that, her needing this coffeeshop job with her ex would make more sense

I feel like I’m reading a book written by a friend, this is so special :) from Haley’s book reviews I know she loves a good setting description, so it’s not surprise that the first 20 pages have been so full of visual wording, I feel like I have the town painted perfectly. I’m appreciating the slow start with just enough plot to explain the characters before the next chapter jumps back 6 years

“Megan could change herself and she could recalibrate her expectations of other people, but she couldn’t make others change.” I TAKE BACK EVERYTHING I actually am loving how this book is ending. I think I just assumed it was going to be a cheesy romance but I LOVE that it’s becoming so much more with this ending!

“Mourning all the things she was sacrificing for what she thought she wanted” gorgeous line.

Uh oh, I fear I’m now relating to Megan and her conundrum of “do I stay or do I go” work-wise…

Random but I think “stage-whisper” has been mentioned enough times at this point for me to notice it now (3ish)

Hey so maybe if one of your first “f* it” days of you fighting as a couple results in both of you seeking out someone else rather than TALKING ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS….time to break up.

So like I’m still not a fan of Leo rn, ambushing her the day before her wedding is never a permissible thing however…page 135 I smiled, you got me

I appreciate that they’re each having their own experiences of the first repeated day, Tom realizing it’s being repeated and Megan still thinking it was a dream but taking it as a sign to change. What I DON’T get is why Tom still decided to go to the golf game before seeing his fiancé again when clearly they need to talk??

Sooo…the second love interest is supposed to be a man that has now ruined two of Megan’s most notable life celebrations? Wedding (rehearsal dinner) and graduation??

How do we already have a confession of love on page 37?? It felt world building until page 30 now the last few pages feel like every paragraph is something new added to the plot.

“A story is like a letter. ‘Dear You’, I’ll say…’You’ can mean thousands. I’m not in any immediate danger, I’ll say to you. I’ll pretend you can hear me. But it’s no good, because I know you can’t.”

Night, Shopping - This book is broken up by chapter and sections, so I thought I would comment at the end of sections. I remember watching a bit of this show in 2019, so to have those visuals as I’m reading is great. Margret Atwood’s writing style is so fascinating to me, because she always starts her books with chapters explaining the world in a way that seems by all means, realistic.

Hey, everything questionable I said about this book? I take it back. Nina’s perspective has given this story SUCH a twist. Before the storyline felt a little too obvious, but now I’m on the edge of my seat here. Very excited for this to be a series. Now I understand the casting a bit more.

I think there’s some symbolism about the fact that her legs are what are being so “riskay” and it’s a dress from Nina…

I feel like I know where this is going. TOTALLY SPOILING BEWARE: I think the beginning of the book set it up like Millie dies and Nina killed her. But now I think it’s Millie that kills Nina and it’s Andrew at the beginning of the book talking to the police. Also feeling very icky about this not-date date to the broadway show…

I feel like we’re alluding too much… we’re definitely building the world to be uneasy, but her making mental jokes about Cecelia killing her? Or Nina? The room with an outside lock and scrapes on the door? The huge landscaper saying danger? The painted shut window? This could be the point but I feel like it’s a bit much for her to be this paranoid and not do anything about it.