ChrisP’s Comments (group member since May 19, 2025)

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

Sorry, I have been away, I had to travel to Iowa for a funeral. I got one book read and a couple almost half done. It looks like the SS needs more lines.

What is the rule for novellas?

I finished The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Traveling 2 is complete.

Melissa wrote: "Hi Team, I’m so sorry I was MIA. I had my baby a couple weeks ago and there were some unexpected issues so I wasn’t able to read or anything for a while. I’m going to try and pick back up my readin..."

Congratulations! I hope you are feeling better and everything is okay. Take care:)

I noticed the Ninth Gate was removed from Food from the Soul list. So I will start https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6.... It is a middle school which I read some 30 years ago. Looking forward to reading it again:)

As long as I hide well I should have that finished tomorrow.

I can't recommend The Palace of Illusions enough. I read it for author born in India. It also has the word Mango in it if someone else wants to read it.

For Word Wheel, should I be looking off "Word Wheel 3 ideas" or has that been completed?

Completed
Business Dragon 4

WW276: Chicago

Completed
Dangerous Girls 6

WW122: All the letters in SEOUL
Some letters too so I didn't fill in SEOUL.

I've been on hold for My Friends for a while now. I'm not holding my breath. They should have some sort of rule on how long new book should be check out. #4 on 109, there is a chance.

The Sword of Kaigen is on KU so that shouldn't be a problem.

I finished The White Tiger sorry for the delay. It was like being stuck in mud when trying to read it. Two different religions talking is finished.

I finished my book for South America and am starting two different religions interact.

I'm going to start The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon takes place in the Amazon

I finished the Antarctica book, going to look around for a South America book, unless someone is reading for it already.

The Berry Pickers

WW251 - Both mothers are religious.
F04 - Ice Cream p.31 "...nodded and licked the ice cream Aunt June had bought"
F05 - Strawberry p.31 "vanilla on the top and strawberry in the middle..."
F09 - Watermelon p.6 "holes the size of watermelons.."
F16 - Banana p.266 "A banana sliced on her plate."
F17 - Broccoli p. 66 "around a piece of steamed broccoli"
F18 - Bacon p.43 "Bacon and eggs, home fries.."

I think The Luminaries in one of the poles is New Zealand

Day 5
14-18

20. Well, I think we all knew that we were going to end up with Norma turning out to really be the lost girl and her being reunited with her biological family. Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share on that reunion? Or a comparison you'd like to venture between what we know of both of Norma's families?

I was happy to see the reunion before Joe died. Joe's family was more openly loving and wanted to be together. Norma's family was more Easter and Christmas. When you are young that is fine but as you get older it leaves a hole in your heart. Loneliness is an ugly thing.

21. Aunt June stays true to her word. She promised to help find Norma's real family and she managed to find the article that would bring this family reunion about. Do you think the conflict between the two women was well handled? From the moment Norma gave in to her anger and yelled at June to the moment where June told her that going to meet her family was not something for her to intrude upon.

Norma was finally processing her feelings. Aunt June loves Norma and felt guilty and needed to mend their relationship. Aunt June was part of the cover up and may not have wanted to meet her family.

23. All in all, were you satisfied with the book? The story - did you enjoy following along Norma's and Joe's lives? The writing - did you enjoy the way the words flowed over the page, painting a world and its landscapes without however overusing words? Or maybe that's just my opinion - that it flowed nicely and pulled the reader along like a boat gently rocking on water.

No, I didn't, Thomas Fuller wrote "It is always darkest just before the day dawneth." The reading was depressing throughout, until it finally finished on with a smile. I enjoyed the ending.

24. Would you read another book by this author? Do you maybe have recommendations for Native American literature that you'd like to share with the group?

Yes, I would read other books by the author, I would have liked the author to write more of the culture of the people. I liked to learn new things I didn't feel like I took anything away with this read.

DQs Day 3,4
Chap 8-13

12. When Norma tells her mother she's pregnant, Norma notices fear in her other's eyes. What do you think that fear was about? Do you think she was remembering her own past experiences and worrying about Norma, or was she fearing that this would lead to Norma finding out the truth somehow? (Thinking to all of the bloodwork and stuff that comes from this, though admittedly not sure in the time frame if that was as much of a concern.)

She was remembering her grief or it brought back the memories that she was not her child.

13. Ruthie was from Nova Scotia and went missing in Maine, yet Norma and Ben ran into each other in Boston of all places — somewhere his family would not be expecting her. Later, when they need some time away, Norma's husband takes her to Nova Scotia, where she feels some familiarity and connection to the land. Are these crossovers just coincidences, or do you think that in the grand scheme of the story, something more (fate, a higher power, etc.) is leading them to each other?

I believe in fate, their paths separated over twenty years ago and it is still trying to bring them together

14. We get the backstory in this section on why Joe didn't know he had a daughter at first. Knowing what we know now do you agree with his family's decision to keep him in the dark? Have your opinions on Joe changed with this piece of backstory revealed?

His family was right, he needed to lose the anger or he would have abused the his daughter. I have always disliked Joe and the author seems keen to write this story to take the reader out of their comfort zone.

15. "I would learn to love the little one." What a strange thing for Lenore to say when broaching the topic of adoption — especially considering Norma's circumstances. What did you think when you read that — especially seeing how Lenore treated Norma growing up?

I think it was another reminder that she did not give birth to Norma and had to learn to love her.

16. While Joe has pretty much run away from home life, He gets a job and buys a truck. He runs into a woman who didn't feel necessary to give her name. Do you think this is Norma (Ruthie)? Do you think Joe would recognize her if it was?

I didn't think of that being Ruthie, I went back to reread it and she sounded like someone that knew she was an Indian and was raised with them. I don't think Norma would have been as familiar with a strange Indian. She reminded me of a spirit guide, someone that could help him forgive himself and start making amends with his family.

17. Joe is gone over 8 years when he finds out he has a kid. Did you think he would actually go home to be with his family? Why do you think he can't/won't?

No, I didn't think he would. Joe struggles to reconcile with his sister's disappearance, his brother's passing, and his shortcomings as a husband. Until he can find a way to achieve that, he is unable to proceed.

18. When Norma misses that her mother is getting older and forgetful, did you judge her for not moving in and taking care of her mother?

No, I am disappointed in white society as a whole. Joe's family would not have done this. Norma didn't have the the upbringing to appreciate a larger family dynamic and how you lean unto each other in tough times.

19. Was you losing faith that Norma would find out the truth before the end of the book? How did you think she would find out? Was hearing the truth from her Aunt a surprise?

No, I figured Aunt June would reveal the truth after her parents had died. In this case her dad was dead and her mom had Alzheimer's. This book is predictable.

Elizabeth wrote: "I believe that it needs to be more than 50% to count, but I'm not 100% sure.

I just finished Hamlet, and for such a short book, it was a struggle.."

I wouldn't have read 642 pager, but I was thinking Antarctica at first, than I realized Indonesia than about 1/3 of the book, it shifted away from their spending quite a bit of time in Tibet I got concerned and than they never got back to Indonesia.

Shelby wrote: "Yeah it needs to be 50% or more in one place to count, but who knows we might have a mini task that comes up that needs a bunch of travel and we'll keep that one in mind. :)"

Should I leave the country in the tracking ss blank?

I finished The Atlantis Gene does it need to take place in 50% of the country to count?

35% Indonesia
25% Tibet
20% Gibralter
20% Antarctica

WW84: There is a journal that the MC reads dates 1917-1919, it is quite involved and significant to the story and the characters are direct family members of the MCs of today. If multiple is three than no this would not work.

R- in Nigeria The Atlantis Gene by A.G. Riddle