Tawallah’s Comments (group member since Dec 27, 2013)

Tawallah’s comments from the 2025 Reading Challenge group.

Chapter 1-8

I am surprised at how engaging this, since I am relative new to this period in Japanese history. But it is very engaging with all the machinations, cultural clashes. Was not expecting that introduction to Omi, so early in the book or the fascination of the women with Blackthorne.

I expect big tomes to take their time and build up to dramatic scenes. But Clavell intersperses action with lots of history. There is the initial tension of being a sailor hoping to find land before the storms damage the boat. There is the tension between Catholics and Protestants. And once on land, the culture shock and aggression.
So much intrigue goes on in these 8 chapters that I can see why Beth is reading so many pages a day.

And I like how none of these characters are painted with a golden/heroic brush.

I decided to read this for June but the entire book. Planning to read 30 pages a day. Will come back with my thoughts

Love your rules, should make reading life quite easy.

Hope you have a wonderful reading year in 2024.

Just saw this and will join. Will listen on Audible however and probably read along with ebook.
Will probably start in the week

BOOK RECYCLING
Duration: July 1 - September, 30, 2021
Goal: 12
Books read: 14

Using Scribd and used books
1. The Snow Child- got secondhand. Read July 3-9
2. European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman- from SCRIBD. Read July 15-31
3. Glory in Death- got secondhand . Read July 25
4.Long Bright River- borrowed from library. read August 9
5. Suite Française- bought thrifted; read August 10
6. Artificial Condition - from SCRIBD - August 13
7. The Runaways- library loan August 13
8.Rogue Protocol- from SCRIBD August 17
9. Exit Strategy- from SCRIBD August 19
10. Abeng- library loan August 20
11. Crimson Bound from SCRIBD August 21
12. Paradise- library loan August 25
13. A Gentleman in Moscow- library loan August 28
14. God Help the Child- library loan September 4
15. A Mercy- library loan
16. No Telephone to Heaven library loan
17. The Family Upstairslibrary loan
18. When I'm Gonelibrary loan
19. Sleep It Off Ladylibrary loan
20. Ascension- scribd

Hi, I will join in this buddy read as I am doing a indie readathon and this is the buddy read.

Erica and I will be attempting two books - The Guest List by Lucy Foley and Traitor’s Blade by Sébastien de Castell.

Update to message 5
Progress
Books : 3/10
Credits: 9/30

1. Science fiction, fantasy, thriller
2. Yes

Guys I have loved reading your spoiler comments. (view spoiler)[ It has been interesting how for some it triggered past relationships or past experience. I too felt that Conway's depiction was over the top at times. But I related more to her being a woman and mixed race with a dad who was absent. Tana French clearly knows how to punch our emotions initially and then turn around and reveal what the person is truly like. AC is no walk in the park, she would be an exhausting person to deal with daily but if you and her click. The only problem is she will always expect the other person to bail out. And that is something that kids who have absent fathers have to deal with into adulthood. (hide spoiler)]

So does anyone wonder like me if Tana French plots out her sequels in advance or just makes the situation fit the character she has chosen to highlight?

A Diverse Education

Major: Woman's Literature Across the World
Dean of Diversity : 30 credits / 10 books

Progress: 8/10
Credits: 24/30

North America
Barbados- Crime : The Vanishing Girls
SFF short stories: A Collection of Science Fiction & Space Opera Short Stories: Tales From Five Different Worlds

South America

Europe
Ireland- Crime The Trespasser
Germany- SFF : Shield of Kings
Italy- Lit fic: Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay

Africa
South Africa- SFF The Prey of Gods

Middle East
Iran: Memoir The Complete Persepolis

Asia
India- Historical mystery : The Widows of Malabar Hill
Malaysia SFF The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water

Oceania
Tasmania : Historical fiction : The Exiles : A Novel
Australia: Crime : The Lost Man

Final comments
(view spoiler)[ I think we all agree that the supernatural element was not our favourite plot element. I will pretend it doesn't quite exist.

I feel that mental illness displayed here is realistic, not just the girls but the broken investigators as well. Not sure if Tana French other motive is to highlight the ways we self-sabotage. The root lies often in family relations. But the work or school environment is so not helpful. I kept seeing the mirror image between St. Kilda and Murder Squad. (hide spoiler)]

And I am looking forward to the next sequel and I need to then read The Likeness. Eager planning my re-read for this series.

Update to message 24
I have read 4 of 12 Buddy reads
I have read 1 of TBR twins

Total of 5/15 books read

Update to message 77
New Rank: Gumshoe

Who: 1/3
What: 1/3
When: 2/3
Where: 2/3
How: 2/3
Why: 1/3

THE LISTOPIA CHALLENGE
Duration: January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021
Aim 50 books
Read: 6/50

List 1: r/fantasy underrated and underead fantasy
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
1. City of Stairs- April 6
2. Empire in Black and Gold
3.Traitor's Blade May 18
4. Three Parts Dead May 28
5.
Malice

List 2: Recommended Historical Fiction
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

List 3: Non Caucasian Protagonist in SFF, Horror and Paranormal Romance
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
11. Trail of Lightning May 1
12. The Black God's DrumsApril 17
13.
14.
15.

List 4: Women and Mental Illness
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.


List 5: Best Short Story Collections
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
21. The Martian Chronicles April 20
22.
23.
24.
25.

List 6: Best Canadian Literature
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

List 7: Medicine and Literature
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.

List 8: Immigrant Experience Literature
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.

List 9: Epic Fantasy Romance
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
41.
42
43
44
45

List 10: Best Indie Fantasy Worth a read
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/5...
46
47
48
49
50

My comments on Alison comments in message 19
(view spoiler)[ I agree this one is a quite unusual this time around. It is not been all pleasant to back into teenage years with all its angst of being popular and finding your identity.
Not sure how I feel about the supernatural stuff being injected. Don't want to just put it down to part of Irish stereotype.
I wanted Holly to be normal after the drama in Faithful Place but I am consistently being reminded that she is a Mackey through and through.
And I am loving the flashbacks with countdown to Chris' demise. Morbid but made me think how we all live like this but just don't know.
I am torn with my theory it is either Julia or Rebecca or all three except Selena. Man this is hard. I don't want it to be Holly.
(hide spoiler)]

I started this and got distracted by other books, but will be picking back up soon. First impressions - the lack of punctuation takes getting used to but not a big issue for me. I like the writing style so far and makes me want to do more research on Ethiopia.

I think I will join even though I have so many other books on my pile of possibilities. Not sure when I will start though.

Hi guys, anyone saving this for the readathon. I will probably start this one next week.

December 2020
Theme
Goal: 20

1. Ninth Step Station: The Complete Season 1
2. Who Is Jesus?
3. Lies Sleeping
4. Who Is The Holy Spirit?
5. In God's Eyes
6. On the Incarnation
7. I Am Half-Sick of Shadows
8. The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister’s Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian Medicine
9. Killing Floor
10. Heir to the Sundered Crown
11. Little Lord Fauntleroy
12. How Long 'til Black Future Month?
13. Friday Black
14. The Thing Around Your Neck
15. The Haunting of Tram Car 015
16. By Sea & Sky: An Esowon Story
17. The Girl Who Drank the Moon
18. Where the Waters Turn Black
19
20