Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

Synopsis
Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books. Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Last summer, Mackenzie Bishop, a Keeper tasked with stopping violent Histories from escaping the Archive, almost lost her life to one. Now, as she starts her junior year at Hyde School, she's struggling to get her life back. But moving on isn't easy -- not when her dreams are haunted by what happened. She knows the past is past, knows it cannot hurt her, but it feels so real, and when her nightmares begin to creep into her waking hours, she starts to wonder if she's really safe.

Meanwhile, people are vanishing without a trace, and the only thing they seem to have in common is Mackenzie. She's sure the Archive knows more than they are letting on, but before she can prove it, she becomes the prime suspect. And unless Mac can track down the real culprit, she'll lose everything, not only her role as Keeper, but her memories, and even her life. Can Mackenzie untangle the mystery before she herself unravels?

With stunning prose and a captivating mixture of action, romance, and horror, The Unbound delves into a richly imagined world where no choice is easy and love and loss feel like two sides of the same coin.

      ~ Buddy Style Reads ~
    Three Ways to Enjoy a Book!

At NRBC we use three styles of buddy reads. These will be indicated in the thread title as “Buddy Read”, “Relaxed Buddy Read” or “Informal Buddy Read”.

A “Buddy Read” has a discussion leader and a reading date is set to start the book. A reading schedule is posted prior to the start date and discussion questions are posted each day regarding that section of the book. More information about these types of reads is below. An example is here, showing a reading schedule here.

A “Relaxed Buddy Read” is similar to our usual “buddy reads” except there are less questions and break points. For example, a book may be split into three sections and those reading the book should pause at the end of the section to answer some discussion questions, make comments, or ask their own questions to other readers. An example is here.

An “Informal Buddy Read” doesn’t have a discussion leader and participants are asked to consider some generic questions when making comments about the book. An example is here.

A “Read and Watch Buddy Read” may be set up as any of the above, but we will also watch the movie or T.V. series - or even go to a play! - and make comparisons, discussing what has been left out or changed as well as the actors and actresses. There is a long debate of what one should do first: read the books or watch the movie? We usually read first, but it isn’t essential. Also, if you would like to join in, but don’t want to watch the movie, show, or play, but only read the books, that is fine, too. An example is here.


MORE UNDER SPOILER
(view spoiler)[

“Buddy Reads” (“BRs”) include:

• A reading schedule which can range from 50, 75, to 100 or so pages a day.

• Discussion questions posted daily by moderators and occasionally group members
   who help one of us out. If you want to be a Discussion Leader, let us know.

• If the book is really long, we'll plan a break day.

• Members do NOT have to answer every question, they are meant to stimulate
   conversations about the books AND allow us to glance back upon them when the
   sequels come out. This helps us to remember what exactly happened in the previous
   book.

• We find the buddy style of reading to be more fun than just posting one or two
   sentences about a book. We feel this is what distinguishes us as being a ‘book club’
   rather than just another GoodReads ‘group.’

• If you can NOT start the book on time, feel free to join in at a later date. They are
   set up to make it easy to do so.

• Moderators are people too, so occasionally we get sick, have to work late at our real
   jobs, or have something that keeps us from writing the questions. Please forgive us;
   we're only human and we don't get any compensation for what we do--not even
   free books!

• Discussions and questions are set up to make you think, analyze, and see things you,
   or even we, may have missed. Feel free to add your own thoughts at any time, if you
   think we've missed something.

• If you've read the book, feel free to let us know what you thought about the book.
   You can do so at the end of the buddy read, or, if you can't wait, add spoiler tags
   before you comment like:

   **************BEWARE! SPOILER FOR THE END OF THE BOOK**************

   Or insert a (view spoiler)[spoiler (hide spoiler)]. If you do NOT know how to do so, just check out our
   GoodReads 101 explanation on how to Insert a Spoiler.

• If you are looking for a reading buddy, post an inquiry in our Buddy read requests thread. Use that thread, if you want to have a repeat read of a BOM
    or buddy read, too.

• Have fun! We always do when more than one person joins in. And we look less silly
   if someone else discusses a book with us. (hide spoiler)]

r

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Anyone reading this? I’m thinking of delaying by a week

I'll join whenever you want but a delay is fine.

Cool. I'll message Kathleen and see what works for her too :)

Kathleen is also good for a delay

I've moved it to the 24th so hopefully she will be ready then too :)

Is anyone going to try to finish this one by the 31st?

I really want to but I don’t think it is going to happen. I’m going overseas on Saturday so will take it with me and you never know...!

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "I really want to but I don’t think it is going to happen. I’m going overseas on Saturday so will take it with me and you never know...!"

Enjoy your travels and comment if you start and I will start as well.

Has anyone started yet?

I’m taking it with me on he plane and will start tomorrow (in about 12 hours 😉)

Alrightie ;)

I think with the 4 hour flight, plus being on holidays, I'll finish it by the end of the month :D

It's around 360 pages only so I think we'll definitely finish it before next week!

I'm starting when I finish Strange the Dreamer so hopefully on Sunday.

Perfect 👍
I’m starting tonight but our day started at 3.30am so I’ll come back here tomorrow with initial thoughts

I started today as I finished my other book last night. Chapter 5 (view spoiler)[ Why did she introduce another potential love triangle? We just got rid of Owen and now there is Cash. Sigh, I may need to stop reading books set in high school. Otherwise, since I have no memory of the last one, the flashbacks are nice. Still, all set up and reminders so far and no new plot. (hide spoiler)]

Lexi wrote: "I started today as I finished my other book last night. Chapter 5 [spoilers removed]"

I agree Lexi: I’m not sure why YA writers feel this necessity to create love triangles. (view spoiler)[ especially with Cash being a childhood friend of wraley’s. Just makes everything more complicated. I was hoping for her to actually make some friends though so the new setting may enable that. I didn’t really think the reason for the school change was very well explained though.
I’m glad for the flashbacks too because it has been a while since I read book 1 (hide spoiler)]

I really hope the author doesn't (view spoiler)[ set up Cash as potential love interest. It's going to add an unnecessary drama with him being a good friend of Wes. I hope Amber becomes a good friend though.

And I hope to see more of this "cleaner" version of Wes.

What do you ladies think of the man following tje MC? I get the feeling he's not an Archive man. (hide spoiler)]

@Lexi, I highly recommend The Lumater Chronicles by Melinna Marchetta. 😊

*Lumatere

sorry, im on the app.

Kathleen wrote: "@Lexi, I highly recommend The Lumater Chronicles by Melinna Marchetta. 😊"

I have read the first one and have meant to get back to them.

I second that recommendation. She’s a great writer 😉

@Kathleen
I wondered about (view spoiler)[ that man too and why she automatically assumes he is from the archive. And what’s with these visions of Owen? Something not good is happening (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ And why can't we move on from Owen? So I guess there's something bigger at play? Or else I'll be sorely disappointed if we're going to be given a meh reason (hide spoiler)]

Yes I think there is something bigger going on. (view spoiler)[ Owen is still around - I can’t see another explanation at this point (hide spoiler)]

chapter ten

So... I think Schwab is really clever and I’ve enjoyed so many of her books and this series is a great concept. But the execution. Argh. It’s so stereotypical YA. I can’t believe that this far in nothing has really happened other than Mac being all angsty and dwelling on the past. I really hope for some action soon because there’s not that much book left in order to wrap up the overarching story

is this a duology?

I thought it was but looking at GR there is now a book 3 listed for 2020. Sigh. Schwab is not good at finishing series’ (in a timely manner lol 😂)
Ok now I’ll read this in the lens of a middle book which puts a different spin as often the middle books struggle

Just finished chapter 22
So things are getting a bit interesting. (view spoiler)[ Based on Mac’s logic, the only people that could possibly be the crew making voids seem to be Cash, Dallas and Berk. I can’t think of any other character in this book that could be a suspect. Seeing that Cash is a childhood friend of Wes that seems unlikely. My money is on Dallas at the moment. Seems weird the psych at the hospital is also the school counselor, right? Or maybe that is how it works in the US.

For the record, I think Wes is fab and I really hope there’s nothing bad with him and that he sticks around. Mac needs him (hide spoiler)]

I've finished. Seems crazy that it will be at least another 2 years until the next book!
(view spoiler)[ I still don't really like Mac. I think what she did was pretty stupid. Yes, she got Owen, but it also resulted in Eric being killed -- and who knows who else could've been saved from being sucked into the void. I don't know why she won't trust Roland more. He clearly has a lot of power and sway with the Archive and can get a Director in to over-rule Agatha when needed.
I also wish she was honest with Wes.
One thing I'm not clear on. The cut down her arm that sent to her to hospital. Does that mean it was actually Owen that did that only she couldn't see him? Why would he do that and not just kill her? The whole storyline with him seemed a little flimsy and wrapped up quite quickly (hide spoiler)]

I had the same thoughts about (view spoiler)[ Dallas right after she was introduced and then more so when she popped up at Hyde. She sounds fishy fishing for info like that 😉

Yes about Wes! I am dying of curiosity though ans can't wait to learn what his full name is. And who his father is. I get the feeling his father will be someone important either in their society or in the story's plot sometime in the future.

Fave scene though is Mac habing a good night sleep with Wes holding her hand or lying beside her. Just adorable. Oh and how her parents assume he's tje boyfriend. (hide spoiler)]

Just finished.
(view spoiler)[
I think Mac cut herself because she was hallucinating.

I don't get why Mac is playing the noble idiot too and not asking help from Wes and Roland. As you said, they do know more and with their help Im sure it would have lessened collateral damage.

I also don't like how she's treating her parents. I get that she's not a perfect character but couldn't the author at least have given her a character with a good attitude towards her parents? She's dismissive towards them and it breaks my heart especially they've only got her with Ben dead and all. Like that scene at the end where she conceded and said "I let them hold melonger" or something like that. I was waiting for her to say something like realizing the importance of family etc but nope. She still sounded like accepting the inevitable. Unlike her reaction with Wes (who I really like).

So... gossip time. Maybe Wes is Director Hale's son? Hahaha (hide spoiler)]

Yeah I though the same about Mac and her parents. It seems really selfish that her Da would put her forward for the archive and then they have lost Ben.
(view spoiler)[ oh yes! I love Wes! Totally a director’s son. (Or maybe Cash is???!!! (hide spoiler)]

Right? They have that vibe... and so it comes off fishy... or we have very creative imaginations! Haha

Kathleen wrote: "Just finished.

I finished and agree on Mac. (view spoiler)[ She should have told Roland and Eric died completely unnecessarily. It is also too clean that they can just clean people's memory up. I do enjoy Wes but think Mac should be kinder to her parents (hide spoiler)]

I just read a review that says in the novella that follows she reveals Wes’ real name 😮

Another question - why can’t the people that were sent through the void come back (view spoiler)[ seeeing that Owen did? Apart from the poor coach obviously 😢 Cant the Crew find them? And what do the archive do to fix up the void seams? And what happened to Owen’s crew key? I feel like I have a lot of questions 😂 (hide spoiler)]

In a novella?!


But it felt like such a big thing and so I expected it to be in the next book. Being revealed in the novella feels like... I don't know, the importance has lessened somehow.

(view spoiler)[I think the people that were sent to the void had no knowledge of the Archives and the powers asoociated with it. Since Owen was former Keeper and with a vendetta, he did not succumb to the void. He used what he knew to plan his way out.

The Crew could maybe go inside the void but they had to pull inside in to open it up from the inside, right?

And good question, why'd the Archive not do anything about the voids? Hmmm... maybe because not everybody can see it anyway?

I still think Director Hale is somebody's father. (hide spoiler)]

Karen, have you finished reading her Darker Shades of Magic series?

Yes, I loved that series! And so nice that she actually finished one... lol!
Lila was such a great character that I'm hoping for a spin-off series with her

Kathleen wrote: "In a novella?!


But it felt like such a big thing and so I expected it to be in the next book. Being revealed in the novella feels like... I don't know, the importance has lessened somehow.

I t..."

Crazy, right? Seeing that he said he wouldn't tell Mac unless they made crew.

Yes you are probably right with the voids. (view spoiler)[ Although I thought the Archive said that they created big problems with the world - ripping space and time - and therefore I would have thought they should be fixed? Seems odd. I agree about Director Hale. She seems to have every character connected somehow so he has to be connected to one of them somehow (hide spoiler)]

Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Kathleen wrote: "In a novella?!


But it felt like such a big thing and so I expected it to be in the next book. Being revealed in the novella feels like... I don't know, the importance has lessen..."

Unless they made Crew in the novella too?!

Having read the first two books in the ADSoM series and now this, it sort of feels like two different authors writing. It's like this is a lazier version of Schwab.

These are certainly her weaker books, but also her earlier ones. I think she is a better author these days and doesn’t have to rely on lazy YA tropes to move along a story .
I’ll have to download the novella when I’m back home and see what it’s all about!

I had no idea there was a novella. I'm not entirely sure I care though. I do find these to be her worst books.