Waterfall Wednesday Week 5

The last day of Waterfall Wednesdays! Hosted by Nic at Irresistible Reads. Head on over to her blog and link up for the discussion.

Discussion Questions:

1.      After Gabi is injured, the doctor gives her a tonic.  Gabi questions the doctor several times what is in it but he refuses to tell.  Would have you taken the tonic in Gabi situation?

I doubt it. I am suspicious by nature so would have gone right for the whole “I’m being poisoned” scenario.

2.      Before the games Gabi asks Lia to let Lord Forabosch win in the archery event as people especially Lord Forabosch are becoming suspicious of them.  But during the games Lord Forabosch upsets Lia trying to throw her off her game. So Lia decides to win.  Do you think she did the right thing by not letting Lord Forabosch bully her or do you think she took an unnecessary risk?

I would have been more determined to out-show him! But with everyone telling Lia to let him win the game she should have listened. In that I think it was an unnecessary risk. It made them more enemies.

3.      When Gabi is dying and she and Lia decide to return to the tombs so they can get the cure at home but they have to tell Marcello the truth.  Even though Marcello thinks that it is madness that they are from the future he believes in Gabi because he loves her.  Do you think this is believable?  What would you have done if you were Marcello?

I would have called in the equivalent of 14^th Century shrinks! No way would I have believed her, suspicious by nature (see question 1).

4.      In the end Gabi and Lia return home.  Do you think Gabi will return to Marcello? Would you go back?

I’m a chicken really, unless I am forced into a situation, then I come out fighting. I would not willingly put myself into the situations that she has. So no, I would not go back. I would have been doing everything possible to get back to the 21^st Century. AND, since there are 2 other books in the series I think there is a pretty good chance that Gabi goes back *wink wink*

5.  Looking back at Waterfall what was your favourite moment?

Honestly it has been a while since I finished the whole book. I have also read the other 2 that are in the series so far. So I may be getting them intermingled. Let’s just say that my favorite moments are any time Gabi and Marcello are “having a moment” together. Their passion and love for each other makes my heart go pitter-pat!

I have enjoyed participating in Waterfall Wednesdays! I have read all 3 books and am looking forward to Lisa's next book in the River of Time series. Check out my reviews:

WATERFALL

                                                          CASCADE

        

TORRENT  

Waterfall Wednesdays-Week #4

Today's Waterfall Wednesday is being hosted by Jenny at Supernatural Snark answer the questions and link up at her blog to see what everyone else is saying about this book!

Discussion Questions:

1.              Gabi and Lia both face several life and death situations in these chapters, having to pick up weapons in defense of those they love and experiencing first hand the brutality of close combat. If you had the choice between picking up a weapon and standing on the front lines or staying behind to tend to the wounded as necessary, which would you choose?

That’s a hard question! I think I would stay behind and tend to the wounded, but then I would be wondering what was going on up at the front and want to get my share of some butt kicking in!

2. Both girls get to wear extraordinary gowns to their victory celebration; what would your dream medieval gown look like?

          I am not a dress up kinda gal. So there is no medieval gown that would tempt me. Plus I think medieval gowns were kind of low cut? And I am not a cleavage exposing kinda gal. So give me a pair of the men’s leggings and tunic and I would be happy! See the handsome knight? Much more comfortable. Although not quite as pretty as a gown. LOL!

3. Gabi has crude stitches put in and must endure both their removal as well as the cauterization of the wound. How is your threshold for pain? Do you think you would have simply gritted your teeth as Gabi does?

       I think I have a fairly high tolerance for pain. I suffer from headaches pretty much on a daily basis. I just deal with it. I don’t take pain pills very well so the couple of times I have needed them I get off of them as quickly as possible. I would have gritted my teeth and said “let er rip!”

4. Marcello wants to properly court Gabi after they express mutual feelings of affection, wanting to speak with her mother about his intentions. What do you think is the most romantic aspect of medieval courtship?

   I think that the fact the courtship involved permission from a parental source was pretty romantic. When the guy respects the girl enough to involve the parents then he is a man worthy to court a woman. My husband had to ask permission from my father to be able to date me. My daughter’s husband had to ask my husband’s permission to court her. They didn’t go out on a date by themselves until they were 18…they married shortly after they turned 18. I think it shows respect to both parties that they want to honor each other and their families.

5. Gabi and Lia find themselves with conflicting desires toward the end with Lia wanting to return home and Gabi hoping to stay. Do you think that Gabi is being unfair to Lia for wanting to stay, or is Lia being unfair to Gabi for demanding they go? A little of both?

I think a little of both. I can see that Gabi thinks she is in love with Marcello and is not wanting to leave him again. But I also see Lia wanting to get the heck out of there to a safer environment with less disease and exposure to warring castles! Personally I don’t know that any amount of hot guys could convince me to stay in a place that had no running water, no flushing toilets, and my life was threatened every time I stepped a toenail outside of my castle!

I am currently reading Torrent, the third book in the series. It keeps me on the edge of my seat!

Waterfall Wednesdays Week 3

Waterfall Wednesday is being hosted by Joy and Serena at Edgy Inspirational Romance this week. To participate answer the questions for chapters 12-17 then link up to their blog to share with everyone else.

Discussion Questions:

1.       In Siena, on her way to the ball at Palazzo Pubblico, Gabi likened her experience to being on the red carpet at the Academy Awards, the goal being "to see and be seen." If you were a peasant, watching from the crowd, what would you be thinking as this procession passed by?

I am not easily starstruck and since I am short I probably wouldn’t be able to see the procession because of all of the tall people in front of me! BUT if I did see the procession I would probably be critiquing what each lady wore(just like on the red carpet) and getting my eyes full of some gorgeous eye-candy men!

2.       Though quite nervous about dancing at the ball, Gabi discovers a strange feeling of connection to the time, the people, and the society through the unified beauty of the dance. Have you ever been in a position where you felt out of your element, but, in one, pinpointed moment, became a part of or connected to something bigger than your fear?

Crowds always always make me feel out of my element. Again, I am going to harp on the me being short thing, but really because I am so short I feel claustrophobic in a crowd. I tend to avoid them whenever possible. One moment I always remember was when I was way younger(teens) and attending a Basic Youths conference. The last day of the conference we sang acapella( so yes, I know I am spelling this wrong because spell checker is telling me so. But you should see what they are suggesting, scapula or canella! And when I spelled it acapello they suggested that I meant Acapulco! Just had to share that!), hearing all of us lifting our voices singing Amazing Grace with no musical accompaniment was so awesome that I had goose pimples all over just being a part of such a massive praise to our Savior!

3.       The kiss. Oh, the kiss. When Marcello finally kisses Gabi, he believes the experience to be proof that they are meant to be together. What did you think about his assumption? Were you surprised at Gabi's reaction to it? Have you ever experienced a kiss that seemed to be prophetic in a similar (or opposite!) way?

Well I certainly hope that the kiss was prophetic and they are meant to be together! But a kiss does not a lifetime make! I have only kissed 2 guys in my entire life. The first was when I was 16 and by the time I broke up with him his kisses no longer made my heart pulse or my knees weak. The next man I kissed was my husband! So I know I am old fashioned, but the man who’s kisses made me weak in the knees when I was 19 still to this day is quite capable of producing the same effect!

4.       Many go through their teen years with a subdued sense of immortality. Do you think Gabi has a sense of this teen feeling? And did you think Gabi's converse observation, "Sometimes death came hunting and there was no way to cut it off at the pass." was informed more by the experience of losing her father, her self-admitted closet hypochondria, or the forced maturation of being transported to a different time? How does this observation show Gabi's growth as a character?

Holy crow Serena! You are killing me here! Taxing my brain! Teens do have a sense of immortality, but I don’t think they hold the market on that thinking. I know a lot of adults that feel the same way. I don’t know that Gabi had that feeling, I just think she didn’t even think about it, she wanted to find her sister and was going to do it no matter what the cost or the danger. As for her observation on death I think it had to do more with losing her father than anything else. But it could also be having to grow up real quick when she found herself in the middle of a bloody battle in the 14^th Century! I don’t know, my problem with reading a story is that I take it at face value and don’t look for more deeper meanings, it taxes my poor brain too much!

5. In the span of a few moments, Gabi goes from sword-wielding teen beauty to man-killing warrior. Did you think her realization of the finality of death -- and her justification for its necessity -- was realistic? And, in her slippers, could you have done the same?

I think it seemed very realistic. When faced with protecting someone she loved she had to face the reality of killing or being killed. I know that if I was faced with having to protect my family I would come out fighting and hope that I would be the one left standing after all of the dust settled!

Only 2 weeks left of Waterfall Wednesdays! It's not to late to join in the fun! I've enjoyed hopping around reading everyone's responses to the questions.