Monday, November 19, 2012

CHARADE READ-ALONG: Third Week's Discussion Questions

 
 
 
 
Welcome to the third week of
the long-awaited
Charade Read-Along!!!
 
This exciting YA paranormal romance,
written by Cambria Hebert,
is the second in her acclaimed
Heven and Hell series!!
There are great prizes at stake
for all participants!
For further information,
as well as to sign up, 
just click on the button above.
 
This week's questions are being hosted by
Heidi @
Rainy Day Ramblings!
Click on this button to go to her post.
 

 
 
 
 
Week 3: Chapters 14 - 20 Discussion Questions
 
 
1.)  In these chapters the characters go to Italy.  What one place would you like to travel to that you haven't been? 

Although there are many places I'd love to travel to, the very first one that comes to mind is Paris.  I know it's a cliché, but I do think this is the most romantic city on the planet!  I love everything about Paris -- the architecture of the older buildings, especially those in the Art Nouveau style, the winding, medieval streets, French art (especially Cézanne, Pissarro, and Degas), Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sacré-Coeur, the museums, the food, the wine... I'd love to be able to stroll through Montmartre and check out the sidewalk artists. 


 
View from the south.
(photo: Wikipedia Commons)
 


I'd love to spend days and days in the Louvre Museum, gazing at all the masterpieces... and I'd so much love to stroll along the Champs-Élysées with my hunky hubby as the sunset splashes its roses, mauves and reds over the city, then stop along the way to have a glass of wine and a genuine French croissant, as a street violinist begins to play a haunting lovers' melody...

Yes, I'm an unabashed romantic!  Vive le romance!!

2.)  Where is your favorite place that you have traveled to?

Well, I haven't been around that much, but I would have to say the central part and south of Spain, which is my father's native country.  One of my sisters and I went on a two-week tour there with a friend, some years back.  We traveled to several cities -- Madrid, Toledo, Ávila, Granada, Málaga, and Torremolinos.  My favorite cities on this tour were Madrid and Toledo.  Madrid has the magnificent Prado Museum, where I wish I could have gone every day for at least a year!  Toledo was where another of my favorite artists, El Greco, lived.  Sadly, we were in Toledo only one afternoon, since this was a whirlwind tour... We were lucky, nevertheless, to be able to visit the Cathedral of Toledo, which left me completely awestruck!

We were also very fortunate to see the Alhambra, which is a combination palace and fortress, and is located in Granada, in the province of Andalusia.  it was built in the 10th century, when Arabs occupied the southern part of the country.


 
A room of the palace and
(photo: Wikipedia Commons)


Of course, I loved the Spanish food...especially the chorizos!  This is a type of sausage.  And the paella...this is a super-delicious dish consisting of yellow rice, pieces of chicken, and several kinds of seafood.  Although you can sample these things at several excellent Spanish-cuisine restaurants here in Miami, it was exciting to eat them in their country of origin!

3.)  Kimber betrays Heven in these chapters.  Do you think that Heven should get even or just write Kimber off?  What would you do?

I don't think Heven will get even.  It's just not in her nature.  She's a very sweet person, in contrast to Kimber, who is very spiteful.  As I've said before, I've never liked Kimber.  It's too bad that Heven always gives people, especially her friends, the benefit of the doubt.  I wish she had realized, much earlier, that Kimber is simply not a nice person, and not a true friend. 

Getting even with someone who has hurt you, especially this badly, doesn't bring closure, or justice, to a situation.   I think the best thing to do is to simply write the person off, and this is what I think Heven will do.  Even if she might be thinking of forgiving Kimber, she'll probably decide, in the end, to have nothing further to do with her.  Sam might have to help her do this, since she's so tender-hearted.

Now, as to what I would do, I've just written it.  I would definitely write Kimber off.  What she did was utterly despicable!  She can't be trusted.  Heven would be a fool to ever do so again. 

4.)  Gemma and Cole seem to be attracted to each other, but don't really want to admit it.  Have you ever had a crush you never told anyone about?

Yes, as a matter of fact.  There was this guy named Jeff that I knew at one of my previous jobs, several years ago.  He was blond and blue-eyed, and wore glasses, which I thought looked very cute on him.  I never told my parents (or anyone else) about him, though, because nothing ever came of this crush...

I remember that I asked him for a ride home, one rainy afternoon after work.  I didn't have a car at the time, and had to take the bus to and from work every day.  He agreed.  When he pulled up in front of my parents' house, and just as I was about to get out of the car, I shyly asked him if he would like to have lunch with me sometime.  I don't quite remember what he said.  I think he mumbled something.  Anyway...things at work changed after that, because he started to avoid me.  It wasn't my imagination, either.  So I figured, why tell anyone that I liked this guy?  It was too embarrassing to have to admit that he had rejected me!

Well, my story has a happy ending, though, because  I'm now very happily married to a very handsome, dark-haired man who is also tall, and only wears glasses to read fine print.  Lol!   

5.)  Who is your favorite character in this series so far and why?

I think I answered this question in the Masquerade Read-Along, but I'll gladly answer it again.  It's Sam, of course!!  And the answer to the second question should be more than obvious: he's just wonderful!!  He's the quintessential hero -- tough, yet romantic, handsome to a fault, and very resourceful.  He's the guy every woman wants!!  I mean, just look at the cover of Charade.  Those eyes....that half-open mouth...that adorable expression...  Sam is the guy you want to cuddle up with, especially when it's stormy outside, and there might be a demon or two (shudder!) lurking right outside your door!



Since this is a blog hop, be sure
to visit the other
participating blogs to see
how they answered.
Also, I'd love to get your
comments on my own answers!



 

6 comments:

  1. I also love Paris! I've been dying to go there forever! Ooohhh Spain! Another place I would love to travel to. Kimber has always been a bad friend so I do think Heven should and will write her off. Getting rejected sucks but I always think it is best to be brave and go for it! Cause you never know! I'm glad you have met someone! I love Sam too! He seems like a great guy and is so noble the way he protects Heven.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really enjoyed this post Maria! I feel like I got to know a lot about you in one short read! I also said Paris, I totally agree it IS a romantic city and YES! I want a real french croissant too and I want to sit at a corner cafe and have a french coffee with my pastry. I also want to see the Eiffle tower (sorry i probably spelled that wrong) and walk the streets. There are so many wonderful museums there that I would love to wander inside. Well, I am glad that you are happily married but I must say that the blue eyed mumbler was a nut for not taking you up on your offer of lunch. Some men are just dense. LOL!
    Ahhh, Sam he's a keeper alright, gotta love him and he is about perfect to curl up with for sure!
    I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving this year!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh a tour of Spain would just be lovely., I want to go there someday and sample the food and tour the vineyards and sample some olives. Paris is another must visit, I was just on the border of France and didn't get further. One day I will get back. Hmm I know you dislike Kimber but I think you will feel a bit sorry for her once you read Bewitched. I know she is annoying and all but she makes me laugh! Yes, Sam is just an all around good guy, who wouldn't want to hang out with him> as always wonderful, thought provoking answers. You always really take the time and make such an effort on the read alongs, Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey, Jennifer!

    Oh, I sooo wish I could to Paris with my husband....glad you agree on this city, and Spain, as well!

    Yes, Kimber doesn't deserve to have a friend like Heven!

    Guess that guy just wasn't for me... I've got a MUCH better one now! Hee, hee! But yeah, at the time, it DID suck being rejected.

    You know, Sam is the main reason I LOVE this series!!

    Thanks for your great comments!! : )

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi, Cambria!

    Yeah, I bared my soul for sure! I think the most important thing about me is that I'm a hopeless romantic...sigh...glad you like Paris, too!

    Thank you for saying that this "mumbler" (I love the way yyou put it, lol!) was dense!! That was sweet of you to say.

    Also, THANK YOU for creating Sam!!! I'm sure he's stolen the hearts of all of us females who have read the series!!

    Hope you and your family have a very Happy Thanksgiving, too!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hey, Heidi!

    I think a lot of people would agree that Paris and Spain are GREAT places to visit!! Such romance and culture... You're SO lucky to have been on the French border! I sure hope you get to go further into country, perhaps to Paris itself!!

    Hmmmm....I don't think I could EVER like Kimber. I'd love to read BEWITCHED in order to find out more about her, but I'll have to wait until Cambria makes it available in a printed edition, along with her other novella, BEFORE. You see, I just can't stand ebooks...

    Sam is just every girl's dream....sigh...and that cover sure helps pull us females readers in!!

    Thank you so very much for your compliment!! I sure do try to make my answers interesting. Besides, I LOVE read-alongs!!

    Thanks again for the lovely comment!! : )

    ReplyDelete

THIS IS NOW AN AWARD-FREE, AND TAG-FREE BLOG. Thanks for the compliment, though! : )

As of today, 9/23/18, I have permanently enabled comment moderation, due to a sudden rash of SPAM comments. I appreciate your patience!

Thanks for your thoughts on my posts! I always reply here, as well as comment back on your blog. Have a WONDERFUL day!! :)