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[mare]

I thought I just made it up. Bummer! lol

[Purpura Lipstick]

Name of story: Remember Me This Way by Rose

1) When you were asked to pick a story for the challenge, what made you choose this one and why didn't you read it before this point?
Because the length of Song For the Undead frightened me and I'd been meaning to read RMTW anyway.  I hadn't read it because from the summary and that it was angst, drama I thought it was going to have to do with his drug usage, like he picked up the habit again. I know he went through it but I tend to not want to read about it. And obviously I am bad at discerning plots from summaries. Then when I found out it WASN'T drugs I put it on my list and just hadn't gotten around to it.

2) What actually was the biggest challenge for you when it came to reading the story?
Not tearing up at work....

3) When reading, did you feel like it was something you really were looking forward to or more a homework assignment? Did that change once you got into it?
At first I viewed it like homework because it was an assigned story that I was going to leave comments on and fill out surveys.  It's how my head works.  I don't think I ever stopped viewing it as homework but I loved school and homework so I don't view that as a bad thing.   It wasn't a chore to read though I enjoyed reading it.

4) What was your favorite part of the story?
Towards the end when the boys are fighting about how to handle Nick and what to do with him.  I felt that was a very real part of the story and touched on so many feelings.

5) Who was your favorite character and why?
Kevin...duh... oh you didn't ask favorite boy. LOL.   I liked Nick, his frustrations with what he was going through and his feelings and that he didn't want to be treated in a certain way because he felt that, to him, it would just mean the end of how things were and he didn't want that even if he knew it was coming.   You grieved along with him as he went through the process.

6) What about your least favorite character and why?
Aaron.  I can't even say Jane because of how she turned out in the end but Aaron never got to that point and left Nick with a void, the douche.

7) If there was a sequel to this story, would be you interested in reading it?
There is no way there could be a sequel to this story and I would have to slap Rose's wrists with a ruler if she tried.

8) Were you happy with the ending? Did it end the way you predicted it would?
There was not any other way the story could end.  I liked how she switched from Nick's POV to Brian's when she did, it was easier to see the end of it through Brian's eyes.

9) Overall, if you had to take away something from the story, what do you think the lesson learned was?
Let's find a cure for Alzheimers.

10) Give us one final review that you feel sums up your experience reading this, maybe why you gave the kind of feedback you did or if you would have perhaps picked a different story from this one.
I joked with Rose that I should have chosen Song for the Undead towards the end of reading RMTW but I'm glad I didn't.   I'd still be reading SFTU if I chose it and I enjoyed reading RMTW.  There was nothing CC I think I could have commented on, about the time that story starts to drag a little from Nick's POV the switch comes and you see the end from Brian's so it doesn't continue to lull.  I saw a few word errors but it was nothing worth mentioning since I am no grammar queen.  At one point my reviews just became reactions to the chapter instead of trying to find something to compliment Rose on for each chapter.

11) For the readers who did this last year and this year, which did you prefer, reading each other's stories or reading someone other than who was reading yours?
I liked it this year.  It's easier to create a dialogue of discussion between the people who are reading. If I mentioned to Rose something I liked it would be easy for her to return the compliment on something I wrote and vice versa. Not saying you should feel obligated to give me a compliment when I compliment your work.  If that made sense at all to anyone.

12) Any final comments or suggestions for next year to make this work even better?
I liked how it worked this year.

13) Any final comments for the author?
I used about 5-7 tissues total and am expecting a reimbursement.

[FrickingKaos]

Name of story: Just One Kiss by kevmylove
 
1) When you were asked to pick a story for the challenge, what made you choose this one and why didn't you read it before this point?
 
- I chose Just One Kiss for the reason that I don't read a lot of romance. I think that was one reason I hadn't read it before. I like comedy and I saw the story had a lot in it, plus I heard good things about it. 


2) What actually was the biggest challenge for you when it came to reading the story?

- Making time to read with the amount of hours I work. I finished fairly quickly though.
 
3) When reading, did you feel like it was something you really were looking forward to or more a homework assignment? Did that change once you got into it?

- I looked forward to reading Erika's story because I'd heard a lot of good comments about it. It sounded like a story I'd enjoy and I was so eager that I began reading before the reading challenge officially started
 
4) What was your favorite part of the story?

- I really liked the cake scene where they had the fight in the bakery....and when Nick gets poison oak on his crotch. Erika really knows how to write a very comical, awkward scene
 
5) Who was your favorite character and why?

- I guess Nick because he was the main character. He was really well written and developed. I enjoyed him a lot.

6) What about your least favorite character and why?

- Probably Tiffany for obvious reasons. She just really irked me.....not because of the writing style but what she did in the story.
 
7) If there was a sequel to this story, would be you interested in reading it?
- I think the story is perfect the way it is, but if she wrote one....yeah I'd be interested.

 
8) Were you happy with the ending? Did it end the way you predicted it would?

- It ended just the way I thought it would and was very sweet. I was happy with the ending.
 

9) Overall, if you had to take away something from the story, what do you think the lesson learned was?


- Don't judge a book by it's cover. That's what I got from how Nick fell in love with Abby, and it's what I realized about her character in the end.


10) Give us one final review that you feel sums up your experience reading this, maybe why you gave the kind of feedback you did or if you would have perhaps picked a different story from this one.

- I had a great experience reading her story. Erika and I have gotten along well during this challenge and I enjoyed reading her responses to my feedback. I tried to be detailed with mine and hope it was a good experience with her as well. As for a different story, honestly I don't remember what the other choices were lol.
 
11) For the readers who did this last year and this year, which did you prefer, reading each other's stories or reading someone other than who was reading yours?

- I liked how we did things this year, but both years were very fair. I liked the choosing your own story option and submitting more than one.
 
12) Any final comments or suggestions for next year to make this work even better?

- Nope, everything was perfect.


13) Any final comments for the author?

- I look forward to seeing Erika's survey and I am planning on checking out another story of hers next.

[Rose]

LOL Lore I'd be broke if I bought everyone some who told me I owed them tissues .

I don't doubt there's a few word errors in there though. I swear I always miss something. This is why when I give concrit I don't focus on that LOL. (Unless there's so many it's ridiculous).

I like that you touched on if I hadn't switched it might've dragged. That's exactly why I didn't show Nick degenerating till the end. It would've dragged I felt, more than the angst it would've brought was worth.

[Carter-Orange]

I need to carry on reading, but I haven't forgot about it

[RokofAges75]

The final survey
 
Name of story:  Whatever the Night May Bring
 
1) When you were asked to pick a story for the challenge, what made you choose this one and why didn't you read it before this point?
I chose this one because I had been meaning to read it anyway; I started to when Mare first started posting it, but fell behind quickly and thought I'd be better off just waiting until it was finished to catch up because of the nature of the story - I knew all the cliffhangers and switching back and forth were going to drive me nuts if I had to wait for each chapter to be posted.

2) What actually was the biggest challenge for you when it came to reading the story?
Really, the same thing that kept me from reading it as Mare was writing it - the back and forth, out of order way in which it was told.  Even though I like long stories, I'm not always a patient reader; I hate the suspense of having to wait to find out the solution to the mystery or the secret a character is hiding or what horrible thing happened in their past that they have yet to reveal.  At the same time, I love that suspense because that's what makes the experience of reading fun; you will never catch me peeking at the back of a book to find out what happens at the end.  Instead, I tend to plow through books as fast as I can so I can find out LOL.  I think if I'd had a copy of this story in print or on my Kindle, I would have finished it a lot faster than I did just to find out how everything turned out, but reading on the computer and stopping to review after each chapter slows me down.
 
3) When reading, did you feel like it was something you really were looking forward to or more a homework assignment? Did that change once you got into it?
I was looking forward to it because it was really just the kick in the pants I needed to get me to go read a story that had been on my list to read anyway.  I review what I read anyway, and I love filling out surveys, so not even those parts made it feel like homework.  The only thing that might have made it feel that way at times was the fact that Mare was so disciplined about reading a chapter of my story each day, and she never skipped a day, so I felt bad when I'd go several days without reading any of hers.  But I am not a chapter a day kind of reader; I tend to read more sporadically, but in bigger spurts.
 
4) What was your favorite part of the story?
I don't want to give away too much for anyone who hasn't read this story, so I will just say it was from the climax to the end (both ends), the climax (in my mind) being the death of a major character.  That part in itself was pretty damn epic, and I like how the choices the surviving characters had to make afterwards led to two different endings, both of which I enjoyed reading.

5) Who was your favorite character and why?
Mare does a great job at writing all five Backstreet Boys, and they were so balanced in this story that they equal out in my mind, so I'm gonna go with Doppleganger Nick.  He was really interesting because there were two vastly different ways of looking at him.  In the eyes of some, he was a villain, but in other ways, not so much.  Even though there was only one part written from his perspective, I felt that Mare did a great job of showing his feelings throughout so that the controversial choices he made were justified.

6) What about your least favorite character and why?
To be honest, I didn't really care about most of the characters who were not the Backstreet Boys.  They were important to the story in that they helped the Boys and were "there" in a world that would have otherwise been empty, but I don't feel that I really knew much about any of them besides maybe Charlie, Don, their dad, and Matt.  I liked those guys, but didn't care much for Randy and Clara or Sydney, probably for the same reason that Mare hates female leads - it was a BSB fic, so I was most interested in reading about the Boys.
 
7) If there was a sequel to this story, would be you interested in reading it?
I would probably give it a try, but I don't think the story needs one and don't think Mare is planning to write one either LOL.

8) Were you happy with the ending? Did it end the way you predicted it would?
I was happy with "the real ending."  The other ending made me scream at my computer, but I liked that one too as an alternate ending.  I would not have been happy if that had been the only ending, though!  There were some things about both endings that I saw coming, but they both surprised me, too, as far as who ended up dead or not dead in the end LOL.
 
9) Overall, if you had to take away something from the story, what do you think the lesson learned was?
Be grateful for the life you're living and never take it for granted, because it can disappear in an instant and you could end up living in a parallel universe that completely sucks ass! LOL

10) Give us one final review that you feel sums up your experience reading this, maybe why you gave the kind of feedback you did or if you would have perhaps picked a different story from this one.
I really enjoyed this story.  It kept me guessing, and it made me think.  I am glad I went back and read it after it was finished because I think I would have been frustrated waiting for updates on it.  I loved the two different ending strands; that was creative and fun.  The feedback I gave along the way was mostly just my reactions while reading and compliments about Mare's awesome imagery, creative storytelling, and talent at writing each of the guys' perspectives.  There really wasn't a lot to critique.  I'm definitely glad I picked this one!
 
11) For the readers who did this last year and this year, which did you prefer, reading each other's stories or reading someone other than who was reading yours?
I liked the way we did it this year better, where we read each other's stories.  It was nice to be able to have a back and forth discussion about each other's stories, and I think it made everyone more accountable for reading and giving feedback.  If I remember correctly, we had more people bail on this last year and leave someone hanging, but this year, if that happened, you at least had the option to stop reading and reviewing your partner's story until they held up their end of the bargain LOL.
 
12) Any final comments or suggestions for next year to make this work even better?
I hope we do it again this year, and if others agree, I think it'd be a good idea to pair people up again like you did this year.
 
13) Any final comments for the author?
You rock, Mare!  Keep writing fanfic!!

[mare]

The Writer's Survey  (To be completed once the person who is reading your story is completely finished reviewing it!)
 
* This is the chance to let your reader know how you felt about the experience. Same deal as the one above. Be honest, be fair and be ready to explain if you are asked a question.
 
1) Do you feel like the person reading your story, gave it a fair shot?

Absolutely! Julie was great during this whole process.
 
2) Did you take away anything valuable from the feed back given to you from the person reading your story?

Most of Julie's feedback was in reaction to the things going on in the story but just knowing she was understanding what I was trying to accomplish and getting the things I was hoping people would get, made me feel great.
 
3) Did anything the reader say to you, make you reconsider things you have written and change or correct things?

No, but this story was finished before she started reading it lol
 
4) Are there any questions you'd like to ask the person who read your story?

Nope, we kept a pretty steady dialogue going throughout so anything that needed to be asked, was. At least on my end lol
 
5) Any final thoughts or comments concerning the reading challenge and the person who read your stuff?

Julie, you were really great! I always looked forward to reading your thoughts on chapters and loved when you picked up on the things I so wanted people to pick up on. Your feedback was thoughtful and always insightful, even for the filler chapters when there wasn't all that much to say, you still managed to pick something out and I really appreciate that, so thanks!
 
6) Would you consider doing this again next year?

Of course lol

[mare]

3) When reading, did you feel like it was something you really were looking forward to or more a homework assignment? Did that change once you got into it?
I was looking forward to it because it was really just the kick in the pants I needed to get me to go read a story that had been on my list to read anyway.  I review what I read anyway, and I love filling out surveys, so not even those parts made it feel like homework.  The only thing that might have made it feel that way at times was the fact that Mare was so disciplined about reading a chapter of my story each day, and she never skipped a day, so I felt bad when I'd go several days without reading any of hers.  But I am not a chapter a day kind of reader; I tend to read more sporadically, but in bigger spurts.

Aww, I was worried my over anal-ness when it came to my own reading was going to make you feel pressured to review me! Sorry about that. I was hoping you'd slow yourself down and even told you to a couple of times. I just knew your story had 90 chapters so that's why I went with the chapter a day thing. I told you guys, I have a problem with that! LOL

And thank you for all your comments! I really enjoyed having you as my reading buddy this summer!

[Rose]

The Writer's Survey  (To be completed once the person who is reading your story is completely finished reviewing it!)

* This is the chance to let your reader know how you felt about the experience. Same deal as the one above. Be honest, be fair and be ready to explain if you are asked a question.
 
1) Do you feel like the person reading your story, gave it a fair shot?

I do, especially since Lore knew going in that it was going to be a tearjerker.
 
2) Did you take away anything valuable from the feed back given to you from the person reading your story?

Most of her feedback was good and reactionary, it showed me she got where I was going with things I'd do in the chapters. Just because I know what the character is doing or thinking doesn't mean the readers do. Since I knew she was reading it for this, her feedback was good in letting me know I went about it the right way.
 
3) Did anything the reader say to you, make you reconsider things you have written and change or correct things?

Not really, but that's because it was already finished lol. That and she really was giving positive feedback in how I did things. So I see no need to change it.
 
4) Are there any questions you'd like to ask the person who read your story?

What would you have thought if I kept going and showed Nick's complete degeneration to the end? I explained why I ended it the way I did, but some people have asked before about it. I wouldn't mind getting your thoughts on that Lore.

5) Any final thoughts or comments concerning the reading challenge and the person who read your stuff?

Lore, your feedback has been great! I wasn't sure what to expect cause in some ways that story was my baby because it was my first "different" (compared to past stories) story I've done in awhile. I'm glad you were paired with me because I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts.
 
6) Would you consider doing this again next year?

Yep!

[RokofAges75]

Aww, I was worried my over anal-ness when it came to my own reading was going to make you feel pressured to review me! Sorry about that. I was hoping you'd slow yourself down and even told you to a couple of times. I just knew your story had 90 chapters so that's why I went with the chapter a day thing. I told you guys, I have a problem with that! LOL

And thank you for all your comments! I really enjoyed having you as my reading buddy this summer!

It's okay!  I reminded myself of that, that you were stuck reading a story twice as long as the one you wrote, so it made sense for you to pace yourself that way.  I definitely didn't rush through it; I read at the pace I would have if I was just reading it for fun outside of the challenge.  But I wanted to make sure I got started early and reviewed something at least every few days so I wouldn't get nagged!

You're welcome, and back at ya!  I've been enjoying your reviews along the way and am looking forward to your overall comments when you're done reading.

[mare]

I wouldn't have started nagging you until today lol today is when the nagging commences

[Purpura Lipstick]

The Writer's Survey  (To be completed once the person who is reading your story is completely finished reviewing it!)
What would you have thought if I kept going and showed Nick's complete degeneration to the end? I explained why I ended it the way I did, but some people have asked before about it. I wouldn't mind getting your thoughts on that Lore.

I think if you had gone on to show Nick's degeneration to the end the chapters would have been harder to really understand.  To make it true to the disease you would have not been able to put any of this thoughts as we know him in the chapters and the chapters may not have come across as you wanted. In my opinion at least.   I think you could have done, maybe, a final chapter with him in the end to show just how far he was gone but I think the way you handled it was great.  We got to see Nick's frustrations and slips throughout the first 2/3 of the story, it was important, I think, to show how the others were reacting to it instead of us getting lost in Nick's mind with him.  I think the way it was written gave the story more of the effect you wanted, the tears came more when I read about Brian's POV and how hard it was on him.

[Rose]

Thanks, that's helpful and I appreciate the answer .

[simple sue]

Halfway there survey

1) Since you started the story, has it lead you down the path you thought it would or have there been any surprises you didn't see coming?

Not particularly.

2) How is the pacing of the story? Do you feel like there are too many filler chapters or is it moving too quickly?

It's running a little slow for my liking

3) Is it easy to understand?

I've had no problems understanding the premise.

4) Have the characters fully developed to your liking? If not, what are they lacking?

The characters could definitely use some more development.  I can't feel what they're feeling


5) Is this something you are still excited to finish?

If the story were more developed, I would say yes but it hasn't even developed into what the summary has promised.

6) Tell us something you feel has stood out about the story. The biggest strength thus far

Nothing has particulary stood out for me at this point in the story.


7) Do you feel like your reading partner has been reading and reviewing your work fairly and has been participating as they should?

Yes


8) Any questions for the author now that you're halfway through?

None that I  can think of at this time

[carterkid]

Name of story:Snowed In
 
1) When you were asked to pick a story for the challenge, what made you choose this one and why didn't you read it before this point? I didn't read it before hand because I didn't see it at AC.As for why I picked it,it just sounded funny.
 
2) What actually was the biggest challenge for you when it came to reading the story? It had yucky sex scence lol
 
3) When reading, did you feel like it was something you really were looking forward to or more a homework assignment?AT first,more of a homework assignment. Did that change once you got into it? yes
 
4) What was your favorite part of the story? My favorite part was when the other guys showed up at the cabin.
 
5) Who was your favorite character and why? Nick and Kevin were both my favorite.
 
6) What about your least favorite character and why? didn't really have a least favorite.
 
7) If there was a sequel to this story, would be you interested in reading it? yes
 
8) Were you happy with the ending? yes Did it end the way you predicted it would? I didn't have an prediction in the first place.
 
9) Overall, if you had to take away something from the story, what do you think the lesson learned was? I don't think you can learn anything in this matter but if I had to guess I'll say don't bring your mate on any kind of 'group trips'
 
10) Give us one final review that you feel sums up your experience reading this, maybe why you gave the kind of feedback you did or if you would have perhaps picked a different story from this one.
 
11) For the readers who did this last year and this year, which did you prefer, reading each other's stories or reading someone other than who was reading yours? both ways work for me
 
12) Any final comments or suggestions for next year to make this work even better? nope
 
13) Any final comments for the author? nope