Bernadette’s Comments (group member since May 28, 2020)

Bernadette’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Saar The Book owl wrote: "Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Saar The Book owl wrote: "Sorry, it should be okay now. Can you check, please? Thanks!


I see it on the round 1 tab but not your bookshelf :) Thanks!"

That's so ..."

@Erin, I see it on her shelf as well, The Dog Who Could See Demons.

@Saar, but it would probably help if you changed it to the Dutch version, so it appears as orange.

I'm only reading books for the Mini right now. I'm searching other teams list to see if I can find something short and available.

I'm certainly not clearing mt TBR list looking for books to read that fit the mini tasks🤣🤣 - what we won't do for a challenge!

DQs – Day 3 Protective Impulses-Pert Thing

11. What do you think about the revelation in the garden/the haunting? Did you see it coming, and do you think there are others involved with the “curse”?

I think it was pretty obvious that she would be the one haunting. I'm still suspicious of the doctor.

12. What do you think about Mr. Rochester sending away Jane and the staff? If you have read the original, how does this change Jane’s agency, and do you like the change? Either way, why do you think the author made it Mr. Rochester’s choice?

13. Have you ever visited an Apothecary’s Garden? Would you be interested in seeing one? Do you grow any herbs or are you interested in growing any?

I have never visited an Apothecary's Garden, not heard of one, but it sounds very interesting. I would probably sneeze my way through from allergies though!

14. What do you think about the scene with Miss Ingram? What does this tell you about Mr. Rochester’s character and did that seem consistent with his character so far? Did his explanation make sense to you?

Felt kind of unnecessary like many other scenes in this. He did seem to "fall in love" with Jane very quickly.

DQs Day 2 - Baneful-"My Own Wee Thing”

6. Jane gives Rochester a black-coloured thumb-sized stone to keep with him as a protective talisman. Do you believe in talismans? Please tell us about an object that you keep with you as a talisman?

I know people have "lucky charms" and believe in them. Other items bring comfort to some people and if that works for them, no harm. I don't have any.

7. Between some of the chapters narrated from Jane’s point of view, we get chapters from Rochester’s point of view. What do you think of these “interludes”? Do they help or distract?

I like the interludes from Rochester. I don't find them distracting.

8. We are introduced to Dr. Poole. What did you think of this character particularly with regards to Jane meeting him in the poison garden? Were there any changes in your opinion after reading Agnes’ conversation with Jane about the late Mrs. Rochester?

I think there is more to the doctor than he is letting on. Suspicious meeting him in the poison garden.

9. We have been told several times about a curse on Thornfield. Then Jane follows Rochester to the graveyard where his family members are buried. At this point Jane says “This was a story of heartache. Everyone in Mr. Rochester’s family had died before their time, especially the females. Then his wife had done the same.” Do you think there is a connection between the curse and the early deaths?

Absolutely!

10. We have been given information about Jane and her origin? What do you think of this twist in the tale?

We will see where it goes.

DQs - Day 1 - Prologue-Blackthorn

1. A paranormal retelling?? of Jane Eyre - this prompts the question about the original or let's call it the "source for inspiration". What is your relationship to Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë? Have you read it? Loved/liked/disliked it?

I have read Jane Eyre, last year, it was 4 stars for me.

2. What about Retellings? Is it a genre you like/avoid?

Retellings are fine. You often get some interesting stories out of them.

3. Jane Aire as a witch in a school for orphan witches? How do you like the setting of this alternative Victorian world where magic is at least tolerated?

I'm enjoying so far. I like witch stories.

4. What are your first impressions of Jane and Rochester?

Rochester doesn't seem very sure of himself, Jane does.

5. What do you think about the occurrences in Thornfield? Are they really caused by supernatural elements or is it human action?

I'm leaning to a combination of both right now.

Char wrote: "- This can work for horn on cover right?
It is type of an air horn? (Is that what they call it?)

If it does, we can use Lindsay's Funny Story for..."

Good idea on The Poppy War but the read date needs to be 6/1 or later☹️ - same for the other.

I just started a book that will work for Peru or Cornucopia. Will use it for Peru 🇵🇪 now.

@Captains, I almost hate to ask, but is there a plan to fill Robin's books? I see some team members are above their average, I don't know if the rest of the team can make up 38 additional books. Just wondering. Is she still with us? I do hope everything is OK.

Ingeborg wrote: "Bernadette wrote: "Ingeborg, you can check Libby books you haven't borrowed for words. After you've found the book in Libby click on "read sample" then you can search for a word. I found "abundance..."

Just the chapter # - but I use that all the time when I listen to audiobooks.

Ingeborg, you can check Libby books you haven't borrowed for words. After you've found the book in Libby click on "read sample" then you can search for a word. I found "abundance". It is in Chapter 39 - "it is often because a powerful few have denied us the abundance of our people."

Erin, definitely a bad way to end the week/month😢

Finished – I did not enjoy the audiobook as much as the regular book, maybe I didn’t pay as much attention when listening. The re-read certainly replays how much violence how much violence is in this book.
Katniss is a sharp and intelligent heroine with just the right amount of emotion who gives in to absolutely nothing and no one. I admire her love for her sister and her strength and unwillingness to give up. She's spent so long in survival mode that it's hard for her to have normal relationships with people and she constantly questions everyone's motives.
I earlier said that Haymitch was not going to be much help as a mentor but … even when you win the games there's still no escaping them. And besides his own horrors he had to face in the games and other things the Capitol did to him, every year he had to watch as two more kids got killed, for which he most likely feels responsible. I never really gave much thought before to how he coped with all that.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "And woohoo Bernadette for getting that big book in! I have never read Anna Karenina, how is it? I want to read East of Eden this challenge as a personal classics challenge for a Steinbeck I haven't..."

Here is my review for Anna Karenina:

I have to say I listened to this on Audible Audiobook and 36 hours is a long time to listen to a novel where not much happens, even with Maggie Gyllenhaal as the narrator.

There were so many characters with similar sounding names and Tolstoy uses different names for the same character so that made it confusing at times. I had a cheat sheet with a list of characters handy to look at occasionally.

The domestic strife, misunderstandings, affairs, and life in general of the Russian elite, when boiled down to its essentials, are not so different from what occupy people's attentions today.

I don't think I liked any of the characters and could only relate to their actions from time to time. The women most often were whiny and weak while the men seemed cruel and judgmental more often than not. Even Anna, who was supposedly strong-willed and intelligent would go off on these irrational rants. The women were constantly jealous, and the men were always suspicious.

The story is filled with great (but troubled) romance in Anna and Vronsky and it is filled with great love in Kitty and Levin. I liked Kitty very much.

Though Levin is a good character in the novel, large chunks of his storyline were somewhat boring. These sections combined to be hundreds of pages in length and dealt with his tedious struggles as a Russian farmer.

Anna was the least likeable - She is a crazy, delusional, narcissistic, arrogant, entitled, naive, selfish woman who thinks the world revolves around her and that she should get everything she wants, at any cost.

This was still a decent book that has some nice passages. I would never consider reading it again though.

I'm 20% in. I'm on Team District 13 which according to the book, does not exist because it was destroyed. (view spoiler)[or did it? (hide spoiler)]

The Hunger Games are certainly a cruel method of "entertainment" for the Capitol.

I liked the story of Peeta Mellark, who once saved Katniss from starvation when they were children. I'm sure will develop from this.

How much help will Haymitch be as their mentor? He won the Hunger 24 years earlier an since become a paunchy, alcohol-loving, middle-aged man - good casting of Woody Harrelson here!

I think I will need to watch the movie again after re-reading the book.

Ingeborg wrote: "Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Tie-Breaker has been finished for Backroom BOM - The book will be the shorter of the two options. I love KJ Charles so will be joining in on this one. They have ha..."

Ingeborg, there is a link in message #97 that you can use and ask to join.

I read the book 7 years ago and have watched the movie. When Is tarted the audiobook, I recognized the narrators voice, Carolyn McCormick. She read the first 10 books of James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series which I really enjoyed so I'm looking forward to listening to the book.

It's amazing how much of the story is coming back to me.

I corrected the points formulas; 40+ years being an accountant and I don't like to see bad formulas or spreadsheets🤣. The mini tab is also linked to the Round 1 tab now. I hope I didn't overstep😬

Erin, there is a problem in the points column on the Mini Tab of the SS. You are using a "ISBLANK" formula but the cell is not blank because it has a formula in it and all of the points are showing as completed. You want to use a formula like this

=if(E4<>"",1,0)

Looks like I have catching up, not “lukewarm@🤣🤣🤣. Vacation was very good. I’ll be home early this evening.