Fiona’s Comments (group member since Sep 25, 2023)

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

Thanks Teresa, I think there’s literally nothing else I will be able to do today other than read. Dinner is definitely canceled because I’m too nervous about this situation so I will just go shower and then read a few hours in bed 😅

Great job!

I really really wanted to have a great day full of work, reading and fun. But my favorite colleague quit today and after work I got a call from the police saying I got scammed and I need to come there this week so they can question me.

I haven’t seen the sun in so long 🥲

My parents are in Crete now and I’m so jealous 😭
It’s been raining here nonstop for the past 4 days 🥲

379 pages

Current total: 855,125

215 pages

Current total: 843,533

Finished the first book for the mini :)

ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "I wasn’t sure how picky the mods are being for the mini, when it comes to definition of the word harvest, given the “farm” settings must be farms that rely on making income off their animals or pla..."

I started my farm book and I wasn't even sure if the farm was selling anything before reading but turns out it fits lol

That was fast!

The Malevolent seven has “harvests” in the text. Not sure if that works? No singular harvest in there though.

Wooohooo! Will start my first book in a moment :)

282 pages
138 pages
141 pages
144 pages

Current total: 827,676

BOM Participation Post Fiona

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

DQs Day 4 - "Love Has Come to Mean Death" - end

15. I personally haven't read Jane Eyre and therefore can't compare the two books which makes me feel a bit regretting, but then again so many of y'all don't seem to like this as a retelling. Do you think you'd feel differently about the book depending on whether you've read Jane Eyre or not, and do you want to pick up Jane Eyre now if you haven't yet? What if you hadn't been aware of this being a retelling and the characters had different names?

I did read Jane Eyre but I didn’t like it and can’t remember all that much. I liked this retelling better than the original and I think I wouldn’t have recognized it as retelling with different names so much.

16. I was secretly hoping that Agnes had romantic feelings for Antoinette and that she was more involved in the last part of the book, but alas it was Dr. Poole. No big surprise there. Has your opinion of him changed in any way after he "confessed" and tried to help Jane and Edward? And if you could bring someone back from the dead, would you do it? Theoretically you wouldnt be aware of any consequences, but logically I think we've learned that there's always consequences…

I was hoping for a little queer moment too! I didn’t like Dr. Poole from the beginning and that hasn’t changed. Also, as much as I’d love to have some people I’ve lost back in my life, I wouldn’t mess with the dead..

17. Jane came back for Edward and saved him of course, and now they're living happily ever after. How do you feel about them as a couple, and is there anything you would have changed about these last couple of chapters as the author or simply just a fan of the original work?

I do like them as a couple but I found it all a bit too insta-lovey, so I would’ve liked a bit of a longer part for the actual romance. The epilogue was like 3 sentences. I love that with him, she could have her own school though.

18. Was this your first book written by Sharon Lynn Fisher, and do you think you'll be reading more by the author? Were your original expectations met? Anything else you want to add?

This was my first book by her and I might read more of her books. Originally, I was thinking that this book would not be for me, as I didn’t like the cover and Jane Eyre. Then I saw a lot of people giving it terrible reviews, so that was a bummer. But I did quite enjoy it, maybe because I didn’t like the original.

Bonus for everyone but especially those who have read Jane Eyre before: I challenge you to say at least one good thing about Salt & Broom - other than "it ended!!" lol :b

I found Jane Eyre to be completely boring and forgettable - sorry - so this was the twist the original needed so I could enjoy it. Still only rated it 3/3.5 stars but definitely was better than Jane Eyre for me.

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 did see it coming but I’m currently clueless about who is involved.

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?

I did not like him sending away Jane and the staff. I have read the original but do not remember much and didn’t like it. Mr. Rochester says he does it to protect them but I don’t think that’s entirely true. Maybe he’s hiding something..

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 not but I would absolutely love it! I just started growing some flowers, plants and herbs in my apartment and on my balcony, so I’m very excited to see them grow!

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?

Miss Ingram is a b****. Sorry, can’t put it any other way. I found his explanation reasonable but maybe I’m a bit delulu.

My parents are flying to Crete on Sunday, can I count their messages as reading? 🤪
I wish I could read for the Crete task but can’t find anything that interests me at the moment

Hahaha that's a great review, Gwen.

I still like the book, maybe I'm weird? I also disliked Jane Eyre though

Thanks, Judy, I saw your review haha
But so far I’m actually enjoying it

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’m not crazy obsessed with talismans but one thing I do have is a little angle that my mom hung over my bed when I was a baby. I intend to keep it for my firstborn.

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 his POV, I just find it strange that it’s called interlude. Just give it a chapter name and say it’s his POV haha

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 can imagine that he was in love with Mrs. Rochester (after all, who would move for just one patient) and I can also imagine that he poisoned her because she wasn’t in love with him.

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?

I definitely think so. While I think that Dr. Poole possibly poisoned Mrs. Rochester, I feel like there is some connection there. I’m eager to find out.

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

That was crazy. Her mother being a fairy explains where her magic comes from but her father being that Brocklehurst dude is enraging.

Bonus: The author has used several of the same names as those of characters from Jane Eyre. Other than Jane, Rochester, we have Brocklehurst, Maria Temple, Mrs. Fairfax, Poole etc. What do you think about authors using the same names in retellings?

Since it’s a retelling, I really don’t mind it. This happens in a lot of other retellings as well. I think the story should be loosely based on the original but as long as it’s not an exact copy of the original, that’s fine for me.

Hoping to finish Salt & Broom today 🙈