Annalisa’s Comments (group member since May 04, 2018)

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

LavenderLane wrote: "Annalisa wrote: "I should have saved my short novella I read for the mini. It had harvest in the title. I just needed to read something that would make up for Salt & Broom as it was a painful read...."

Yes, be very glad. It was a very weak retelling of Jane Eyre.

I should have saved my short novella I read for the mini. It had harvest in the title. I just needed to read something that would make up for Salt & Broom as it was a painful read.

Annalisa's Participation links

Day 1: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 2: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 3: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 4: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

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 think there were enough similarities that even if it hadn't been labeled as a retelling (I'm looking at you Verity) I would have known it was. It has been a very long time since I read Jane Eyre but I remember it being a more full story, this was just missing something.

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...
My feelings towards Dr. Poole did not change even though he tried to make it right. I wanted to feel sorry for him and knowing that he really didn't have a choice did feel like I should have felt different for him. However, the author did not do a good enough job with the characters for me to care.

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?
Well the ending just seemed fake to me. I spent the time being like where did that come from? I did not feel that way about the original. I think the story stayed to close to the original and it didn't work for these characters.

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. Going to remove anything else on my TBR if I have it from her as I just didn't like this and there are lots of other books to read.


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 liked the cover - thought it might have set high expectations.

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'm think that yes there are others involved in the curse. I did not find the haunting in the garden surprising. Something had to happen at some point.

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 see why Mr. Rochester wants to send away Jane and the staff but I also didn't buy that he would do that. I've read the original and remember liking it. I don't really remember for than the feeling of the book as it was probably 20 years ago that I read it.

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 visited a garden that was specifically an Apothecary's Garden, but I did recognize many of the plant names and would know them if I saw them in a garden. I do have a herb garden and grow basil, oregano, thyme, mint, and rosemary for cooking.

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?
I really thought it was just a way to have Jane and Mr. Rochester have something to talk about and for some added conflict. I get why he would want to test Miss Ingram if what he said about her is true, however, like much of this book, I'm struggling to care.

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?
No, I don't.

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's point of view. That being said I'm not sure they are adding anything to the story.

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 thought that was a bit of foreshadowing that they met in the poison garden and then the conversation with Agnes really made that seem more the case.

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?
Likely, but I'm really not sure at this point as I am beginning to think that there might be two separate issues. The early deaths and then Antonetta's "death". I don't think she is really dead.

10. We have been given information about Jane and her origin? What do you think of this twist in the tale?
I thought it was curious and think it is adding to the mystical feeling which we need as so far this is pretty close to what I remember of the original story and not adding that much new.

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?
I don't mind reusing the names. What I do mind is when the story doesn't feel like it stands on it's own and so far for me this one isn't standing on its own.

Judy wrote: "Melindam wrote: "I like the witchy setting and I wished we were given a bit more world-building in general and witchery in particular."

Yeah I completely agree, I feel like we're not really learni..."


I also really wanted to know more and about the setting and witches in the setting but don't know that we will get it know that we have left the school. Feels like a missed opportunity to me.

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, but it was a really long time ago. That being said I think I liked it but it is hard to remember. I will say that my first thought upon realizing it was a retelling of Jane Eyre was "I really hope this is better than Verity." #lowexpectations

2. What about Retellings? Is it a genre you like/avoid?
I have really enjoyed retellings and felt really let down by others. It isn't a genre I seek out but I also don't avoid it. Like with most genres there are good books and there are bad books.

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?
So far I'm finding the setting interesting. While it is to soon to say I liked the school and was sorry to leave it. Maybe Thornfield Manor will improve so far I'm rather ambivalent.

4. What are your first impressions of Jane and Rochester?
I know I said I didn't remember the Jane Eyre well but so far Jane and Rochester feel very familiar to what I remember and I'm wondering if I'm filling in with what I remember or if the author is doing a good job with creating the characterization. Again, I'm not the fence. I will say that Jane's discomfort/attraction with Rochester struck me as out of character for what I had seen from Jane so far in the story.

5. What do you think about the occurrences in Thornfield? Are they really caused by supernatural elements or is it human action?
I feel like we don't really know enough yet, but I'm leaning towards supernatural cause. However, it would be rather fitting if the wife was not dead and was doing it.

This was a long week. I'm really looking forward to the long weekend and some reading time.

For anyone interested in the backroom BOM poll is open and closes tomorrow for voting. Link to Polls

I decided to save my audible credit. It was borderline "I'd like this" for me. I do not a fan of the Disc World and this seems to have similar vibes from the description. Seems like I made the right decision.

I'm going to start with . Though I should really be reading since it is an ARC and I'm pretty sure published next month.

Happy Reading!

Finished #9 which had been on my TBR since 2017. It was good but also nothing special. I did enjoy the characters and will probably read at least a few more in the series. Getting close to being on track at 30% for entering May.

Turns out I have a book on my physical book shelf that works for this. Creating a time travel machine is part of story and Time Travel MPG.

Version Control by Dexter Palmer

Rebecca Wright has reclaimed her life, finding her way out of her grief and depression following a personal tragedy years ago. She spends her days working in customer support for the internet dating site where she first met her husband. But she has a strange, persistent sense that everything around her is somewhat off-kilter: she constantly feels as if she has walked into a room and forgotten what she intended to do there; on TV, the President seems to be the wrong person in the wrong place; her dreams are full of disquiet. Meanwhile, her husband's decade-long dedication to his invention, the causality violation device (which he would greatly prefer you not call a “time machine”) has effectively stalled his career and made him a laughingstock in the physics community. But he may be closer to success than either of them knows or can possibly imagine.

Version Control is about a possible near future, but it’s also about the way we live now. It’s about smart phones and self-driving cars and what we believe about the people we meet on the Internet. It’s about a couple, Rebecca and Philip, who have experienced a tragedy, and about how they help — and fail to help — each other through it.

Everyone I know who has read Kushiel’s Dart highly recommends it. I will likely read it even if it doesn’t win. 🤞 Hoping it does win though.

I really need to remember to update the spreadsheet, still would have been below the line, but I would have been closer.

I've volunteered for DQs for this months books. I have an audible credit left from the free trial I could use on first book. If I don't get DQs I will likely not participate and save my credit.

June books I have a hold on at my library. Not sure I'll get either of them in time.

Update: moved this to Backroom BOM since there is one open. Kushiel's Dart

I'll volunteer for DQs District 5.

I just realized that I had an audible credit I didn't know I had as I thought I couldn't get this. Yay for free trials.

Hi Team,

It's nice to meet everyone. I'm from North Carolina. I work remotely for a telehealth company as a recruiter and the summer months are always a bit slow. I read a bit of everything but my go to reads are "smut" or as I like to think of it "brain candy". I read a lot of alien romance, erotica, historical romance, and m/m, m/f, f/f, m/m/f... romance/erotica. PrinzessBookDragon I sent you a friend request. I'm always looking for new authors to read! I also read fantasy, science fiction, and some nonfiction.

I've participated in Tower Teams, Wheel, My Restaurant Rocks, and Uno. I know that I've been on challenges with a few team members before. I think I even co-Captained with Deanna for Uno quite a few years ago.

I've read the Hunger Games Books but it was a while ago. I didn't care for how they felt repetitive after the first book. I did watch the movies and really enjoyed them. I have not watched or read the most recent book - which I can't remember the name of Snakes and something - and don't intend to read it as it seemed a little like a way to make more money.

Books I've enjoyed most this year have been The Tainted Cup (fantasy/mystery), Nettle & Bone (fantasy/fairytale), Blood Over Bright Haven (dark fantasy), Bad Guy (alien smut), and Tress of the Emerald Sea (light fantasy).

I'm most looking forward to reading Eskau: An Unplanned Infiltration, Progression Fantasy (950 page fantasy and it is a bit addictive), Bound to the Shadow Prince (Ruby Dixon - Romance/Erotica), Unleashing Chaos (Romance), and Worse Guy (alien romance).

As for a superpower I think teleporting. I have family that lives abroad, and the 24 hours of travel to visit is not my favorite. Also, I love traveling but not so much airplanes or long drives.

I'm really looking forward to playing this new challenge with the team.

My shelf: book-games-2024