Melindam’s Comments (group member since May 02, 2017)

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

DQs Day 5, Chapters 30-36

19. Although it seemed like all conflicts were resolved at the end of the last section, Radane’s (ex-)fiancé comes back and is looking for her. Were you surprised the story was taking another twist? What do you think about how all of that resolved?
I thought the extra-extra twist a bit unnecessary and that the author could have done telling us about how the political situation changed in the capital differently, but ... 🤷‍♀️

20. Radane ends up returning Kiela’s parents’ cookbook to her and even fixed the torn out page. What would be in your parents’ cookbook?
Traditional Hungarian recipes like fish soup, stuffed cabbage, goulash soup, beef stew... you get the picture. 🤭 And my mum's fab sweetbread recipe.

21. On Sunday I was at my friends’ place and had some of her stepmother’s raspberry and elderflower jam, which was delicious. What’s your favorite type of jam?
I'm all for the traditional jams: strawberry, raspberry and apricot with eating marmalade occasionally.

22. The revolution was successful, Radane is free, Kiela gets to do her spells with the coven, the merhorses foaled, Kiela und Larran are getting married… everything is just peachy on Caltrey! How did you enjoy the book? What is your rating? Are you going to pick up more from Sarah Beth Durst?
Despite nominating the book, I was a bit afraid that I wasn't going to like it, but I enjoyed it, which was a relief. :)

Strictly speaking it's a 3,5 star rating for me, as I had some issues, but on the other hand I'm more lenient with the Cosy Fantasy genre b/c I don't have high expectations in general, so I rounded up to 4 stars in the end.

I may check out other SBD books, but I'm not in a hurry. 😊

Day 4 DQs

14) What were your thoughts when Kiela was teaching Eadie, Bryn, and Ulina how to make the pine cones? Particularly the way she tried to disguise that it's actually a spell?
I was a bit surprised, but not that much and ended up enjoying that particular interaction bw the characters. Also, it was quite obvious that Eadie, Bryn, and Ulina recognised magic for what it was and were completely on board with it. While Kiela was being... Kiela: rather blind to the obvious. :)

15) Well these chapters were a whirlwind. What were your thoughts throughout the twists and turns?
The book needed a bit of action, so I thought these events were OK.

16) I loved loved loved the scene where Caz and Meep were threatening Radane. It made me laugh so much that the spider plant was being so much more aggressive than the actual human. If you had been in that scene, would you be more like Kiela (the good cap) or Caz (the bad cop)?
Always the good cop even when I shouldn't be. I'm an absolutely hopeless softie. 😅

17) Radane confiscated Kiela's family cookbook. What family heirloom do you value so much to keep protected?
I have some fine linen tablecloths that my great-grandmother and my grandmother had beautifully and painstakingly embroidered for their trousseau adding their initials as well, that was still a thing in their time. It also amazes me how well those fabrics stand the test of time compared to the rubbish we have today.

18) What are your thoughts on the Cozy Mystery genre that this book is a part of? How often do you find yourself reaching for a cozy book?
I guess you meant Cosy Fantasy. 😊

I actively dislike Cozy Mysteries and avoid them on purpose.

Cosy Fantasy is not a usual genre for me, but I can absolutely enjoy reading a book from time to time when I'm in the mood.

Actually, found 2 : ) 1 fiction by Salman Rushdie and a non-fic one. :)

Good! :))

Great combo, Sophie! Now you just need to like it and that'll be the cherry on top. :))

I have found long books for Turkey & Bangladesh, and I'm hoping they'll fit some letters for the word we'll get in the next round.

Sammy wrote: "and #155

And that's me done for this year! 😁"

🥳🥳🥳

Question: Wikipedia says that a broader concept of the "Pacific Northwest" includes Northern California and western Montana and Alaska, besides "Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and the Canadian province of British Columbia".

If we are OK with that, my current read is set in Palo Alto, San Francisco and some redwood forest region.

Cat wrote: "Danny is all sorts of fabulous!

I was looking after my youngest nibling this week, who's currently fascinated by Ghostbusters. So we played that a lot! And I'm able to confirm that there is such a..."

LOL, there must have been sth in the air. Domi wore his ghostbuster hoodie on Saturday and played the song nonstop and danced to it with my friend's daughters who came to visit. 😅

Cat wrote: "The locations of Yinka are relatively near to me. I'm up the road from Peckham (which is very definitely suffering from gentrification!), so it's always fun to see the local eye view, with the addi..."

Must look it up on the map. :)))

😊

4 Nov
DQs Day 3
Ch 14 to 21

9) I'm enjoying the variety of people and creatures (for lack of a better word) in the story. Do you have a favorite? Is there one you'd dream up and like to see wandering the island?
Seconding Judith on the cloud bears - I really liked them. :)

10) If you could have a helper sentient plant, what type would you choose and why?
Tough question, but I think it would be a tree. My favourites are wild chestnut trees - maybe because of Tolkien and the Ents(?). And for totally selfish reasons - I love their shade and it would be really interesting to be talking to a tree.

11) Do you think it is remotely realistic that Kiela can keep her activities secret? And with the trouble at the center of the empire, would any of those in power notice or care?
I thought that at one point it would all turn out one way or another to drive the plot forward. On the other hand, the type/scale of magic she used compared to what was going on in the capital, must have been so small and in a way natural, that it could have totally stayed under the radar of anyone.

12) Radane, trouble for Kiela in more ways than one?
I'm skipping this as I have already finished the book, but she was not what I expected.

13) Previous questions have touched on this but I'm thinking Kiela has avoided sharing what's happening with the revolution as a trauma response. If she doesn't talk about it than she can almost ignore it? It makes me wonder what happened to her parents. Like the library became her home/only place she felt safe after losing them and then it literally burned before her eyes. Anyone have thoughts about why she still isn't sharing to the point of literally running away?
At the beginning it seemed totally a tool and the excuses offered were rather thin, but from what happened later in the book, I can accept the trauma response. Also, I think that's the only reason that makes any kind of sense.

Domi and I started reading Danny the Champion of the World yesterday and we are loving it. 😊

My husband managed to get hold of it in a 2nd-hand bookshop (Roald Dahl books are soooo hard to get for some reason even if they have been translated and there are quite a few that have been).

Cat wrote: "Melindam wrote: "Cat, how did you like Yinka?"

I enjoyed it even if I wanted to throttle many of the characters! Was a realistic, fun romp thru a modern dating in the . context of family interest ..."

I'm glad you did. I'm listening to the audiobook read by a British-Nigerian (?) actress and I'm enjoying the experience and also the insight into this community, but I'm not that much into the story in general so far.

DQ Day 2 Chapters 8 - 13

6. There's more information released here about magic use and it's impact on the world. What do you think about this?
While we still don't get too many details -which is fine by me- I like the fact that the author implies that there is no such thing as magic infinite, there's a give and take and a balance is needed. If you throw the balance off, there are consequences, even if it appears elsewhere. I guess this was her way to translate climate change from reality?

7. Lucky that Kiela can exploit the absence of fruit to fill a niche shop, eh?! What do you think about her plan to make a living out of jam and secret magic?
I'd say it is in "typical" cosy-fantasy, heart-warming fashion, and I really liked it. :)

8. Kiela and Larran keep having meet cute moments. Do you like this romantic pairing?
I'm OK with them as a nice pair, though not very impressed. I'm also glad it's not the sole focus of the book, because I wouldn't like that at all.

Ariana wrote: "I am not using an audiobook and my brain said Key-eh-luh. What I NEED help pronouncing is Larran"

The narrator pronounces the first syllable more like an "o" "Lo-ran". It's a bit like you would pronounce the French name: Laurent, I guess.

The 456

1. 350 to 450
2. Author initials (all) in TORCHWOOD
3. Character regrets a past action
4. "radio" in text
5. MC has a child or children

Sophie,

I've finished an Epic Fantasy book, so I hope you don't mind if I evict your Sanderson book to finish off a monster.

Kat,

could you please add Just for the Summer to your wheel-shelf, please?

Thank you. :)

I'm currently listening to Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? for the Nigeria tags and while I'm enjoying the own-voice author/narrator and the insight into British-Nigerian culture, I'm finding the Bridget Jones kind of story rather bland and a bit irritating. Thankfully it's not too long, so I'll be done with it in a few days.

I'm also reading and mostly enjoying Recipe for Persuasion which is a slightly-inspired-by-Jane-Austen novel of an Indian family living in California, but the author goes crazy overboard with the melodrama. I knew what to expect as I read her Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors earlier, but I need to stop from time to time to digest the every character (and I mean EVERY character) having the most tragic backstory kind of approach.

Cat, how did you like Yinka?