Amy’s Comments (group member since Nov 02, 2015)

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

Yep, it's available, so that's no problem! I just put in my request now

I would be able to request Otaku from my library.

I don't have a strong preference for what we go with since I can see the benefits to both options 2&3, but I wanted to add I could read enyo's warrior if we go that route and someone else hasn't claimed it yet!

I agree with option 3!

I unfortunately don't have any books for the Crete task, but I checked over this list: https://www.goodreads.com/places/3361...
I've read Circe in the past, and although it wasn't the book for me, I think if anyone likes Greek mythology that it's a good one to try! It has great reviews.

DQs Day 3
Chapters 14-19

11. Starling House reminded me up to a point with some vibes of Beauty and the Beast, although lesser now as the story progresses. Is the book reminding you of any other stories you have read before?
I can't put my finger on what books exaclty this reminds me of, but I have definitely read similar stories where the house in particular has a bit of a mind of its own and helps the owners out in interesting ways.

12. Ch 14-19 have answered a lot of questions about Opal, the house, Arthur, the history of the place and what's going on. Has anything revealed in this section been surprising to you? Does the explanation so far of everything that has happened ring true?
Everything we learned in this section definitely helped clear some things up for me and made sense with what we had learned so far or things that had been hinted at.

13. Jasper and Opal are clearly close, although he is sometimes moody and surly. He seems resentful at times of Opal going out so far on a limb to take care of him and get him out of Eden. What do you think of the character now that he has more fleshed-out scenes and more has been revealed about him and their relationship?
I like Jasper as a character and can see why they would butt heads since he can tell his sister is hiding so much from him. I'm glad they finally had to open up at least a little bit, and I hope that continues for them.

14. Arthur and Opal have heated a few things up. Do you think they fit each other well with these developments?
I admittedly feel really giddy at the scenes where they're feeling their feelings for each other. I think their personalities fit well as they each bring out some humor in the other in subtle ways.

15. There is humor in the book that is overshadowed by genuinely creepy horror like tales, What do you think about Underland "beasts" revealed so far?
I guess I don't have much to say about the beasts, I think they're exactly what I would imagine in a book like this one.

DQs Day 2 - Chapters 8 - 13

6) The narration is using dual POVs: 1st person for Opal, 3rd person for Arthur. Does it work for you? Do you think this suits the story?
Quite honestly I didn't even notice the differences, and I think it flows nicely between the two POVs.

7) Opal goes to the Library to find out more about Starling House and finds her mother's phone number among the Gravely family's documents. What implications can it have? Do you think it could be a hint about Opal's parentage?
Yes, I had a feeling as soon as the Gravely "minion" woman (I can't remember her name) stopped Opal that there is probably some connection between the Gravely family and Opal/Opal's mother - that made it more prominent when she found her mother's phone number in the library.

8) After Bev's story about the relationship between Eleanor Starling and the Gravely brothers, we get a totally different perspective from what Nathaniel Boone went through. What do you think about the Gravely family and their "hold" over the town of Eden? What do you think Nathaniel may have discovered in the dark?
It's very interesting because we can tell from Arthur's POV that there is something supernatural going on in that household, so although I have no idea what Nathaniel Boone witnessed and shared with Eleanor, I have a feeling it's deeper than the surface level info we have so far.

9) Finally we learn some more about about Arthur's role (warden) and his connection to the House. What do you think about their "relationship"? What is your opinion about Starling House as a sentient being? Could it be good or evil?
I'm still iffy on the house being good or bad yet - I think there are obviously bad things going on in the house, but I also think the house itself is doing things that are trying to be helpful, so I'm just really curious to learn more.

10) On "characters not communicating"
In Chapter 12 we find out that Opal has not told Jasper about the fact that she arranged for him to go to a different school and she actually managed to put together the fee for the 1st year already. Opal doesn't tell his brother about her working in Starling House and she doesn't tell Arthur about her spying on the House for Elizabeth Baine and getting more and more demands.
What do you think of all this?
I can see why Opal wouldn't trust other people like Bev or Arthur or anyone else really, but it's always really frustrating when main characters hide certain information from their loved ones when it really doesn't seem like that big of a deal to us as readers. I get why she has her reasons to hide certain things from Jasper, but she really needs to be a little more open with him.

Day 1 1.) Have you read other books by Alix E Harrow? Was this on your tbr list before it was a BOM selection? Any expectations going in?
I read The Ten Thousand Doors of January but unfortunately didn't love it. I think the author has a particular writing style that I don't always fully enjoy but can see why others do. I remember contemplating Starling House when I first read the blurb a while ago but decided not to put it on my to-read list since I just wasn't sure about it yet, but I did pick it up for this challenge to particpate and to step out of my normal reading "comfort zone" which sometimes really pays off for me.

2.) Did you read the footnotes as you went along? Find them helpful? Annoying?
I personally hate footnoes in books as it makes me feel like I'm reading a textbook, so I've been skipping most of the ones so far (although if I'm intrigued to learn more about something I'll read a footnote but otherwise I feel like it never adds info I NEED to know)

3.) The discussion of E.Starling's book being too scary for children reminded me of some interviews with M.Sendalk when the Where the Wild Things movie came out several years ago about books, etc that scare children (when children are the target audience). His response was basically children should be scared sometimes and there's nothing wrong with that. And has further said, it's better to have a book full of fears than one pretending there's nothing to be afraid of. What are your thoughts on this topic?
This is a great question and very much on my mind lately as I have a 2-year-old where I'm having to decide as she gets more and more into reading and stories if there are certain stories we'll avoid to not scare her or if we'll make a point to introduce some so that she's had some sort of exposure (maybe not at 2 yet). I think I agree that it's ok sometimes for children to be exposed to the concept of fear/being scared, but I wouldn't want it to be a regular thing for my child at least, and I would want to really be involved in reading with them and talking through feelings

4.) What are your thoughts so far on Eden and Starling House? Has the author done a good job so far of creating an atmosphere and setting for a good gothic story?
I feel like she's done an excellent job of creating a whole vibe of dreary/dark/gothicness so far. I definitely don't want to step foot in this town or at Starling House myself, but I sure as heck want to know more of whats going on!

5.) Any favorites so far in our motley cast of characters? Opal, Arthur, Jasper, Bev, and Starling House.
I think they all have their quirks so far that I have a soft spot for all of them - none of them seem totally good or bad, just kind of sad. Jasper definitely seems to bring the most lightness so far, so I have the biggest soft spot for him.

Amy wrote: "I'm reading a book right now (Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty) that has "abundant" in the text. It may be a little while before I end up finishing it, but I wanted to mention that here!"
Just kidding - I didn't double-check the spreadsheet to see if it was still needed and see that task has been covered, so I'll focus on something else! :)

I'm reading a book right now (Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty) that has "abundant" in the text. It may be a little while before I end up finishing it, but I wanted to mention that here!

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 wasn't really surprised by this but I'm still curious to see where everything is going.

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?
It felt like it made sense with Rochester's character in this novel - he already seemed to have a guilty conscience, so I felt for him when he realized that he may be the one causing the "curse" and endangering people that work for him that he cares about.

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 haven't visted an Apothecary's garden and am not really sure where I would be able to find one to visit,but it could be interesting - I just dont know that I would end up caring that much since it would all kind of look the same to me I think LOL. I don't grow herbs as I have a horrible green thumb.

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?
It made sense to me in the end but it still seemed like a selfish thing for him to do, but I think he somewhat recognized that it was so selfish. I think he wanted to clarify for himself that Miss Ingram didn't have a kind heart (like Jane), but he obviously didn't take anyone else's feelings into account which is a bad look.

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 feel like over the years I've had some sort of "lucky" charm that I've kept with me at times, but nothing that really stuck around or became super meaningful to me I guess. While I don't have anything specific for myself, I do understand how people can grow attachments to certain objects and think of them as some sort of talisman or protection - I have a friend who has an item in her car that has been there forever, and although it wasn't intentional, now if she thinks about that thing leaving her car, she panics that it will bring her bad luck - it's maybe silly to some people to care about those things, but I definitely understand those odd attachments we develop for whatever reason! I just can't think of anything specific for me right now.

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 love the interludes and wouldn't mind more of them. It's just like having alternating points of view, and in this second section of the book I felt like it made me like Rochester a little bit more.

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?
There's definitely something fishy going on with Dr. Poole and his interest in the poison graden. My mind keeps jumping from him potentially poisoning Rochester's wife to thoughts that he may have been in love with her so maybe that wasn't the case - either way, I'm uncertain of Dr. Poole and Agnes both to be honest. They both seem to have intentions that aren't clear to us yet, and I'm curious to see where that goes.

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?
That's a good observation - I did have a wonder if there will be more to tie in with so many deaths in Rochester's family, but I'm just not sure yet.

10. We have been given information about Jane and her origin? What do you think of this twist in the tale?
I could only imagine the icky feeling Jane would have if it's true that Mr. B is her father - he gave me the heebie jeebies, so I'm kind of hoping there's more to the story and maybe he's not actually her dad? It also makes me sad for her to have the potential to have her parents alive but they just aren't great parents.

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 read Jane Eyre ages ago and remember enjoying it, but it wasn't my favorite classic book.

2. What about Retellings? Is it a genre you like/avoid?
I enjoy retellings in general, so I'm looking forward to this one! I just always try to go into them without thinking too much of the original because I don't want it to cloud my judgement of what I "expect" to happen vs. what actually happens.

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 really like the setting so far. I find it interesting seeing people be hesitant about witchcraft but also trying to get "used" to it or respect it.

4. What are your first impressions of Jane and Rochester?
I like Jane so far and think she's a calm, interesting character. I don't have strong opinions on Rochester yet but can't really like him yet from what we've seen so far.

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 there has to be some sort of human behind the "curse" but maybe they are utilizing supernatural forces to help them.

I fixed my book!!
I still need to start salt & bone (although I'm a little nervous from some of the reviews) so I'll add that to the spreadsheet soon, and that should count for having Salt in the title

Hi all - just checking in! I finally finished The Malevolent Seven and agree with others that it did get more interesting and less overwhelming as it went on. I'm not sure yet if I'll continue the series, but I may wait and see what others think of it after it comes out and has been out for a while to decide. I just have too many books to read that it's hard to devote time to something I'm not 100% loving. I hope everyone had a good weekend! We had a three-day busy-filled weekend here, so I didn't get much reading in. My husband and I are taking our 2-year-old on a mini vacation this upcoming weekend, so I'm brining some books along and will see how much I actually get to read. Fingers crossed I can get a little downtime in each day!

Day 4: Chapters 28-39

15. The way the different characters react to the trek through the magic wasteland is interesting. With all the magic that flows through this world, why do they not have transport spells? Did this trek remind you of any other stories?
That's a great question. I wonder if there are some transportation spells that maybe are just really hard to come by? I still don't fully understand how often Cade has to make bargains with Tenebris and how that all works. I think a lot of good fantasy stories have to have a type of trek like this one. It reminds me of some of the treks in The Stormlight Archive series where it's a great way for the author to make new storylines for the characters and get them to know each other better.

16. We keep being reminded (by the narrator) that the wanderists are not good guys. Do you agree with this assessment?
Yes. I think there are probably some that are relatively good, but I think overall I wouldn't consider them the good guys and maybe just "better" at times?

17. What is your impression of the seven brothers? The Pandorals are benevolent? Really? Do we believe that?
I'm really intrigued by their true intentions with having the Pandorals come to this plane. I have a feeling they are NOT going to just calmly live in this one area and not disrupt life for anyone. I wish someone would just tell Cade outright why they shouldn't come to this world instead of dancing around it and just putting it on Cade to fix without knowing the full reasoning. It's definitely too good to be true though.

18. So. We get to see the apparatus. What would you have done with that temptation?.
In this world, I would have for sure been tempted to make the deal to get that reward. However, it's very obvious things aren't going to be as easy as the seven brothers are trying to make it seem, so I would put that on the back burner and focus on how to get rid of them and the Apparatus would still be a reward after that (hopefully)

19. Is anyone who they say they are? Did you expect Mr. Bones?
I don't have any suspicions about Cade's other companions at this point, but I was confident that Mr. Bones was going to have some sort of transformation - I kept looking at the cover picture to find the "seventh" wonderist, and since the jackal is on the cover, I felt like that meant he had to be part of the squad. I was NOT expecting however for him to actually be Fidick. That was a huge surprise to me.

Day 3: Chapters 19-27

11. The fantasy genre is known for its world building. How do you feel about the world building in this book? How does it compare to other fantasy novels you’ve read?
I would say this book is on the shorter end for some of the fantasy I read, so comparatively, I think the world building seems less prominent, but I think that has to do with the author making a shorter book so there's more focus on other things like trying to explain how the magic works and then introducing all of the characters. I feel like there isn't as great a focus on the worldbuilding because of that, which makes it hard at times to picture the world they're in, but it also makes the story move faster which I can appreciate.

12. In this section we meet Cade’s former teacher Hazidan. What do you think of her character? Did you ever have a favorite teacher and were they similar to Hazidan in any way?
I like meeting a character that helps explain some of Cade's past and why he makes decisions the way he does. I like her character and how she seems to challenge him in ways to make him think outside of the box to come to conclusions. My favorite teacher growing up was an English teacher who was very direct and gave very direct information for us to learn through repetition, so I would say it was pretty different from how Hazidan teaches.

13. Chapter 25: Friends in Low Places had a pretty big reveal about the Celestials plans and how they’ve been herding Cade this whole time. How did you feel about this twist?
I thought this was interesting and unexpected for sure. I imagined the Celestials to just be simply corrupted somehow, but now it seems like although there may be corruption of some sore, there might also be bigger plans going on that are leading to something *somewhat* better than how they are now. There's still a lot of mystery around the overall scheme that the Celestials seem to be planning though.

14. At this point I think we have the whole team together: Is one of them your favorite?
Although he isn't a prominent character yet, I liked Ardaeus' personality. He seems whimsical and kind of ridiculous, but I would love to see more of him!

Deanna wrote: "Hope everyone had a great weekend! It's been a bit hectic here. My younger DD graduated from college Saturday, and I spent a large part of yesterday afternoon helping her pack what she wants to sto..."

That sounds hectic, indeed!! Will you be an empty-nester now?? I bet that's a bittersweet feeling if so!!

Day 2 DQs
Ch 9 to 18

6.) Did Galass turning into a blood mage and Fidick being the cause of Lucian's death (I assume that's what the black cloud that left the tent did) surprise you? Or were you expecting their bit in the story to be over and just a footnote about Cade's character?
I really wasn't certain what would happen with Galass and Fidick, but I did have a niggling in the back of my mind when we weren't sure who sent the shadow to kill Lucien, and I wondered if those two may have gotten into something after Cade left them alone. I wasn't expecting Fidick to be dead though and for Galass to have changed so drastically into a blood mage.

7.) We learn about more magic types and there's pretty much any type of magic you can dream up. What type of magic you like to have or what animal would you like an affinity with?
The amount of different magical abilties is pretty overwhelming to me. The affinity with animals kind of creeps me out at this point in the story, so I would probably want something more to do with some kind of elemental magic - maybe with water? I really don't know!! Nothing seems that exciting to have for magic in Cade's world that is so dark right now!

8.) Is anyone else's favorite character Mr. Bones? Just me? mkay.
I for sure could use some more Mr. Bones content.

9.) At this point I think it's clear Cade is a fallen Glorian of some sort, likely a Justicar. Do others agree with my guess here or do you have other thoughts?
I haven't really given a lot of thought to his past yet, but this is a good take. I'm interested to know more about his history and why he is how he is.

10.) Assuming my guess in Q9 is right, why do you think Cade got the heave ho from the Glorians?
If that's the case, I imagine there is some corruption going on that he wants to help combat?

I'm interested in the supply drop twist, too. I was trying to read the rules for it while I was working though and couldn't follow it super well lol. which is similar to how I'm feeling reading the BOM, too. I've loved the Greatcoats series by the same author so have been really looking forward to this new fantasy series from him, but I'm also struggling to really get into it yet. I like some of the banter with the characters, but it's definitely overshadowed right now by confusion and information overload for me.