Amanda’s Comments (group member since Mar 13, 2022)

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

Jade aka MrsTosh wrote: "It’s already on my shelf, not sure why it isn’t showing your side. It is tucked and marked on mine. Will try deleting it and re-adding"

You can ask Beth, I made a lot of mistakes checking last night lol I apparently needed sleep. Thank you for doing this :)

Jade, could you add Young Prince Phillip:His Turbulent Early Life to your shelf?

Thanks!

Beth wrote: "@Amanda, please add Caulky and A Stealthy Situation to your bookshelf. TYVM

@JadeAKAMrsTosh, please add The Secrets of Creswell Hall to your bookshelf. The Island Love Song doesn't have any resour..."

Done! It hasn’t been sticking unless I go to the big edit page so I’ll try to remember that from now on

Picnic in the Ruins by Todd Robert Petersen

A madcap caper across the RV-strewn vacation lands of southern Utah meets a meditation on mythology, authenticity, the ethics of preservation, and one nagging question: "who owns the past?"

Anthropologist Sophia Shepard is researching the impact of tourism on cultural sites in a remote national monument on the Utah-Arizona border when she unexpectedly crosses paths with two small-time criminals. The Ashdown brothers were hired to steal maps from a "collector" of Native American artifacts, but instead of delivering as promised, the brothers are out to strike it rich.

But their ineptitude has alerted the local sheriff to their presence--and forced their employer, a former lobbyist seeking lucrative monument land that may soon be open to energy exploration, to send a fixer to clean up their mess before it upsets her machinations. Sheriff Dalton, following the Ashdowns' trail, soon discovers he's not dealing with a simple burglary--and any hope the sheriff had for peace and quiet is long gone.

Reasons: Is it even a picnic if you don't have fruit?! (the answer is no)

That's my bad, I add links for Janine!

I'll fix my page count too

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 this coming (I feel like the OG story is pretty well known, even if you've never read it), but I'm a Suspicious Sally so I still thought others were 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 feel like it was done to add to the tension of the romance plotline more than anything. He seems very self sacrificing, so it made sense.

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've never seen one but would absolutely love to! My grocery order recently substituted a sprig of basil with a basil plant and my black thumb killed it within like a week LOL

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?
Honestly, I didn't understand the purpose at all and would've loved it to be left out. Based on what others have said, I guess it was a (forced) tie in to the original, but without having the original it makes even less sense.

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 don't really believe in talismans so I do not keep one with me.

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 think they help quite a bit! It's nice to see how he is interpreting things as well

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 meeting him in the poison garden is likely a red herring, otherwise it's very obvious. Honestly, to me Agnes seemed more shady, but maybe I'm just looking for there to be a big twist.

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?
This is the first that it truly felt like a curse more than human (or human/magic) intervention to me. Since it's always women, it feels like something that is pointed.

10. We have been given information about Jane and her origin? What do you think of this twist in the tale?
Very interesting! Like I said before I was hoping for a twist so I'm liking that it kept me on my toes.

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 have a strong opinion either way, especially since I've never read the original in this instance.

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 never actually read Jane Eyre, but have read some retellings and enjoyed them. It's also just a story that has become just part of general knowledge.

2. What about Retellings? Is it a genre you like/avoid?
I love retellings! A lot of older language is difficult for me, so I appreciate when retellings make it more palatable.

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 like the setting. I'm a fan of witchy stuff in general, and I think it always works well with Victorian as it gives it a more eerie feeling.

4. What are your first impressions of Jane and Rochester?
I like them both well enough so far. I haven't really seen enough to form strong opinions and since I haven't read the source material, I don't really have anything to compare.

5. What do you think about the occurrences in Thornfield? Are they really caused by supernatural elements or is it human action
I'm thinking both, likely someone else with witchy powers.

Caly ☯ Crazy Book Lady wrote: "I just finished and added it to the sheet including a mini reference for the food word "Fish"

I am now reading the BOM and I want to make sure I am doing it right..."

Unfortunately, the mini doesn't start until June 1, so any books for it can't be finished until then. Still great for resource points!

For BOM you have to answer 3 groups of questions, correct (wasn't sure if you thought 6 posts, but it's 3 posts total). And yes, you have until June 25th :)

MN Lisa wrote: "I'm trying to confirm what books i've added and which ones I may have missed, but I a can't see the hidden rows....."

They're hidden when they're moved to the main sheet so you can see them there :) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

You actually put it in the round one tab and then put the mini task number in the “mini column”. Otherwise it’ll mess up points!

@ Lisa, could you add Scout to your shelf? Thanks!

I felt like I was moving a little slow, but looking at the spreadsheet I'm right on track! I guess, as always, I just wish I had more reading time

Both of June's BOMs are up if anyone is interested! I've signed up for DQs for both.

In for DQs, District 12 :)

I'll sign up for DQs for District 12!

@Beth I've highlighted With Courage and Cloth because it says it's mpg picture books so we have to verify the wordcount (or the audio has to be 3+ hours but this one is not). Do you have a verified word count for it?

Caly ☯ Crazy Book Lady wrote: "Hi there,

I finished my book and I gave it a shot at adding it to the spreadsheet myself, so if someone can check please that I did it ri..."

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow looks great! The link is perfect how it is. If you wanted less info (like no author/GR), you could type out the title and then at the top of the spreadsheet click insert>link; and then paste in the link into the bottom box. But what you're doing is perfect.

For Bone Horses, we just have hidden the lines that have already been moved to the official spreadsheet :)

I just finished and I think I'm the only one here who felt quite blah about the whole thing. I see people complaining about the narrator, and I did listen to the book so thought that was why, but I listened to the edition narrated by Tatiana Maslany and that doesn't seem to be who people complain about lol. I felt zero attachment to any of the characters. I did enjoy the worldbuilding, and like others I think there's a lot to extrapolate regarding the world we live in and how the Capitol treats the people. I'm still going to pick up book 2 and hopefully I can just connect to the characters a tiny bit more. Maybe I'll read instead of audio

Laura wrote: "Don’t worry. As long as we’re not 16 - 18, no one expects us to do anything!"

I knew being old would come in handy!