Nistha’s Comments (group member since Apr 16, 2023)

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

Ahh so we would have missed the food points had we protected it.. double-edged sword haha

I am still a bit confused about the protections - strategically we should protect the resources we are lower in or higher in? Given effectively we lose more points if a resource we are higher in is hit and the alternate is we forgo one resource.

Also, if there is a point increase and we have it protected then would the increase count i.e. if we had food protected then would we still get the increase?

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 haven't read the OG so this read like a standalone to me, wouldn't have realized it it was a retelling otherwise

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...

No, found him shady always, just a typical fool.

I wouldn't want to bring anyone back as there will always be consequences. But of there were none, offcourse my grandparents

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?

Was it just me or the whole affair seemed quite easy? It was supposed to be happy ending and it ended that way in an average manner

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?

Umm, I won't rule it out as this was an okay read for me.

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

The setting was good

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 believe in them but I keep a protective locket which my parents had me wear from birth.


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 dont find them too distracting - little bit unnecessary yes to randomly pop up, but I don't mind reading his pov

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?

He does seem suspicious from start. I am onto him and Agnes

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?

There is something fishy for sure

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

I don't know it was a bit weird

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?

Makes sense for a retelling - for fans to have some connection with the characters and less foreign

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 haven't read Jane Eyre so I am going to go into this blind standalone. Imagine, when I read Jane Eyre, it would feel like a retelling of Salt and Broom haha

2. What about Retellings? Is it a genre you like/avoid?

I like retellings. They modernise a concept and make it more relevant to the current world or a particular concept.

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 think it is an interesting setting. The book is paranormal so this kind of setting plays in well. I also like to see better views of our world so why not

4. What are your first impressions of Jane and Rochester?

Haven't picked up much about their personalities initially. I would love to see more of enemy to lover

5. What do you think about the occurences in Thornfield? Are they really caused by supernatural elements or is it human action?

I feel its some supernatural element but maybe a common character is involved? With the tree, there definitely feels something paranormal.

I am reading for the BoM which is needed for a Mini as well - should be done before deadline


Edit: Done now for round 1!

Fiona wrote: "We sent 2 and I’ll send another one within the next hour 😊"

Ahh that's great! There are so many mini-embedded-challenges in book games, I keep forgetting but I am also loving it hahah

Btw, have we sent any books for the supply drop? Conscious we received 2 from them already right

This sounds great to me!

What should we do about the supply drop? I almost forgot about it.. Any interesting books we can send?

Edit:

I saw quite a lot of books that can work for a lot of prompts (probs just need to check for the mini as well - offcourse where we are not lagging)

Christina, Judy, so sorry about that! I am in the same boat work-wise, getting so little sleep is draining me. And I have a feeling things won't be good for me this month at work, so just doing some breathing sessions in.

Currently, focusing on one book and one audiobook to finish.

Woo! Top position! Great job everyone 🥳🥳

Judy wrote: "Nistha and Anna, can you please add The Hunger Games to your shelf?

Gwen, can you please make sure these are on your shelf/have a read date:

The Temporary Wife
An Ugly Love
Bad Boss
The Prince"

Done!

Question: I am planning to read Dating Dr. Dil and it has the word Harvest in form of someone's name, does that work?

"Kareena thanked the driver, and within seconds of approaching the front door of Harvest Grill, someone called her name."

Judy wrote: "Nistha wrote: "I was planning to read Malevolent Seven but thinking about doing Salt and Broom now.. I was contemplating between BoM or mini but I think BoM gives us more points"

Yep, BOM is worth..."

Actually Salt & Broom does have the word harvest in it!

Judy wrote: "Fiona wrote: "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"

Tha..."

I was planning to read Malevolent Seven but thinking about doing Salt and Broom now.. I was contemplating between BoM or mini but I think BoM gives us more points

Fiona wrote: "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"

The timing with the mini is hilariously perfect!

Judy wrote: "Nistha wrote: "I have Circe which I can potentially read for Crete (have been putting off for a while)."

Unfortunately, Circe is actually only set on Crete for a very short time and won't work for..."

Oh damn! Just when I thought I would pick it up haha

I have Circe which I can potentially read for Crete (have been putting off for a while).

ilovebakedgoods (Teresa) wrote: "Haha, Nistha - I was just thinking that last night as I was finding books that fit a lot of the mini tasks. I was setting up my posts on the spreadsheet and searching books for words inside the tex..."

Literally me right now haha!