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

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

Completion Post

Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda
Pages: 264

Mini: Author born in Ecuador

Characters
Fernanda
Annelise
Clara
Juli
Belén
Claudia

Completion Post

Dark Notes by Pam Godwin
Pages: 493

Characters
Emeric Marceaux
Ivory Westbrook

Completion Post

The Teacher by Freida McFadden
Date: 16 July
Pages: 379
Rating: 4 stars

Characters
Eve Bennett
Nate
Addie Severson
Kenzie Montgomery.

Boulder by Eva Baltasar
105 pages
Rating 4 stars

Mini 3 - author born Spain

I added Bury our Bones to my TBR. Character driven plots + VE Schwab's writing sounds amazing. I don't really mind slow burn. I know some people also felt the same with The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue but that book was absolutely gorgeous for me

Eldarwen wrote: "Big books are good, too! They bring a fair amount of points so there's always that, even if you don't reach your cap - I personally never do. I generally read the number I sign up with but I've bee..."

Yeah true and to be honest these challenges motivate me to pick them up haha.

I have Quicksilver, Fourth Wing and its part 2, These Violent Delights, Clockwork Princess

Completion Post

The Unworthy by Agustina Bazterrica
Pages: 192
Date read: 15 July

Mini 1 - author born Argentina

Rating 4 stars - I quite enjoyed it

Thanks for the update! Thats great progress.. As the Month 2 is already ending :/ I will try to focus on shorter books that work for minis to get to close to my max instead of focusing on the bigger reads. I have issued some heavy fantasies from the library haha but that might need to wait a few days

Honor by Thrity Umrigar
333 pgs
13 july

Mini 3: Author born India

Characters
Smita Agarwal
Mohan
Meena
Zarine

Eldarwen wrote: "Oh, and by the way?

The cheese is obviously completed :-))"

Haha obviously!

Eldarwen wrote: "Nistha wrote: "Completion Post

The Good Cripple by Rodrigo Rey Rosa
Pages: 144
Date read: 11 July"


Can you add this to your TT shelf, please?

Thanks :-)"

Done :)

Completion Post

The Good Cripple by Rodrigo Rey Rosa
Pages: 144
Date read: 11 July

Mini 1 - author born Guatemala

Characters
Juan Luis Luna
Bunny

Completion Post



Book: The Will of the Many by James Islington
Date Read: 10 July 2025
Pages: 866 pages
Rating: 5 stars

Mini 3
I - ALN

Characters
Vis Telimus
Ulciscor Telimus
Lanistia Scipio:
Sedotia
Relucia Telimus
Veridius Julii
Callidus Ericius
Eidhin Breac
Aequa Claudius
Emissa Corenius

Completion Post

Book: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
Date: 10/July/25
Pages: 336

Mini 3: WW276
Characters live in NYC - a busy bustling place

Characters
Clementine West
James Iwan Ashton
Vera
Lily
Analea

The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
Pages 307
Date read: 9 jul (Rating: 3 stars - I felt it was ordinary)

BoM links in SS

N - character: Norma
J - character: Joe
M - character: Mae
B - character: Ben
E - character: Mr. Ellis
F - character: Frankie
L - character: Leah
C - character: Cora

Day 5
14-18

20. Well, I think we all knew that we were going to end up with Norma turning out to really be the lost girl and her being reunited with her biological family. Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share on that reunion? Or a comparison you'd like to venture between what we know of both of Norma's families?

It was a good reunion and the reactions felt genuine. So glad Joe got to meet her. It was a contrast to see what she had with her family which was dull and closed off to more of a bigger family with laughter even if they were financially not that well off

21. Aunt June stays true to her word. She promised to help find Norma's real family and she managed to find the article that would bring this family reunion about. Do you think the conflict between the two women was well handled? From the moment Norma gave in to her anger and yelled at June to the moment where June told her that going to meet her family was not something for her to intrude upon.

It was given adequate time. Aunt June was very close to her so it was natural for Norma to feel betrayed. Eventually the do belong to each other

23. All in all, were you satisfied with the book? The story - did you enjoy following along Norma's and Joe's lives? The writing - did you enjoy the way the words flowed over the page, painting a world and its landscapes without however overusing words? Or maybe that's just my opinion - that it flowed nicely and pulled the reader along like a boat gently rocking on water.

To be honest, I felt the book was ordinary. The writing also was nothing too great. The story was told fine but movies like Lion etc have executed this plot much better

24. Would you read another book by this author? Do you maybe have recommendations for Native American literature that you'd like to share with the group?

I might give it a try. I had read Looking for Smoke which I recall being a different kind of thriller

DQ Day 4 Chp. 11-13

16. While Joe has pretty much run away from home life, He gets a job and buys a truck. He runs into a woman who didn't feel necessary to give her name. Do you think this is Norma (Ruthie)? Do you think Joe would recognize her if it was?

No, it did not feel like Norma or Ruthie as Norma's story is running in parallel. This was a random woman to me who he could find some peace with


17. Joe is gone over 8 years when he finds out he has a kid. Did you think he would actually go home to be with his family? Why do you think he can't/won't?

Eventually yes we can see his mind shifting - but he does like to abandon as well



18. When Norma misses that her mother is getting older and forgetful, did you judge her for not moving in and taking care of her mother?

Not at all - it was getting hard and one cannot always leave their life

19. Was you losing faith that Norma would find out the truth before the end of the book? How did you think she would find out? Was hearing the truth from her Aunt a surprise?

No, I thought the point of the book is for her to findout and a union. I also was expecting she will know once her mother dies and her Aunt can tell the truth. Her Aunt seem to have held back because of her mom

DQ Day 1

1. What expectations do you have for the book based on the blurb or other description of the book?
I haven't heard of the author and the description seems interesting so moderate hopes

2. How reliable do you the think the 2 narrators are?
I think they should be reliable - they shouldn't be lying intentionally

3. Chapter 1 opens with " The day Ruthie went missing the black flies seemed to be especially hungry...Indians made such good berry pickers...something sour in our blood kept the black flies away". How does this establish Joe's view of the relationship that exists between the whites and the Mi'kmaq?
Its something misunderstood


4. How much is Norma dreaming vs remembering? What do you think the dreams foreshadow?
I think its all a part of memory which she is being brainwashed to think that she is dreaming. To me it is more past than foreshadow


5. How do you explain Lenore's paranoia about Norma being out alone? How do you account for the incongruity of her insistence that Norma likes to play with baby dolls when she sees Norma choosing other playthings?
It must be something connected to how they found Norma and that explains her paranoia. She doesnt want to clearly let Norma out of her site - downright a bit hysterical


6. Why did Joe act so clingy when he returned from his first "guide" with his dad?
He saw the real world for the first time

Completion Post


Flawless by Elsie Silver
Pages 424
Date read: 6-July
Rating 4 stars for the giddy romance

Mini 3
WW11 AFN E

Characters
Rhett Eaton
Summer Hamilton
Winter
Theo Silva

Keely wrote: "Hey all! I am now a married woman!! Just thought I'd drop a quick message while waiting before we head back to the airport. There's been a few ups and downs. Mostly me struggling with engery or pat..."

Congrats Keely! New chapter of life <3