Top Ten: Jane Austen Books I Want to Read

Happy 250th Birthday Jane Austen!

 Here are 10 retellings that I want to read:

Time travel back to Jane Austen's time - adult

YA Pride and Prejudice: with Georgiana Darcy

YA retelling of Sense and Sensibility 

Modern Adult Pride and Prejudice

YA retelling of Pride and Prejudice 

Modern Adult Persuasion 

Modern Emma retelling  

Historical mystery with Pride and Prejudice 

Nonfiction: celebrating her life

Authors who influenced Jane Austen

Places in Jane Austen's world

A bit older, but a travel guide to Jane Austen's England. 

Have you read any of these? Do you have other suggestions for me?

Jane Austen: My Favorite Book Retellings

 This is going to be tricky as I'm going to attempt to share my top 10 (only) Jane Austen adaptations. I've read so many and I adore so many.

Probably the first one I read - too funny. I read the British version

Probably the first novel I read from Mr. Darcy's POV - this is the first of trilogy.

I adored this idea and have since read several:

Including these two by the same author:

A regency Romance's adaptation that kicks off a four book series 

A modern YA P&P with Spies

A YA P&P historical Mystery - the start of a series

A modern YA P&P adaptation

This is the 3rd book in the Jane Austen adaptations - Sense and Sensibility 

a modern YA Pride and Prejudice with baking

An adult modern P & P tale about a champagne store

A modern adult Persuasion (book 3 in a companion series)

I'm probably forgetting several favorites!  Clearly, I have a softer spot for Pride and Prejudice retellings. 

Review: Beth is Dead

 

The March sisters are semi-famous after their father writes a novel based on their lives. Nothing is ever the same after that. In the novel, Beth dies. Everyone's shocked when Beth's body is found in the woods after a party. 

All three of her sisters have motive and opportunity. And they all have secrets. What really happened that night?

My Thoughts: I confess I was skeptical at first. Did I really want to read about Beth's murder. Yes, Yes I did. I loved this book. I didn't want it to end, but I also couldn't read the pages fast enough. In true sisterly fashion, the March sisters turned on each other. Everyone had secrets; no one wanted to be the sister their father immortalized. Each dealt with the fame in their own way. To be honest, they were all horrible people - but that's what makes them so entertaining. 

Cover Thoughts: Interesting

Source: ARC sent for review

Publication Date: January 2026

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your YA thriller collection.

Hand this one to: People who love thrillers or Little Women

Put this book on your Radar now, you won't regret it! 

Blog Tour: Milady

She was the greatest nemesis of d'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers--but Milady de Winter was so much more than just a villain in their swashbuckling adventures.
I've gone by many names though you know me as Milady de Winter: Villainess, seductress, a secondary player in The Three Musketeers story.

But we all know history was written by men, and they so often get things wrong.

So before you cast judgment, let me tell you of how a girl from the countryside became the most feared woman in all of Europe. A target for antipathy, a name whispered in fear or loathing.

I don't need you to like me. I just need to be free.

It's finally time I tell my own story. The truth isn't tidy or convenient, but it's certainly more interesting. - Summary from the publisher

My Thoughts: Confession: I've never read The Three Musketeers and now I think I might have to. I like the idea of taking a villain and sharing his/her/their story. I enjoyed learning how Milady because skilled at seducing men, manipulating people, and her thought process. Sure she made terrible choices with terrible consequences, but the people around her served her terribly too. She's cunning and clever and not a damsel in distress. She's willing to take matters into her own hands and make the hard choices. A very interesting read.

Cover Thoughts: Gorgeous
Source: Book sent for review

Tween Tuesday Review: Shadows of Sherwood

After sneaking out one night to scavenge for mechanical parts, Robyn Loxley's returns home one night to find her parents missing and the house torn apart. Robyn's afraid they've been murdered.  She escapes into the woods, where's she's caught by the police.
After escaping jail, Robyn teams up with two unlikely friends. She learns the Governor staged a coup, getting rid of his opponents, including Robyn's parents.

Robyn soon realizes that her parents have prepared her for this event, with a list of clues. Desperately she tries to interpret the clues while staying hidden. She learns of the injustices of Sherwood and works to help out those less fortunate.

That only gets her into further trouble with the Governor and his crew. Can she stay one step ahead of him and work towards her goals?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this book, but I didn't love it as much as I wanted to. It took me a while to get into the book. I liked the action and the danger and the social justice. I liked Robyn understanding more about Sherwood and the people in the city. I really liked Laurel and how she brought out a softer side to Robyn.  I really liked Scarlet too - she had serious skills.

I liked that Robyn was a biracial female - that changed up the retelling a bit.

I wasn't crazy about the Moon Lore - maybe that's because I didn't fully grasp how it tied into the book. It felt a little out of place for me. 

I wasn't crazy about Robyn not sharing all her information with her friends either. 

Still, I'm eager see what happens next...

Cover Thoughts: Love the action
Source: My Library

Top Ten Tuesday: Fairy Tale Retellings

This week's topic is favorite fairy tale re-tellings. It's clear in looking at this list, that I have some books to read.

- meme from The Broke and the Bookish

Review: Epic Fail

Elise's mother just took a job at a prep school in LA. It's a school full of celebrity offspring. Elise's nervous about fitting in.

Her beautiful sister Juliana has no problem. In fact, by lunch on the first day, she's managed to snag Chase's attention. Chase is adorable and sweet. Unfortunately for Elise, he's also the best friend of Derek Edwards.

Derek is the son of Hollywood royalty. He hates talking about his family or their connections. He also doesn't seem to like Elise.

Elise doesn't understand Derek. One minute they're having a great time at a party and the next he's throwing out a boy who starts talking to her. Elise connects with Webster. She can't figure out why Derek loathes him.

Will Elise choose the wrong boy?

My Thoughts: I'm SUCH a sucker for Jane Austen re-telling, especially teen one. I loved how similar it is to Pride and Prejudice. The parents were strict - the mother the school Principle and therefore embarrassing. I loved how Derek was the son of very famous actors.Using Hollywood for the setting was awesome. There were the crazy celebrity stalker girls (Layla - the Lydia character) included. I loved that Chelsea (the Caroline character) had a best friend who was more along the lines of a frenemy. I adored the relationship between Elise and Juliana. I found Layla both annoying and amusing. All in all, a great re-telling that I read in one afternoon because I didn't want to put it down.

Cover Thoughts: It's cute, but doesn't seem to jive with the story

Source: My Library

Similar Read: Prom and Prejudice