Author Houses I've Visited

I've gone to a number of Author Houses:

Chawton - Jane Austen

The Mount - Edith Wharton

Orchard House - Lousia May Alcott 

Green Gables: the home that inspired Anne's books form L.M. Montgomery

Mark Twain 

Stephen King - this was more of tour of Bangor than the inside of his house. But it was fascinating! 

Many of these were before social media, so there are no posts.

Come back next week for houses I want to visit.

Romance Review: The Earl That Got Away

* Book 2 in the Sirens in Silk books *

Naila has regretted calling off her engagement. She never imaged that she would see him again. But he turns up at her sister's wedding. Her sister is marrying a member of the English peers, as an American. In the time apart, Basil has changed.

He's inherited an Earlship. He's still White, which was a problem with her family. He's still a bachelor, and one of the most eligible bachelors. He's still bitter about Naila's rejection.

They are pushed together more and more during the wedding celebrations. Could there be lingering feelings on both sides?

My Thoughts: I mistakenly read this one first. The first one is an enemies to lovers trope. This one is a Persuasion retelling - a second chance romance. I really loved this book; I tore through it. I'm a sucker for Jane Austen retellings. I love how these were connected (with sisters as the main characters). I love that Naila was interested in architecture and wanted to save the English ancestorial homes and how she worked to accomplish her mission. I need to go back and read the first book and I hope there are more books coming soon.

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your public romance collection

Favorite Line: Austen Affair

Recently, I finished The Austen Affair and it was charming, funny, and sweet. I loved the nods to Jane Austen's work.

Here's my favorite line of the book:

 

In the Footsteps of Jane Austen

I spent a semester in Bath England, during which I got to see some amazing sights:

In Bath: 

1. The Assembly Rooms where Jane Austen danced (top right) and the fashion museum

2. The Pump Room where people would go to "drink" the water and be seen

3. The streets where she would walk and shop

4. The Roman Baths

5. The Jane Austen Museum

6. The Royal Crescent and the Circus 

7. Bath Abbey 

8. Sally Lunn's Buns

I wasn't as adventurous as I should have been and I'm hoping to travel back there soon.

There was also an outbreak of foot and mouth while I was there, so some places were off limits. 

Chawton Cottage (bottom left)

I saw the famous small desk and chair where she wrote

2. The Gardens (middle right)

Winchester:

The outside of the house where she died (see pictured above bottom right). It's a private home.

The Cathedral where she's buried and where there's a floor slab dedicated to her

First Edition:

The middle picture happened a few years later, that's a first edition of Pride and Prejudice. 

Places to see before I die:

Chatsworth 

Lyme-Regis and that staircase

The Peak District 

Steventon 

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?

Children's Biographies of Jane Austen

 A round-up of Children's biographies of Jane Austen:

Picture book biography - I loved it. 

I love the art on the cover, and the illustrations are just as charming.

She certainly did take the ordinary and turn it into something extraordinary. 

Although: This one says that she was not famous when she died, which is not true.

Loved this one - it talks a lot about what was "proper" behavior for young ladies at the time. Jane was clearly not proper. This one goes from her childhood to her death - it's quite informative. It does mention that she was famous.

I liked this one; it showcases that times were hard for the Austen family. It's very blunt about Bath, death, and poverty. This book does make good on it's promise of Jane Austen discovering her voice.

A biography for older kids - I really liked this but I didn't love it. 

I always thought I would love to write a Jane Austen biography. 

Do you think there's room for more?

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. 

TikTok: Jane Austen's Emma

Just reading two books based on Emma... 

@yabooknerdlibrarian I was reading two Jane Austen inspired books 📚 #Emma #booktok #clueless #janeausten ♬ original sound - Jennifer @YA Book Nerd 📚📚📚

Review: Booked

 

* This is three novellas that are connected by the Museum of Literature * 

Royal Valentine

A Pride and Prejudice story - with some nice moments in England - with some Jane Austen artifacts. 

The Attraction Distraction
An Indiana Jones story set on a Greek Island - second chance romance

It Happened One Christmas Eve

A runaway bride situation turns into a road trip story.

All of these stories were super cute! It was the perfect vacation read. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Authors

 This week's topic is authors I would love a new book from.

I don't have 10, just the big three:

Jane Austen

Louisa May Alcott

LM Montgomery 

Wouldn't it be amazing to have a new book discovered by these authors? 

A World of Jane Austen

 I'm stated before that I'm a big Jane Austen fan. 

There are lots of times I've talked about her on the blog. And I read lots of adaptations. 

So when I saw this puzzle, it was love at first sight. I had to wait a few years to complete it because of Knightley (Jane again)

When he was young, he would chew up puzzle pieces. I didn't want him to chew these. Finally, he's old enough.

So here it is in all it's glory. I love it's the world of Jane Austen - it's like taking a tour of all her novels.

@yabooknerdlibrarian A quick tour of the World of Jane Austen puzzle. Jane Austen is a hero of mine! #janeausten #puzzles #booktok #puzzletok ♬ original sound - Jennifer @YA Book Nerd 📚📚📚

Review: Finding Her Edge

 

Adriana Russo is figure skating royalty.

With gold-medalist parents, and her older sister headed to the Olympics, all she wants is to live up to the family name and stand atop the ice dance podium at the Junior World Championships. But fame doesn’t always mean fortune, and their legendary skating rink is struggling under the weight of her dad’s lavish lifestyle. The only thing keeping it afloat is a deal to host the rest of the Junior Worlds team before they leave for France.

That means training on the same ice as her first crush, Freddie, the partner she left when her growth spurt outpaced his. For the past two years, he’s barely acknowledged her existence, and she can’t even blame him for it.

When the family’s finances take another unexpected hit, losing the rink seems inevitable until her partner, Brayden, suggests they let the world believe what many have suspected: that their intense chemistry isn’t contained to the ice. Fans and sponsors alike take the bait, but keeping up the charade is harder than she ever imagined. And training alongside Freddie makes it worse, especially when pretending with Brayden starts to feel very real.

As the biggest competition of her life draws closer and her family’s legacy hangs in the balance, Adriana is caught between her past and present, between the golden future she’s worked so hard for, and the one she gave up long ago. - summary from the publisher

My Thoughts: OK, it's hard to talk about this one. Because I loved it so much. I'm a big fan of figure skating but I confess, I don't know much about ice dancing. This book made me want to learn more about it! I loved the Adrianna. I loved how this was a Persuasion re-telling (and it was SO good!). I loved the angst between all the partners. I loved the love triangle (which is not something I say often). I really liked how Adriana came from a family of skaters, but how she made her own mark on the sport. I like how she held everything and everyone together. Such a great book, I didn't want it to end. I can't wait to see what Jennifer Iacopelli writes next! She's quickly become a favorite author of mine. 

Cover Thoughts: Adorable 

Source: My library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your school and public libraries. 

Ice Skating Books: Check out this list

Review: Pride and Premeditation

 

There's nothing Lizzie desires more than to become a barrister in her father's law office. He's not sure that hiring her is the right move. It doesn't matter that she can do the work (and better than some of his current employees). He's not sure because of the optics. But maybe if Lizzie proves herself, he will allow it.

When Lizzie hears the news, she's not thrilled, but determined to make a good impression. When gossip reaches her ear about a gentleman accused of murder, she pretends to be his sister to gain access to him in prison. She hears his story. Charles Bingley, however, already has a barrister. 

But Mr. Darcy isn't interested in discovering the truth about the murder - he's more interested in keeping his client and friend out of jail. Lizzie wants to uncover the truth about that night, but in poking her nose into other people's lives, she places a target on her back.

My Thoughts: A Pride and Prejudice murder mystery? Sold! I really loved this book and I'm so happy there are two more coming in the series. I'm a sucker for a good Jane Austen adaptation and this one is really unique. I love the barrister angle. I love how Lizzie meets Bingley, Darcy, and the Bingley sisters. Charlotte is great and thoughtful. I loved the banter between Darcy and Lizzie. I loved Lizzie's ambitions, her moments with her sisters, and the way her mind works. I can't wait for book 2 (out next April). 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My library

Library Recommendation: A great historical mystery for your school and public library.

Book List: Jane Austen Inspired YA

If you've been reading the blog the past few days, you know that I've been talking about my love for Jane Austen inspired books.

We talked about historical and modern. 

And of course I couldn't NOT talk about YA books.

Here are a few favorites - but there are others out there!

Book List:

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

Heartstone by Elle Katharine White

A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yeb

Jane Austen Goes to Hollywood by Abby McDonald

Pride by Ibi Zoboi

Pride and Premonition by Tirzah Price

Not Pictured:

Epic Fail by Claire Lazebnik

Sass and Serendipity by Jennifer Ziegler 

The Next Great Jane by K.L. Going (Middle Grade)

The Season by Sarah MacLean

Dangerous Alliance by Jennifer Cohen

Interference by Kay Honeyman

I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend by Cora Harrison

The Season by Jonah Lisa Dyer 

Do you love Jane Austen as much as I do, what else would you recommend to read?

 

Book List: Jane Austen Modern Fiction

Yesterday I talked about historical fiction inspired Jane Austen. But of course, I love the modern adaptations too and I didn't want to leave those out.

So...

Here is another booklist:

Writing Jane Austen by Elizabeth Aston

A Weekend with Mr. Darcy by Victoria Connelly (I accidentally read book 2 first)

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev (Recipe for Persuasion is the 2nd book and equally charming)

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding (maybe my first fanfiction)

Austenland by Shannon Hale

The Dashwood Sisters Tell All by Beth Pattillo (Currently checked out from the library)

What else would you add to this list?

Come back tomorrow for a look at YA Jane Austen books!

 

Book List: Jane Austen Inspired Historical Fiction

 

To those who have been reading this blog, you all know I'm a HUGE fan of Jane Austen - particularly the book Pride and Prejudice.

Yesterday, I talked about a new cozy I enjoyed - Murder Most Pemberley and it got me thinking about other Jane Austen Inspired books.

So I decided to make a booklist:

Jane Austen's First Love by Syrie James

Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron

Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange

An Assembly Such as This by Pamela Aidan

Lady Bridget's Diary by Maya Rodale

Not Pictured: 

Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner

I wished this one was more historical, because now I want that story.

Mr. Knightley's Diary by Amanda Grange 

This made me admire Knightley more.

Mr. Darcy's Little Sister by C. Allyn Pierson

I always want to read more about Georgiana. 

Stay tuned tomorrow for a modern booklist!

Cozy Review: Murder Most Pemberley

 

Eliza's traveling across the pond for the Darcy/Bennet family reunion. She's never met this side of the family given her father's estrangement. She's impressed by the family home - but not by all the family. Her aunt seems to be a very cold fish and not interested in Eliza at all. Her uncle, however, is a sweetheart. 

Eliza's trying to keep all the names sorted when she overhears an argument. In the middle of the night, a scream wakes her up. A man has been murdered and left in the fountain. 

An official from Scotland Yard arrives on the scenes, asking lots of questions. Elia can't help but wonder which of her new found family members is responsible for the murder. And the conversation she overheard takes on a whole new meaning. 

Could it be connected to the family secret her father refuses to tell her? 

My Thoughts: First in a new series, this book is great for your Jane Austen fans. I enjoyed getting to know the Darcy/Bennet family - especially Aunt Iris. Pemberley seemed amazing. I loved the secret passage ways and the library. I enjoyed the diary entries from the first Elizabeth Darcy - it was a neat way to connect the two books. I liked the mystery but I confess I got lost in all the characters and had a hard time keeping them straight. Also wasn't convinced that Heath was sincere in his feelings. References to other Austen works and Agatha Christie novels are included. It's fun to spot those Easter Eggs. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: ARC sent for review