Your online source for Jane Austen and her legacy
From the desk of Sophia Rose:
‘Murder’ and ‘Wickham’ in the same title makes any Jane Austen lover worth their salt sit up and take notice. Now, add that with an author name long associated with young adult sci-fi and fantasy, and that makes Claudia Gray’s The Murder of Mr. Wickham well-nigh irresistible.
The Murder of Mr. Wickham is both a historical mystery and pays homage as a sequel to not one, but all Continue reading “The Murder of Mr. Wickham, by Claudia Gray — A Review”
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:
Happy New Year’s Eve dear readers!
2021 proved to be a fabulous year in the historical book arena. From creative Austenesque variations, to Regency romances upending tropes, to reimagined gender-switched classics, to compelling historical fiction and mystery, we have been duly entertained and enchanted. A big thank you goes out to all of the authors and their publishers for keeping us supplied with so many stories to binge during these challenging times. Continue reading “Austenprose’s Best Austenesque & Historical Novels of 2021”
From the desk of Sophia Rose:
At the end of Jane Austen’s Sense & Sensibility after the last vestiges of the book’s main conflicts, the reader is met with a less than meticulous summation that closes out the book. For those who fell in love with the Dashwood family and their friends—even those who are not their friends—there is a feeling of dissatisfaction about the wrap-up. The Year In Between, by Christina Morland fills in that gap by continuing the story before Austen jumps forward to the marriage of Marianne and Col. Brandon, offering an in-depth and layered exploration of that time. We shall see if it quells our curiosity. Continue reading “The Year in Between: A Sense and Sensibility Variation, by Christina Morland — A Review”
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:
Happy Friday dear readers. I have a new Austenesque novel to share with you today that gladdens my heart by just reading the title. Yes, a Jane Austen-inspired novel based on Sense and Sensibility. They are as rare as hen’s teeth and as welcome as tulips in the Spring.
The Year in Between has so much going for it without even opening the cover. Its author is Christina Morland, one of the most astute and sensitive writers of my reading acquaintance, it continues the story of Marianne and Elinor Dashwood after the end of the original novel, and it is a whopping 715 pages! Continue reading “A Preview & Exclusive Excerpt of The Year in Between: A Sense and Sensibility Variation, by Christina Morland”
From the desk of Sophia Rose:
Some might quote that old chestnut about ‘when life tosses you lemons…’ to those who are going through life’s trials, but in the cutthroat world of DC politics in this exciting new release, one learns the only thing to do with lemons is cut them up and put them in a cocktail while saluting backstabbing one-time friends. Lauren Edmondson chose to retell a classic and portray three women going through the refining fires of grief, loss, and political scandal. While The Ladies of the House stays true to the heart of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility it also accurately portrayed life in America’s capital and politics that will resonate with many. Continue reading “Ladies of the House: A Modern Retelling of Sense and Sensibility, by Lauren Edmondson — A Review”
From the desk of Laurel Ann Nattress:
Like touring Pemberley, discovering great new books is a hard business. I am a passionate subscriber to Publisher’s Marketplace for the latest book deals. I troll through publisher’s catalogs, scour Amazon for Indie books, and follow way too many authors newsletters than is humanly possible to read all in pursuit of the next great read to share with you all.
Lately, the new book landscape has been resplendent with authors eager to grab my attention with gorgeous covers, intriguing descriptions, and…the always fateful Jane Austen connection. My latest find in Continue reading “A Preview & Exclusive Excerpt of Ladies of the House: A Modern Retelling of Sense and Sensibility, by Lauren Edmondson”
From the desk of Sophia Rose:
For several years beguiling authoress Alexa Adams has enjoyed warping our comfortable and familiar Jane Austen stories into quick, deliciously revolting variations that readers can experience with a tingling sort of shock at the new outcome. Her cold, conniving Jane Bennet, in Jane and Bingley: Something Slightly Unsettling (2013), to a pitiable Mrs. Norris in Becoming Mrs. Norris (2014), left me properly aghast as the hair on my arms stood on end. For her latest Twisted Austen effort, The Ladies of Norland, she revisits the Dashwood family in Sense and Sensibility to give us an alarming ‘what if’. Continue reading “The Ladies of Norland: Twisted Austen (Book 6), by Alexa Adams — A Review”
From the desk of Katie Jackson:
Dear readers, we are living in a golden age, filled to brimming with a wealth of Jane Austen-inspired tales that creatively explore the endless possibilities of her beloved characters. We are rich, indeed, my friends, and A Very Austen Romance: Austen Anthologies Book 3 is a fine addition to our Austenesque universe. Comprised of six novellas crafted by skilled authors, we are treated to a wide variety of alternatives.
“The King of Hearts” by Robin Helm is a Pride and Prejudice continuation centered on the oft-ignored Kitty Bennet. At the age of 20, she is Elizabeth Darcy’s only unmarried sister. “I am very nearly on the shelf. She sighed. I must be extremely unattractive. Or foolish. Or dull.” (134) As the guest of honor at a ball hosted by the Darcys in London, Kitty soon has suitors sprouting from the woodwork while some surprising intrigue simmers in the background. Continue reading “A Very Austen Romance: Austen Anthologies (Book 3), by Robin Helm, Laura Hile, Wendi Sotis, Barbara Cornthwaite, Chautona Havig, Mandy H. Cook — A Review”
From the desk of Christina Boyd:
In this wild, wild west of the new publishing world, we are seeing more books being published and through many different avenues. No longer are traditional publishers the only way to get a book into the hands of readers as there are smaller independent presses, hybrid publishers and many self-publishing resources. In the past, I have been an unabashed on-line Jane Austen fan fiction reader. During the height of my online Jane Austen fan fiction (JAFF) addiction, I might have followed anywhere from 10 to 15 works-in-progress (WIPs) at various on-line sites. Anything from continuations (a story that continues after the original novel ends), the alternative universe (a story when the author deviates from the original canon and creates events to effect a different action) and even crossovers (a fanfiction integrating characters and places from another story source). But I must confess, as many of these on-line authors have taken their stories to the next step and even stepped away from posting their new works on-line, I too have transferred my reading of on-line fan fiction to my e-reader by purchasing the published works and even adding the bound books to my collection.
One rainy day in December, I found myself reading in my pajamas all day author Joana Starnes’ newly released “The Falmouth Connection”. I was instantly engaged by the unexpected, surprisingly smart, and Continue reading “The Second Chance: A Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility Variation, by Joana Starnes – A Review”
From the desk of Lisa Galek:
Margaret Dashwood is only rarely mentioned in Sense and Sensibility. She starts the story as a girl of thirteen who loses her father and her home and then sits back to watch her two older sisters fall in love and get married. But, what kind of adventures did Margaret have after Jane Austen’s classic was done? In Margaret Dashwood’s Diary, Anna Elliott explores the life and loves of the youngest Dashwood sister.
As the title indicates, this novel takes the form of a diary and we begin with a brand new entry. See, Margaret has just burned her old journal after breaking off an engagement to a very eligible and rich young bachelor. She means to start fresh and has gone to stay with her sister, Marianne Brandon, at Delaford House for a change of scenery. Continue reading “Margaret Dashwood’s Diary: Sense and Sensibility Mysteries, Book One, by Anna Elliott – A Review”
From the desk of Katie Patchell:
Many books have been written to continue the stories of the characters that Jane Austen created, including sequels, prequels, continuations, and diaries. Most of these books have been written about the most popular of her novels, Pride and Prejudice while ignoring some of her other different, but equally well-written and beautiful novels–Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Emma, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion. Now for the first time, all six of Jane Austen’s books have been re-imagined and set in the 21st century. The Austen Project has started their new series with an update of Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope—a version filled with unique problems and surprises from today’s world, while still holding true to some of the qualities in Jane Austen’s original novel that makes Sense and Sensibility a timeless tale of sisterhood and second chances. Continue reading “Sense and Sensibility: The Austen Project, by Joanna Trollope – A Review”
Review by Jeffrey Ward
From Jack Caldwell, the author who brought us Pemberley Ranch, comes a 3-alarm war-time romance: The Three Colonels, Jane Austen’s Fighting Men. An amalgamation of two separate novels is often labeled a “mish-mash” but Mr. Caldwell’s unique melding of the principals from Pride and Prejudice with those from Sense and Sensibility deserves a much classier description.
Two of the three military heroes emerge straight from Jane Austen: Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam and Colonel Christopher Brandon. The third, Colonel Sir John Buford, has been conjured up from the author’s fertile imagination. One is married; (Brandon) one gets married; (Buford) One wants marriage. (Fitzwilliam) Continue reading “The Three Colonels: Jane Austen’s Fighting Men, by Jack Caldwell – A Review”
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