Book Review #90: A Pemberley Medley by Abigail Reynolds

A Pemberley Medley
by Abigail Reynolds

Genre: Short Story Anthology / Romance / Jane Austen Re-tellings

Ages: 16 and up

I recieved an e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Abigail!

Description:

Five pathways to Pemberley! It's the best of all worlds in this collection of five short Pride & Prejudice variations by bestselling writer Abigail Reynolds. Can Mr. Darcy win Elizabeth Bennet's heart... or are they doomed to misunderstand one another forever? Can Mr. Darcy stand by and watch while Elizabeth loses everything she holds precious... including him?

Contents include "Such Differing Reports", "A Succession of Rain", "Reason's Rule" (an excerpt from The Rule of Reason), "The Most Natural Thing", and "Intermezzo".

My Review:

I positively melted into this book, drowning in Darcy. I didn't leave my computer for two hours as I read the whole thing from start to finish. If anybody had looked in on me they probably would have seen a silly little smile on my face while they failed to catch my attention.

Intermezzo

In this story, Darcy and Elizabeth have not reconciled in time for Bingley and Jane's wedding and Georgiana attempts to discover the woman who is making her brother miserable.

I have read this story three times and still it makes me go aww. It is so sweet with a little humor and kissing and more kissing...sorry, spacing out in remembrance. Maybe I should go read the kissing scenes again, I'll be right back...

Such Differing Reports

In Such Differing Reports, Elizabeth gives more credence to Charlotte's theory that Darcy is in love with her and her boldness causes quarrels, a rather lovely letter and more kissing.

The fights and awkward conversations in this story are wonderful. I love the premise that Elizabeth had an idea of Darcy's affections before he proposed at Hunsford. It changed their interactions completely and led to a whole new level of miscommunication and misunderstanding. I loved the scene where they were communicating with each other right under Lady Catherine's nose and she didn't have a clue.

Reason's Rule

This is an excerpt of a variation of a variation. When Abigail Reynolds wrote To Conquer Mr. Darcy (aka Impulse and Initiative), she had two ideas of where she wanted the story to go. In the end, she chose the version that went into To Conquer Mr. Darcy. However, since she still liked the other version, she wrote The Rule of Reason and this story is from that. In this story, Darcy and Elizabeth are happily engaged when the news comes of Lydia's attempted elopement. Elizabeth tries to protect Darcy from the scandal, but he is having none of it.

I loved Darcy and Elizabeth's growing relationship in this one. They are both in love and together, but they are still learning about each other. I loved Darcy's reaction to Elizabeth's letter when she tried to leave him to protect him. Utterly swoonworthy. The conversations between Mr. Bennet and Darcy were massively entertaining. Though I did get a little ticked off at Mr. Bennet at one point, Darcy's response was just perfect. I am going to have to get a copy of The Rule of Reason so that I can see how this version goes in its entirety.

The Most Natural Thing

The Bennet family is in trouble. Mr. Bennet has passed away and there is nobody that Elizabeth can turn to when Lydia's foolishness threatens to ruin them all. So she goes to the only person she can think of, Mr. Darcy, and offers him the only thing she has, herself.

This story would probably be the most shocking to Austen purists. I mean, Elizabeth offering her virtue to Darcy as part of a bargain? And yet, I can see her doing something like that to save her sisters. Darcy's determination to be gentlemanly is strained to the limits; I loved the part where Darcy tells Elizabeth to throw him in a river.

The Most Natural Thing has them underestimating both themselves and each other. Elizabeth makes incorrect assumptions about Darcy from her lack of knowledge of his character and Darcy believes lies about Elizabeth because he doubts that she could ever love him. Poor Darcy has a really hard time of it in this one, which makes the ending all the sweeter.

A Succession of Rain

What if the rain kept Darcy and Elizabeth from their wandering walks and it was impossible to get any privacy? What might Darcy resort to for a conversation?

A Succession of Rain is pure light-hearted fun. All problems are solved, Darcy has hope that Elizabeth might love him, Elizabeth has hope that Darcy still cares about her...but it is raining and they have no opportunity to talk. After days of uncertainty and veiled conversations, will Darcy's frustration get the better of him? If it does, what will he do? This story made me laugh because of their annoyance at the natural circumstances conspiring to keep them apart.

This collection of short stories is simply delightful. I fully intend to read them over and over again. The combination of Austen's magnificent characters and Abigail's wonderful imagination is utterly perfect.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
There was no profanity in this book.

Sexuality:
I give it a 7.10 for one descriptive scene, a fadeaway and references.

Violence:
I rate it a 1.10 for brief imprisonment.

                         Lieder Madchen

Book Review #87: A Wife for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen

A Wife for Mr. Darcy
by Mary Lydon Simonsen

Genre: Romance / Regency / Jane Austen Retelling

Ages: 16 and up

I received a copy from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Description:

A Gentleman should always render an apology...

When Mr. Darcy realizes he insulted Miss Elizabeth Bennet at the Meryton Assembly, he feels duty bound to seek her out and apologize...

When he has insulted a Lady.

But instead of meekly accepting his apology, Elizabeth stands up to him, and Darcy realizes with a shock that she is a very different type of lady than he is used to...

Darcy is more intrigued than he's ever been by any young lady, but he's already entangled in a courtship. It's a brutal predicament for a man of honor who only longs to follow his heart...

My Review:

I will never get tired of Mr. Darcy what-ifs. No matter how many I read, I am always delighted to get my hands on another one. A Wife for Mr. Darcy is an an original and lovely retelling where Darcy and Elizabeth fall in love very quickly, but Darcy's sense of honor keeps them apart.

Because Darcy and Elizabeth do not have all of the misunderstandings of the original Pride and Prejudice, they are more united than ever before. It was very interesting to read a story where they were not fighting against each other, but rather against circumstances. I loved this portrayal of Darcy. He loves Elizabeth but is practically engaged to Miss Montford, a pleasant but bland young woman. He will not hurt her by abandoning her, so how is he to get out of this predicament?

This a lovely romance. Sweet and simple, it focuses on Darcy's determination to be with the woman he loves, no matter how impossible it seems. I read it through in one sitting and I am pretty sure I was grinning the whole time. The waltz...sigh, I loved that scene. Any scene that has Darcy dancing is sure to make me smile, but that one in particular was beautiful. And the love letters, a little steamy at times, were so sweet.

The minor characters were fun and varying. I especially liked the Gardiners. They were just so cute and obviously in love even after many years of marriage. That is what a real marriage should look like and precisely how I imagine Darcy and Elizabeth behaving in their middle years. The Crenshaw children and the Fitzwilliam brothers were also highly entertaining, and I found myself liking Miss Letitia Montford more than I expected to.

I would highly recommend this book to lovers of romance, Jane Austen and good characters.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence

1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:

I rate it a 4.10 for some mild swearing and two worse words.

Sexuality:

I rate it a 7.10 for one descriptive wedding night and some references.

Violence:
I give it a 1.10 for brief references to violent events.

This review is part of a blog tour celebrating the release of A Wife for Mr. Darcy. To visit the other stops on this tour, go here. To read an interview with the wonderful Mary Simonsen and enter to win a copy of this book, go here.

                            Lieder Madchen

Book Review #73: The Road to Pemberley Anthology edited by Marsha Altman

The Road to Pemberley Anthology
edited by Marsha Altman

Genre: Short Story Anthology / Regency / Romance / Fan Fiction / Re-telling / Jane Austen
Ages: 15 and up
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Ulysses Press in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon Description:
Including over a dozen stories from both emerging and established Regency romance authors, this new anthology celebrates Jane Austen with a series of brilliant adaptations. Austen’s masterpiece has spawned an entire genre of literature, and The Road to Pemberley brings together the best of the best from published and new writers alike to create a cornucopia of intrigues starring familiar characters from Pride and Prejudice. England during the Regency Era, with its country estates, horse-drawn carriages, and formal balls, continues to captivate modern readers and The Road to Pemberley brings this fabled world to life in all its glory. Each author shows us another side of the Pride and Prejudice story as it would have continued, from Darcy and Elizabeth's first year at Pemberley to the personal tales of characters like George Wickham, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and Darcy's personal valet. Join a cast of familiar and unfamiliar faces navigating a host of new social quandaries, old personal dilemmas, and exciting adventures.

My Review:
Often short story anthologies are not my favorite books. Usually, there are several stories I dislike for various reasons; when you have multiple authors, what are the chances that you are going to like them all? With The Road to Pemberley, I had no such problem. I enjoyed every single story in it. There are funny stories, dramatic stories, sweet stories and a couple that are just plain odd. But I loved them all.

The first story, The Pemberley Ball, is actually one of my least favorites, though I still liked it. Elizabeth and Darcy were a little odd, but the story had some interesting possibilities and I really liked the ending. :)

(Note from Lieder Madchen: The previously posted paragraph on the story Saving Oakham Mount has been removed because Marsha Altman has informed me that that story will not be included in the final edition. Sorry if I got your hopes up.)

My first impression (and we all know how untrustworthy those are) of But He Turned Out Very Wild was that of displeasure. My Darcy-loving sensibilities were offended in the extreme. Soon, however, I was utterly caught and it turned out to be one of the best stories in the collection. (at least in my humble opinion.)

A Long, Strange Trip was a little too weird for me. It involved hallucinogenic mushrooms. Very odd. And different. And somewhat entertaining. In a weird way.

An Ink-Stained Year is lovely. Col. Fitzwilliam has always been a favorite of mine, so it was fun to get a peek at his private letters. And laugh at him just a little bit.

I love the title of The Potential of Kitty Bennet. I have always thought that she had a great deal of potential, and it was wonderful to see the author make her fulfill it.

Darcy and Bingley can be so funny. A Good Vintage Whine is delightful. It illustrates the brotherly relationship between them perfectly and in such a cute way, too.

Georgiana's Voice is oh so sweet. If you have ever wondered what it might have been like for Georgiana as the intense and protective Mr. Darcy's little sister, this is the story for you. She sees and understands a side to him that we only glimpse.

Darcy once again has to dust off his detective skills in Secrets in the Shade. The idea of Darcy having an illegitimate relation has been explored before, but never in quite this way. This is an interesting and original little mystery that he has to unravel.

I love hearing servant's gossip and what they see from their nearly invisible positions, so A View from the Valet is wonderful. What does Darcy's manservant think of his strange behavior in Hertfordshire, Kent and Pemberley? As a discreet and loyal servant, he would never speak of it us, of course, but that didn't stop somebody from telling his story.

I love the idea of Darcy having shenanigans, so I really enjoyed Beneath the Greenwood Tree. This story is sweet and simple with a beautiful glimpse of what Darcy would be as a father.

Have you ever thought that Darcy and Elizabeth's passion might get the better of them? Then imagine how Mr. Bennet must have felt. Father of the Bride is a fun and humorous tale of his worries and the Grand Plan he comes up with.

Marsha Altman, the editor, contributed a story entitled Pride and Prejudice Abridged to the anthology. What to say about this heady mix of Regency romance and modern language all written in short, snappy sentences? It is silly, odd and downright hilarious. Marsha Altman never fails to make me smile.

I recommend this collection of stories to those who love Jane Austen but don't mind a bit of creative license. Thank you, Alice Riegert and Ulysses Press for sharing this with me.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality and Violence
1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:
I rate this a 5.10 for a single use of the f-word and some other mild to mid-level swearing.

Sexuality:
I rate this a 3.10 for hints, references, innuendos and an attempted rape.

Violence:
I give this a 5.10 for a few violent scenes including shooting and an attempted rape.

                                  Lieder Madchen

Book Review #57 The Ballad of Grégoire Darcy by Marsha Altman

The Ballad of Grégoire Darcy
by Marsha Altman

Genre: Regency Romance / Historical Fiction

Ages: 15 and up

Sequel to The Darcys and the Bingleys, The Plight of the Darcy Brothers, and Mr. Darcy's Great Escape.

Marsha Altman and Ulysses Press sent me an ARC of this book for an honest review.

SPOILER ALERT! Do not read unless you have read the three above-mentioned novels that take place before this one. The Ballad of Grégoire Darcy can technically stand on its own, but it will make more sense and be far more fun if you have read the others. :)

Publisher's Syopsis:

Whirlwind of Pemberley

The comings and goings on their grand estate present endless challenges for Elizabeth and Darcy. Can they avoid scandal given the recent arrival of Mr. Darcy's illegitimate brother Grégoire, Mr. Bennet's advancing years, the younger George Wickham's coming of age, and Dr. Maddox's departure from his position with the Prince Regent even as his many secrets threaten to be discovered?

Courtship of Mary Bennet

After her disastrous trip to the continent resulted in a passionate romance and an unintended child, Mary Bennet finds herself back in England, living with the shameful title of unwed mother. Having given up on ever finding love, Mary is shocked to find herself pursued by a proper gentleman. But are his intentions true, or is Mary being led astray by her heart once again?

Torment of Grégoire Darcy

Leaving his sheltered, peaceful life at a Benedictine cloister, Grégoire enters a world he never imagined. Thrust into Regency England's secular society, Grégoire is overwhelmed. How can an inexperienced, single man stay true to himself while finding his place in a culture obsessed with matrimony?

My Review:

This book was wonderful. Some parts of Grégoire's story were almost painful to read, they were so tragic. He was such an innocent at the beginning, and somehow, through all of his trials and tribulations, he retained that innocence. Despite being wounded and betrayed by those he loved most, his faith stayed strong. (Though he did engage in a couple of spectacular instances of sin.)

I loved the secondary characters in this book, particularly the children. Geoffrey Darcy, George Wickham, and Georgiana Bingley are now young teenagers, about to make their mark on the world. Georgiana has wonderful potential. I loved reading about mild-mannered Jane and Charles being bossed around by their stubborn daughter. I hope that she gets a novel of her own one day.

I enjoyed the Irish accents in the latter half of the book. I had fun trying to decipher the precise meanings, and I still have not figured them all out. What exactly does "fierce quare" mean? Eventually, I googled it to make sure my guess was right. (I was pretty close, it means "extremely strange.")

Elizabeth was witty, Darcy was perfect, Jane was sweet, Bingley was naive, Monkey was....wait, did I just say "Monkey"? Yes, a monkey has descended upon the hallowed halls of Pemberley, and Charles Bingley may never be forgiven. And, to top off a lovely novel, what would a Marsha Altman book be without Darcy rushing to the rescue of at least one of his many relatives?

This is a magnificent addition to my favorite Pride and Prejudice sequel series, and I would recommend it to all lovers of Jane Austen and regency romance.

Watch out for my upcoming giveaway of a copy of The Ballad of Grégoire Darcy, courtesy of Ulysses Press.

There may be some mild spoilers in the reasons for my ratings.

Content Ratings: Profanity, Sexuality, and Violence

1 (mild) through 10 (extreme).

Profanity:

There were several uses of the f-word in this book, though it was always deliberately misspelled, so I give it a 8.10.

Sexuality:

There were multiple fade-aways between an unmarried couple as well as some references and innuendos, so I rate it a 5.10.

Violence:

There were a couple of brief but disturbing instances of violence in this novel, including the murder of a child, so I give it a 6.10.

                                Lieder Madchen

Book Review #52 Dreadfully Ever After

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After
by Steve Hockensmith

Genre: Mash-Up / Zombie / Regency / Romance / Jane Austen
Ages: 14 and up

Elizabeth Darcy is unsatisfied with married life. She loves her husband deeply, but she misses the joy of slaying Unmentionables. She misses the excitement and danger and the near-death experiences. All of these things are just around the corner, just not the way she wants.

When Darcy is bitten by a Dreadful, Elizabeth has no choice but to turn to Lady Catherine for aid. With the dubious help of a mysterious ninja and two of her sillier sisters, she sets out to steal a secret cure that the government has been working on.

This book is horrid, terrible, insane, ridiculous and Dreadful with a capital D. It was truly quite awful and I enjoyed every word. True, it is also disgusting and disturbed, but that is part of the fun. I am sure Jane Austen would be horrified if she could read this book. The shades of Pemberley are most thoroughly polluted.

I enjoyed the original Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but I did not like Dawn of the Dreadfuls much at all, so I was not sure what to expect from this one. I needn't have worried, it made me alternately laugh and gasp at the impudence of the author.

Poor Darcy had a lot to deal with in this one. A gaping bite wound, a sudden love of raw meat, crazy relatives, and lots and lots of the undead. I liked the scene when he first attempted to get out of bed after being bitten, fainting between every article of clothing.

I loved Kitty and Nezu. The fact that Nezu was a ninja made him a fun and different character. It was fun to see inside the minds and conversations of ninjas when before they had always been silent and expendable. Kitty was just as silly as she ever was, but she had a certain amount of depth to her that made her character more interesting. The two of them were complete opposites, and it was fun watching how they seemed to instinctively understand each other in ways no one else ever had.

Mary was brilliant, still preachy and annoying, but brilliant. She saw straight to the heart of the problem immediately and set out to do something about it. (Rather more effectively than even Elizabeth.) She has many adventures with a limbless man who is hauled around in a box, any guesses as to who that is?

I recommend this book to readers who like a bit of silliness in their lives and don't take classics too seriously.

Content Ratings:

 I give this a 1.10 in language for brief, mild language.

This book gets a 2.10 in sexuality for some mild references and innuendos, as well as a half-hearted attempt at seduction.

I give this a 7.10 for lots and lots of violence. I did not give it a higher number because the violence is not particularly realistic.

Book Review #38 Mr. Darcy's Obsession by Abigail Reynolds

Mr. Darcy's Obsession
by Abigail Reynolds

Genre: Romance
Ages: 15 and up

What if Elizabeth Bennet was called away from Rosings before Mr. Darcy could propose? What if the reason she was called away was that her father was deathly ill? What if her path and Darcy's didn't cross again for two years?
Mr. Darcy is surprised when, two years after Elizabeth's visit to Rosings, his good friend Charles Bingley mentions having seen her. He learns that Mr. Bennet is dead, Jane is married to a much older shopkeeper, and Elizabeth is living with her aunt and uncle and is taking care of their children. One time, Darcy tells himself, he would go to see Elizabeth one time, just to reassure himself of her well-being and happiness. But once he does, he finds himself unable to stay away.
This book is all about Mr. Darcy. If you were not in love with him before reading this book, you will be long before you finish it. He has some absolutely wonderful romantic speeches. The romance in this book is beautiful. They have some dreadful misunderstandings, but it is so sweet when they make up. Jane and Bingley's relationship has even more obstacles, to the point where you begin to wonder if they will ever end up together. In addition to the traditional personages, there are some wonderful new characters. I especially enjoyed meeting Darcy's urchin spy and the highly eccentric Aunt Augusta. I also liked the way Darcy came to realize that his family was just as objectionable as Elizabeth's, albeit in different ways.
It took me one sitting of approximately three hours (very early in the morning) to read this novel after my copy arrived from Amazon. When I started it, I meant to only read a couple of chapters before turning the lights out, but then I could not help but read it all the way through.

I rate this a 2.10 in profanity for a few mild swearwords.

I give this a 3.10 in sexuality for multiple references, innuendos, and illegitimate pregnancies.

An attempted rape and an unpleasant medical scene rate this book a 4.10.

                               Lieder Madchen

Book Review #37 Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons by Jane Austen and Vera Nazarian

Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons
by Jane Austen and Vera Nazarian

Genre: Parody / Satire / Comedy / Romance
Ages: 13 and up

Jane Austen purists beware! That great lady's masterworks have been snatched by that shameless harridan Vera Nazarian and dropped into absurd and wholly improper situations. The unfortunate heroine of Northanger Abbey has been placed in a strange world of angels, demons and one monstrous duck! Will Catherine Morland be able to resist the demonic wiles of the Thorpes with only the help of her angelic friends? Is the dragon that has been seen in the skies above Bath seeking a buried treasure? Are there codes hidden in horrid novels?
This novel is absolutely hilarious. The illustrations, footnotes and appendices (not to mention the story itself) will keep you chortling in helpless disbelief from start to finish. Catherine Morland's legendary fevered imagination has even more food for its fantasies, leading to the wildest of accusations being thrown about. The almost handsome Henry Tilney is an admirably sensible anchor in this otherwise ridiculous story, and their romance is quite lovely.
I was fortunate enough to win a copy of this novel that was not only signed, but doodled as well! The next novel in this series, Pride and Platypus, is coming soon and I can hardly wait to read it. :)

This book just barely rates a 4.10 for language. There is an impolite term for a certain type of female used multiple times, but not in an offensive manner.

I rate this book a 2.0 for some very mild references and innuendos.

There is a brief scene of mild violence in this book, so I give it a 1.10.

                                              Lieder Madchen

Jane Austen Challenge 2011

I found this challenge on The Life (and lies) of an inanimate flying object Blog, she seems to have some fun challenges! I love Jane Austen, but it seems that lately I am going through a phase where I am reading a lot more than I usually do. I have read all of Jane Austen's works, save for Northanger Abbey, and I have been meaning to read them all again (and Northanger Abbey for the first time).
My goal is Fanatic: 12+ total, 6 by Jane Austen, 6+ re-writes, spoofs, etc.
It should be fun!

1. The Second Mrs. Darcy by Elizabeth Aston
2. The Darcy Connection by Elizabeth Aston
3. Mr. Darcy's Dream by Elizabeth Aston
4. Northanger Abbey and Angels and Dragons by Jane Austen and Vera Nazarian
5. Mr. Darcy's Obsession by Abigail Reynolds
6. Dreadfully Ever After by Steve Hockensmith
7. The Ballad of Grégoire Darcy by Marsha Altman
8. The Road to Pemberley Anthology edited by Marsha Altman
9. A Pemberley Medley by Abigail Reynolds

                                       Lieder Madchen