Updates

January 2014 Recap

In case you missed it, I got back on track with Workout Wednesday AND Culture Corner this month and I cannot wait to talk about next month’s Culture Corner or even March’s (since I already know what’s coming)! If you follow me on Instagram you’ll get hints ahead of time because I Instagram most of the pictures for the square quality 🙂 Now on to recapping January!

As I’m writing this I’ve realized that without challenges to recap these posts are going to be much less structured and more random, but that could be a good thing. So to start with some NON book fun:

2014 01-27 Crafternoon = Starting a New Scarf!The last weekend of the month, my friend Caroline, her fiance, Nick, and I had a crafternoon while we watched the film adaptation of Amistad for our book group. (Caroline and I crocheted while Nick hilariously made a hemp anklet/bracelet.)

Now don’t get your expectations up too much, I haven’t crocheted anything since I finished my big scarf back in November or the scarf I made for my friend Peter, and I’m just doing the same stitch again, but I’m excited. This scarf will be Carolina blue and white and will have long vertical stripes rather than short horizontal stripes. Don’t worry there will be an after picture and maybe after this scarf I will get more adventurous, but no promises 🙂

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2014 Challenges, Books

Book 252: The Man Who Loved Pride & Prejudice (Woods Hole Quartet #1) – Abigail Reynolds

I love it when a book doesn’t try to be something that it’s not and this is a perfect example of that. Although, this was a retelling of Pride and Prejudice there was no struggle to make sure that everything fit within the story 100%. Abigail Reynolds did a great job filling in what she wanted and didn’t worry too much about matching up every character or sticking to the full story. And then after I finished I found out that this was the first book in a series and I was of course even MORE excited!

I enjoyed this book from the very first page! It didn’t hurt that the book was set in Massachusetts, Cape Cod to be specific, and mentions Boston on a couple of occasions. The book opens with Cassie and her friend Erin working in their lab at the world-famous Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and then follows Cassie’s romantic adventures and mishaps over the ensuing summer and following two years. There are of course two love interests Caulder Westing (Darcy) and Rob (I guess this could be Wickham, but I’m not so sure she included a Wickham).

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ARC, Books

Book 246: Unleashing Mr. Darcy – Teri Wilson

What can I say about a book like this? Not only was it giggle inducing and full of fun and even some drama, it was an easy read and left me wanting so much more on the last page! I’m honestly not sure the last time I blazed through an Austen fan-fiction novel as fast as I did with this one. I’m so happy I requested a copy from the publisher and I received no compensation for my response. Unleashing Mr. Darcy will be published on December 31 by Harlequin and EVERYONE should check it out.

So I’ll start out with my biggest concern: I was TERRIFIED this book was going to be yet another S&M/50 Shades effort, but thankfully it was not! I mean seriously, what could I think with the cover art and the title!? Looking back now the title and cover art make perfect sense and would’ve made even more sense if I would’ve re-read the back cover blurb, but oh well the dread only added to the buildup.

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Books

Book 223: The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë – Syrie James

After thoroughly enjoying The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen and The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, it will come as no surprise that I enjoyed this book as well! It also doesn’t hurt that I always forget how much I love the Brontës when I’m not reading about them and then as soon as I start reading about them I quickly fall back in love with them. I’m super excited that I’ve got Wuthering Heights to re-read again this year!

The only other Brontë fan-fiction I’ve read was Becoming Jane Eyre in February of last year. I remember enjoying it and of course there were overlaps with this book, as this book covers a lot broader swath of time than the last. This book covers a long period of time and through flashbacks even includes a lot of the Brontës’ youth. It is noteworthy, although not shocking at all, that there are many similarities in writing style and stories in the two books. We know a lot more about the Brontë siblings than we know about say Austen or the more reclusive female writers.

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Books, Quotes

Book 222: The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen – Syrie James

Although I enjoyed this book I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as James’ The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen. I’m not sure if James’ skills as an author increased, but I’m actually reading them in reverse order of her publishing the novels culminating in The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë which is next on my reading list.

However, as with Missing Manuscript, James’ has a distinct ability to write as and embody Jane Austen. Many Austen fan-fiction novelists are able to mimic Austen, but I don’t feel are able to get into her psyche as well as James’ has shown she is capable over the last two novels. James takes snippets of fact and builds amazingly detailed stories around them and as a reader I couldn’t help but appreciate her ability to spin a believable story around the most basic and minimal facts.

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