Books

Book 1,072: Sense and Second-Degree Murder (Jane Austen Murder Mystery #2) – Tirzah Price

Book cover of "Sense and Second-Degree Murder"In for a penny, in for a pound, right? After reading Pride and Premeditation, I figured I should go ahead and read Sense and Second-Degree Murder before conquering Manslaughter Park and I’m glad I did. Although they’re not intricately tied together there are definitely mentions of Lizzie in this book and I’m part of the way into the third and Lizzie, Darcy and Charlotte actually make an appearance and the Dashwoods are mentioned.

For the most part, I enjoyed this adaptation of Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. Price did an excellent job with sticking to the core character traits of Marianne and Elinor, and even gave Margaret a bigger role which I could appreciate as I always forget there’s a third sister. If there’s one thing I didn’t like about the adaptation it was that Colonel Brandon became Mr. Brandon. And it made sense for the story, but EVERY time I read it I was like “Bah! What is this nonsense?!”

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Books

Book 1,070: Henry Tilney’s Diary (Jane Austen Heroes #6) – Amanda Grange

Book cover of "Henry Tilney's Diary"So, I was vaguely aware that a series of novels written from the male protagonists’ perspectives of each of Jane Austen’s six novels existed, but I’d never sought them out. I was more focused on finding LGBTQ adaptations or contemporary adaptations.

That was until I randomly decided in February I was going to read a new-to-me adaptation of each of the novels for Austen’s 250th birth year. And when I was looking for a new-to-me adaptation of some of the less-frequently adapted novels (Northanger AbbeyPersuasion, and Mansfield Park) these were on the list of some of the best adaptations/inspired by regardless and so here we are.

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Books

Book 1,065: Pride and Premeditation (Jane Austen Murder Mystery #1) – Tirzah Price

Book cover of "Pride & Premeditation"I had no intentions of reading this book (or the entire series) even though I’m already looking ahead to Manslaughter Park, the adaptation of Mansfield Park I’ve decided to read this year.

HOWEVER, the cruise we went on in early March had an honest-to-god library. Like an entire room with books you could take out and read on the ship and we just happened to sit right beside this and it was too much of a coincidence to NOT read it.

I stuck to my plans and finished up two ARC’s prior to starting, but the second I started I flew through this one thanks to my familiarity with the source material and Price’s great adaptation.

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Books

Book 1,059: Most Ardently: A Pride & Prejudice Remix – Gabe Cole Novoa

When my local yarn store announced they were doing a book club with this AND having a skein of yarn dyed inspired by the cover, there was no question I was going to read it. I already have plans to re-read Austen’s six novels in her 250th birthday year. No guarantees, but maybe I’ll also read one fan-fiction/adaptation/inspired by of each as well!

This book is 100% inspired by and definitely not an adaption of, and if I’m honest it could’ve been a little less inspired by the original work. Novoa, probably could’ve done a better job if they let a few more characters or sub-plots go. Seriously, it could’ve stood on it’s own as an adorable historical queer romance, but the constraints of the adaptation made him wedge too much in giving discredit to some amazing aspects of the orginal and some potential to this remix.

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ARC, Books

Book 1,051: Excavations – Hannah Michell

If there is one book that I regret not getting my review pushed out as soon as I finished it to tell everyone about it, it is this one! Seriously, this book has stuck with me and I’ve thought of it off and on since I read it. And even when I read it, it was a year later than I should have because the publisher reached out in July of 2023!* OMG I didn’t even realize that which is a shock to me—I guess 2022-2024 were even more blurred than I thought.

This isn’t as hauntingly powerful as Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go or Murakami’s 1Q84, but it could hold its own. Interesting those are both also author’s of Asian descent, as is Hannah Michell. Michell has the British connection also to Ishiguro, but that is tangential to this review and this probably says more about me than it does those three authors.

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