Review - My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White

After being dragged to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice by her mother, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s life changes when Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy appears on the screen. Lizzie falls hard and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. This ill-advised pledge threatens to ruin any chance of finding true love. During the six intervening years, she has refused to give any interested suitors a chance. They weren’t Mr. Darcy enough. Coerced by her roommate, Elizabeth agrees to give the next interested guy ten dates before she dumps him. That guy is Chad, a kind and thoughtful science teacher and swim coach. While she’s dating Chad, her dream comes true in the form of a wealthy bookstore owner named Matt Dawson, who looks and acts like her Mr. Darcy. Of course she has to follow her dream. But as Elizabeth simultaneously dates a regular guy and the dazzling Mr. Dawson, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

When I saw the opportunity to read My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White I couldn't pass it up.

I was gifted the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice by my brother (probably the best gift he's ever given me) for a birthday back in... 2006 I believe. I'd just been dumped by a guy I thought was all that and a bag of potato chips, though, so it took me months to decide I was ok enough to watch a romantic movie.

When I watched it, the guy who dumped me didn't even matter anymore. What I needed in my life was Mr. Darcy. More importantly, Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy. No one else would do. It became my favorite movie (the book became a favorite of mine as well (yes I read the book AFTER I watched the movie)). Forget that he was arrogant and rude at the beginning, he was wonderful by the end. And I was hooked.

So I could totally identify with everything that Lizzie was feeling in this story. To a point. Luckily, I never became as obsessed as she did. Lizzie was so intent on finding Mr. Darcy and only Mr. Darcy that NO ONE ELSE WOULD DO. No one. Not even Mr. Wonderful, Chad. Chad was sweet and attentive and kind and REALLY liked Lizzie. And she was so stubborn that she had to be forced in to even giving him a second shot.

I had high hopes for her until Matt Dawson walked in to the bank. Then it was "Chad who?" I mean, Matt fit the mold. He was aloof, uppity, stand-offish... but then warmed to Lizzie the same way that Mr. Darcy had warmed to his own Lizzie. Forget that he was also often rude and completely ignorant of Lizzie's feelings. Or dismissed them altogether as childish and unimportant. He wasn't supportive of her and he was genuinely embarrassed to even mention Lizzie to his parents. Which, as it turns out, probably had worked out in Lizzie's favor. As they were the HUGEST snobs I've ever seen.

Despite her walking away from a relationship with Chad, he still kept coming back. He helped her when she needed help. He was kind to her when he didn't have to be. He even helped her get a foot in the door as an interior designer. Matt belittled the clothing she wore, got irritated and grumpy every time she mentioned Chad even though HE was constantly around MEG, an ex-almost-fiance who had followed him to Portland and now worked in the bookstore that he owned, and totally discounted her talent as a designer despite the fact that it was what she'd trained and gone to school for.

I mean seriously... at that point, who cares if he is her perfect Mr. Darcy. GET RID OF HIM.

I can only support the fantasy to a point.

I understand it. Completely. But seriously... move on.

That being said, it was a great book. Because really... who has watched the movie (in any form) or read the book and not wished, even if just for a second, that they could be Lizzie Bennett. Or that they could find someone like Mr. Darcy. Who has seen Mr. Darcy dance with Lizzie at the Netherfield Ball and watched him profess his love to her and not wanted to be in her place?

My Own Mr. Darcy captured that fantasy perfectly. And then took it to the next level. It was kind of a wake up call to the ones who are so focused on a certain type of guy that they refuse to look at anyone else. They are so set in their dating requirements that they refuse to see that there may be someone else who is perfect for them. Even if they don't match all of the qualifications.

I wanted to yell at Lizzie throughout almost this entire book. Her friends and family were much too patient with her. Although I suppose if they hadn't been it would have been a much shorter story. If you like Pride and Prejudice, the book or the movie, I think you should give this book a read. If you've ever wished that Mr. Darcy would walk across the meadow in the early hours of the morning and re-affirm his affection for you then you should definitely read this book.

Personally, I'm glad I didn't stick too strictly to the Mr. Darcy fantasy. The man I married is admittedly nothing like him. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes men like Mr. Darcy should only be in books and movies.

But still, read the book.

Follow Friday #49

Thanks to Parajunkee and Alison Can Read for hosting Feature and Follow Friday every week!

Todays question:

Q: Share your favorite literary quote! 

    .

 A: That's really a hard one. There are so many quotes that I love.

From Stardust by Neil Gaiman:

“A philosopher once asked, "Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?"
Pointless, really..."Do the stars gaze back?" Now that's a question.”

From Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”

From The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis

"All get what they want; they do not always like it." 

Those are just a few of mine. What about you guys?

Review - Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James

It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball.

Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery.
 

Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James is only the second Pride and Prejudice "sequel" that I've ever read. The first being Experience by Meg Kerr (which was fantastic, I highly suggest you read it if you haven't already).

I had high hopes for this one because Experience had been so good and so spot on as far as language and setting were concerned. It really felt like a true sequel that could have been written by Jane Austen herself. Death Comes to Pemberley was not quite as accurate in my opinion where conversation was concerned, but it wasn't bad. Not WONDERFUL... but not bad.

Scandal befalls Pemberley when Lydia Wickham interupts planning for Lady Anne's Ball screaming that she thinks her dear husband has been murdered. She is absolutely beside herself and blaming Elizabeth for what possibly has befallen her darling Georgie. After all, if she hadn't had to show up uninvited to Pemberley because she and her husband were not welcome there in the first place, they never would have been sneaking through the woodland and none of this ever would have happened!

Ugh. I never ever liked her. That much is still the same.

There are a few new characters introduced, Henry Alveston who only has eyes for Georgiana Darcy (and she for him) and a slew of magistrates and police and not so innocent bystanders. We also get to see more of Colonel Fitzwilliam who, as it were, also has eyes for Georgiana. However, nothing as far as that particular part of the story line where he's concerned is developed.

I was not accustomed to "seeing" Mr. Darcy as... weak... as he seemed to be in this book. There was a shift from P&P and Mr. Darcy seemed to take over as main character. We really don't see much of Lizzie at all. She was the focus of Jane Austen's novel, strong willed and independent. But she shrinks into the background of this story. And it's sad. Too much focus was put on the "murder mystery" and not enough on developing any of the characters. They were all so stuck and so static that I never got to know them or see how their relationship had grown since I'd last read about them.

The love story disappeared completely. And while I understand this was supposed to be mystery and suspense, I still hoped to experience some of what Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth felt toward each other previously... but it was barely a passing thought for the both of them. There was no chemistry between any of the characters.

Sadly, I'm not sure I'd really recommend this as a read. (SPOILER: I will never be a fan of the brother/sister romantic relationships... I just won't). I wouldn't necessarily discourage you from reading it... but if you asked to borrow my copy I'd probably tell you I couldn't find it. No, if you want a great P&P sequel, go read Experience by Meg Kerr.

My Favorite Book Romance

Ok, Valentine's Day is over and all the gooshy mushy stuff is on clearance at the grocery stores.

I thought I'd drag it out just a LITTLE bit longer with my absolute ALL TIME favorite book romance. Hands down. It's not Edward and Bella from Twilight... or even Jacob and Bella (although I do favor Jacob over Edward). No... my favorite book romance of all time is Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. I love the book. I love the movie. Their relationship is just amazing.

How many of us have started off on the completely wrong foot with someone. And it leaves a sour taste in our mouths and we just can't stand the sight of them. Blech.

Until one day you're looking at them and they're not so detestable anymore. Maybe it was just a simple gesture that started the change. Maybe a smile or a joke that they told. Maybe you dropped something and they helped you pick it up and all of the sudden you might not hate them as much as you used to.

Soon the person you hated is your friend. Or perhaps the one you hated has started to invade your heart and you can't really do anything to stop it. Before you know it the one you couldn't stand to look at is the one you don't think you can live without.

I love Elizabeth Bennet because she is extremely bright, witty, and has a fire in her that I wish I had. Mr. Darcy is the epitome of a gentleman despite his proud nature. He is well spoken and has this huge heart. He doesn't seek to change Elizabeth. He just wants to be with her. He knows she's considered "middle class" to his "upper class" but even in a time when that's supposed to be the deciding factor in many romances, he ignores it and lets his heart fall for her anyway. And while she tries as hard as she possibly can not to let him affect her in any way because she thinks him too proud and arrogant, the wall she's placed around her heart to keep him out starts to crumble.

I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.

In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.

Follow Friday #46

Thanks to Parajunkee and Alison Can Read for hosting Follow Friday every week!

This week's question is a toughie....

Q: What is the first thing you would do if you woke up to find yourself in your favorite book? via @GizmosReviews

A: There are so many different books for me to choose from I don't know which one is my all time favorite. I'd go for the Harry Potter series first of all, in which case I would run and make friends with Ron, Harry, and Hermione of course. Then there's Pride and Prejudice and if I woke up in THAT story I'd probably go for a walk with Lizzie Bennett or something. Then there's The Chronicles of Narnia. I'd want to wake up in time to see the creation of Narnia with Diggory and Polly.

I just can't pinpoint one favorite book. And this may sound weird, but I often find myself wondering this very thing. But... alas... it will never happen.

How about you guys. What would you do?

Follow Friday #45

 

 

Thanks to Parajunkee and Alison Can Read for hosting FF every week.

 

It's been a while since I've done one of these, and for a bit I couldn't figure out what my answer would be, but here ya go.

 

Q: Activity! Who do you want to be? If you could choose any character from a book. What do you think that character looks like and what do you have in common?

 

A: At first, I wanted to say Hermione. Because, let's face it, she's awesome. She has awesome friends. And she gets to go to Hogwarts. But I thought some more and decided on Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. It's hard not to picture her as Keira Knightly from the 2005 movie. She's not described fully aside from her eyes and her hair, but I'd imagine she'd be pretty (the book says as much). Not drop dead gorgeous, but pretty in a quiet sort of way, if that makes sense. She's smart and quick witted. And hey, she snags Mr. Darcy. Who wouldn't want to be in her place?

 

 

What about you guys? Who do you want to be? 

Gifts for the Avid Reader

Just surfing around Etsy again and found some interesting things to show you all.

Hunger Games Inspired Necklace by bottledwonders

Recycled Book Paper Earrings by FoldingTheLibrary

The Hobbit Tolkien Geekery Flower Brooch Altered Book by whatanovelidea

I Love Mr. Darcy Necklace, Pride and Prejudice Jewelry by heavenstobessie

Alice in Wonderland Glass Miniature Drink Me Necklace w/ handmade label by GeekOUTlet

Wrap Up With A Good Book Scarf: Pride and Prejudice- longer length by storiarts

Altered Book Art-Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet by Raidersofthelostart

Harry Potter FANTASTIC Time Turner WATCH necklace by oldjunkyardboutique

Hope you all enjoyed some of these. They're all for sale on Etsy so go check them out!

Teaser Tuesday #30

Thank you to MizB of Should Be Reading for giving us Teaser Tuesday every week!
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser comes from Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Is it a new one? Absolutely not. But I'm re-reading it on my Kindle and I love it. So I had to.

  Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply, but, unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters.
  "Don't keep coughing so, Kitty, for Heaven's sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces."
  "Kitty has no discretion in her coughs," said her father; "she times them ill."

I love Mr. Bennet. I think, aside from Mr. Darcy and Lizzie, he is my favorite.

Can't wait to see ya'lls teasers!

Movie Trailer(s): Pride & Prejudice

I love Pride and Prejudice (thank you to my brother for buying me the movie for my birthday in 2006... if he hadn't, I wouldn't have fallen in love with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth and their whole story). It ranks up in probably the top 3 of my all time favorite books/movies.

The 2005 version is the only one I've seen, but I love the landscape and the soundtrack. It's gorgeous. I know I've said that at least once before on this blog.



The 1995 version I may have to watch soon (this is a fanmade trailer).



The 1980 BBC mini-series (which I believe was available on Netflix at one point, ps. it's another fanmade trailer)



And just because I got sucked in to watching when I looked up the trailers... Mr. Darcy's failed proposals:





And now, my favorite scene out of the ENTIRE movie... (actual clip starts about 20 seconds in so feel free to fast forward!)



Beautiful. And have I mentioned the music is amazing?

And because I love this movie (and I actually got my mom to watch it with me!)... Lost in Austen:

Follow Friday #28

Follow Friday is hosted every week by Parajunkee & Alison Can Read.

Originally, I had a different post ready for this. I was supposed to be skiing and tubing and having all kinds of fun tomorrow at a resort a few hours away.

Obviously, I am not there. Want to know why?

No snow.

Hard to make snow when it's 65 degrees every day. :-X

So on with our regularly scheduled programming.

Q: If you had to spend eternity inside the pages of a book which book would you choose and why?

A. The first book that popped into my head was definitely Pride & Prejudice. The manners, the romance, the landscape. Families were close then. Cared about each other. The second book that popped in to my head IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING Pride & Prejudice was Harry Potter. For obvious reasons. I'd only want to be there if I got to go to Hogwarts though. I couldn't be a muggle. Or a squib. No thank you.

How about you?

Review - Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

In keeping with the Pride and Prejudice theme (check out the giveaway for Experience by Meg Kerr!) I decided to write up a review for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Seth Grahame - Smith tags along with Jane Austen in this one to bring you a classic story with a gruesome twist.

It had been months since she had seen Charlotte, and kind months they had not been, for her friend's skin was now quite gray and marked with sores, and her speech apallingly laboured.

Ah yes, poor Charlotte. Stricken and practically decomposing before your very eyes. But Lizzie, ever the kind friend, still visits her.

"Wady Caferine very respectable...sensible woman," groaned Charlotte, "and most attentive nay-bah."

I'm sorry, but just trying to say that in my head the way it's written, I can't help but laugh. I absolutely loved this book. It was funny and familiar at the same time. The "unmentionables" were a great addition. We find Lizzie and her sisters very learned in combat and martial arts while still trying to maintain the pretense of being proper young ladies of the time.

And check out Lizzie's refusal of Mr. Collin's marriage proposal:

"You forget, sir, that I am a student of Shaolin! Master of the seven-starred fist! I am perfectly serious in my refusal. You could not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who could make you so. May, were your friend Lady Catherine to know me, I am persuaded she would find me in every respect ill qualified for the situation, for I am a warrior, sir, and shall be until my last breath is offered to God."

It's even illustrated!

I highly suggest picking this up. If you're a fan of "Unmentionables" or Pride and Prejudice. I wasn't sure how much I would like it compared to the actual P&P... but I was delightfully surprised at how much fun it was to read.

You could also check out the prequel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls. This one is written by Steve Hockensmith. I have not had a chance to read it so I can't attest to its contents, but it looks like it would be as interesting as the first P&P&Z. Also by Steve Hockensmith is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dreadfully Ever After in which tragedy befalls Mr. Darcy when he is bitten by an unmentionable. He is not immediately beheaded by his lovely wife. Instead she seeks a cure in London. Sounds like fun times. I haven't read this one either.

Giveaway - Experience by Meg Kerr

I am extremely excited to announce that my friends over at Bluebell Publishing have offered up a copy of Experience by Meg Kerr.

I recently featured Experience in a Teaser Tuesday post and way back in April I posted my review which you can read HERE (pssst... it's even linked to on their website HERE). I think Meg is a fantastic author and I can't say enough how much I absolutely enjoyed this sequel to Pride and Prejudice. I hadn't realized, before receiving experience, that there were other sequels to the story. I can say, however, that I am glad this is the first one I found. It was perfect.

Ok, the giveaway rules (I don't like that word but I couldn't think of anything else):

Just leave me a comment with your email address and a week from today I will randomly select a winner. After I post the winner up on my blog I will email you and you have 72 hours to respond with your name and mailing address so that I can send it away to the publisher and they can send you your book!

Easy right?

So get to commenting!!

Bookworm Christmas Gifts

Marcie from To Read or Not to Read had a really good idea when she posted some bookish Christmas jewelry gift ideas. I thought I'd take a page out of her book and show you some of the things I've found that I think would make great gifts too!

Links are posted below the pictures so you can get there easily!

Steampunk Harry Potter Time Turner Necklace

I mean seriously, how cool is that. I love it.

Mr. Darcy - Pride & Prejudice Quote Necklace

::Swoons:: Oh how I love Mr. Darcy.

A Study In Scarlet - Sherlock Holmes Mystery Charm Bracelet

I love how this one is so busy. It's gorgeous. And the little Sherlock Holmes charms are great!

Winnie The Pooh Earrings

I love the miniature typewriter! It's wicked cute. Tons of detail.

Alice in Wonderland - Mad Hatter Sterling Silver Ring

I don't know what to say about this other than I love it.

Pirates of the Caribbean - Steampunk Skull Necklace and Key

Ok, I know this isn't a book, but I still <3 POtC. And The blue in that necklace is outstanding.

Harry Potter - Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans Charm Bracelet

Looks good enough to eat! But don't try, because it's polymer clay. :-) Very well done.

Ok, so it's taken me a loooong time to get this entry done. I've gotten distracted nearly every time I've looked at something on Etsy and now I'm watching Pride & Prejudice and Mr. Darcy is demanding all of my attention now. :-) So I hope if you were looking for gifts for your bookish friends, these gave you some ideas! 

Teaser Tuesday #24

Thank you to MizB of Should Be Reading for giving us Teaser Tuesday every week!

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser comes from Experience by Meg Kerr. I reviewed this a while back and absolutely LOVED it. You can read my review for it here. Meg did such a good job with the story and I just fell in love with everyone all over again.

"Shall I ask you the reason of your grave and troubled look this morning?" inquired Mrs. Darcy as their coach conveyed them out of the innyard onto the North road. "I am inclined to attribute it to the breakfast ham, though it might equally have been the cold damp toast." p 1

That right there, as you can see, is from the very first page. Any book that can make me smile or laugh within WORDS of beginning it is awesome. I urge everyone to read it. I got it for review from Bluebell Publishing, with a note from Meg inside! You can find the book here on Amazon. It's totally worth it!

Covers Around The World

Ok, so this one may not be ALL around the world, it's just been published SO many times and has so many different covers that I wanted to share them. It's one of my favorite books. We're talking about Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen.

This is the cover on my copy:

This one I love simply because I adore Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy. I love his voice, his hair, his face... ::cough:: but yeah, I like this cover.

This one I like because it's simple and beautiful:

And here are some more of the covers that I enjoy:

Ebook Edition:



This one I just think is cute:

Beautiful:

Ummm.... not sure how this one works with the story....:

Ok... and just because I want to... lol... here's Pride & Prejudice & Zombies:

Follow Friday #11

Been a while since I've done one of these. But it's time for another Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee.

This week's question:

Q. The magic book fairy pops out of your cereal box and says "you and your favorite character (from a book of course) can switch places!" Who are you going to switch with?


A. That's a really hard one. Most of me wants to go with a novel where it's one of those awful love triangles where both men are fawning over the same girl and she's all "I love you both, I can't let either of you go" just so I know what it feels like. Hehe.... but then I realize nah... I'd just make myself nauseous if I did that.

Then there's part of me that wants to trade places with Lizzie Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. Because let's face it... who doesn't want to have Mr. Darcy head over heels with them.

And then I settled on Hermione from Harry Potter. She's smart, she's got a good head on her shoulders. And two amazing friends who stick by her no matter what and are always there for her. And she gets to go to Hogwarts and have all kinds of adventures.

How about you? Who would you want to trade places with?

Follow Friday #8

To see my review of Graceling click here! 

Follow Friday is hosted every week by Parajunkee over at Parajunkee's View.

This weeks question:

Q. Keeping with the dystopian and apocalypse theme that seems to be running rampant on parajunkee.com, I have one very hard question for you: If you were stocking your bomb shelter, what books would you HAVE to include if you only had space for ten?


This is a hard question. I can't imagine only being able to take 10. And it's hard to choose between the ones I like.... Hmmm.... We'll just say the Bible doesn't count in this 10, because we'd have to pack that.

1. The Chronicles of Narnia (this does come in a form where they're all in 1 book! HA!) - CS Lewis
2,3,4. The Hunger Games trilogy - Suzanne Collins
5. Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen
6. Graceling - Kristin Cashore
7. Redeeming Love - Francine Rivers
8. Journey to the Center of the Earth - Jules Verne
9. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
10. Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson

Unfortunately that leaves no room for Harry Potter... crap. Hmm.... I'll make someone else keep my Harry Potter books for me. Hehe.

Review: Experience - Meg Kerr

   I just finished reading Experience by Meg Kerr and I have to say, I was blown away. Meg is a  modern author writing effortlessly in the style of Jane Austen. I absolutely loved it. I got to spend time with some of my favorite characters again in a totally new way. I may have actually enjoyed this more than the original... it is a strong possibility.

Where Pride & Prejudice was mainly focused on Elizabeth Bennett, Experience gave you a little bit of EVERYONE. Some of the characters that served as background fixtures in Jane Austen's novel were brought front and center in Meg Kerr's sequel.

We get to know Kitty a great deal better than we had previously. And we find that without Lydia around as a "bad influence" she is actually an incredibly charming character. Lydia seems as shallow and flirtatious as always (and quite scandalous). And at one point I ACTUALLY felt sorry for Caroline Bingley. But only for a minute. Lady Catherine is as pompous as ever and Mrs. Bennett is completely frazzled and seemingly at her wits end every time we meet her.

Within the first few paragraphs I was already chuckling. Experience is funny. Not in a belly - laughing "Can you BELIEVE it" kind of way. But in a subtle way that's littered throughout the book. It kept me amused the entire time I was reading.

There were definitely frustrating points (nothing to do with the writing but with the way the characters were acting) where I wasn't sure what was going to happen, but still hoped for the best. And Meg definitely didn't disappoint. Everything was beautifully written. It was the type of book where you don't WANT to read it fast because you want to be able to soak everything in. Instead of a run or a jog it was more like a nice leisurely stroll through a peaceful quiet park.

I definitely recommend this book to absolutely anyone. Jane Austen fans, even people who've never read Pride & Prejudice, who may have only seen the movie (whatever adaptation). It's an outstanding book and is definitely a new favorite of mine.

In My Mailbox #6

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi The Story Siren. It's to showcase all the books that you got one way or another during the previous week.

This week was another sparse one, but that's ok because last week definitely makes up for it.

So this week it's Experience by Meg Kerr sent to me by Bluebell Publishing.

"This new sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice spirits the reader away to Regency England, beginning as Darcy and Elizabeth arrive at Pemberley on their honeymoon. But Elizabeth had captured the heart of more than one man…what will that man’s swift arrival at Pemberley mean for the Darcys? Lady Catherine de Bourgh is intent on capturing a husband, with or without his heart, for her daughter scorned by Darcy; and Caroline Bingley, also rejected by Darcy, is intent on achieving greater importance in the world through marriage to an aristocrat—yet who is that tall, dark man attracting her gaze who is “not quite a gentleman”? And who is it that Lydia’s eyes…and feet…are following? Kitty is turning into a woman, and her fine dark eyes are turned towards one who is out of her reach, while Jane and Bingley who had achieved perfect happiness on their marriage begin to find it retreating from their grasp. Mary, meanwhile, stakes her happiness on a union of true minds, only to learn that learning alone is a cold companion. As this Pride and Prejudice sequel moves in interwoven stories from the end of 1812 to the end of 1815, new light is shed on much loved old characters, and new characters are introduced who will make thousands of friends".

I mean really, who can get enough of Mr. Darcy? And this sounds like an amazing "sequel" to Pride & Prejudice. I can't wait to read it! What's in YOUR mailbox this week?

Pride & Prejudice

I absolutely adore Pride & Prejudice. I love love love it. From Lizzy to Mr. Bennett to Mr. Darcy to Jane. They're all just absolutely wonderful.

That being said, I know there are multiple movie (even TV series) versions of this amazing classic. And I have to thank my brother for giving me my absolute FAVORITE of all time. Now, I love Colin Firth. I think he is a phenomenal actor. But the 2005 version of Pride & Prejudice is just all that and a bag of potato chips (buffalo ranch even) if you ask me. I adore Keira Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen is just to die for. Not to mention the scenery is breathtaking as is the soundtrack.

Which version is your favorite?