Review: Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie

It is a truth universally acknowledged that I will enjoy a book *that* much more when there’s a nod to Jane Austen (it’s also a truth that I will absolutely always overuse that opening). I hadn’t realized there was a hint of Pride and Prejudice in Jackie Lau’s latest novel before I started it but, not surprisingly, I was totally into it. Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie is by no means a P&P adaptation but it does take some of the best parts of Austen’s most well-known novel and uses them to make a modern rom com that was an absolute joy to read.

Here’s the book’s description:
Mark Chan this. Mark Chan that.

Writer and barista Emily Hung is tired of hearing about the great Mark Chan, the son of her parents’ friends. You’d think he single-handedly stopped climate change and ended child poverty from the way her mother raves about him. But in reality, he’s just a boring, sweater-vest-wearing engineer, and when they’re forced together at Emily’s sister’s wedding, it’s obvious he thinks he’s too good for her.
But now that Emily is her family’s last single daughter, her mother is fixated on getting her married and she has her sights on Mark. There’s only one solution, clearly : convince Mark to be in a fake relationship with her long enough to put an end to her mom’s meddling. He reluctantly agrees.
Unfortunately, lying isn’t enough. Family friends keep popping up at their supposed dates—including a bubble tea shop and cake-decorating class—so they’ll have to spend more time together to make their relationship look real. With each fake date, though, Emily realizes that Mark’s not quite what she assumed and maybe that argyle sweater isn’t so ugly after all…

You may not have read Pride and Prejudice but I think there’s a better chance you’ve probably watched Bridget Jones’ Diary (bonus points if you’ve read both novels and watched the movies). Bridget is also a nod to P&P and is one of the most fun adaptations of Austen’s work. Lau’s felt like that too - right down to the main male character being named Mark and having a penchant for sweaters - and it was much fun.

Like Elizabeth and Darcy, Emily and Mark got off on the wrong foot. Way wrong. Luckily, they eventually realized how boneheaded they had been (Emily especially) and actually communicated with each other. About fake dating and lying to their families, but communicating nonetheless! It was really enjoyable to watch them put their guards down and start to become friends - and something more.

I always, always struggle when a main character’s family and/or friends tries to force them into being in a relationship. That there’s no way they could be happy without someone special in their life. I can handle some of it because the family really does mean well and it really is coming from a place of love. But when the family refuses to take no for an answer? And won’t listen to the main character, who they claim to love so much that they want them to be happy? That’s when I get frustrated. And I know it wouldn’t be a romance book without conflict and a couple getting together but…it can be really hard for me to read a MC being ignored by those who claim to love them that they’re forced to lie or do other ridiculous things just to please their family. As an aside to the whole family thing - I did NOT buy the excuse for Emily’s eldest sister’s behaviour. I was so irritated at her and the reasoning behind it was not good enough and there were no consequences for how she was behaving towards Emily.

The first third or so of the novel was told from Emily’s perspective but then it starts to switch back and forth between Mark and Emily. I do like when romances have dual perspectives but it had been solely Emily’s POV for so long that it was kind of jarring to finally get Mark’s thoughts - as appreciated as they were to get a better sense of him and how he was feeling about the whole fake dating thing.

I really liked that Emily was an author and Lau showcased how tough it can be to become (and stay) published. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I liked the bookish element of this novel but I find that Lau was a lot more honest and realistic than other rom com authors are when their main characters are writers. As much as I hated that Emily had to keep justifying her job and how she spends her time to her friends and family, it seemed more honest that way. But the way Mark was so supportive of her writing and was protective of her time? Swoon.

Oh, and bonus! The novel is set in Toronto. Three cheers for romances taking place in Canada!

Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie was so much fun to read. I was entertained by Jackie Lau’s novel from start to finish. I wouldn’t call this a super memorable novel or the best rom com I’ve ever read but it was fun and I enjoyed it - and that’s all that matters when it comes to reading!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster, via Edelweiss in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Bennet Women

There are so many great Jane Austen retellings out there and I am so thrilled about it. There's no way I'm ever going to be able to get to all of them but I'm really happy I was able to recently read The Bennet Women by Eden Appiah-Kubi. This debut novel was a modern spin on Pride and Prejudice and I couldn't get enough of it.

Here's the book's description:

Welcome to Bennet House, the only all-women’s dorm at prestigious Longbourn University, home to three close friends who are about to have an eventful year. EJ is an ambitious Black engineering student. Her best friend, Jamie, is a newly out trans woman studying French and theater. Tessa is a Filipina astronomy major with guy trouble. For them, Bennet House is more than a residence—it’s an oasis of feminism, femininity, and enlightenment. But as great as Longbourn is for academics, EJ knows it can be a wretched place to find love.
Yet the fall season is young and brimming with surprising possibilities. Jamie’s prospect is Lee Gregory, son of a Hollywood producer and a gentleman so charming he practically sparkles. That leaves EJ with Lee’s arrogant best friend, Will. For Jamie’s sake, EJ must put up with the disagreeable, distressingly handsome, not quite famous TV actor for as long as she can.
What of it? EJ has her eyes on a bigger prize, anyway: launching a spectacular engineering career in the “real world” she’s been hearing so much about. But what happens when all their lives become entwined in ways no one could have predicted—and EJ finds herself drawn to a man who’s not exactly a perfect fit for the future she has planned?

The novel follows the characters over the course of EJ and Jamie's final year at Longbourn. I liked how the story was laid out with it taking place over a calendar year and broken up based on important events. For example, it starts with the Fall Formal (aka the ball where Elizabeth and Darcy first meet) and then skips ahead to other significant parts of the story. The chapters and sections all vary in length so they're just as long or short as they need to be, which I really liked. 

The nods to Jane Austen's original story were fantastic. This is very much Appiah-Kubi's own story but she uses the plot points of Pride and Prejudice as her framework. I loved the little moments like when EJ (who I absolutely loved) shows up at the hospital when Jamie ends up there and she's covered in mud from a long hike in the woods, just like Elizabeth when she rushes to Jane's side after hearing she'd fallen ill on her way to see the Bingleys. Will is a fantastic modern day Darcy who shows off the snobby and heart of gold sides of his personality so well.

If I had to make one complaint, it would be that it very much felt like this novel was just EJ's story even with the chapters and perspectives from many of the other characters. Sometimes it was just one chapter, such as the case with Dia (the "Lydia" character). But with characters like Jamie, it was a bit different as it was like she was supposed to get as much attention as EJ but she got a bit overshadowed. It was great to get her perspective but I don't know if maybe there needed to be more from her or maybe even less? Then there was Tessa, who is mentioned along with the other two in the description but didn't feature nearly as much as I expected. I wouldn't call this a negative and it didn't take away from my reading enjoyment. I think it's important to note if you're not a fan of multiple perspectives because the uneven focus it might be more of a bother for you.

As someone who grew up in a really white small town and now lives in a fairly white city, I really appreciate reading novels like The Bennet Women that are diverse and very matter of fact about it. I know I'm always learning and novels always give me at least one little (or big) lightbulb moment that helps me approach the world around me in a better way. (Reading novels is great, of course, but that cannot be the only learning I do - and it's not.) In the case of this novel, it was when EJ and Jamie were talking about wanting to do a road trip across the country but the reality was, a black woman and a trans woman would not be welcome in a lot of states. This is something I knew, sort of, but having it laid out like that just hit a little bit harder and stuck with me.

The Bennet Women is one of those books I just want to shove at people and tell them to read it. It's smart and funny and, no surprise here, I loved that Eden Appiah-Kubi wrote a fantastic novel with nods to one of my favourite classics, Pride and Prejudice. It's a great read and I think you should pick it up soon!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the Canadian distributor, Thomas Allen & Son, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Written in the Stars

Not every Jane Austen fan appreciates an adaptation of her work but, for the most part, this Jane Austen fan does. So, I was excited when I heard about Alexandria Bellefleur's novel Written in the Stars. A play on Pride and Prejudice with a queer couple? I was all in. And, happily, I enjoyed every minute reading this book!

Here's the synopsis:

After a disastrous blind date, Darcy Lowell is desperate to stop her well-meaning brother from playing matchmaker ever again. Love—and the inevitable heartbreak—is the last thing she wants. So she fibs and says her latest set up was a success. Darcy doesn’t expect her lie to bite her in the ass. 

Elle Jones, one of the astrologers behind the popular Twitter account, Oh My Stars, dreams of finding her soul mate. But she knows it is most assuredly not Darcy... a no-nonsense stick-in-the-mud, who is way too analytical, punctual, and skeptical for someone as free-spirited as Elle. When Darcy’s brother—and Elle's new business partner—expresses how happy he is that they hit it off, Elle is baffled. Was Darcy on the same date? Because... awkward.

When Darcy begs Elle to play along, she agrees to pretend they’re dating to save face. But with a few conditions: Darcy must help Elle navigate her own overbearing family over the holidays and their arrangement expires on New Year’s Eve. The last thing they expect is to develop real feelings during a fake relationship.

But maybe opposites can attract when true love is written in the stars?

Those looking for an exact adaptation of Pride and Prejudice will be a touch disappointed because Bellefleur takes some liberties with the classic and, ultimately, makes it her own story. I was totally into that and it reminded me of Bridget Jones's Diary in a way. Darcy likes things done in a certain way and can come across as aloof and reserved and, while that's kind of accurate, it's not really what she's like deep down. Which is kind of like her namesake. Elle is a lot more like Bridget than Elizabeth - she seems like she's all over the place and is untraditional. But she is smart and kind, with a family that loves to meddle. They're perfect opposites and perfect for each other.

An added bonus to reading this in December - there was a bit of a holiday element to it! Darcy and Elle have a Thanksgiving "date" at Elle's family's house and Elle also surprises Darcy with the sweetest Christmas treat which shows how well the pair know each other even though they're trying to pretend their relationship is just that, pretend. 

I wouldn't say I'm usually drawn to fake dating tropes but I've read a few this year that may have converted me. It's similar to friends-to-lovers, which is one of my favourites. There's a hint of enemies-to-lovers in this book because Darcy and Elle do not hit it off. At all. Darcy shows right away that there's more to her under her icy exterior and Elle's big heart is evident quickly as she chooses to forgive Darcy and go along with the fake dating scheme. She doesn't let Darcy walk all over her though and that helps the reader fall in love with the both of them, just as they start falling for each other.

Anyone who likes Austen-esque stories or fake dating tropes or, honestly, just excellent rom coms, should check out Written in the Stars. Alexandria Bellefleur's novel made me SO happy when reading it and I cannot wait to read the next book, Hang the Moon. 

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Canada, via Edelweiss in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe

I'm a big Jane Austen fan so when I realized Melissa de la Cruz had written Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe, an updated, Christmastime, gender swapped version of Pride and Prejudice, I was sold. Happily, I really enjoyed it even though it's a super fast read.

Here's the synopsis:

Darcy Fitzwilliam is 29, beautiful, successful, and brilliant. She dates hedge funders and basketball stars and is never without her three cellphones—one for work, one for play, and one to throw at her assistant (just kidding). Darcy’s never fallen in love, never has time for anyone else’s drama, and never goes home for Christmas if she can help it. But when her mother falls ill, she comes home to Pemberley, Ohio, to spend the season with her dad and little brother.
Her parents throw their annual Christmas bash, where she meets one Luke Bennet, the smart, sardonic slacker son of their neighbor. Luke is 32 and has never left home. He’s a carpenter and makes beautiful furniture, and is content with his simple life. He comes from a family of five brothers, each one less ambitious than the other. When Darcy and Luke fall into bed after too many eggnogs, Darcy thinks it’s just another one night stand. But why can’t she stop thinking of Luke? What is it about him? And can she fall in love, or will her pride and his prejudice against big-city girls stand in their way?

I had taken a quick look at Goodreads to see what others thought of this book and one comment stuck out for me: that the synopsis doesn't quite match with the actual story. Though it really doesn't have much to do with my overall thoughts on the novel, I do think the synopsis should reflect what's actually happening in the book. I don't think it's ever mentioned in the story that she has multiple cell phones (she adores her assistant), she doesn't meet Luke at the party because they went to school together, Luke is not a slacker, and they don't have a one night stand. They literally sleep together after Darcy passes out from a few too many drinks. I think most people who are reading this for a Pride and Prejudice retelling won't care too much about the discrepancies because, if they're anything like me, they didn't even pay too much attention to the synopsis in the first place. But someone else who's going into this not knowing much about the original story might be frustrated with the story they ended up with.

The novel is quite short - just over 200 pages - so it couldn't faithfully follow Austen's novel. But I actually really liked how de la Cruz updated and tweaked the story to suit her needs and the present day. Characters were added (Darcy has a bunch of brothers instead of just one opposite gender sibling) or taken away (there's no Lady Catherine de Bourgh in this story but Darcy's dad sort of plays that role), and some even changed pretty drastically (Darcy's BFF Bingley is still a man but Jane became Jim so there's a gay romance in play too). Even with all the changes, it all seemed to work for me. I liked that I knew how the story would play out but wasn't totally sure how it would do so. It's not quite Lizzie Bennet Diaries level amazing but it's pretty good as far as adaptations/retellings go.

This was a really easy read for me. I read it in about two hours over the course of two days. Part of that is because I'm a super fast reader, but I think it's also because I already sort of knew how the story would play out and also because it was written in such a way that wasn't too difficult to read.

Like most Christmas books these days, the holiday aspect of the book isn't overpowering. The book begins around Christmas and there is a big fancy Christmas party as well as some caroling. Plus, mistletoe does play a pretty big part in Darcy and Luke's relationship. So, if you want Christmas, you've got it. If you'd rather the holiday didn't play a part, well, know that it's not a huge one. I personally love Christmas stories so I always want more festive cheer than less but I can understand why it's usually played down in books.

Overall, Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe was a fun holiday read. Like I said, I'm a Jane Austen fan so I came into it with that lens and knowing the original story fairly well but I'd be really interested to see what those who haven't read Austen's novel think about it. Melissa de la Cruz's latest is a good one to pick up during the holidays not just because it's a good read but also for its hints of Christmas cheer.

*An advanced uncorrected proof was provided by the distributor, Raincoast Books, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Darcy Monologues

I'm a Jane Austen fan so a short story collection told from Darcy's perspective was a pretty interesting idea. The Darcy Monologues was edited by Christina Boyd and includes 15 stories all told from the point of view of one of literature's favourite heroes, Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. 

Here's the description of the collection:

“You must allow me to tell you...”
For over two hundred years, Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy has captivated readers’ imaginations as the ultimate catch. Rich. Powerful. Noble. Handsome. And yet, as Miss Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” is established through Elizabeth Bennet’s fine eyes, how are we to know what his tortured soul is indeed thinking? How does Darcy progress from “She is tolerable: but not handsome enough to tempt me” to “I thought only of you”?

In this romance anthology, fifteen Austen-inspired authors assemble to sketch Darcy’s character through a series of re-imaginings set in the Regency through contemporary times—from faithful narratives to the fanciful. Herein “The Darcy Monologues”, the man himself reveals his intimate thoughts, his passionate dreams, and his journey to love—all told with a previously concealed wit and enduring charm.

Stories by: Susan Adriani * Sara Angelini * Karen M Cox * J. Marie Croft * Jan Hahn * Jenetta James * Lory Lilian * KaraLynne Mackrory * Beau North * Ruth Phillips Oakland * Natalie Richards * Sophia Rose * Melanie Stanford * Joana Starnes * Caitlin Williams

There have been countless Pride and Prejudice adaptations over the years and it's always cool to see what authors/directors/etc. will do with Austen's novel. The authors in this collection had the task of imagining how Darcy was feeling during the novel. Some of them wrote Regency era stories so they had the feel of an Austen story, and others wrote their stories set in different time periods. There was one during World War II, another during the sixties, and a few present day stories as well. Some of the Regency stories took place during Pride and Prejudice - some wrote what Darcy was going through after the rejected proposal - and others wrote stories that took place after Austen's novel ended. One even created a mash up of Pride and Prejudice and Beauty and the Beast (I'm still not sure how I felt about that one...). I loved that each other had a twist all their own and it was neat to see how they approached their own Mr. Darcy.

I did struggle with some of the stories and it's been really hard to put my finger on why. Part of it hasd to do with the way they were written. Some just didn't flow well as short stories. It was hard to notice that since I know the source material, Pride and Prejudice, fairly well so I was able to fill in gaps or smooth over awkward timing. I also think that some of the Regency era stories were too similar and I may have gotten a bit bored reading the same thing over and over again. I also found that the Darcy the author wrote sometimes didn't quite fit with the original Darcy. For example, one of the contemporary authors had her Darcy describe himself as a wuss which doesn't work with how I see Darcy and even how he was written in the rest of the story. I know each author can - and should - create her own story but changing Darcy's personality so much feels weird.

I especially liked seeing how the other era and contemporary authors approached their stories. What professions would the characters have? Darcy was a principal in one story and a captain in the war in another. Elizabeth was a radio DJ in the 60s and a sports journalist in present day. Would all of the characters be included? What storyline would they focus on? Sometimes the story took place between the proposals and sometimes it focused on Wickham and Lydia. Each one was very different and I loved that.

My favourite stories were two of the contemporary ones. I loved "Darcy Strikes Out" by Sophia Rose - and not just because it featured Darcy as a professional baseball player (give me a romance involving ball players and I'm a happy girl). I found this one to be well written and struck an excellent balance of staying true to the original story while also being so very unique. I did find myself picking apart the baseball storyline a bit though but I'm a bit particular when it comes to my sports stories! :) The other one wasn't exactly from "Darcy's" perspective as it was a modern day couple who met in a similar way to Darcy and Elizabeth. In "I, Darcy" by Karen M. Cox, the hero is actually named after Fitzwilliam Darcy (his mom was an English major) but goes by Liam because he hates being named after a character who he doesn't understand. I think I enjoyed this one because it focused on the two couples (Darcy/Lynley and Corbin (Charles Bingley)/Jane (Lynley's step-sister whose mother was also an English major). Again, it was well written and it was the perfect story to end the collection with.

Even though I had some issues with The Darcy Monologues, I think this is a neat read for anyone who appreciates fan fiction and Jane Austen. There's a reason we're all still obsessed with Mr. Darcy all these years later (200 years since Austen died, in fact) and it was really fun to see so many authors pay homage to Jane and her most enduring (and endearing?) hero.

*A copy of this collection was provided by the editor, Christina Boyd, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.* 

Event Recap: Jo Baker and Pride&Prejudice

When I first heard of the event being held at the TIFF Bell Lightbox featuring Jo Baker, her new book Longbourn, and a viewing of the movie Pride & Prejudice, I really wanted to go. I read Longbourn and enjoyed it (read my review here) and thought it'd be great to see her speak. Not to mention rewatching the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice at the TIFF theatres would be quite the experience. However, I decided that I couldn't quite justify spending money on getting to Toronto (I'm about an hour and a half drive away) as well as buying a ticket so I decided I wouldn't go. Then, on the Friday before the event (which was on a Monday), International Festival of Authors (IFOA) held a super easy Twitter contest - retweet their tweet about the event and you might win two tickets. Retweet I did and I won! Author, fellow blogger, and friend, Lydia, was my lucky plus one and we had a great evening!

Eleanor Wachtel, host of TIFF's Books on Film and the CBC's Writers and Company, was the event's host. She chatted with Jo for a few minutes before the viewing started. They talked a little bit about her book and the Joe Wright P&P adaptation. Jo mentioned a few of her favourite parts in the movie: the massive pig walking through the house and a scene where the servant girl is walking up the stairs, singing. I remembered the pig from previous viewings of the movie but I couldn't recall the girl. And that's really kind of the point of Longbourn - taking notice of how things were done in Pride and Prejudice. I, along with others I'm sure, made a mental note to pay attention to the scenes involving the servants. Then it was time for the show!

While watching the movie (which I own and have seen multiple times), I was reminded of the feeling I got when I went to film screenings for class when I was in university. Even though a lot of the movies we watched were easily accessible (and therefore able to be watched on our own time...like in our PJs on a Sunday morning), the profs always encouraged us to go to the screenings for the experience. Everyone goes to the screening for the same purpose and you have a much better experience by watching it with others and feeding off their emotions and reactions (laughter, gasps, and so on). I had the same feeling as I watched Pride & Prejudice at this event. You'd think it would be the same feeling as when you go to the local theatre to watch the latest movie but it's not. There's a different sort of camaraderie or companionship when you're watching a movie and trying to get a little more out of it than the simple entertainment factor.

After the movie was over, Eleanor and Jo sat down to talk some more. I found Jo's inspiration for Longbourn to be really interesting. How many of you Austen readers remember the line "...the very shoe-roses for Netherfield were got by proxy" from Pride and Prejudice? (Hopefully that quote is right...found it on the oh so trustworthy internet!) It didn't stick out for me when I read the book many years ago but it did for Jo. She wanted to know who "proxy" was and her novel evolved from there. Another comment that stuck out for me was when Eleanor also asked Jo about the way she portrayed Mr. Collins. Jo said that a lot of people have caught on that she's quite sympathetic to poor Mr. Collins and said "We all have awkward moments...his is just lasting a lifetime." I think that's such a good way to describe it and I must say that I will watch and read about Mr. Collins in a new light after reading Longbourn and hearing Jo talk about him.

Once Eleanor and Jo wrapped up their discussion and the Q&A portion was complete, it was time to line up to get my copy of Longbourn signed. It was already quite late so Lydia headed home (after making sure I knew how to get back to Union on my own...I'm so glad she looks out for little ol' me when I go to the big city!) I was lucky and didn't have to wait too long to get my book signed. Jo is absolutely lovely. The accent helps! I said that I liked that this retelling of Pride and Prejudice was so different and that it made me think about the characters and story in a new way, through the eyes of the servants. Jo said that she thinks of her book as a "subquel", not quite a sequel but close. Interesting way to think of it, isn't it?

Even though I had to rush to the train station in the rain and got home close to 1:00am, I am so glad I went to this event. Jo Baker was lovely (there really is no other word!) and Eleanor Wachtel asked some great questions. I learned a lot about how Jo came to write Longbourn, got to enjoy Pride & Prejudice on the big screen with a great friend, and had another book signed. What more could an Austen fan ask for?

Review: Longbourn

It's not often that I'll allow myself to have (ridiculously) high expectations of a novel. When you start to expect something out of this world amazing you start to set yourself up for disappointment. I think I set the bar too high for the newly released Longbourn. I expected too much from it. Jo Baker's novel was well researched and well written but I found myself feeling only so-so about it as I read it. I enjoyed it as a whole but trying to put my finger on what it was that let me down has been a frustrating process.

Here's the synopsis:

Pride and Prejudice was only half the story.If Elizabeth Bennet had the washing of her own petticoats, Sarah often thought, she’d most likely be a sight more careful with them.
In this irresistibly imagined belowstairs answer to Pride and Prejudice, the servants take center stage. Sarah, the orphaned housemaid, spends her days scrubbing the laundry, polishing the floors, and emptying the chamber pots for the Bennet household. But there is just as much romance, heartbreak, and intrigue downstairs at Longbourn as there is upstairs. When a mysterious new footman arrives, the orderly realm of the servants’ hall threatens to be completely, perhaps irrevocably, upended. 
Jo Baker dares to take us beyond the drawing rooms of Jane Austen’s classic—into the often overlooked domain of the stern housekeeper and the starry-eyed kitchen maid, into the gritty daily particulars faced by the lower classes in Regency England during the Napoleonic Wars—and, in doing so, creates a vivid, fascinating, fully realized world that is wholly her own. 

I do think Pride and Prejudice fans would enjoy this. It's important to note, however, that the Bennets and friends are not the focus of the story. At least, not in the way that a lot of people might want or expect. The novel isn't set up like Downton Abbey where you see both upstairs and downstairs equally. You only see the upstairs when the servants are there. Everything is seen through their eyes - and I liked that. We didn't need anything more because we (at least the people who have read Pride and Prejudice) already know the upstairs story. This allows us to fill in some blanks. I liked that we got to see how the servants would have interpreted the goings on at Longbourn. Did you ever think about how their lives would be changed once Mr. Bennet died and Mr. Collins took over? I never did. This novel makes you realize how dependant the servants are on their masters. I liked knowing what was happening inside while James was waiting outside Netherfield in the carriage or upstairs when Lady Catherine de Bourgh sweeps into Longbourn. These parts of the novel, the adding to Pride and Prejudice, were nice to read about - if slow in the beginning.

I had some trouble determining exactly how much time was passing, especially near the end of the book. It was easy when the servants' story was running parallel to the story we know so well from Pride and Prejudice but once it went beyond the end of that novel I was quickly confused. I want to give examples to show why it was confusing but that would give away the end of the story! It's really not a huge deal but it distracted me a bit from the conclusion and bothered me enough that it warrants a mention.

I liked Sarah, the maid who serves as the heroine in this story. I was invested in her life and wanted only the best for her. There were other little stories that captured my interest as well but were slow to get really moving. We don't know exactly what James' story is, nor do we know why Mrs. Hill seems agitated (though I correctly guessed the reason). Even though I was glad to find out exactly what had happened to James, I wish there had not been 40+ pages devoted to explaining it. The history of it was mildly interesting but I didn't feel like it did anything for the story as a whole. The Mrs. Hill storyline contained a big shocker that Austen fans will probably really dislike because it paints a beloved Pride and Prejudice character in a less than favourable light.

Overall, I liked Longbourn. I didn't love it as I expected to and that probably coloured my review. I think if you go into reading Jo Baker's novel expecting a good story with an interesting and new take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice you'll probably quite enjoy it. There may be things that irk you, as they did for me, but it is a good story. I just think it could have been a little better. For those of you who have read this one already, what did you think of it? I'd love to hear what you thought!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Random House of Canada, in exchange for an honest review.*

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten All Time Favourite Characters

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. They created this feature because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature. This week's list is Top Ten All Time Favourite Characters. Don't forget to check out their blog for a full list of everyone participating.

1. Ron Weasley - Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
I could probably fill up this list with all Harry Potter characters but Ron is definitely my favourite. It's great to see him come into his own over the course of the series.

2. Anne Shirley - Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery
There's just something to love about this free spirited red head from PEI and I loved reading the series back to back to see how she grew and what happened in her life.

3. Elizabeth Bennet - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Ah, Pride and Prejudice. Great book with a fantastic protagonist. I know I'm not alone when I say she's my favourite Austen heroine. She's got spirit and doesn't try to hide it - this is huge in an era when women were not supposed to have much of a personality.

4. Jessica Darling - Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty
This series was so amazing because it featured a smart, witty, and different kind of teen girl. Perfection.

5. Katniss Everdeen - The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins
In a time where female YA protagonists are not always very strong (ahem, Bella), Katniss provides an amazing character to young girls. She has to deal with issues that many teens can relate to (other than the whole having to kill other teenagers thing) and she handles them in a strong way.

6. Laura Ingalls Wilder - Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
It's kind of strange to pick a real person as a favourite character but in all fairness, she did write her life as fictional books. I love Laura because she shows how resilient you had to be in the late 1800s. We may think life was oh so hard back then and yes, her novels show that, but they also show how much fun could be had and I really like that.

7. Remy - This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen
Remy is the main character in my favourite Dessen novel. She's got a bit more spunk and energy than some of her other characters and I think I was drawn to that. She's tough and vulnerable all at once and just plain awesome.

8. Bridget Vreeland - Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares
This was another one where I could have picked any of the main characters but I think Bridget tops my list of the girls of Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I think it's because she seemed to be much more complex than the other girls, in that she had issues that required a lot more work to sort out. When I was reading Sisterhood Everlasting she was the character that I really wanted to see settled and figured out.

9. Georgia Nicolson - Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison
These books were freaking hilarious - great for a teen girl. I think they were so funny because Georgia herself is funny. Besides, you can't help rooting for a girl who has an evil, massive cat named Angus and a pain in the butt little sister. She's just trying to live a normal teenage life which, of course, includes some quality snogging :)

10. Jane Madison - Jane Madison series by Mindy Klasky
Jane is a librarian and a witch. How neat would that be? I think that says it all!

After I completed this list I noticed a trend. A lot of these characters are from a series and I think I can figure out why I gravitated towards those characters - it's because I've had more time (ie books) to learn to love them. Does that make sense to everyone else?

Who would YOU choose as your top fictional characters? Let me know!

Happy reading :)

Just Finished: Jane Austen Made Me Do It

Ah, Jane Austen.

I admit, I have not yet read all six of her novels (Northanger Abbey or Mansfield Park are still on my to be read list) but I still consider myself an Austen fan. So much so that I actually wrote an essay about Jane Austen adaptations for a film class in university (go ahead, be jealous. My roommates were). Side note: I do not recommend watching the epic BBC version of Pride and Prejudice , the new Pride & Prejudice with Keira Knightly, Sense & Sensibility with Emma Thompson, and Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow all in the same week. I swear I was talking like the characters for days afterwards.

Back to the point of this post...Jane Austen Made Me Do It - a collection of short stories about or inspired by Jane Austen herself. The collection was edited by Laurel Ann Nattress, the creator of the website Austenprose. Overall, I loved reading these short stories. It took me awhile to get through because of other things happening in my life but it was a great read. Like most short story collections there were some stories that I loved and some that I didn't like quite as much. For the most part though, I was able to enjoy every single story.

What I liked about this collection was the variety in the stories. Some of them featured Jane Austen, like Lauren Willig's "A Night at Northanger" while others, such as "The Riding Habit" by Pamela Aidan, were continuations of some of Austen's novels. Some others took Austen's characters and plopped them in the real world ("Me and Mr. Darcy, Again..." by Alexandra Potter). There were even some stories that just featured someone who loved Jane Austen's work, like "Jane Austen, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!" by Janet Mullany. If you like the setting of Austen's novels most, you'll find stories that you like. If you're partial to some of the characters, well there are stories for you too. If you're just plain obsessed with Austen you're going to love the whole book.

Not only did I like that there was so many types of stories but I seemed to like one from each type. Some of my favourites include:

- "Waiting" by Jane Odiwe. This was a continuation of of Persuasion, Anne Elliot is forced to wait while Captain Wentworth goes to ask her father for her hand in marriage. Ooh, the tension!

- "Jane Austen and the Mistletoe Kiss" by Jo Beverley. This was a Christmas story so of course I loved it. Jane Austen makes a brief appearance, which I really enjoyed. It also has such a happy ending that made me like this story even more.

- "When Only a Darcy Will Do" by Beth Pattillo. The main character is an American student going to school in England. She decides to do a walking tour of London dressed like an Austen character. Only one person shows up - a good looking young man who appears to be dressed as one Mr. Darcy. I really liked the little surprise the author had at the end of the story.

- "The Love Letter" by Brenna Aubrey. This was actually the Grand Prize Winner of the Jane Austen Made Me Do It Short Story Contest. The story one plays with Persuasion and tells about a man who evaluates his life and romantic past. It was very sweet.

- "Intolerable Stupidity" by editor Laurel Ann Nattress. When I first started reading this one I didn't think I was going to like it but I was pleasantly surprised at how it turned out. Nattress has created a trial that, depending on the outcome, could see the banishment of any Austen adaptation. This includes the aforementioned epic BBC P&P with the memorable extra scene of Darcy in a wet shirt as well as the newer Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (I don't get this one. Really just...don't). Could you imagine a world where we didn't have any extra Austen? It would be madness. Madness, I tell you!

Any Jane Austen fan, whether you've only read or seen the well known Pride and Prejudice or you're a die hard fanatic who's read each book multiple times as well as anything to do with Austen, will enjoy Jane Austen Made Me Do It. There's something for everyone and that's what makes this collection so great. I also really enjoyed the reading guide at the end. Perfect for a book club pick! I'd love to hear from others who have read this one or those of you who consider yourself an Austen fan as well. What's your favourite novel? Adaptation? Austen-esque piece of work?

Happy reading :)

Silver white winters that melt into springs...

...these are a few of my favourite things!

I had a couple of snow days this week and I got to thinking about my favourite movies, books, and tv shows. Yeah, I had quite a bit of time on my hands :) But come on, look at this picture of where I work (well, one of my jobs...and by the way, they barely ever get snow!)

Good times, no?

Anyways, back to my lists. I have decided to include the top five from each of the categories. Hope it's not too boring for you, but I'm in the mood to talk all about myself! Some of these were chosen because they really are beyond amazing, but others I really like because they're comforting and familiar and never ever get sick of them. So don't judge too harshly!

Books

1. Harry Potter series
2. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series
3. This Lullaby or Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen (ok...I cheated a bit here, but I love all of hers, hard to choose just one!)
4. The Forgotten Garden - Kate Morton
5. Jessica Darling series - Megan McCafferty (Sloppy Firsts was the first...five in total)
What almost made it: Pride and Prejudice and Twilight Saga

TV Shows (fun fact, I own at least the first season of the top five)

1. Gilmore Girls
2. House
3. Bones
4. The O.C.
5. Glee
What almost made the list: Being Erica and Parenthood

Movies

1. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

2. Princess Diaries
3. Bull Durham
4. Lucky Seven

5. Pride and Prejudice
What almost made it: Devil Wears Prada and 500 Days of Summer

Disney Characters (for something whimsical)

1. Cinderella (the story was like a lullaby for me when I was young!)
2. Winnie the Pooh
3. Ariel (The Little Mermaid for you non-Disney folk)
4. Princess Mia (from The Princess Diaries)
5. Belle (Beauty and the Beast)
What almost made it: Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)

Feel free to add your own favourites in the comments below! Can you think of any other lists I can add? You can also be curious and ask why I may have chosen a particular title or thing to put on my list :)