Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Reading Challenge 2017 discussion

While we love our Jane Austen, most of us read a variety of books, topics, genres, etc and we like to share about them with our fifty best reading buddies. Here is a place where you can recommend non-Austenesque books or start a discussion about non-Austenesque books. I do ask you to please remember to be courteous b/c everyone has their own tastes and please limit discussion/recommendation of Non-Austenesque books to here. Thanks!

Poldark series!!!!!!

I've read the first two and love them, Kirk. Things are getting suspenseful. :)

Sophia wrote: "I've read the first two and love them, Kirk. Things are getting suspenseful. :)"

That's great!(with apologies to Tony the Tiger)

I'm from Michigan Home of Kellogg's we love Tony the Tiger here. No apologies needed. ;)

Have you guys read Jasper Fforde, specifically the Thursday Next series? The jumping off point from Classic Lit to this is more Bronte than Austen, but there are a vast amount of lit reference scattered throughout the series, especially in the third book. It's such a fun read!

No... but now you have me curious. Thanks, Chelsea!

Oh, gawd, the Jasper Fforde books are hilarious! I remember loving the second one in the series especially. Very disorienting, though, until you get the hang of what’s happening.

Abigail wrote: "Oh, gawd, the Jasper Fforde books are hilarious! I remember loving the second one in the series especially. Very disorienting, though, until you get the hang of what’s happening."

Yes, they can be. Especially if you are not overly familiar with the classics. I want to one day, in all my "spare time", go through the series and create a character map. Plans for my distant retirement!

What I really like about his writing is you very clearly get a sense of how well researched and well thought out every book/series is. And even though every series is drastically different, you always find random references or weird phenomena that link them. Even if it solely his obsession with ball lightning, which turns out is a real thing...

Chelsea wrote: "Have you guys read Jasper Fforde, specifically the Thursday Next series? The jumping off point from Classic Lit to this is more Bronte than Austen, but there are a vast amount of lit reference scat..."

I listened to the audiobook of the first one (The Eyre Affair) about a year ago. It was fantastic! Waiting for the next one to come in at the library.

Chelsea wrote: "Have you guys read Jasper Fforde, specifically the Thursday Next series? The jumping off point from Classic Lit to this is more Bronte than Austen, but there are a vast amount of lit reference scat..."


Yeah, It's really a wonderful series! I read the first five books, because I read them in Italian and they stopped translating there. But you can say the series ends there, in a way...

I can second loving the Poldark series. A personal favorite from years ago. Shocking tidbit: Winston Graham wrote the original novel on which the Hitchcock movie Marnie is based on. I say that loosely because it's difficult to parse what he took from Graham's novel other than the name!

I didn't know that tidbit, Claire. Thanks for sharing!

I didn’t either, Claire! (Hi, Claire! Good to see you here!)

Sometimes, I have trouble sleeping, either falling asleep to start with, or getting back to sleep if I've woken up in the night. In such cases, my "drug of choice" is listening to Stephen Fry reading the Harry Potter books. It usually gets me off to sleep in about 15 minutes, even though I set the sleep timer for an hour. There's just something about the cadence of his voice that I find really soothing. I also know the books really well, so I don't have the problem of the anticipation of an unknown story keeping me awake. Even if I don't get off/back to sleep quickly, as with my back pain last year, I could still lie in bed and start to relax as the stories unfolded.

The reason I've posted this now is that I've just finished another cycle through all seven books which amounts to over 127 hours listening time over the past year or so (I spent a lot of time listening during the night when my back was really bad). Normally it'd be at least two years for a complete listen.

We originally bought the first four on cassette (remember them?) when our son was growing up and used to listen to them on long car journeys. Nowadays, they're available from Audible and so can be downloaded to the MP3 player of your choice.

What I'm trying to say, badly and in an extremely long-winded fashion, is that these books are an extremely good listen, even if you've read them beforehand.

Just recently with some of my health problems I have had some anxiety attacks at night which keep me from even lying down...so one thing I do is just sit in my rocker and reread favorite parts of JAFF books. I usually keep a paperback by my bed.

Sorry to hear about your ongoing back pain but glad you found one thing that helps.

My back is so much better now thanks, Sheila. Last summer, I wasn't in a very good place at all with it. I actually saw a lot of the top events in the Olympics and Paralympics live, despite the time difference, when I was up during the night with it. Nowadays, I rarely have to get out of bed due to the pain any more, thank goodness, just turn over and switch Harry Potter back on for a while if needed.

Sorry you're having such problems yourself. Sleep deprivation is really the pits, isn't it? Sending lots of hugs.

Anji wrote: "My back is so much better now thanks, Sheila. Last summer, I wasn't in a very good place at all with it. I actually saw a lot of the top events in the Olympics and Paralympics live, despite the tim..."

Thank you, my friend. I have continued to include you in my prayers along with several other JAFF friends.

Sheila,isn't it heartening to know that sitting in your rocker and re-reading favourite excerpts from JAFF brings you peace and happiness.
While you're probably exhausted the following day,at least you can successfully manage the anxiety attacks at night,which is reassuring,as our worst fears always seem to play on our minds during the darkest hours. I'll be thinking of you,Sheila.

Anji,I'm glad you're no longer experiencing the severe back pain that you were. It seems you suffered quite a lot.
Here's to happier and sunnier days for us all.

Mary wrote: "Sheila,isn't it heartening to know that sitting in your rocker and re-reading favourite excerpts from JAFF brings you peace and happiness.
While you're probably exhausted the following day,at leas..."

Thank you for your kind words. I always know that this JAFF community will have words of support and comfort...just maybe not at 3 am...unless my British Friends are awake...laughing.

Surprisingly enough Sheila,when you're wide awake at 3am,I'm on my way to work by 8am Irish time.
I usually check my emails before that,so tomorrow I'll drop by to say hi!

I hope tonight I get sleep as I was up at 5:30 AM b/c I had oral surgery at 6:45 for an abscess under a crown. Didn't get done until just after 9. So I am really hoping I will sleep through the night. Thanks for the thought.

Sleep issues really are the worst! It messes with every aspect of your life. I will think of you guys the next time I'm struggling to fall asleep!

I love the idea of listening to an audiobook at night but have always been scared I'd get too invested, even if it's something I've read before. I'll have to stick up on some books I know well and try it some day though!

I hope you all have sweet, uninterrupted dreams tonight!!!

I'm adding my wishes for Sweet Dreams, too.

I struggle with sleep and I do the audios at night like you, Anji. My book drug of choice has been the Outlander World because I love Davina Porter's (Outlander) and Jeff Woodman's (Lord John) voices. :)

Just dripping by to say 'hi',like I said I would.
Hope you've all had a great night's sleep. Wouldn't it be great to snuggle under the covers for the next few hours and read!!

Ahh, thanks for checking in with everyone, Mary. :)

Mary wrote: "Just dripping by to say 'hi',like I said I would.
Hope you've all had a great night's sleep. Wouldn't it be great to snuggle under the covers for the next few hours and read!!"

Thanks Mary. I slept quite well (for me) last night. Woke up around 4am, but 10 minutes of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone got me back off no problem.

Mary wrote: "Just dripping by to say 'hi',like I said I would.
Hope you've all had a great night's sleep. Wouldn't it be great to snuggle under the covers for the next few hours and read!!"

I went to bed at 10 PM and just got up at 8:45 AM with two bathrooms wake-ups. Thanks for all your wishes. And sweet dreams to all those who also need rest time help.

It just goes to show that I was half asleep when I posted my comment this morning. 'Just dripping in'!!! Dripping? I definitely think I should have stayed in bed!!!

I totally understand...I am not at my best in the mornings...
definitely a night person!

I'm normally a morning person,Sheila! If you want me to do anything,I'll do it early cos by the afternoon,I'm wrecked and can barely string two coherent sentences together!!!

Laughing...so nice that we are all different but agreeable to the company we keep.

Anji wrote: "Sometimes, I have trouble sleeping, either falling asleep to start with, or getting back to sleep if I've woken up in the night. In such cases, my "drug of choice" is listening to Stephen Fry readi..."

I have them on audio as well, but the ones I have are read by Jim Dale. He is an amazing reader as well. I love them all. I am making my husband listen to them before we take a trip to Hogwarts. He loves them as well, and is a much harsher critic than me.

I just finished reading In Consequence: A Retelling of North and South 4.5 stars. No angst (unless John's yearning for the wedding date is considered such) but lots of sweet thoughts and desires as we look inside both the minds of John Thornton and Margaret Hale.

I reader Sheila,gave it 4*,but for some strange reason,I didn't write a review.

I'm presuming you really enjoyed it,hence your 4.5* rating.

I see many people here who post stars but don't really write a review so you are not an exception.

I normally do!! Might have to read it again as I can't really remember it!

Since we were chatting about Fforde earlier on this thread, I wanted to let you know that the first of the Thursday Next series, The Eyre Affair, is on sale on Audible right now (as well as the first of lots of other series).

https://www.audible.com/mt/First-in-a...

Neato! Thanks, Chelsea!

I don't remember who first recommended the book to me, but if I ever do, they deserve a huge thank you.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was an absolutely heartwarming, thoughtful, and thoroughly enjoyable book. Readers who enjoy Austen will likely enjoy this title as well.

I adored it, too, Lady Murmur. I could stand to re-read it eventually.

Good recommend!

This is not Jane Austen, but I loved this Regency era Fantasy Age of Sail Adventure Romance so had to share that it's free right now on Amazon.


https://www.amazon.com/Burning-Bright...

A book I just finished is Stars in the Grass excellent book. I started crying within the first 3-4 pages and cried almost all the way threw it.

Lenora wrote: "A book I just finished is Stars in the Grass excellent book. I started crying within the first 3-4 pages and cried almost all the way threw it."

Sometimes those tear-jerkers really hit the spot, Lenora.

Sophia wrote: "This is not Jane Austen, but I loved this Regency era Fantasy Age of Sail Adventure Romance so had to share that it's free right now on Amazon.
."

It's free in the UK too, Sophia:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burning-Brig...

Just grabbed a copy (don't have enough to read, that's my problem!). Sounds interesting - I love a bit of paranormal in my reading, especially in an unexpected setting like this.

Super news! I always feel badly when books aren't free all at the same time. I had a feeling this one would be because Curiosity Quills the publisher has strong UK ties.

Hope you enjoy it, Anji!

I loved this book! It pulled me in so deeply and unexpectedly, and I have such a book hangover! I had heard so much online buzz for this book, but I had no idea that I would truly love it. I wrote a review, but not only can I not do it justice, but I believe the way the book is written and how the story unfolds and reveals is something that must be experienced. I particularly liked the dark, brooding, calculating hero; we all know how those turn out to be. :-)

Oh hey, yes, I've heard good things about this one, too, Paige. Glad it lives up to expectation.

Sophia wrote: "I've read the first two and love them, Kirk. Things are getting suspenseful. :)"

I accidently clicked on this page just now. I finished the last book some wks ago. Some of the later books were great!!!! And the last one was a bit of a let down. The reviews were quite interesting. And back to the 1st book next month as AiB is discussing it...If enough people sign up. I don't suppose you want to fly in....:)