Austenesque Lovers TBR Challenge 2019 discussion

If you are willing to place one of your April reading choices in the hands of another person, leave a comment here with at least five books and no more than ten from your TBR shelf. Participants need to leave comments no later than March 24th.

Here's how it will work:
Sophia will match people up and leave a comment with a list of who will choose for whom.
When you see the person you are to pick for, then look at their list in the above comments and leave a new comment with their name and the book you chose for them by March 31st.

You also need to watch and see what book your person chose from your list for you.
You have the rest of the month to read the book.

So if this sounds like something you would like to do, just comment below leaving your name and list of book choices for someone to pick your April book.

I'm still working through the alphabet for my 'book title alphabet challenge' and have knocked several off the list I posted for February. This list may also be subject to change as I cross off another letter! These are the first unread Austenesque books listed for a particular letter on my Kindle. So, here goes:

S. Searching for Mr Tilney by Jane Odiwe
T. Then Comes Winter edited by Christina Boyd
V. Vampire Darcy's Desire: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation by Regina Jeffers
W. The Wager: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Kate Bedlow
Y. Yearning For You: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Lory Lilian

Here's my stack to choose from and I look forward to whatever you pull off the pile, dear reader buddy. :)

1. A Contrary Wind: a variation on Mansfield Park by Lona Manning
2. Murder at Mansfield Park by Lynn Shepherd
3. Spring Fever by Jessica Grey and various authors
4. More to Love by Robin Helm
5. The Suspicion at Sanditon by Carrie Bebris
6. Persuading Annie by Melissa Nathan
7. Jane Austen in Boca by Paula Maretz Cohen
8. According to Jane by Marilyn Brant
9. Seasons in Time by Cat Gardiner
10. Passages: A Pemberley Tale by Brenda J Webb

1) A Most Affectionate Mother



2) The Most Interesting Man in the World


3) The Other Miss Bates


4) What Kitty Did Next


5) A Very Mary Christmas

Sophia wrote: "Here's my stack to choose from and I look forward to whatever you pull off the pile, dear reader buddy. :)

1. A Contrary Wind: a variation on Mansfield Park by Lona Manning
2. [boo..."
Lol...don't pick me...don't pick me!!! There are three...actually 4....toooo difficult! :)

Sophia wrote: "Here's my stack to choose from and I look forward to whatever you pull off the pile, dear reader buddy. :)

1. A Contrary Wind: a variation on Mansfield Park by Lona Manning
2. [boo..."

according to jane is so good! My favorite by the author!

Patricia wrote: "Sophia wrote: "Here's my stack to choose from and I look forward to whatever you pull off the pile, dear reader buddy. :)

1. A Contrary Wind: a variation on Mansfield Park by Lona ..."

Hmmm...it does. And a few heavy hitters gave it a 5.0 too.

Catching up on classics, Kirk! Looks like a high-quality string of reads.

Kirk wrote: "Sophia wrote: "Here's my stack to choose from and I look forward to whatever you pull off the pile, dear reader buddy. :)

1. A Contrary Wind: a variation on Mansfield Park by Lona ..."

Buahaha! It's random, but I'll try to think repellent thougthts at your name when its my draw. :)

Have one more to add but can't edit my post for sonme reason

A most affectionate mother by Maria Grace

Abigail wrote: "Catching up on classics, Kirk! Looks like a high-quality string of reads."
Thanks!!!

Sophia wrote: "Kirk wrote: "Sophia wrote: "Here's my stack to choose from and I look forward to whatever you pull off the pile, dear reader buddy. :)

1. [book:A Contrary Wind: a variation on Mansfield Park|33853..."
Lol!!! Many people that in the normal course of events...:)

I am heartily ashamed of my neglect in January and wish to make up for it this month. So, here are my titles for an April read:

Mr. Darcy’s Bluestocking Bride by Rose Fairbanks
Pemberley: Mr. Darcy’s Dragon by Maria Grace
Undercover - An Austen Noir by Cat Gardiner
Pen and Prejudice by Claire Johnson
The Darcy Monologues

No need to be ashamed, Barb. You had to grieve.

Yay, glad to have you for this Pick It Vote. :)

Patricia wrote: "



[bookcover:Henry: To Prove Himself W..."

a contrary wind, is that 1st book or second book in series'/

Patricia wrote: "Patricia wrote: "



[bookcover:Henry: T..."

First book!

Hello, here my list for next month:
1/ Drawing Mr Darcy, sketching his character by Melanie Rachel
2/ Through a different lens by Riana Everly
3/ The assistant by Riana Everly
4/ The lost Heir serie by April Floyd
5/ Elizabeth Bennet's impertinent letter by JP Christy

Thank you Sophie

Sophia,thank you for organising this again! I'm in! 😊 This is my list-

1.Pride,Prejudice and Personal Statements. M.Pagones.
2.First Impressions. R.Cruz.
3. The best laid flight plans. L.Dreyer.
4. The Unforgettable Mr.Darcy. V.Kincaid.
5. President Darcy. V.Kincaid.

I enjoyed the book Anji picked for me in February (To Conquer Pride by Jennifer Altman) so I'm looking forward to participating again.

Here's my list:
In the Wilds of Derbyshire
Elizabeth in the New World
Delighting Mrs. Bennet: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Love at First Slight
Mr. Darcy's Magpie

This was fun in February, so it will be awesome in April! (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

Could somebody please pick one of the following for me? (List is in no particular order.)

The Courtship of Edward Gardiner: A Pride & Prejudice Prequel by Nicole Clarkston

Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal

Most Interesting Man in the World by J.L. Ashton and Justine Richard

Jane Austen Made Me Do It: Original Stories Inspired by Literature's Most Astute Observer of the Human Heart, short story anthology edited by Laurel Ann Nattress

The Making of Jane Austen by Devoney Looser

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (would be a reread—haven’t read in seven years)

Thanks!

I guess that means it will be jolly in June, amazing in August--but we hope not odious in October or dismal in December.

Buahaha! You two...

Kirk wrote: "1) A Most Affectionate Mother



2) The Most Interesting Man in the World
[bookcover:Most Interesting Man in the World|4..."
Oh noes...at complete do over list. Out with the repeats...in with the new to me ones...

Abigail wrote: "I guess that means it will be jolly in June, amazing in August--but we hope not odious in October or dismal in December."

Hah! By October and December, we will all have read so many good Austenesque books that life will feel outstanding and divine!

(We could do this forever, you know, and I'd never get tired of it. Except, I do have a rather limited vocabulary. So, okay: maybe not forever. Just till October or December!)

I hope your wishes for October and December come to fruition, Christina! LOL

Ready to read a book picked for you specially by someone else? It's time!

Here are the randomly chosen names for those participating in April's mini-challenge. The name listed on the left chooses for the name listed on the right. Please make your picks by March 31st and leave a comment below of your choice. Don't forget to check for what book was chosen for you.
Start reading on April 1st and drop back by when you're done to let us know how it went.

Patricia > Janalyn
Anji > Tlotem
Christina > Kirk
Kirk > Barb
Tlotem > Mary
Janalyn > Sophia
Barb > Patricia***
Mary > Anji
Sophia > Christina

*** Patricia has one additional book choice listed in a separate comment.

Off you go to pick a winner and read another off the TBR pile!

Hi Christina!

Oooh.... tough choices there. I'd like to see what you think about several of those. I picked The Making of Jane Austen. Crossing my fingers that you enjoy it (though no worries if you dont, LOL).

Hi Barb,
Difficult choice between two of your selections.
One others have loved but certainly isn't for me. The one I'm choosing is also well loved and I've read it too...the choice is...

The Darcy Monologues

Tlotem wrote: "Hello, here my list for next month:
1/ Drawing Mr Darcy, sketching his character by Melanie Rachel
2/ Through a different lens by Riana Everly
3/ The assistant by Riana Everly
4/ The lost Heir seri..."

Difficult choice for me here, as I know very little about any of them and had to look them all up. As I love the Gardiners so much, I'd like to be adopted by them, I'm going to choose The Assistant for you, Tlotem. Enjoy!

Janalyn for you I choose Elizabeth in the new world. I have not heard of it before I saw your list. so I curious how you like it and if youd recomeend it

Patricia, I have to go with A Contrary Wind for you. I haven’t read it, but it sounds so good. Let me know what you think. And, thanks Kirk for the Darcy Monologues. Been on my list for too long!

Hi Anji,for you I choose 'The Wager' by Kate Bedlow. Hope it's a fantastic read. 😊🎈

Kirk! I love this theme of exploring the lives and loves of secondary characters (Mary, Kitty, Bingley, Jane Bates). Of course, you've made it nearly impossible for me to choose--nearly. I choose...

The Other Miss Bates!


Hope you enjoy!

Sophia wrote: "I picked The Making of Jane Austen. Crossing my fingers that you enjoy it (though no worries if you dont..."

Thanks, Sophia! I'm excited to learn more about how Jane Austen became such a cultural celebrity!

Mary wrote: "Sophia,thank you for organising this again! I'm in! 😊 This is my list-

1.Pride,Prejudice and Personal Statements. M.Pagones.
2.First Impressions. R.Cruz.
3. The best laid flight plans. L.Dreyer...."

Hello Mary,
A difficult choice for me between those I want to read and the excellent I've already read! At last I chose President Darcy! I hope you enjoy.

Anji wrote: "Tlotem wrote: "Hello, here my list for next month:
1/ Drawing Mr Darcy, sketching his character by Melanie Rachel
2/ Through a different lens by Riana Everly
3/ The assistant by Riana Everly
4/ The..."

Thank you Anji, I'm very happy with your choice. Like you I would have loved to be adopted by the Gardiner's.

Mary wrote: "Hi Anji,for you I choose 'The Wager' by Kate Bedlow. Hope it's a fantastic read. 😊🎈"

Thanks Mary.

Tlotem-thank you!

Christina wrote: "Kirk! I love this theme of exploring the lives and loves of secondary characters (Mary, Kitty, Bingley, Jane Bates). Of course, you've made it nearly impossible for me to choose--nearly. I choose....."
Thank you!!!

Patricia wrote: "Janalyn for you I choose Elizabeth in the new world. I have not heard of it before I saw your list. so I curious how you like it and if youd recomeend it"

Great. Thanks. I'm looking forward to it.

Sophia, I'm going with According to Jane for you. An interesting premise with wildly varying reviews makes it an intriguing selection.

I chose for you in February as well (under screen name Mwsogl). I sure hope I'm not doing you wrong with my choices.

Haha! You trickster, you. No, it's all fun. I don't put books on the list that I never plan on reading. I've been culling the shelves of that sort before I even waste my time.
I should have read one of her books, at least, a long time ago. I'm eager.

Sophia wrote: "Haha! You trickster, you. No, it's all fun. I don't put books on the list that I never plan on reading. I've been culling the shelves of that sort before I even waste my time.
I should have read on..."

YOull love it! one of my first jaff books I read.

I'm looking forward to it, Patricia.

Anji wrote: "Mary wrote: "Hi Anji,for you I choose 'The Wager' by Kate Bedlow. Hope it's a fantastic read. 😊🎈"

Thanks Mary."

Well, I started reading my Pick straight away and as it's a relatively short book, I've already finished it! Not fantastic sadly, but not bad. Felt a bit rushed at the end and I wished it had been somewhat more fleshed out to make a longer story.

Not a fantastic read?? Such a pity,Anji. I guess we can't love them all! 📕🎈

Mary wrote: "Not a fantastic read?? Such a pity,Anji. I guess we can't love them all! 📕🎈"

I'm probably using typically British, and especially Yorkshire, understatement when I say it wasn't fantastic. It was an enjoyable read and I rated it at ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ but it didn't blow me away, which is what I regard as 'fantastic'.

Christina wrote: "Kirk! I love this theme of exploring the lives and loves of secondary characters (Mary, Kitty, Bingley, Jane Bates). Of course, you've made it nearly impossible for me to choose--nearly. I choose....."

Thanks again Christina! Another reader described the story as "bittersweet". Yes, indeed. For me, too bitter and not nearly sweet enough for me. Still others have loved it. 3.0

Kirk wrote: "Thanks again Christina! Another reader described the story as "bittersweet". Yes, indeed. For me, too bitter and not nearly sweet enough for me. Still others have loved it. 3.0

Kirk, sorry to hear the read wasn't so enjoyable. Here's hoping your next read provides just the right mix of bitter and sweet!