Austenesque Lovers TBR Challenge 2020 discussion

Calculating Jane will be another two-part event. The group read will consist of participants playing a game as a group and then reading books determined by the results of the game (therefore, not the same book).

The first part of the game is simple. You will need to assemble TEN Austenesque/JAFF books that you wish to read/re-read.
Preferably they come from your unread shelves, but your unread list is also fair game to utilize. Therefore, books may be owned or borrowed. And, yes, I'm a softy so re-reading choices may appear on the list.

So, make those lists and post them up here if you'd like, but at least leave a post here with your intentions to participate by July 20th when I reveal the game half of the activity.

Your August book will be determined by the results of the game and come from the stack so choose wisely. Haha!

Of course I'm in. :)

Here are my early choices for my list- before we start the game, I'll need someone to draw a number which will become my new number one so my read ends up as 'random' as everyone else's:
1. The Wrong Mr. Darcy by Evelyn Lozada
2. Mr. Darcy's Clan by Lari Ann O'Dell
3. Mr. Darcy's Perfect Match: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Kelly Miller
4. All Stirred Up by Brianne Moore
5. The Dragons of Kellynch by Maria Grace
6. Mr. Darcy's Kindness: A Pride and Prejudice Novella Variation by Rose Fairbanks
7. The Crawfords Redeemed ......... And How!: A Tale Of Redemption by Anjali Desai
8. Lady Doctor Wyre by Joely Sue Burkhart
9. GEORGIANA by Sue Barr
10. Strong Objections to the Lady by Jayne Bamber

Colour me intrigued.

1) Pride v Prejudice: A Claire Malloy Mystery, by Joan Hess
2) Midshipman Elizabeth Bennet, by DL Carter
3) Pemberley Shades, by DA Bonavia-Hunt
4) Sought: Leaving Bennet Behind, by Sarah Johnson
5) Master Under Good Regulation, by Kara Louise
6) Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor, by Stephanie Baron
7) Lover's Vows, by Elizabeth Inchbald (the play from Mansfield Park)
8) Heartstone, by Elle Katherine White
9) By Order of Their Birth, by desertrat68
10) For the Love of a Highland Thistle, by Elin Eriksen

Here are 10 books I once added to my "want to read" shelf but never got around to read. By no coincidence, they are all modern albeit not all PnP...

1. In Want of a Wife https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
2. Pride & Pancakes https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
3. Persuading the Captain https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
4. Seeking Mr. Debonair https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
5. Casual: A Modern Pride and Prejudice Variation https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...
6. Modern Persuasion https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
7. Definitely Not Mr. Darcy https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
8. Dear Mr. Darcy https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
9. It's Always Been Us https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
10. Sense and Sensibility: A Latter-day Tale https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Want to participate, so I'll be back after compiling a list of sorts.. 😉
Library requests made and hoping for speedy access!

1 Austen Years
2 JA Society
3 JA Book Club
4 Northanger Abbey
5 Mr Darcy's Little Sister
6 Dreaming of Mr Darcy
**7 Mr Darcy Forever
8 Rose Fairbanks on shelf
9 Leenie Brown on shelf
10 JAFF ebook choice

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)

Yay, glad to have some book pals joining for this one. :)

Yikes... almost missed this one completely!

1) Amanda

2)First Impressions

3) Attempting Elizabeth

4)The Pride and Prejudice of Musicians

5)Badly Done, Emma Lee

6)Mr Darcy's Diary

7)Mr Darcy's Secret

8) Lydia Bennet's Story

9) Possibilities

10)Northpoint Chalet

If I could ask a favor before I post the game tomorrow.

I need someone to simply pick a number between 2 and 10 and let me know which one you picked after I post the game.

This is so that I will be as pleasantly surprised as everyone else which book from my list I will be reading for our group read based on the answers to the game.

Thanks ahead of time. :)

Sophia wrote: "If I could ask a favor before I post the game tomorrow.

I need someone to simply pick a number between 2 and 10 and let me know which one you picked after I post the game.

This is so that I wi..."
Sure, can do that!!

The random generator has spoken and I will post it when the game appears. :)

when do we tell you what number?

Kirk wrote: "Sophia wrote: "If I could ask a favor before I post the game tomorrow.

I need someone to simply pick a number between 2 and 10 and let me know which one you picked after I post the game.

This ..."

@Kirk- Thanks a bunch! :)

@Patricia You're off the hook, Patricia. Kirk will let me know the number after I post the game. This was just so that I could participate and get a surprise read like everyone else from the game.

Thanks for being willing to help. :)

Love to join :-)

1. Me and Mr. Darcy by Alexandra Potter
2. Austenland by Shannon Hale
3. The Making of Jane Austen by Devoney Looser
4. Jane Fairfax by Joan Aiken
5. Midnight I Austenland by Shannon Hale
6. Steampunk Darcy by Monica Fairview
7. Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits by Mary Jane Hathaway
8. Edmund Bertram's Diary by Amanda Grange
9. Camp Austen by Ted Scheinman
10.The Jane Austen Marriage Manual by Kim Izzo

Ready for part two of Calculating Jane?
Well, grab your calculators, tablet and pencils, or arithmetic pros can do the tabulation in their heads.

I've put a twist on Jane Austen's bio. We'll start with her year of birth and then add and subtract our way to the beginnings of her popularity surge (because I refuse to end us on the sad note of her death).
When we reach the final event, the number you have will correspond with one of the numbered books in your list. That is the book you will read for the month of August.

Let's begin: Start at '0'
Jane Austen's birth: 1775 > add 42 (to zero)
Boarding school: 1785 > subtract 10
Begins Lady Susan: 1793 > add 5
Meets Tom Lefoy 1795 > add 10
Writes First Impressions 1797 > add 10
Family moves to Bath 1801 > subtract 5
Receives marriage proposal 1802 > subtract 10
Sold book, but not published 1803 > subtract 20
Father, George Austen, dies 1805 > subtract 20
Moves to Chawton Cottage 1809 > add 5
Published Sense & Sensibility 1811 > add 5
Published Pride & Prejudice 1813 > add 5
Published Mansfield Park 1814 > add 5
Emma and the Prince Regent 1815 > add 5
Northanger Abbey and Persuasion 1816 > add 10
Jane Austen's death 1817 > subtract 30
Nephew writes her bio 1869 > subtract 5
Austeolatry craze begins 1883 > add 5
and her legacy remains to this day!

Which book is your August read? Feel free to stop back by and comment with your thoughts on your book. Happy reading, all!

Some bio facts courtesy of Shmoop.

Your number shall be 2!

Sophia wrote: "Ready for part two of Calculating Jane?
Well, grab your calculators, tablet and pencils, or arithmetic pros can do the tabulation in their heads.

I've put a twist on Jane Austen's bio. We'll star..."

Mr Darcy approves this message and it's not a secret! :) Brilliant!

Kirk wrote: "Your number shall be 2!"

Super Terrific Two it is. Thanks, Kirk!

And, Lady Doctor Wyre, here I come!

i am so confused. I'm not understanding this at all

Hee hee, mine turns out to be a funny one ;-)

Patricia wrote: "i am so confused. I'm not understanding this at all"

Ah, sorry to be so confusing, Patricia. Let me see if I can help.

For each bio fact and year on the left, there is an add or subtract at the far right (after the arrow). Add or subtract whatever number is there and at the end whatever number you have left is the one you use to pick which book you will read.

Crossing my fingers that helps. If not, let me know and I'll give you the answer so you can set up what book you're going to read.

Sophia wrote: "Patricia wrote: "i am so confused. I'm not understanding this at all"

Ah, sorry to be so confusing, Patricia. Let me see if I can help.

For each bio fact and year on the left, there is an add or ..."

if i did it right i got the number 2 after adding/subtravting? what about the number we picked between 2 and 10?

I have calculated 5 times and I get 7 not 2...

I'm horrible with math

redid it again and got 5

No worries, Patricia. :) The number between 2 and 10 was just for me. Your other number total from the list is the one you use to pick your book.

I'm lousy at math and had to triple check my own game to make sure I did it right. Haha! If you add your two and your five then you'll have the correct one. :)

Elin wrote: "I have calculated 5 times and I get 7 not 2..."

You're good to go, Elin. Happy reading. :)

vvb wrote: "Hee hee, mine turns out to be a funny one ;-)"

Well now, I look forward to seeing how you like your fun one, Velvet. :)

I vow to listen, but not to love!

Thanks Ms Sophia!

LOL, after the hullaballoo it caused among the guests at Mansfield, I'm intrigued to see what you think. :)

Great Sophia Rose Definitely Not Mr Darcy it is. Now, I just have to wait for my bank card. I cancelled it and order a new one after my son's computer got infected by a really bad foreign virus ( the special police force called and alerted me). That was 23 days ago, it was supposed to take 7, sigh... To put it mildly, I am greatly looking forward to being able to buy new books.

Oh wow, that would be a real pain, Elin. Not just for the book-buying moratorium, but the hassle of the virus and getting things set up again.

If it still isn't fixed by August 1st, I can pick a different number from books that you already have on your shelf. Just let me know.

Sophia wrote: "Ready for part two of Calculating Jane?
Well, grab your calculators, tablet and pencils, or arithmetic pros can do the tabulation in their heads.

I've put a twist on Jane Austen's bio...."

Thanks for the fun, Sophia!
Happily my choice is available , so I put in my library request and should have it in plenty of time .. now waiting... 😊

Sure thing, writer!

Just wanted to offer something a little different now and then to keep the challenge fresh. :)

Sophia wrote: "Sure thing, writer!

Just wanted to offer something a little different now and then to keep the challenge fresh. :)"

Perfect!

And my library title request arrived today, so I'm ready to join the reading 👀

writer... And my library title request arrived today, so I'm rea..."

Updating..
August challenge read

Sounds good and happy reading, writer!

writer... wrote: "writer... And my library title request arrived today, so I'm rea..."

Updating..
August challenge read "

Excellent!

Lady Doctor Wyre was a tad under-developed, but it was quick, spicy and exciting. :)

Sophia wrote: "Lady Doctor Wyre was a tad under-developed, but it was quick, spicy and exciting. :)"

Fantastic!

Sophia wrote: "Lady Doctor Wyre was a tad under-developed, but it was quick, spicy and exciting. :)"

Quick reads are often a gift of time.. well read!

Kirk wrote: "Excellent!"

Sophia wrote: "Sounds good and happy reading, writer!"

Thanks, happy reading all done 😉

Mixed bag for me. I dislike "first year of marriage issues" books. While I love the author's "time passage"(another term is used but I dislike it), I difficulty with parts of this one. A certain subplot, rather, turned out very well thanks to a late change in fortune. 3.0-3.25

I have sort of finished my calculating august read by abandoning it at 25%. I have only myself to blame for adding books with plots that don't interest me to my TBR... Definitely Not Mr Darcy is an Austenland sort of reading where American Chloe join a reality Austenesque TV show. I just couldn't get into it and after spending the better part of a week forcing myself through a mere 100 pages, I gave up. Other reviewers have enjoyed it and it has a 4* average of which I have added none. When I abandon a book because it is rubbish I might leave a review but not when it is just not my cup of tea. Definitely Not Mr. Darcy https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Ahhhhh, bummer, Elin!

But, you gave it a real try and can now slip it off the pile without a thought. I still haven't read Austenland, but I struggled with My Jane Austen Summer which is a reality game without the TV aspect. It was slow going for me. I haven't rushed out for other books of that style.

Definite Not... definitely counts for our purposes. :)

Kirk wrote: "

Mixed bag for me. I dislike "first year of marriage issues" books. While I love the author's "time passage"(another term is used but I dislike it), I difficu..."

There are some story elements that tend not to be my thing, either. At least you gave it a go and can now check it off the list. Glad there was a little part of the plot that took your fancy.

@writer Very true! Short comings are not as big a deal in one that doesn't waste my time as much. :)

Elin wrote: "I have sort of finished my calculating august read by abandoning it at 25%. I have only myself to blame for adding books with plots that don't interest me to my TBR... Definitely Not Mr Darcy is an..."

Not a fav of mine either, Elin...

I listened to Lover's Vows on Libravox and can understand why it was controversial in Austen's day - even if rather tame in our own. It seems to paralell Mansfield Park somewhat, and I found that rather interesting. Otherwise, it is rather typical of the reason I cannot stand the long 18th-century literature.

Momtoten wrote: "I listened to Lover's Vows on Libravox and can understand why it was controversial in Austen's day - even if rather tame in our own. It seems to paralell Mansfield Park somewhat, and I found that r..."
Yes!!