Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Challenge 2024 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!

I read a book this week assigned by my HOA book club, and it blew me away! Highly recommend The Storyteller.

Trigger Warning: It is about the Holocaust and everything leading up to it from two points of view - a survivor and a former German SS officer. The details are disturbing, to put it mildly. Be sure to read the book description and some reviews (including mine, if you wish - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ) to be certain this is something you can handle.

$1.99 deal for the Princess Bride fans:

The Princess Bride

just realized several wodehouse books are free on https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/auth...

Just finished the second book in Cass Grafton’s The Little Cornish Cove series, called Escape to Polkerran Point: A fun and heartwarming cosy romance. If you’ve read the first book under either its original title The Cottage in a Cornish Cove or its more recent one New Dreams at Polkerran Point, you’ll love this one, too.

Many of the characters from the first book make a reappearance, including Anna and Oliver (her Hot Historian), but the focus in this second book is on Anna’s friend Lauren and Daniel. We met both in the first book. Daniel is definitely someone to drool a little over, even though there are times when you want to slap him around the head! Add in an unexpected pregnancy and a Grand Designs-type build and there’s plenty of chance for turmoil and misunderstandings. I love the local Cornish characters from both stories, especially Mrs. Lovelace and Mrs. Clegg.

Try it. If you love Cass’s writing, you’ll enjoy this too.

I’m not reading JAFF right now, but it’s amazing how her influence is everywhere. I’m reading a modern book about matchmakers called The Fixer-Upper and the parallels with both Emma and P&P are strong.

Anne wrote: "I’m not reading JAFF right now, but it’s amazing how her influence is everywhere. I’m reading a modern book about matchmakers called The Fixer-Upper and the parallels with both Emma and P&P are str..."

Yes, you are so right. I see Austen everywhere from matchmaking stories to enemies to lovers tropes and even dialogue that reminds me of something Austen's characters have said.

Anne wrote: "I’m not reading JAFF right now, but it’s amazing how her influence is everywhere. I’m reading a modern book about matchmakers called The Fixer-Upper and the parallels with both Emma and P&P are str..."

The contemporary romance I'm reading, the FMC keeps comparing the love interest to Darcy, and there are quite a few similarities. But she's no Elizabeth Bennet.

Anne wrote: "The Fixer-Upper..."
Who is the author? There are many books with that title. Sounds like a book I would enjoy.

CindySR wrote: "Anne wrote: "The Fixer-Upper..."
Who is the author? There are many books with that title. Sounds like a book I would enjoy."

It’s Lauren Forsythe. I loved it.

Good evening everyone. This is totally NOT Jane, or even a book. Hubby and I have just finished binging a new TV thriller series on our side of the pond. Yes, you have to suspend belief and ignore some plot holes, as with a lot of films/programmes like this (looking at you, Mr. Bond!) but it was enjoyable hokum. Better still was that the male lead role was played by Richard Armitage. It’s called Red Eye.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23897504...

Anji wrote: "Good evening everyone. This is totally NOT Jane, or even a book. Hubby and I have just finished binging a new TV thriller series on our side of the pond. Yes, you have to suspend belief and ignore ..."

I’ve seen some interesting things listed as ITV shows. I would love to see the Richard Armitage one.

There’s a series cowritten by Shari Low I would like to see, too.

Red Eye is on Netflix. We don’t currently have it.

SALE Alert! One of Georgette Heyer's non-Regency historicals (Medieval) for 50 cents!

Simon the Coldheart

Amazon US link: https://www.amazon.com/Simon-Coldhear...

This might have been mentioned in last year's thread but has everyone discovered The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 1 volumes 1 thru 7? I'm loving it! It's funny and quirky. I'm in the middle of #6 and sad I have only one more to go.

CindySR wrote: "This might have been mentioned in last year's thread but has everyone discovered The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vol. 1 volumes 1 thru 7? I'm loving it! It's funny and quir..."

I don't remember them coming up in the thread, but they do look good. Thanks for putting them on my radar, Cindy!

You're welcome! I don't usually recommend books except for when I tag a book as such, but I wanted to put these on blast, really good reads. 🔥

they look fun!

For those of us in the United States, as we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, I’d like to recommend a short book embodying the cultural ideas that would have been integral to Jane Austen’s youth and upbringing: Common Sense by Thomas Paine: Dolphin Classics - Illustrated Edition. It’s not Jane Austen but it’s really good!

Thanks for the reminder Abigail. I always mean to read this but never have. I live not far from Lewes in Sussex where he did much of his writing. The history of the town is very interesting and it is a lovely place to visit.

I would love a good recommendation of a book to read on the American War of Independence. It is a big gap in my historical knowledge. We had a holiday on the East Coast a few years ago when my children were still at home and we enjoyed learning something of it as we followed the journey of Paul Revere but my knowledge is limited.

While you are celebrating tomorrow, we will be voting here in the UK!

You’re right to remind us that Paine was, of course, a Briton! I think he moved to the colonies only a year before he published Common Sense.

I haven’t read any studies of the era since college, but this (much more recent) one looks interesting: A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence. It draws on diaries and other ephemera. For more reverential looks at the major figures, you might try biographies by David McCullough and Ron Chernow.

Craftyhj wrote: "Thanks for the reminder Abigail. I always mean to read this but never have. I live not far from Lewes in Sussex where he did much of his writing. The history of the town is very interesting and it ..."

While not a book, my husband and I always watch 1776 for Independence Day, and in the past few years, we also watch Hamilton. Nothing like historical musicals to fill in your knowledge.

$2.99 11 book deal from JAFF author Summer Hanford. This is her Regency Romance Collection.

Summer Hanford Regency Romance Collection

I have finally got round to reading the first in the Wrexford and Sloane series, Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose.


It was an excellent Regency mystery book with a hint of grit. I see our truly proficient moderator, Sophia, is a fan!

Craftyhj wrote: "I have finally got round to reading the first in the Wrexford and Sloane series, Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose.


It was an excellent Regency mystery..."

Oh yay, Heather! I'm so glad you enjoyed this. I just discovered this series the year before and got caught up so now I'm eager for the latest release this fall.

Linda wrote: "Craftyhj wrote: "Thanks for the reminder Abigail. I always mean to read this but never have. I live not far from Lewes in Sussex where he did much of his writing. The history of the town is very in..."

Lol...would you watch 1776 for 24 hrs if there was a big prize at the end? I think Sophia had a post on FB about what movies one would watch for 24 hrs. Laugh at myself...I would! "Sit down, Kirk!"

Kirk wrote: "Linda wrote: "Craftyhj wrote: "Thanks for the reminder Abigail. I always mean to read this but never have. I live not far from Lewes in Sussex where he did much of his writing. The history of the t..."

LOL!