Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Challenge 2025 discussion
Challenge Levels
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Marianne Dashwood 6-10 Books
Level two for me, Miss Marianne!I made a 2025 list for this group for easier remembering.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
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I made a 2025 list for this group for easier remembering.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list..."
Good plan, Cindy!
6)Overpowering Happiness rereadOverpowering Happiness
7)Her Innermost Thoughts reread
Her Innermost Thoughts
8)They Fell in Love Over Poetry
"By: EightYearsandaHalf
I have been working on a few "missing scene" stories. This is my take on the beginning of Captain Benwick and Louisa's courtship. One-shot."
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12427775...
9) First Impressions reread
"By: EightYearsandaHalf
This is my take on how Anne Elliot and Captain Frederick Wentworth first met that fateful summer of 1806. One-shot."
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12384607...
10)Childhood Trip to Weymouth reread
By: EightYearsandaHalf
The Elliots go to the seaside resort of Weymouth with Elizabeth, 3, and Anne, 1. One-shot.
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12416494...
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Overpowering Happiness"
Super job attaining, Miss Marianne level! I know she's a big incentive to reach the second level. :)
Sophia wrote: "Kirk wrote: "6)Overpowering Happiness rereadOverpowering Happiness"
Super job attaining, Miss Marianne level! I know she's a big incentive to reach the second level. :)"
Yes, yes, 1000000000 times yes! Thx…several days ago I said
I won’t do that and yet “oops I did it an again!” I adore the Persuasion one shots/shorts!
Kirk wrote: "6)Overpowering Happiness rereadOverpowering Happiness
7)Her Innermost Thoughts reread
Her Innermost Thoughts
8)They Fell in Love Over Poetry
"By: EightYearsandaHa..."
It's no mystery, I'm history!!!(from this year's challenge. Rock on Marianne Challenge visitors!)
A very Persuasive list Kirk - well done.
I suppose tech some of these still belong to the 2024 list, but hadn't logged them until now. so... there!6 May I Have the Pleasure: Six Pride and Prejudice Stories in Six Styles: The Sounds of Silence by Wade H. Mann (2024-12-30) 4.5* : I read most, if not all of the others at some point on FFN. This one was new (or I just don't recognize it) and WadeH does not disappoint. He is as witty as ever and I love the transformation that he gives Darcy in this short.
7 The Propriety Correction (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13447216/1/) by WadeH (2024-12-30) 5* : I was recently thinking about this scene, thinking that it was from a larger work and couldn't for the life of me find it. His newly published anthology prompted me to look on FFN if there were some other gems I had missed. And found this (that I had read before) and just love it!
8 Dawn at Netherfield (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12410889...) by WadeH (2024-12-30) 4* : Shocking!
9 Friendship: Pride and Prejudice Variation by E A Batten (2025-1-3) 4* : re-read (skim this time) - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
10 I Entrust My Dear Friend With What Is Dearest to Me (Regency Fusion #4) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/618...) by LeSeigneurDuFeu (2025-1-1) 3* Sequel: meh
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6 May I Have the Pleasure: Six Pride and Prejudice Stories in Six Styles..."
I'll have to pick up that Wade Mann collection. I like his writing.
Marianne Dashwood 6 to 10 Books6. The Marriage Bargain: A Variation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
7. A Matter of Prudence
8. No Indignity So Abhorrent
9. The Prodigal
10. The Maid
Level Two Marianne Dashwood: 6-10 books4.1.25 -6- Out of Obscurity - Reread, PB 4
5.1.25 -7- These Dreams: A Pride and Prejudice Variation - Reread, AB 4.5
5.1.25 -8- From Ashes to Heiresses: A Pride & Prejudice Variation Short Story - Reread, AB 4
5.1.25 -9- Anne's Adversity: A Pride & Prejudice Variation - Reread, AB/YT 4 So interesting to see real development of the lesser characters.
5.1.25 -10- Mr. Collins Bride - FF, WIP 3.5 Will be removed for publication
Three of these were not exactly noteworthy, but I'm up to my 10 books and will move onward and upward.6. Through the Eyes of Love by Lily Bernard - 3 stars
7. Conundrums & Coincidences: A Variation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (ARC) by J. Marie Croft - 5 stars
8. May I Have the Pleasure: Six Pride and Prejudice Stories in Six Styles by Wade H. Mann - 5 stars
9. One Last Chance: to begin again by A. L. Ward - 3 stars
10. Pride and Prejudice and Witches: A Short Bewitching, Spicy, Regency, Enemies to Lovers, Romance by Jax Wilder - 2 stars
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Fab job wrapping up your visit at Miss Marianne level.
Thank you, Sophia.I am doing the Audiobook challenge for the second year. Am making major inroads with that and its boosting my reading for January.
Well done Sam and Debbie. Conundrums & Coincidences is next in my TBR so I am glad to see you enjoyed it.
Craftyhj wrote: "Well done Sam and Debbie. Conundrums & Coincidences is next in my TBR so I am glad to see you enjoyed it."I thought it was very cleverly done. The author had to come up with many riddles.
Rereads: Intermezzo by Abigail Reynolds.
The Spanish translation of the same.
Another AR story from the Pemberley medley collection. Sorry I am drawing blank on the name.
Lara. S. Ormiston: Unequal affection.
Two Wade H short stories.
Sam wrote: I thought it was very cleverly done. The author had to come up with many riddles."It would not surprise me if the author researched and used riddles that she'd found rather than coming up with her own, Sam. I sure wasn't smart enough to solve any of them as I was reading!
6. Misgivings & Mistletoe by KaraLynn Mackrory, part of: 'Tis the Season: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas, audiobook, 5,0/5review: to follow
7. 'Tis the Season: Variations on a Jane Austen Christmas by various authors, audiobook, 5,0/5
review: to follow
8. An Accomplished Lady (of the Best Sort): A Teatime Tales Novelette by Leenie Brown, re-read, 5,0/5
reiew: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
9. How to Marry an Accomplished Lady: A Darcy and Elizabeth Variation by Leenie Brown, ARC, 5,0/5
review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
10. The Scotsman's Ghost: or How to Wreck a Yule Party: A Pride & Prejudice Christmas Variation by Alix James, audiobook, 5,0/5
review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
1. The Jews of Donwell Abbey: An Emma VagaryI read this twice because it was THAT good 5 Stars!
2. A Far Better Prospect: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary 4 Stars
3. The Longbourn Letters: The Correspondence between Mr Collins & Mr Bennet 4 stars
4. Unfounded
Read Twice! 5 Stars!!
5. Jane Austen in Boca 1 star
6. No Less Resentment: A Pride and Prejudice Variation 3 stars
7. The Goodness of Men 4 stars
8. Darcy's Unexpected Family: A Pride & Prejudice Variation 2.5 stars for me
Debbie wrote: "Sam wrote: I thought it was very cleverly done. The author had to come up with many riddles."It would not surprise me if the author researched and used riddles that she'd found rather than coming..."
Oh, well if that's the case, I'm kind of disappointed. But its still an enjoyable read.
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Moving right along, Judy!
Ooo, an Anngela Schroeder I hadn't heard of.
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review: to follow
7. [book:'Tis t..."
Off you go to visit with Miss Anne, Melanie.
A few holiday ones in there look fun. I'll have to mark them for next season.
Sophia wrote: "Judy wrote: "6. The Goodness of Men 4 stars"Moving right along, Judy!
Ooo, an Anngela Schroeder I hadn't heard of."
Thank you!! Sophia, if you run across ANY Jewish storylines or Jewish characters in your reading, please let me know! I realize that it is a very specific niche, but I keep looking...
And as we move on:6.) Once He Made a Beginning 3.5 stars
7.) The Lady Sleuth of Longbourn: A Pride and Prejudice Variation 4.5 stars
8.) A Perpetual Estrangement: Jane Austen's Persuasion Reimagined 3 stars
9.) A Change Of Family: A Pride & Prejudice Variation 4 stars
10.) Letters from Mr. Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation 3.5 stars
well done Sheila - some new ones to me there.
5. Veni Vidi Vicious Audiobook, Harry Frost, proofread before publishing. Fingers crossed, it will be approved without a hitch.
6. A Gentleman's Honor, Melanie Rachel
Reread, favourite. Where Elizabeth arrived in London in the trunk of Darcy’s carriage. Bad Bingley, angsty, kidnapping.
7. Being Mrs Darcy, Lucy Marin
Reread, FMS. Elizabeth saves Georgiana and, as a result, has to marry a very reluctant Mr Darcy. Officious relations, Bad Darcy, and bad Georgiana. Jane doesn't marry Bingley. I absolutely loved it the first time, as a reread it felt long-winded and reflection-heavy. NRR.
8. A Perfect Stranger, AnnaMarie Wallace
Trope: Darcy didn’t rescue Georgiana.
I get a bit apprehensive when the author thinks it is interesting to list everything Darcy unpacked down to his socks in the first paragraph of chapter 1. Hopefully, this will not be one of those books that are full of unnecessary details...
It's interesting but not the most plausible plot. Elizabeth declined Darcy’s offer of courtship because he was angry with his sister. She would've offered to help him if she loved him... The Bingleys were clueless to the scandal running rampant through London. Great humour, especially loved the banter between Bingley and the colonel. Dragged, I skimmed the latter half.
9. Emma Jane's Guide to Matchmaking the Mayor, Drew Taylor
Modern Emma, YA novel, Christian themed, sexual tension between ODC. Highlights PCOS problems. Emma wants to start a matchmaking business, starting with her friend Henrietta and Mayor Knigthley.
10. How to Mend a Broken Heart, L.S. Parson
Reread. 3 years after canon. Mr Bennet is dead, Elizabeth received a large inheritance, a racy Darcy is engaged to another. Did not enjoy it, abandoned because I am not in the mood for this kind of angst. NRR
A very varied mix Elin. You remind me I must reread A Gentleman's Honour. Melanie Rachel is always a safe pair of hands.
Elin wrote: "5. Veni Vidi Vicious Audiobook, Harry Frost, proofread before publishing. Fingers crossed, it will be approved without a hitch.
6. A Gentleman's Honor, Melanie Rachel
Reread, favourite. Where El..."
Congratulations on the audiobook!
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Moving right along, Judy!
Ooo, an Anngela Schroeder I hadn't heard of."
Thank you!! Sophia, if you run across ANY Jewi..."
Will do! Mirta Trupp's are the ones I've come across, but I'll keep my eye out.
Mod
6.) Once He Made a Beginning 3.5 stars
7.) The Lady Sleuth of Longbourn: A Pride and Prejudice Variation 4.5 stars
8.) [book:A Perpetual Estrang..."
Farewell Miss Marianne and hello, Miss Anne!
Looking good, Sheila!
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Audiobook, Harry Frost, proofread before publishing. Fingers crossed, it will be approved without a hitch.
6. A Gentleman's Honor, Melanie Rachel
Reread, favourite. Where El..."
Ooo, neat that Harry Frost is narrating your Viking Darcy! That ought to be choice. :)
You remind me that I still need to read A Gentleman's Honor.
Cruising right along, Elin!
My next 56. Superior Connections: A Pride and Prejudice Variation 2.5* I had a heard time getting interested in the aunt, which made the whole book kind of meh.
7. One Last Chance: to begin again 4* a modified groundhog day story. After the proposal in Hunsford, Darcy goes back in time to the day he arrived at Netherfield, to vastly different results
8. A Not so Trifling Cold 4* as the title suggests, Jane has a lot more than a trifling cold, allowing D & E to come to an earlier understanding
9. A Look Behind the Mask: A Pride & Prejudice Variation 3.5* A lot of missing/extra words, could have used an editor
10. An Odd Situation: A Pride and Prejudice Variation 3.5* Darcy is thrown from his horse near Longbourn and is in a coma
well done Linda - I hope you have fun in the next library
Just a flying visit Miss Marianne, but it has been fun nonetheless,6) How to Marry an Accomplished Lady: A Darcy and Elizabeth Variation by Leenie Brown - 3*.
I enjoyed this book and as always the editing is tight - a definite plus with this author.
Unfortunately I found the pacing at the end went a bit haywire and the book just doesn't feel finished. The author does hint at a sequel to come but regardless of that a book does need to feel adequately wrapped up. In this book the author introduced an interesting wrinkle which needed more time to play out rather than leaping to the end.
7) My Brother, Your Sister: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Shana Granderson - 2*.
As always with this author it is a game of "hunt the plot". There is a plot and, whilst being far fetched, it is fun. Plot writing is this author's strength. In reading these books I know what I will get and so I go into them eyes wide-open. Fun but definitely not great literature.
The language and grammar is not good and there does tend to be too much reliance with this author on threats of sexual violence to make people do what the villains want. I really dislike this plot point and it is lazy.
8) In Westminster's Halls: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Don Jacobson - 4.25*.
A very different variation - 4.25*
I really appreciated this book and have long wished to see more books in this genre which engage with the historical events of the time. Don Jacobson has really engaged with the Abolition movement and has clearly spent long periods in complex research to create an authentic book. The plot is suitably dramatic and very well handled.
The small problem for me was I found it rather "overwritten". There were too many similes and metaphors for my taste and this made the dialogue (and the "mind dialogue") a little stilted at times.
9) Netherfield's Secret by Lelia Eye - 3*.
This was a nice idea and I very much liked the character of Mrs Bingley with her gentle leanings towards Mr Woodhouse. At the beginning it seemed that Elizabeth was to have something of the Emma about her but this drifted in and out somewhat. This drifting of characters seemed to run through the book as if the author couldn't quite make up her mind about them.
10) Conundrums & Coincidences by J. Marie Croft - 5*.
Another triumph from J Marie Croft, filled with witty ripostes and charming characters, both old and new. The unique plot is so very good and the flow is excellent. The story is well paced from start to finish.
One of the particular delights of this book for me was the carefully balanced cast list with no extraneous characters and no-one included who was not necessary to the plot. This takes courage on the part of writers in this genre and I always appreciate this boldness. There are several original characters and I loved them all, especially Miss Rigby who was an absolute hoot-and-a-half.
The writing is tight and the editing is likewise making for an all-round pleasurable reading experience.
Off I go to join Miss Anne Elliot in her library.
Craftyhj, I've had Conundrums & Coincidences on my TBR for awhile, but your review led me to download it today.
Liz H wrote: "Craftyhj, I've had Conundrums & Coincidences on my TBR for awhile, but your review led me to download it today."I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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6. Superior Connections: A Pride and Prejudice Variation 2.5* I had a heard time getting interested in the aunt, which made the whole book kind of meh.
7. [book:One Last ..."
You are doing sensationally, Linda! Off you go for a visit with Miss Anne!
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6) How to Marry an Accomplished Lady: A Darcy and Elizabeth Variation by Leenie Brown - 3*.
..."
Cruising right along with your visits, Heather!
I must get my mitts on J. Marie Croft's latest.
Craftyhj wrote: "Just a flying visit Miss Marianne, but it has been fun nonetheless,6) How to Marry an Accomplished Lady: A Darcy and Elizabeth Variation by Leenie Brown - 3*.
..."
Great!!!
Dear Miss Marianne,I with to thank you for allowing me to enjoy the collection in your library for a time, but it seems that Book 3 of my series reading for the Golden Challenge could not fit amongst your shelves. I hear Miss Anne Elliot has a copy, and she has graciously accepted my request to visit. I bid you adieu for this year, and already look forward to returning next winter to enjoy this coziest of chairs here by the fire...
6. A Winter Wonder ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
7. Wedding at Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Variation ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
8. Longbourn: The Early Days: A Collection of 'Pride and Prejudice' Variation Vignettes 3.5 rounded up to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
9. A Tapestry of Lives ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
10. A Tapestry of Lives ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kimbelle wrote: "Dear Miss Marianne,I with to thank you for allowing me to enjoy the collection in your library for a time, but it seems that Book 3 of my series reading for the Golden Challenge could not fit amon..."
I remember loving Tapestry of Lives, but it’s been a few years. Makes me want to reread it…
6. Christmas, Love and Mr. Darcy
7. Darcy and the Duke's Daughter: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
. Not a huge fan of titles where Darcy doesn’t have to overcome anything because Elizabeth is actually from the upper crust. And the Duke’s prejudices against Darcy were pretty ridiculous.8. His Choice of a Wife: A Variation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
. Reread. Didn’t disappoint.9. Intrigue at the Ball: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
10. Honour, Decorum & Prudence: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
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I with to thank you for allowing me to enjoy the collection in your library for a time, but it seems that Book 3 of my series reading for the Golden Challenge could not fit amon..."
Off you go with tosses of virtual confetti for your journey to Miss Anne's Kellynch Hall, Kimbelle! :)
Austenesque Lovers TBR Pile Challenge 2025
Books mentioned in this topic
Jane Austen at Home (other topics)Miss Austen (other topics)
A Little Folly (other topics)
A Remedy Against Sin: A Pride and Prejudice Variation (other topics)
Common Sense (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Lucy Worsley (other topics)Leenie Brown (other topics)
Leenie Brown (other topics)
Leenie Brown (other topics)
Shana Granderson (other topics)
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