Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Happy 201st Anniversary, Pride and Prejudice

Happy Anniversary to one of the most popular books of all time. To think it was published 201 years ago today and still readers everywhere cannot get enough of the story and its characters. What an amazing accomplishment. When Jane Austen called it 'her darling child', little did she know how it would become such to so many others as well. Wouldn't it have been wonderful if she could have known the impact it would have on the world - it and the rest of her works? Thank you, Jane Austen, for sharing your talents, your wit and your timeless characters to be enjoyed for centuries.

In celebration of this anniversary, I am hosting a giveaway, my tribute to Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice. Please have your share in the conversation to be entered. Let me know your choice from the following should you be one of the randomly selected winners. (six winners, in all) Giveaway ends at midnight, February 2, 2014.


  • 1 'A Beginning' Mouse Pad
  • 1 'A Walk in the Woods' Mouse Pad
  • 1 'The Kiss' Mirrored Compact
  • 1 2014 Fitzwilliam & Elizabeth Calendar
  • 1 'Rejected' Mug  
  • 1 Fitzwilliam & Elizabeth Note Pad (5.5"x 4.25"; features all the drawings in the 2014 calendar)
Here is to many more years of happy reading about the love and lives of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy.
(While you are here, please check out my review of Volume I, A Fitzwilliam Legacy:  Seasonal Disorder, by Tess Quinn. There is also a giveaway associated with the review. It ends at midnight Wednesday, the 29th of January.)

Friday, January 24, 2014

My Share in the Conversation...Seasonal Disorder

A Fitzwilliam Legacy: Seasonal Disorder, Volume I by Tess Quinn

Volume I of A Fitzwilliam Legacy: Seasonal Disorder by Tess Quinn, is a beautifully written and entertaining sequel to Pride & Prejudice. The author has just the right mix of ‘Darcy and Lizzy’ time, scheming and interfering relatives, romance and angst, all the while keeping the characters true to canon. Ms. Quinn introduces several new characters that are well developed and likable, especially Sir James Thornton and Amelia Chaney.

This volume begins on December 24, 1798, (the delightful prologue in November of that year) with Darcy and Lizzy happily married and hosting their first Christmas party at Pemberley. With their guests, family and friends, invited to share this special time, all are looking forward to the festivities that the season has to offer and even a few secrets to be divulged.

What would any party be without a party crasher or two? When one of those is Lady Catherine deBourgh, it only stands to reason that some sort of discord will follow. Indeed it does and with her machinations she upsets the lives and peace of everyone in residence at Pemberley. Much to her shock and surprise, an important person from her distant past is one of the ‘invited’ guests. Although everyone else is unaware of the connection between Cat and this guest, their reunion causes a strong impact that sets up a very interesting chain of events. This same guest also plays an important role in the lives of Charles and Jane Bingley.

An additional part of the narrative that I relished was the growing friendship between Georgiana and Kitty. Their girl talks and times together read like one would expect of two teenagers. There is love in the air for both of them and the author develops the men in their lives and the budding romances with tenderness and much insight. I am eager to read New Year Resolutions (Volume II) to see how their stories culminate.

Dear Colonel Fitzwilliam plays a very important role in the novel as it centers on him and a widow he is helping. As his feelings grow in intensity, there are obstacles that present themselves – and get presented – that make his desired outcome seem hopeless. I hope that Volume II will bring the resolutions to his dilemma that give him the life he deserves.

Throughout the book we see a very devoted and happy Mr. and Mrs. Darcy, who have a few surprises of their own. We get to see that life after marriage is good but not problem free. Volume I ended with Darcy and Lizzy just after midnight, New Year’s Eve with a very loving and chaste scene. Perfect!

A Fitzwilliam Legacy: Seasonal Disorder is an excellent book and one I found difficult to put down. The main plot and subplots flow into one seamless tale. Tess Quinn has a style of writing and story-telling that is superb. It is obvious she knows about the time period, the language spoken and the word spellings, as well as the customs and traditions of the Christmastide season. She uses her talent and skill to write a lovely and believable story, one that honors Jane Austen and her characters. Volume I would be an excellent read at Christmas or any time of year. I highly recommend it.

Who is Sir James Thornton and what is he concealing?
Will it be ‘happily ever after’ for Colonel Fitzwilliam?
What will happen to Anne deBourgh?
Will Lady Cat’s ploys come to fruition or will she be foiled? (and by whom?)
Will Georgiana and Kitty find true love?

Stay tuned my friends. For the answers to these and other questions, I will be reviewing Volume II, New Year Resolutions in the coming weeks.

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

In conjunction with this review author Tess Quinn is giving away one paperback to a lucky winner, US address only. She is also giving away one digital copy for an eReader to another lucky winner, and this one is international. The winners may choose either Volume I or Volume II. We want to hear your share in the conversation so please leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway.  Good luck to all. Giveaway will end at midnight, January 29, 2014. 



Thursday, January 23, 2014

Hello Friends!

I hope you are having a lovely and healthy start to your new year. I took a hiatus from blogging for a few of weeks and am now ready to jump back in the world of all things Austen.

Some of my plans for the next few weeks:
  • Reviews of books that I read in 2013 and have not yet posted.
  • Reading books on my TBR list for 2014 and reviewing them
  • Guest post with Cassandra Grafton
  • Guest post with Mary Lydon Simonsen
  • Guest post with Jan Hahn
  • Participating in the J Marie Croft February blog tour hosted by Jakki at Leatherbound Reviews. This blog tour highlights the book, Love at First Slight.
No dates for the guest posts are set yet but watch for the Calling Cards Presented column for updates.

Mary Lydon Simonsen's new book, Another Place in Time, is a time-travel romance involving my favorite hero and heroine, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. I am not sure of the release date for Mary's book but her blog should have the latest information. If you would like to read the summary from the back jacket of this book, here is a link to Mary's blog. Fiction by Mary Simonsen 

A Secret Betrothal is the title of the novel by Jan Hahn with a possible release date in February. It is a Pride and Prejudice Alternate Path. An earlier and much different version of this book was on some of the online sites in 2003 under the title, The Engagement

I am all anticipation for the release of both these books and the guest posts by the authors. I hope you will join me and continue to have your share in the conversations. Thanks to all of you for your support of my blog the last nine months. I look forward to many more months of communicating our love of Jane Austen.

Be sure and check back Friday as I will be reviewing Volume I of Tess Quinn's A Fitzwilliam Legacy: Seasonal Disorder. There will also be a giveaway!

Friday, January 10, 2014

And the winners are...

Congratulations!

junewilliams7 left a comment on January 1 and is the winner of the paperback. (send me your address, please)

Luthien84 left a comment on December 31 and is the winner of the eBook! (let me know the email you use for eBooks)


Twelfth Night at Longbourn
by
Maria Grace

I am confident you will enjoy this novella, ladies! It is a lovely story  with a focus on Kitty Bennet. I will be reviewing it in the near future along with several other novels. I will be playing 'catch-up' since I am very far behind on my reviews!

Thank you, Maria Grace, for being my guest and for the generous giveaway. I have to tell you that I was fascinated to read that when you settle in to write, you get your pen and notebook and start where you left off the day before. I still do much writing(reviews) with a pencil or pen and notebook and then transfer to the computer. I thought I was the only one that still used the old fashioned way! :)  

Hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the new year! I have taken a bit of a break on the blog posts but will be having some fab guests and posts soon! Thank you for your support!