Your Next Reads

I'll be honest. I had a completely different plan in mind for today's post.

I have yet to post about our excursions into London from last June, which is probably going to take two or three {or more!} posts...but I need to pull out my journal in order to remember when we went where and all that jazz. And my journal is in a tote up in our barn and I don't feel like climbing up there tonight, so instead, you get something entirely different.

I've finished the first two books on my AUSTEN INSPIRED APRIL reading list, and so now it's time for me to review them!

First up, we have AUSTENLAND by Shannon Hale.

Now, "Austenland" is not a magical theme park that has Austen-related things {seriously, wouldn't that be amazing?}. In this case, "Austenland" refers to Pembrook Park. Which is kind of like a Jane Austen theme park. But not really. Okay, this is getting confusing. I'll start over.

Austenland centers around Jane Hayes, a thirty-something woman living in New York. She has dated but still single because no man measures up to Mr. Darcy {and really, no man does}. When her great-aunt dies, Jane is given a non-refundable trip to Pembrook Park in her will. Pembrook Park is an estate in England where women can go and live out their ultimate Jane Austen fantasies. They are given identities and storylines and they essentially get to live out an Austen novel for three weeks. Sounds kind of wonderful, doesn't it? Well, sometimes the lines between fantasy and real-life get hazy. It happens to actors all the time, and it should be no surprise that Jane's dreams start to mix too much with reality. I don't want to spoil anything...just check this book out from your library! It's a super fast read, and even if you haven't read a lot of Austen, you should still be fine.

And if you aren't a reader, at least watch the movie. While it doesn't follow the book exactly, Keri Russell portrays Jane fantastically! And J.J. Feild {my all-time favorite Redcoat} as Mr. Nobley? Perfection!

Second on the list, THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB by Karen Joy Fowler.

Written in collective first-person {I don't know how else to describe it...it's like the entire book club is telling the story all at the same time but no one is talking about their own self...interesting, indeed}, the book is about an actual book club made up of five women and one man who set out to read all six of Austen's novels. As Jocelyn, Sylvia, Allegra, Prudie, Berandette, and Grigg read, you start to see their own lives mirroring the books. For example, Jocelyn is a dog trainer and a matchmaker among people--she is the Emma of the group. The story progresses through flashbacks to turning points in the characters' lives and through their monthly book club meetings, and a little Jane Austen always seems to bring out romance in people's lives. I will say, I read this book having read the six novels read by the characters {Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, Pride and Prejudice, and Persuasion}. Probably there were things I understood better having that background, but the author puts a cheat-sheet in the back--there is a synopsis of each novel so you can make sure you understand everything.

But take heart! It has also been made into a movie, and this, just like Austenland, is one of my favorites to rewatch. The ensemble cast is aaa-mazing! Emily Blunt, Maggie Grace, Maria Bello...there are some awesome actors in this film. And Jocelyn's house is beautiful...I want everything about Jocelyn's house.

If you're looking for a good read {and a pretty quick read, too}, then you can't go wrong with either of these! {Or if you're having a movie night and need a good one...you get the picture.} And if you've read either/if you go about reading either, I'd love to hear your thoughts. And then we can drink wine and watch the movies together--yay!!!

Sorry about the "yaying"...we've been watching a lot of That '70s Show, and Jackie's starting to rub off on me.

~Stay Gold!