#Regina Jeffers

[checkoutmybookshelf]

How Do I Even Begin to Explain Regina Jeffers...

When I was growing up, my hometown had a local bookstore called Gulliver's Books. The ground floor was a standard bookstore with new books and tchotchkes and book paraphernalia. Pretty bog standard. What made Gulliver's magical was the entire second floor--everything was donated used books. One of my favorite things to do as a stressed teenager and early 20-something was to grab a hot chocolate and spend an hour reading the shelves to see what I could find. There was always a gem or two, and you could even usually find schoolbooks for a hell of a price reduction, so this place was a win. And it smelled like books and coffee... *drifts away on sensory memory*

RIGHT. SORRY. We're talking about a specific book here. I found The Phantom of Pemberley during one of my Gulliver's book trawls, and this absolute delight of a Pride and Prejudice murder mystery was captivating, fluffy fun from start to finish. Let's talk Pride and Prejudice spinoffs!

Regina Jeffers's book is, as you can likely tell from the title, a combination of an Agatha Christie-esque cosy house murder mystery with some Phantom of the Opera overtones. Taking place about a year after Lizzie and Darcy marry, the premise is that a winter storm forces Lydia Wickham, Anne de Bourgh, and a passle of various, loosely acquainted hangers-on to shelter at Pemberely for a few days until the weather clears up.

This book is absolutely delightful cozy house, winter fun fluff, including sugared icicles, sledding, hot chocolate for DAYS, and performing scenes from Shakespeare in the parlor. The tooth-rotting fluff is balanced beautifully with issues of romance and murder centered on Anne de Bourgh, Lydia Wickham, and Georgiana Darcy. Our young ladies are firmly under Lizzie's wing, and unlike her mother, Lizzie might actually be something of a social genius because she is manging the social restrictions/expectations and the girls' wants and needs like a freaking champ.

Meanwhile, Darcy and the other gentlemen are trying to figure out why on earth people are dying in Pemberley, why there seems to be a ghost flitting around the halls, and why Lizzie is drinking abormally high amounts of hot chocolate.

I don't have much to say about this book other than that it is delightful fluff; it's what it says on the tin, and it's very much a comfort book for me. So if you're an Austen stan and want a little bit more of Lizzie and Darcy, I can't recommend this book enough.

[kajaono]

Great choice of starting „Captain Frederick Wentworths Persuasion“ by shooting Wentworth in the heart

[unsoundedcomic]

Let me be blunt for a sec here, but how do you cope (no pun intended) with the fact you set the bar extremely high with this book's main cast and now you will have to sell a brand new cast to your readers for the next book? Not going to diss the tanners yet, but God damn, Sette, Duane and co, we're all TOO great, the new cast has quite the big shoes to fill.

Oh, I'm not too worried. Some of the "new" cast we already know, like the Adeliers, Will Argenti, Nary Frummagem, and Bastion. Plenty of the old cast will still be around but I can't say which, as that would be a spoiler for the upcoming chapter :)

There are a handful of truly new characters that will have big roles. There's Regina Flask, Jivi's mother and a sadistic privateer who is waiting for Jivi to give her a reason to perform a relatively late term abortion. There's Elarosny Ficci, a nine foot tall Copper woman who is fed up with the status quo and intends to overthrow it via some strange alliances and some astonishingly bold attacks. There's Johfrit Jeffers, a Plat in the last year of his life who wants to take as many others with him to the grave as he can. There's Rebecca Bodie, the daughter of Councillor Bodie, who has spent most of her life shut up waiting for a husband her father will approve of. Then there's Tree, Blythe, Jeremy, Midmolil, and Aris - also known as the Tanners, a motley group of hitmen and outcasts who have learned to exploit Alderode's systems and make a bit of money off them.

Hopefully at least one of them will manage to entertain you :)

[weirdesplinder]

E se Jane Austen fosse un vampiro?

Ho notato che i post che dedico a Jane Austen hanno sempre molto successo, è un argomento che evidentemente vi interessa, perciò ecco un nuovo post  a lei dedicato, o meglio dedicato ad alcune serie che la vedono protagonista in veste di vampiro però.

-Serie Immortal Jane Austen di Janet Mullany

Inedita in italiano

1. Jane and the Damned  

Link: https://amzn.to/3w0zIXf         

Trama:  Nel 1797, quando l'aspirante scrittrice Jane Austen diventa uno dei Dannati, i vampiri belli, alla moda e sexy dell'Inghilterra georgiana, la sua famiglia insiste affinché prenda le acque di Bath, l'unica cura conosciuta. Ma la città diventa un bagno di sangue quando i francesi invadono e i Dannati sono gli unici che possono rovesciare i francesi e salvare l’Inghilterra. Jane ora considera la sua trasformazione in vampiro come un dono. Rifiuta la cura e scopre un mondo di libertà, amore e avventura come vampiro. Ma essendo immortale, perde la capacità di scrivere e deve recidere i legami con la sua amata sorella Cassandra e il resto della sua famiglia. All'ombra della ghigliottina, Jane dovrà decidere se la vita eterna e l'amore sono un prezzo troppo alto da pagare per la perdita di ciò che significa di più per lei come mortale.

2. Jane Austen, Blood Persuasion, a novel

Trama: È il 1810 e i Dannati sono stati banditi dalla buona società di città e si sono rifugiati in campagna. I vecchi amici non morti di Jane Austen sono diventati quindi i suoi nuovi vicini, scatenando l'inferno nel suo tranquillo villaggio giusto in tempo per interrompere il lavoro di Jane su quello che sarà il suo capolavoro. All'improvviso la nipote di Jane flirta pericolosamente con i vampiri, e un'amica zitella, un tempo rispettabile, ha scoperto le gioie proibite del rapporto intimo con i Dannati (e prende in prestito le preziose calze di seta di Jane). Scrivere è semplicemente impossibile ora, con creature assassine che si aggirano per le viuzze un tempo pacifiche del villaggio. E con il ritorno delle sue caratteristiche di vampiro, una guerra civile che incombe tra le fazioni dei Dannati e un ex amante che intende trascorrere l'eternità incolpandola per il suo cuore spezzato, Jane si trova ad affrontare un anno davvero molto impegnativo.

- Jane bites back, di Michael Thomas Ford

Inedito in italiano

Link: https://amzn.to/3SpCNrm

Trama: Duecento anni dopo la sua morte, Jane Austen è ancora circondata dalla letteratura che ama, ma ora è perché è la proprietaria di Flyleaf Books in una sonnolenta città universitaria nello stato di New York. Ogni giorno guarda i suoi romanzi volare via dagli scaffali, insieme a dozzine di sequel, spin-off e adattamenti non autorizzati. Jane può anche essere un vampiro non morto, ma i suoi libri hanno acquisito una vita propria. A peggiorare le cose, il manoscritto che ha terminato poco prima di essere trasformata in vampiro è stato rifiutato dagli editori ben 116 volte. Jane desidera far sapere al mondo chi è, ma quando un improvviso scherzo del destino la riporta sotto i riflettori, deve nascondere la sua vera identità e respingere un uomo oscuro del suo passato mentre si destreggia tra due corteggiatori moderni. Riuscirà l'inimitabile Jane Austen a mantenere la calma in questa commedia di buone maniere, o mostrerà a tutti cosa può fare una donna con uno spirito acuto e una serie di zanne ancora più affilate?

 -Vampire Darcy's Desire: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation, di Regina Jeffers

Inedito in italiano

Link: https://amzn.to/3vV5wN3

Trama: Immaginate la trama di Orgoglio e pregiudizio ma con qualche sostanziale variante come il fatto che Darcy per colpa di una maledizione di famiglia sia un dhampir metà umano metà vampiro. Immmaginate poi che Wickham sia un vero vampiro di duecento anni che odia Darcy per colpa di ciò che gli fece un suo antenato, e immaginate che anche l’antenata di Elizabeth fosse una sua conoscenza.

- Mr. Darcy, vampiro, di Amanda Grange  

Edito da Tea

https://amzn.to/3xQsFLH

Trama:  Bè il titolo dice già tutto, no? L'autrice ha deciso di aggiungere  al  fanstico mondo di Jane Austen un pizzico di paranormale. Mr. Darcy,  Vampyre inizia dove Orgoglio e pregiudizio finiva e introduce un'oscura  maledizione di famiglia…….Pericolo, oscurità e amore immortale, i punti  forti di questo libro. Da leggere solo se siete particolarmente amanti  della Austen e del gusto gotico, se amate il paranormal lasciate stare  perchè qui di paranormal in realtà c’è ben poco.

- Altra autrice che ha dedicato una serie di libri a Jane Austen è Carrie Bebris. Ogni  romanzo della serie è la rivisitazione in chiave lievemente, e ripeto  lievemente, parnormal di una delle opere della Austen, quella dedicata  ad Orgoglio e pregiudizio è:

Orgoglio e preveggenza

Edito Tea

https://amzn.to/3m3xO0I

Trama:  È cosa nota e universalmente riconosciuta che uno scapolo in possesso  di un solido patrimonio debba essere in cerca di moglie.“ Ed è una  verità cui non si sottrae Mr. Frederick Parrish, ricco e affascinante  gentiluomo americano, che sta per convolare a nozze con Caroline  Bingley. Un'atmosfera di festa avvolge i fidanzati e il matrimonio pare  suggellare la promessa di una vita serena e felice. Ma presto la gioia  s'incrina e la coppia è turbata da una serie di strani episodi: fenomeni  di sonnambulismo, cavalli imbizzarriti senza una ragione, uno  spaventoso incendio e misteriosi incidenti. Qualcuno sta perseguitando i  Parrish, ma la pericolosità della situazione pare sfuggire a tutti. A  tutti tranne a Elizabeth e Darcy, amici della giovane donna e anch'essi  sposi novelli, che mettono da parte i progetti per la luna di miele per  aiutare Caroline.

- La Harpercollins Italia, ha reso  disponibili in ebook tre dei quattro racconti che quattro autrici  famose hanno creato per  omaggiare Jane Austen,  tre storie ispirate ai  suoi romanzi, ma con un pizzico di paranormal. In lingua originale i 4 racconti sono stati raccolti in una antologia intitolata Bespelling Jane Austen. Mentre da noi in Italia tre dei racconti sopracitati, quelli di Mary Balogh, Susan Krinard e Colleen Gleason, sono disponibili singolarmente in versione ebook:

Titolo: Incantevole Persuasione

di Mary Balogh

https://amzn.to/2VXv2iU

Avevano  cercato di farle dimenticare quel pomeriggio quando, bambina, Jane  aveva dichiarato di essere stata, in una vita precedente, la giovane  figlia del curato. Ma il ricordo era rimasto lì, pronto ad affiorare e  ora finalmente, grazie a quel giovane e avvenente capitano, tutto  riemerge in superficie.Ci conosciamo da una o dieci vite. Da sempre, a  dire il vero… sono le parole che lui ha pronunciato, rivelandole una  verità inconcepibile, eppure inconfutabile. Perché il Capitano Mitford  altri non è che il suo amato perduto. Ma in tutte le vite passate la  loro storia d'amore è finita tragicamente. Sono destinati a non veder  coronato il loro amore, o forse esiste una speranza che, un giorno, il  sentimento trionfi sul crudele destino?

Titolo: Il castello di Northanger

di Susan Krinard

https://amzn.to/3g0CUXK

Caroline  Merrill nutre una passione davvero smodata per i libri e in particolare  per le novelle popolate di vampiri, castelli e buie notti di luna.  Caroline ha anche una sfrenata fantasia, che la porta ad ambientare  storie in ogni luogo che visita e a fare di ogni persona che colpisce la  sua curiosità la protagonista di un racconto. Non ha idea di quanto  possa essere pericolosa questa sua innocente passione, almeno finché non  inizia a sospettare che l'affascinante Mr. Blanchard sia uno di quei  succhiasangue che popolano le storie che tanto ama.

Titolo: Vampiri, orgoglio e pregiudizio

di Coleen Gleason

https://amzn.to/3yON4lE

Non  c'è niente di peggio di un uomo arrogante e presuntuoso!, considera  Lizzie Bennet subito dopo aver conosciuto Mr. Darcy. E poi… che razza di  nome è Fitzwilliam? E da dove esce quel suo modo di parlare affettato,  tutto fatto di Miss Elizabeth, lunghi silenzi e parole ricercate, quasi  lui fosse un damerino nel bel mezzo di un salone da ballo del 1800  invece che un giovane a una festa aziendale nel Ventunesimo secolo. In  effetti, però, quando si ritrovano vestiti entrambi in abiti Regency  durante la festa di Halloween, lui sembra proprio calato nel suo  elemento. E sembrano adatti alla notte delle streghe anche quegli occhi  dalla sfumatura rossiccia e quei denti aguzzi ben mascherati dalle  labbra sensuali, che lasciano immaginare storie oscure di zombie,  vampiri e…

[dollycas]

Special Guest - Michael Rands - One of the Authors of Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology #AuthorGuestPost #Giveaway - Great Escapes Book Tour

Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology by Regina Jeffers, Riana Everly, Jeanette Watts, Michael Rands, Linne Elizabeth, Emma Dalgety, and Elizabeth Gilliland I am delighted to welcome Michael Rands to Escape With Dollycas today! What is Noir? by Michael Rands This was the question at the heart of a seminar I took in grad school. This class proved to be one of the most enjoyable and memorable, not least because I would frequently sit next to my then crush, now wife. As the old saying goes: Couples who bond over Noir, bond for life. But really what is noir? It is one of the easiest and most difficult genres to define. Easy, because, well, you know when you’re watching film noir. Difficult, because you would have a hard time explaining why you know this. Comedy, you laugh. Romance, you swoon as two people fall in love. Horror is… horrifying. Noir? There’s a guy in a coat and a hat, a seductive woman with evil intentions, and a crime. It’s a rather bizarre definition, but it’s a start. Noir arose quite suddenly, with many of the most famous American noir films shot within a few years, and almost all shot within a decade. Several of the classics were shot during or just after the Second World War: The Maltese Falcon (1941), Double Indemnity (1944), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946). A real darkness permeates these films. Shot in black and white, the images are shadowy, nightmarish. The characters inhabit a dark world. The most famous stock character associated with this genre is the femme fatale—a deadly woman who uses her sexuality to lure men into sin and destruction. The villainous men, it should be noted, seldom require much persuasion. In Double Indemnity (a candidate for the noiriest of noir films) Phyllis Dietrichson, convinces the insurance salesman Walter Neff, to help her kill her husband after she takes out a policy on his life. The story (like many other in the genre) is filled with betrayal, murder, doomed sexual liaisons, and downward spirals that end in the destruction of all the schemers. The world is dark. The characters are dark. The story circles around the sinkhole of nihilism, and yet there is some form of justice. This justice however seldom comes at the hand of a redeemer, a white knight. Instead, the perpetrators of the crimes tend to implode under the weight of their own misdeeds. Agents of order are often as morally dubious as the villains they pursue. Detective Sam Spade of The Maltese Falcon, played by Humphrey Bogart, is the quintessential example of such a man. He smokes, drinks heavily, engages in intimidation and violence. He’s gruff and nasty. He is at least a partial influence for the many troubled detectives we’ve come to love in books and on screen. Spade, like most characters in the “noir-verse” began in the pages of a short novel. Dashiel Hammet (Spade’s creator), along with James Cain and Raymond Chandler, pioneered the genre of Hardboiled Detective Fiction a decade or so before the boom in noir films. Their stories and characters provided the blueprints for most of the classic films, with Chandler additionally writing many famous screenplays. All this is to say that noir, one of the most visually distinctive film genres, has its roots in fiction, in the written word. The city of Los Angeles plays an important role in the Noirosphere. Of course, the early films were shot in the city, but many of the most influential writers including the three mentioned above, spent some time in L.A. Contemporary Neo-noir writers like Walter Mosley have set their stories there too, perhaps in homage to these early pioneers. Despite the short duration of the original crop of noir, the genre has had an outsized influence on film and literature. Every hard drinking detective, femme fatale, and nihilistic double-crosser, owes at least some noirish debt. Writers as un-obviously noirish as Cormac MacCarthy have dipped their toes in noir-blood, and celebrated directors like Quentin Tarantino and the Coen Brothers are openly influenced by the genre. I’m sure it’s obvious to see how Jane Austen fits into all of this.  Born and raised in Los Angeles, the daughter of a private detective and a failed insurance salesman… But no, there is some logic. For one, we’re writing about Jane Austen and Crime. And, if it’s not obvious yet, I am an unapologetic fan of this shady genre. Austen’s famously adaptable characters have taken on countless lives across time, space and genre, and I could not but help see them putting on their noir-garb, and heading out to L.A. Mr. Wickham, the shady, manipulative, semi-criminal womanizer, was all but begging to be cast in a noir retelling of his story. Lydia Bennet, a few years older, jaded and hardened from her earlier experiences hanging out with a sociopath and his rough friends, might find herself noirified, too. As for Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy, I tread carefully, for fear of making enemies. But, there is a place for them. I hope you’ll take a chance on this and see how it all fits together. Thank you! Thank you, Michael, for visiting today with a great topic! _____ Keep reading to learn more about Michael and Crime & Culpability. About Crime & Culpability Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology Cozy Mystery Anthology Settings -  (Regency England, modern-day America) Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bayou Wolf Press (September 10, 2024) Print length ‏ : ‎ 176 pages Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D6JQN6JL "No one can withstand the charm of such a mystery." - Jane Austen, Persuasion Jane Austen mysteries have become a popular subgenre of Austen variations, but this is more than just a trend. Austen was a masterful storyteller who embedded clues within her stories for her readers to follow, inviting readers to read between the lines and "gather the evidence" to follow her intricate plotlines. In this anthology, various authors who are also fans and admirers of Austen's work have taken the challenge to add some mystery to Austen's stories and characters. From Regency sequels to film noir retellings to cozy art heists, Crime and Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology explores the many faces of Austen and all of her enigmas. Featuring stories by Regina Jeffers, Riana Everly, Jeanette Watts, Michael Rands, Linne Elizabeth, Emma Dalgety, and Elizabeth Gilliland, with a foreword by Regina Jeffers and an introduction by Elizabeth Gilliland Rands. About the Authors Elizabeth Gilliland: Elizabeth Gilliland is the author of the Austen University Mysteries series, including What Happened on Box Hill, The Portraits of Pemberley, and two prequel novellas, Dear Prudent Elinor and Sly Jane Fairfax. (Look out for book three sometime next year!) She has written and presented at various academic confer‐ ences on Jane Austen and wrote her dissertation on Jane Austen adaptations, dedicating herself to watch the lake dive scene as many times as necessary for scholarly pursuit. She also writes Gothic horror as E. Gilliland and romance as Lissa Sharpe, and she is the co-founder of Bayou Wolf Press. Author Links Website    Twitter (X)   Facebook    Goodreads   Blog    Newsletter   Amazon   Regina Jeffers - Regina Jeffers writes books about corsets, rakes, daring heroines, dashing heroes and all aspects of the Georgian/Regency era. She is an award winning author of cozy mysteries, historical romantic suspense, and Austenesque vagaries. Jeffers has been a Smithsonian presenter and Martha Holden Jennings Scholar, as well as having her tales honored by, among others, the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense, the Frank Yerby Award for Fiction, the International Digital Awards, and the Chanticleer International Book Award. Author Links:  Every Woman Dreams (Blog)   Always Austen (Group Blog)    Facebook    Twitter    Amazon Author Page   Pinterest   BookBub   Instagram   Regina Jeffers Website  Riana Everly: Riana Everly is an award-winning Canadian author of Austenesque fiction, both Regency and contemporary. Her historical mystery series, Miss Mary Investigates, has quickly become a favourite of Jane Austen fans and cosy mystery fans alike. Trained as a classical musician, she also has advanced degrees in Medieval Studies, and pretended to be an academic before discovering that fiction doesn’t need footnotes. She loves travelling, cooking her way around the world, playing with photography, and discussing obscure details with her husband and children. Possibly in Latin. She can be found in the usual places and loves connecting with readers, so please give her a shout! Author Links: Newsletter   Website   Facebook    Instagram  Amazon Jeanette Watts: Jeanette Watts is a dance instructor, writer, seamstress, actress, and very, very poor housekeeper. With books on historical fiction, modern romantic comedy, LGBTQ romance, Jane Austen-inspired stories, and she is contemplating writing steamier works, what do all these genres have in common? Jeanette writes about people with a secret. Secrets are fun. Keep up with the various parts of Jeanette's brain at her YouTube Channel, “History is My Playground,” and her webpages, Jeanette‐ Watts.squarespace.com and DancingThruHistory.com. Author Links Instagram     Facebook     Twitter      Linked In      Website 1     Website 2     Goodreads     Jeanette_Watts Amazon Author Page Michael Rands: Michael Rands is the author of the novels The Chapel St. Perilous and Praise Routine Number Four, co-author of the economic satire The Yamaguchi Manuscripts, and Kamikaze Economics (a story of modern Japan). He’s co-author of the humorous dictionary Stay Away from Mthatha. He co-created the audio drama The Crystal Set and co- hosted the podcast Detours Ahead. In South Africa he worked in television as a writer, director and producer. He taught English in Japan. He holds an MFA from Louisiana State University, and currently teaches English and Creative Writing at the college level. He is the co-founder of Bayou Wolf Press. He lives with his wife, son, and labrador, in Alabama. His new novel, When the Witch Calls, comes out in November 2024. Author Links Facebook    Twitter    Instagram    Blog Linné Elizabeth: Linné Elizabeth is an English instructor at Utah Tech University, a freelance content writer, and an award-winning author. When she's not devouring chocolate while nose-deep in a book, you can find her playing in the russet desert of southern Utah with her four incredible - sometimes feral - kids and her handsome husband. Check her out on Instagram: @library4one or on Facebook: @linneelizabeth  Author Links Website   Instagram: @Library4One   LinkedIn    Facebook    Blog Emma Dalgety: Emma Dalgety grew up in Mobile, Alabama. She received a BA in Music and English from the University of Mobile in 2023. As a musi‐ cian and a writer, she has performed violin across the Southeast and internationally, finding creative inspiration and filling notebooks with story fragments throughout her travels. When she isn't writing, she is researching interdisciplinary connections in literature as she works towards an MA in English, or teaching music lessons in her private studio. Purchase Link Amazon  TOUR PARTICIPANTS - Please visit all the stops.  September 16 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT September 16 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT September 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST September 18 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT September 19 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT September 20 – Celticlady's Reviews - SPOTLIGHT September 21 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT September 22 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR GUEST POST September 23 – Sarah Can't Stop Reading Books – REVIEW September 23 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST September 24 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST September 24 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT September 25 – Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic – AUTHOR GUEST POST September 26 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT September 26 – Boys' Mom Reads! – CHARACTER GUEST POST September 27 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – REVIEW September 27 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT September 28 – Cassidy's Bookshelves – SPOTLIGHT  September 29 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT a Rafflecopter giveaway Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today! Want to Book a Tour? Click Here Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. Read the full article

[therealimintobooks]

Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery Anthology by Regina Jeffers, Riana Everly, Jeanette Watts, Michael Rands, Linne Elizabeth, Emma Dalgety, and Elizabeth Gilliland

About Crime & Culpability Crime & Culpability: A Jane Austen Mystery AnthologyCozy Mystery AnthologySettings – (Regency England, modern-day America)Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bayou Wolf Press (September 10, 2024)Print length ‏ : ‎ 176 pagesDigital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D6JQN6JL “No one can withstand the charm of such a mystery.” – Jane Austen, Persuasion Jane Austen mysteries have become a popular subgenre of…

[cowperviolet]

Private theatricals in Jane Austen’s day - my guest post in Regina Jeffers’ lovely Regency blog - is out now! https://reginajeffers.blog/2024/04/17/private-theatricals-during-the-regency-a-guest-post-from-ann-hawthorne/

[marilythscales]

I agree it doesnt get mentioned enough. It was addressed in the book "Captain Wentworths Persuasion" by Regina Jeffers at least.

One thing I think we as a fandom do not acknowledge enough is that Captain Wentworth stays at Kellynch while he visits the Crofts. That alone makes me want a chapter from his point of view because that must bring up so many feelings at once, even in his "I don't care about Anne Elliot at all" state of denial

[bookjunkiez]

The Courtship of Lord Blackhurst Blitz

The Courtship of Lord Blackhurst Blitz

    Regency Romance   Date Published: April 2021 What happens when a lady falls in love, not with her betrothed, but rather with his cousin? Miss Priscilla Keenan has been promised to the Marquess of Blackhurst since her birth. The problem is: She has never laid eyes upon the man. So, when Blackhurst sends his cousin to York to assist Priscilla in readying Blackhurst’s home estate for the…

[checkoutmybookshelf]

What Did I read This Year? A 2023 Retrospective

Ok, so this was a big year for my Tumblr blog, so I thought it would be fun to go over what I read this year! The rules for the retrospective are thus:

Only book reviews count, because I actually read or reread those books this year. First Lines, meme, and quotes do not require that, so they're not counting. Little reading updates and thought posts also don't count. So let's see what I read this year!

January 3: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

January 5: One for All by Lillie Lainoff

January 8: Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

January 10: Shadowfell, Raven Flight, and The Caller by Juliet Marillier (trilogy, so counts for three!)

January 13: Raybearer and Redemptor by Jordan Ifueko (duology)

January 19: Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise, and Magic's Price by Mercedes Lackey (trilogy)

January 22: No Dominion by CE Murphy

January 29: Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

February 5: The Walker Papers by CE Murphy (series of 9 books because I'm counting by the original publishing order, not the rebrand and republish, where it's 10 books)

February 12: Wildwood Dancing and Cybele's Secret by Juliet Marillier (duology)

February 19: Shakespeare Saved my Life: Ten Years in Solitary with the Bard by Laura Bates

February 24: The Cardinal Rule, The Firebird Deception, and The Phoenix Law by CE Murphy (trilogy)

February 27: The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter (seven book series)

March 3: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

March 6: Imzadi Forever by Peter David

March 17: The Bright and Breaking Sea and A Swift and Savage Tide by Chloe Neill (first two books of a series)

March 19: The Harp of Kongs, A Dance with Fate, and Song of Flight by Juliet Marillier (trilogy)

March 24: Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

March 26: The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

March 29: Kenobi by John Jackson Miller

March 31: Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim

April 2: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey

April 5: The Phantom of Pemberley by Regina Jeffers

April 9: The Blood Trials by NE Davenport

April 12: Arrows of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, and Arrow's Fall by Mercedes Lackey (trilogy)

April 19: Dracula by Bram Stoker

April 26: Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

April 30: Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray

May 3: When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn

May 7: Scales and Sensibility by Stephanie Burgis

May 14: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

May 17: Star by Star by Troy Denning

May 21: The Protector of the Small Quartet by Tamora Pierce (four books)

May 28: That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams

May 31: Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer

June 11: Through the Fire by CE Murphy

June 14: The Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce (four books)

June 18: The Circle of Magic Quartet by Tamora Pierce (four books)

June 21: The Circle Opens Quartet by Tamora Pierce (four books)

June 25: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

June 28: The Immortals Quartet by Tamora Pierce (four books)

July 2: Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code by Eoin Colfer

July 5: Storm Front by Jim Butcher

July 9: The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce

July 12: Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes-Smith

July 16: An Offer From a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

July 19: Battle Magic by Tamora Pierce

July 23: Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

July 26: Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

July 30: Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce

August 2: Claws and Contrivances by Stephanie Burgis

August 6: Gladiator Bear by CE Murphy

August 9: Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception by Eoin Colfer

August 13: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casy McQuiston

August 16: Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater

August 20: Long Shadow by Olivia Atwater

August 23: Fool Moon by Jim Butcher

August 27: Grave Peril by Jim Butcher

August 30: Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer

September 3: The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter

September 6: It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn

September 10: On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn

September 13: Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

September 13: The Artemis Fowl Files by Eoin Colfer

September 20: Dark Water Daughter by HM Long

September 24: X-Wing: Wraith Squadron by Aaron Allston

September 27: X-Wing: Starfighters of Adumar by Aaron Allston

October 1: Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

October 4: Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

October 8: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

October 11: Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer

October 15: A Shadow in the Ember by Jennifer L. Armentrout

October 18: The Secret Shanghai Series by Chloe Gong (four books, two novellas)

October 25: Heat Wave by Richard Castle

October 29: Raven Heart and Polar Heart by CE Murphy (two books in a series)

November 1: A Light in the Flame by Jennifer L. Armentrout

November 5: The Phoenix King by Aparna Verma

November 8: Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

November 12: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

November 15: The Dragon Prince of Alaska by Elva Birch

November 19: The Dragon Prince's Librarian by Elva Birch

November 22: Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

November 26: Wildfire by Hannah Grace

November 29: Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer

December 3: A Fire in the Flesh by Jennifer L. Armentrout

December 6: The Mask of Mirrors by MA Carrick

December 10: The Dragon Prince's Bride, The Dragon Prince's Secret, the Dragon Prince's Magic, and The Dragon Prince's Betrayal by Elva Birch (four of a series of six books)

December 13: Empire of Sand by Tasha Suri

December 17: Death Masks by Jim Butcher

December 20: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

December 24: A Christmas Like No Otter by Zoe Chant

That's about where I got to this year, and it has been a wonderful year in reading. I'm so looking forward to next year! Leave your favorite book from 2023 and your most anticipated 2024 book in the tags, and may you have a Happy New Year!

[mariannedonley]

Regency Mid-Summer Mischief

Seven best-selling and award-winning authors team up to delight your summer holiday reading. Regency Mid-Summer Mischief Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kxw4fp Read FREE with Kindle Unlimited @reginajeffers @RABTBookTours #RegencyMidSummerMischief

    A Regency Romance Summer Anthology     Regency Romance, Historical Romance     Date Published: July 20, 2021   Publisher: Dreamstone Publishing         Seven stories of Regency heroines and heroes finding love in the face of obstructions: mayhem, malice, and mischief.     Varying heat levels, both in the text and during the English summertime.     Seven best-selling and award-winning…

[eenayray]

WOW ~ Word of the Week ~ Tea Voider

Always go to the bathroom when you have a chance. (King George V) WOW ~ Word of the Week ~ Tea Voider #Regency #slang #vocabulary #bathroom

I’m not sure which prospect is less appealing: traveling in the 21st century and chancing a bathroom stop at a gas station, fast food restaurant, or rest area…or traveling in the 19th century and having to transport your (used) potty in your carriage.

When I was still in the schoolroom, my family nicknamed me “Iron Kidney” for my ability to go the bathroom before we left the hotel and skip the…

[blackfemmecharacterdependency]

BFCD Calendar: Celebrity Birthday List

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂

OCTOBER

1: Hamamat Montia, Michaela Coel, Jurnee Smollett Bell, Priah Ferguson 2: Akira Akbar 3: Ayo Edebiri, Tessa Thompson 4: Dana Davis, Ella Balinska, Ambrosia Kelley 5: Heather Headley 7: Toni Braxton, Adriyan Rae, Amber Stevens West, Aweng Chuol, Grace Saif 10: Damaris Lewis, Enam Asiama 13: Tisha Campbell, Ashanti, Aude Legastelois 15: Bethany Brown 17: Sharon Leal, Angel Parker 18: Joy Bryant 19: Ciara Renée Harper 21: Nakia Burrise 22: Carmen Ejogo 23: Amandla Stenberg, Duckie Thot

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21) 24: Monica Brown 25: Ciara 26: Florence Kasumba, Folake Olowofoyeku 29: Gabrielle Union 30: Charnele Brown, Eva Marcille, Nia Long 31: Letitia Wright

NOVEMBER

1: Zoë Soul 3: Antonia Thomas 4: Brittany Adebumola, Demene Hall  5: Dominique Thorne 6: Thandiwe Newton, Lisa Berry, Alix Lapri 7: Dara Renee 8: Alfre Woodard, Esther Rolle 9: Dorothy Dandridge 10: Eve Jeffers 11: Camille Hyde, Susan Kelechi Watson 13: Aisha Hinds, Monique Coleman, Whoopi 15: Rachel True, Yaya Dacosta, Gloria Foster 16: Lisa Bonet 19: Erika Alexander, Gabrielle Elyse, Susan Heyward 

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21) 22: Crystal Scales, Patra 24: Ifeoma Nwobu 25: Wakeema Hollis, 26: Tina Turner, Garcelle Beauvais, Camille McDonald 27: Robin Givens, 28: Angelica Ross S. Epatha Merkerson 29: Lovie Simone, Franchesca Ramsey 30: Kayden Grace Swan

DECEMBER

1: Janelle Monae, Zoe Kravitz 2: Lesley Ann Brandt, Celeste O’Connor  4: Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins, Nefessa Williams 5: Lauren London 6: Ashley Madekwe 7: Idara Victor 8: Nikki Minaj 10: Kiki Layne, Raven Symone 11: Chloe Coleman, Condola Rashad, Xosha Roquemore 12: Regina Hall, 16: Kiara Muhummad, Gretchen Palmer 18: Adelayo Adedayo 19: Cicely Tyson 21: Quinta Brunson, Michelle Hurd 

Capricorn  (Dec 22-Jan 19) 22: Alexis Floyd, BernNadette Stanis 23: Brooke & Bria Singleton, Ruby Barker 25: Bethany Antonia, CCH Pounder 27: AmandaMaryanna, Faithe Herman 28: Nichelle Nichols, 30: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Aesha Ash 31: Susan Wokoma, Donna Summer, Rosalind Cash, Denee Benton

Obviously this isn’t a comprehensive list and will be updated as more are remembered or learned. So, list will be updated as needed. Currently/Continually working on it.

JANUARY: WELCOME TO A NEW YEAR!

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19) 1: Josette Simon  2: Erica Hubbard, Renée Elise Goldsberry 3: Angelique Perrin, Nicole Beharie 4: Vanity, Jill Marie Jones, Miss Tina Lawson, Lenora Crichlow, Alexandra Grey, Coco Jones, Sindi Dlathu 5: Ms. Juicy Baby 6: Betty Gabriel, Jacqueline Moore, Tiffany Pollard, Armelia McQueen, Tanyell Waivers 7: Blue Ivy Carter, Ruth Negga, Sofia Wylie, Zora Neale Hurston, Zaraah Abrahams 8: Butterfly McQueen, Ryan Destiny, Cynthia Erivo 9: Amber Ruffin, Flo Milli, Anais Lee/Mirabel Lee,

10: Kathleen Bradley, Sisi Stringer, Teresa Graves 11: Adepero Oduye, Aja Naomi King, Amiyah Scott, Kim Coles, Mary J. Blige 12: Cynthia Addai Robinson, Erinn Westbrook, Issa Rae, Naya Rivera, Zabryna Guevara 13: Janet Hubert, Andy Allo, Shonda Rhimes 14: Adjoa Andoh, Vonetta McGee, Emayatzy Corinealdi 15: Regina King 16: Debbie Allen, Aaliyah, FKA Twigs, Sade 17: Eartha Kitt, Indya Moore, Michelle Obama, Ann Wolfe, Quen Blackwell 18: Ashleigh Murray, Estelle 19: Simone Missick  

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18) 20: Rukiya Bernard 21: Anastarzi Anaquway 22: Blesnya Minher, Dwan Smith 23: Lanei Chapman 24: Kenya Moore, Tatyana Ali 25: Ariana DeBose, Jenifer Lewis, Tati Gabrielle, Etta James, Willow Nightingale 26: Angela Davis, Anita Baker, Bessie Coleman, Ciera Payton, Desiree Burch, Sasha Banks, Zara Cully  27: Betty Adewole 28: Tyra Ferrell 31: Kerry Washington

FEBRUARY: HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH, SIS!!!

3: Ellen Thomas 6: Mame Anna Diop, Heir of Glee (Phillicia Deanell) 7: Essence Atkins, Kirby Howell Baptiste 8: Quintessa, 9: Alice Walker, Camille Winbush 10: Yara Shahidi, Uzo Aduba 11: Kelly Rowland, Brandy 12: Latrice Royale 14: Danai Gurira, Aniela Gumbs 15: Amber Riley, Lynn Whitfield, Meg Thee Stallion, Zuri Reed 16: Hailey Kilgore  18: Emelia Burns, Genelle Williams, Toni Morrison

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20) 19: Caroline Chikezie, Angela Meryl, Ariel Alexandria Davis 20: Rihanna 21: Aunjanue Ellis, Ann Ogbomo 22: Genneya Walton 23: Niecy Nash 24: Kasi Lemmons, Tawny Newsome, Dede Lovelace 25: Geffri Maya 28: Rae Dawn Chong, Tasha & Sidra Smith 29: Augusta Savage

MARCH: HAPPY WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, SIS!!!

1: Alexis Fields, Lupita Nyong’o 2: Danielle Moné Truitt, Nathalie Emmanuel 3: Gloria Hendry, Meagan Tandy 4: Angela V. Shelton 6: Anna Maria Horsford, Birgundi Baker 9: Christiana Pitts 10: Ego Nwodim 11: Ajani Russell 13: Adina Porter 14: Tamara Tunie, Carol Speed, Elise Neal, Greta Onieogou 15: Aaron Rose Philip 16: Cynthia Bond, Sierra McClain, Ajiona Alexus  18: Vanessa L Williams, Queen Latifah, Ayisha Issa, Amanda Foster, Bonnie Mbuli, Christina Elmore  19: Alycia Pascual Pena 20: Bianca Lawson, Dominique Jackson, Erica Luttrell, Freema Ageyman, Vanessa Bell Calloway 

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19) 21: Sonequa Martin Green 22: Kandyse Mcclure 23: Chaka Khan, Vanessa Morgan 25: Jeryl Prescott 26: Diana Ross 27: Mariah, Halle Bailey 28: Celai West, Chrystale Wilson 30: Gabrielle Byndloss 31: Erica Tazel, Andrea Bordeaux, Zethu Dlomo-Mphahlele

APRIL (National Stress Awareness Month)

1: Cece Show, 2: Nikki Perkins, Amber Gray 3: Catherine Lough Haggquist, Sarah Jeffery, Young MA, 4: Lorraine Toussaint, Jill Scott, Khadi Don, Maya Angelou 6: Simona Brown, Lauren Ridloff 7: Billie Holiday, 8: Skai Jackson, Femi Taylor 9: Jazmine Sullivan, Bianca Belair, Kisha Knight Pulliam 10: Dana Heath, Jasika Nicole, April Weeden-Washington  11: Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Summer Walker 12: Imani Lewis, Retta, Suzzanne Douglas 13: Brittany Marie Batchelder, Marci T. House 14: Da Brat 15: Ester Dean, Kron Moore, Samira Wiley 16: Ebony Obsidian, Vallerie Rae Miller 

Taurus (Apr 20-May 20) 21: Gugu Mbatha-Raw  24: Reagan Gomez Preston 25: Gina Torres, Leyna Bloom 26: Debra Wilson 27: Lizzo 28: Aleisha LaNaé Allen, Cheslie Kryst, Madge Sinclair 29: Shahadi Wright Joseph

MAY (Women's Healthcare Month)

1: Victoria Monet 2: Golda Rosheuvel 3: Meagan Tandy, Chinenye Ezeudu, Danielle Deadwyler, Genevieve Nnaji 5: Gabrielle Nevaeh Green 6: Gabourey Sidibe, Adrienne Warren, Bresha Webb 7: Devyn Tyler 11: Dominique Thorne 12: Vanessa Estelle Williams, Kim Fields 13: Pearl Thusi 14: Tamara Dobson 15: Anjelika Washington, Bahia Watson, Sommore, 16: Janet Jackson, Aleyse Shannon 17:  Francis Callier, Rochelle Aytes, Cynda Williams 19: Grace Jones, Angel Theory 

Gemini (May 21-Jun 20) 21: Da’Vine Joy Randolph 22: Naomi Campbell 24: Patti Labelle, 25: Ebonee Noel, Octavia Spencer, Zazie Beetz, Leslie Uggams, Aïssa Maïga 26: Pam Grier, Lauryn Hill, Madeleine Mantock, Marie Pierra Kakoma 27: Left Eye, 28: Megalyn Echikunwoke, Gladys Knight 29: Laverne Cox, Mel B, Ashleigh Morghan, Michole Briana White 30: Javicia Leslie, DeWanda Wise 31: Cupcakke, Normani 

JUNE (HAPPY JUNETEENTH AND BLACK MUSIC MONTH!!! HAPPY PRIDE LADIES,GAYDIES & THEYDIES)

1: Shailyn Pierre-Dixon 2: Brandee Evans, Jadah Marie, Laura Kariuki 3: Assa Sylla, Elizabeth Adare, Josephine Baker 4: Bahni Turpin 5: Denisea Wilson 6: Alex Datcher 9: Logan Browning, Gloria Reuben 10: Faith Evans 12: Felecia M. Bell 13: Daniella Perkins 14: Marla Gibbs, Tamara Smart 15: Judy Pace, Ashley Nicole Black 16: Iantha Richardson 17: Venus Williams 18: Fatou Jobe 19: Phylicia Rashad, Alysia Rogers 20: Tika Sumpter 

Cancer (June 21-July22) 22: DomiNque Perry 23: Brandi Rhodes, Britne Oldford 24: Solange, Candice Patton, Adele Oni, Dominique Tipper 25: Brenda Sykes 26: Antoinette Robertson 27: Anjela Lauren Smith, Chantel Riley

JULY (HAPPY DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH)

1: Storm Reid 3: Audra McDonald, Alyah Chanelle Scott 4: Edmonia Lewis 5: Ellen Bendu 6: Della Reese, Little Miss Flint, Tia Mowry 7: Cree Summer, Akira Golz 8: Riele Downs, Taja V. Simpson 10: Angel Haze 11: Lil’ Kim, Aida Osman, Annarah Cymone, Aerial Hull, 14: Alisha Wainwright, Angela Lewis, Geretta Geretta, Kelly Jo Minter 15: Shari Headley 17: Diahann Carroll, Amanda Warren, Asjha Cooper

Leo (July 23-Aug 22) 24: Brenda Crichlow, Herizen Guardiola 25: Iman, Jajube Mandiela  26: Grace Byers 27: Gabrielle Graham, Savannah Smith 29: Sweet LD, 30:Vivica A. Fox 31: Wunmi Mosaku, Bukamina Cebekhulu

AUGUST

1: Tempestt Bledsoe 2: Alvina August 3: Chandler Kinney, Jo Marie Payton 4: Eris Baker 5: Chip Fields, 6: Merrin Dungey, 7: Kheris Rogers, 8: Meagan Good, Kimberly Brooks 9: Whitney Houston, Angely Gaviria  11: Viola Davis, Sophie Okonedo 12: Imani Hakim, Yvette Nicole Brown 13: Dawnn Lewis,  Deborah Ayorinde 14: Jackée Harry, Halle Berry, Marsai Martin, Aliyah Moulden 15: Christine Adams, Andrea Lewis 16: Angela Bassett 19: Sara Martins, Tracie Thoms 20: Ashley Nicole Williams 21: Loretta Devine, Kelis 

Virgo (Aug 23-Sept 22) 23: Angelique Noire, Clarissa Thibeaux 24: Ava Duvernay, Harriett D Foy 25: Ashley Winfrey, China Ann McClain 26: Keke Palmer 27: Chandra Wilson, Demetria McKinney 29: Kelly McCreary 30: Angel Coulby

SEPTEMBER

1: Zendaya Coleman, Skye Townsend, Bianca Brewton 3: Iza 4: Beyoncé Giselle Knowles Carter, Sammie Ware 5: Clark Backo, Coco Rebecca Edogamhe, Kat Graham, Jade Payton 6: Anika Noni Rose, Daniele Gaither, Naomie Harris, Trina McGee 7: Afton Williamson 9: Camilla Beeput 

10: Treshelle Edmond 11: Taraji P. Henson 12: Jennifer Hudson 13: Aisha Dee 14: Ololade "Lolly" Adefope 16: Olatokunbo Susan Olasobunmi Abeke "Toks" Olagundoye 17: Danielle Brooks 18: Aisha Tyler, Jada Pinkett Smith 19: Sanaa Lathan 20: Debbi Morgan, Enuka Okuma, Victoria Dillard 21: Jerrika Hinton  

Libra (Sept 23-Oct 22) 22: Teyonah Parrish 23: Cush Jumbo, Janelle James, LisaRaye McCoy 24: Yetide Badaki 26: Serena Williams, Fola Evans-Akingbola 27 Beverly Osu 28: Vernee Watson-Johnson

[mrdarcysdadbod]

@postsforposting

This was kind of unnecessary on a comedy post (and harsh- Lizzie isn't nasty, or if she is then so is he, they're as bad as each other) but like. If you want Darcys perspective it is out there! It's been written.

Mr Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange

An Assembly Such as This by Pamela Aidan (it's apparently a whole trilogy!)

Darcy's Story by Janet Aylmer

Darcy's Passions by Regina Jeffers

Now this is by no means a curated rec list (the only one I've even partially read is Mr. Darcy's Diary and i tapped out of that one like 35ish pages in) but if you want to read Darcys perspective it's out there! You can find it! You don't need to be mean on a funny little joke post!

[deliriumsdelight7]

Oh, come on, you knew this was coming... :D

I wish you would write a fic where we see Rumple's relationship with Jefferson /prior/ to the casting of the curse... (and obviously before Regina stranded Jeffers in Wonderland!)

"I wish you would write a fic where..." ask game

I've speculated about this a bit, and I've considered writing a little something about how Jefferson got his hat, and how he came to be working for Rumpel. At this point it's just a few wisps of a story, but if something starts to gel, I might write it someday.

[burnmywholelifedown]

jefferson

Jefferson (Once Upon a Time):

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite

Jefferson (Hamilton):

who? | only know their name | loathe | ugh | overrated | indifferent | dead | alive | just okay | cute | badass | my baby | hot | want to marry | favorite

put a fictional character in my ask