Pulse and Prejudice by Colette L Saucier

Pulse and Prejudice: The Confession of Mr. Darcy, Vampire
by Colette Saucier

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Published by: MAM Books LLC
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Jane Austen re-telling
Rating: 4.5 Stars
NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

When the haughty and wealthy Fitzwilliam Darcy arrives in the rural county of Hertfordshire, he finds he cannot control his attraction to Elizabeth Bennet – a horrifying thought because, as she is too far below his social standing to ignite his heart, he fears she must appeal to the dark impulses he struggles to suppress.

Set against the vivid backdrop of historical Regency England, this adaptation of Pride and Prejudice follows the cursed Mr. Darcy as he endeavours to overcome both his love and his bloodlust for Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Although Pulse and Prejudice adheres to the original plot and style of the Jane Austen classic, it is neither a “mash-up” nor "fan fiction" but an imaginative, thrilling variation told primarily from Mr. Darcy’s point of view as he descends into the seedier side of London and introduces Elizabeth to a world of passion and the paranormal she never knew existed.

If you're familiar with my blog at all, you'll notice a pattern. I try to read every Jane Austen re-telling I can get my hands on. I love love love the original, Pride & Prejudice as well as vampire novels. I just KNEW I was going to love this one. Well, the verdict is in: I did!

Ms. Saucier kept true to the P&P story plot while adding in a fantastic element: Mr. Darcy has become a vampire. The interesting part in reading this book, was that the author explained away a lot of Darcy's standoffishness and rudeness as merely a result of him being a vampire. He felt left out of the crowd due to his difference from the carefree humans at town dances and household meetings. He felt different because he was different.

No longer a human, many things changed in his life. He had decided he no longer wanted to marry and had no interest in any women since his transformation. All of that changed when Elizabeth Bennet entered his life. Could he possibly still feel human emotion? Could he still want a woman in a human way?

You'll have to read to find out, but I highly recommend that you do!

Definitely, Maybe in Love by Ophelia London

Definitely, Maybe in Love
by Ophelia London
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Published by: Entangled - October 28, 2013
Genre: NA,Pride & Prejudice modern adaptation
Rating: 3 Stars

Spring Honeycutt wants two things: to ace her sustainable living thesis and to save the environment. Both seem hopelessly unobtainable until her college professor suggests that with a new angle, her paper could be published. Spring swears she’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that happens.

"Whatever it takes," however, means forming a partnership with the very hot, very privileged, very conceited Henry Knightly.

Henry is Spring's only hope at publication, but he's also the über-rich son of a land developer and cash-strapped Spring’s polar opposite—though she can't help being attracted to the way he pushes her buttons, both politically and physically. Spring finds there's more to Henry than his old money and argyle sweaters…but can she drop the loud-and-proud act long enough to let him in? Suddenly, choosing between what she wants and what she needs puts Spring at odds with everything she believes in.

I love P&P modern takes and since this one was only $2.99 I snatched it up. I also liked that the Darcy character's last name was Knightley. I love Mr. Knightley too, so I enjoyed the homage.

The story followed very close to the original. Her best friend (Jane) fell for Dart (Charles), but Knightley (Darcy) busted that up. Alex (Wickham) used to attend school with Knightley. They were friends until Alex did some questionable stuff, not only to Knightley but to Knightley's sister. There was no deviation from the plot except for the setting. I was okay with that, because I love the story, but there were some things that bugged me.

Page 41 made me sad, because it contained my least favorite dialogue in a book:

"Alex, hey."
"Hey yourself."

I am a "Hey yourself" hater. Do people actually say that in real life?

But then there was the redeemable quote from Knightley to Spring: "Whatever you're feeling about me right this second," he continued, "believe that. Please."

SPOILERS BELOW!

The whole Alex and Cami (Knightley's sister) thing was a bit dramatic as well as the Alex and Julia situation. The author over-dramatized those scenes and made them very unbelievable. I highly doubt that when Dart (Charles) went to rescue Julia from Alex, and he found them naked after having just been together, Dart would have carried Julia to the car and immediately gotten back together with her. Just didn't make any sense. Then there's Spring's excellent retelling of Knightley's letter in which he explains what kind of person Alex truly is: "He takes girls - after he severely impairs them, or finds them severely impaired - to some, I don't know, some honeymoon cabin at the beach. It's date rape but on steroids." I'll let those strange sentences sink in for you for a minute . . .


And as far as I know, the author never explained what happened to Cami's baby.

There were weird examples like those throughout the book.

One major difference between the original and this retelling is that Spring (Elizabeth) was kind of a perpetual b*tch to Knightley without a lot of good reason. Yes, he broke up Dart and Julia, but overall, Knightley was a nice guy in this book. Spring was the one who had a burr up her crawl.

Maybe I shouldn't write reviews when I didn't sleep the night before (like right now) . . .

21st Century Rake by Victoria Barbour

21st Century Rake
By Victoria Barbour
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Published by: Victoria Barbour - April 1, 2014
Genres: Modern Day Regency Romance
Rating: 3.75 Stars

NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Rock superstar Asher Corbin is back in Heart's Ease. And he's not alone. This time he's brought the entire cast and crew for his upcoming film debut to the small town for a retreat back in time to the Regency period.

Grace Nolan is thrilled to go to an honest-to-goodness Regency ball. But there she finds herself at the mercy of her deepest fantasy: a scandalous rake fresh out of the pages of her favourite historical romances.

When Grace claims not to recognize the dashing celebrity, Asher seizes the opportunity to step out of his persona and explore life out of the spotlight. But when she finds out his secret, her response plunges them into a game of seduction neither had expected to find.

This was a very enjoyable story. Very British, which I loved. It was a sweet romance in which a rockstar gets to go back to the roots of the real him and a quiet woman gets to dabble in her favorite regency activities and break out of her sexual shell. Oh, and they find love. :)

Grace honestly doesn't recognize Asher Corbin when he's in town to film a regency movie. She meets him as Ted (his real name) and begins to get to know him on a deeper level. Ted is immediately intrigued by Grace but not for the usual reasons he finds himself falling for women. She's different than all of the rest and he wants to spend all his free time in Heart's Ease getting to know her. That won't be easy, because Grace won't even let him kiss her. She wants the perfect kiss and is afraid anything short of that will mar her memories of her time with Ted. Can Ted convince her to take a chance on him and will Ted take a chance on himself? He's spent so many years cultivating the Asher image that he wonders if that's who he truly is. Or, is he really the Ted who adores Grace?

This is a story about personal evolution and finding your match in unexpected places.

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

Dear Mr. Knightley
By Katherine Reay
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Published by: Thomas Nelson - November 5, 2013
Genres: Fiction/Literature, Austen
Rating: 4 Stars

Samantha Moore has always hidden behind the words of others—namely, her favorite characters in literature. Now, she will learn to write her own story—by giving that story to a complete stranger.

Sam is, to say the least, bookish. An English major of the highest order, her diet has always been Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. The problem is, both her prose and conversation tend to be more Elizabeth Bennet than Samantha Moore.

But life for the twenty-three-year-old orphan is about to get stranger than fiction. An anonymous, Dickensian benefactor (calling himself Mr. Knightley) offers to put Sam through Northwestern University’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism. There is only one catch: Sam must write frequent letters to the mysterious donor, detailing her progress.

As Sam’s dark memory mingles with that of eligible novelist Alex Powell, her letters to Mr. Knightley become increasingly confessional. While Alex draws Sam into a world of warmth and literature that feels like it’s straight out of a book, old secrets are drawn to light. And as Sam learns to love and trust Alex and herself, she learns once again how quickly trust can be broken.

Reminding us all that our own true character is not meant to be hidden, Reay’s debut novel follows one young woman’s journey as she sheds her protective persona and embraces the person she was meant to become.

I must admit that the first 1/4 of the book, I was forced to plod through. Samantha's voice lacked sentimentality and the drama of her moving back and forth between the orphanage and an apartment at the drop of a hat became tedious. That said, once I plugged through that section, the storyline really got going and I found myself interested!

The mystery behind the benefactor kept me riveted to the end. I honestly didn't know who it was, but I was completely satisfied by the end!! Read it!

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Kate Rorick & Bernie Su

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet
By Kate Rorick & Bernie Su
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Published by: Olivia Luck - September 10, 2014
Genres: Literature/Fiction, Modern take on Jane Austen
Rating: Not rated

NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I'm not sure that it's fair for me to review this. I LOVE LOVE LOVE any kind of modern take on a Jane Austen novel, but I just could NOT get into this. It's a companion to a web series that I'm dying to see. Maybe I'll get "it" after I watch the web series, as I hear it's fabulous. Until then, I just couldn't get into this. Sorry ladies.

Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas: Being a Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron

Jane and the Twelve Days of Christmas: Being a Jane Austen Mystery

by Stephanie Barron

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Published by: Soho Press October 28, 2014
Genres: Mystery in the style of Jane Austen
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 4 Stars

NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Christmas Eve, 1814: Jane Austen has been invited to spend the holiday with family and friends at The Vyne, the gorgeous ancestral home of the wealthy and politically prominent Chute family.

Jane, however, discovers holiday cheer is fleeting. One of the Yuletide dies in a tragic accident whose circumstances Jane immediately views with suspicion. If the accident was in fact murder, the killer is one of Jane’s fellow snow-bound guests. With clues scattered amidst cleverly-crafted charades, dark secrets coming to light during parlor games, and old friendships returning to haunt the Christmas parties, whom can Jane trust to help her discover the truth and stop the killer from striking again?

I love a good Jane Austen spin-off and I enjoyed this one very much. It was very Agatha Christie-like (whom I also love) . . . A group of friends and strangers snowed in a house with a murder (and murderer) on their hands. The author does a sneaky job of leading the reader on a wild goose chase in terms of who the murderer could be and how they are connected to the murdered. I admit that I didn't guess the ending and am always pleasantly surprised when that happens.

Jane was a sleuthy Jane Marple, keeping her family close and the rest of the party closer, knowing that one of them was dangerous. She follows the clues, one at a time, and ultimately solves the riddle.

I'd recommend this to anyone who like Agatha Christie, Jane Austen and mysteries set at Christmastime.

Top Ten Tuesday: Austen Movies

From the Broke & the Bookish
I'm a new book blogger, so please follow me!


Top Ten Movies If You Like Jane Austen
I kind of switched this topic around from its original intention this week, but I hope no one minds! I'm recommending movies that are similar or based on a Jane Austen novel! :)

1. Austenland (a movie based off of Shannon Hales' book Austenland) - Keri Russell is a 30-something obsessed with Mr. Darcy from P&P. She sinks all of her life savings into a 2-3 week visit at Austenland, a Jane Austen re-enactment resort where each lady vacationer gets her own regency romance with one of the gentlemen actors. What she doesn't count on is falling in love . . .

2. Lost in Austen - Amanda Price is sick of the modern world. She yearns for the romance and elegance found in the books by her favorite author, Jane Austen. But she's about to get a rude awakening as one fateful evening, she is propelled into the scheming 19th century world of Pride and Prejudice while that book's Elizabeth Bennet is hurled into hers. Amanda's presence alters the course of the story for some characters and gives us a deeper glimpse into the "true" motivation of some of Jane's most memorable characters.

3. Pride and Prejudice (Restored Edition) (1995 BBC Version restored in 2010) - Colin. Firth. Need I say more? This 6-part mini series truly does P&P justice. The chemistry between Colin Firth & Jennifer Ehle is undeniable.

4. Pride & Prejudice (2004) - I love this modern interpretation of the classic. The setting is Mormon country, Utah. The sisters are friends. It's all bright colors, fast movement, and modern vibe, but it does the story justice.

5. Becoming Jane - This is the story of Jane Austen's first, and perhaps only, love Thomas Lefroy. What I love about this movie is the intense chemistry between Anne Hathaway (Jane) & James McAvoy (Tom). INTENSE! Plus, he's a cutie. ;)

6. Persuasion - Ciaran Hinds as Captain Wentworth. Yum. 8 years have passed since Anne turned down his engagement, but neither has squelched their feelings. Can they find another chance at forever?

7. Emma - Gwyneth Paltrow plays Emma Woodhouse to perfection in this 1996 version of the beloved Jane Austen story. Jeremy Northam is a hot Mr. Knighley as well. ;)

8. The Inheritance - This is based on a novella by Louisa May Alcott. The Hamiltons raised orphan Edith alongside their daughter. She is halfway a servant, halfway part of the family. When cousin Ida comes to town, looking to meet a husband, her prospect James Percy only has eyes for Edith.

9. Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition) - Hugh Grant. Kate Winslet. Emma Thompson. Alan Rickman. Nothing more needs to be said.

10. Bride and Prejudice - Bollywood does Austen. Enough said. ;)

Have YOU seen any of these films? If so, tell me what YOU thought!

Jane Austen's First Love by Syrie James

Jane Austen's First Love

by Syrie James

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Published by: Berkley on August 5, 2014
Genres: Regency period, Jane Austen spinoff
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 3 Stars

NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Fifteen-year-old Jane Austen dreams of three things: doing something useful, writing something worthy, and falling madly in love. When she visits her brother in Kent to celebrate his engagement, she meets wealthy, devilishly handsome Edward Taylor—a fascinating young man who is truly worthy of her affections. Jane knows a match between her and Edward is unlikely, but every moment she spends with him makes her heart race—and he seems to return her interest. Much to her displeasure, however, there is another seeking his attention

Unsure of her budding relationship, Jane seeks distraction by attempting to correct the pairings of three other prospective couples. But when her matchmaking aspirations do not all turn out as anticipated, Jane discovers the danger of relying on first impressions. The human heart cannot be easily deciphered, nor can it be directed or managed. And if others must be left to their own devices in matters of love and matrimony, can Jane even hope to satisfy her own heart?

As I'm a rabid Jane Austen fan, I was excited to receive this book to review. The book blurb suggested that an element of "Emma" with her matchmaking schemes had made it into this story, but I was disappointed that it was more of a "I think so and so likes you, Cassandra" than an "I'm scheming to connect these two young people," kind of way. That section of the plot didn't hold it together for me. I wanted more - in fact, I kept wanting more during the entire story. Although there were a few nice scenes between Jane and her would-be-match, Edward Taylor, overall, I kept skipping the rest, trying to get to those few Jane/Edward sections.

It was a quick read and edited nicely (grammatically), but I wouldn't read it again or have picked it up in the first place if I knew how dull it would be.

Etsy Finds: Mad About Austen

Thursdays are Etsy Finds Days here at She Read. As an Etsy shop owner myself, I love to promote handmade. Each week, I want to feature book-related and reader-related Etsy items for all my book blogger friends. :)

SHAMELESS PLUG: Visit Once Upon a Time, Again for all your Golden Book Journal & Custom Disney Autograph Book Needs! Use code SPB15 at checkout through April 6 for 15% off your entire order!

In case you've missed it, I'm a bit Jane Austen obsessed at the moment. So in honor of Jane and all the other Janeites out there (I've "met" quite a few of you), here are some Etsy finds for the Jane lover in you.


6 Jane Austen Bookmarks from Dorothy Jane - $7



Land of Stories Tote Bag by Apples and Spindles- $27



Elizabeth Bennet & Mr. Darcy Paperdolls by Ardently Crafted - $18



6 Miniature Jane Austen Books from Carie Lewyn - $10



Custom Regency Dress by Sew Many Treasures - $165

Top Ten Tuesday: Book Bucket List

From the Broke & the Bookish
Top Ten Things On My Bookish Bucket List
Short-Term Goals:
1. Interview authors on my book blog - bonus if I can interview Lisa Gardner!
2. Learn how to spot good ARCs from bad ARCs
3. Figure out the difference between all the genres and sub-genres - Anyone have a link that will help?
4. Connect with book bloggers who like the same type of books as me so that we can share books
5. Figure out my book review format when posting

Long-Term Goals:
6. Finish all of Agatha Christie's Poirot books & review each
7. Finish a rough draft of my memoir
8. Find a writing group/editing partners that I connect with (that write the same genres as me)
9. Read all of Jane Austen's books and review
10. Decide on a pen name


What's on YOUR Bucket List that we have in common?

What I'm Watching & Listening To

Every book blogger needs a break from reading every once in awhile, right? So what have you been watching or listening to lately?

In the Theatre, I've Been Watching:
Veronica Mars Movie (At AMC Theatres NOW! I saw it twice opening weekend!)

It began as a dream in a Kickstarter campaign on 3/14/13. Rob Thomas (the creator) and Kristen Bell (the star) were trying to raise $2 million to make a movie sequel to the popular 3-season tv show. In Kickstarter history, it became:

•Fastest project to reach $1 million.
•Fastest project to reach $2 million.
•All-time highest-funded project in FILM category.
•Third highest-funded project in Kickstarter history.
•Most project backers of any project in Kickstarter history.

A total of $5,702,153 was raised by 91,585 backers (including me)! The moviemaking process went into high gear and, in less than a year, the Veronica Mars movie was ready to go, 1 year to the day the Kickstarter campaign began: 3/14/14!!

As a die-hard Marshmallow (or V Mars fan), the movie was EVERYTHING I wanted it to be and more. MUCH MORE! If you've never seen the series, I recommend watching the first 3 seasons now and watching the movie when it's out on video! You won't be disappointed! Preorder The Veronica Mars Movie today for only $10 on Amazon!


On DVD, I've Been Watching:
Austenland starring Keri Russell, JJ Feild, Bret McKenzie and Jennifer Coolidge. See my review here!


Hell Baby is a comedy scripted by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant (''Night at The Museum,'' ''Reno 911!: Miami'') marks their co-directing debut. Jack (Rob Corddry) and Vanessa (Leslie Bibb) are an expectant couple that moves into the most haunted fixer-upper in New Orleans -- a house with a deadly demonic curse. Things soon spiral out of control for Jack and Vanessa, as well as their not-so-helpful neighbor F'Resnel (Keegan-Michael Key), Vanessa's friendly psychiatrist (Michael Ian Black), Vanessa's Wiccan sister Marjorie (Riki Lindhome) and the detectives assigned to look into the rising body count (Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer). Only the Vatican's elite exorcism team (Garant and Lennon) san save them -- or can they?

If you like silly movies and the type of humor in shows like Reno 911, you'll love this movie. CAUTION: There is nudity, so this is NOT for children of any age! It is the first movie I've seen in a long time that I watched 3 days in a row. Well, this one AND Austenland. Lol. Not exactly similar movies, but there you are. :)


I've Been Listening To:

1. Bobby McGee sung by Jennifer Love Hewitt - Seriously, don't knock it til you listen to it. It is a capella (drums do accompany, but they aren't melodic). Download this version right now!
2. What's Good For Me by Lucy Woodward
3. Somebody to Love by Queen
4. The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson (love it from Center Stage!)

What have YOU been watching or listening to? Leave me a comment so I can check it out!

Austenland: The Movie vs. The Book / Midnight in Austenland

I never thought I'd be saying this . . . but see the movie before you read the book. There - I said it.

Let me start from the beginning: Austenland: A Novel

Austenland: A Novel, written by the brilliant Shannon Hale, is a theme-park of sorts, a place where guests are immersed in the regency period, playing a character right out of one of Jane Austen's novels. The ladies play Whist, learn embroidery, play the pianoforte, and generally learn what it was like to live in a long ago time. In turn, they interact with the manor's gentlemen actors, each experiencing romance.

As a Jane fan, and an actor, I absolutely adore this concept! Were I single, I think it would be great fun to visit a place like this. I'd love the acting, the clothes, the manners and the pretend romance. Well, I'd love it for about a week. I wouldn't last the 3-week stay portrayed in the book.

In the book, the story begins when Jane Hayes, a 30-something obsessed with Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice, is willed a trip to Austenland by her late aunt. Once there, she becomes Jane Erstwhile. Also along on the trip are Miss Heartwright and Miss Charming. While there are hints of personality in all 3 characters, they never fully reach their potential in the story, remaining rather vanilla. Even the male actor characters, Colonel Andrews, Mr. Nobley, Captain George East and Theo the gardener remain middle-of-the-road. I honestly didn't feel anything for any one of the characters. Of course I wanted Jane to find love in the end, but there was really no chemistry between Jane and the man she ultimately found love with.

Overall, I could have skipped the book and just watched the movie, which I highly recommend. Even if you decide to read the book, please watch the movie first. Here's why:

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Book Characters & Authors I'd Love to Follow on Twitter

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Characters:

1. The Illustrious "A" from the Pretty Little Liar Series - Oh the sick and twisted secrets that would slip out if he/she had a twitter account!

2. Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy Series - Rose doesn't censor herself, and I know she'd be pretty blunt about her opinions on lots of things going on in the world.

3. Detective DD Warren from Lisa Gardner books - She's a Barbie doll with her black belt in solving homicides. She'd get to the bottom of many things quickly.

4. Turtle Wexler from The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin - Her sister is a bomber and her mother is a liar, but Turtle is adept at solving mysteries. She might just solve ours.

5. The Dollenanger Siblings from Flowers in the Attic - Now, seriously, tell me this wouldn't be the craziest twitter account on the internet!

6. JB Fletcher from the Murder, She Wrote Series - Or maybe she already has a twitter account.

7. Emma from Jane Austen - Emma's a matchmaker by nature. She could be the new face of match.com in addition to tweeting dating tips!

Authors:

8. Jane Austen - I'd love some nice tweets about Mr. Knightly from Emma. There's no much out there about Mr. Darcy when we all know Mr. Knightly is the true gentleman!

9. Roald Dahl - Does he have a twitter account?

10. Walt Disney (the man) - I bet he'd have quite a lot of wisdom to impart.