Emma. 2020

 

Hello, my lovelies! So yeah, I have finally watched the newest version of Emma. I actually first watched it several weeks ago and after a rewatch or three I decided I should really get my thoughts down in print. :)

So here's the deal. I was excited for a new Jane Austen adaptation, I really was! But I was a whole lot uncertain. As I've been pondering that uncertainty since, I've decided there were several things that played into it:

• I read the book for the very first time only a couple years ago and while I enjoyed it, I didn't love it like I expected to. So I think my disappointment was affecting me even this long while later. (Incidentally, now that I've watched the film, I really want to reread the book!)
• I tried watching both the Gwyneth Paltrow version and the Kate Beckinsale version years upon years ago and rather disliked them both. It wasn't until I saw the Romola Garai version that I fell in love with the story. And I haven't even watched that one for a couple years. So perhaps I was fearful of more disappointment...? Or maybe even that I might like this one better...? I don't know. (Side note: SO many of my reader friends LOVE the Paltrow version! I'm thinking I should really give it another chance as I can't even remember what it was that I didn't like about it...)
• I LOVE Jonny Lee Miller's Mr. Knightley. So much so, I think I just didn't want to even imagine someone else in the role...
• SO much talk about the bloody nose scene. And I will have more to say on that later, but all I heard about this scene before watching it simply put me off.
• And lastly, I read and listened to a lot of reviews once the film officially came out. There was a mixed bag of thoughts. Some loved it, some hated it, some couldn't stand the bloody nose scene but liked everything else, some liked this or that part better or this over here was awful. Suffice it to say, I think I overdid it on reviews and just should've watched it for myself.

One weekend I decided it was now or never and bit the bullet. And what do you know but that I really loved it! All my silly worries and here I ended up really enjoying myself. :D I'm not sure it overtakes the Garai version as my very favorite, but it certainly stands tall right next to it!

What I loved:

• The humor. This version is hilarious! I was not expecting to laugh quite so much. The Garai version is funny, but I think the length of it means that we get a mix of light and serious moments (as is appropriate!). This one has its serious moments to be sure, but there is simply a general feel of lightheartedness about it that I felt right from the beginning all the way through to the end.
• Since I liked the humor, I ended up LOVING the bloody nose scene! Go figure, right? :D (I know, I laugh at myself. ;) Once I was into the flow of the story, by the time we get to that scene I figured out just what it was going for. As a reviewer I listened to stated it, in every other version that scene is played for romance. The great romantic moment, the climax so to speak. But in this one, the great romantic moment comes later, so this scene just flows hilariously onward and after numerous rewatches of it (yes, I rewound just that scene multiple times, I confess it) I still laugh at Emma's messy and real portrayal. As another reviewer stated, it showcases just how much of a mess she is and yet why we love her by this point of the story. And certainly why Knightley loves her because if he can deal with Emma and her dramatics, bloody nose and all, then he's truly in love! :D
• The Emma and Harriet friendship. I confess to having struggles with all the different versions of actually liking Harriet all that much. But Mia Goth did an excellent job of walking the fine line between naive (rather than idiotic) and just simply being a good friend to Emma. One of the reviews I read said the focus of this one is really the love story between Emma and Harriet and I have to agree. It was beautifully played out between those two actresses.
• Johnny Flynn as Mr. Knightley. I already admitted that I LOVED Jonny Lee Miller's portrayal, so I really wasn't expecting to love this new guy. But it worked. I'm pretty sure I love them both equally now. The way they each play their interactions with Emma herself and watching as they figure out they're in love with her...they each work perfectly in their particular versions. So I am happy to rewatch either and both again and again and again. :D
• All the actors and actresses actually. I thought they all did a fantastic job with each of their characters. Not going too over the top, but yet keeping with the lighthearted and real feel of the story.
• Okay, I also admit Bill Nighy as Mr. Woodhouse was fabulous! He was a lot more nimble than I usually picture Mr. Woodhouse but it worked. There are two scenes where I absolutely loved him the most: 
• when Emma is crying right after the Box Hill scene and the tenderness and fatherly-ness of his clear desire to comfort her yet he awkwardly doesn't quite know how so he ends up simply sitting with her in her sorrow. SUCH a beautiful moment!
• the big romantic scene at the end when he remarks about the "draft" and then totally sets up the moment for Emma and Knightley. :D His sly looks at the beginning of the scene just crack me up! He knows precisely what's going on, even if he pretends he doesn't.
• The colors and the costumes! SO much color and glorious costumes! There are several of Emma's outfits that are just gorgeous.

What I could've done without:

• The particular scene with Mr Knightley at the very beginning. Luckily, it is easily skip-over-able.
• The awful relationship between Emma's sister and her husband. It did make for some funny moments, but I definitely prefer the way the Garai version portrayed them!
• This isn't really a thing I wished for less of, I actually wish there were even more scenes with Ms Taylor/Mrs. Weston. The first scene between her and Emma is so sweet and then she's barely in the film from there on out. I get that there were likely time constraints and all sorts of things that played into that decision, but still. I wish she'd showed up a bit more. And Mr. Weston too!

So there you have it. I laugh at all my worries about what I imagined this version would be like. Because clearly I rather enjoyed myself overall based on the lengthiness of my thoughts! :D Now. I am off to do another rewatch. (My birthday was this past week, so I can still celebrate with Jane Awesomeness, right?? I agree completely! ;)

Review: The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner

Naturally, any book to do with Jane Austen catches my eye, so I was intrigued when I saw the synopsis for this one. There is so much to love about this story, friends. I mean, the fictionalization of how the Jane Austen Society began? And such a mix of characters! Ms. Jenner is quite talented at bringing all her different storylines together into one cohesive big tapestry.

Okay, so I admit that I didn’t love every character. Certainly I didn’t start out loving all of them! A few are easier to love, a few make choices that I didn’t like, still others made me smile every time their point of view appeared again. Yet it was their genuine love of Jane Austen which endeared even the unlikeable ones to me.

My absolute favorite bits of all? Were the moments when they began to come together and each discovered the genuine joy of discussing and analyzing books with likeminded friends!! I get that, I understand that, I LOVED that! Whether it’s Jane Austen or whatever other books we love or hate, discussing the whys and wherefores with someone else who loves to read….there’s just nothing like that feeling. It brings people of all kinds together. And these characters are all so very different! Which is why I loved it when they found they had so many more things in common through discussion of Jane Austen. Jane is so good at bringing people together, don’t you think?

The other thing about this story that kept me turning the pages is how each character, so very different from the others, interprets Austen. How each one reads her stories and sees different things. Which is true of all of us today, just as much as it would’ve been true in the 1940s when this takes place. We all read her books from our own perspective, with our own biases and backgrounds and history playing a part in how we interpret what we read. (This is true of any story we read.) Yet the focus of all these different perspectives coming together and how they learn from each other, how they fall in love, how they grow, how they make choices, both good and bad…it’s all intricately and beautifully woven together.

This isn’t a perfectly written story, as any book isn’t. There were parts that I skimmed over due to not particularly enjoying them, I cannot deny this. Yet watching these characters stumble their way through life and find joyous reason to keep going through Austen’s stories and each other, I could reread those bits without any problem! And will do so, let me tell you. Even just writing this review makes me want to go back and reread the book! I loved all the introspective analysis the characters did which caused me to do the same. They opened my eyes to new perspectives and made me want to reread Austen herself! So I would absolutely recommend this one to all Austen lovers out there. Perfect or not, it is a wonderful homage to the timelessness and beauty of her stories and how she brings so many of us onto common ground together.

**I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Goodreads :: Amazon :: Barnes and Noble

"He was becoming quite worried for Mr. Darcy. It seemed to Adam that once a man notices a woman's eyes to be fine, and tries to eavesdrop on her conversations, and finds himself overly affected by her bad opinion of him, then such a man is on the path to something uncharted, whether he admits it to himself or not."

Blog Tour :: Review :: A Match For Emma by Pepper Basham

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour & Giveaway for A Match for Emma by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

My Thoughts

Oh friends, this was super cute! I’ve been a fan of Ms. Basham’s for a few years now, especially since she seems to love Jane Austen as much as I do. ;) So when I heard this one was going to be based off of Austen’s Emma, I knew I was in for a treat. And oh what a sweet treat it is! I love a good friends-to-lovers trope and it is presented so very wonderfully here. Plus there’s the southern charm of the Mitchell clan and the town they call home which just burrows down deep in my southern-born-and-raised heart.

First, can I just mention once again how much I love the friendship between Emma and Jon? Like I said before, watching a friendship turn to something more is one of my favorites tropes in literature and Jon and Emma’s friendship is just so delightful and real. I think that’s what I appreciated most about it. There was real chemistry between them, they truly loved and cared for each other deeply and they had done for years, it shone through their every interaction. This is no attempt at making characters good friends, this is a true friendship that feels natural and honest. The spark that dances between them is adorable, but the foundation of years of friendship makes the romance that much more compelling. At least for me! And I also loved the way every single person around them could see how they truly felt about each other long before they could. A particular conversation between Emma and her mama just made me grin all over! :)

Then, of course, there’s all the shenanigans Emma instigates (and the ensuing dramatics that come with), and best of all, the family that is the heart at the center of this series of books. I do love these Mitchell’s, every single one. The way they know one another so well and no matter how many times one or another may say or do something they regret, forgiveness and love flows through every time. Sometimes, do you ever wish a fictional family were real? I’d love to spend time with the Mitchell’s!

Overall, this was simply a wonderful tribute to Austen’s classic with a twangy southern twist to make things fun. I flew through the pages with a huge smile on my face. I think you will too, so I suggest finding a copy for yourself asap, settle down in your favorite chair, and whisk away for a few delightful hours!

** I received a complimentary copy via JustRead Tours. All opinions are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: A Match for Emma
Author: Pepper Basham
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 21, 2019

Emma Mitchell may enjoy sprinkling romance into the lives of others, but her own plans involve a single first-class ticket to culinary school in Europe.

When her best friend, Jon Noble, suddenly moves back to Ransom, Emma’s fairly certain her life can’t get any better…until her matchmaking schemes nosedive, her culinary future falls flat, and a life-long friendship begins to teeter on the brink of something unexpected.

With a little inspiration from Jane Austen’s classic and a touch of Blue Ridge charm, will Jon and Emma discover that what they need the most may be the last thing they’re trying to find?

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her most recent historical romance, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge, showcases her Appalachian heritage and family history, as well as her love for humor and family.

She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her upcoming release, A Match for Emma, is the third book in her popular Mitchell’s Crossroads series.

Pepper loves getting to know readers and other authors through social media. You may also learn more about her on her website!

CONNECT WITH PEPPER: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a Paris cube decorative tote, paperback copy of Jane Austen's Emma, paperback copy of A Match for Emma (or another one of the Mitchell's Crossroads books, if preferred), a 'love' ornament,  a mug that reads "You're my cup of tea", and Misty Mountain handcrafted soap (made locally) - the scent is Mountain Berries!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 19, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on November 26, 2019. Open internationally except where prohibited by law or logistics. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Austen in August :: {aka Fun Times I'd Forgotten About}

via

So yeah. I'd totally forgotten about this annual shendig over at The Book Rat this year! (I know. The horror.) But I discovered my folly today and proceeded to giggle my way through the following post. Which I just had to share with y'all! Go here, read it, guffaw at the ridiculously awesome menfolk, and then come back here and tell me how cool it was that I shared it with you! :D

Also, in honor of these lovely shenanigans, I thought I'd share a mini review of an Austen sequel I read just the other evening....

Miss Eleanor Tilney: or, The Reluctant Heroine 
by Sherwood Smith
I've had this one on my TBR ever since reading Ms. Smith's Henry and Fanny a couple years ago. Don't know why it took me so long to get to it, but what fun! I LOVED getting a peek into Eleanor and Henry's minds. To watch Catherine from their point of view and figure out what it was that endeared her to them so quickly. This is a short story, but it packs a wallop of joy and loveliness in a small amount of pages. I love Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey and I'm so pleased that Ms. Smith took these beloved characters and treated them with love and kindness while staying true to Ms. Austen's writing. And seriously. There's a certain scene that only made me love Mr. Henry Tilney even more than I already do! The man is such a charmer and here we find him much the same only we get to understand him a bit better. Loved it! Will definitely be reading it again and highly recommend for Janeites who enjoy sequels! :)

Bookish Finds in Thailand

Hello, my lovelies! So yeah. I did get to visit a few bookshops while I was in Thailand. Of course I did. And it was DELIGHTFUL. Naturally. ;)

One full day back in December, I took my rented motorbike and headed out with about three or four different bookshops pinned on my google maps. It such a glorious day, traversing the city going from bookshop to bookshop. I did do a few coffeeshop breaks in between, of which I will gladly share about another time (because Chiang Mai, Thailand is THE coffeeshop city in the world. I think there are literally close to a hundred or perhaps more and no, that is not an exaggeration. Coffeeshops are everywhere. And that's delightful too. :).

The above sign was in a bookshop where they had other signs that said NO PICTURES. Humph. So I surreptitiously snapped that one and didn't stay long. Any bookshop that doesn't want to share it's goodness with the world...well...that's not a bookshop I want to patronize very badly. Anyhoo. They did have quite a large collection of used and new books. A good mix of Thai and English language books too. But I didn't find anything I had to have, so off I went to find other places.

Not the same day, but on a different day...I found these GLORIOUS Jane Austen's...and it was all I could do not to take them home with me. But alas, by this time it was getting closer to time for me to go home and I knew my luggage space was going to be fairly limited. I just about cried to leave them there. Only I couldn't cry. Because I was with friends. And they'd have thought it bizarre if I'd've cried about leaving books in a bookshop. So I snapped a photo so I wouldn't ever forget the pretty! *all the heart eyes*

(Also, those were the only ones they had. No Pride & Prejudice or Northanger Abbey to be found. Trust me. I looked.)

SO much fun to see two of my favorites in Thai! And those covers... Aren't they gorgeous?!?! *sigh* I was sad to leave those there as well...

And this, my friends....is a coffee shop. Yep. A coffee shop. It was open 24 hrs and was awesome. Filled with all sorts of books everywhere! For school, we had solitude days where we went out by ourselves and worked on assignments. This become one of my favorite spots for such a day... I happily spent hours surrounded by books and drinking my mochas! Happiness indeed. :D

It was located at the very top most floor of a mall, so the views out the windows were amazing. But it was the inside I was most concerned with. All those books...!! ;)

*happy sigh* Doesn't it look amazing?! I agree. :D It was certainly a happy spot for me.

I happened to go on a trip down to Bangkok and one day while we were walking the streets, I happened to spot this little shop. There were at least two other aisles that looked just like this. TONS of books. Alas they were all in Thai so I couldn't read a single one. But it was still fun to "get to know them" a bit! :)

ALL the pretties!! The above two photos are actually from my very first adventure out to try and find a bookshop. Thankfully a new Thai friend had pity on me and showed me this spot...since I was still a bit terrified of trying to find my way out and about all by myself. Clearly, I got braver as time went on...but this first trip was wonderful even if I did have to have a travel buddy with me. :)

Amen and amen.

Movie Quote Monday :: Persuasion

Anne: Charles, please assure Captain Wentworth and Captain Harville that we hope to see them tonight.
Charles: That was understood.
Anne:  No, I don't think so. They must come, do you hear? You'll see them again. Promise me you'll mention it.
Charles: Mention it yourself. Frederick, which way are you going?       
Frederick: I hardly know.
Charles: Are you going near Camden place? If you are, take Anne to her father's door. She's done for this morning and I'm eager to see a gun, like that double-barrel of mine you once shot with.
Frederick: I shall have time to take her, Charles.
Charles: Thank you.
*He leaves*

Frederick: I tried to forget you. I thought I had.

Oh friends. I hadn't watched this movie in quite a long time, but I stumbled upon this awesomely fun podcast the other day. These ladies talked about all the reasons why they did and didn't like both the 1995 and 2008 versions of Persuasion. And while listening, I was persuaded (see what I did there? Of course you did! ;) to watch the 1995 version again.

Oh my goodness! I am now completely convinced of this version's superiority! I mean, I always knew it was better, but I still rather liked Rupert Penry-Jones as Wentworth (because, yes, he's rather nice to look at, I freely admit it! :) from the 2008 version. But Ciaran Hinds.... Oh my stars, that man has a way of looking at Anne...!! *swoon* The podcasters mention how they noticed he never looks at her in the beginning of the movie and they were right! He looks just over her head or just past her, but never in her eyes. Until Lyme. And then he notices. Oh man does he ever notice. From there on out he holds nothing back and just stares at her... Ah my heart!!

Anyway. You're not here to listen to me gush about how Wentworth looks at Anne. (Although surely you agree with me, right?? ;) Mainly, I simply had to come over here and put it out there officially. The 1995 Persuasion is DELIGHTFUL. There is so much of the book within each scene that the filmmakers clearly understood the perfection of writerly awesomeness they were working with. And so refused to make any horrific and terrible and awful and horrifyingly, glaringly wrong choices when it came to adding or changing things up! (I'm looking at you, 2008 Persuasion filmmakers...humph.)

I will admit, that I'll probably still occasionally watch the 2008 version, purely for the pretty of Rupert of course. And there are some wonderful scenes in it. But overall, I have to officially hand the trophy of best version to 1995. WAY superior. (And I can now even admit that Ciaran is awfully handsome as well. A few years ago I'd've never in my dreams have admitted that. But I stand corrected. And happily! ;)

What about you? Have you seen both versions? Did you enjoy both versions? Or no....? Tell me, tell me! I'd love to chat about Persuasion with someone again! It's been much too long...

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Forty-Three

Hello, my lovelies! So I've been reading up a storm since I've been home from Thailand...but you know what I haven't done? Gotten many reviews written about all the books I've been reading. Yikes! So not cool, right? (Okay, so y'all probably don't care either way. But I do! So there. ;)

Anyhoo! Here there be reviews. And lots more probably coming soon! Be on the lookout, friends.

36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You 
by Vicki Grant
I read this when I was in need of some mindless and cute romance to distract me from all the stress of my homework and studies. And I totally got what I wanted! This isn't a perfect story by any means, but it does have a pretty adorable romance once you get past the first not-meet-cute. It made me laugh, roll my eyes a few times, as well as swoon over the sweetness by the time I got to the end. A quick and easy read that's entertaining and perfect for the summertime! :)

Match Me If You Can by Krista Phillips
Ms. Phillips is an author that is guaranteed to make me laugh as well as swoon! She just knows how to write humor that I totally get. :) Plus her characters are always put into situations that are either a) hilarious or b) relatable or both! In this case, I've never been to a matchmaking resort, so chalk this one up to being hilarious. And sweet! Ava and Sean are simply adorable together. Which means you should read this one and see for yourself. Trust me.

After the Tide by Lindsay Harrel
This one is super short, but also super adorable!! If you're in need of a really quick reason to smile, then I highly recommend it. Ms. Harrel clearly knows how to write an engaging romance that'll only make you wish it were a whole lot longer.

Sanditon by Jane Austen 
& Juliette Shapiro
Y'all know I am always a sucker for another Jane Austen story. I've read a couple other Sanditon stories and was curious where Ms. Shapiro would take these characters. The results? Not bad, but not perfect either. Still. I enjoyed it anyway! I just love Charlotte Heywood. I really do. She and Sydney Parker are quite fascinating characters. And I will read just about any story that puts them together in the end! (Also, I truly wish Austen had been able to finish this one herself because I would dearly love to know how she would've ended it. Alas...)

Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore
I knew going into this book that things were going to be a bit different, whatwith the "choose your own adventure" premise. But it was certainly a whole lot more imaginative and interesting than I was expecting! The set up is intriguing and then we get to the pivotal moment which hinges on Jane's decision. Each option that comes next is fascinating, especially when we go into each one with information that Jane doesn't have about other characters thanks to the previous choice. I confess there were a lot of weird moments that I skimmed through pretty quickly, but it was awfully unputdownable at the same time. A fun ride while I was on it, but sort of forgettable once I was finished...

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Fun! But crazy. But fun! That was my exact thoughts when I finished this story late into the night. I could not put it down once I began. Ms. Thorne most certainly knows how to write pretty unforgettable characters! Lucy and Joshua and their hate-to-love romance are just....yeah. Delightful! I laughed at their silly office games of one-upping each other. But I seriously adored their inability to not be aware of the other at all times. Swoony and fun. And crazy. But fun! :)

Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright
Of course, Ms. Wright had me at Jane Austen in her title. I loved Emma! I was a bit afraid when I started it that she might become a cliched type of heroine in stories like these, especially when the love triangle begins. But I was pleasantly surprised to realize that Emma knows her own heart pretty well, which made the love triangle not much of a triangle. (Hallelujah!) She knows pretty quickly on which guy she chooses, as do we. And the journey to getting both of them on the same path at the same time is a lot of fun! There were a few moments that made me grimace, but overall a very enjoyable story.

The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews
While I have a couple blogging friends who have gushed over Ms. Matthews stories for a good while now, I confess to having tried a couple and not really been able to get into them. Except for A Holiday by Gaslight which is just DELIGHTFUL. And I finally found another that I loved! Yay! With a bit of Beauty and the Beast vibes going on, Sylvia and Sebastian's romance is awfully adorable. Even when Sebastian is being an idiot. :) Sweet and fun, this is one you need in your life, reader friends. Especially if you adore reunited lovers tropes.

Currently...

Hello, my lovelies! Why yes, it has been ages, hasn't it? To the maybe three people who are still reading this little blog of mine, it's good to "see" you! ;) I let my posting go VERY sporadic in recent months due to being overseas and all my available time being spent studying. I had high hopes that I'd be able to keep up the blogging thing to a certain degree, but alas... I barely kept up with my reading while I was over there! But I am home in America now and it has been DELIGHTFUL to see all my beloved stories again, sitting on their shelves looking all pretty and pleasing.

The last month and a half has been a mix of trying to come to grips with being back in my own culture again after 8 months (I know!), find a new job (which I did, yay!), and reading all the books I can get my hands on. It's been crazy, chaotic, and loads of fun.

Anyhoo! I thought I'd just do a general check in with y'all and let you know what all the latest is. So! On the fun stuff...

Listening to: This particular song has been on repeat loads of times when I've had homework to do or papers to write for classes. Even back home, it's still a fave. It's incredibly soothing while I'm doing something that requires my brain, yet also requires some noise in the background to help keep me focused.

Reading: Over this past weekend, I read 5 books. No, that is not an exaggeration. I pretty much didn't have any other plans, so I stayed in the entire weekend and read. #bliss Next up for me is The Number of Love by Roseanna M. White, which I have for review...

Enjoying: My chocolate stash! Friends gave me a sweet welcome home party a few weeks ago and when they asked me to make a list of what I wanted and what I'd missed while I was gone...you know my fave Lindor milk chocolate truffles was at the top! I've been trying to ration them out so they last a long time, but it's actually really hard. (go figure)

Watching: I recently rewatched Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and man, did I ever miss that movie. I did very little movie watching while I was gone and this one was a delight to see again.

Feeling: Happy. I've had lots of reconnecting with friends since I've been home. As well as have a new job, which is a huge answer to prayer! There have been hard moments and times when dear friends have had struggles that have reminded me that this life is not all puppies and rainbows all the time. But ultimately, I'm a pretty happy lady right this second...

Craving: Flavor in my food! I was in Thailand the most during my overseas time and let me just say that the Thai people LOVE their spice. I have now realized just how much I adjusted to that because there have been multiple times since being home where I feel desperate for some extra spice in my foodie life. And I never, ever imagined such a thing happening, I've always been a wimp when it came to spicy food... Craziness, I tell you. :D

Loving: Seeing old friends and reconnecting. Friends are life, people. And don't you forget it.

Anticipating: More books. More music. More life. Whatever that looks like in the coming days.

Eating: Guacamole. I personally made a batch the other night and it is...delish...mmmmm.... :D

Missing: Life in Thailand. It's wonderful to be home, but there's so much I miss about my life there. Khao soi (deliciousness), the ease of getting around on public transportation, riding motorbikes, the coffee shops (they were everywhere), and most especially my dearest friends who I may not see again for a long, long time, if ever. THAT'S one of the hard parts about life overseas...the friends you make when your homes are so far apart....


Yet even with the missing, I'm still thankful for the experience and happy to be home again. So! How about you? Life still trotting along swimmingly for you as well?? :)

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Jane Austen Edition {#41}

Oh, look! More reviews! Except this one is all Jane Austen stories. My favorite!! :)

Manga Classics: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Po Tse, and Stacy King
Of course I LOVED this! It's Jane Austen. :) I've actually had this one on my radar for quite a while and was very pleased to discover it at my library! It's just an interesting take on a favorite story. The art was fun and the storyline familiar and delightful. Now I want to read all of Austen's stories in manga form! :)

Emma by Jane Austen
I am finally making my way through all of Austen's works! And I wasn't sure how I'd feel about Emma herself. She was a tad annoying at first, I have to admit that. But she grew on me. Mr. Knightly, however? I loved him from the first! And listening as he and Emma quarreled and made up and just generally kept each other on their toes was a ton of fun. Harriet Smith's selfish nature stood out more prominently than I'd noticed before in any adaptation of the story, but I liked her well enough. And she sets Emma on a course that I, naturally, could appreciate! So she redeemed herself in the end. :) There were a few times that conversations got a little lengthy for my tastes, but overall a worthy read because it's by the always amazing Jane Austen!

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
It has actually been a lot of years since I first read this book, so it was great fun to get back into the story again! There are just very few romances as worthy of notice as Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy's. But it's not just those two sparking off each other that makes this story what it is! It is all of Austen's subtle, yet hilarious wit that really struck me during this listen. And listening to Austen on a roadtrip? Is the BEST. Trust me, you should try it sometime! :)

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Thirty-Eight

Hello again, my lovelies! I know, it seems all I do is post about reviews these days, right? I just have so many to catch up on! And I've been reading a great deal, so it's kind of never ending... But! I will reach a point (and very soon) when they'll slow down, so at least there's that...? :)

On to the good stuff!

Timeless Love by Andrea Boeshaar, Stephenia H. McGee, Kari Trumbo, Dawn Crandall, Pepper D. Basham, Misty M. Beller, Sarah Monzon
When I heard Pepper Basham would have a story in this collection, you can bet that I couldn't wait to read it! Thus, you won't be surprised that it was the first story I dove into. And what an adventure! Actually, I could say that about all the stories here, full of surprises and adventures and genuine, lovable characters. They were all equally loads of fun! It's a great mix of time periods and romances. With a few authors I recognized and a few I didn't, I have to say that I was far from disappointed with any of their offerings. (Also, I may have gone back and reread all my favorite scenes in each story right after finishing the book, but that's a secret between you and me, okay? ;) Well worth your time to pick this book up, reader friends! You just might find a favorite new-to-you writer (like me) or rediscover why you love a particular writer so well (also like me)!

Second Impressions by Pepper Basham
Why on earth it took me so long to read this one, I have no idea. I mean, it's a Pepper Basham book! AND it mentions Jane Austen, a LOT. Perfect combo for this Austen (and Basham) loving girl! :D To say that I loved all the Austen references would be putting it very mildly. Yet, it's not just Jane, it's actually Nora and Ethan who grabbed my heart. I wasn't sure what to make of the two of them when they first meet, but (as the title suggests) second impressions are worth discovering! These two are super adorable together, once they get beyond their initial acquaintance. Full of heart and Jane Austen and lots of laughter, this one is a wonderful addition to any bookshelf (be it physical or digital!).

Mowed Over by Christina Coryell
The two main characters in this book are so very different that, at first glance, one would wonder how they would ever work as romantic partners. But they do! Willow and Clint are pretty sweet together, actually. And watching as they navigate the interesting, fairy-filled waters around them makes for a lot of grins. Nothing about their relationship goes anything like either one expects, but what fun I had reading about it! (Also, who knew a beard could make a guy swoony?!) Oh! And I can't forget the cute little Jane Austen-y references. Very slight, but they're definitely there. Which, of course, just made me love this story ever so much more.

A Heart Restored by Elizabeth Maddrey
I admit, I think my favorite part of this book was all the hilarious mistakes poor Deidre made while texting! A couple of them made me giggle out loud. Which just endeared her to me. And to Jeremiah! :D I confess to knowing absolutely nothing about restoring a house, but the descriptions of what Peacock Hill looked like, before and after, made me wish it were an actual place to visit. Plus, I just really loved that the story takes place in my home state, which meant I recognized places mentioned. This is fun little romance between two people who were not prepared to find each other. For all the shortness of the story, I could totally buy into their chemistry and simply enjoyed the journey of them coming together. Very cute!

Unleashing Love by Jessica R. Patch
This was simply a very sweet story. While a quick read, Ms. Patch managed to make the romantic bits believable. I rather enjoyed all the little southern moments mentioned. And so many times I had to grin at the complete opposites that Emma Kate and Griffin proved they were. It caused more than one misunderstanding between them, much to my delight! Because seeing Emma Kate mad is simply the cutest. It's no wonder Griffin fell for her against his better judgement! :D She really has a way of charming her way into your heart. The two of them were adorably all in denial of their attraction, but that just made it more fun for me. And although the resolution came together a bit quicker than I anticipated, it was still pretty swoony! I might just have to go back and reread it now myself. :)

The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz
All the rave reviews from blogging friends were spot on for this book! Which shouldn't surprise me since it is by Laura Frantz. (She being practically the queen of historical (and southern) romances set in colonial time periods. :) Ms. Frantz always excels in writing characters that I immediately root for and Liberty is no exception. Neither is Noble! (Goodness, that man could make a girl swoon!) As usual, it took only the first page to pull me inside her story-world and there I was anxiously waiting to see how things would play out. Ms. Frantz's thorough research always shines and, really, I can't find enough gushing words to describe the beauty of descriptions to be found in this story. As another blogging friend (and author herself) described it, I always think the current Laura Frantz book I'm reading is her BEST one and then I read her next one and am blown away again! So really, all you need to know is Laura Frantz wrote this. (Which means, what on earth are you waiting for?! Go read it right now! ;)