Monday 31 January 2022

Austen-Inspired Children’s Book Suggestions

I have a number of children’s books which are Austen-inspired, but as they are so much shorter than the books I usually blog about I thought I’d put a post together featuring a few. If you’re interested in ones I’ve looked at previously you can see posts about a version of Pride & Prejudice for younger readers here, and a biography of Austen here. 

Cozy Classics My First Pride & Prejudice by Jack and Holman Wang
Firstly, Cozy Classics Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice by Jack & Holman Wang– this is a board book for babies featuring pictures of needle-felted characters with single words on each page. The characters are really SO cute – mostly inspired by Pride & Prejudice 2005 by the looks of them, although I’d say Elizabeth looks more like the 1995 or maybe even based on Jane Austen. I would recommend this as part of a baby gift to a parent who is a P&P fan. Five Stars

Five star read

Book Cover: Jane – My First Jane Austen from the Little People, Big Dreams series, by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vergara and illustrated by Katie Wilson

Friday 28 January 2022

Threads of Magic: A Pride & Prejudice Variation by Monica Fairview - Guest Post and Giveaway

I’m happy to be welcoming Monica Fairview to the blog today with Threads of Magic: A Pride & Prejudice Variation, the second book in her Mr Darcy’s Magic series. Monica has brought us a guest post about the book and an ebook giveaway.

You can read more about the first book, Dangerous Magic: A Pride & Prejudice Variation, here.

Let's look at the blurb of Threads of Magic and then I'll hand over to Monica for her guest post. 

Book cover: Threads of Magic by Monica Fairview
Book Description

In a magical Regency England, two powerful magicians strive to find a balance between love and duty as they confront enemies who might well be their closest friends.

Elizabeth Bennet may be a heroine, but by defying some of the most powerful mages in England, she has made enemies who will stop at nothing to embroil her in scandal.

So when she is accused of endangering the Royal Mages through her reckless actions, she no longer knows who to trust. Even the gentleman she loves is taking their side. It seems the only person who believes her is the captive French mage who is imprisoned in the cellar at Netherfield.

Meanwhile, Fitzwilliam Darcy is willing to fight to the death to defend Elizabeth, if only she would stop getting herself into trouble. Why does she always have to break the rules? And why does even her sister Jane cause him so many problems?

Join us in this magical Jane Austen Regency variation. Set mostly in Meryton, with familiar beloved characters from Pride and Prejudice, you will once again be captivated by Elizabeth and Darcy as they struggle to find true love against the backdrop of England’s war with Napoleon.

Threads of Magic continues the bewitching tale of a forced marriage between two powerful mages. The novel picks up after Fitzwilliam Darcy has told Elizabeth that he is in love with her, but are the differences between them too difficult to overcome?

Since this is the second book of a series, there is more to come. Experience the slow-burn romance developing between Elizabeth and Darcy in this magical adventure spanning several novels. It is a standalone novel without cliff-hangers, but it is best read as part of a series.

Monday 24 January 2022

Captive Hearts by Kelly Miller - Blog Tour, Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Blog Tour - Captive Hearts by Kelly Miller
Today I’m welcoming Kelly Miller back to the blog with her new Austenesque book, Captive Hearts, which is released today. This is a Persuasion variation, which is good news as there are so few of those out there! Let’s look at the blurb and then I’ll hand over to Kelly who has brought us an excerpt from Captive Hearts and a guest post about Bath, where the book is set.

Book Description

Will Captain Wentworth realize too late that he has a second chance at love?

With a successful naval career and a fortune to his name, Frederick Wentworth receives a hero’s welcome from his sister’s neighbours.

One person, though, presents a source of vexation. Years earlier, Miss Anne Elliot had reneged on her promise to marry Wentworth, revealing a significant character flaw. Yet Anne’s unmarried state at the age of seven and twenty, her altered demeanour, and her resolute avoidance of Wentworth raise questions that gnaw at his composure.

In this Regency variation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, the captain follows the advice of a respected new friend and re-examines the agonizing circumstances of his bitter break from Anne, reaching a novel conclusion. But before he can act upon his new resolve, a dire twist of fate threatens Anne’s life.

Wednesday 19 January 2022

Blog update - changes to email subscription

As long-time visitors to my blog will know, I have been meaning to make some updates for a long time and I haven't, mainly because of lack of confidence in my limited technical abilities! Last year the email subscription service I was using, Feedburner, was discontinued. This email service would send out new blog posts to my email subscribers. As it was still working, I did nothing (shame on me) but it meant that new subscribers weren't able to sign up, so I needed to get it sorted and finally I have. 

Follow.it
I have moved active subscribers over to a new email service, Follow.it. I hope this service will be a good fit for my blog. Obviously the email addresses will not be used for anything other than letting subscribers know that a new post has been published. I understand that one of the benefits of Follow.it is that subscribers will be able to tailor the emails they receive, however I am not sure how much difference that will make as I'm not likely to start churning out a higher volume of posts! If you're interested in seeing the options you can do that here. As ever, if you have any suggestions for changes or improvements I'd be happy to hear them; please contact me with anything you'd like to raise. 

Who knows, if this update is successful, maybe it'll embolden me to try the other improvements I need to make, but don't hold your breath on that one :)

If you haven't subscribed already please do! 

Subscribe to Babblings of a Bookworm

 

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Saturday 15 January 2022

Jane Austen and Names by Maggie Lane - Review

Book Cover: Jane Austen and Names by Maggie Lane
Today I’m bringing you a review of a book I read a while ago. I had been meaning to read this book for literally years so I was pleased to finally get to it. The title of the book is Jane Austen and Names by Maggie Lane and as you will have inferred from the title, it takes a closer look at the character names that Austen used in her works. Let’s look at the blurb and then I’ll bring you my review.

Book Description

For Jane Austen, Edmund was a name the represented heroism and chivalry, Maria signified heartlessness and Richard was a joke.

She had a weakness for Emma and a passion for Frederick which endured from her earliest years until she bestowed it on her last, and most romantic, hero.

Unlike most novelists of her period, in naming her characters Jane Austen confined herself to the names found in everyday life, choosing them to fit not only their personalities but their place in society.

While the classic English names are her staple, she also drew on the Old Testament for her low-born characters and eighteenth-century creations for the would-be fashionable.

In this study of a hitherto neglected area of the novelist’s art, Maggie Lane looks at the history of English nomenclature up to Jane Austen’s time and at the naming patterns and practices current in her society, including who was entitled to use the Christian name of whom.

A section on Jane Austen’s own taste in names is followed by an alphabetical listing of all the Christian names used in her mature fiction, with their history, social status and associations.

'Jane Austen and Names' is a must-read for anyone interested in the great novelist.

Tuesday 11 January 2022

A Promise of Forever by Christine Combe - Blog Tour, Guest Post and Giveaway

Book cover: A Promise of Forever by Christine Coombe
Today I’m welcoming Christine Combe back to the blog as part of the blog tour for her new Pride & Prejudice variation, A Promise of Forever. Christine joins us with a guest post and a giveaway opportunity. Let’s take a look at the blurb – I think it’ll grab your attention!

Book Description

“How dare you think that you can just come along after four years and dictate the course of the whole rest of our lives, Mr. Darcy!” she cried. “You don’t have the right!”

He stood and stepped up to her, and stared down at her with an equally determined expression. “I am your husband and he is my son—I have the only right.”


****

In this new Austenesque tale, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are Elizabeth’s parents and she grows up happy and carefree in Lambton. At sixteen, Lizzy meets and falls in love with Fitzwilliam Darcy, future Master of Pemberley. The couple decides to elope but they are torn apart by their closest relatives, and when reunited must determine whether the pain of the years that have passed can be overcome to regain the love that was lost.

****

Friday 7 January 2022

Much Ado in Meryton by Riana Everly - Blog Tour, Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

Today I’m very happy to be welcoming Riana Everly back to the blog with the blog tour for her new book, Much Ado in Meryton. From the title, you will have guessed there is a Shakespeare influence mixed with a bit of Pride & Prejudice, as the title also mentions Meryton. Although I try and keep my blog mostly focussed on Austen, I actually read Much Ado About Nothing in my early blogging days, so you can learn a bit more about the play here if you're not familiar with it..

Riana has joined us with a guest post about home theatricals, which feature in her book, and also featured in Austen’s life and in Mansfield Park. She’s also treating us to an excerpt from the book. There is also an ebook giveaway to accompany the blog tour. Let’s look at the blurb and then I’ll hand over to Riana for her guest post.

Book Cover: Much Ado In Meryton by Riana Everly
Book Description 

A tale of friends, enemies, and the power of love.

"Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably." – Benedick, Much Ado About Nothing, 5.2

Mr. Darcy's arrival in Meryton raises many people's disdain, and Elizabeth Bennet's ire. An insult at a dance is returned in full measure, and soon the two find themselves in a merry war of words, trading barbs at every encounter. Matters go from bad to worse when Elizabeth and Darcy find themselves living under the same roof for a time, and their constant bickering frays everybody's nerves.

Will a clever scheme by their family and friends bring some peace to Netherfield's halls? And what of Mr. Wickham, whose charming presence is not quite so welcome by some members of the party? When the games get out of hand and nastier elements come into play, will everybody's chances for happiness be ruined forever?

This clever mash-up of Pride and Prejudice and Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing casts our beloved characters in fresh light, uniting Jane Austen's keen insight into love and character, and Shakespeare's biting wit.