Jane Austen Meets Stephanie Meyer!Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Source: Review Copy from Publisher
(Note: This review is coming from the perspective of someone who has not yet had the pleasure of reading or watching anything from the Twilight series.) – I know, how shocking, right?
In the second installment in her young adult series, The Jane Austen Diaries, author Jenni James takes up her pen and fashions a modern-day retelling of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, infused with cellphones, malls, and vampires…
What sixteen year old girl doesn’t want adventure and romance? Claire Hart, younger sister to Chloe (heroine of Pride and Popularity) and avid Twilight fan, is most anxious for her share of romance and adventures to begin. But alas, just like Catherine Morland there is no adventure or romance for Claire in her home town, so “she must seek them abroad.” Receiving an invitation to spend the summer in Seattle, Washington, Claire is beside herself with anticipation and excitement! There are two things Claire knows for certain: that vampires really doexist and that Seattle, Washington is the place to find them…
Just like with Pride and Popularity, my favorite aspect of this novel was spotting all the Northanger Abbey parallels. How ingenious of Jenni James to tie in the Twilight series with her retelling! A modern-day Catherine Morland would definitely be a Twi-hard, and just like Claire Hart, she would naively believe that Stephanie Meyer’s fictional series could be real. I loved seeing Claire experience much of what Catherine does in Northanger Abbey: she gets abducted in a fast moving vehicle, valiantly defends her favorite literature, and is unceremoniously sent home.
As much as I adore Jenni James’ writing and commend her for converging the world of Austen and vampires, I must admit to liking Pride and Popularity a bit more than Northanger Alibi. I found Claire likable and endearing, but the romance between her and Tony (Henry Tilney) sort of felt a little too teenage crush/high school romance for my taste. Whereas the romance between Chloe and Taylor (Pride and Popularity), although they were both high schoolers, felt more mature. But perhaps the main reason this novel and I didn’t click as much is because I’ve never read the Twilight series, and therefore missed or could not appreciate many of the parallels and allusions to Twilight.
Although the balance between Meyer and Austen in this novel seems slightly tipped in the Twi-hards favor, I think Ms. James created an excellent catalyst to bring Twilightfans to the world of Austenesque! Just imagine, after enjoying Northanger Alibi, readers will probably be curious aboutJane Austen and perhaps be inspired to read her novels! As for me, I am very excited for the next installment in Jenni James’ entertaining and enthralling series, Persuaded, which is due out this summer!
GIVEAWAY!!! Thanks to Amy Orton and the lovely people at Inkberry Press, I have TWO BRAND NEW AUTOGRAPHED copies of Northanger Alibi to give away!
All you have to do is leave acommenton this review. (To save your inbox from unwanted spam, please don’t leave your email address.) Just check back to see if you win! ONE copy is for a US winner and ONE copy is for an INTERNATIONAL winner. Thank you, Amy!
Want extra entries?
+1 for following Jenni James’ Blog
+1 for liking Jenni’s page on Facebook
(Please indicate in comment if you are eligible for extra entries!)
This contest will close February 28th. Good luck and thank you for entering!
Wahoo! I just saw her trailer for her books- thanks! 🙂
I didn’t know she had a trailer until you mentioned it, Beth! That looked awesome!
I saw this book on a site a while back but couldn’t order, “unavailable”. So glad to see it out now. I didn’t realize it had a Twilight appeal to it. I did enjoy the first novel Pride and Popularity, this one sounds like a fun read as well.
I think it just came out at the beginning of this month. I LOVED Pride and Popularity! I can’t wait to read more by Jenni James!
Hi Meredith!
This book seems to be exactly that kind of Austen retelling I like 🙂 I never heard of this author before but I realize I missed some great books!
Following blog now 🙂
Greetings from Germany!
Juli
Hi Juliane! I am loving this author! So glad she plans on writing a YA for each Jane Austen novel!
Thanks for the giveaway, Meredith & Jenni!
I loved Pride & Popularity and am looking forward to reading Northanger Alibi too!
Hi Jakki! So glad to hear you enjoyed Pride and Popularity! 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway! I’m also following Jenni’s blog. My GFC username is LHartness.
Laura
Thanks for entering, Laura! Best of luck!
Hi!
Thanks for the giveaway!
The book seems interesting!
Maria A.
Hi Maria! Thanks for stopping by and entering!
What a delightful giveaway. Many thanks.
I’m so delighted Inkberry Press is letting me host a giveaway! Best of luck!
I love the sound of this book and I’d love to have the chance to read it. Thank you for the giveaway!
I think it is a book you will greatly enjoy, Farida!
Looking forward to another great book!
In my opinion this one was a lot of fun!
This sounds like a fun book! Thanks for the giveaway!
Hi Monica! Thank you for stopping by!
I’m not a twilight fan so I’m glad you reviewed it in an understandable manner for the rest of us. I did like Pride and Popularity however. After reading your review I’m not sure I want to read this one after all. It’ll take a bit more reflection I guess.
I’m sure if I had read the Twilight series, my opinion about this novel would be a little different. But I’m glad it was enjoyable and accessible for readers who are not familiar with the Twilight series. Perhaps your granddaughter might like this one?
Thank you so much for this giveaway! I haven’t read any young adult Jane Austen spin-offs and this sounds like a good one to start with. (I’ll also have to go pick up Pride and Popularity!)
Hi Kate, I’ve read quite a few YA Jane Austen spin-offs, Pride and Popularity by Jenni James is without a doubt my favorite!
This unique book would be enjoyable. Thanks.
Good luck in the giveaway!
Darling book, it sounds like! I love the whole idea. Also a great cover that’s sure to attract lots of YAs to the party. I’d love to review this one since there aren’t many of its kind out there. I’ve followed Jenni on facebook and I’m off to check out her web/blog. Thanks for sponsoring this giveaway! Btw, I love your blog. I’m trying to have mine rehauled, so it’s nice to see others that are beautiful and functioning so well. Keep up the good work! Deborah/TheBookishDame
http://abookishlibraria.blogspot.com
PS: Stop by and enter into some of my “For the Love of Miss Austen: A Janeite Valentine’s Week Giveaway Extravaganza” review specials. The giveaways are still running! :]
Hi Deb! I love the covers for this series! Thank you for your kind words about my blog! Thank you for the invite! I’d be happy to check out your special Jane Austen week!
Thank you again Meredith! Eeep. Okay. So, if you’re not into my lighthearted comedy ‘teen’ whirlwind romance as much… you’re going to LOVE Persuaded! It’s my favorite. Though Northanger Alibi is definitely my funniest. It took me three weeks to write it, I was laughing so hard. Ack. I don’t know. I love them all. 😀 (ooh, then later this year they’re thinking of releasing Emmalee! My Mr Knightly is Taylor Anderson’s (from Pride & Popularity) older brother. *grins* He’s so amazing too. i can’t wait. I can’t wait! 😀
Jenni James
Hi Jenni! Now you have me DYING to read Persuaded and Emmalee! They sound fantastic! Three weeks?!? That is extremely impressive! Best of luck with all your new releases!
Thanks for the giveaway, I would love to read this!
bookreviewclub.blogspot.com
Hi Krista! Thanks for stopping by! Best of luck!
I Nhave read a number of Jane Austen re-tellings and some IO have enjoyed and others not. I haven’t read the author’s earlier book but I would be willing to give this one a try.
Thanks for the giveaway and please enter me for the International copy.
Carol T
+1 I follow Jenni’s blog via GFC as buddyt
With so much Austenesque literature out there, it is okay to be discerning and selective. That’s why I like to give ratings with my reviews! Best of luck in the giveaway!
I d like to enter for the international giveaway, a revisted with a new sort of cathrien morland might be enjoying
janida4junpyo@yahoo.fr
follow on GFC as raina
Hi Raina! I love Catherine Morland, and Claire captures her essence perfectly!
I love the logline – Jane Austen meets Stephenie Meyeer! I’d love to read this book.
I think you would greatly enjoy it, Margay! Best of luck!
I haven’t read Twilight, either, but look forward to enjoying this book! Thanks for the give away! 🙂 Denise
It is comforting to hear I’m not the only person who hasn’t read Twilight! LOL! Best of luck, Denise!
I have seen Twilight movie but not read the book. I’ll give this book a try since you give it a 4-star rating. So please enter me as international.
I follow Jenni James’ blog via GFC. But I can’t seem to ‘like’ her FB page. It only shows add her as friend.
I think Jenni’s a fantastic author, and this series is something that should be on every Austenesque reader’s shelf. I just happened to like her first book more than this one. But I can’t wait to read her third book! Thanks for entering, Sylvia!
Sounds like a really fun adaptation. Thank you for the giveaway!
follow on blog
follow on facebook
(Canada)
Thanks for stopping by, Margaret! Best of luck in the giveaway!
This book sounds like so much fun! I too have never read Twilight and never saw any of the movies! Shocking!:) I loved Pride and Popularity and this one sounds good too! Thanks for the giveaway ladies!
*I also follow Jenni’s Blog.
LOL! Kelli – I’m in the same boat as you! I knew enough about Twilight to catch most of the references, but I’m sure there was some I missed! Best of luck in the giveaway!
I am so looking forward to Persuaded.
Oh me too! I love the tone of this series. Jenni does a great job of modernizing Jane Austen!
This is definately on my TBR list!! Thank you for the giveaway!
Best of luck, Becky!
Loved the first one! Please enter me for this one.