Oh my! Did July even happen?!? I feel like I was just treading water all month long. We had a very big event at our music studio this past Saturday and preparing and organizing it all kept me a good deal busier than I anticipated! I’m looking forward to things feeling a little slower and more relaxed in August!
What have I been up to besides work? I’ve attended a good number of Mr. Bingley’s gigs (I love hearing him play!)
and I got myself to the beach maybe 2-3 times (that number should be way higher considering I live 15 minutes from the beach!)
But honestly, that is about it! This month was just too fast! Even reading and blogging time was scarce, which is terrible! How was your month? Hopefully it felt less manic than mine!
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Want to know what Austenesque fun I’m getting into this month?
…here is what’s on this month’s
Austenesque Agenda:
~ TO REVIEW ~
~ TO READ AND REVIEW ~
~ YOU CHOOSE! ~
Jane Gillespie!
I love Austenesque books that are rare and obscure and I’ve always been drawn to Jane Gillespie’s Austenesque novels – they are all over 20 years old, out-of-print, have very few reviews, and are often about Jane Austen’s minor characters or the next generation. I’ve read several of her books but don’t have any reviews of them since they were read pre-blog. I’ve acquired a few more of her books (she has about 8 in all I think) and I’m eager to read and review one of them here on my blog.
But which one should it be? Ladysmead (about Mrs. Norris and Maria), Uninvited Guests (about Captain Frederick Tilney and John Thorpe), or Deborah (about Anne de Bourgh)? To vote, comment below!
~ FEATURED AUTHORS VISITING THIS MONTH ~
Lory Lilian – August 17th
Jeanna Ellsworth –August 22nd
Woot woot for August!!! I’m very excited for this month!
How about you?
Hi Meredith, I am off to Norway this month. We are going to do some hiking and general sightseeing. Have never been to Norway before but the scenery is fantastic so can’t wait to go. Can’t wait for your interview with Lory as she is one of my favourite Jaff writers so looking forward to that. Also last night I just started to read The Rainbow Promise. I choose Deborah as intrigued about what she would write about Anne de Bourgh!
Michelle, that sounds like a fantastic trip! Hope you have so much fun! 🙂 I can’t wait to read The Rainbow Promise, want to reread Rainy Days first though! 🙂
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 0 / UG – 0 / D – 1
Always love seeing personal photos. I read Venetia recently and loved it. Voting for Uninvited Guests. I did read three out of the four books pictured but have not read Hope for Fitzwilliam.
Yay! I’m glad to hear you loved Venetia! I’ve heard good things about it! 🙂
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 0 / UG – 1 / D – 1
Great Pics. Some I’ve read and some I haven’t even heard of. So … Thanks as always and looking forward to your reviews. Jen Red ♫
Thank you, Jennifer! Hope you are enjoying a great month!
I have the abridged version of Venetia as narrated by Richard Armitage that I have yet to listen to. Maybe this month I will do do. Excellent lineup, Meredith. Let’s see. Of the three my choice would be Ladysmead. Happy month to you!
ooh! That sounds lovely, Joy! 🙂 Hope you enjoy a happy month as well!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 1 / UG – 1 / D – 1
Summer is going by in a blink.
I know! It needs to slow down!!!
Happy peaceful August to you!! Voting for Deborah! July had a trip to the summer home of my local symphony orchestra. Three great pieces by three of my favorite composers… plus a bit of an encore of a great work. And it’s online for while.
Thank you, Kirk! That sounds like a lovely trip to take! I’m curious to learn who your favorite composers are! 🙂
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 1 / UG – 1 / D – 2
Thanks for asking about the composers!!!!(you might be sorry about that….) The concert consisted of Ralph Vaughan Williams(#1) (the sublime Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis), Dvorak Violin Concerto(Dvorak is certainly in the top five) and bit of New World as encore, and Sibelius 5th Sym. Sibelius is 3rd favorite after Beethoven…who used to be #1 but RVW has ascended like the beloved Lark Ascending and it’s “stringy goodness”(RVW late 2nd wife allowed various works RVW withdrew to be performed towards the end of her life, a few of which I really love). Fun Fact….Lark Ascending is based on a poem by George Meredith….who lived and passed on…Box Hill! Yes, that Box Hill(making the Austen connection!). I didn’t know that when I visited Box Hill 5 yrs ago. But….RVW grew up 6 miles away at Leith Hill, which I believe I saw in the distance. How about you? 🙂
Love the personal photos! As usual I am at home trying to write. 🙂 I look forward to your reviews/interviews and have to say that Lory Lillian’s stories were some of the first I read in JAFF and are among the ones that made me want to write. I love all her tales and Jeanna Ellsworth is a favorite, too, so I am looking forward to hearing from them. As for the choice, I think Deborah would be fun!
Thank you, Brenda! Love to hear that you are writing!!! Hope your muse is treating you well! 😉 That is wonderful to hear you found Lory’s stories so inspiring! I can easily understand that!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 1 / UG – 1 / D – 3
I’d vote for Deborah–always appreciate a good Anne De Bourgh story! And I don’t think I could abide being in the same room as Mrs. Norris and Maria Rushworth for the space of a novel. Ditto Frederick Tilney and John Thorpe, though I’ve heard good things about that book. (Well, maybe if they accidentally ruined each other’s reputation . . . okay, there are possibilities.) Wishing you a less hectic August!
LOL! When I was typing up the main characters for each story I had to chuckle – they are everyone’s least favorite characters from those stories! But still, I’m curious…is there any hope for them? Thank you, Abigail! Hoping you enjoy a lovely August!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 1 / UG – 1 / D – 4
Hi Meredith!
July was a busy month for me too! And it was hot which made me feel tired while going to work but well, I can’t complain very much because this July had some stormy weather which was refreshing! . And now I’m on holidays!. I see you had a “musical” July and Mr Bingley enjoying with the band. It’s a fun way of enjoying summer time 🙂
It’s fantastic to read novels by the sea, I always tell you LOL!. And I see you have another Georgette Heyer book (as usual in Augoust! ), “Venetia”. I’ m looking forward to reading your review because my mom has this novel and I haven’t read it yet and I want to know your opinion. I’m looking forward to reading your review of “Edenbrooke” too, it sounds so beautiful!
Seeing the books to choose, I vote for “uninvited guests”. Keep enjoying Summer and I wish you a slow and happy Augoust; )
Yay for being on holidays, Teresa!!! I hope you are enjoying your time off! Yes, you are right! July was very musical! More musical than literary! 😉 I’m excited – I think this will be my 9th Heyer story and you can look for my review on August 15 (day before our birthdays!)
Oh! I just read Edenbrooke yesterday (all in one day!) can’t wait to share my review with you!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 1 / UG – 2 / D – 4
July? We had a July in this year? *looks around for the missing month* The last month I clearly remember was April. I must be in a different time zone. 🙂 My choice for your review is Ladysmead. I dearly love the judgmental chatterbox that is Mrs. Norris. And Maria, well any info regarding her would be greatly appreciated. My runner-up choice (just like the Miss America pageant — the one who will fill in if the first choice is unable to perform its duties) is Uninvited Guests — again because it is about one of my favorite chatterboxes, John Thorpe.
HAhaha! Yes! I can relate, Jan! 😉 I love your choices and your reasons for them! I quite agree! While Mrs. Norris and John Thorpe are loathsome and irritating, they do provide a good deal of entertainment! 😉
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 2 / UG – 2 / D – 4
I like the sound of Uninvited Guests Meredith. Would like to read it myself. I hope you enjoy Edenbrooke. I loved it and would highly recommend it.
I did love Edenbrooke! Wow! The recommendations from everyone are spot on! 🙂
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 2 / UG – 3 / D – 4
Hi there, Meredith! Things are really busy with me too. You have an ambitious lineup for August. I think you will love ‘Venetia’, which many people would say is GH’s best novel. For your reader choice, I’d be interested to see what you think of any of them, but since I have to choose one I’ll go for ‘Ladysmead’. Happy reading, my friend!
I’m real glad to hear such praise for Venetia! Can’t wait to read it! 😉 I’m looking forward to more reading time this month (hence the ambitious list!) Hope your summer is treating you well!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 3 / UG – 3 / D – 4
Busy here as well. It flew by. Just got home from Kauai. I reread a Heyer novel – the grand sophy. Just so much fun. Since I read ladysmead I pick uninvited guest. “Hope for fitzwlilliam” looks good. I’m only going by the title and cover.
Ooh! That is one of the places we want to go! How fun, Suzan! 🙂 Heyer novels are so much fun – and Sophy is a whirlwind!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 3 / UG – 4 / D – 4
I don’t have any plans for August except to finish crocheting a cot blanket for my youngest grandson in Australia as his older brother still lives the one I made him even though he’s now in a bed. Then I have to make two pram blankets for my twin grandsons due in October. I can’t wait for your interview with Lory as I love her books. I have just re-read Rainbow Promise again and am about to re-read His Uncle’s Favourite again. You will love Miss Darcy’s Companion as well and Venetia which I have read many many times is another favourite. I vote for Deborah as anything P&P related has to be favourite. Happy reading
Those are some lovely plans! How exciting about the twin grandsons!!! Oh my goodness! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed Rainbow Promise so much you reread it and Miss Darcy’s Companion and Venetia are some of your favorites! 🙂
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 3 / UG – 4 / D – 5
Hope August is more relaxing (but it looks like July was fun)! Looking forward especially to your Edenbrooke review. It feels like it’s been a busy summer, but mostly I’ve just been reading, writing, and rewriting–and spending lots of time with my sons! Happy August!
That sounds like a wonderful way to spend your summer, Reina! I’m hoping I can say that I did a lot of reading in August! 🙂
I got the same feeling about July, Meredith, and looks like August is going to go in a flash too (it’s like that during school hols). Lovely to see Miss D’s Companion on your August TBR list along with all those gorgeous books! I loved Laura’s and Jeanna’s (haven’t read Hope for Fitzwilliam yet but it’s bound to be fab) and your review for Edenbrooke makes me want to go shopping! I haven’t read Venetia either but oh my, I’d love to get that abridged version Joy was talking about!! Can’t imagine anything better than Georgette Heyer read by Richard Armitage (except perhaps Jane Austen read by Colin Firth 🙂 )
Have a great summer and my vote goes to Uninvited Guests, I’d love to hear what those rogues are up to!
I’ve thoroughly been enjoying your book these past two days, Joana! So glad I finally got to see what happened after Lord Fenton’s attack! 😉 I think you will love Edenbrooke as much as I did, my friend! It is beautifully romantic, just like your stories! 🙂
Hope you are enjoying the summer season!!!
Thanks for voting! 🙂 LM – 3 / UG – 5 / D – 5 A tie!!