48 comments

1. Because of my OMAZEing trip to England, the release of “The Darcy Monologues” and then jumping right back into editing projects, I have read not one of these books besides our anthology. Inconceivable, I know. But there it is. I will make every effort to add a few to my summer reading! And thank you so much for reading the collection at the beach, reading to review, and for all your affection shared out for #TheDarcyMonologues. So very happy you loved it so well. Many thanks.

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   1. I can only imagine, Christina! What an amazing trip you had! 🙂 Hope you get to indulge in summer reading soon! 😉 I was so happy to take part in the lovely celebration for The Darcy Monologues! I am so thankful for all the work everyone did to make it possible!!

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2. Does anyone know, are most “Austenesque” novels or Austenalia self-published?

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   1. I think most on this list are. Ones I know that are not self-published are: Jane Austen: The Secret Radical, Jane Austen’s England, The Jane Austen Project, The Jane Austen Treasury, The Making of Jane Austen, and The Jane Austen Marriage Manual. There might be others though. 🙂

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3. While I love these lists, I get so frustrated because there is no way to keep up! I remember when I read every JAFF book written. I do make a point of reading those that you give 5 stars though. 🙂

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   1. LOL! I kinda of something have a love-hate relationship with them too! I remember those days where I thought I would eventually read every book published…now I know there is no way that would be possible!

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4. Holy smokes! Seventy-six in one month. Wowza! In May, I’ve read 6 1/3 and have another I’ll start and finish today. You know, Meredith, I like to think I keep up with JAFF and each month when you post your list I’m always surprised at how many you find that I’ve missed. Amazing! Thank you for your hard work and diligence, my friend. (Can you believe it’s practically June already? That shocks me too.)

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   1. I know! I think this is the new record! There are definitely some books and authors that keep a low profile, I’m glad I can help bring them to everyone’s attention! 😉

      I’m in shock with how fast May went! Hopefully summer won’t go as fast!

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5. I enjoyed The Jane Austen Project and more so Seeking Mansfield. I’m enjoying Darcy Darcy Darcy Monologues. And I hated Secret Radical. Grrrrr….her comments about Mr Knightley are not to be borne. Are the shades of Donwell??? Please see John Mullan’s review for rational comments.

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   1. Yay! Glad to hear that, Kirk! Oh no they didn’t!! I adore Mr. Knightley! I am curious to hear what you are referring to! LOL! I do love your Lady C-like exclamations!

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      1. Sorry the delay in responding! I received emails of other comments but not your reply….unless it’s part of one of the notices….anyway…here’s my Goodreads review with the important review in the middle to end! Yes, more channeling Lady C…this book is banned in Austen in Boston(AiB)!!!(TMI warning: I like to think of myself as a mostly fair bookclub adm except for a Catherine Morland laundry list of exceptions, such as slights to Mr K, Marianne, and Jane Bennet(sidebar #7557 A somewhat “difficult” male I know from JASNA-MA actually said at AiB’s P&P discussion “Is Jane Bennet really that good?” Luckily for me, AiB’s wisest member grabbed my arm before I challenged him to a dual on the spot!!!!!)) Hmmppp!!!!

         From Goodreads:
         Her comments about Mr Knightley are ludicrous!!!!(Dept of Disclaimers: Mr Knightley is my favorite Austen hero) And I’m not talking about those old boring trite age/closeness of family things that I’ve fought against repeatedly and written about.

         From John Mullan’s review of the book(https://www.theguardian.com/books/201…) from the Guardian:

         “As elsewhere in the book, however, Kelly’s eagerness to find a politically critical subtext leads her to ignore the narrative logic of the fiction. Few are likely to be convinced that Austen depicts Mr Knightley as a ruthless encloser of common land, “blind” to and “inconsiderate” of the concerns of poorer villagers. Doesn’t the plot turn on his pained understanding of the exact situation of the relatively impoverished Miss Bates? And can he really be convicted as a “Marie Antoinette” of the home counties because he invites all the main characters to a strawberry-picking party (forced on him by the ghastly Mrs Elton)?”

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         1. Wow! I read the rest of the review and it definitely sounds like a book I would end up feeling a lot of frustration and indignation over! I appreciate you sharing all your thoughts! Her suppositions about Colonel Brandon and Harriet Smith are awful! How can anyone think that!

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6. Very comprehensive list. Actually read an excerpt of Jane Austen, The Secret Radical — looking forward to that one!

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   1. Great! 🙂 So many books to choose from this month!

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7. Awesome!, I have no words LOL.
   All I can say is that I haven´t read any (shame!) but there´s one which caught my eye: “Tide and Prejudice”. Now we have Lizzy turned into a mermaid so here it is the problem with this famous couple. One is a man and the other a mermaid, no matter the plot, it seems that always Lizzy and Darcy belong to different social circles!
   Thanks for keeping us up to date, Meredith!

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   1. I usually haven’t read any by the end of the month, this is my first time having 3 books read! I liked the look of Tide and Prejudice too! Cute title!

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8. Wow! What a list. OMG! There is not enough time… I’ve read a few, have a few on my TBR pile and several on my wish list. A couple of the choices… I’m stalking their authors on the blog tours shamelessly attempting to win a beloved copy. Yeah, it’s that bad. Thanks to you Meredith and your Mr. Bingley for all the hard work you do for us. It is VERY much appreciated. Blessings my friends. JWG

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   1. LOL! You are so cute, Jeanne! I think authors like that kind of stalking! 😉 Hope you enjoy a lot of wonderful reads this month, my friend! 🙂

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9. Could I just put a little addition to the list: Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley. It’s a biography. I’m half way through it and it’s an excellent read.

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   1. Hi Teresa! Thanks so much, I see that the book isn’t released in the US yet (amazon says July). So I’ll probably include it on that list unless I see it comes out earlier. I’m guessing it released earlier in the UK? You guys always get everything first! 😉 So glad to hear you are enjoying it!

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10. Wow, even listing the avalanche of short works! I don’t know how you do it. Am loving the cover of Death Comes to Netherfield; might need to buy that one just on the strength of it.

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    1. LOL! It is striking, isn’t it? There are quite a few interesting covers in this bunch, some that definitely make you want to give the book a second look!

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11. Thank you Meredith! I have read one so far ‘The Darcy Monologues’ and absolutely love, love, love it! I have maybe a dozen on this list that I hope to read, especially Abigail Reynolds’ book. Then ‘Christy Chapps’ , The Austen Project, Leenie Brown, and Jann Rowland to name a few.

    I started getting a bit overwhelmed with how many there are and not being able to keep up. I decided to take a step back and read those authors I absolutely love and who care for their subjects and their writing. Just to pound a story out and not be careful with the editing and the storyline is just not worth my time or money.

    It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there and I admire first time authors who do it. Thank you for listening to my rant.

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    1. I like the triple love you gave The Darcy Monologues, and I agree with it! 😉 Yes, some great choices from familiar authors on this list!

       There is nothing wrong with being a little more selective. I’ve come to feel the same way as you. I definitely gravitate more towards reading authors that I know and have read before. I’ll still read books from new authors, but I’ll read some sample chapters first. Our reading time is valuable! 😉

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12. I have read Chaos Comes to Kent, The Darcy Monologues, A More Gentlemanlike Manner, Conceit & Concealment, For Pemberley and Modern Persuasion…not that many considering how many were published. As always, Meredith, Thank you for your lists and the hard work you put into gathering and posting them. I do not read books with “sensual” or “intimate” in the title as I have found them to be not much more that scenes with graphic details about sexual relations…some even before marriage. While some MA books are well written those with those words in the titles that I listed I found to have little else.in the titles that I listed I found to have little else.

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    1. That’s a great number still, Sheila! While there are quite a few that say that in the title, there still are many that do not. So at least there are still plenty of options! 😀 I haven’t read any that have those words in the title. I don’t mind sensual or intimate scenes, but I don’t want the plot of the story to be just that… 😉

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13. Ignore my repeats at the end. I find these comment section will erase letters as you attempt to enter a correction and so copied but didn’t erase the lines fully before posting…sorry.

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14. Oh dear Meredith I have only read The Darcy Monologues of these. I do have several more on my wish list. Thank you so much for listing most of the really short ones separately so I don’t have to check them out.
    I mentioned my list and have added a few of these while reading the book blurb.
    I just have a few more to check.
    I wish I had taught myself to speed read as I also have a lot of books TBR. As it is I tend to ‘re read paragraphs as I am reading which can make it quite a slow process. Then of course I have to ‘re read favourite books regularly.
    Thanks for sharing this list

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    1. I thought I would try something new with the lists. Glad you liked it, Glynis! Anything in the short list is around or under 50 pages. I’m a slow reader, myself! How great it would be to read one or two books a day! 😉

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    2. Loved your comments, Glynis! 🙂 Especially the ones regarding rereading certain paragraphs (over and over until I tell myself, ‘Just highlight it, silly.) And the rereading favorites!!! Yes, Ma’am.

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       1. Yes, well Michelle, being a complete technophobe I haven’t yet learnt how to highlight (hence the length of time it takes me to read books on my kindle)
          But I do the same with my paperback copies so no excuses there (although I do have several bookmarks which can come in useful, however I find they don’t work with my kindle

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15. Oh and I have read Christie Capps For Pemberley. Loved that as well as TDM and posted my reviews.

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    1. Awesome! 🙂

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16. lots of great reads

    denise

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    1. Indeed! 🙂

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17. I’m in awe! So many talented authors and so many to choose from. So far, I’ve only read three from your list this month, and considering it’s almost June 1, I guess I’m way behind. Thanks as always for promoting the authors and feeding our addiction with your recommendations and suggestions. Happy Reading to you, Meredith! Jen Red

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    1. I wouldn’t say that you are behind! 😉 You do a lot each month, plus you are writing your own story! Hope you enjoy your reads for June! 🙂

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18. What a lovely list!! I had the privilege of proofreading Abigail Reynolds’ Conceit and Concealment, and it’s brilliant!! It’s definitely one of the best Austen variations I’ve yet read, and I’ve read close to 500. 😉

    I definitely want to read many, many of the books on this list!! Summer’s the time to do so…as soon as I finish teaching Macbeth online and grading the resulting essays. 😉

    Thank you for compiling this extensive list–with covers!!–for us, Meredith. That was a lot of work–yikes!!

    Warmly,
    Susanne 🙂

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    1. YAY! I’m so excited to hear your praise! Sounds like a book I need to get my hands on! 😉 That’s awesome that you taught Macbeth, I love reading Shakespeare, I still need to read so many more of his works!

       Yes to reading over the summer! I’m hoping to read a lot of books myself! 😉

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19. I’ve read nineteen or twenty. . .I lost count. Fortunately, there are some very good books on this lengthy list, but most of them are so sensual, it’s difficult for me to consider them Austenesque. There’s a great difference between a story with some sex and sex with some story. Most of the quality books, in whatever genre, fall into the first category. I’m disappointed to see the reputation of the JAFF stories being tarnished by falling so deeply into the literary cesspool of the latter. This factor has long given romance stories their worthless reputation.

    I certainly appreciate your providing a monthly list. As much as I search Amazon for new releases, I’m amazed this month to find so very many I’ve not heard of before. However, considering their disrespect for Jane, I probably won’t meet them even now.:)

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    1. Oh, Amen Betty.

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    2. “There’s a great difference between a story with some sex and sex with some story.” – Great way to explain it, Betty. I’m hoping that even though many stories are published as you said with more sex than story, that the authors that don’t write those kinds of stories keep publishing their works so we will continue to have stories of substance, good quality, and in true homage to Jane Austen. Your monthly reads amaze me!! I want to be like you! 😉

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20. Here I go again, thanking you ever so much for all your much appreciated efforts, Meredith! What a list. I actually went back and counted how many JAFF books I read last month…I don’t keep a running count…and I read five, started another. Three from that list were rereads. I started a Joy Dawn King binge going this month, as I had this nice little stockpile of them when I hit a jackpot of a sale some time ago, but hadn’t known where to start with all that wealth staring me in the face. I shouldn’t have waited!!!

    I purchased five new ones, but none of them from this newest list. There are a bit more than a handful from this month’s list I’ll definitely get on my wish list if they aren’t there already.

    There are so many great comments to your May List, Meredith, that I could just copy and paste about half a dozen. So I won’t. And I’ll save a repeat of my own previous rant for some other day, but there was one subject that shared the same sentiment between multiple comments above.

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    1. You are so kind, Michelle! I love hear from you! 🙂 What an excellent binge to do!! I’m working on catching up to her! I have one read left that she published that I haven’t read! I’ve so enjoyed all her works and am glad she continues to write more and more!

       I enjoy everyone’s comments, even if they are rants! 😉 I think many of us are of the same mind and I enjoy when everyone shares their opinions.

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21. Wow! I have Seeking Mansfield waiting on my shelf, thanks to your review, Meredith! I also hope to read the Darcy Monologues. Since I read a lot in other genres and subgenres, I long ago gave up trying to keep up with so many titles of Austenesque. Thanks for your work in letting us know what’s there! Happy June!

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    1. Awesome, Reina! I hope you enjoy them both as much as I did! 🙂 Happy June to you!

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22. Wow, 76? No way can we all keep up with those! Not read a single one yet, though several are on my TBR list. May was a bit of a slow reading month for me, though I have also read a couple yet to be published, which I expect will be on your June list

    Interesting how just about all of the short works have sensual or intimate in the title. Not so keen on those, where it seems that what passes for a plot is just there to link the sex scenes. That’s my experience of them, anyway, having read a few that I obtained as freebies. So glad I didn’t spend real money!

    Thanks for all your hard work again!

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23. We so many books already published I have decided to stop reading the Elizabeth/Darcy stories and read ones based on the minor characters of P&P, and read stories based on the other books. That way I feel I will make some headway in my to read/buy list.

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