Book Review: The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner

Author: Natalie Jenner

Title: The Jane Austen Society

Series: Jane Austen Society #1

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Format: Paperback

Pages: 304

Published: May 26, 2020

Where I got It: My Shelf (Gift)

Summary: 

Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.

One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England's finest novelists. Now it's home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen's legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen's home and her legacy. These people—a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others—could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society.

Review:

I love Jane Austen and a lot of her books, so I've been excited to check this out. 

It is just after WWII, and an unusual but like-minded group of people team up to protect Jane Austen's legacy. Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, but, sadly, it is a diminishing estate that needs work to preserve. 

I am feeling tired, so we'll divide and conquer this review (it's been a min since we used this format!):

The Good

- I liked our array of characters. They were different and interesting. 

- Loved how the author brought this time period and town alive. 

- Some nice banter between some of the characters

- Liked the splash of 'Persuasion'. Literally my fave of JA's works. 

The Bad and the Ugly

- Some areas seemed to drag on and on. I would catch my attention slipping sometimes. 

- It took me eons to finish this guy. I would walk away from it for a couple of days and forget about it. I would have to go back and reread the last page or two just to remember what had just happened. 

- Some spots were….I hate to use this word…..dull. 

Conclusion

Maybe I should try the audio version of this story. Richard Armitage does a rendition and I lovvvveeeeee his voice. So...yeah. Maybe I'll try this again. I wanted to love this, but didn't. It was just alright. Some good banter and interesting characters. But some areas? Dull. 

2 stars from me. 

Book Review: The Spider Silk Scarf by Ana Reyes

Author: Ana Reyes

Title: The Spider Silk Scarf

Genre: Fantasy, Short Story, Thriller, Horror

Format: ebook

Pages: 32

Expected publication September 1, 2026

Where I got It: My Shelf (Amazon)

Summary: 

Nora has always gotten a thrill from stealing things—from shoplifting nail polish as a young teenager to now, in her twenties, reaching higher than a receptionist’s salary allows. Her handyman fiancé, Ben, doesn’t ask questions when she shows up with a new necklace or cracks open a bottle of high-end cognac that they clearly can’t afford.

When Ben comes home from a repair job for a notoriously reclusive neighbor, he passes along rumors of an extraordinary object hidden away in her gloomy old house. A scarf, woven from the silk of black widow spiders. It’s priceless, not only because it’s completely unique, but also because, as legend has it, it took twelve weavers seven years to create. Only eleven survived.

As obsession takes hold, Nora finds herself breaking into her neighbor’s home. But what happens next defies explanation. One glimpse into the world of a witch could change Nora’s life forever—if she makes it out.

Review:

Weeeee Amazon first read! A friend and I both picked this to check out. How could you not? That title....that cover....that summary???? So enticing!

In this story, we follow Nora. Nora has always gotten a thrill from stealing. Ben, her future husband, never bats an eye when Nora shows up with things that are way out of their price range. After doing a job for a reclusive neighbor, he passes along a rumor of an extraordinary object in the neighbor's house. It's a priceless scarf, and Nora wants it. It's a scarf that is woven from the silk of black widow spiders. However, there is a legend attached to it....there were twelve weavers, but only eleven survived. After breaking into the neighbor's house to steal the scarf, Nora will come face-to-face with the unexplainable. 

Oh Nora....you have a problem. And if Ben doesn't know...he's dumb. All the signs are there. I guess love is blind? SMH. 

It's hard to feel for our main here, but I still enjoyed the story. There is a lesson mixed in with the story. Maybe multiple lessons, to be fair. 

This would be a lovely short to read during Halloween. Maybe I'll read it again in a couple of years! It has some spooky elements for sure. 

The ending was good. A nice twist. 

Overall, this was a quick read but a nice read. It was just enough. The characters are hard to feel bad for, but not all stories have characters that are likeable!

4 stars. 

Blodeuedd's Monday: Flawless by Elsie Silver

Series: Chestnut Springs (#1)

Format: 378 pages, Paperback

Published: August 29, 2023 by Bloom Books

Contemporary romance/own

Cowboy romance, hey I love it. But it also got me thinking, I have seen people lately complain about 3rd person, and this was 1st person and well I prefer 3rd, it makes me one step away. Which is good when it gets really down and dirty.

Rhett is a bullrider who gets in trouble as he says bad things about his sponsor. So he gets a babysitter named Summer, who is also the daughter of his PR agent. Don't get to close!

But ovbi they get really close. First they dislike each other, but then feelings grow and maybe this could work after all. Insert drama!

I enjoyed it. I will read more

The rules were simple: keep his hands off his agent's daughter and stay out of trouble. But now he's stuck with her. There's only one bed. And well, rules are made to be broken.

Rhett Eaton is the face of professional bull riding. The golden boy. Or at least he was until it all blew up in his face after a public brawl. Now his agent says he has to clean up his image, and sticks Rhett with his ball-busting daughter for the rest of the season as "full-time supervision."

But Rhett doesn't need a goddamn babysitter--especially one with skin-tight jeans, a sexy smirk, and a mouth she can't stop running.

And he quickly learns that Summer Hamilton isn't just another conquest. She sees the man behind the mask, and she doesn't run--she pulls him closer, even when she shouldn't.

She says this means nothing. Rhett says this means everything.

She says there are boundaries they shouldn't cross. That Rhett's reputation can't take any more hits...and neither can her damaged heart.

Rhett says he's going to steal it anyway.

Audiobook Review: A Tale of Faerie by Dina Gregory

Author: Dina Gregory

Narrator: Holli Dempsey

Title: A Tale of Faerie

Genre: Fiction, Short story, Fantasy

Format: Audiobook 

Published: May 22, 2020

Where I Got It: Audible

Summary: 

When Jasmine moves to an old cottage in the countryside, nothing goes right. She itches at night, keeps losing small things or finds them in odd places. Only after an encounter with the famous neighbour do things magically improve for Jasmine.

This Devonshire story puts the fairy in fairytale.

Review:

Going through a few shorts since my attention span has been little to nothing the last couple of weeks. The cover of this little gem and the title caught my eye for sure. 

Here we follow little Jasmine, who is forced to move to an old cottage in the countryside with her family. She itches at night, keeps losing things, finds things in weird places, and she feels like she is being watched. After an encounter with her famous neighbor, maybe...just maybe things will improve. 

This was short and whimsical. Gotta love the fae.

I wish we had more interaction with the fantasy element of the story, but it was sweet. 

The narrator was lovely and fit. 

4 stars. Def a nice listen if you need something quick while you work outside or craft. 

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #34