Austenland by Shannon Hale

I know it. I've been very lax in my updating of this blog. But I don't know if anyone actually reads this so I'm not too torn up about it. However... I do want to keep track of my own reading and what I think about each book. That bookshelf thing on facebook only goes so far.. haha.



ANYWAYS.

Austenland by Shannon Hale.



Freaking. awesome.

The writing style was awesome. Not distracting in the least. It was light and humorous. Great chick lit! I told Kate it was my perfect "guilty pleasure" book but she asked me what was guilty about it. Haha. I guess nothing. :) It was the cutest, most original romance I've read in awhile. And the main character, Jane Hayes, is in her thirties, I believe. The hero of the book [Henry] was the perfect Mr.-Darcy-but-not. It is about Jane's distant [rich] aunt dying and leaving her a nonrefundable three-week trip to Austenland in England. They take away your electronics [though Jane kept her cell phone] and you dress in authentic Regency era clothes [undergarmets, corset and all] and live in a Regency-era manor with paid actors and several other guests. At the end of the visit there is a ball. If you want to read it I don't want to spoil the rest. :)

But the mention of all of Jane's past boyfriends is hilarious. Jane's narrative voice is funny and so very down-to-earth as she struggles with her obsession with Mr. Darcy.



Rating: 10 of 10 stars.