On lonely books

It's simply beautiful how each book can invoke different emotions within readers. One that I feel is more difficult to capture (and pass on to readers) is loneliness - it's a complicated emotions and everyone experiences is slightly differently. However, here are some books that capture it really well.

• The Gunslinger by Stephen King - This book is full of Roland's first adventures and his solo journey towards the Dark Tower. He meets few people and these interactions never go well for him. It's a sad and long (and lonely) journey.

• The Road by Cormac McCarthy - Two people traveling down the road - that's basically the plot of this book. It's slow, it's sad, and it's a very quiet and lonely story.

• Persuasion by Jane Austen - So much of Anne Elliott's life is being pushed into the background and forgotten about. This book follows a very lonely and sad protagonist who finds happiness - it's the perfect book for a sad beginning and a satisfying happy ending.

• My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George - An old children's classic, this book follows a boy who runs away to the wilderness and the adventures he has living on his own.

What other books capture loneliness well? Have you read and enjoyed anything from this list?

On the best Jane Austen retellings

Having been raised by a huge Jane Austen fan, I found that I couldn’t escape Austenitis. I’m obsessed, though not quite to an Austenland degree. But Austen retellings are something that I can’t seem to resist and something that I have very strong feelings about. So here are a few retellings I’ve read with some strong suggestions about whether or not you should give it a try.

• For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund - This YA fantasy take on Austen’s Persuasion is wonderfully exciting and heartbreaking. While a lot of Anne Elliot’s maturity and patience is shown differently (it is a YA novel, after all), this book still does a fantastic job portraying our lovers and their conflict.
• Jane Austen Heroes series by Amanda Grange - These are quick reads that show each Jane Austen novel from the heroes’ perspective. While they aren’t anything new or crazy, it’s a fun way to see what the hero could have been thinking and a way to reread the beloved Austen books while still adding a new book to your Goodreads.
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith - I LOVED THIS BOOK (though the movie was disappointing). I would only recommend this to zombie and horror lovers - this takes our beloved Austen books and adds a strange twist to them. Overall, I was impressed with how true to the original P&P Grahame-Smith was and how fun the addition of zombies made it. It’s an awesome book that’s worth reading, if only to say that you’ve read it.
• Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman - This YA novel isn’t a straight retelling, but it’s a funny and fantastic look at a couple teenage girls who become obsessed with Jane Austen’s stories. It’s a quick and easy read and a fun way to introduce YA readers to Austen.

Looking for more Austen retellings? This Goodreads list has a bunch to pick from. What are your favorite Austen retellings? What retellings do you want to see more of?

On bookish yarn projects #4

The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.

This darling little figure is a perfect likeness of Jane Austen. She’s full of wit, optimism, and plenty of stuffing. You too can crochet your own Jane Austen with this cheap pattern and the two of you can enjoy muddy walks to Netherfield, gossip about your sister’s newest love interest, or a warm fire and a good novel.