Imperfect Bliss by Susan Fales-Hill

Jane Austen meets the Bachelorette in this twenty-first-century comedy of manners about a suburban family, their four eligible daughters, and what happens when reality TV comes to town.With her acclaimed first novel, One Flight Up, author Susan Fales-Hill is on a roll, already leaving her chick-lit predecessors “in the dust,” as the New York Post put it. Now, in Imperfect Bliss, she offers up a hilarious take on genteel family life with a cast of irresistibly eccentric characters. Meet the Harcourts of Chevy Chase, Maryland. A respectable middle class, middle-aged, mixed-race couple, Harold and Forsythia have four eminently marriageable daughters—or so their mother believes. Forsythia named her girls after Windsor royals in the hopes that one day each would find her true prince. But princes are far from the mind of their second-born daughter, Elizabeth (AKA Bliss), who, in the aftermath of a messy divorce, has moved back home and thrown herself into earning her Ph.D. All that changes when a Bachelorette-style reality television show called The Virgin takes Bliss’s younger sister, Diana, as its star. Though she fights it at first, Bliss can’t help but be drawn into the romantic drama that ensues, forcing her to reconsider everything she thought she knew about love, her family, and herself.

I have to admit I was a bit worried I wouldn't like this one because of the reality tv angle, but still wanted to give it a try since it was supposed to be a retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I did see many of the similarities within the characters as it contrasted those within Jane Austen's novel, but it was a story of it's own. I also didn't mind the reality show angle as it brought to the surface "selling" oneself in marriage as Jane felt in the original. I thought it was a cleaver way of doing just that.

I loved the fact that Bliss's family was of mixed race and dealt with all types of prejudice. Even the kind we direct at ourselves. That in itself really makes the book for me, more so than the relationships within the book. In fact, that brings me to my biggest complaint... the relationships.

If you are looking for an uplifting book about relationships, this may not be your book. Now, don't get me wrong, there is an HEA in that area. Our intrepid "Darcy" known as Dario and Bliss are perfect in that regard and so is Victoria with her mate (I don't want to spoil who that was, but I did love the twist!). However, the rest is full of cheaters, gold diggers, and liars. It sort of makes you wonder if love really exists in this book's world. The ending does give you hope, but after so much, I think I just needed a bit more.

I give this book 3 stars. It's a good retelling of Pride and Prejudice and I have to say I love the way the author brings it into the contemporary scene. I suggest this book for those that love these sorts of retellings as well as those who enjoy chick-lit.

I received this book from Atria Books and no compensation for my review was given.

"According to Jane" by Marilyn Brant

From the book: It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett's teacher is assigning Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". From nowhere comes a quiet 'tsk' of displeasure. The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who's teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author's ghost has taken up residence in Ellie's mind, and seems determined to stay there. Jane's wise and witty advice guides Ellie through the hell of adolescence and beyond, serving as the voice she trusts, usually far more than her own. Years and boyfriends come and go - sometimes a little too quickly, sometimes not nearly fast enough. But Jane's counsel is constant, and on the subject of Sam, quite insistent. Stay away, Jane demands. He is your Mr. Wickham. Still, everyone has something to learn about love - perhaps even Jane herself. And lately, the voice in Ellie's head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look beyond everything she thought she knew and seek out her very own, very unexpected, happy ending.

I had to continue my Jane Austen alternative literature spree. Since I had "According to Jane" on my iPod Touch through the Kindle app, it was easy. When I first spied this book I thought it was a YA book due to the description. The book surprised me as it was not. It was an adult book with adult scenes and situations. Ellie merely has Jane Austen helping her along as a very opinionated spirit guide. As you view Ellie's life you actually travel back and forth in time. Yes, occasionally, I would be a bit confused as to where you were in her life, but that was quickly resolved by reading a bit further. I can see why the author chose to do it this way as the juxtaposition of these timelines made the lesson more poignant. Even though the book ends on a expected note, it is still satisfying.

I think this is a good, quick read. If you love 80's music, this book is right up your alley since the author also pulls the characters around that musical theme. I gave the book 4 stars.

"A Little Bit Psychic" by Aimée Avery

This book by Aimée Avery was a delight. It was a small quick read of about 110 pages. I started this one quickly after I finished "Mr. Darcy, Vampyre" since I thought I'd continue the Jane Austen theme.

In this 21st century version of Pride and Prejudice, both Lizzy and Darcy liked each other from the start. Since they knew each other as children. Lizzy is psychic and sees things that eventually come true. The big characterizations of Pride and Prejudice still exist in this new telling. Yes, there are still misunderstandings that stand in their way. Yes, Darcy is as stubborn as ever. Especially when his plans go awry and he is still too inflexible and unwilling to change them. And yes, Lizzy is sharp of wit and humor who is still self conscious of her beauty.

I gave this book 4 stars and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a small quick read. It is well done and really doesn't need more pages for the story to be rounded out. Go read it, you will enjoy it!

"Mr Darcy, Vampyre" by Amanda Grange

"Mr. Darcy, Vampyre" is one of the many paranormal stories to be retold from Jane Austen's original stories, mainly "Pride and Prejudice". In fact, the story begins where "Pride and Prejudice" leaves off. The marriage and wedding tour of Lizzy and Darcy. Now, it's been quite a bit since I've read Jane Austen's book, but I admit, she starts to draw you back into the world and time period of that original story. Unfortunately, after that, it gets a bit lost.

Now, normally I do what I can not to spoil a book at all, but in this case, I will do a lot of spoiling. Lizzy, at first, is not the hot headed strong character I remember. I do understand that with her husband not coming to her during the wedding tour was ego-crushing to say the least, I would still expect Lizzy to have confronted Darcy to a degree he could not refuse. This finally happened, but not until it was toward the end of the book. In fact, 2/3 of the book was quite slow. The characters you meet during their wedding tour were interesting, but sometimes I wanted to scream, "Tell her already!" It was extremely frustrating that he kept the secret from her for so long in the book. It was also frustrating that she would not actually demand an answer for so long.

Finally at the end of the book, she finds out after being abducted by an old vampire. For me, the whole scene was at first, interesting, but was so quickly and too easily ended. The reason? She gave him a gift. The gift of love. This was the only thing that could defeat him. Anyone who has read "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" will recognize that scene. After that the couple too quickly relaxes as they truly get to know one another. There is also another climatic scene soon after that which I also felt was ended too quickly and too easily. I feel that if the author put one of those scenes at the middle or toward the beginning of the book the action would have been written much better. Also she would have been able to extend the scene at the end. I think it would have proved more interesting.

All in all, it wasn't a horrible read despite what I have said. It is not for the die-hard Jane Austen fan. It did have it's interesting spots, but does fail in the end. I gave it 2 stars.