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Smiling Shelves

Jane Austen & Georgette Heyer with a Twist

6/18/2015

4 Comments

 
If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you've seen me mention my love for Jane Austen's and Georgette Heyer's novels. Regency romances are fun books to escape to. They are good stories with happy endings, and can often be laugh-out-loud funny.

No one can replicate Jane Austen's style (though many have tried) and both of these authors have a finite number of books available (since they're both dead). This is where the twist part comes in. The books below are Austen and Heyer's period with a little something extra. . .
Austen & Heyer + Spies
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The Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig provides more than just a Regency romance. There are two parallel stories happening in each novel - a modern one of a history student researching the Pink Carnation and associates, and a historical one following the Pink Carnation's spy ring. Since the historical aspect of each book takes place during the Napoleonic Wars, the spies have plenty to keep them busy. There is witty dialogue and suspenseful plots and plenty of romance, making for all-around enjoyable books.

Austen & Heyer + Magic
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The Cecelia & Kate series by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer envisages the Regency time period as a time when magic was commonplace. Instead of simply being a duke, you could be a duke and a wizard! Cecelia and Kate are cousins who are writing letters to each other. Kate is in London for her first season, and Cecelia has been left behind in Essex. There are many mishaps, magical and otherwise, along with the requisite wit and suspense. The best part is that the book was actually written as letters sent between the two authors, with next to nothing plotted out beforehand. What a fun way to write a book!

4 Comments
Kate @ Mom's Radius link
6/18/2015 01:13:17 am

I've had the Cecilia and Kate books on my list for a while. I really need to get to them soon. They sound so good.

Reply
Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
6/18/2015 08:25:26 am

They are good! Funny and quick reads, too. I hope you enjoy them!

Reply
Sheila @ The Deliberate Reader link
6/22/2015 02:36:48 pm

I love the Cecelia & Kate books so much, so seeing you connect them with Willig's series makes me want to give them a try. And I do like books with alternating time lines, so there's another reason to read her...

Reply
Julie @ Smiling Shelves link
6/24/2015 02:27:20 pm

Willig's books are a lot of fun. Not great literature, certainly, but very enjoyable escape reads!

Reply



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    My name is Julie, and I own a lot of books. As in, they are stacked on the floor because I've run out of room on the shelves. And those shelves? There are so many books on them that they smile -- not sag; smile. This blog will cover book reviews and all manner of other bookish things.

    You can contact me at julie@smilingshelves.com.

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