A School for Brides by Patrice Kindl (2015)

Young adult, Jane Austenesque sequel to the equally adorable Keeping the Castle, which was in its own way a nod to I Capture the Castle. 

Sometimes you just have to let a book speak for itself:

"Oh, she was pretty enough in the usual way, but she was not the heroine of a novel, fit for drama and a life of extraordinary jobs and griefs. No, she was one who would find contentment as the wife of a gentleman landowner and farmer, a magistrate and person of importance in a small country village. She was cut from a simple, strong cloth that would was and wear well, with modest trimmings for a holiday, she was not a fragile velvet or satin that must be kept for best."

"A happy marriage confers a great advantage upon all members of the union: the wife, the husband, and any children in their care. It is not essential for fulfillment in life; both sexes may live singly and be well satisfied with their lot. And not every marriage is happy; many married people must seek their contentment elsewhere. Yet where a sturdy bond does grow up between a wedded pair it becomes a source of strength and joy their whole lives through." 

 Great characters, lovely humor, adorable and sweet book. 

Pride and Pyramids by Amanda Grange and Jacqueline Webb (2012)

How can you not love a Pride and Prejudice retelling which is essentially P&P combined with The Mummy? 

Pride and Pyramids finds Elizabeth and Darcy married with five (six?) children and in search of a bit of adventure.  Their cousin proposes a family trip to Egypt to join him on an expedition to Egypt to find an abandoned tomb. There's also a story about a restless Egyptian spirit and a little mystical element. 

Nice depiction of well-loved characters, a setting that is original, and lots of good characters. Quite fun!

Longbourn by Jo Baker (2013)

As I've mentioned before, I do love a good Jane Austen spinoff, take-off, adaptation or reference.  And occasionally, they are awfully good.

Quite a buzzy title this year, Longbourn follows the household staff of the families in Pride & Prejudice.  When I first heard about this, I thought it was going to be quite focused on another perspective on the Bennets and the Bingleys, but it turned out to be quite different.

Baker uses the setting as the springboard for a completely different story, one that really examines the inner lives and work of the household staff, and what having such a position in those times really meant.  As someone who loves a good supporting character, I loved the way the original story of Pride & Prejudice touches the servants only as it relates to their lives.

This is a beautifully researched novel, vividly realistic and a fresh take on a classic story.  Definitely one of the best of the Austen-inspired novels out there.

Mr. Darcy Forever by Victoria Connelly (2012)

I am the first to admit:  few things entice me more than There are few things I love more than a trashy fiction made slightly less trashy by the invoking of the great name of Austen.  That is, I love a good Jane Austen spin-off (and a bad one).

I was at Barnes & Noble, perusing their lovely Austen spinoff fiction shelf, and could not resist the cover of this one. 

 This novel is rather strange, but compulsively readable.  It's about two sisters who parted ways three years ago, and the chapters unfold the story of their split, trading off between the perspectives of the two characters. Really draws out in full, slow detail the story of how the sisters parted ways.  To be honest, the male characters are rather cardboard-ish and the relationships simplistic.  HOWEVER, the story of the sisters traveling to Bath for the Jane Austen Festival is so very, very fun. It has a very strong sense of Bath, and is very fun to read and revisit the places of Bath.  It's also terrifically full of fun Jane Austen references.  Although I had some issues with the characters and storyline, I also could NOT stop reading this book.  And I'm famous for my book intolerance and impatience, so that's saying something.  And I immediately dashed out and requested (and read) Victoria Connelly's other two Austen books: A Weekend with Mr. Darcy and Dreaming of Mr. Darcy.

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding (1996)

Chick keeps diary of alcohol use, weight gain, workplace drama, and romantic troubles. Loosely based on Pride & Prejudice. The book that started it all. Utterly hilarious and utterly re-readable. 

Followed by Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, based this time (even more loosely) on Austen's Persuasion. Noteworthy for the utterly hilarious scene in which Bridget Jones interviews the actor Colin Firth about his role as Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.

Enthusiasm by Polly Shulman (2006)

As the novel opens, Julie's friend Ashleigh, who is prone to obsessive enthusiams has just discovered Jane Austen, whom Julie has loved for years. In Ashleigh's attempts to recreate the Austen era, they crash a private school dance and meet a couple of boys. Much romantic confusion ensues, and a little Pride and Prejudice take-off—with full awareness by the young girls, who disagree over which of their potential beaus is Darcy. And which one Darcy likes. In addition to being charming and witty, with strong supporting characters, this is actually a sweet romance.

Jane Austen in Boca Raton by Paula Marantz Cohen (2000)

Best Jane Austen retelling since Bridget Jones's Diary. In a retirement community in Boca Raton, Florida, three widows look for love, companionship and marriage with varying degrees of success. Filled with memorable, engaging characters and hilarious social commentary.