top of page


Search


Book Review- London Holiday by Nicole Clarkston
How fast can Elizabeth and Darcy fall in love without Darcy’s “not tolerable” gaffe or the slander of Wickham to fuel Elizabeth’s prejudice? In this story, it only takes one day-- one adventure-filled, hilarious day! Lady Catherine and Anne conspire to trap Darcy into marrying Anne, but he manages to escape his London townhouse, dressed as one of his footmen. Nevertheless, Catherine spreads lies that Darcy has ruined Anne and is honor-bound to marry her, going so far as to pu
authoramandakai
Sep 17, 20212 min read


Book Review- The Phantom of Pemberley by Regina Jeffers
Pride and Prejudice meets Agatha Christie in this exciting mystery! The story takes place a year after Darcy and Elizabeth are married. A snowstorm forces the couple to take several guests into their care at Pemberley, but things go awry when some of the guests and Pemberley staff turn up dead. Who-- or what-- could be behind this string of murders? Mysterious things keep happening at Pemberley. Is there a phantom haunting the halls of Darcy’s beloved home? I was on the edg
authoramandakai
Jul 22, 20211 min read


Book Review- Through Every Storm by Leenie Brown
Wickham as a loving husband and father? A Lydia who learns from her mistakes and grows up? I never imagined these were possible, but Leenie Brown makes it come true in her lovely novella "Through Every Storm." Becoming a father deeply changed Wickham, making him realize that he didn't want his son to grow up like him, or his daughter to be treated by men the way he had treated other women. In the eight years since Pride and Prejudice ended, he has turned his life around, regr
authoramandakai
Jul 21, 20211 min read


Book Review- An Oxford Murder by G.G. Vandagriff
Set in the 1930’s, this mystery has a great vintage feel to it that reminds me of popular series like Father Brown or Grantchester, albeit in a slightly earlier time period. Catherine is a poet and an Oxford alum who unwittingly stumbles upon the body of a murdered professor. Since she was the one who found the body, and is therefore a primary suspect, Catherine takes it upon herself to investigate the murder with the help of her rival poet, Dr. Harry Bascombe. Amidst a tangl
authoramandakai
Jul 20, 20211 min read


Book Review- The Governess of Penwythe Hall by Sarah E. Ladd
A lovely Regency romance with a hint of mystery set in beautiful Cornwall, England. Cordelia “Delia” Greythorne has a tragic past shrouded in mystery. After fleeing from Cornwall from her late husband’s family, she takes up a post as a governess. For three years, she is able to forget the loss of her husband and infant daughter, and the trouble with his family of smugglers. But when her employer dies and she is sent with his children to live with their uncle in Cornwall, her
authoramandakai
Jul 20, 20211 min read


Book Review- Birdie and the Beastly Duke by Sofi Laporte
If Bridgerton and Beauty and the Beast had a baby, you'd get "Birdie and the Beastly Duke". With a dose of Phantom of the Opera thrown in for good measure, this delightful Regency romance takes the reader on an adventure to a gothic castle in Scotland, where a governess named Birdie tempts fate by switching places with a young woman who wants to run away from her arranged marriage. Instead, Birdie marries the disfigured man she's never met- a crestfallen soldier who inherited
authoramandakai
Jun 30, 20211 min read


Book Review- Pride and Intentions by Dushica Labovich
A breathtaking story of love, heartbreak, betrayal, and forgiveness. Romeo and Juliet meets Pride and Prejudice. “Now I know that everything was supposed to happen just the way it did, because if it didn’t, maybe I wouldn’t have spent the rest of my life in the most beautiful fairy tale with your grandfather.” When I heard Dushica Labovich announce that she was writing a story inspired by Pride and Prejudice-- my favorite Jane Austen novel-- I just knew I had to read it. Ho
authoramandakai
Jun 16, 20212 min read


Book review- Fitzwilliam Darcy, in his own words, by Shannon Winslow
Have you ever wondered what Pride and Prejudice would have been like if it had been written from Darcy’s point of view instead of Elizabeth’s? Shannon Winslow gives us a wonderful insight into Darcy’s mind during the events that take place in the novel through her story, “Fitzwilliam Darcy, in his own words.” Written in first-person voice in a style that wonderfully captures Austen’s narrative, we see firsthand how Darcy’s own pride and prejudice nearly ruined every chance of
authoramandakai
Jun 6, 20211 min read


Book Review- Camp Jane: The Winners Rally Round by Susan Andrews
Camp Jane: a place where fantasy meets reality. In a bold and brilliant move, Susan Andrews takes a cue from Austenland to deliver an Austen fan’s ultimate dream: a real-world destination where Janeites can live out their fantasies as if they had been transported to Jane Austen’s world. The Regency Resort, lovingly dubbed "Camp Jane" by its visitors, offers its guests an immersive experience into the stories, which are reenacted by essay winners chosen specifically for the
authoramandakai
May 23, 20211 min read


Book Review- Darkest Light by Britaini Armitage
A kingdom under attack from an evil magician. A fearless warrior princess. A handsome prince who would do anything for his princess. And an ancient prophecy that could bring back the light to Gaban— or herald in a new era of darkness. All this can be found in Britani Armitage’s epic Young Adult Fantasy, “Darkest Light”, the first book in the “Light of the Magi” series. Princess Briala is a fierce character. Naturally tomboyish and trained in combat, yet she still loves
authoramandakai
Apr 30, 20212 min read


Book Review- Dogs of DevTown by Taylor Hohulin
Shan Hayes. Andromeda. Kim Le. Cobalt. Loxx. Sigma. The names are unique, but easy to pronounce, and they meld seamlessly into the cyberpunk world of DevTown. Written in third-person present tense, with vivid descriptions of the neon lights, technology, and grime, Hohulin's writing immerses the reader into Shan Hayes' gritty world. Shan is a killer-for-hire who eschews the kind of mechanical and technological enhancements that are prevalent in her city in favor of a type of
authoramandakai
Apr 23, 20212 min read


Book Review- Arabella and the Reluctant Duke by Sofi Laporte
Jane Eyre meets Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in this delightful clean Regency romance. In this story, Arabella is a duke’s daughter who grows bored with life in the beau monde and goes incognito as a governess. The father of her young charges is a handsome and brilliant inventor with a slight Scottish accent and a secret heritage. As someone who likes predictable stories, I enjoyed the easy-to-guess mystery of Phillip Merivale’s past and the natural progression of the feelings be
authoramandakai
Apr 19, 20211 min read


Book Review- Save Me by M.C. Frank
As an avid fan of Jane Austen, I’m always on the lookout for new stories related to her works. So when I heard that M.C. Frank was releasing a story about an actor playing Mr. Darcy in a modern-day Pride and Prejudice movie, I jumped at the chance to get a review copy. Her “Mr. Darcy” is a blonde, 22-year old actor with a whole string of problems stemming from living life under a constant microscope. The apparent contradiction between the character’s appearance and the sta
authoramandakai
Apr 9, 20212 min read


Book review- Mr. Darcy's Persuasion by Cass Grafton and Ada Bright
It's rare to find crossover stories between Jane Austen's books, but Cass Grafton and Ada Bright have done an excellent job! This story takes place in 1811, the year that Pride and Prejudice is set and a few years before Persuasion is set. Elizabeth Bennet becomes friends with Anne Elliot and is invited to stay at Kellynch. Meanwhile, Mr. Darcy is renting the dower house on the Kellynch estate. During this time, a shipwrecked and delirious Captain Wentworth shows up at Kell
authoramandakai
Mar 30, 20211 min read


Book Review- Hope for Mr. Darcy by Jeanna Ellsworth
One of the best Pride and Prejudice variations I have ever read!
authoramandakai
Mar 13, 20211 min read


Book Review- Lady Elizabeth by P.O. Dixon
I am not usually an audiobook reader, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to listen to a review copy of P.O. Dixon’s Pride and Prejudice variation “Lady Elizabeth.” A fresh and original story about Austen’s beloved characters, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Instead of following the usual P&P plotline, Ms. Dixon poses the idea, “what if Elizabeth had been kidnapped from the Bennets and raised as the granddaughter of a duke?” In this setup, it is Darcy who is considered unsui
authoramandakai
Feb 20, 20211 min read


Book Review- A Friendly Alliance by Karen Lynne
I will admit— I bought this book for the cover! The beautiful lake with swans gliding across it and the lovely girl with blonde hair and a blue dress captured my attention. But I discovered the contents within to be even more enthralling! Karen Lynne has masterfully written a new twist on the boy-next-door theme, making him an earl and the season’s most eligible bachelor, in addition to the heroine’s childhood best friend. I loved the playful banter between Juliana and Pete
authoramandakai
Jan 9, 20211 min read


Book Review- Let Me Go by Britaini Armitage
I always enjoy reading Britaini’s books! I love the chemistry between Harper and Kyle. Their secret love-affair starts out flaming-hot like a splash of vodka in a hot pan, then turns down to a simmering slow-burn that makes my heart ache with longing. It’s so clear that they are right for each other, but they each think there are too many obstacles between them, not to mention the tragedy halfway through that scars their hearts. Harper’s sarcastic humor and pranks made me
authoramandakai
Dec 15, 20201 min read
Book Review- Unexpected Gifts by Maria Grace
Maria Grace never fails to delight! I devoured these bite-sized Christmas short-stories quicker than bon-bons. The first story takes place when Darcy and Lizzy have been married for 2 years. Their plans to celebrate Christmas at Pemberley go awry when they are summoned to spend the holiday at Rosings with the cantankerous Lady Catherine instead. What’s Lady Catherine got up her sleeve? I won’t spoil it, but it turns out there’s a good heart hiding in that bossy old lady.
authoramandakai
Dec 1, 20202 min read


Book review- Road to Freedom by Leigh Lincoln
To find forgiveness, you must start by forgiving yourself A faith-based narrative, Road to Freedom follows the physical and spiritual journey of a terminally ill man. Francisco knows he’s facing the end of his life. Not wanting to face it alone, he asks his friend Stacy to marry him. Together, they travel to all the places of Fransico’s past where he has unfinished business to settle, starting in Cuba, then Spain, and ending in Miami, Florida. Francisco yearns to find for
authoramandakai
Oct 21, 20202 min read

For authors: have a book you'd like me to review? Click here to review my submission guidelines.
bottom of page






