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A review by attytheresa
Bespelling Jane Austen: Almost Persuaded\\Northanger Castle\\Blood and Prejudice\\Little to Hex Her by Susan Krinard, Janet Mullany, Mary Balogh, Colleen Gleason
3.0
I stumbled by accident across this collection by several romance writers while looking in the NYPL system for an ebook copy of [a:Louisa May Alcott|1315|Louisa May Alcott|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1200326665p2/1315.jpg] gothic stories. The description of the Emma paranormal retelling hooked me right in, even though as a general rule I don't really care for paranormal genre. This was a really enjoyable Halloween weekend read!
There are 4 novella retellings, two of which I loved and two which were just ok. Each has a letter introduction by the author talking about how she came to write this particular story.
Almost Persuaded - is of course a Persuasion retelling. Historical Romance Grand Dame Mary Balogh, who isn't into the paranormal at all, had always wanted to try a reincarnation of lovers over eternity story. Persuasion being her favorite Austen was the perfect setting for lovers who keep repeating the same missed HEA story through eternity --- unitl now, during the Regency Era -- or can they finally find their HEA by overcoming the obstacles in their path? This was OK, though I find Balogh's romances a bit meh generally speaking. The adaptation of Persuasion was excellent I thought.
Northanger Castle - by Colleen Gleason - is a joyous romp! Caroline is enamored of those gothic novels of the day, and is convinced they exist. The story opens with Caroline attending her first Regency Era Pump Room Assembly armed with her largest reticule filled with a wooden stake, a silver cross, and other items to use should she need to leap to the rescue of some poor woman being attacked by a vampire. Loved loved loved this retelling of Northanger Abbey.
Blood and Prejudice by Susan Krinard - Retelling of Pride & Prejudice with vampires -- set in modern day NY, CT, and England, Lizzie is the daughter of the owner of a small pharmaceutical company that's the subject of a takeover by Bingley and Darcy. This was probably my least favorite. I find that when the author works too hard to include all her favorite scenes exactly from P & P, the result is disappointing and stilted. That's true here. Although I did like her treatment of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Rosings.... that was inspired.
Little to Hex Her by Janet Mullany - Emma retold in contemporary Washington DC where Emma is a witch running a paranormal dating service that seems to be under a curse. My favorite of the 4, and just inspired hilarity. This is also the most sexy of the 4.
There are 4 novella retellings, two of which I loved and two which were just ok. Each has a letter introduction by the author talking about how she came to write this particular story.
Almost Persuaded - is of course a Persuasion retelling. Historical Romance Grand Dame Mary Balogh, who isn't into the paranormal at all, had always wanted to try a reincarnation of lovers over eternity story. Persuasion being her favorite Austen was the perfect setting for lovers who keep repeating the same missed HEA story through eternity --- unitl now, during the Regency Era -- or can they finally find their HEA by overcoming the obstacles in their path? This was OK, though I find Balogh's romances a bit meh generally speaking. The adaptation of Persuasion was excellent I thought.
Northanger Castle - by Colleen Gleason - is a joyous romp! Caroline is enamored of those gothic novels of the day, and is convinced they exist. The story opens with Caroline attending her first Regency Era Pump Room Assembly armed with her largest reticule filled with a wooden stake, a silver cross, and other items to use should she need to leap to the rescue of some poor woman being attacked by a vampire. Loved loved loved this retelling of Northanger Abbey.
Blood and Prejudice by Susan Krinard - Retelling of Pride & Prejudice with vampires -- set in modern day NY, CT, and England, Lizzie is the daughter of the owner of a small pharmaceutical company that's the subject of a takeover by Bingley and Darcy. This was probably my least favorite. I find that when the author works too hard to include all her favorite scenes exactly from P & P, the result is disappointing and stilted. That's true here. Although I did like her treatment of Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Rosings.... that was inspired.
Little to Hex Her by Janet Mullany - Emma retold in contemporary Washington DC where Emma is a witch running a paranormal dating service that seems to be under a curse. My favorite of the 4, and just inspired hilarity. This is also the most sexy of the 4.