New Books!

It was a spectacularly crummy week for me, in terms of battling a hellacious headache, but a very happy-surprise week for books in the mail! Books balance out headache, for sure!

Unexpected Love - Andrea Boeshaar
Totally an unexpected surprise! Very intrigued though, can't wait to read.

Lady in Waiting - Susan Meissner
Won in a FavoritePASTimes contest in November, and it arrived! Looks so good!

The Remedy for Regret - Susan Meissner
Because I had to wait so long for Lady in Waiting, Susan tossed in another book! Happy surprise indeed!

And today, I also got a selection of happy from Peachtree Publishers for review. I am super excited about these, and can't wait to curl up and really read them (I may or may not have already had to 'skim-read' the two picture books):

The Gold Miner's Daughter  - Jackie Mims Hopkins

Polar Star - Sally Grindley

The Tree that Owns Itself - Gail Langer Karwoski

It Can't be Done, Nellie Bly! - Nancy Butcher

Eleanor's Story - Eleanor Ramrath Garner

Sense and Sensibility (DVD)

Sense and Sensibility
BBC, 2008
Starring: Hattie Morahan & Charity Wakefield

I've seen this before, but fell in love all over again this go-round. I guess it was "one of those nights," when everything is perfect and the story just reaches out and grabs you ... The music was beautiful, the scenery wild and free so as to make me dreamy-eyed, and Edward? Oh, Edward ... You have just tied with Knightley and Darcy to be my favorite. Not to mention the fact that I would dearly like to 'borrow' Marianne's wardrobe ...

It's been several years (*cough*probably at least 8*cough*) since I last read Sense and Sensibility, so the story itself has gotten 'fuzzy' in my memory - shaped in large part by the films I've seen during the years. My recent rewatching, combined with the Bicentennial Challenge I'm participating in, definitely prompted the need to reread and see if the idea I'm treasuring in my mind is indeed the story I think Austen wrote. That aside ... This is my favorite film version. I like the setting, and the way the characters grow and develop. I love the way it ends - the falcon scene is just ... yeah, it fits. It works. It shows the quiet, wild-animal-taming-with-whispers strength that I find so appealing in fictional heroes.

In short, I think this is a beautiful way to begin the challenge ... as well as a beautiful rendition of Austen. And I really love Edward and his stunningly gorgeous Fresian (that dazzling big black horse? Yeah, I want one of those).

DVD provided by my personal library.

Ever

Ever
Gail Carson Levine
HarperCollins, 2008

I've been wanting to read this one forever it feels like, and I was finally able to get it this year with my Christmas giftcard! The wait was worth it. I love Levine's books, and this had her trademark feel though it was a little different.

All the heart-tugging elements of a great story are here: the impossible romance, the epic quest, the struggle between honor and 'humanity' ... It's a story drawn from the Bible, but woven of mortal and immortal Love and Desire. It's a story of adventure and self-discovery, of facing fears and finding the true value of living. It's a story I read quickly, but that my thoughts have danced back to several times. In moments, it reminded me of Levine's The Two Princesses of Bamarre, but Ever is wholly a story unto its own. I'm dancing around the story itself, because it'd be way too easy to tell you all about it - and that would entirely spoil the experience. This is one of those books where, if you're like me, you need to exercise extreme self-control and not read the ending before you get there -- I'm so glad I managed to not flip ahead, because ... well, you'll see.

Book provided by my personal library.

New Books

I give up trying to take a picture of last week's box of happy: batteries in both cameras are dead (leaving the point-and-shoot powerless but with the lens half out, yippee), and on the phone it just looks weird. So. Use your imagination, or mosey over to your favorite bookseller and see the covers for yourself. This week, I've got a more manageable amount of new books and can snag the covers without too many headaches, which means you get visuals to go with my verbal excitement!

Earlier this week, I helped celebrate the "launch" of the Godspeed, in conjunction with the release of Across the Universe. Not only did I get to help launch the ship, but I also received a (signed!) copy of Across the Universe myself, thanks to a PenguinTeen giveaway on facebook! Oh happiness! This cover makes me swoon, I love it. Cannot wait to get it read and reviewed - I had to stop myself from flipping through the pages and skip-reading when it came in the mail.

Another read I am uber-excited about is Jack Caldwell's Pemberley Ranch. One of the taglines for it is "Pride & Prejudice meets Gone with the Wind" - how can you pass up something like that? Think about it: Darcy. As. A. Cowboy. Plus, the cover is absolutely gorgeous.

Speaking of Mr. Darcy ... Laurie Rigler has been hosting giveaways of her two novels Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict and Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict through the fall, coinciding with new episodes of 'Sex and the Austen Girl'. The season finale was "The Darcy Episode", and happy of happys, I won! Oh yes. I was excited. Not only about winning signed copies of the novel, but that it came on the Darcy episode. When they came in the mail, I grinned when I realized they'd been signed in glitter ink. (They are two separate books, but I'm only putting up the one cover.)

One final book that arrived today is one I've been looking forward to for a while: Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland. I actually got to meet Ms. Vreeland my sophomore year of college, sat right beside her at lunch even!, and have loved reading her books. I minored in Art History, and love reading about art history's "personal" side. So I was looking forward to this one for multiple reasons: Vreeland's latest; I have a major weakness for Tiffany glass; and a stunningly gorgeous cover.

I added 5 gorgeous books to my pile of happy To-Read books ... Now I just need to be able to continue making considerable progress on the reading!

YA Contemporary Challenge 2011

Yes, this does make my 3rd challenge for the year. I might be crazy. But I think this one will work with my normal reading habits, so I'm gonna go for it! Take a looksee and tell me what you think:

• Name: The 2011 YA Contemporary Challenge
• Goal: Read at least 13 contemporary YA books.
• Defined: Contemporary YA is defined as books written for the Young Adult audience (not adult books teens like), and featuring stories that could actually happen.
• Restriction: All books must be published during 2011.
• Bonus: Tri-monthly contest(s) for the participants -- every review = entry.

Yup, I'm pretty sure I can do this one. And Reggie, a.k.a. The Undercover Book Lover, was kind enough to provide a list of upcoming contemporary YA releases to help get things jump-started!

Love on a Dime

Love on a Dime
Cara Lynn James
Thomas Nelson, 2010

I won this through a weekly giveaway over at Favorite PASTimes (check 'em out, a great resource for 'clean', mostly Christian, historical fiction). It's the first in a series, and after finishing this novel I'm excited to see what will come!

I'll confess: even though I was a History major, with a self-selected concentration in American History, the Gilded Age is not one I'm familiar with outside the work & writings of Twain (who was, you know, pretty much a critic of the excess; The Gilded Age which he co-wrote with Charles Dudley Warner, is an entertaining read). Lately there have been several books set in the Gilded Age that have caught my attention though, so an extension of my education may be in order. That being said: I liked the way James presented the Gilded Age and its society - as represented by the wealthy elite summering at the Coast.

This is a novel where the characters 'grow' through the story - I like that, like it a lot. Lilly and Jackson (the main characters/'couple') grow the  most, but you can also see other supporting characters evolving and maturing. None of 'em are perfect, but that just makes them more realistic. There's a whole host of characters and personalities represented, and I found the interactions and expectations of Gilded Age Elite to be interesting and entertaining. But also rather restrictive. In addition to learning a bit about the people, I also learned a little about the publishing industry "back in the day" -- this was very intriguing, and I think I'd like to revisit that subject in the future.

Overall, the novel is a fun read, light and breezy but also weighty enough that it's not pure fluff - James presents ideas that you can spend time thinking about, if you care to. Definitely looking forward to reading the next installment in the series: Love on Assignment.

Book provided by my personal library.

Historical Fiction Challenge 2011

I'm going to try another challenge ... This one seems right up my alley: Just read Historical Fiction, any kind of historical fiction and it can overlap with other challenges. I read a lot of historical fiction, so I'm going to go whole-hog on this one and participate at the "Severe Bookaholism" level, which means I'll be reading & reviewing 20 books. Crazy right? Maybe not, I have many books in my To Read stack right now that fit the bill, and I have a whole year to hit 20!

I'm not going to try to create a list of books I plan to read this year, it's just going to be an adventure. Since this is a 'generic' challenge, I'll tag the relevant reviews with the label rather than calling them out in the post-title itself, so check the sidebar for new posts. (I think that will be the easiest way to stay organized and uncluttered, especially if I end up using books for 'double-duty').

For more information, or to sign up for yourself, mosey over to Historical Tapestry and check it out!

Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011

I've been debating this since I saw it posted, but this is just too good to pass up! Laurel Ann, over at Austenprose, is hosting an amazing challenge to celebrate the bicentennial of Sense and Sensibility! Personally, I find it amazing that Sense and Sensibility is 200 years old! Now then, the details ...

• The Sense and Sensibility Bicentenary Challenge 2011 runs January 1, through December 31, 2011.
• I will be participating at the Disciple level, which means I'll be reading/watching 5 – 8 selections.
•  Every time I post a review, I'll be linking it on the official Challenge post at Austenprose; this verifies my participation as well as enters me for prizes. AND, if you comment on my challenge posts (they'll be marked), you will be entered in the prize drawing too! Fun stuff, right? There are monthly prizes, and a huge grand prize that's drool-worthy: the 12 Sense & Sensibility titles Laurel Ann is reviewing for the challenge, tucked in a Jane Austen tote!

Okay, so now that you're totally curious, here is the list of titles I hope to be reviewing for this challenge. It's highly possible the list will end up changing (and I've got a few 'extra' just in case), but for now, this is what I've got:

• Sense and Sensibility (Jane Austen)
• Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (Jane Austen & Ben Winters)
• Colonel Brandon's Diary (Amanda Grange)
• Eliza's Daughter (Joan Aiken)
• Willoughby's Return (Jane Odiwe)
• Reason and Romance (Debra White-Smith)
• The Dashwood Sisters Secrets of Love (Rosie Rushton)
• The Dashwood Sisters Tell All (Beth Patillo)
• Sense and Sensibility (1971 movie)
• Sense and Sensibility (2008 movie)
• From Prada to Nada (2011 movie)

Now the fun begins! Care to join me? You can sign up for the challenge until March 1, 2001!

The "Launch" of the Good Ship Godspeed!

Thanks to Jeremy for the awesome banner!

For a few months now, I've been seeing this title and cover popping up in random places. It definitely caught my attention - I mean, look at it! the cover alone is enough to make me want to do a happy dance - and today the wait is finally over! The book is available for purchase! Huzzah!

I am also totally thrilled to be part of Penguin Teen's launch project for Across the Universe! Take a few minutes to scroll through all the exciting information in this post: videos, links, teasers, oh my! I think you're probably going to be just as intrigued, so find a copy to read for yourself, and keep your eyes open for my review to come ...

First off, let's hear what author Beth Revis has to say about both the book, Across the Universe and the ship Godspeed:



And if you're not intrigued yet, check out the official trailer:



Totally awesome stuff, right??? That's not all! You can check out the official Across the Universe website too, and explore all kinds of fun stuff. You can even explore the Godspeed ship! I just spent some time playing around the site, and you should definitely go by. Not only is it simply beautiful ((the same "stardust" image from the cover is the background wallpaper of the site)), but there are all kinds of places to poke around in! There's a calendar of upcoming events - check to see if Beth Revis will be coming near you! - downloads, and then of course: the Godspeed! Whoa. Talk. About. Amazing. Of course, now I'm sitting here thinking "I wonder if we'll ever be able to put stuff like that in a space ship?". Go,check it out! And check back again, because there's going to be additions to the site as things get rolling.

But wait! There's more!! For 12 hours only, io9 will be hosting a 111-page excerpt from Across the Universe on their website. This is an exclusive excerpt, and you can only access it via io9 from 11:11am EST to 11:11pm EST.

For even more information, check out these sites:
Across the Universe official site
Like Across the Universe on facebook!
Author Beth Revis has a blog, a website, and a twitter
And Penguin Teen has all sorts of great information about Across the Universe and other YA reads that you can access via their site, facebook, and twitter.

Go, learn, and then read. And don't forget to check back for my review in the near future!

Beauty

Beauty
Robin McKinley
Pocket, 1985

'Beauty and the Beast' is perhaps my favorite fairy tale. I love reading different variations of it, and seeing how different countries/cultures have similar tales with slight 'adjustments'. (Personal favorite is probably the Norse/Scandinavian story 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon', with the Beast being a Polar Bear). After reading - and loving - Robin McKinley's Pegasus, I decided to investigate her other novels (good thing to do, while waiting on the 2012 sequel, right?), and Beauty was the first I could get my hands on. I was told, by my could-be-sisters-virtual-friend Jessica, that Beauty was amazing and even in her "Top 5 Books of All Time" list. So I was excited to read it! I was not disappointed.

I loved the build-up to the story. McKinley starts by introducing 'Beauty' (the tongue-in-cheek nickname of Honour, the youngest and plainest of three sisters), and her family, and setting the stage for the beginning of a magical adventure. I loved getting more of the 'background' information in this version (as opposed to Disney's Beauty and the Beast which I've just revisited on DVD not so long ago). And I loved that it was Beauty's choice to go to the Beast - no wavering, no questioning, just a 'random' decision to go. Most of us are familiar with the story, so you know how pretty much how it's going to unfold -- but there are some little twists and variations in this version that I found delightful. And I may or may not have fallen in love with the Beast all over again.

I thoroughly enjoyed the read, and am looking forward to reading Rose Daughter - another 'examination' of Beauty and the Beast by McKinley.

Book provided by my local library.

New Books!

This is a big New Books listing, because my Christmas giftcard order came in! Yay! Of course, now I have the (very happy) problem of figuring out what to read next ... My To Read List (*cough*stack*cough*) is sort of on the huge side right now, but thanks to having a three-week break from work, I've been able to make a small dent on it! Here's hoping that progress continues when the semester gets rolling next week ... Now, without further ado, a list of my "box of happy"!

((ps: I wanted to take a picture of the whole stash of books, but not feeling coaxing blogger into uploading 'real' photo(s) once I get 'em uploaded onto the computer ... I've lost too many techie battles this week. Maybe I can get one and add it later.))

• Wookie Cookies: A Star Wars Cookbook (Robin Davis)
• Um, hello? How could I not get this one? I've been drooling over it since I saw it during Chronicle Books' Happy Haul-idays contest!
• A Nest for Celeste (Henry Cole)
• This one is simply beautiful.
• Hank the Cowdog and the Quest for the Great White Quail (John R. Erickson)
• My family has a long, strange history with Hank the Cowdog...
• Rose Daughter (Robin McKinley)
• I love Beauty and the Beast stories, and have fallen for Robin McKinley's books.
• Pegasus (Robin McKinley)
• Had to own this one. Hands-down.
• Prom and Prejudice (Elizabeth Eulberg)
• I hear many good things, and the cover definitely catches my attention. 
• The Lonely Hearts Club (Elizabeth Eulberg)
• Been wanting to read it for a year, library never bought it, so I did.
• Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (David Levithan & Rachel Cohn)
• Again, I hear many good things!
• Faithful (Janet Fox)
• I am intrigued, and the cover is gorgeous.
• Ever (Gail Carson Levine) 
• Been wanting to read since it came out.
• Beauty and the Beast soundtrack
• I couldn't say 'no' ... I love my Disney/Alan Menken scores!
  
• The Complete Photo-Guide to Crochet
• I decided, this week, to teach myself to crochet. Checked out 7 books from the library to piece together an understanding, and then found this by chance at HobbyLobby. Best. Crochet. Book. Yet. Now I'm a hooking Queen! Well, learning anyway.

Russian Winter

Russian Winter
Daphne Kalotay
Harper, 2010

I started reading this during the coldest week we've had this season. Between the frigid air outside (and sometimes inside, brr!) and the fact I always seem to equate "ballet" with "Christmas", it seemed a particularly fitting book selection. (Isn't it nice when the library holds list works out that way?) Going in to the reading, I was almost giddy with anticipation - I have a 'thing' for jewelry, and I thought this was going to be a lovely exploration of ballet and jewels and ballerinas in Russia-once-upon-a-time. That was not exactly what I got. However, I was not devastated - this ended up being a good read (and there are pages before every chapter that feature a piece from Nina's collection that is up for auction featuring descriptions like would appear in an auction catalogue).

While it took me a little bit to figure out the way Kalotay was telling the stories involved, once I figured out the 'trick' to reading, I was quickly engrossed. There are four story lines unfurling simultaneously: Nina's present, as she is struggling against Time & Age; Drew's journey to self-discovery, aided by her work with Nina's auction collection; Grigori's battle against memory and fight for identity; and Nina's past - which started everything. I was fascinated by the accounts of Communist Russia, and the lives of the artists as represented by Nina and her friends. That time is so foreign to me, so unexplored, I felt like I was truly getting a glimpse into a different world. As everything in the individual story lines grows and develops, eventually tying together in a stunning ending.

So while Russian Winter was not exactly what I expected, I'm glad I read it - there are details and ideas of life in Russia that made me think, and there are threads of humanity explored and discussed that are universal. The characters' discoveries can apply to any and all of us. That, I think, is part of what makes a book a keeper: the ability to create characters that are human. These characters are flawed and imperfect, but they are real. Their stories feel real. And there's just enough jewelry-talk to make me feel like I got what I wanted.

Book provided by my local library.

Persuasion (DVD)

Persuasion
BBC, 2007
Starring: Sally Hawkins & Rupert Penry-Jones

Having missed this when it was on Masterpiece Theatre originally, and finding it in none of the libraries I routinely procure movies from, I decided to 'splurge' after Christmas. Although, it was really just thinking smart: I was able to get the 2-disc Sense and Sensibility and Miss Austen Regrets DVD set AND Persuasion for less than I could buy just S&S alone. So, I did what any smart Austen-lover would do: I bought the joint set! And my Austen DVD collection is much happier for the extra addition. (Random sidenote: I dearly love the way BBC packages DVDs now, the cases look and feel very bookish!)

I will say, this was the shortest Austen DVD I've seen yet. At a quick 93 minutes, the story felt super rushed. (As in, I watched it with my family, and my dad - who knows nothing of the story - said "I think they needed to stretch it out, there's too much rushing"). I'm not a massive stickler for movie-book adaptation faithfulness (which annoys my best friend to no end), so it didn't bother me too much that the movie version is different from the book. I found I actually liked this Anne a little more - she seemed to recognize her own fault(s) in dealing with everything, instead of just being the passive victim. I loved Capt. Wentworth (again), and may or may not have actually liked Mr. Elliot more than I should have. (He reminded me of several friends of mine rolled into one character, and I was cracking up). Actually, I found this whole movie-rendition to be somewhat comical. Maybe I was just very tired, but I found it rather humorous and am happy to count it among my collection.

DVD provided by my personal library.

New Books!

One of the things I want to be better about in 2011 is creating these "New Books" posts when I get new books, whether it's a few or a bunch. This was going to be a truly exciting post, with many books thanks to Christmas goodness. But I got to the post office 15 minutes after they closed for the holiday yesterday, so the books are stuck there until Monday. Never fear, next Saturday: a gorgeous post! Until then, here's a taste of what I got for Christmas and found this week:

Tangled soundtrack -- okay, it's not a book. But the story/movie makes me incredibly happy, and now I can listen to the music whenever and wherever I want rather than searching through youTube videos.

The Juliet Club by Suzanne Harper -- saw it on the bargain list, it looked interesting and how can you pass up a hardback book for $2.65?

The Debutante by Kathryn Williams -- sounds like a fun YA read, and also a bargain list find.

The Divide by Michael Bedard -- a Christmas present from my Mum, a picture book 'biography' of Willa Cather with absolutely gorgeous illustrations. This one definitely makes me smile.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo -- I love DiCamillo's books, and couldn't leave this at Goodwill.

I also found 2 older rabbit resource/"how to" books at Goodwill.

2010: Year in Review

2010 was a big year for me reading-wise:

• I set a new personal record (since complete records were started in 2007) in terms of numbers of books/pages read. Below is a complete list of all books I read to completion, with links to reviews for those that have them.
• I resurrected this blog, and transitioned it into a 'truer' bookblog than the word-stash it'd been before.
• I discovered the entirely amazing world of bookbloggers, and have made some new friends!
• I entered - and completed! - my first ever reading challenge.
• I revisited one of my earliest reading experiences, the Little House on the Prairie books, and in the process rediscovered quite a bit about myself.
• I learned just how much I really love fairy tales.
• Jane Austen is pretty much a favorite too.

So, after such a 'big' 2010, what does 2011 hold? Hmm ... I hope to get better about actually getting my reviews posted. To do this, I'm going to start exploring further all the news bells & whistles Blogger has added since I starting blogging, like scheduled posts. (Okay, so maybe I'm discovering these a little slow ... but we all have to have some area of weakness, right?). I don't know how many challenges - if any - I will join this year, but I'm not opposed to them. I am going to concentrate on reading the things I love -- following the reading trails I stumble upon, whether it's reading everything by an author or every variation of a particular story I can find. I want to read more of the books I see on others' blogs. I would love to make a serious dent on my To Read list, which is currently growing faster than I can read. I'm going to sit back and see where the year takes me. Care to join me on the ride?

January 2010
- Going Rogue: Sarah Palin (408)
- Knit the Season: Kate Jacobs (238)
- Little House in the Big Woods: Laura Ingalls Wilder (238)
- Little House on the Prairie: Laura Ingalls Wilder (335)
- Farmer Boy: Laura Ingalls Wilder (372)
- On the Banks of Plum Creek: Laura Ingalls Wilder (339)
- By the Shores of Silver Lake: Laura Ingalls Wilder (299)
- The Long Winter: Laura Ingalls Wilder (335)
- Little Town on the Prairie: Laura Ingalls Wilder (307)
- These Happy Golden Years: Laura Ingalls Wilder (289)
- The First Four Years: Laura Ingalls Wilder (142)

February
- Family Trust: Amanda Brown (319)
- Ice: Sarah Beth Durst (308)
- Once Upon a Marigold: Jean Ferris (266)
- Twice Upon a Marigold: Jean Ferris (297)
- The Princetta: Anne-Laure Bondoux (430)
- Holly Would Dream: Karen Quinn (419)

March
- Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter: Lisa Patton (308)
- Dairy Queen: Catherine Gilbert Murdock (275)
- The Off Season: Catherine Gilbert Murdock (277)
- Front and Center: Catherine Gilbert Murdock (254)
- Mississippi Jack: LA Mayer (611)

April
- The Irresistable Henry House: Lisa Grunwald (407)
- My Boyfriends' Dogs: Dandi Daley Mackall (265)
- Lucia, Lucia: Adriana Trigiani (260)
- Jane Austen's Guide to Dating: Lauren Henderson (277)
- Wedding Season: Katie Fforde (424)

May
- Waiting for You: Susane Colasanti (320)
- Sweet Little Lies: Lauren Conrad (309)
- The Alpha Bet: Stephanie Hale (232)
- The Cranford Chronicles: Elizabeth Gaskell (484)
- The Cinderella Society: Kay Cassidy (322)
- Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots: Abby McDonald (293)
- The Summer I Turned Pretty: Jenny Han (276)

June
- Spoken from the Heart: Laura Bush (432)
- Wish: Alexandra Bullen (323)
- Dreaming of Dior: Charlotte Smith (292)
- Wedding Season: Darcy Cosper (340)
- Odd and the Frost Giants: Neil Gaiman (118)
- Princess Ben: Catherine Gilbert Murdock (344)
- A Song for Summer: Eva Ibbotson (397)
- Android Karenina: Leo Tolstoy & Ben Winters (538)
- Tammy: Adventure in Hollywood: Alice Wellman (214)
- It's Not Summer Without You: Jenny Han (277)
- The Bad Queen: Carolyn Meyer (420)

July
- Cleopatra's Daughter: Michelle Moran (422)
- Someday My Prince will Come: Jerramy Fine (305)
- Portion of the Sea: Christine Lemmon (422)
- After the Kiss: Terra Elan McVoy (382)
- The Cupcake Queen: Heather Hepler (242)
- Runaway: Meg Cabot (310)
- Persuasion: Jane Austen (283)
- Ice Land: Betsy Tobin (354)

August
- Everlasting: Angie Frazier (329)
- Heist Society: Ally Carter (287)
- Commencement: J. Courtney Sullivan (324)
- Lowcountry Summer: Dorothea Benton Frank (340)
- My Name is Memory: Ann Brashares (324)
- Girl in Translation (290)

September
- The Cookbook Collector: Allegra Goodman (394)
- Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom: Susin Nielsen (240)
- Stars in the Night: Cara Putman (320)
- The Daughters: Joanna Philbin (275)

October
- Mini Shopaholic: Sophie Kinsella (418)
- The Wide-Awake Princess: ED Baker (261)
- Emma: Jane Austen (422)
- Mr Knightley's Diary: Amanda Grange (294)

November
- Embers of Love: Tracie Peterson (351)
- The Darcys Give A Ball: Elizabeth Newark (156)
- The Mermaid's Mirror: L.K. Madigan (310)
- Life After Yes: Aidan Donnelly Rowley (340)
- I Was Jane Austen's Best Friend: Cora Harrison (345)
- Sugar and Spice: Lauren Conrad (279)

December
- Jane: April Lindner (369)
- Pegasus: Robin McKinley (404)
- Russian Winter: Daphne Kalotay (459)
- Beauty: Robin McKinley (247)

Total: 76 Books, 25128 pages