Oh the sweet feelings of discovering your favorite book's story might have a sequel. ✨ A dear friend I made last year (well, we became friends because of the knowledge we both adore Pride and Prejudice, could there be a better story?) recommended this book over and over again to me. At some point, she just gifted it to me for Christmas and I'm so glad she did. 🥺💗 "The Other Bennet Sister" focuses on the story of Mary Bennet, often the forgotten sister of the Bennet household. But I can assure you, here story is worth telling and even more worth reading! It made me like Mr. Collins - What more to I have to say? So my fellow Janelings - have you read this book too? Or can you recommend any other Pride and Prejudice / Jane Austen in general sequel or retelling? If so, I would love to know about it. 🥺 https://www.instagram.com/p/Co-Lxz0ovRk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

My perception of Janice's author's note at the beginning of this fantastic book has pretty much described Julia Quinn's #ladywhistledown as the social media of the Regency Period.

Reminding us that she's observational, satirical, caustic, funny and writing about the characters in the Bridgerton world.

Read by many, hoping for a favourable comment in her paper....what does this sound like? Brilliant 🇬🇧 ❤️❤️❤️📚

#regency #janicehadlow #georgeiii #queencharlotte #juliaquinn #bridgerton #socialmedia #ladywhistledown #satire #regencysatire

Book Review: Janice Hadlow’s The Other Bennett Sister

by Fionuala Ronan

Given that ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of wife’, the matrimonial prospects of Mary Bennett, the ‘ugly duckling’ of the Bennett family, throughout Pride and Prejudice were considered hopeless.  Jane Austen pays scant attention to Mary, but in The Other Bennett Sister author Janice Hadlow is dedicated to giving her a second chance, at securing happiness away from the glare of her more dazzling sisters.

Hadlow takes time to trace Mary’s early life and looks at how she first began to feel different from her sisters.  She examines Mary’s attempts to educate herself with books and to become proficient at the piano. She wished to be considered accomplished and thereby gain the approval of her family and society.  This whole project is a dismal failure as nobody notices or cares. Mary, though dejected, is prompted by Charlotte Lucas, to look at her life anew and try again.  

After her sisters’ marriages Mary first lives at home with her indifferent father and her nervy disapproving mother.  Mrs Bennett is personally affronted by Mary’s plainness and because she cannot be married off easily, she becomes the object of her mother’s disdain and this ultimately makes life unbearable.  Mary stays with both of her sisters but is not happy in either house and then visits Charlottes’ and Mr Collins’ home which starts out promising but when her friendship with Mr Collins provokes Charlotte’s ire,  Mary has to move home again.  At this stage, the reader begins to think that Mary is a lost cause but when she accepts her Aunt Gardiner’s kind invitation to stay with her in London, Mary’s fortunes begin to slowly, but surely change for the better.  Mary begins her journey, albeit with some bumps along the way, towards happiness, and at last the reader begins to hope that all will work out for her.

The Other Bennett Sister is an absorbing, thoughtful and uplifting read and truly deserves a place in the Austen canon.

Available now on BorrowBox

I’ve been a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice ever since I saw the classic BBC adaptation with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, in my opinion the PERFECT Lizzy and Mr Darcy (but we can agree to disagree if you like! 😂) I did go on to read the novel and have done a few times now and my love for it has only solidified. However I tend to be wary of reading adaptations or stories set after the events of P&P just because I’m not sure if they’ll measure up!⁣ ⁣ There was something about The Other Bennet Sister that started pulling me in though. I think it was the fact that it is told from the perspective of the often forgotten sister Mary Bennet who is often pushed to the background as she is a little quieter and perhaps not as confident, self-assured, blessed with good humour or as conventionally pretty as her other sisters. ⁣ ⁣ It wasn’t long before Mary stole my heart. I loved that as the focus was on her, we saw the flaws of the other characters in a bit more detail, even my precious Elizabeth Bennet! I felt really sorry for Mary throughout this novel as she was teased by Lydia and Kitty, couldn’t do anything right in the eyes of Mrs Bennet and woefully misunderstood and often ignored by the rest of her family. ⁣ ⁣ If I had one criticism it would probably be that it was fairly predictable, even to the extent where entire conversations were reminiscent of similar ones in P&P. Saying that, it was such a minor niggle that it didn’t affect my enjoyment in the slightest. Definitely recommended for fans of P&P and if you’ve read it, I’d love to know your thoughts! Five heart warming stars 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #fivestarreview #fivestarreads #theotherbennetsister #janicehadlow #favouritereads #memorablebooks #marybennet #prideandprejudiceretelling https://www.instagram.com/p/CQOwon3LL4E/?utm_medium=tumblr

For the first time in 2 weeks tonight actual feels like a typical Sunday night. After two weeks off my kids are finally starting cyber school again tomorrow, and I am so excited to have a routine again 🤗 . 📖 . THE OTHER BENNET SISTER by Janice Hadlow releases on Tuesday, and it sounds so good! This book follows the ugly duckling Bennet sister, Mary, from Pride and Prejudice and imagines her going down a different path in life. This is a definite must read for Jane Austen fans! . 📖 . Thank you to @booksparks for sending me an early copy for #SPRC2020 #GetTheBookLook . 📖 . #newbooks #flatlay #bookflatlay #readersofinsta #bookcommunity #staycation2020 #crushedbymytbrlist #readingissexy #bookbabe #jennblogsbooks #booksbooksbooks #theotherbennetsister #janicehadlow #henryholtbooks #booksparks #booksharks #bookcommunity #bionicbookbabe #quarantine2020 #bookbeau https://www.instagram.com/p/B-VqfWMltZT/?igshid=1p8fsn2zxr0o7

My weekend plans #stayhome #bookhaul #janicehadlow #alismith #isabelallende (at Home Sweet Home) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9_i97xJJ_B/?igshid=1l7f7pk2jhj32

Hello everyone and happy #stacksaturday !⁣ ⁣ It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these but I’m back with the next five physical books I’ll be reading. As always, I’ll also be reading books from my Kindle and buddy reads.⁣ ⁣ 🚢 The Ship by Antonia Honeywell⁣ This debut novel explores a dystopian future where London is burning and a young woman’s only hope is escaping on a ship that only holds 500 people. This synopsis sounds fascinating yet it only has an average rating of 3.00 on Goodreads!⁣ ⁣ 🌊 The Island Of Sea Women by Lisa See⁣ This book comes highly recommended by my buddy @emmasbookishcorner and is the story of two girls who live on the Korean island of Jeju. They swim in an all female diving collective and follows the period of history from the 1930’s and 40’s, after WWII and the Korean War and its aftermath.⁣ ⁣ 🇮🇳 Daughters Of India by Jill McGivering⁣ I love books set in India and this covers two women, one born into the British Raj and one Hindu woman who both call India their home as the shadow of WWII looms over the country.⁣ ⁣ 👯‍♀️ The Other Bennet Sister - Janice Hadlow⁣ This novel tells the story of Pride and Prejudice told from the point of view of the often forgotten sister, Mary Bennet. This is Mary’s story and Mary’s journey for happiness.⁣ ⁣ 💐 Black Water Lilies by Michel Bussi ⁣ This is the story of thirteen days that begins with a murder and ends with another one. Looks like a great crime novel!⁣ ⁣ I’d love to know your thoughts on any of these books or authors. Let’s have a chat in the comments! Have a lovely weekend everyone 🤗😘 #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookstack #tbrpile #theship #antoniahoneywell #theislandofseawomen #lisasee #daughtersofindia #jillmcgivering #theotherbennetsister #janicehadlow #blackwaterlilies #michelbussi #booksimexcitedtoread #comingupnext #whatimreadingnext https://www.instagram.com/p/COnxjo7rahH/?igshid=eohkr4w22jo9

Hello everyone and happy #stacksaturday I promised another #bigbooksstackchallenge a little while ago and here is the paperback version. Some of these books are enormous 😳 and while I love a big book I still find myself intimidated sometimes. Out of this stack I’ve read Gone With The Wind, The Stand, The Poisonwood Bible and Wild Swans and the rest are on my TBR. I’m reading The Other Bennet Sister soon and will hopefully make time for The Eighth Life at some point this year. She says hopefully 🤣 Have you read any of these big books? Do you like big books? Let’s have a chat in the comments! Have a lovely weekend everyone. 🤗😘 #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookhoarder #tbrpile #booksilove #favouritebooks #ilikebigbooksandicannotlie #bigbooksstack #gonewiththewind #margaretmitchell #thestand #stephenking #thepoisonwoodbible #barbarakingsolver #theotherbennetsister #janicehadlow #wildswans #jungchang #4321 #paulauster #shogun #jamesclavell #theeighthlife #ninoharatischvili https://www.instagram.com/p/CMp5oeuLSxS/?igshid=ndwo512i4qar

Hello everyone and happy #stacksaturday ! Today I’m sharing #tenbooksonmytbr which I was tagged in by the lovely @thereaderignites a LONG time ago. These books have been bumped up my list for one reason or another and I’m really excited to get to them soon. I’ll probably even be reading them before some books I had planned to read by the end of 2021! Oh well! 😂 Can you see anything on this stack you’ve read and loved? Tell me all your thoughts in the comments! Have a great weekend everyone 🤗😘 #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #tbrpile #booksimreadingsoon #theotherbennetsister #janicehadlow #stephenking #elevation #outsider #theislandofseawomen #lisasee #thelostones #anitafrank #theinvinciblesummerofjuniperjones #davenmcqueen #thecrashofhennington #patrickness #thememorypolice #yokoogawa #mrloverman #bernardineevaristo #margaretthefirst #danielledutton #booksimexcitedtoread https://www.instagram.com/p/CLzjf0pAYZD/?igshid=11lpz75rsu8pw