Lou I need you to read ‘Ranger’ by Dr Rebecca Sharp. The love interest is based off of Spencer and I need someone to obsess with.

I just got it on my kindle!! I’ll talk about if after I finish reading it ASAP

Miss Bingley to Darcy: You Belong With Me

Anna Chancellor played "Duckface" (aka Henrietta) in Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994 and Miss Bingley in Pride and Prejudice the following year. You almost wouldn't believe it was the same actress, she looks so different. Austen adaptations tend to be a who's-who of English actors with familiar faces popping up across adaptations (eg. Sophie Thompson* in Persuasion 1995 and Emma 1996, who was also in Four Weddings) but what I found interesting was the similarity of two shots in these movies.

Fiona (Kristin Scott Thomas, with similar vibes to Miss Bingley) comes up behind Charles (Hugh Grant) as he watches Carrie (Andi MacDowell), the character he loves, her head over one shoulder, hand on the other (Miss Bingley would never!). Anna Chancellor as Miss Bingley, appears on Darcy's opposite shoulder while he's watching Lizzy Bennet. Both engage the men in conversations about the women they're watching.

The difference being that Fiona is in love with Charles and tells him so directly as this scene continues. Austen doesn't indicate Miss Bingley is in love with Darcy; it's likely she wants to marry him for his money and status. Miss Bingley never makes any kind of declaration to Darcy; it would be unseemly to do so. She does think she is a much more appropriate match for him than Lizzy. There is a shared pain of the person they want to be with, watching and wanting to be with someone else. Ordinarily it might be a stretch to say a modern woman wants to marry a man they love, but marriage is front and centre in Four Weddings, so it's likely.

Bonus: Anna Chancellor is also distantly related to Austen. It's a very small world

*Sister of Emma Thompson who adapted Sense and Sensibility and starred as Elinor in the 1995 film

If you'd like to discuss Austen with my privately you can book a "Read With Me" session.

Video from 1995 Pride and Prejudice

Music from You Belong With Me (Live) by Taylor Swift

Today's Sistah Scifi Wine Down Wednesday is part of the Delicious Monsters' Book launch tour. Other stops include @BarnesaneNoble, @BraveandKindBooks, @PowellsBooks, and @SkylightBooks.  Delicious Monsters is deep, complex, and dark. We are soooooo excited for tonight's with Liselle Sambury. To join us, simply register for free. Link in bio: @sistahscifi | www.sistahscifi.com | https://sistahscifi.com/pages/events Reposted from @sistershelves [#SisterShelvesReviews] Delicious Monsters by @lisellesambury ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Release: 28 February 2023 I did not expect this YA horror book will leave me emotional. I finished it up during a ride and if it wasn't because of my family in there, I might bawl my eyes out 😭 This book is creepy and atmospheric but not that scary. The real scary part of this book for me is about childhood trauma, dark pasts, sinister secrets, and toxic parents. All of them mixing with supernatural elements are just perfect! This book has depth!!! 🙌 Thank you so much to @hearourvoicestours & @simonteen for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review and having me on this tour ❤️ -Fasya- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - #HearOurVoices #HOV #DeliciousMonsters #BookRecs #BookReviews #ReadWithMe #NewBookAlert #NewRelease #YAhorror #HorrorBooks  #sistahscifi #LiselleSambury (at Sistah Scifi) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpQU4xbP5MT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Reading update #1 The End of the Affair by Graham Greene “How strange too and unfamiliar to think that one had been loved, that one’s presence had once had the power to make a difference between happiness and dullness in an another’s day.” “[…]but there still remains jealousy of my rival - a melodramatic word painfully inadequate to express the unbearable complacency, confidence and success he always enjoys. Sometimes I think he wouldn’t even recognise me as part of the picture, and I feel an enormous desire to draw attention to myself, to shout in his ear, ‘You can’t ignore me. Here I am. Whatever happened later, Sarah loved me then.’” #capturequiet #quietmoments #bookclub #readwithme #bookworming #interior #home #grahamgreene https://www.instagram.com/p/CmYsDyuhSjB/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer

I’ve read the books. I’ve seen the movies. I thought I knew the story, but this peppers in so much more detail that I didn’t even know I wanted. I definitely found myself throughout the original four books wondering Edward’s thoughts and perspective on things and this was a satisfying delivery. In the sixth installment in the Twilight Saga, Meyer takes the reader through the events of the first novel, Twilight, through the eyes of Edward. For the first time the reader is able to hear Edward’s thoughts, experience the events that Bella was not present for, and hear the conversations among the Cullen coven. Additionally, the reader is given a behind the scenes view of Edward’s mind reading ability in live action throughout the novel. Via his gift of mind reading, Edward offers the reader new insight on familiar characters from the mundane school drama of Mike and Jessica to the sinister thoughts of James and Laurent. Though Edward and his family’s backstories are told to Bella in the original book, the reader is treated to a much more thorough account of that past and a deeper dive into the early days of Carlisle’s coven.

I was a big fan of the Twilight series (books and movies, though a lot of the movies didn’t live up to my expectations) at the height of the Twihard fever days. I’ve never thought that the books were particularly well written but also not so poorly written that it really affected my ability to enjoy the events of the books. As I’ve grown older I do have to agree that the story is predatory and more than a little icky. A one-hundred-year old man in a seventeen-year old’s body is able to overcome his overwhelming bloodlust for a seventeen-year-old girl and they become obsessed with one another and fall in love? I mean its problematic. We can analyze and say that. But as in most fantasy novels I read, I do not find it so problematic that I am not able to see it for the fiction that it is and fall into step with enjoying the story.

I found the change of perspective refreshing. I enjoyed the new insight into Alice, Jasper, and Edward’s gifts and the history of Carlisle’s life. After reading this I am now craving more story that gives the proper time and attention to Esme. I feel like she is such a powerful character who shaped so much of Edward and the others in his coven but is not given nearly enough of the spotlight. I’d also very much like to see more of the Edward perspective during parts of Breaking Dawn and maybe even a little beyond. Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and would undoubtedly read more in the Twilight series should Meyer indulge us.

★★★★☆

Everyday for Forty Two Years

Everyday for forty-two years I had boarded a train at a set time, travelling to the same office to sit in my designated seat and do the work I was given.

What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama pg. 199

Sounds dull but it's probable. It's close to reality. It's got nothing wrong in it. It makes sense. It is what it is.

And it doesn't have to be dull, though.

Because maybe through the everyday of showing up at work, there was that one day when you went to lunch together with your coworker and had a pleasant conversation in the car, and you managed to make the table laughed with your authentic silly act. Or don't you remember that conversation with your mentor and how helpful it was? There was once also a single line of chat that you keep close to heart because it sparks hope. How about that warm pat when you were crying due to the overwhelming emotion of gratitude?

Now I'm grateful for noticing such things. They are magical, aren't they? I'd never know when those heartfelt memories will come, or what kind of memories will I have each day. It's always gonna be a surprise. And that surprise is only going to be lovely because I'm a leave it to Allah Swt.

It's up to you, Lord.

It's up to you.

Watched, TBR

Fiction, fantasy, time travel, Japanese literature

#LetsRead #aBOOKcado

Joel has started school properly today and this is the story we are reading.. Joel: School is so much fun. But I am sure you miss mommy when we were apart. I remember composing a going to school song when my first born started childcare. Let me dig it out one of these days :) #firstdayofschool #childcaresg #iloveyoualldaylong #conbriomusictherapy #raisingkids #readwithme https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm9ABKxyvLX/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓻 𝓒𝓸𝓼𝓶𝓲𝓬 𝓓𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓻, 𝔽𝕖𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝒊𝒔 𝔸𝕓𝕤𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕖𝕝𝕪 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝕂𝕖𝕪🗝 𝑰𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 ℙ𝕠𝕤𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝔸𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝔽𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝔼𝕞𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪. 🐣🦅 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝔹𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕖𝕧𝕖 𝕚𝕥 ❕⚡️⚡️ 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝔽𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 ℂ𝕠𝕫𝕪 𝒔𝒐 𝑰 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 🌈🧣🙌 𝕀𝕟𝕧𝕚𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 ℂ𝕠𝕫𝕪 𝕃𝕚𝕓𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕪 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝕄𝕖 📚📕📘📗📙📖📓📒📔 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝔸𝕟𝕚𝕞𝕒𝕝𝕤 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝕋𝕒𝕝𝕜❔🙊🗣 𝕀𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕖 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝔸𝕣𝕥 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝕌𝕡 𝒐𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝕎𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕤 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝕊𝕙𝕖𝕝𝕧𝕖𝕤❗️🖼🪴 -ℳ𝒶𝓇𝒾𝒶𝒹ℯ𝓁𝓂𝒶𝓇 𝓟.𝓢. 𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝔽𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 𝒂 𝕃𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕋𝕠 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝕊𝕒𝕪‼️💌📫 #libraryart #bookshops #dreamcatcherowl #cosmicwhisper #bookstoread #barnesandnoble #cozyvibes #cozymystery #cozybedroom #cozyaesthetic #bookaesthetic #bookaesthetics #booksbooksandmorebooks #bookvibes #readwithme #readingjournal #journal #newjournal #newartworks #newartwork #dreamjournal #dreamaesthetics #tinyhomes #tinyhome #poeticvibes #poetryvibes #newpoem #dreameum #bookandcandle #bookish (at Hobart Book Village) https://www.instagram.com/p/CkeJn1LpsEb/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

When your library books and reading stand both arrive 🤗 #readersgonnaread #readersofinstagram #studygram #studymotivation #studywithme #readwithme #readingtime📖 #readingnook #studytable #workstation #workspace #midweekmotivation #wednesdaythoughts https://www.instagram.com/p/CjC370Sr9v0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Lady Catherine had a speech, but ended up speechless (as did Lizzy, briefly)

A series of Jane Austen/Taylor Swift lyrics

If you'd like to discuss Austen privately with me you can book a time

Video from 2005 Pride and Prejudice

Audio from Champagne Problems by Taylor Swift

A real time read with me video is up on my channel now. Check it out here and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to my channel. Thank you.. https://youtu.be/hasyhNGEMBs #youtube #bookstagram #readwithme #calm #lofibeats https://www.instagram.com/p/CevuAxZBrzs/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

What a heartbreaking but amazing journey this book was!

*Minor Spoilers Ahead*

TW: abandonment, alcohol abuse, infidelity, drug use, minor violence

Malibu Rising follows the story of unlucky-in-love fictional singer and songwriter Mick Riva and his twice wife, June, and the messy path Mick left along the way to his stardom fading. It follows as June raises their three children and a child born from Mick’s infidelity and her struggle to raise children who have enough and felt loved while keeping the family afloat and the family seafood restaurant going.

So first of all I have to say that this is the first book that I realized that TJR adds Easter eggs to her books connecting characters to each work and placing them in the same universe but their own unique tales and I absolutely adore that. This book repeatedly broke my heart, made me want to scream on the characters’ behalves, to hold them and make them feel loved. The kind of gift for writing one has to possess to do that is rare and incredible. This connection made the ending that much more satisfying, thought I hope this is not the last we time we hear of or see the Rivas.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 - 4.5/5

The Day The Dancers Came

The story of " The Day The Dancers Came" by Bienvenido Santos was astounding, the way he describes the details gives you the vibe that you are within the story. Fil is a man who is scared of his face due to the aging that marks his skin, he began to have self-doubt whether he is worthy of the dancer's attention, and care. Even though the time and effort that Fil has made, doesn't seem to bother the dancer's attention the warmth that he gave to them is just paid for by a thorny and cold embrace. Fil seems to seek warmth, love, and comfort in the wrong people and wrong places when people who love him are just beside him.