I’m reading the mysteries of idolpho. The book that inspired Jane Austen to write northanger abbey. It’s a perfect read for febregency. It fits all the prompts and so far I’m loving it.
Despite the short month, my tbr is massive (for me as a slow reader)! I have 5 books and 1 short story (from a collection) of my yearly challenges and then I have the Once Upon A Faebruary Readathon too!! 😅 The how to read Austen video sounds really useful, but only if you're able, no worries otherwise! Also thanks for the shout out, I wasn't expecting that!! 😮❤
I'm curious to see how I like it. Right now, I feel like I could go either way. And yes, I'm very excited about my wide range of reading in February. It's going to be fun!
I grew up only reading the KJV bible and I think that helps with reading Classics/Austen lol. The older language style. I still struggled with classics initially but have found it MUCH easier the more of them that I've read!
My biggest recommendation for people reading Austen for the first time is to watch an adaptation first. Preferably a mini-series, but at least one that's pretty accurate and in-depth. That really helped me.
YAY! Looking forward to seeing what you think of a few of them. I'm reading S&S of course, but I wasn't sure on gothic--Romance of the Forest is a good one since it fits my DIY thing. Might go with that. Cool! I think you've got a good list there.
I am looking forward to seeing what I think also, particularly about Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. That one's outside my comfort zone, for sure, but it intrigues me! I enjoyed Romance of the Forest when I read it a few years back. I mean, when taken for what it is.
@@insearchofwonder As Jane Austen died when Dickens was five, I doubt they crossed paths in their lifetimes. Dickens did work with some famous Victorian writers like Elizabeth Gaskell and Wilkie Collins, he also entertained the Danish fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen at his house.
That would be. An interesting video! How to read Jane Austen! I think for me it is just keep doing it. It gets easier with every book and read through. Sometimes tandum reading might be helpful.
I agree - I also think Austen's books improve on every reading. Not every book, not even every classic, is like that for me, but I always love her books more than I did before when I re-read them.
Oh I had no idea he had an audiobook version of Persuasion as well! That's awesome. I read S&S last year also, but since I finished all my Austen re-reads and was ready to start a new cycle of them, I may as well start with that one as with any of them.
I don't want to get too specific because of spoilers, but Wuthering Heights does have a skeleton in it, so the only prompt it would be a stretch to cover would be the castle. I'll be rereading that, and then for reading like a booktuber, I'm reading Sense and Sensibility and The Italian, so I'll definitely be reading like Tiffany from Beautiful Minutiae this month. I enjoyed Of Love and Treason when I read it a few months ago. It had some historical anachronisms that bothered me occasionally, but other than that, it was a beautiful story and I can't wait to read Jamie Ogle's new book this month.
Ack! Historical anachronisms bother me also. Boo. Well, maybe I won't notice them because i don't always catch them lol. And thanks for the tip on Wuthering Heights! It's been so long since I've read it I've forgotten basically everything about it except its impressions on me.
@@insearchofwonder it's not anything major. If I remember right, Valentine uses some really modern vernacular that just sometimes took me out of the story. The story itself though was really good. Ogle said that she'd never studied this time period before she heard the story of St. Valentine, and I think that comes through a bit in the details.
My gothic book for February is Jamaica Inn l. I tried to read it before and DNF'd it, but I think I just needed a prompt to challenge me to finish it 😅
I would be interested in the reading tips for Jane Austen! I’ll be joining you reading Sense and Sensibility and also A Sicilian Romance. It’s so fun to read these together and get everyone’s thoughts. Those are my only two planned books for February. We will see what else I can fit in and what I feel like!
Also looking forward to the buddy read! I've been eyeing that Austen/Dickens book for a loonnggg time! Finally found it super cheap last year and was super excited.
Susanna Clarke interests me too. The one that pulls me the most is actually Piranesi. Nice to hear Kailey from Luminous Libro mentioned also. Have always enjoyed listening to her. Booktubers who combine a solid Christian worldview with discriminating literary opinion are my favorite.
@@insearchofwonder I absolutely couldn't stand that book. Why don't more people notice the bizarre overuse of the word "queer", for example? I'm not implying anything 'cryptic' by it, but it must've numbered over sixty times -- literally! I'm sorry, but that is terrible writing. For me it was like wading through chest-deep mud. (I mean no offense in sharing my minority opinion. I'll remove this comment if asked.)
Did you still want to buddy read Evangeline? I wouldn’t be getting to it with my course until summer, but I could probably read it early if you wanted to read it in February.
Oh yes, I do! When I made my list of short books, I didn't cross-check it against my buddy read plans, but yes I do want to buddy read it with you. Summer is fine with me! I'm leaning towards Oedipus Rex for February.
@ I was just looking through the course I’m doing that has Evangeline, and it is sooner than I thought! So if you decide that February would be a good month, I could actually do that. If not, maybe March or April?
Hi Anne, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is basically just an excerpt from The Gulag Archipelago, I know you're a Russian girl, I don't recall ever hearing you talk about Alexander Solzhenitsyn. If you haven't read him, I assure you he's terrific, and Ivan Denisovich is a good place to start. Plus his work is right in line with your Cold War theme from the other day.
I've tried Jane Eyre a couple times and I'm juts not a fan. I was kind of sad because i wanted to love it. I loved Phantom of the Opera. Its been a while since I read it. I still love to watch the Opera
Of course I would recommend One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. It's an interesting one and rather quick, if bleak, reading. Although it's not as bleak as I expected.
Hi Anne, I'd love to watch your ‘How To’ video on Jane Austen. My sister (a librarian) and I were just talking about her Sense and Sensibility yesterday and she pointed out that she hates the way Austen normalized abusive behavior towards women and children. I believe it was a passage from C.S. Lewis’ The Four Loves, where he says that parents may complain that their children seem to prefer to spend their time at every home in town except their own, but that doesn't surprise him when you look at how little respect is paid to them by their own parents. I don't know that Austen is the most guilty on this score, look at how Marilla talks to Anne when she was young, ‘you're too tall, you're too skinny, you're too ugly, you're hair is too red, you've got too many freckles, you’d better get ready to be a Nun because you'll never get a man…as if ‘get a man' should be the highest pinochle of feminine success imaginable, Jane herself and those Bronte sisters might have an opinion about that notion. And in any case what about the premise of the Cuthbert’s acquisition plan to begin with!?! Who says it's OK to adopt a little boy to exploit as free labor on your farm, easy to see how people with such morals wouldn't have any great beef black slavery. I realize the times were different back then, but they were different in antebellum America too (a constant complaint with the works of Twain) they were different in the post war US too (a constant complaint with the works of Phillip K. Dick and Robert A. Heinlein). How do you recommend that the modern reader consume Austen's catalog without internalizing her biases? You were just talking about personal reflections on the Cold War, I bet I'm not the only one in this chat who remembers Dee Snider in full Twisted Sister regalia handing it to Al Gore on the floor of the Senate, wasn't Al accusing the 80’s rockers of the same thing (kids everywhere will internalize your goddess values and all turn into psychopaths) to which Dee’s answer was a resounding…’we’re not gonna take it🎶’? Can't wait to watch your video.
I've never heard that criticism of Austen, that's a new one for me. Also, I don't remember Marilla saying those things to Anne. Some of that was Anne's self-talk for sure, and she heard it from other people as well. But Anne and Marilla had a beautiful relationship where they supported and sacrificed for each other.
I have never read Rebecca - or any DuMaurier - and I own two copies for some reason. That should be on my list. I know loads of booktubers have read and talked about his, but I was thinking specifically of Mitzi @mitzireadsandwrites and Chantel @chantelreadsallday, who both like gothic novels.
I love that you and your sisters share books! What a blessing!
It is indeed!
What an incredible line-up of books!!!
I'm really looking forward to it!
Oooh, I'm excited to hear what you think of the Georgette Heyer books. Great suggestions, and a nice lineup for your tbr. 😊
Looove Georgette Heyer! Anxious to read more by her.
Yes to One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich! I read this book the middle of last year and still think about it.
I am sure once I read it, it will be very impactful!
Jane’s Red Room experience at the beginning definitely qualifies as nightmare!!
That's the scene I was thinking of!
I’m reading the mysteries of idolpho. The book that inspired Jane Austen to write northanger abbey. It’s a perfect read for febregency. It fits all the prompts and so far I’m loving it.
Awesome! I think I'm reading that later this year with the JA celebration, and I'm looking forward to it.
Despite the short month, my tbr is massive (for me as a slow reader)! I have 5 books and 1 short story (from a collection) of my yearly challenges and then I have the Once Upon A Faebruary Readathon too!! 😅 The how to read Austen video sounds really useful, but only if you're able, no worries otherwise! Also thanks for the shout out, I wasn't expecting that!! 😮❤
I'm always on the lookout for fellow fans of Georgette Heyer!
Thanks for mentioning me as a Booktuber like whom you are reading! What a fun prompt!
Love your content! 💖
I would love to watch your video about how tonread Austen. ❤
I'm working on it. Probably will be a couple weeks out, but it's in progress.
@@insearchofwonder Love it! 🩷
I am looking forward to your thoughts on Jonathon Strange! February is going to be an excellent reading month. 🤩
I'm curious to see how I like it. Right now, I feel like I could go either way. And yes, I'm very excited about my wide range of reading in February. It's going to be fun!
You've got a very busy month!😊
Daphne DuMaurier is one of my all time favorites!
I've only read Rebecca by her. There are a couple others that I want to read - her writing is definitely very atmospheric.
@insearchofwonder Yes! They all are! My cousin Rachel and Jamaca Inn are also amazing! I loved The Birds and The House on the strand, too!
I’m curious to hear what you think of Strange and Norrell! It was one of my favorite books in 2023! It feels so Dickensian, but with magic.
Deea said almost exactly the same thing!!
I’m planning to read of love and reason in February as well! I actually started in a couple weeks ago but put it aside to read other things.
Oh yay! It seemed like a good time to read it, with Valentine's Day and everything.
I grew up only reading the KJV bible and I think that helps with reading Classics/Austen lol. The older language style. I still struggled with classics initially but have found it MUCH easier the more of them that I've read!
You know, that's a good point. I also grew up with the KJV.
My biggest recommendation for people reading Austen for the first time is to watch an adaptation first. Preferably a mini-series, but at least one that's pretty accurate and in-depth. That really helped me.
Great tip! I'm honestly trying to remember if I read the book first or watched the movies/TV series. I was a teenager at the time.
I've been wanting to read a Jane Austen book since my English teacher showed us Sense and Sensibility with Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman.
YAY! Looking forward to seeing what you think of a few of them. I'm reading S&S of course, but I wasn't sure on gothic--Romance of the Forest is a good one since it fits my DIY thing. Might go with that. Cool!
I think you've got a good list there.
I am looking forward to seeing what I think also, particularly about Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. That one's outside my comfort zone, for sure, but it intrigues me! I enjoyed Romance of the Forest when I read it a few years back. I mean, when taken for what it is.
Good luck with your February reading plans. Charles Dickens birthday is in February, too (7 February 1812).
Oh wow I did not realize that. Also, he was born while Austen was alive. I did not ever think about that.
@@insearchofwonder As Jane Austen died when Dickens was five, I doubt they crossed paths in their lifetimes. Dickens did work with some famous Victorian writers like Elizabeth Gaskell and Wilkie Collins, he also entertained the Danish fairytale writer Hans Christian Andersen at his house.
I'm planning on re-reading Dracula for the RTC challenge! Really looking forward to it. I *might* try to re-read Wuthering Heights as well.
Oooh Dracula! Enjoy! Such a great book. I cannot say the same for Wuthering Heights lol, but I can acknowledge it's a classic for a reason!
That would be. An interesting video! How to read Jane Austen! I think for me it is just keep doing it. It gets easier with every book and read through. Sometimes tandum reading might be helpful.
I agree - I also think Austen's books improve on every reading. Not every book, not even every classic, is like that for me, but I always love her books more than I did before when I re-read them.
I Just read S and S last July. I may pick it up again but I may listen to The Cultured Bumpkins Audio of Persuasion because I struggled with it.
Oh I had no idea he had an audiobook version of Persuasion as well! That's awesome. I read S&S last year also, but since I finished all my Austen re-reads and was ready to start a new cycle of them, I may as well start with that one as with any of them.
Your sister writing her name in the book 🤣🤣🤣🤣
LOL I was surprised she didn't log it into her library app first. 😆
@@insearchofwonder 😂😂
I love the read like a booktuber challenge! That's so fun and continues to build the community ❤
Thanks! I was having fun choosing books and BookTubers to go together.
Also watching LOTS of period dramas - with the subtitles lol---I think that helps with understanding Austen too.
Excellent tip!
I don't want to get too specific because of spoilers, but Wuthering Heights does have a skeleton in it, so the only prompt it would be a stretch to cover would be the castle. I'll be rereading that, and then for reading like a booktuber, I'm reading Sense and Sensibility and The Italian, so I'll definitely be reading like Tiffany from Beautiful Minutiae this month.
I enjoyed Of Love and Treason when I read it a few months ago. It had some historical anachronisms that bothered me occasionally, but other than that, it was a beautiful story and I can't wait to read Jamie Ogle's new book this month.
Ack! Historical anachronisms bother me also. Boo. Well, maybe I won't notice them because i don't always catch them lol. And thanks for the tip on Wuthering Heights! It's been so long since I've read it I've forgotten basically everything about it except its impressions on me.
@@insearchofwonder it's not anything major. If I remember right, Valentine uses some really modern vernacular that just sometimes took me out of the story. The story itself though was really good. Ogle said that she'd never studied this time period before she heard the story of St. Valentine, and I think that comes through a bit in the details.
@laurenreiter7176 ah yes, the modern vernacular. I ran into that with Frozen River some.
My gothic book for February is Jamaica Inn l. I tried to read it before and DNF'd it, but I think I just needed a prompt to challenge me to finish it 😅
I've not read anything by Daphne duMaurier except Rebecca, and I do want to read more by her. That one is one of two I am considering.
I would be interested in the reading tips for Jane Austen! I’ll be joining you reading Sense and Sensibility and also A Sicilian Romance. It’s so fun to read these together and get everyone’s thoughts. Those are my only two planned books for February. We will see what else I can fit in and what I feel like!
I'm looking forward to reading those also! So glad you're joining in.
Yay! I'm so happy to hear that you're participating in Faebruary! I'm very curious how you'll use the books you read to fill the prompts!
I am also curious! 😆 At any rate, I've got the main book covered (If the Boot Fits), so that makes me happy. It works out perfectly, actually.
Awwww❤❤ so sweet for the shout out!! So glad i could help inspire you!
💖💖💖
Looking forward to the Buddy Read! I have that Jane Austen / Dickens book. I need to pick it up someday.
Also looking forward to the buddy read! I've been eyeing that Austen/Dickens book for a loonnggg time! Finally found it super cheap last year and was super excited.
Would you do reading sprints as I find these very helpful?
Live events are hard for me because of my schedule and the lack of space in my house. But it's always a possibility!
Hi Anne. No problem. I understand.@@insearchofwonder
I read half of What Jane Austen Ate . . ., but I'd like to read the rest of it. This may be the month!
Go for it!
Susanna Clarke interests me too. The one that pulls me the most is actually Piranesi. Nice to hear Kailey from Luminous Libro mentioned also. Have always enjoyed listening to her. Booktubers who combine a solid Christian worldview with discriminating literary opinion are my favorite.
Yes, love Kailey's channel. Those types of BookTubers are my favorite also.
I reread and loved Antigone last year! The other two I haven’t reread since being on BookTube. Oedipus Rex is my other favorite of the three.
I remember really liking Antigone when I was in high school. But I don't even know if I read the other two at the same time. We'll see!
If you like Dickens, with a bit of magic, you’ll like Strange and Norrell!
I did find it a tad too long but I still really enjoyed it! ❤
Ahhh Dickens with a bit of magic... sounds like fun!
There may not be a skeleton in the closet in Jane Eyre, but there's definitely a wife in the attic!
Ha, Ha, Ha! Morgan you're great! How about the skeleton in Rebecca's boat!
😆😆😆 So true!
If you're looking for a Booktuber who has read Gilgamesh, 🙋🏼♀️ I have. I don't know if I've ever mentioned it on my channel, though.
I have as well. 😊
Good to know!
Well, when I read it, I see that I will be in very good company!
Would The Secret Garden count? I have been wanting to reread that.
I do think that would count - it certainly has Gothic elements even if it's not a typical Gothic novel. It's an amazing book no matter what.
@@insearchofwonder I absolutely couldn't stand that book. Why don't more people notice the bizarre overuse of the word "queer", for example? I'm not implying anything 'cryptic' by it, but it must've numbered over sixty times -- literally! I'm sorry, but that is terrible writing. For me it was like wading through chest-deep mud. (I mean no offense in sharing my minority opinion. I'll remove this comment if asked.)
Did you still want to buddy read Evangeline? I wouldn’t be getting to it with my course until summer, but I could probably read it early if you wanted to read it in February.
Oh yes, I do! When I made my list of short books, I didn't cross-check it against my buddy read plans, but yes I do want to buddy read it with you. Summer is fine with me! I'm leaning towards Oedipus Rex for February.
@@insearchofwonder ok! Sounds good.
@ I was just looking through the course I’m doing that has Evangeline, and it is sooner than I thought! So if you decide that February would be a good month, I could actually do that. If not, maybe March or April?
Hi Anne, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is basically just an excerpt from The Gulag Archipelago, I know you're a Russian girl, I don't recall ever hearing you talk about Alexander Solzhenitsyn. If you haven't read him, I assure you he's terrific, and Ivan Denisovich is a good place to start. Plus his work is right in line with your Cold War theme from the other day.
Yes I've read some essays by Solzhenitsyn, but I've not read anything else.
I've tried Jane Eyre a couple times and I'm juts not a fan. I was kind of sad because i wanted to love it.
I loved Phantom of the Opera. Its been a while since I read it. I still love to watch the Opera
Yes, it's been a while since I've read Phantom also. I love Jane Eyre!
Of course I would recommend One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. It's an interesting one and rather quick, if bleak, reading. Although it's not as bleak as I expected.
I'm looking forward to reading it, if not in February, then sometime soon!
@@insearchofwonder I 2nd this. I had always been curious what it was like being "sent to Siberia" so this definitely gives you an inside peek.
Hi Anne, I'd love to watch your ‘How To’ video on Jane Austen. My sister (a librarian) and I were just talking about her Sense and Sensibility yesterday and she pointed out that she hates the way Austen normalized abusive behavior towards women and children. I believe it was a passage from C.S. Lewis’ The Four Loves, where he says that parents may complain that their children seem to prefer to spend their time at every home in town except their own, but that doesn't surprise him when you look at how little respect is paid to them by their own parents. I don't know that Austen is the most guilty on this score, look at how Marilla talks to Anne when she was young, ‘you're too tall, you're too skinny, you're too ugly, you're hair is too red, you've got too many freckles, you’d better get ready to be a Nun because you'll never get a man…as if ‘get a man' should be the highest pinochle of feminine success imaginable, Jane herself and those Bronte sisters might have an opinion about that notion. And in any case what about the premise of the Cuthbert’s acquisition plan to begin with!?! Who says it's OK to adopt a little boy to exploit as free labor on your farm, easy to see how people with such morals wouldn't have any great beef black slavery. I realize the times were different back then, but they were different in antebellum America too (a constant complaint with the works of Twain) they were different in the post war US too (a constant complaint with the works of Phillip K. Dick and Robert A. Heinlein). How do you recommend that the modern reader consume Austen's catalog without internalizing her biases? You were just talking about personal reflections on the Cold War, I bet I'm not the only one in this chat who remembers Dee Snider in full Twisted Sister regalia handing it to Al Gore on the floor of the Senate, wasn't Al accusing the 80’s rockers of the same thing (kids everywhere will internalize your goddess values and all turn into psychopaths) to which Dee’s answer was a resounding…’we’re not gonna take it🎶’? Can't wait to watch your video.
I've never heard that criticism of Austen, that's a new one for me. Also, I don't remember Marilla saying those things to Anne. Some of that was Anne's self-talk for sure, and she heard it from other people as well. But Anne and Marilla had a beautiful relationship where they supported and sacrificed for each other.
I hope you enjoy If the Boot Fits 🫣
I'm sure I will! I love Karen Witemeyer.
I have never read Rebecca - or any DuMaurier - and I own two copies for some reason. That should be on my list. I know loads of booktubers have read and talked about his, but I was thinking specifically of Mitzi @mitzireadsandwrites and Chantel @chantelreadsallday, who both like gothic novels.
I'm pretty sure Daphne duMaurier is one of Mitzi's favorite authors, if I remember correctly. So that's a good one!
@@insearchofwonder You're probably right. I know she shared a number of gothic books she's planning on reading recently.