Austenland by Shannon Hale. “A fun read about a woman obsessed with Pride and Prejudice, whose own life isn’t working out as marvelously as Elizabeth Bennet’s. She spends 3 weeks at an Austen-themed estate in England, where everyone dresses in Regency clothing, plays Regency games and all women will be wooed by a gentleman by the end of their stay. The lines between reality and pretend get blurred and not everyone is as they seem. At times hilarious, it will totally get you into an Austen mood. And it inspired me to watch Colin Firth in the BBC production, which was also fabulous. Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale is a follow-up to the first, though you don’t have to read them in order (but it’s better if you do). This book takes a darker twist – the characters staying at Austenland are playing a murder game, but it appears as if a real murder may have occurred. Again, it’s hard to tell who is pretending and who is not. The few repeat characters are such fun.”
