Tag: I Love Austen Week!

Hamlette at Hamlette's Soliloquy is having an I Love Austen Week! Umm yes please! Go check it out pronto HERE!!!! One of the delightful parts of this week of Austen is a fun tag to fill out, which I shall do below post haste!

1. Which did you experience first, a Jane Austen book or a movie based on one?

I was born and raised on the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice as well as the 1995 version of Sense and Sensibility and the 1996 version of Emma (The Kate Beckinsale one). It wasn't until I was ten that I read Pride and Prejudice and the rest of the books came not long after. The've consumed me body and soul!

2. What is your favorite Austen book?

Pride and Prejudice hands down. I also really like Northanger Abbey. I love them all!!!!!

3. Favorite heroine? Why do you like her best?

Lizzy Bennett. She's funny, clever and basically everything I wish I was.

4. Favorite hero? Why do you like him best?

Mr. Knightley and Henry Tilney. They are both great brotherly figures. They don't mind telling the harsh truth. And Henry Tilney is HILARIOUS!!!! :)

5. Do you have a favorite film adaptation of Austen's work? 
The 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice... duh!

6. Have your Austen tastes changed over the years? (Did you start out liking one story best, but now like another better? Did you think she was boring at first, then changed your mind? Etc.)
I've always been a pretty big fan of Austen. The first time I read Pride and Prejudice it wasn't my favorite but it soon became my favorite. Emma has definitely grown on me a lot in recent years.

7. Do you have any cool Austen-themed things (mugs, t-shirts, etc)? (Feel free to share photos if you want.)
I have some Jane Austen themed bookmarks, which I love.

8. If you could ask Jane Austen one question, what would you ask her?
Which version of Pride and Prejudice is the best? ;)

9. Imagine someone is making a new film of any Jane Austen story you choose, and you get to cast the leads. What story do you want filmed, and who would you choose to act in it?
Mansfield Park! For Fanny Price I would cast either Claire Foy (Little Dorrit) or Anna Maxwell Martin (Bleak House). I could see either of them doing a great job with the roll. For Edmund I don't have anything specific in mind though I've seen others cast Dan Stevens (Sense and Sensibility '08) in the role and I think that could work. Part of me really wants to cast Johnny Lee Miller (Emma '09) but then I remember that he already did the role in the 1999, which I haven't seen. I wonder though if Matthew Macfayden (Little Dorrit) could play the role?

10. Share up to five favorite Jane Austen quotations!
Only five? Ha! You mean five for each book right? ;) And sorry, some of these are pretty mushy... I'm a newly engaged I can't help it! Normally I'd be all over her funny quotes but I'm simply too sentimental right now.

"It is a truth universally acknowledge that a single man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife."- Pride and Prejudice


“I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”- Pride and Prejudice

“I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said so before, but not one with such justice. I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh.”- Pride and Prejudice

“To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love”- Pride and Prejudice

“An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.”- Pride and Prejudice

“Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how.”- Pride and Prejudice

"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more."- Emma 

“Now I must give one smirk, and then we may be rational again."- Northanger Abbey


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Yet Another Period Drama Tag

I know I've done period drama tags before but there's another one out there and I'm bound and determined to do it!

What's your favorite period drama movie?

I know it's a mini-series but forever and always the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice.

What's your favorite period drama series?

TV series I'm thinking they're meaning? Either Call the Midwife or Lark Rise to Candleford. I love them both. Merlin is also kind of a period drama show though and I love that one too so... Don't make me chose! 

Which period drama do you dislike the most?

It's a tie between the 2005 Pride and Prejudice and the 2007 Mansfield Park. I loathe them pretty equally. 

Anne of Green Gables or Little Dorrit?

An incredibly unfair question! I grew up with Anne of Green Gables and It's always been a part of my life so I have very sentimental feelings for it. However, Little Dorrit I was only introduced to in the last couple years. Nevertheless I think Little Dorrit is the better show. 

Your favorite period drama dresses?

These two! I basically love everything in Molly Gipson's and Elizabeth Bennet's wardrobes. 

Who's your favorite period drama character? (okay pick at least five)

Ladies- Elizabeth Bennet, Molly Gipson, Amy Dorrit, Esther Summers and Anne Shirley. 

Men- Mr. Darcy, Mr. Knightley, Gabriel Oak, Sir Percy Blakeney and Henry Tilney. 

If you could join a royal ball, which dress would you go in? (pick a period drama dress) 

I don't know! There's not any specifically "ball dresses" that stick out to me so I'm going with this one of Molly's from Wives and Daughters. 

What's your favorite Jane Austen movie?

Well obviously as mentioned above the 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice but since I've already used that once I'll mention my second favorite which I think would be the 2007 version of Northanger Abbey though I also really enjoy both the 1995 and 2008 versions of Sense and Sensibility. 

Downtown Abbey or Call the Midwife?

As I haven't seen any Downtown Abbey I'll have to go with Call the Midwife. :) 

Sybil Crawley, Jenny Lee, Emma Woodhouse or Marian of Knighton?

Jenny Lee hands down! 

Which couple from a period drama do you like the most? (pick at least four) 

So many! I narrowed it down as best as I can. 

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice

Molly Gibson and Roger Hamley from Wives and Daughters

Amy Dorrit and Arthur Clenham from Little Dorrit

Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables

Alfie and Minnie from Lark Rise to Candleford

Shelagh and Patrick from Call the Midwife (I also love Chummy and Peter but I only wanted to include one of the couples so I sided with Shelagh and Patrick)

At last, which period drama villain do you like the most? 

Probably Lady Catherine de Bourgh. She makes me laugh. 

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Jane Austen Would you Rather

I first saw this tag over at Wonderland Creek but it's originally from Write on Cordy. You should definitely check out both blogs! I will make a special plug for Naomi's answers..... they made me laugh so hard! :)

• Who would you rather have act as your matchmaker, Lady Russell (from Persuasion) or Mrs. Jennings? Mrs. Jennings. I think she would annoy me but she would also humor me. Lady Russell just annoys me. 
• Who would you like as a pen pal from Jane Austen's works? I think if it was a female friend I would like Catherine Morland. If I wanted a pen pal that would make me laugh it would be Mr. Collins. However, if I wanted a beautifully romantic letter I'd have Captain Wentworth be my pen pal. ;) 
• Who would you rather go on a walk with, Colonel Fitzwilliam or Captain Benwick? I'm not a fan of poetry so Colonel Fitzwilliam. He always struck me as a great conversationalist and friendly. 
• Who would you rather have to befriend, Mrs. Elton or Lucy Steele? Gah! I think it would have to go with Mrs. Elton. Lucy is just too annoying and Mrs. Elton would at least humor me. 
• Who would you rather have as a sibling, John Knightley or Mary (from Persuasion, not Mary Bennet)? Mary really annoys me in Persuasion so I guess John Knightley. I think I could handle his tempers. :) 
• Who would you rather dance with? Mr. Tilney! We would have such conversation while dancing and hopefully one smirk before we may be rational again. ;)

  

  The Henry Tilney smirk. :) 

• Who would you rather refuse, Mr. Collins or Mr. Elton? Mr. Collins! Mr. Elton disgusts me but Mr. Collins humors me. 
• Who would you rather match-make for, Miss Bates or Mary Bennet? Mary Bennet! Because we all know she's destined for Mr. Collins! 
• Who would you rather have as a best friend? Elizabeth Bennet! :) 
• Who would you rather argue with? (Mrs. Bennet, Lady Catherine, Emma Woodhouse, Mr. Woodhouse, Mr. Palmer, Mrs. Jennings, Fanny Dashwood, Captain Wentworth, Mr. Darcy, ect.) Lady Catherine. I think it would divert me excessively though it might make her seriously displeased. However, arguing with Mr. Darcy is fun and will most likely cause him to fall more in love with me so there is that. ;) 
• Would you rather wander the grounds of Pemberly and risk being 'discovered' or wander over the downs surrounding Barton Cottage in the rain and twist an ankle? Discovered by Mr. Darcy? Yes! ;) Actually in all seriousness I'm not sure. It's really awkward running into someone you've turned down... especially when it's quite unexpected so actually I'd probably be like Lizzy and (try to) avoid Pemberly like the plague. I do love the scenery around Barton Cottage though so I think I'll chose it. A twisted ankle will just have to be one of the unpleasant side effects. 
• Where would you live in Austen's works? With whichever Austen hero I marry obviously! I hope it's Darcy though because I kind of want to live at Pemberly. ;) But Donwell Abbey and Northanger Abbey and respective owners are acceptable to me as well. ;)

Love this tag? Consider yourself tagged! :) 

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Book Review- Henry Tilney's Diary

For the Shelf Love Challenge and the Mount TBR Pile challenge I read Amanda Grange's novel Henry Tilney's Diary.

Synopsis from Goodreads: A charming retelling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey--a tale of gothic misunderstandings through Henry Tilney's eyes... At the age of four and twenty, Henry is content with his life as a clergyman, leaving his older brother Frederick to inherit Northanger Abbey. But General Tilney is determined to increase the family's means by having all three of his children marry wealthy partners.During a trip to Bath, Henry meets the delightful Miss Catherine Morland and believes he may have found the woman he's been looking for, although she has no great fortune. When the General takes an unusual liking to Catherine and invites her to visit the Abbey, Henry is thrilled. But just as in the Gothic novels Henry loves, not everything is as it seems.

Henry Tilney is one of my very favorite Austen heroes. Right behind Mr. Knightley I think.... I go back and forth. I think I could most see myself a Henry Tilney though. He's fun, he's hilarious, he's got snark galore and did I mention hilarious? He also loves reading, loves his sister, is kind, discerning and willing to tell the hard truth.
Amanda Grange does a pretty good job of brining this delightful hero back. My main problem with it would be that I never felt like she quite captured Henry's "voice".  She did a pretty good job but not a great job as I felt she did with some of her other books. I did love how she brought out Henry and Eleanor's beautiful brother-sister friendship. The author took a slightly different approach with their brother Frederick which I'm still not sure if I liked or not. It also drew a little on Eleanor's romantic interest which wasn't all bad. I felt like the book wasn't as harsh with General Tilney as it should have been until the end... and then boy was it harsh! Ugh General Tilney! We do not like him.
Overall I did enjoy it. There were definitely some moments when I went awwww and grinned like an idiot. There was one quote about that Isabella Thorpe that I especially liked.

"Miss Thorpe's mouth praise Mr. Morland, but her eyes invite everyone else." 

Spot on!
Read or not? If you're a Northerner Abbey fan... Read!

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Top Ten Characters Who are Fellow Book Nerds

This week's theme for Top Ten Tuesday is Top Ten Characters Who are Fellow Book Nerds. I could only think of five but I'm sure there's some obvious ones I'm missing. :(

1. Elizabeth Bennet 
2. Catherine Morland
3. Anne Shirley 
4. Jo March 
5. Hermione Granger

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Top Ten Tuesday- Freebie

This week's Top Ten Tuesday theme is a freebie so I'm going with my Top Ten Literary Couples! :)
When I'm reading a book or watching a movie a lot of what I look for in a couple is respect and a great sense of humor. :) I think that is reflected in this list. :)
Obviously I couldn't just stop at ten! So here you go in on particular order!

1. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
2. Jane Bennet and Mr. Bingley from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
3. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
4. Eowyn and Faramir from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings
5. Henry Tilney and Catherine Morland from Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey
6. Mr. Knightley and Emma Wodehouse from Jane Austen's Emma
7. Fanny Price and Edmund Bertram from Jane Austen's Mansfield Park
8. Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth from Jane Austen's Persuasion
9. Elinor Dashwood and Edward Ferris from Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility
10. Marianne Dashwood and Colonel Brandon from Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility
11. Molly Gibson and Roger Hamley from Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughers
12. Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe from L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables and others
13. Arthur Clenham and Amy Dorrit from Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit
14. Mr. Thornton and Margaret Hale from Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South
15. Beatrice and Benedict from William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing
16. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series
17. Sir Percival Blakeney and Marguerite St. Just from Emmuska Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel 

And for the fun of it.... movie and TV show favorites as well! 

1. Parker and Hardison from the TV show Leverage
2. Amy and Rory from the TV show Doctor. Who
3. The Doctor and River Song from the TV show Doctor. Who
4. Martha and Mickey from the TV show Doctor. Who
5. Nick and Nora from the Thin Man movies
6. Han Solo and Princess Leia from the Star Wars movies
7. G.W. McLintock and Katy McLintock from the movie McLintock
8. Patty and Canoe from the movie That Darn Cat
9. Marjorie Winfield and Bill Sherman from the movies On Moonlight Bay and By the Light of the Silvery Moon.
10. Dr. Bradford and Paula Bradford in the movie The Ex-Mrs. Bradford

I'm sure I missed some great ones so comment and remind me! 

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The Classics Booktag

I saw this book tag over at Fly but it originally came from It's a Book World. I love tags and I love classics so I'm going to fill it out! :)

An overhyped classic you didn't really like

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald- I hope to re-read it sometime and see if maybe my opinion has changed with time. 

Favorite time period to read about

Whatever the Pride and Prejudice time period is. ;)

Favorite fairy tale

Hmmm. Good question. I'm partial to Beauty and the Beast but that might be because of the Disney film. 

What is the most embarrassing classic you haven't read yet

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Top five classics you'd like to read soon

1. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
2. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
3. Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens
4. The Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde
5. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Favorite Modern book/series based on a classic

Beauty by Robin McKinley 

Favorite movie version /TV-series based on a classic

1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice obviously!!!

Worst classic to movie adaptation

The 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and the 2007 adaptation of Mansfield Park are tied. I've heard the 1999 adaptation of Mansfield Park is pretty bad but I haven't bothered with it.

Favorite editions you'd like to collect more classics from

Hmmm. I don't normally pay attention to additions but let me think. I'd say the Barnes and Noble collectibles are very nice indeed and I'd love to have more of them. :)

An under hyped classic I'd recommend to everyone

I feel like Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey don't get the credit Jane Austen's other novels do so I'd say those two. Also, Our Mutual Friend, Little Dorrit and Hard Times are three Dickens novels I read last year that I don't hear as much about either that are awesome! 

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Chocolate Book Tag

Arwen over at Meanwhile, In Rivendell... posted answers to a Chocolate Book Tag and I love the idea so I'm posting my answers too. By the way, you should definitely check out Arwen's blog! I just found it recently but I love it already! :)

Dark Chocolate (A book that covers a dark topic)

The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang- I read this last year and it is so sad and definitely dark. However, it's non-fiction so let me think of a fiction novel also. :) So I'm thinking of C.S. Lewis's The Screwtape Letters. It definitely has dark themes about sin but is incredibly interesting. If you haven't read it you should! Someday I mean to re-read it. 

White Chocolate (A light and humorous read)

I read a lot of light and humorous books. I love any books by P.G. Wodehouse... they are all very light and humorous. 

Milk Chocolate (A book with a lot of hype that you're dying to read)

The Golem and the Jinni- There's probably not as much hype about it now but I remember a year ago or so everyone was raving about it. I'm hoping to read it this year. :)

Carmel-Filled Chocolate (A book that makes you feel all gooey inside) 

You know, despite my not calling myself a romantic over and over again on my blog, I do find that I have a soft spot for a nice romance. However, I still don't like straight up romance and I don't like anything over the top mushy gushy. Anyways... I digress... Any book that has a happy ending where the guy and girl get together in the end makes me feel pretty happy. I tend to get a really sappy grin on my face to be honest (blushes). To be honest, Pride and Prejudice is the first book I think of that makes me feel like that every time I finish it. 

Wafer-less Kit-Kat (A book that surprised you)

I'd have to agree with Arwen and say Beowulf. It wasn't at all what I expected and I LOVED it! 

Snickers (A book you're going nuts about!)

Recently probably Beowulf and Peace Like a River. However, long-term the books I will forever go nuts about are Pride and Prejudice and The Lord of the Rings. 

Hot Chocolate with marshmallows (The book you turn to for comfort)

Hmmm. There are a lot of books that I have gone back to time and time again that aren't comfort reads necessarily but I definitely go back to them like they're an old friend. They're also not necessarily exemplary novels, I just love them. :) These would be Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, This Present Darkness, Piercing the Darkness, The Harry Potter series and Coronation of Glory. 

A Box of Chocolates (A series you feel has something for everyone)

I think I'd agree once again with Arwen and say The Chronicles of Narnia. 

So now I'm craving chocolate! ;)

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Literary Heroine Blog Party 2015

Kellie from According to Kellie is hosting the Literary Heroine Blog Party and Givewaway and I'm joining in on the fun!
Here's some fun questions that we get to answer! :)

~ The Questions ~

1. Introduce yourself! Divulge your life's vision, likes, dislikes, aspirations, or something completely random! Well my name is Lois and I'm one of seven children that grew up in the land of Kansas. I was homeschooled through high school and I'm now in my final semester of nursing school. My life's vision is to glorify God in all I do and aspire to hopefully be a wife and mother. I like reading, crocheting, tea, Jane Austen, J.R.R. Tolkien and Doctor Who. I dislike Rose Tyler, the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice, excessive romance and not getting enough sleep. 
2. What, to you, forms the essence of a true heroine? Me... obviously. ;) Just kidding. I wish. Elizabeth Bennet for me forms the essence of a true heroine. She's witty, smart and kind but she still has faults. 
3. Share (up to) four heroines of literature that you most admire and relate to. Well obviously Elizabeth Bennet as aforementioned so I won't count her here. Admire: Fanny Price, Anne Elliot, and Molly Gipson. Relate to: Catherine Morland and Anne Shirley. So I know that was five but I'm a rebel child! ;)
4. Five of your favorite historical novels? There are some novels I don't consider historical novels that I know others do and it's just a personal preference. Basically my rule is that if a book is written about the same time period in which it is being written I don't consider it a historical novel. Coronation of Glory by Deborah Meroff is my absolute favorite and if you haven't read it you should! Besides that I always enjoy G.A. Henry's historical novels, especially In the Reign of Terror, St. Batholomew's Eve and Coronet of Horse. Additionally I like The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare and To Kill a Mockinbird by Harper Lee. 
5. Out of those five books who is your favorite major character and why? Lady Jane Grey without a doubt. Read the book people! 
6. Out of those five books who is your favorite secondary character and why? My mind is blanking on secondary characters. :(
7. If you were to plan out your dream vacation, where would you travel to - and what would you plan to do there? England, Scotland and Ireland. I would visit all of the historical sites and traverse the countrysides! Duh! 
8. What is your favorite time period and culture to read about? 18th century. 
9. You have been invited to perform at the local charity concert. Singing, comedy, recitation, tap dancing… what is your act comprised of? Recitation. Trust me, you don't want me singing. ;)
10. If you were to attend a party where each guest was to portray a heroine of literature, who would you select to represent? Well I would secretly wish I could be Elizabeth Bennet but know I could never represent her with justice so I'd resort to being Miss Bates because then I know I could talk as much as I want and it would be fine because everyone would expect that of my character. ;) Just kidding.... again. :) I would go as Catherine Morland because I would feel quite natural in that role. 
11. Favorite author(s)? Jane Austen and J.R.R. Tolkien
12. In which century were most of the books you read written? It's hard to tell on my Goodreads stats page but I think it is the 19th century but the 18th century is right behind it. 
13. In your opinion, the ultimate hero in all literature is… Well my favorite (not necessarily the best), heroes are Mr. Knightley (from Austen's Emma) and Mr. Tilney (from Austen's Northanger Abbey). 
14. In your opinion, the most dastardly villain of all literature is... Can we do villainess? Cause my choice is Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter. I do not like that woman. In fact, I dislike her more than Voldemort. Other dastardly villains though are Uriah Heap, Henry Crawford, Mr. Wickham, Mr. Willoughby and Grendel. 
15. Describe your ideal dwelling place. A charming cottage in the countryside. 
16. Sum up your fashion style in a short sentence. I try to be a somewhat fashionable while still being modest. :)
17. Three favorite Non-fiction books? Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul, The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer, Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland Bainton. Honorable mentions: Christianity and Liberalism and Miniatures and Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen. 
18. Your duties met for the day, how would you choose to spend a carefree summer afternoon? Well if I wasn't terribly allergic to poison ivy I would go down to the woods/river area on the family property but as I am I would probably read, catch up with a TV show or if the kids were up for it, go swimming. 
19. Create a verbal sketch of your dream hat - in such a way as will best portray your true character. All I can think of is the hat that Anne Shirley makes up in Anne of Green Gables to wear to church. It was a nice brimmed hat when she left Green Gables but by the time it got to church it was adorned with a crazy assortment of flowers. That's me... I've got all the crazy on the outside but there's a sensible interior. :) 
20. Share the most significant event(s) that have marked your life in the past year. It was a hard year last year actually. My Grandpa on one side passed away in the spring and then my other Grandpa passed away in December. Those have made a huge impact on me and how I think about life and death. They've also mad me irrationally emotional at odd moments. ;) I also worked at a pig farm this last summer that will always be a very special memory in my mind. 
21. Share the Bible passage(s) that have been most inspiring to you recently. Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.- Philippians 4:6-7

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