July was slow reading, but good stuff!

This month, my reading choices were all over the place.  Chick lit to historical fiction to spiritual to Austen-esque lit.  I love reading such a wide range of stuff!

The Jane Austen Marriage Manual by Kim Izzo. I read this book in 4 hours (got to love a holiday where you can just sit by the pool and read!). Kate Shaw is a writer who is living a pretty happy life. Until everything turns upside down. She loses her boyfriend, a potential job, the family home and her grandmother all right before her 40th birthday. She is finally offered an opportunity to freelance for a magazine and the article is to be about marrying a rich man. Thanks in no small part to a birthday gift of land in Scotland that made her a Lady, she begins to jet set in search of her own Mr. Darcy. But at the age of 40, what is really more important- love or money?


The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty. And we return to the historical fiction. In 1922, Louise Brooks, the famous silent movie actress who made the bob THE haircut to have, was just 15 years old when she was accepted to a famous dance school in New York. Her parents couldn't allow her to travel to, and live in, New York without a chaperone. That's where neighbor Cora Carlisle came in. For her, it was an opportunity to learn more about her own life. She had come to Kansas at 6 years old, an orphan from New York. While in New York, Cora finally becomes the woman she always wanted to be and takes these discoveries home to Kansas with her. Louise, on the other hand, goes on to become the icon of a generation before falling into demise. An absolutely fascinating book- I'd suggest it for a book club read. I read it in one day (ok, the same day as I read The Jane Austen Marriage Manual. What can I say- I LOVE a holiday!)

By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept by Paulo Coelho. I needed a little break from historical fiction (mainly because I didn't have any to read at the moment), so went back to a favorite author. Coelho is one of the most spiritual authors I have ever had the pleasure of reading. All of his books focus on different emotions/experiences. This one is about forgiveness. Pilar and her childhood sweetheart haven't seen each other for eleven years. During this years, Pilar has gone to school and pondered what she will do with her life. Her childhood sweetheart, on the other hand, has become a famous spiritual leader. He has been given a miraculous gift. But when Pilar comes back into his life, he must decide which is more important- his gift or his love. For Pilar, there is no decision. Faith, love and miracles are all tied up together.

The Au Pairs by Melissa de la Cruz. I've read quite a bit of her work, most of it being of the supernatural bent. Vampires, witches, etc. This one was about 3 girls who become au pairs for a rich family in the Hamptons one summer. Mindless beach read. And while I still think she's an enjoyable author, I definitely like her supernatural stuff better.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Steve Hockensmith. This takes place before Elizabeth and Darcy have the pleasure of meeting. In fact, it takes place right around the time Elizabeth is about to have her coming out at her first ball. Instead, corpses begin to emerge from the ground. Mr. Bennet informs his daughters that the unmentionables have returned. And that he, as a warrior, has neglected his duties. He has not trained his daughters in the deadly arts. Elizabeth quickly reveals herself to be quite adept at zombie hunting. Along the way, she falls in love. With her deadly arts Master and also with a doctor who is trying to learn about zombies. Eventually, every bit of the Bennet girls' training is necessary when the zombie herds attack. I love Jane Austen and I love supernatural. So these books are a perfect combination for me!