One of my goals for 2016 is to watch less TV and read more. I pledged on Goodreads to read 12 books in 2016. I am following Modern Mrs. Darcy’s Reading Challenge for added fun. Here are some mini-reviews of books  I’ve read so far on my 2016 reading list. 🙂

My January book was Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay. I read a couple pages last year but was reading too many books at once and put it aside. However, now that I picked it up again, I couldn’t put it down! It is the story of two estranged sisters who drifted apart after their mom died of cancer. Years later the eldest sister Jane is married with two kids and diagnosed with cancer. The younger sister Elizabeth is a talented chef in New York who has lost the magic in her cooking. She decides to take some time off and visit her sister. Together they attempt the arduous task of healing physically and emotionally in a way that was just absorbing.

I found myself caring about the various characters and was transported into their world – from the discussions of food in classic novels to the feelings of their raw emotions. Towards the end, I had to stop reading the book during the day and wait until the kids were asleep because they would wonder why I was crying.

There is also a touch of God and the lesson that He can bring good out of even terrible situations but it is in no way heavy handed or overbearing. I finished the book last night and although I wanted a little more closure in the romantic storyline, the family healing was beautiful and moving. I definitely recommend the book. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Painter’s Daughter by Julie Klassen

I have been a fan of Julie Klassen’s novels for awhile. In January, I read The Tutor’s Daughter, which I enjoyed. After that I read The Painter’s Daughter which I really enjoyed. The story was about Sophie Dupont an artist who helped her father in his art studio. She met a charming but irresponsible young artist named Wesley who eventually wooed her and had his way with her.

An opportunity to study art in Italy opened up for Wesley and he left Sophie, not knowing that she was now carrying his child. In the meantime, Wesley’s brusque brother Steven, who was used to cleaning up Wesley’s mistakes, discovered the predicament Sophie was facing. To atone for his own past mistakes and to spare Sophie and her unborn child, Steven offered to marry her in name only. Sophie, not wanting to risk the severe consequences she must face as an unwed mother and the inevitable shame her child must endure, agreed.

I loved the emotions and drama that came with Sophia adjusting to life as the wife of a man she did not love. Gradually there was a growing relationship and understanding between Steven and Sophie but the eventual return of Wesley turned everything upside down. I couldn’t put the book down until I found out how the situation played out and which man she ended up with. I was satisfied with the way it was all wrapped up. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White

My Mr. Darcy was a fun and easy read. The story was about Lizzy who watched Pride and Prejudice (2005 version) for the first time at the age of 16. Since then she was obsessed about finding her modern day version of Mr. Darcy. Eventually she met Chad and agreed to go out with him, despite not being anything like Darcy. She planned to break things off after one date but coerced by her best friend, she agreed to 10 dates with Chad before breaking things off. She slowly warmed up to him and started realizing what a great guy he was until she met handsome and rich Matt, a guy who completely fit her idea of Mr. Darcy. The whole situation became an interesting (and clean cut) love triangle.

The story was sweet and fun but also a little annoying because Lizzy’s obsession with Mr. Darcy was maddening at times. I wanted to smack her upside the head when she continually chose the haughty Matt over the sweet, sensitive and unselfish Chad. Maybe if Matt was little more likable and Chad a little more flawed, I could understand Lizzy’s dilemma better. Having said that, I am still glad I read the book and will look for more titles by the author since I loved that it had a modern day setting without any modern day sexual promiscuity. It was clean but not “Christian preachy” if you know what I mean. 🙂 I rate it 3.75 out of 5 stars.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

It’s been seven years since Seth Grahame-Smith’s mashup book was published and I didn’t have any desire to read my beloved Jane Austen in the light of zombies back then. Fast forward to the current day and my love of The Walking Dead and love of movies, made me curious after seeing the trailer for the movie version of the book. I decided to give the book a try before going to see the movie. Did I enjoy it? My feelings are mixed. On the one hand, it was cool to read all the familiar lines and scenes and see how Grahame-Smith was going to change things up. This line from Lizzy in regards to Mr. Collins asking for her hand made me laugh out loud, “Did this fat little priest mean to take her as a wife? She was horrified at the thought of marrying of man whose only skill with a blade was cutting slivers of gorgonzola.”

The whole concept was interesting and at times fun. However, the book also had scenes that were over the top, campy and beyond tongue and cheek. Some parts make Elizabeth into a mythological type of warrior. For example, there is a scene in which she effortlessly slays a ninja and then rips out his still beating heart and takes a bite. That just made me roll my eyes. There were a few added character changes (like Lizzy’s aunt) that were annoying but minor. Had the over the top scenes been toned down slightly to make Lizzy an incredible but believable ninja slaying warrior, I would have appreciated it more since she already had the drive and spirit to imagine her in such a light.

All things considered, if you love Jane, love zombies and don’t mind people taking liberties with a beloved classic, then by all means, give it a try. Otherwise, just skip it. I rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

That’s it for now. What have you been reading?

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