CLOSED Erlynn's Top 5 Faves + Giveaway! (and a mega-long list of awesome)

Hello Austen addicts! My name is Erlynn and it is so awesome to be participating in Misty's Austen in Austen on The Book Rat! I am super excited to share with you a reading goal I have been working on for a while now which is... 100 Austen Novels! Currently on number 76, it seems the more Austen adaptations, re-tellings, re-imaginings, perspectives, what-ifs, etc. I read, the even more I crave. In celebration of Austen in August and the completion of my goal in sight, I am doing a giveaway on the top 5 favorites on my list so far! It was very hard to narrow down to just five, but it was really fun going back over all the books on my list, remembering them and comparing/battling them against each other for five top spots. You can enter by filling out the rafflecopter below!

Okay here they are!...

Darcy's Passions by Regina Jeffers! This is one of my favorite, if not the best Darcy perspectives I have read. Darcy's Passions follows Austen's Pride and Prejudice so beautifully I felt like I was re-discovering it again for the first time. All the pieces were fit together so perfectly, as well as the characters being true to form. Georgiana and Colonel Fitzwilliam play a key role in bringing about Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship and the reader gets a priceless inside look at this. I loved how parts of the story once hidden from the reader by Austen, Jeffers takes the liberty of allowing Darcy's thoughts and actions to progress the story. The novel continues through the double wedding and then follows Darcy and Elizabeth back to their home at Pemberley. There was conflict, drama, disaster, humor, love, and a baby... perfect. I enjoyed reading from the first page to the very last. If someone is looking for their first Pride and Prejudice sequel, retelling, or Darcy perspective this is an awesome place to start. There is a sequel to this novel called Darcy's Temptation that is equally awesome.

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World by Abigail Reynolds! This what-if adaptation of Pride and Prejudice by Reynolds is my favorite of hers, and I love them all! Reynolds takes the characters of P&P and asks the question "What if Darcy compromised Elizabeth's reputation and she was unable to refuse him?" Elizabeth is devastated at the thought of being married to a man she despises, while Darcy is blind to Elizabeth's true adverse feelings. The novel is a series of Elizabeth and Darcy misunderstanding each other and causing each other true pain until they can finally listen and see the true love they have for one another. Out of all her "What If?" novels, this is by far my favorite. It is filled with angst and I love how it tears your heart apart from beginning to end.
[Misty's note: I'll be reviewing this one... =D ]

Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan! This is the first in a sequel series called the Darcy Saga, and it is definitely one of my favorite sequels. The books in the series are hefty and long, with enough pages to really get carried away in the time period, romance, and story. Also, so far there are seven books with more on the way. I always am so sad when a series ends, but this one just keeps going! The book begins with the Darcy wedding and flashbacks even further to the proposal. It chronicles Elizabeth coming home to Pemberley and how she adapts to her new estate. Her adjustment to the servants and finer things is exciting and the romance builds between Elizabeth and Darcy into a lustful, sexy read. Elizabeth builds a stronger relationship with Georgiana and the married women of Derbyshire, but an encounter with an ungentlemanly Marquis leaves Elizabeth injured and Darcy preparing for a duel. The drama and romance is amazingly addicting! She is currently working on her eighth book in the series The Passions of Dr. Darcy.

The Mistress's Black Veil by M.K. Baxley! This variation has one of the craziest and most outlandish premises I have read in the Austen fan-fiction world, and that's why I love it so much! At first read I was almost appalled, but it really has grown on me to be a favorite. If you can let go and get past the Elizabeth selling her virginity to the highest bidder, and Darcy parading his conquest to the Ton premise, then you will really be able to enjoy it. I think I enjoyed it so much probably because I was so driven by shock and curiosity and the almost voyeurism style of writing that was achieved. As Mrs. Bennett always feared, Mr. Bennett dies and Mr. Collins immediately kicks the Bennett girls out of Longbourn. Ironically enough Elizabeth decides to become a courtesan for one season to make a small fortune and secure a future for the family. I know it may sound a little absurd at first, but give it a try it has become one of my favorites.

A Wife for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen! This is one of many variations by an Austen author who is truly amazing. In A Wife for Mr. Darcy, Darcy apologizes to Elizabeth for his harsh comment at the assembly, but even with that mess behind them and a presence of mutual attraction Darcy is still driven by his duty to his family and the fact that he was already courting another woman. In her stories the plot is always so thick and well developed being the forefront of the story. Her secondary characters, old and new, propel the story forward and her descriptions cause the pages to turn themselves. Picking up anything by this author is pretty much a guarantee to be fantastic, but check out Darcy and Elizabeth: The Language of the Fan, although a short story it is also one of my all time favorites!

Below is the list of the 76 titles I have read so far. I hope you find something new to try! Besides my top five favorites, some honorable mention authors I think you can't go wrong with are: Brenda Webb, Jan Hahn, Kara Louise, P.O. Dixon, Linda Wells, Susan Mason-Milks and Susan Adriani. You can continue to follow my progress on my own blog at My Little Corner of the World and follow me on Twitter at @ierlynn. Happy Reading and Happy Austen in August!

Erlynn's Austen Reads...so far.
Click to embiggen.

You've read why Erlynn likes 'em - now enter to win 'em for yourself! (and yes, it's international!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click here to be taken to the Austen in August Main Page! Fab button artwork c/o Antique Fashionista!