Title: Bespelling Jane Austen

Author: Mary Balogh, Colleen Gleason, Susan Krinard, Janet Mullany

Publisher: HQN 2010

Genre: Paranormal; Jane Austen

Pages: 377

Rating: 5 / 5 stars

Reading Challenges: Support Your Local Library; Vampires

Jane Austen retells, vampires, witches, and romance... must read.  I absolutely loved this book!  Well, all except the last story, but that had more to do with the writing style than the subject matter.  The volume consisted of four short retellings of Austen novels with paranormal twists.

1. Almost Persuaded by Mary Balogh -- a retelling of my favorite Austen novel Persuasion, but through reincarnation.  I loved that this story was still set in the Regency era world of Austen.  The characters, similarly but not the exact same as Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth, were perfectly cast into the world.  I liked the reincarnation twist to the story.  It was an interesting change; not an intrusive one.
2. Northanger Castle by Colleen Gleason -- Northanger Abbey but filled with the threat of vampires.  Well, more of the idea of the threat of vampires.  For our heroine Caroline Merrill doesn't have any real evidence of vampires existing, but she looks for them anyway.  Imagine her surprise when it turns out there really are vampires in Regency era England.  My second favorite Austen book retold.
3. Blood and Prejudice by Susan Krinard -- Another vampire retelling.  This time set in today's world but inhabited by the familiar characters of Bingley, Darcy, and the Bennett.  Good story, but not the absolute best from the book.
4. Little to Hex Her by Janet Mullany -- A retelling of Emma, but in a modern world with vampires, witches, elves, werewolves, and various other supernatural beings.  I just couldn't get into this story.  I read it, but definitely didn't enjoy it like the others.  This may be because Emma is my least favorite of the Austen novels.

Must read for fans of the genre of Austen retellings, sequels, spin-off, and prequels.  I will definitely recommend this one!