#retelling

Accomplished by Amanda Quain

About the Book

Title: Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy Novel
Author: Amanda Quain
Genre: YA Fiction
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: July 26, 2022

Georgiana Darcy gets the Pride & Prejudice retelling she deserves in Amanda Quain’s Accomplished, a sparkling contemporary YA featuring a healthy dose of marching band romance, endless banter, and Charles Bingley as a ripped frat boy.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Georgiana Darcy should have been expelled after The Incident with Wickham Foster last year – at least if you ask any of her Pemberley Academy classmates. She may have escaped expulsion because of her family name, but she didn’t escape the disappointment of her big brother Fitz, the scorn of the entire school, or, it turns out, Wickham’s influence.

But she’s back for her junior year, and she needs to prove to everyone – Fitz, Wickham, her former friends, and maybe even herself – that she’s more than just an embarrassment to the family name. How hard can it be to become the Perfect Darcy? All she has to do is:

– Rebuild her reputation with the marching band (even if it kills her)
– Forget about Wickham and his lies (no matter how tempting they still are), and
– Distract Fitz Darcy — helicopter-sibling extraordinaire — by getting him to fall in love with his classmate, Lizzie Bennet (this one might be difficult…)

Sure, it’s a complicated plan, but so is being a Darcy. With the help of her fellow bandmate, Avery, matchmaking ideas lifted straight from her favorite fanfics, and a whole lot of pancakes, Georgie is going to see every one of her plans through. But when the weight of being the Perfect Darcy comes crashing down, Georgie will have to find her own way before she loses everything permanently—including the one guy who sees her for who she really is.

Purchase your copy here!


About the Author

Storyteller.
Adventurer.
Enthusiasm Enthusiast.
Collector of too many mugs.

Born in Orlando, Florida, Amanda Quain has spent most of her life figuring out the best way to tell stories. Whether it’s best suited for the page or the stage, she’ll follow the thread of a story wherever it takes her. In addition to her work writing both YA novels and plays, Amanda is a bookseller at One More Page Books in Arlington, VA. She is represented by Moe Ferrara at Bookends Literary Agency. She lives outside of Washington, D.C. with her husband and her cat.


My Review

Accomplished: A Georgie Darcy Novel
by Amanda Quain
Rating: 4/5

As someone who loves Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice, I was super excited to read a contemporary retelling but from Georgiana Darcy’s perspective. Due to the YA setting, I expected there to be teenage angst but the character development was a nice touch too.

Georgie was a typical teenager with a lot of privilege who trusted in the wrong person, Wickham, and is now trying to navigate her junior year of high school. Her struggles are real but got a little annoying and unsympathetic after she kept bringing up her woes. The immaturity and naiveté was relatable though and the author relates her obsession with her crush in a very realistic way. (I’m so glad I don’t do that anymore ;)) The story is a bit heavier with the situations Georgie ends up in – I thought her schoolmates were super mean and elitist bullies. There is a sweet love interest for her though which the original story did not have so that was nice. I loved Lizzie’s character and the advice she had for Georgie. Fitz’s character development was also a nice aspect of the story – his relationship with Georgie had its own progression that was very touching.

P.S. I also loved Charlie’s character so much! 😉

Highly recommend if you enjoy a modern, YA take on Pride and Prejudice from Georgiana Darcy’s perspective.

Content: 23 “f” bombs and some other swearing but not overwhelmingly so. No sex scenes.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

Spotlight & Giveaway: Wendy’s Pirates by Rebecca Varnell

Introducing a new fun read from debut author, Rebecca Varnell! Her Award-Winning Romance Novella Retelling of Peter Pan, WENDY’S PIRATES, is now available for purchase and on Kindle Unlimited! Enter the giveaway to win a free paperback copy!

About the Book

Title: Wendy’s Pirates
Author: Rebecca Varnell
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Eagle Gate
Release Date: November 1, 2021

In 1817, Wendy Darling returns from London to her family in Devon, where she meets Captain James Hooke, a dashing naval officer who both infuriates and intrigues her. But Wendy is hiding a dark secret—and running from a past that makes it impossible for her to trust the incorrigible captain. And James has secrets of his own, secrets he’s afraid will interfere with his desire to win Wendy’s heart.

When the Darling family takes in a young orphan boy named Peter, the two newcomers in Wendy’s life help her learn to open her heart and begin to trust again. But when a gang of pirates sails into port in search of Peter, will trust be enough to save Wendy and those she loves from danger?

Varnell takes J. M. Barrie’s classic Peter Pan characters and introduces them to risks and romance that go far beyond the average fairy tale. As Wendy and Hooke fight for new beginnings, they learn that happy endings aren’t always guaranteed.

Purchase your copy here or read on Kindle Unlimited


About the Author

Emerging young writer Rebecca Varnell has always had two great literary loves: fairy tales and Jane Austen. In her debut novel, Wendy’s Pirates, the two come together in perfect harmony. When Rebecca isn’t writing or snuggled up on the couch with her nose in a book, she can most often be found baking extravagant cakes or enjoying nature walks and losing dreadfully at pickleball.

Rebecca also has a penchant for travel. She spent over a year living in Thailand and adores the culture and people who live there. She has also traveled to several countries in Europe and is inspired by old castles and Roman architecture—even more so with her architect husband around. One day she wants to live in permanent eighty or ninety degree weather, but until then you will find cozy, over-sized sweaters to be a year-round staple in her wardrobe.


Tour Giveaway

WIN a PAPERBACK copy of Wendy’s Pirates by Rebecca Varnell

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My Review

Wendy’s Pirates
by Rebecca Varnell
Rating: 4/5

If you’re a fan of Peter Pan and Jane Austen, you will fall in love with this sweet regency rom-com. This debut from the author is beautifully written and full of fun characters. Reinventing the classic Peter Pan characters with a more fleshed out, unique background was genius and well done. The romance and chemistry between the Captain and Wendy is electric and the reader can’t help but root for the presumed villain.

“His was the smile that made her feel that if he weren’t destined for piracy, she might have been very much at risk of falling in love with him.”

This retelling was so inventive with the way that the author incorporated the original Peter Pan characters in a Jane Austen setting. All the callbacks to Peter Pan were tastefully woven into this entertaining story that you won’t want to miss! Full of adventure, romance, and pirates, Rebecca Varnell’s debut novel is a wonderful addition to any library! 

Highly recommend if you enjoy Peter Pan and Jane Austen with clean, sweet romance and comedic adventures.

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received. 

The Sultan and the Storyteller by Lichelle Slater

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

About the Book

Title: The Sultan and the Storyteller
Series: A Villain’s Ever After #2
Author: Lichelle Slater
Release Date: August 20, 2021

For thirty-nine nights, the sultan of Zunbar has chosen a new wife.
For thirty-nine dawns, they are pronounced dead.

When Sultan Zayne summons my best friend to be taken as his newest victim, I can no longer pretend to be blind and volunteer in her stead. My only plan–weave a story each night and hopefully learn why he would kill in the first place.

As I unravel the tapestry of lies, I learn there’s more going on inside the gilded walls of the palace than anyone in the land could ever realize. I’ve woven myself into the story, and if I don’t pull on the right thread, it’s not only my life at stake but my heart.

The Sultan and the Storyteller is one of twelve short novels in A Villain’s Ever After, a collection of standalone stories featuring villainous twists on some of your favourite classic fairytales. Read the series in any order for magical adventures . . . and fall in love with villains as you’ve never seen them before. Who said villains can’t have happily-ever-afters?

Click HERE to grab your copy or read on Kindle Unlimited!


About the Author

Lichelle Slater

Personal dragon trainer, lover of glitter, writer of fantasy.

Lichelle Slater is a USA Today Bestselling author and was nominated as Best Debut Author at UtopiaCon in 2017 for “Step Right Up.” She was also nominated in 2020 for Mind-Blowing Fantasy of the year with “The Siren Princess” and Unforgettable Book of the Year with “The Beast Princess” at Penned Con.

She currently lives in Salt Lake City, UT with her adorable King Charles Spaniel, Perseus, and works full-time as a special education preschool teacher.


My Review

The Sultan and the Storyteller
By Lichelle Slater
Rating: 4/5

As someone who enjoys fairytale retellings, I was super excited to read A Villain’s Ever After story based off of 1001 Nights – I’ve never read a retelling of that story before and it did NOT disappoint.

Shahira is the eldest daughter of the vizier who has to hide and contain her magic. She is a storyteller who can infuse her magic into her stories and make them come true. When her best friend’s life is threatened by becoming the next bride of the Sultan, Shahira decides to volunteer in her stead. 39 brides lost is enough and Shahira won’t allow the murderous sultan to continue when she has the power to stop him. When she realizes that there’s more to the story, she and the sultan must learn to trust each other and discover where the evil shadows come from before it’s too late.

Beautifully written characters against a lavish backdrop create such a thrilling story with magic and romance and mystery. Since this book is only the prequel to a new series by Lichelle Slater, I look forward to reading more.

Highly recommend if you enjoy fairytale retellings with magic, romance and mystery.

My thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.