Welcome to Litsy!

This gorgeous Cranford edition saw me through the last week of Persuasion, through the necessary tedium of Mrs. Smith's backstory and into the sheer stomach-churning joy of Wentworth's letter. Truly, nothing I've ever read in any romance comes close to the power of that entire chapter, culminating with *the greatest* letter any man, fictional or living, has ever put to paper. Do not fight me on this, I will live happily in the hyperbole forever!

A book about second chances & love that survives

8 yrs ago Anne Elliot was advised by friends and family to turn the proposal of Captain Wentworth since he didn‘t have enough money. Now things have changed, the Elliot‘s is letting out their home to live in Bath for awhile. There Anne meets her lost love again

& off course as in any Austen, there‘s complications and someone isn‘t as nice as they seem to be

#PemberLittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow

The perfect comfort listen this week. I always forget how much I love this book. #Pemberlittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow

This is a perfect description of Anne Elliot

#PemberLittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow

Another week of Persuasion has come! We're really flying through it now- the Lyme trip, complete with Louisa's unfortunate flirting accident, has come and gone, and now the fam is onto Bath. Anne is resentful and resigned but mayyyybe Mr. Elliot will make things a little better? And then again, as we (and Anne) start to see, maybe not. 🙃 This week's copy is the stunning painted edition by Harper Muse Classics which I'm obsessed with. So gorgeous!

A perfect description of an introverted reader

#PemberLittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow

Took me forever to decipher whats happening in this cover. Rather pretty though.

I've always felt a little out of the loop with Persuasion, never finding it all that romantic, but I think I appreciate it more now. So much suspense, so much yearning! So much snark! 😂

#Pemberlittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow @Crinoline_Laphroaig

Sorry I'm not showing off the edition I've been reading (the Annotated Persuasion, highly recommend!) but I need to geek out over my weekend trip up north and visits from chickadees that will eat right out of your hand. 😍 Making good progress on the story, though- Anne is shipped off for a time to wait on her spoiled hypochondriac sister Mary, and of course, Wentworth starts coming around! It is painful and awkward and I love every second of it.

Jane Austen is not afraid of telling it as it is.

#PemberLittens #JaneAustenThenAndNow

Week 1: Just two chapters in on my weekly Sunday Persuasion round-up! We get tea on the whole Elliot clan from vain Sir Walter to his disappointed, deceased lady, and his three daughters: Elizabeth (hot but shallow), Anne (sensible and sweet, but ignored) and Mary (semi-important because she married rich, BUT not titled). They're in dire financial straits so time to up sticks and move to Bath! Notes on the pictured edition in the comments. 👇👇👇

Starting my Persuasion reread with this painted beauty
#JaneAustenThenAndNow @Crinoline_Laphroaig

It feels so right to be ending a year of Austen's novels with Persuasion. It's probably my favorite of her works, and as such, I have 10 copies to choose from. 😭 (I have a problem!) This time I'll be cycling through some choice editions and posting a weekly recap. Maybe next year I'll meme my way through it, but for now, I'm going let it all wash over me and just enjoy a dose of my favorite Austen during my favorite season. 🍁🫖📚🧡

Books 136 through 147. I have been reading a lot of the sweethearts alphabet series by Suzanne Ash for an A-Z challenge. Plus, I have been busy downsizing and packing for my upcoming move.

August ends and I am in Alaska! Persuasion was my favorite, ME by Elton extremely interesting & enjoyable, Helen of Troy highly recommended for next poetry collection. Happy September Everyone 🤗

I love this book so much! Rereading it reminded me of how Anne and Captain Wentworth‘s maturity leads to a deeper connection when they are reunited. They better understand life and their own foibles. They appreciate true connection when they find it and learn to trust their own decisions and worth. I loved reading it with @BkClubCare and this gorgeous edition from her full of letters and maps made it even more special. #persuasion2025

LOVED it! Thank you @AvidReader25 for #BuddyRead -ing this with me. #Persuasion2025

The narration by Greta Scacchi is excellent, must be said.

#Aug2025 Book76

@AvidReader25 - Two things:
1) I ❤️ the word thither!!
2) Is the letter from Mrs. Croft in the book I sent?!🤩

And, the second paragraph is beyond confusing. Two cousins (who?!), Miss Elliot (Elizabeth or Anne?), then “she, Anne & Clay” so the SHE must be Elizabeth here?!?!?!?

“She saw that there had been bad habits; that Sunday-traveling had been a common thing;”

Tsk,tsk (This cousin Elliot is not to be trusted.)

#SundayFunday

“The sweet scenes of autumn were for a while, put by, unless some tender sonnet, fraught with the apt analogy of the declining year, with declining happiness, & the images of youth, & hope, & spring, all gone together, blessed her memory.”

“Nor could she help fearing, on more serious reflection, that, like many other great moralists & preachers, she had been eloquent on a point in which her own conduct would ill bear examination.” #Persuasion2025

Check in day for #Persuasian2025 @AvidReader25

… a few questions:
Did the nephew/Elliot automatically inherit his wife‘s riches upon her death?
I am confused who Colonel Wallis is??
Why the sandy-hair comments?!
Is Mrs Clay a widow? I forget why she is groupie to Elizabeth. And does dad like her or not? Seems he does but a convoluted sentence somewhere says he doesn‘t or does Anne wish he didn‘t?
Am I correct in thinking Sir Walter is … a cad?

Austen is phenomenal. Such wit, such human understanding. I am enjoying this book a lot. #Persuasion2025

➡️ Husband was not on same page as wife: “You talk nonsense!”

This chapter took me on a few minutes discovery of differences between rectors and vicars and curates OH MY ⛪️ 🕊️💰

The way I audibly squealed when I opened this package!!! Hand-folded letters in one of my favorite books in the world! Particularly a book where a letter plays a crucial and beautiful role. @BkClubCare you made my whole month with this. You‘re just the best! #Persuasion2025 #Pemberlittens

I am starting this today, reading a chapter a day. Would a family tree be easy to find in the webs? I don‘t quite get who the heir is - a cousin? And what did this mean “wearing black ribbons for his wife”?

#Persuasion2025 @AvidReader25

Repost from @AvidReader25 about our August no frills all fun readalong #Persuasion2025; M‘s favorite and my first time! This has been years in the making, back and forth, “let‘s buddy read” > “which book?!” 😂

I am excited!
M - are these all your copies? Or do you have more?!

Reading Jane Austen‘s lovely Persuasion with @BkClubCare in August. Anyone want to join in? No pressure readalong. We‘re reading at our own pace and commenting as you feel like it. It‘s my favorite Austen novel and I‘m thrilled to revisit it. Tag #Persuasion2025 if you post!

Back in Beautiful Bath again for a little mini break with my gorgeous best friend , she‘s moved here & I miss her terribly 🥲but the bonus is I get lovely 🥰breaks down here, so perfect time to re read my favourite Austen, who incidentally hated bath! Finished it in her beautiful garden 🪴 UK 🇬🇧 in summer is to me the most beautiful place on the planet 🌍 we are so so lucky to be blessed to live here in a free fair democracy

I need to get my hands on this!! I know, it shouldn‘t be too hard to find, right? Just may purchase it just for fun, and then donate to my library after…
And please note that in August, @AvidReader25 and I are planning a #buddyREAD of this because it is one I haven‘t read yet, and I think M is reading through ALL the Austens; she can correct me if that‘s wrong. Anyone reading this is fine to join in.

I've never read this before but I can see why so many like it. I found this so nice and soothing almost especially when trying not to doomscroll. I really liked Anne and have so many questions about her mother seeing how she turned out in comparison to the rest of her family.

Re-reading Persuasion for the million time and my mind still gets like that every time Wentworth and Anne interact

8 years after turning down an engagement from the love of her life, Anne Elliot must come to terms w/ that decision when she meets Captain Wentworth again as he is courting another.

Maybe my new favorite Austen! Also, I love Austen dearly, but Anne is so Eldest Daughter coded I will not be taking criticism. This second chance romance was so lovely, & I resonated so strongly w/ Anne, & I loved her friendship w/ Lady Russell & Mrs Smith.🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

January is such a struggle. Hence this comfort reread

Last week I got into a conversation with a coworker about Jane Austen because she was wearing a sweatshirt with Wentworth‘s letter to Anne on it. Today she gave me this sticker 😄

Thanks for the #Two4Tuesday tag @TheSpineView 🤗

1️⃣ Overall yes. It does depend on the situation though.

2️⃣ Persuasion is one of my favorite books & in it, Anne Elliot gets a second chance at love.❤️

If you haven‘t played & want to, consider yourself tagged!

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.

2/20
Join if you would like!

#20Covers

This play was the perfect way to revisit a favorite. It was delightful to move from room to room watching as Jane Austen converses with her characters.

Maturing is loving Jane Austen.

On this day in 1816, Jane Austen finished writing Persuasion. How fitting that I finished reading for Thursday's Jane Austen's House Virtual Book Club. "You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope." ? #Pemberlittens

It's time for Austen in August! And while yes I do tend to celebrate Jane Austen all year long, it is tradition to read as much as possible in August.

Up first is Persuasion for next week's Jane Austen House Museum Book Club. My collection isn't as big as my Pride and Prejudice one, but some lovely editions none the less. 🎩📖📚

#Pemberlittens
#AusteninAugust
#12MonthsOfJane

There, he had learnt to distinguish between the steadiness of principle and the obstinacy of self-will, berween the darings of heedlessness and the resolution of a collected mind…he had seen everything to exalt in his estimation the woman he had lost, and there begun to deplore the pride, the folly, the madness of resentment, which had kept him from trying to regain her when thrown in his way.

Still one of my favorite of Austens, up there with P&P. But I admit I didn't care for this audio version quite as much. It is abridged with a full cast. I think so much of the novel is about feelings and happens internally, that some of the potency was lost here. I still enjoyed the story. The letter gets me every time 💌❤️

4/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

#janeausten #romance #classic #historical

#SpringSkies Day 20 #2ndChanceRomance

I read this book, yes...I have various editions...Do I need this edition? Yes!!! 😂

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

April 20 #SpringSkies 2ndChanceRomance @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

#OneWordTitle ☝🏻 #SpringSkies 🌺🌼🌸🌻🌨️☀️

#BookNerd 🤓📚💙

#TLT #ThreeListThursday @dabbe

1) Persuasion (my very favorite Austen I have read it over a dozen times)
2) The Vegetarian by Han Kang
3) Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

#LuckyInLove

While Pride and Prejudice is my favorite Jane Austen novel (& favorite all-time book), Elizabeth Bennet my favorite Austen heroine & Elizabeth & Darcy my favorite couple, Captain Frederick Wentworth edges out Mr. Darcy as my #BookCrush He may not be as rich, own Pemberley or saved his beloved‘s family & realized the error of his prideful ways, but the man is loyal, hardworking & writes a hell of a love letter! “You pierce my soul…”