Literary Hunk of the Month 2015

Literary Hunk of the Month 2015
hosted by Book Perfume
While visiting fellow bloggers I came across this fun meme at the Book Perfume.

Her description blurb:
Admit it–you’ve had a crush on a fictional character. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Here at Book Perfume, we embrace those passions by honoring a literary hunk every month…because the fact that he only exists on paper shouldn’t stop us from obsessing.

While my all-time hunks include Jamie Fraser of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and various heroes from Jane Austen novels, this list will consist of male characters that I come across in my recently read books for each month. These guys will have a quality that makes them stand out (in my eyes). Looks don't necessarily make the cut for my list.

~*~
JANUARY - none found

FEBRUARY - Werner Pfennig
Loved how he followed his heart.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

MARCH - Ethan Figman
Loved his creative passion.
The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer
Amazon | Goodreads | my review
APRIL - none found

MAY - Sam Turner
Loved that he could cook.
The Grown Ups by Robin Antalek
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

JUNE - James Smith
Loved his goodness.
Longbourn by Jo Baker
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

JULY - Ross Poldark
Loved gentlemanly manners.
Ross Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1783-1787 by Winston Graham
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

AUGUST - Kane
Loved his dark, mysterious, scarred persona.
Stone Rider by David Hofmeyr
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

SEPTEMBER - Jesse Colton
Gentle tough cowboy ways.
Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

OCTOBER - Dale Finnegan
Loved his patience.
The Space Between Heartbeats by Melissa Pearl
Amazon | Goodreads | my review

NOVEMBER - Cormoran Strike
Big and burly with brains.
The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith aka J.K. Rowling
Amazon | Goodreads

DECEMBER - Captain Chaol Westphall
Protective nature.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Amazon | Goodreads | my review
~*~
* image source header: Sherlock Holmes reading

* Check out Buzzfeed's 15 Literary Hunks To Cuddle By The Fire (here) and TopTez's Top 10 Literary Hunks (here) and Bustle's 7 Literary Hunk Roles Jamie Dornan Should Take On Next, Because He’s Practically A Pro At This Point (here)

* Feel free to comment on any Literary Hunks you have come across in your recent reading.

Longbourn by Jo Baker

Longbourn
by Jo Baker

Find out more about this book and author:
Amazon
Goodreads
BookExcerpt
Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter @JoBakerWriter

Published: 2013
Publisher: Vintage
Genre: Historical, Jane Austen, Romance
Paperback: 331 pages
Rating: 5

The servants take center stage in this irresistibly imagined belowstairs answer to Pride and Prejudice. While Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters fuss over balls and husbands, Sarah, their orphaned housemaid, is beginning to chafe against the boundaries of her class. When a new footman arrives at Longbourn under mysterious circumstances, the carefully choreographed world she has known all her life threatens to be completely, perhaps irrevocably, upended.

Mentioned only fleetingly in Jane Austen’s classic, here Jo Baker dares to take us beyond the drawing rooms of Regency England and, in doing so, uncovers the real world of the novel that has captivated readers’ hearts around the world for generations.

My two-bits:

Loved how this story parallels Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and includes snippets from it.

The not so pleasant side of some of the P&P characters are revealed. And, we get a dose of just how bad Mr. Wickham can be. Eeek!

It was refreshing to read about the doings in the regency period from the servants perspectives. The nitty gritty household chores involved in running Longbourn was somewhat fascinating to read about.

We also get to see the kinds of love and romance amongst the lower class people of the time. The romantic experiences of the main character, Sarah, were just as fun to read about as Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice.

This story also goes a bit beyond Pride and Prejudice's storyline in that there is a glimpse into Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's household activities at Pemberley.

~*~
* listened to audio version

* added this to my Books On The Nightstand Bingo challenge (details) - square: Romance or Love Story

* added to COYER challenger/scavenger hunt (details)

Books On The Nightstand Bingo

Books On The Nightstand
Summer Bingo
Memorial Day (May 25) – Labor Day (September 7)
details | Goodreads group
The Books On the Nightstand is hosting a 2nd annual Summer Bingo challenge. As I have been loving the quarterly Bookish Bingo card challenges, I decided to add another card for the summer session.

Here's what the randomizer came up for me:

Looks a bit more challenging and will take me out of my comfort zone in some cases!

Books read:

Square - Self-Help
You're on Your Own (But I'm Here If You Need Me):
Mentoring Your Child During the College Years by Marjorie Savage -my review coming soon

Square - Western
Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman -my review

Square - Currently on the non-fiction bestseller list
Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown -my review

Square - Child on Cover
The Red Sun by Alane Adams -my review

Square - with Time Travel
The Witch of Bourbon Street by Suzanne Hayes Palmieri -my review

Square - By an author of a different gender
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter -my review

Square - Published before 1970
Ross Poldark by Winston Graham -my review

Square - Romance or Love Story
Longbourn by Jo Baker -my review

Square - Set in another country
Pieces by Maria Kostaki -my review

Square - Red Cover
Us by David Nicholls -my review

Square - With a protagonist/narrator over the age of 50
Worthy by Catherine Ryan Hyde -my review

Square - Six Words or More in Title
Young Jane Austen: Becoming a Writer by Lisa Pliscou -my review

Square - With a number in the title
Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave -my review

Square - A non-human main character
El Deafo by Cece Bell -my review

Square - Nonfiction
Extraordinary Tales From A Rather Ordinary Guy by Ed Marx -my review

Square - Animal in Title
A Rant of Ravens by Christine Goff my review

Pre-Pemberley Ball: Servants at Longbourn

~*~
Servants at Pemberley are hard at work with preparations for Saturday night's Pemberley Ball from polishing silver to baking confections for the dessert table. Their private matters and romances are set aside for the special event.

However, things are brewing at the Longbourn household from which our Bennet sisters preside.

Find out more...

--~ Book Giveaway ~--

Longbourn
by Jo Baker
Amazon | Goodreads
signup to WIN my copy of this book: here
part of Darcy Surprise Prize Pack
(if you already RSVP'd then simply comment on this post with your answer to Mr. Darcy's question below
The servants take center stage in this irresistibly imagined belowstairs answer to Pride and Prejudice. While Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters fuss over balls and husbands, Sarah, their orphaned housemaid, is beginning to chafe against the boundaries of her class. When a new footman arrives at Longbourn under mysterious circumstances, the carefully choreographed world she has known all her life threatens to be completely, perhaps irrevocably, upended. Mentioned only fleetingly in Jane Austen’s classic, here Jo Baker dares to take us beyond the drawing rooms of Regency England and, in doing so, uncovers the real world of the novel that has captivated readers’ hearts around the world for generations.

~*~

Mr. Darcy
played by John Baragrey
Pride and Prejudice (1949)
Mr. Darcy wants to know…

If you were a servant in the Pride and Prejudice story, what position would you hold and where would you like to be posted Longbourn or Pemberley?

~*~

* image source: character map, Mr. Darcy

~~- Pemberley Ball schedule -~~

Stacking the Shelves - 11.9.13

Stacking the Shelves
hosted by Tynga's Reviews (details)
Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

~*~
Bought:

Longbourn
by Jo Baker
-jane austen & downton abbey themes
to be featured here in January

Alex
The Commandant Camille Verhoeven Trilogy
by Pierre Lemaitre
-mystery, thriller

The Wes Anderson Collection
by Matt Zoller Seitz
-film
For Review:

Waking Up Dead
by Margo Bond Collins
-ghosts, thriller
ARC courtesy of author
Thanks Margo!
to be featured in the Night Night event

Ruby Heart
Neve & Egan bk2
by Cristelle Comby
-mystery, thriller
courtesy of Tribute Books Tour
Thanks Nicole!
to be featured here in December
~*~
* most of these will be offered as giveaways within the next two months

* comment and TELL me what you have acquired for your shelves recently

* per usual, check out the sidebar for my current giveaways offers