A Study Guide to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice


Jane Austen - 1994
    And certainly what Melville did for whaling Austen does for marriage--tracing the intricacies (not to mention the economics) of 19th-century British mating rituals with a sure hand and an unblinking eye. As usual, Austen trains her sights on a country village and a few families--in this case, the Bennets, the Philips, and the Lucases. Into their midst comes Mr. Bingley, a single man of good fortune, and his friend, Mr. Darcy, who is even richer. Mrs. Bennet, who married above her station, sees their arrival as an opportunity to marry off at least one of her five daughters. Bingley is complaisant and easily charmed by the eldest Bennet girl, Jane; Darcy, however, is harder to please. Put off by Mrs. Bennet's vulgarity and the untoward behavior of the three younger daughters, he is unable to see the true worth of the older girls, Jane and Elizabeth. His excessive pride offends Lizzy, who is more than willing to believe the worst that other people have to say of him; when George Wickham, a soldier stationed in the village, does indeed have a discreditable tale to tell, his words fall on fertile ground. Having set up the central misunderstanding of the novel, Austen then brings in her cast of fascinating secondary characters: Mr. Collins, the sycophantic clergyman who aspires to Lizzy's hand but settles for her best friend, Charlotte, instead; Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Darcy's insufferably snobbish aunt; and the Gardiners, Jane and Elizabeth's low-born but noble-hearted aunt and uncle. Some of Austen's best comedy comes from mixing and matching these representatives of different classes and economic strata, demonstrating the hypocrisy at the heart of so many social interactions. And though the novel is rife with romantic misunderstandings, rejected proposals, disastrous elopements, and a requisite happy ending for those who deserve one, Austen never gets so carried away with the romance that she loses sight of the hard economic realities of 19th-century matrimonial maneuvering. Good marriages for penniless girls such as the Bennets are hard to come by, and even Lizzy, who comes to sincerely value Mr. Darcy, remarks when asked when she first began to love him: "It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley." She may be joking, but there's more than a little truth to her sentiment, as well. Jane Austen considered Elizabeth Bennet "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print". Readers of Pride and Prejudice would be hard-pressed to disagree. --Alix Wilber

The Lawyer Who Roared (Michael Gresham #4)


John Ellsworth - 2016
    And It’s Not Happening Inside a Courtroom. Lawyers come in all shapes and sizes, male and female, brilliant and dim. Michael Gresham is a Chicago lawyer who is quietly—and sometimes not so quietly—going about his business, defending his criminal clients, and providing for his wife and children. When a new client walks in, the lawyer must have the upper hand in all dealings and the client must allow the lawyer to run the show. To do otherwise is to risk jail or worse for the clients of Michael Gresham. But without warning, a client turns on him. Without warning, Michael’s world is turned on its head one life at a time. Michael, being Michael, fights back. A trial takes over and the book begins a runaway contest with a runaway jury that neither the judge nor the lawyers can control. When it is over, the last man standing will walk away with his life and his world and the other will lose it all. The pawns are Michael’s wife and children—his everything. In the end Michael must face his own demons and try to lay hold of the person he is ultimately meant to be: the lawyer who roared.

Fathers and Sons: A Collection of Medieval Romances


Kathryn Le Veque - 2019
    Enter a world of proud fathers and their powerful sons as only Kathryn Le Veque can create! Medieval Times brought about some of the most powerful legends and audacious tales. Fathers establish the family legacies and sons carry them forth. In a world of brutal majesty and daring adventure, live the passion of true Medieval Romance in these four majestic full-length novels. Spectre of the Sword – Rhys du Bois, a powerful knight, falls in love with the hunted heiress to the throne of England. Will he risk love over duty? Unending Love – Maddoc du Bois has had an admirer all his life, a lady he has ignored… but soon becomes his reason for living. Shield of Kronos – Garret de Moray falls for a much-sought-after lady… who can bring him death. The Gorgon – Bose de Moray finds himself on the tournament circuit after the death of his wife and falls for a young woman with tragic secrets of her own. Bonus book: Realm of Angels - a damaged knight and a lady who never gave up hope in this tale of miracles. Purchase this spectacular collection or read for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Crime on the Fens / Shadow over the Fens / Hunted on the Fens


Joy Ellis - 2019
    FROM A GLOBALLY BEST-SELLING AUTHOR WHO HAS SOLD OVER 1.5 MILLION BOOKS. YOU GET THREE ENTHRALLING MYSTERIES IN THIS BOX SET BOOK 1: CRIME ON THE FENS The town is being terrorised by gangs of violent thugs, all wearing identical hideous masks. Then a talented young female student goes missing on the marsh and Nikki and Joseph find themselves joining forces with a master criminal in their efforts to save her. They need to look behind the masks, but when they do, they find something more sinister and deadly than they ever expected . . . BOOK 2: SHADOW OVER THE FENS A man is found executed on a piece of wasteland in Greenborough town. The cold-blooded murder triggers terrible memories for Detective Joseph Easter. Just when things seemed to be going well for DS Easter, he realises that the nightmare is coming back, threatening his career, his sanity, and maybe his life. In a breath-taking conclusion even Nikki begins to doubt DS Easter as he faces a race against time to save someone very close to him. BOOK 3: HUNTED ON THE FENS A vicious criminal is targeting Detective Nikki Galena and her team. One by one he will hunt them down and destroy their lives, unless she can stop him first. DI Nikki Galena faces her toughest challenge yet. Can she save her team and herself from a cruel and determined adversary who will stop at nothing to harm Nikki and her colleagues? First she must work out who wants revenge against her or one of her detectives. Full of twists and turns, this is a crime novel that will have you turning the pages until the stunning ending. Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Robert Bryndza, Mel Sherratt, Angela Marsons, Colin Dexter, or Ruth Rendell. DISCOVER ONE OF THE WORLD’S FAVOURITE DETECTIVES THE DETECTIVE DI Nikki Galena: A police detective with nothing left to lose, she’s seen a girl die in her arms, and her daughter will never leave the hospital again. She’s got tough on the criminals she believes did this to her. HER PARTNER DS Joseph Easter is the squeaky-clean new member of the team. But his nickname “Holy Joe” belies his former life as a soldier. He has an estranged daughter who blames him for everything that went wrong with their family. THE SETTING The Lincolnshire Fens: great open skies brood over marshes, farmland, and nature reserves. It is not easy terrain for the Fenland Constabulary to police, due to the distances between some of the remote Fen villages, the dangerous and often misty lanes, and the poor telephone coverage. There are still villages where the oldest residents have never set foot outside their own farmland and a visit to the nearest town is a major event. But it has a strange airy beauty to it, and above it all are the biggest skies you’ve ever seen.

Best Sellers from Reader's Digest Condensed Books: To Kill a Mockingbird / The Shoes of the Fisherman / Seven Days in May / To Catch an Angel


Harper Lee - 1963
    To Kill a MockingbirdThe Shoes of the FishermanSeven Days in MayTo Catch an Angel

Mystere Parish Complete Collection: The Reckoning\The Vanishing\The Awakening


Jana Deleon - 2018
    But teaming up with Alexandria Bastin is a complication he didn’t expect. Nor is he prepared to collide with the dark side of Cajun culture. And his own troubled past.The Vanishing Certain death awaits any outsider who enters Cache, a mythical city said to disappear when intruders threaten. But P.I. Max Duhon won’t let the Cajun superstition stop him from going there. He’ll do anything to help sexy Colette Guidry and close this missing person’s case—even admit how attracted he is to his client. The AwakeningIt could be a mythical creature wreaking havoc on a Mystere hotel…or a malicious vandal. It’s detective Tanner LeDoux’s first case and—much to his chagrin—the hotel belongs to Josie Bettencourt, once the most popular girl in town and his unrequited love. A woman who now doesn’t even recognize him…

Reading Order: Lee Child: Jack Reacher in Order


Titan Read - 2016
    You will spoil the story and your own enjoyment if you read a series in the wrong order and you will miss the development of an author’s writing if you read their books in a helter-skelter fashion. With our original reading list you get the perfect tool to enjoy Lee Child’s books the way they where meant to be enjoyed. You can also use the reading list as checklist. Simply use the inbuilt highlight feature to highlight all the books that you have already read. Inside this book you will find a link that will allow you to download three classics for FREE along with three free audiobooks. Enjoy! Note To Readers This is a bibliography. The author and publisher of this book do not guarantee the accuracy and/or completeness of the content within this book and are not liable for damages arising from the use of this book. The bibliography portion of this book can be found in publicly available sources and only includes elements, such as titles and dates of publication, which are not subject to copyright protection. The bibliography is unofficial and not approved, authorized, licensed, or endorsed by any author, publisher, or organization mentioned within it.

Beach Reads Boxed Set


Marie Force - 2019
    Each title offers a sizzling love story and a guaranteed happy ending. So get comfortable and be prepared to fall in love—nine times! Books included: True North Georgia on My Mind The Fall The Wreck Everyone Loves a Hero Love at First Flight Line of Scrimmage Sex Machine Sex God

A Mackenzie Security Series Omnibus 2: Sizzle, Crave, Scorch


Liliana Hart - 2019
    He owes Declan his life, and Declan more than has his hands full with his own family problems. Little does Archer know he’ll be chasing a would-be recruit all the way to hell and back. Or maybe Alaska just seems like hell. Audrey Sharpe works for no one but herself. Not even when the most elite security company in the country wants her. She doesn’t have time to worry about MacKenzies. She’s racing against the clock to hunt down the man who taught her everything she knows and to stop him from killing more innocent people. When sexy, but tough as nails, Archer Ryan keeps getting in her way, Audrey has to decide whether he’ll be an asset or a distraction her body and mind can’t afford. CRAVE: When Evangeline Lockwood witnesses the murder of a prominent politician, the killers will do everything they can to make sure she can't testify. Since Evangeline's father was once Deputy Director of the CIA, he knows just who to call to protect his only daughter – MacKenzie Security. The last thing Cal Colter wants is to get stuck with a babysitting job, but Declan MacKenzie has assigned him the task and he has no choice but to accept. Cal especially doesn't know what to do with the quirky computer nerd who covers her lush body in baggy clothes and her stunning violet eyes behind glasses. But if Cal knows anything, it's women, and he's just as determined to peel back the layers of this unusual woman as he is to keep her alive. SCORCH: Shane MacKenzie’s life has been turned upside down. He’s lost his command, his identity, and his will to live. He’s a dead man walking, and the only thing that makes waking up in the morning worthwhile is knowing he’ll come head to head with the one woman who gets his blood moving. Doctor Lacy Shaw spent years as a medic on the battlefield. She’s seen things that can never be erased from her memory, and when Declan MacKenzie gives her the opportunity to work for MacKenzie Security, she decides any job has to be better for the body and soul than watching soldiers die in a war zone. That’s until she meets Shane MacKenzie and realizes she’s never fought so hard for one person to live.

Alpha Men: Books 4-6 (Alpha Men, #4-6)


Hope Ford - 2019
    He was my everything. We knew he would be joining the service when we graduated. Just like his dad and grandfather did before him. So, no matter how much I wanted him to stay, he had to go. He had to leave me. My mom was once in the same situation and she waited her whole life for my dad to come back to us. I saw what she went through and how it destroyed her. I couldn’t do that to myself. So, I ended it with Tank. Tank Emily thinks I will never come back to her. But what she doesn’t realize is, I don’t have a choice. No matter what happens, no matter how far away I go, I’m coming back to her. Where I Belong (Alpha Men, 5) An Alpha Man and BBW, Steamy Sweet Romance Kim I fell for Rich in a picture. He is in my brother’s army unit and twelve years older than me. Although I dreamed about him all the time, I never imagined that we would ever meet… and he would live up to my fantasy. Rich My army brother asked me to check in on his sister. I told him I would and then he gave me her picture. I fell for her just by looking at her, and I knew the minute I saw her, I was where I belong. Do Over (Alpha Men, 6) An Alpha Man, and BBW, Steamy Sweet Romance Madison Jase and I were in love and going to be together FOREVER! And then he had to leave me. I spent the last five years dealing with a broken heart. I tried to move on, I met someone else and we had a baby together. But now, Jase is back and says he’s here to get what is his. Jase I had to leave her. At the time I didn’t think I had a choice. But I worked all this time to get back to her. She thinks since her body has changed and she has a little girl now that I don’t want her. She couldn’t be more wrong and I’m going to prove it to her. I’m going to get my second chance… my do-over. Note: This is a steamy, sweet, SHORT romance. It has a HEA with alpha male and a plus-size woman that makes him hers! If you love short romances with insta love, hot love scenes, and a sweet story, then this one is for you.

Friction Free Preview Edition (First 5 Chapters)


Sandra Brown - 2015
     A Texas Ranger, relegated to deskwork due to past recklessness, petitions to regain custody of his five-year-old daughter, and his case is assigned to a family court judge who is as attractive as she is ambitious. When a masked gunman barges in during the custody hearing with his sights on the judge, the Ranger reacts instinctually and goes after him. But authorities apprehend the wrong man, and the real gunman remains unknown, at large, and a threat. Will this take-charge lawman jeopardize his chances of custody by going after the would-be assassin? And will this unlikely pair be able to deny the forbidden attraction building between them?

The William Kent Krueger Collection #4: Vermilion Drift, Northwest Angle, and Trickster's Point


William Kent Krueger - 2015
    Five are connected to a series of old unsolved disappearances. But the sixth is fresh. What’s worse, two of the victims—including the most recent—were killed with Cork’s gun. As Cork searches for answers, he must dig into his own past and that of his father, a well-respected man who harbored a ghastly truth. Northwest Angle: Amid the wreckage of a violent storm, Cork O’Connor and his daughter Jenny discover a body. Nearby, a baby boy lies hungry and dehydrated but still very much alive. Powerful forces in pursuit of the child follow them to the isolated Northwest Angle, where it’s impossible to tell who is friend or foe. Trickster’s Point: Cork O’Connor sits deep in the wilderness with his good friend Jubal Little—favored to become Minnesota’s first Native American elected governor—who is slowly dying with an arrow through his heart. But this is no hunting accident. The arrow is one of Cork’s. As he works to clear his name and track the killer who set him up, only Cork knows that his complex, passionate, ambitious friend was also capable of murder.

Levon Cade: The Complete Series


Chuck Dixon - 2019
    He just wants to live an anonymous life and be a good dad to his daughter. But when a local girl vanishes, he’s asked to return to the skills that made him a mythic figure in the shadowy world of counterterrorism.Follow Levon and his daughter while they go on the run from the feds and a growing army of enemies that Levon makes along the way.

Gargoyles Box Set (Underground Encounters, #5-6)


Lisa Carlisle - 2020
    He only has 24 hours before he returns to stone.Can he convince her to spend it with him?BLAZE - A computer geek turned rock star…Mike is good at playing with two things--numbers and his guitar. People, not so much. So when he stumbles upon two women having fun in the shadows at an underground club, and a bouncer urges him to get one to safety, he's not sure how to respond. But, when he discovers she's been bitten and her neck is bleeding, something wakes inside of him.He's compelled to protect her. But--why?

The Twelfth Imam Collection


Joel C. Rosenberg - 2014
    At extreme personal risk, Shirazi undertakes his assignment. A native Farsi speaker whose family escaped from Iran in 1979, he couldn’t be better prepared for the mission. But none of his training has prepared Shirazi for what will happen next. An obscure religious cleric is suddenly hailed throughout the region as the Islamic messiah known as the Mahdi or the Twelfth Imam. News of his miracles, healings, signs, and wonders, spread like wildfire, as do rumors of a new and horrific war. With the prophecy of the Twelfth Imam seemingly fulfilled, Iran’s leaders prepare to strike Israel and bring about the End of Days. Shirazi must take action, but the clock is ticking.The Tehran Initiative: The world is on the brink of disaster, and the clock is ticking. Iran has just conducted its first atomic weapons test. Millions of Muslims around the world are convinced their messiah—known as the Twelfth Imam—has just arrived on earth. Israeli leaders fear Tehran, under the Twelfth Imam’s spell, will soon launch a nuclear attack that could bring about a second Holocaust and the annihilation of Israel. The White House fears Jerusalem will strike first, launching a preemptive attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities that could cause the entire Middle East to go up in flames, oil prices to skyrocket, and the global economy to collapse. With the stakes high and few viable options left, the president of the United States orders CIA operative David Shirazi and his team to track down and sabotage Iran’s nuclear warheads before Iran or Israel can launch a devastating first strike.Damascus Countdown: 2014 “Christian Retailing’s Best” award finalist!All eyes are on the Middle East. Israel has successfully launched a first strike on Iran, taking out all of their nuclear sites and six of their nuclear warheads—and causing The Twelfth Imam to order a full-scale retaliation. U.S. President William Jackson threatens to support a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the Jewish State for unprovoked and unwarranted acts of aggression. Meanwhile, CIA operative David Shirazi has infiltrated the Iranian regime and intercepted information indicating that two Iranian nuclear warheads survived the attack and have been moved to a secure and undisclosed location. In danger not only from the ongoing missile strikes on Iran but also from the increasingly hostile and suspicious governments of multiple countries, David and his team are in a race against time to find the remaining nuclear warheads before disaster strikes.