Michael Thomas Ford's Jane Goes Batty

I know many readers, especially of romance, prefer to not read books written by men. I was drawn to this series, originally, because it was another Austen spin-off. I am addicted to them. Reading it, I had to remind myself that this novel was written by a man. It was not apparent and that, to me is telling of the author’s success, especially when the main character is Jane Austen.

While Jane Goes Batty is a sequel, it could also be read as a stand-alone novel. The author gives the reader reminders, retellings of story line and facts, so that the reader never struggles to guess or remember the previous story. The series is the story of what Jane Austen would be doing now, in our time, if she had been Lord Byron’s lover and he turned her into a vampire. Today, Miss Austen lives in a small cute town, runs a successful book store, just published her first novel and has a human boyfriend. She is constantly harassed by Lord Byron and attacked by an angry and jealous Charlotte Bronte (also a vampire thanks to her love affair with Lord Byron).  It is a fun Austenite spin-off with cute and quirky ideas and plot twists. I would recommend it to Jane Austen fans, paranormal readers or someone who just wants to try something new and fun.  For those looking for romance, it is in there; however it is not the dominating force of this series.