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Ginny: The Little Force of NatureGinny: The little force of nature
June 3, 2026
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Ginny: The Little Force of Nature

Posted in Cat

I meant to write about the newest member of our clowder at her 6-month gotchaversary. But, for some reason, I had in mind that her gotcha day was at the end of November, when it was actually the third. So, I’m a month late, but I don’t think she’d mind. If you want to keep up with our clowder, check out their Instagram account.

Before we start

Jim originally named our girl Jane, since he felt she seemed no-nonsense, rather like Jane Austen. However, I kept thinking of Jane Bennet — from Pride and Prejudice — and our little girl is most definitely NOT calm and serene. She seemed to agree with me, because she showed no sign of responding to her name after about a month.

After considering her personality, I tried Ginevra — Ginny — from Harry Potter. Our Ginny is small, athletic, smart, and temperamental, so I thought it suited her well. And she must agree, because she was responding to her new name within a day.

So, to make things easier, I’m going to refer to her as Ginny throughout this post, but know that she was Jane until late November.

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Fountain Pen Rainbow 2026Fountain Pen Rainbow 2026
June 1, 2026
Rachel
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Fountain Pen Rainbow 2026

Posted in Fountain Pens

Happy Pride Month! I love creating my yearly pen rainbow. This year, I chose the progress flag designed by Daniel Quasar to match. I didn’t choose the newer, intersex pride flag because I couldn’t figure out how to represent the purple circle on a yellow background with a pen. This also means I get to choose some additional pens for the colors in the arrow.

You can also check out my 2024 rainbow, 2025 rainbow, and 2025 bi flag matches.

Proud pen addict button/pin

Matching the progress flag means I have two “sections” to match. Following the left-to-right, top-to-bottom reading order, let’s start with the “progress arrow.”

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Pen Porn: Den’s Pens Baetylus “Twister”Pen Porn: Den's Pens Baetylus "Twister"
May 29, 2026
Rachel
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Pen Porn: Den’s Pens Baetylus “Twister”

Posted in Fountain Pens

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for pen envy or impulse purchases resulting from viewing this post.

Per usual, you can click on the images to view them larger. I do my best to provide you with high-quality pen porn. 😉

I’m WAY behind on my pen porn posts. I picked up this Baetylus at the San Francisco pen show last August. Den had sent a selection of their pens with nibmeister Thomas Ang, and this beauty caught my eye almost immediately.

Den is a wizard when it comes to pen shapes, and this one is no exception. If you’re looking for pens with unique shapes, Den is top of my list. Their pens are fully done by hand and inspired by mythology. It doesn’t hurt that Den is a lovely human. Seriously, go take a look at their website and/or Instagram, then come back. Think of it as a pen porn side quest.

Den's Pens Baetylus "Twister"
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Review – Don’t Want You Like a Best FriendBook Review Featured Image
May 28, 2026
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Review – Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend

Posted in Book Blogger

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend

by Emma R. Alban

book cover: don't want you like a best friend

Series: Mischief & Matchmaking
Genres: LGBTQ+, Romance
Release Date: January 9, 2024
Pages: 396
Get from: Library | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Gwen has a brilliant beyond brilliant idea.

It’s 1857, and anxious debutante Beth has just one season to snag a wealthy husband, or she and her mother will be out on the street. But playing the blushing ingenue makes Beth’s skin crawl and she’d rather be anywhere but here.

Gwen, on the other hand, is on her fourth season and counting, with absolutely no intention of finding a husband, possibly ever. She figures she has plenty of security as the only daughter of a rakish earl, from whom she’s gotten all her flair, fun, and less-than-proper party games.

“Let’s get them together,” she says.

It doesn’t take long for Gwen to hatch her latest scheme: rather than surrender Beth to courtship, they should set up Gwen’s father and Beth’s newly widowed mother. Let them get married instead.

“It’ll be easy” she says.

There’s just…one, teeny, tiny problem. Their parents kind of seem to hate each other.

But no worries. Beth and Gwen are more than up to the challenge of a little twenty-year-old heartbreak. How hard can parent-trapping widowed ex-lovers be?

Of course, just as their plan begins to unfold, a handsome, wealthy viscount starts calling on Beth, offering up the perfect, secure marriage.

Beth’s not mature enough for this…

Now Gwen must face the prospect of sharing Beth with someone else, forever. And Beth must reckon with the fact that she’s caught feelings, hard, and they’re definitely not for her potential fiancé.

That’s the trouble with matchmaking: sometimes you accidentally fall in love with your best friend in the process.

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A New Forever Hobby?A new forever hobby?
May 25, 2026
Rachel
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A New Forever Hobby?

Posted in Personal

A year ago today, I started work on my first successful amigurumi (a small, stuffed, knit/crochet creature or object) a Cthulhu kit from Crochet box.

crochet Cthulhu
crochet Cthulhu

I had tried crochet in the past, and I was proficient at basic knitting. The Woobles ads were all over social media, and they made me want to give crochet another try. My dad bought me a seriously overpriced — but super cute — collector set from the Woobles, so I bought an affordable one with similar yarn off of Amazon. I wanted to try this new yarn in a less expensive kit first. My previous attempts at making amigurumi hadn’t gone well, and I didn’t want to completely f^©k up the expensive ones.

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Review – The Hypocrite (2026 version)Book Review Featured Image
May 21, 2026
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Review – The Hypocrite (2026 version)

Posted in Book Blogger

The Hypocrite

by Shana Granderson, A Lady

NOTE: This version of The Hypocrite is only available as part of The Collins Effect.

book cover: The Hypocrite

Genres: Regency Romance, Historical Romance
Release Date: January 20, 2026
Pages: 346
Get from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

What would happen if Miss Elizabeth Bennet took Darcy to task over the hypocrisy that she sees in some of his behaviour after his horrendous proposal and her reading the letter in Hunsford. What if the Bennets were not penniless and unconnected? For the purposes of this story great wealth is assumed, the source of the wealth is explained in the book. Will Darcy choose to acknowledge the rectitude of Miss Elizabeth’s reproofs or will he reject them in pride and conceit?

Does he have the fortitude to change and how will knowing the Bennets affect those around him? Bingley in this variation is closer to his irresolute character that we see in canon. That is the only similarity that your will see in him my dear reader. There are villains but they are not the focus of the story.

You will find all of your favourite characters from canon with a few new ones added in to broaden the tale. I trust that you will enjoy my effort.

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Review – The Collins EffectBook Review Featured Image
May 14, 2026
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Review – The Collins Effect

Posted in Book Blogger

The Collins Effect

by Shana Granderson, a Lady

book cover: The Collins Effect

Genres: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Release Date: January 20, 2026
Pages: 485
Get from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★⯪☆

Some events in this tale are close to canon, but most deviate significantly. This one begins by examining the history of some families, the Bennets and Collins included. It delves into what made the characters who they are and the things in their lives which drive them to act the way that they do.

The Bingleys do lease Netherfield Park and Darcy comes with them. Collins invites himself to Longbourn as in Jane Austen’s masterpiece, but that is where the similarities end.

Among others, the story answers the following questions:

  1. What kind of parents are Thomas and Fanny Bennet?
  2. How do the Bennet offspring behave?
  3. Is Darcy his usual insulting, arrogant self?
  4. Is Bingley the same easily led man?
  5. What are Lady Catherine’s and Wickham’s roles?
  6. Do Biggs and Johns make an appearance, and if so how?
  7. What is the Collins effect?

Please join me as we look at the tale we all adore from a new perspective.

Keep ReadingReview – The Collins Effect
Would I Buy Them Again? Take 2Would I buy them again? Take 2
May 8, 2026
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Would I Buy Them Again? Take 2

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Non-Fountain Pens

I first did this post almost exactly four years ago — the timing is just a coincidence — and decided to give it another go. The idea behind this post is pretty straightforward: if the below pens were first announced/released today, would I buy them? Suspend disbelief for the duration of this post. Imagine that none of these pens have existed in this world before today. And I’ll tell you if I would buy them.

Instead of Jim choosing the pens this time, I used a random number generator. Every pen in my Airtable database has a unique number based on its purchase order. I’ve also included the year I purchased or received each pen, just for funsies.

Keep ReadingWould I Buy Them Again? Take 2
Review – A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and MurderBook Review Featured Image
May 7, 2026
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Review – A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder

Posted in Book Blogger

A Lady’s Guide to Etiquette and Murder

by Dianne Freeman

book cover: A lady's guide to etiquette and murder

Series: Countess of Harleigh Mystery, #1
Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction
Release Date: June 26, 2018
Pages: 281
Get from: Library | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Rating: ★★★★☆

In this exciting historical mystery debut set in Victorian England, a wealthy young widow encounters the pleasures—and scandalous pitfalls—of a London social season . . .

Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, enjoys more freedom as a widow than she did as a wife. With her young daughter in tow, Frances rents a home in Belgravia and prepares to welcome her sister, Lily, arriving from New York—for her first London season.
 
But no sooner has Frances begun her new life than the Metropolitan police receive an anonymous letter implicating Frances in her husband’s death. Frances assures Inspector Delaney of her innocence, but she’s also keen to keep him from learning the scandalous circumstances of Reggie’s demise. As fate would have it, her dashing new neighbor, George Hazelton, is one of only two other people aware of the full story.
 
While busy with social engagements on Lily’s behalf, and worrying if Reggie really was murdered, Frances rallies her wits, a circle of gossips, and the ever-chivalrous Mr. Hazelton to uncover the truth. A killer is in their midst and Frances must unmask the villain before Lily’s season—and their lives—come to a most unseemly end . . .

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My Paper System: Coming Full CircleMy Paper System: Coming Full Circle
May 1, 2026
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My Paper System: Coming Full Circle

Posted in Paper

Two and a half years ago, I abandoned my one-notebook system and have been struggling to perfect my paper system ever since. While I’ve had success with my work and blog binders, figuring out my personal planning continues to evade me.

I can’t say I regret moving away from a single notebook. I enjoy the freedom I have with binders, and it’s been helpful to have my work stuff isolated. But I will freely admit to some serious annoyance with how much trouble I’ve had working out my personal planning.

I eventually managed to accomplish all of my plans from my last paper system post. My work binder is perfectly set up now. My blog binder is functioning well. The cat binder is a great resource for me and our vets. The health binder is useful. My digital tracker is working well as a temporary data holder. The book binder? It’s a reading journal (notebook) now. A decorated reading journal. And the personal binder? Well, it’s a notebook now, too, and it’s been a mess and a half.

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Review – The HeiressBook Review Featured Image
April 30, 2026
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Review – The Heiress

Posted in Book Blogger

The Heiress

by Molly Greeley

book cover: the heiress

Genres: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, LGBTQIA+
Release Date: January 5, 2021
Pages: 368
Get from: Library | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Rating: ★★★★☆

As a fussy baby, Anne de Bourgh’s doctor prescribed laudanum to quiet her, and now the young woman must take the opium-heavy tincture every day. Growing up sheltered and confined, removed from sunshine and fresh air, the pale and overly slender Anne grew up with few companions except her cousins, including Fitzwilliam Darcy. Throughout their childhoods, it was understood that Darcy and Anne would marry and combine their vast estates of Pemberley and Rosings. But Darcy does not love Anne or want her.

After her father dies unexpectedly, leaving her his vast fortune, Anne has a moment of clarity: what if her life of fragility and illness isn’t truly real? What if she could free herself from the medicine that clouds her sharp mind and leaves her body weak and lethargic? Might there be a better life without the medicine she has been told she cannot live without?

In a frenzy of desperation, Anne discards her laudanum and flees to the London home of her cousin, Colonel John Fitzwilliam, who helps her through her painful recovery. Yet once she returns to health, new challenges await. Shy and utterly inexperienced, the wealthy heiress must forge a new identity for herself, learning to navigate a “season” in society and the complexities of love and passion. The once wan, passive Anne gives way to a braver woman with a keen edge—leading to a powerful reckoning with the domineering mother determined to control Anne’s fortune . . . and her life.

An extraordinary tale of one woman’s liberation, The Heiress reveals both the darkness and light in Austen’s world, with wit, sensuality, and a deeply compassionate understanding of the human heart.

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Pen Porn: Stanford Pen Studio CatstellationsPen Porn: Stanford Pen Studio Catstellations
April 24, 2026
Rachel
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Pen Porn: Stanford Pen Studio Catstellations

Posted in Fountain Pens

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for pen envy or impulse purchases resulting from viewing this post.

Per usual, you can click on the images to view them larger. I do my best to provide you with high-quality pen porn. 😉

Once again, I have a pen painted by Yulia Glas to share with you. This beautiful Catstellations (cat constellations) pen intrigued me when Yulia shared a sneak peek. It only got better as she continued to work on it. I got greedy and asked if I could reserve it, and Di was kind enough to allow me to do so.

Stanford Pen Studio Jabulani Catstellations
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Review – A Change of Jane’s Personal PhilosophyBook Review Featured Image
April 23, 2026
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Review – A Change of Jane’s Personal Philosophy

Posted in Book Blogger

A Change of Jane’s Personal Philosophy

by Shana Granderson

book cover: a change of jane's personal philosophy

Series: The Change Of Series, #4
Genres: Historical Romance, Literary Fiction
Release Date: December 15, 2025
Pages: 415
Get from: Amazon
My Rating: ★★★☆☆

In this, the 4th instalment of the ‘Change Of’ series, the story examines what changes will arise and effect the lives of the characters we love, and some we love to hate, if Jane wakes up and begins to see the reality of the world.

This tale begins with Jane in London seeking to renew her contact with Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley. Up until this point, everything has gone according to canon.

At the same time Jane is with the Gardiners, Elizabeth makes her visit to Hunsford. Yes, she receives the terrible proposal, but there is one small difference which the reader discovers when part of Darcy’s letter is revealed.

Not only do we learn why Jane adopted the philosophy she did, but what is it that forces Jane to re-evaluate her view of the world and the way she reacts to it.

Once she has begun to have her epiphanies, and the realisation that she must make some changes, how does that change her perspective on her family, the Bingleys, Darcy, and Wickham, to mention a few? What will she do when she understands who are and are not her true friends? Will her love for Charles Bingley endure?

These, and many other questions are answered while we join Jane as she wakes up after 23 years.

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Story Review – The OdysseyBook Review Featured Image
April 16, 2026
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Story Review – The Odyssey

Posted in Book Blogger

This “book review” is rather different, since The Odyssey has been published in so many different forms — and wasn’t, originally, a book. Rather than reviewing this as a book, with where to buy it, genres, about the author, etc., I’m reviewing my experience of reading it.

As a review, though, it needs a star rating. I’m giving it ★★★☆☆. It was perfectly adequate, but it wasn’t for me.

For those interested, I read the version translated by Emily Wilson, the first English translation of The Odyssey by a woman.

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The Unanswerable QuestionThe Unanswerable Question
April 10, 2026
Rachel
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The Unanswerable Question

Posted in Fountain Pens, and Random Reflections

I have a fairly short post for you today.

With pen show season well and truly underway, I’ve seen a plethora of posts and videos about pen show hauls — I’ve shared my own, too. And it’s great.

It makes me happy to see people keeping the pen world afloat. Even better when posts/hauls feature indie-made pens. The world is tough right now, and every pen purchased helps keep an indie maker afloat. And that leads to my — currently — unanswerable question.

Keep ReadingThe Unanswerable Question
Review – Legends & LattesBook Review Featured Image
April 9, 2026
Rachel
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Review – Legends & Lattes

Posted in Book Blogger

Legends & Lattes

by Travis Baldree

Legends & Lattes cover

Series: Legends & Lattes
Genres: Cozy Fantasy, LGBTQIA+
Release Date: February 22, 2022
Pages: 296
Get from: Library | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Google Books | Kobo
My Rating: ★★★★☆

After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.

The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won’t be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.

Keep ReadingReview – Legends & Lattes
Pen Porn: Fountain Telling WillowPen Porn: Fountain Telling Willow
April 3, 2026
Rachel
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Pen Porn: Fountain Telling Willow

Posted in Fountain Pens

Disclaimer: I take no responsibility for pen envy or impulse purchases resulting from viewing this post.

Per usual, you can click on the images to view them larger. I do my best to provide you with high-quality pen porn. 😉

This time, I have a somewhat different pen porn post for you. The focus here is the unique shape of the pen, rather than artwork on it.

This is the Willow model from Fountain Telling, which Kristen debuted at BWIPS this year. According to Jonathon Brooks of Carolina Pen Co — and Kristen’s dad — who had Kristen’s pens on his table at BWIPS, I was lucky enough to be the first purchaser of this model.

Fountain Telling Willow
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Review – The Queens of CrimeBook Review Featured Image
April 2, 2026
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Review – The Queens of Crime

Posted in Book Blogger

The Queens of Crime

by Marie Benedict

Book Cover - The Queens of Crime

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Release Date: February 11, 2025
Pages: 310
Get from: Library | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
My Rating: ★★★★☆

London, 1930. The five greatest women crime writers have banded together to form a secret society with a single goal: to show they are no longer willing to be treated as second-class citizens by their male counterparts in the legendary Detection Club. Led by the formidable Dorothy L. Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime. Their plan? Solve an actual murder, that of a young woman found strangled in a park in France who may have connections leading to the highest levels of the British establishment.

May Daniels, a young English nurse on an excursion to France with her friend, seemed to vanish into thin air as they prepared to board a ferry home. Months later, her body is found in the nearby woods. The murder has all the hallmarks of a locked room mystery for which these authors are famous: how did her killer manage to sneak her body out of a crowded train station without anyone noticing? If, as the police believe, the cause of death is manual strangulation, why is there is an extraordinary amount of blood at the crime scene? What is the meaning of a heartbreaking secret letter seeming to implicate an unnamed paramour? Determined to solve the highly publicized murder, the Queens of Crime embark on their own investigation, discovering they’re stronger together. But soon the killer targets Dorothy Sayers herself, threatening to expose a dark secret in her past that she would do anything to keep hidden.

Inspired by a true story in Sayers’ own life, New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict brings to life the lengths to which five talented women writers will go to be taken seriously in the male-dominated world of letters as they unpuzzle a mystery torn from the pages of their own novels.

Keep ReadingReview – The Queens of Crime
The Stub-Italic Grind FamilyThe Stub-Italic Grind Family
March 27, 2026
Rachel
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The Stub-Italic Grind Family

Posted in Fountain Pens

Stub. Italic. Smooth italic. Cursive italic. Smooth cursive italic. Formal italic. Sharp italic. Daily italic. Crisp italic.

These are all variations of the nib modification that reduces the top-to-bottom width of the nib tipping to produce narrower cross strokes. There are probably even more names for grinds in this spectrum of nib modification that I’ve either forgotten or have never heard of. You need to ensure you are writing with the nib properly positioned against the paper — how forgiving the nib is depends on the properties you request.

Note: This post focuses on the standard stub-italic grind spectrum, purposely omitting the oblique variations.

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Review – The Second Mrs. BennetBook Review Featured Image
March 26, 2026
Rachel
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Review – The Second Mrs. Bennet

Posted in Book Blogger

The Second Mrs. Bennet

by Catherine Bilson

Genres: Historical Romance, Regency
Release Date: April 26, 2024
Pages: 311
Get from: Amazon | Kobo
My Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (-1 for errors)

When Charlotte Lucas becomes the new Mrs. Bennet, taking charge of the household after her predecessor’s untimely death, she guides the fates of the five Bennet sisters with a steady hand. Even Mr. Darcy can find little to criticise in the elegant family, and much to admire in the witty, clever Elizabeth.

However, rumours and scandals brew when the charming but deceitful Mr. Wickham arrives in Meryton. Jealous Caroline Bingley fans the flames against the Bennets, but level-headed Charlotte manoeuvres each challenge with grace.

As Elizabeth warily forms a complex acquaintance with the aloof Mr. Darcy, Wickham’s schemes threaten to tear them apart. But with Charlotte’s wise counsel, Elizabeth unravels Wickham’s lies and protects the vulnerable Georgiana Darcy, earning Darcy’s undying respect and admiration.

Follow the romantic adventures of the Bennet sisters as Charlotte’s steady guidance steers them towards happier fates than they ever imagined possible. With resilience and compassion, love finds a way, demonstrating the enduring power of family.

Keep ReadingReview – The Second Mrs. Bennet