There’s something special about summer reading. Whether you’re taking part in your local library’s summer reading program {I can participate for the first time in over a decade!}, or indulging in summer-y themed books, there’s a whole other vibe. Since I will {hopefully} have the time this summer, I wanted to create a summer reading experience of my own – I toyed with general summer themed ideas, but nothing felt quite right. Until I was looking at my Jane Austen shelves, and had a “eureka!”-moment, and Summer of Jane was born. {That said, I am a Summer Reading Junkie, so expect a post with summer book suggestions}.

The premise is very simple: Spend the summer with Jane Austen, whether reading her original novels or delving into the multitude of Austenesque reads available or picking up some nonfiction. The reading experience spans the entire summer, until the end of August, and there are multiple participation levels to choose from. {Lady Catherine had to the highest level, as she is a great proficient at all things}. If you’re on Instagram, you can share your reading progress there – or you can jump in the comments of update posts here. This is a low-stakes fun thing to add a little something special to your summer reading.

As for myself, I’m aiming for Elizabeth Bennet status. This will be good incentive to catch up on my Austenesque reading, and an excellent excuse to pick up Claudia Gray’s latest Mr Darcy & Miss Tilney mystery. Because it is summer, I’m going to give myself greater flexibility for mood reading, but here are the books calling loudest {at this moment} for my attention:

• Pride, Prejudice, and Peril (Katie Oliver)
• The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh (Claudia Gray)
• Emma of 83rd Street (Audrey Bellezza)
• Heartstone (Elle Katherine White)
• Pride & Premeditation (Tirzah Price)
• Ladies of the House (Lauren Edmondson)
• Dangerous Alliance (Jennieke Cohen)
• Mr. Darcy’s Enchantment (Abigail Reynolds)
• Jane of Austin (Hillary Manton Lodge)
• Boots & Backpacks (K.C. Kahler)
• Rosewood (Sayantani DasGupta)

If I’m feeling particularly brave, I might even force myself to actually finish reading Mansfield Park – the only Jane novel I’ve not read all the way through. Sanditon is also on the potential list, and I am also feeling a very strong urge to reread Emma.

I am so excited about getting back to my Janeite roots, and finally catching up on at least this part of my TBR! Will you be spending part of your Summer with Jane? If so, what Austenesque reads are calling your name? What is your favorite of Jane’s novels – or do you prefer the retellings/remixes?