Michael Thomas Ford

I came to this book as one of the uninitiated, one who is baffled by both the Austen and vampire crazes (having read none of Austen's novels and barely skimmed the vampire genre). I bought this book out of some kind of desperation, either to make sense of or to take part in both trends. And I am very glad I did.

Jane Bites Back was a fun, light read, with true to life characters (even though two of them are vampires). The book deftly explores both the frustrated mind of an immortal author show more with writer's block and the lonely heart of a woman who is hesitant to love. Ford gently but astutely satirizes both literary trends while also giving a sneak peek into the publishing world which feeds their ravenous fans.

I can't wait for the next installment, but until then, I may just have to pick up some of Jane's books! show less

I was so excited to get this for the early review. Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors, so I had some pretty high expectations for this book. It delivered on most of them, and was a quick and fun read.

Jane is a vampire living in America as a small town bookstore owner who is trying to balance a love life, get published, and stay anonymous. Jane is a character that is easy to like, and I found her to be completely believable, even as a vampire, a point that isn't dwelled on for this show more plot, and is merely a slight inconvenience at times for the character. The story is not about vampires, it's about people, which is so refreshing and likeable. Sure, some of the people happen to be vampires, but that just allows them to be important characters from history, and have convenient little advantages and disadvantages now and again. Though, all the characters seemed more modern than what I'd expect from someone who actually lived those centuries, it was a point easy to forget in the modern setting.

The supporting cast was fantastic and well rounded as well. Each character came with their own foibles and kindnesses, and even the "bad guys" had some redeeming characteristics that allowed them to be more than just cast roles.

The novel didn't have the same feel as an Austin novel, but it wasn't a boring or trite wannabe. Michael Ford made the story his own and simply borrowed the characters, or rather their names! He had a great humor woven throughout and that made it such a great read.

The only thing I didn't like about the book were the references to other Austin spin-off books, or things that seemed like insider information. They dwelled quite a bit on "Pride and Predjudice and Zombies," so much so that I now want to read it, if for nothing else, just to see which side of the argument I come down on. I kind of wished that the author would have made more of a vague nod to his fellow writers, so the reader wouldn't feel left out if they weren't familiar with the others.

The only other thing is that I now want to read Jane's manuscript "Constance." It was such a driving force behind the book, with quotes in front of every chapter, and such a buildup within the book, that I feel extremely put out that it isn't something I can pick up and read for the summer as well!

All in all, this was a witty, fun, and original feeling book, and I will be looking forward to the sequel that was promised at the end! show less

It feels a little weird to say that I felt a book about a 45-day program in a juvenile psychiatric unit was really funny. But it was—in parts. This book, written in journal entries from day one of the program until the last day, focuses on Jeff’s evaluation of why he tried to kill himself. His voice is reminiscent of Holden Caulfield, only he doesn’t call everyone phonies—just whackjobs.

Jeff introduces us to the other young adults in the unit, some of whom come and go during his show more stay. He also has to see a psychiatrist during his time in the program, the delightful Dr. Katzrupus. (or Cat Poop, as Jeff dubs him) At first, I felt like we weren’t getting to know each supporting character well enough but isn’t that the point? I mean, Jeff is in this program solely to figure out what his issues are. These are his journal entries we are reading. And it all felt real—I felt anxious with him, sad for him, mortified with him, and so hopeful that maybe it would all work out. The relationship he had with his sister made me laugh the most, though.

While this book definitely deals with a lot of morbid topics, the feel is decidedly optimistic for the most part. I enjoyed the fact that Jeff was very matter-of-fact about most things and the conversations he had with people didn’t really tiptoe around the serious stuff. His doctor/patient relationship with Dr. Katzrupus was a highlight as well.

I’d definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a male voice in the female-saturated YA world. Though I hope this wouldn’t affect anyone’s choice to read a book or not, there are some M/M sexual scenes. Just putting that out there. I’ll definitely read more from this author. show less

What would Jane Austen be like if she had never died, instead living on - as a vampire - into modern times? In Ford's sequel to Jane Bites Back, she is now Jane Fairfax, the owner of a small-town bookstore in upstate New York. Her best friends, Lord Byron (also a vampire) and Lucy (a normal human being but an extraordinary friend), live nearby, as does Jane's boyfriend, Walter. Life is going great for Jane. Her newest novel, the first in almost 200 years, is a best-seller, soon to be made show more into a movie. Charlotte Bronte, fellow vampire and (im)mortal enemy, is gone for good (see previous book for explanation). But then life gets a twist. Several of them, in fact. Jane's new agent is a *insert bad word of choice* who's hounding her for her next novel, the film of her latest book isn't going as planned, Our Gloomy Friend (as Charlotte B. is referred to) may be back, and, scariest of all, Walter's mother is coming to visit and expects Jane to be Jewish.

My Likes: Ford has a pretty good writing style and seems to know what he's talking about with all the little details he so smoothly incorporates into the story (croquet, Jewish folklore, what goes into publishing and films, to name a few). Ford's take on Byron is quite interesting, as are all of the connections that pop up between various seemingly unrelated literary figures of the late 18th/early and mid-19th centuries. Jane Goes Batty doesn't have a dull moment, and the characters are enjoyable to read about. Another thing: in Ford's books, vampires can drink enough blood to satisfy themselves but not they do not, in the long run, have to affect their victims. It's kind of hard to imagine Jane Austen as a murderer, so I find it rather nice that she doesn't actually kill the people whose blood she has to drink.

My Dislikes: It seemed like the author was cramming too many events into the book. Jane's being battered with her long-overdue second novel, her irritating editor, too-enthused romance fanatics and their tour guide, the filming of her latest novel, new vampires, old vampire enemies, vampire hunters, a relationship that's possibly going farther than she's read for, her boyfriend's mother, a romance novel fair, croquet championships, finding food (blood) at the appropriate time...

My Evaluation: Jane Goes Batty is a fun book to read, but in a few months chances are I won't be able to remember much about it (it's all fun, but little lasting substance). Still, if I run across the other books in the series, I'll probably pick them up. show less