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ameserole's review against another edition
3.0
Not many people know that I absolutely adore the OG of Pride and Prejudice. It is absolutely, hands down, my favorite book to read. So when there was an opportunity to read an updated version of P&P, I was definitely down. It was obvious from the start that Austin and Lily, two of the main characters, were adorable and I quite loved their arguments. Throughout the book I could not help myself from comparing scenes to the original, and while I did love the characters, I think some of the scenes could have been better written to match the more modern characters while those same scenes were perfectly matched for Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. I am probably being biased due to my love of the first book. If you love Pride and Prejudice as much as me then I highly encourage you to read this book due to its fresh take in a more modern day society.
nana256's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
betwixt_the_pages's review against another edition
4.0
A modern reimagining of Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'.
When Lily Brewer’s mum dies, she’s shipped to the other side of the world to her step-sisters’ pompous English boarding school, Netherfield.
There, she meets Austin Cooper. Arrogant as hell but with abs to die for, Austin soon becomes the bane of her existence.
His twin brother, Jax, is the complete opposite. Kind and sweet, Jax soon strikes up a thing with Lily’s roommate, Anne.
Austin, though seems keen to keep them apart.
Will pride and prejudice ruin them all?
Or, will love win the day?
Rating: 4.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: P&P Retelling for the win!; I mean really, do I need any other reason to adore this?!; the characters are superbly individualized, with enough hints at the original to keep them straight in my mind; lovelovelove the modern day boarding school setting; a lot of weird comma usage?
Huge thanks to Elizabeth Stevens and Sleeping Dragon Books for sending me a free digital galley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.
The two teams took their places and Austin faced off against their keeper. He found me, nodded and winked before he took the shot. It curved perfectly into the top left corner of the net and I knew what that look had been; 'this one's for you.'
Be still my beating heart.
Be still, MY beating heart! I know what you're all thinking. "Really, Beth?! ANOTHER P&P retelling?! Haven't you read enough of those yet?!?!?!?!" And the answer is....NEVER. I can never ever ever read enough P&P retellings for it to get old, so....get used to it and suck it up, beakers. You'll be seeing a lot more of them to come; they're here to stay! They've lugged their many suitcases out of the car, dragged them up the stairs, and perched themselves on my shelves --both the physical and the digital ones-- in pretty little rows. They're not going anywhere...except maybe to work with me, tucked into my purse.
That being said. Elizabeth Stevens brought a hint of the new along with the classic in this modern-day retelling, and I absolutely ADORED every step of the journey! The characters have all been given different names. The relationships in a lot of instances have been changed--for instance, not all of the Bennet sisters are ACTUAL sisters in this version. I adored how out of the box and creative Elizabeth Stevens decided to be with these characters; she gave them all such vibrant, loud personalities, while still maintaining the integrity of the original characters. It was both a refreshing change and a beautiful nod to the original content, I'm super impressed.
"Well, I think it's all very romantic." Gemma took her phone back.
"You would!" I retorted. "You wouldn't know romance if it pissed on your head."
"Oh, that wouldn't be very romantic, Lily." Anne shook her head and I rolled my eyes.
There was, throughout, a weird issue with commas in random or wrong places that sort of broke me out of suspended disbelief...but these were such minor and easy to forget issues, I didn't have trouble quickly falling back into the story and following the flow of the plot. In fact, I got rather used to the awkward comma placement, and learned how to ignore it whenever they popped up. The plot, the characters, and the entertainment were more than enough to make up for such a small grammatical problem, it didn't subtract from my enjoyment of the read at all!
This was a super adorable, entertaining, modern-day P&P retelling and I will be on the lookout for more of Elizabeth Stevens' works in the coming future. The characters are vibrantly written and imbued with their own unique quirks...while still maintaining enough of the original characters for readers to tell who's meant to be whom. I definitely recommend this to lovers of Pride and Prejudice, boarding school romances, and bad-boys turned "good." Don't pass this ball down the field, penguins; run with it and score!
_camk_'s review against another edition
2.0
I love a good Pride and Prejudice retelling.
This wasn't too bad at all but the author seemed to struggle to find a balance of taking a modern approach and stilling in paragraphs of overly formal speeches.
There are quite a few editorial mistakes - such as missing words and grammar mistakes.
This wasn't too bad at all but the author seemed to struggle to find a balance of taking a modern approach and stilling in paragraphs of overly formal speeches.
There are quite a few editorial mistakes - such as missing words and grammar mistakes.
tstreet's review against another edition
5.0
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
I really like the beginning of the book. I really like how Austin really starts to accept the fact that he likes Lily. I think that they really would make a great couple. I like how Austin didn’t push Lily to kiss him and how he didn’t want her to do anything why she was drunk. > I hate how Austin got wasted and how he was too drunk to remember anything. I like how he refused to take Lily to bed while he was drunk though. I feel bad for Lily and how Seb proposed to her. I feel bad for Austin since he heard that he had proposed. Wow, I feel so bad for Lily, since she has to decide which parent won’t talk to her again. I think that her parents are very mean and hateful. I like how Lily and Austin are flirting, and I think that it’s cute how they are trying to be sneaky about it. I like how Lily is so worried about Austin when he gets hurt. I’m glad they won the soccer game. I’m glad that Austin and Lily finally kissed. I’m glad that Lily finally accepted that Austin liked her and that they had a chance of getting together. I like how Austin proposed to Lily and how she accepted.
I really like the beginning of the book. I really like how Austin really starts to accept the fact that he likes Lily. I think that they really would make a great couple. I like how Austin didn’t push Lily to kiss him and how he didn’t want her to do anything why she was drunk. > I hate how Austin got wasted and how he was too drunk to remember anything. I like how he refused to take Lily to bed while he was drunk though. I feel bad for Lily and how Seb proposed to her. I feel bad for Austin since he heard that he had proposed. Wow, I feel so bad for Lily, since she has to decide which parent won’t talk to her again. I think that her parents are very mean and hateful. I like how Lily and Austin are flirting, and I think that it’s cute how they are trying to be sneaky about it. I like how Lily is so worried about Austin when he gets hurt. I’m glad they won the soccer game. I’m glad that Austin and Lily finally kissed. I’m glad that Lily finally accepted that Austin liked her and that they had a chance of getting together. I like how Austin proposed to Lily and how she accepted.
kba76's review against another edition
3.0
I'm guessing if you've picked this up it's because you're a fan of the source. This sticks incredibly faithfully to Austen's novel, but giving it the updated setting/characters. For the most part it works well, providing us with an entertaining romance.
There's no getting away from the fact that Austin and Lily are the stars of the show. Their spats are great fun to read, though I was less keen on the continued references to Austin's rock-hard abs. There were plenty of things Lily came to love about him, and this felt a little cheap.
No plot details needed here. It was fun unpicking the similarities with Pride and Prejudice, and this was an entertaining read. I can feel it might be time for another return to the original!
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
There's no getting away from the fact that Austin and Lily are the stars of the show. Their spats are great fun to read, though I was less keen on the continued references to Austin's rock-hard abs. There were plenty of things Lily came to love about him, and this felt a little cheap.
No plot details needed here. It was fun unpicking the similarities with Pride and Prejudice, and this was an entertaining read. I can feel it might be time for another return to the original!
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
fififlora's review against another edition
4.0
A modern version of Pride and prejudice.. The one and only..
I want to first.; thank the dear author for granting me with a free copy in exchange of an Honest review! And I really appreciate it
I liked the book very much.. It was amusing and funny at times it really made me giggle..
I loved Austen..(our Mr. Darcy) his personality.. Loyalty and protection for the ones closest to him..and his affection (so to say) to our Lily (my dear Elizabeth) whom I really loved and enjoyed her witness and self-respect.. Her personality in general..
The plot was not that appealing at first.. I didn't get attached to the story at first but as I read on.. It really grew on me.. And at my second reading set I was up to 5 PM just wanting to know how it's going to end ( even though I knew the original ending.. I wanted to know your version of it..) and you didn't disappoint me..
I really liked how you mixed and turned things up to make it your own version!
AND I really loved how you made them twins!
But there was some parts that didn't go well with the modern theme.. Like some of the conversations.. And sometimes the way they talk even though they are only 17 and 18 which for me was a bit young.. But who am I to judge!
I got a feeling of nostalgia while reading and did the quickest thing I could do after finishing it.. I went and watched the movie (Pride and prejudice 2005) and felt so much again.. Thank you for that!
This is the first book I read of a retelling of another book (if that's what it's called) and I can say that I was empressed and looking forward to reading other ones..
I want to first.; thank the dear author for granting me with a free copy in exchange of an Honest review! And I really appreciate it
I liked the book very much.. It was amusing and funny at times it really made me giggle..
I loved Austen..(our Mr. Darcy) his personality.. Loyalty and protection for the ones closest to him..and his affection (so to say) to our Lily (my dear Elizabeth) whom I really loved and enjoyed her witness and self-respect.. Her personality in general..
The plot was not that appealing at first.. I didn't get attached to the story at first but as I read on.. It really grew on me.. And at my second reading set I was up to 5 PM just wanting to know how it's going to end ( even though I knew the original ending.. I wanted to know your version of it..) and you didn't disappoint me..
I really liked how you mixed and turned things up to make it your own version!
AND I really loved how you made them twins!
But there was some parts that didn't go well with the modern theme.. Like some of the conversations.. And sometimes the way they talk even though they are only 17 and 18 which for me was a bit young.. But who am I to judge!
I got a feeling of nostalgia while reading and did the quickest thing I could do after finishing it.. I went and watched the movie (Pride and prejudice 2005) and felt so much again.. Thank you for that!
This is the first book I read of a retelling of another book (if that's what it's called) and I can say that I was empressed and looking forward to reading other ones..
filmingpages's review
3.0
*Thak you Voracious Readers and Elizabeth Stevens for the free copy of this book in exchange with an honest review*
I have to admit I had high expectations for this book! What I mean with that is that I wasn't expecting to be anything close to Austen's work, but I was expecting to find all the characters I already love in a new background, but with the same personalities in the original book. "Netherfield Prep" managed to live up to my expectations and I devoured the book in two days' time!
I won't say that there weren't some things that I didn't particularly like, but I won't focus on them, because overall I really enjoyed the book. There's one thing that I want to point out though. Lily is extremely liked by everyone and also everyone seems to be attracted to her! If I remember correctly, there are 4 boys in total that fall in love with her and I thought that it feels a bit too much and a bit unrealistic. It's like there weren't other girls in that school and everyone loved Lily as soon as she came in and all the boys were in her feet, begging her to spend some time with them.
My favourite character has to be Jax, he was simply the cutest little bean ever! He's relationship with Anne and I think it really captured Bingley and Jane's relationship. he was so spontaneous and fun, the total opposite of his moody brother. Together they had the funniest exchanges, with Jax trying to get Austin to loosen up and Austin being the ever sarcastic teenager!
The book is written in two different POV's. It interchanges between Lily and Austin and it's something I really liked, because it gives us insight in both their views of the same event and we can understand better what they think of each other. I also liked their relationship a lot and I'm so glad because Elizabeth and Darcy are my favourite and I wanted to love them in this reimagining too!
All in all, "Netherfield Prep" is a very good reimagining of "Pride and Prejudice" that I read as fast as I could, since I wanted to see how the events would unfold next! Even though I knew the plot and how it would end, that didn't lessen my enthusiasm for the book at all!!
I have to admit I had high expectations for this book! What I mean with that is that I wasn't expecting to be anything close to Austen's work, but I was expecting to find all the characters I already love in a new background, but with the same personalities in the original book. "Netherfield Prep" managed to live up to my expectations and I devoured the book in two days' time!
I won't say that there weren't some things that I didn't particularly like, but I won't focus on them, because overall I really enjoyed the book. There's one thing that I want to point out though. Lily is extremely liked by everyone and also everyone seems to be attracted to her! If I remember correctly, there are 4 boys in total that fall in love with her and I thought that it feels a bit too much and a bit unrealistic. It's like there weren't other girls in that school and everyone loved Lily as soon as she came in and all the boys were in her feet, begging her to spend some time with them.
My favourite character has to be Jax, he was simply the cutest little bean ever! He's relationship with Anne and I think it really captured Bingley and Jane's relationship. he was so spontaneous and fun, the total opposite of his moody brother. Together they had the funniest exchanges, with Jax trying to get Austin to loosen up and Austin being the ever sarcastic teenager!
The book is written in two different POV's. It interchanges between Lily and Austin and it's something I really liked, because it gives us insight in both their views of the same event and we can understand better what they think of each other. I also liked their relationship a lot and I'm so glad because Elizabeth and Darcy are my favourite and I wanted to love them in this reimagining too!
All in all, "Netherfield Prep" is a very good reimagining of "Pride and Prejudice" that I read as fast as I could, since I wanted to see how the events would unfold next! Even though I knew the plot and how it would end, that didn't lessen my enthusiasm for the book at all!!
readundancies's review
Well then.
Well.
Then.
I suppose there is probably an audience for this kinda book, but I am not it.
I have outgrown these dramatics and now all I feel when I read them is my soul slightly inverting into itself in pain because this was exhausting to read. It was so dramatic and cringey. My body literally could not handle how uncomfortably annoying the character perspectives were as navigating between them made my gut recoil and it was like I had this primitive need to expel what my eyes were reading from my body and into the universe so that it could go and die and leave me out of it. Cringe is too vague of a word to explain how much I did not enjoy this rendition of Austen’s classic romantic tale.
I hated how the dialogue was tinged in Regency speak but the plot could not be more modern. The juxtaposition made me feel physically ill while reading.
Also, why was it so long?
This version of the tale made me miss the bounds of propriety so much. Because this iteration of Darcy was just not charming without that societal lens in focus.
What are stakes? I read the whole thing and there really didn’t appear to be any at all.
And the plot? To what aim did it serve? What was it trying to accomplish? No idea, but it sure felt aimless, and that’s not a compliment.
I could spend all day lambasting this story but instead I will leave you with the knowledge that I could not overcome my distaste for the writing style and leave it at that.
cpcabaniss's review
2.0
*I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.*
The premise to this was really interesting to me. It's a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in a boarding school. I wanted to love it. Unfortunately, there was little that I really enjoyed.
At the beginning I thought it might be interesting, change things up a bit, and give its own charm to the classic tale that I love so much. For me, however, it kept things too like the original story, which didn't work in this time and setting. The conversations felt stilted because they tried to stay too close to the original. The story also felt forced a lot of times as it tried to stay too close to the original.
It was interesting to see the characters places shifted somewhat. The Darcy and Bingley characters, (Austin and Jax) are twins instead of just friends, the Bennet sisters are not all sisters, having different connections. All of these changes gave the story a better chance of working in a modern setting. The only one I wasn't happy with was the change in the roles of the parents. The mother (stepmother to Lily, our Elizabeth character) was the more understanding parent, the father the one wanting to marry them off to rich men. I just didn't see the point in doing this. The relationship between Elizabeth and her father was something that I enjoyed, so not having it here was a little disappointing.
There was too much focus on relationships and marriage here. The original novel had that, but it was a different time. Women couldn't really support themselves then, so it made sense that they needed to marry well to live comfortably. But that's not the case now. So why was everyone obsessed with marrying the richest men? This just bugged me.
I was not happy with Austin and Lily's relationship. It was lust, not love. They are immediately attracted to each other, but it's pretty much all physical. And I never really felt that this changed. They never got to know each other very well. And when they were together they were constantly thinking of each other as "fine specimen" and other such things.
This had some good ideas, it just didn't work that well for me. I haven't had much luck with Austen retellings in the past, so maybe I should just avoid them.
The premise to this was really interesting to me. It's a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in a boarding school. I wanted to love it. Unfortunately, there was little that I really enjoyed.
At the beginning I thought it might be interesting, change things up a bit, and give its own charm to the classic tale that I love so much. For me, however, it kept things too like the original story, which didn't work in this time and setting. The conversations felt stilted because they tried to stay too close to the original. The story also felt forced a lot of times as it tried to stay too close to the original.
It was interesting to see the characters places shifted somewhat. The Darcy and Bingley characters, (Austin and Jax) are twins instead of just friends, the Bennet sisters are not all sisters, having different connections. All of these changes gave the story a better chance of working in a modern setting. The only one I wasn't happy with was the change in the roles of the parents. The mother (stepmother to Lily, our Elizabeth character) was the more understanding parent, the father the one wanting to marry them off to rich men. I just didn't see the point in doing this. The relationship between Elizabeth and her father was something that I enjoyed, so not having it here was a little disappointing.
There was too much focus on relationships and marriage here. The original novel had that, but it was a different time. Women couldn't really support themselves then, so it made sense that they needed to marry well to live comfortably. But that's not the case now. So why was everyone obsessed with marrying the richest men? This just bugged me.
I was not happy with Austin and Lily's relationship. It was lust, not love. They are immediately attracted to each other, but it's pretty much all physical. And I never really felt that this changed. They never got to know each other very well. And when they were together they were constantly thinking of each other as "fine specimen" and other such things.
This had some good ideas, it just didn't work that well for me. I haven't had much luck with Austen retellings in the past, so maybe I should just avoid them.
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