Top Ten Tuesday | Books to Read if you like Jane Austen

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week's theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!

This week's theme is 'Ten Books To Read If You Like This Super Popular Book/Author'.

I'm not a big fan of Jane Austen, but there's no denying that one of the reasons Austen's work is so popular is because it's still relevant today. There's a reason her novels have been adapted into more modern variations such as Bridget Jones's Diary and Clueless; if you gave the settings and some of her characters a few tweaks, then all of her stories could easily be 21st century romantic comedies.

For fans of Pride and Prejudice:

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton: Imagine if Jane Austen had written a book in which every single character was a dragon...

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell: North and South is another classic, later than Pride and Prejudice, with another central couple who at first dislike each other, and then grow to love one another. Also Richard Armitage is in the BBC miniseries and looks very dapper in his top hat.

For fans of Sense and Sensibility:

Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal: To me, Shades of Milk and Honey is what would happen if someone added a little magic to Sense and Sensibility. Anne is older and plainer than her beautiful sister, but she's very talented in the magic department. Add to that a Darcy-esque love interest and you have the perfect book for any Austen fan.

Girls in Love by Jacqueline Wilson: This is an ideal book for younger readers, from around age 12 and up, by one of my favourite childhood authors. I've often seen Sense and Sensibility recommended as a great classic to read for anyone going through boy (or girl!) trouble, and Girls in Love is a good read for that, too.

For fans of Emma:

Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis: This is a middle grade novel set during the Regency period, with a little bit of magic thrown in. With a child protagonist at the centre, it's a fresh look at a period of history that's so often written about in cheesy historical romances. Kat has two older sisters and likes to concern herself with who the two of them are going to marry - she's an Emma in miniature!

For fans of Mansfield Park:

Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë: I've talked about Anne Brontë before and how much I love her. She wrote two novels during her lifetime: Agnes Grey and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall outsold Wuthering Heights upon its publication and was incredibly successful, but after she passed away Charlotte Brontë decided not to republish it, and Anne has been the lesser known of the three sisters ever since. Not cool, Charlotte, not cool. Many critics have said that, had she lived longer, Anne Brontë could be as well known to us now as Jane Austen is. While Charlotte and Emily seemed to enjoy writing about the Gothic - though not all of Charlotte's work is like Jane Eyre - Anne was much more interested in society, and particularly in how society treated women. Agnes Grey is a short, subtle and beautiful little novel about the titular character who becomes a governess to support her destitute family, and the struggles she faces. It would be a disservice to both sisters to try and compare Agnes Grey to Jane Eyre because they're entirely different, and both excellent. I particularly love Agnes' relationship with her student, Rosalie, who enjoys making men fall in love with her just so she can reject them. Seriously, give it a read.

The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison: Obviously The Goblin Emperor and Mansfield Park are very different novels, but, as I said when I did the Jane Austen Book Tag, both of them have a rags to riches storyline at their heart. More importantly, both of these books feature protagonists who feel like outcasts, and who feel like outcasts in the very place they should feel at home. Both protagonists grow and find their own feet, but they don't sacrifice their naturally kind natures to do it.

For fans of Northanger Abbey:

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: Here we have two Caths, both of whom are far more interested in fictional characters than what's going on in the world around them. This is the ideal contemporary read for a Northanger Abbey fan!

For fans of Persuasion:

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund: This is a sci-fi retelling of Persuasion. Basically, it's Jane Austen in spaaaaaace!

The King's General by Daphne du Maurier: This is one of du Maurier's lesser known novels. Set during the English Civil War, it tells the story of Honor Harris who is wooed by the proud and reckless Richard Grenville. The two of them part ways after an accident leaves eighteen year old Honor crippled, but reunite years later after Richard has risen up in Charles I's army. This is an ideal read for people who like stories about lovers getting second chances, like Persuasion.

Which books made your list?