Hey everyone, Erika with a K here—welcome back to my cozy monthly book club. In this video I’m reviewing Persuasion by Jane Austen, and I’m honestly so happy this was my first Austen read. If you’ve ever watched Becoming Jane (the movie that totally put me onto Jane Austen in the first place), you’ll get why I kept thinking, “Wait… this feels like I’m reading the story of her life.” That connection made me love the book even more, and it genuinely felt like a page turner because I truly didn’t know how it would end. I’m not gonna spoil anything, but I do talk about what it was like adjusting to Austen’s writing style—especially after coming off two young adult books. The sentences are long, like LONG long, and I struggled at first. But the dialogue? So easy to read, so relatable, and the way she reveals character through conversation is impeccable. I also loved that she doesn’t force a beauty standard on you—she’ll say someone is “handsome” or “agreeable” and lets your imagination do the rest. If I had to sum up the theme: if you love someone, tell them—don’t play games. Next up, we’re reading Northanger Abbey, and yes, please use Libby or Hoopla (both free) to read or listen along.