The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Pretty girls in pretty dresses, partying until dawn.

Irresistible boys with mischievous smiles and dangerous intentions.
White lies, dark secrets, and scandalous hookups.

This is Manhattan, 1899. Beautiful sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland rule Manhattan's social scene. Or so it appears. When the girls discover their status among New York City's elite is far from secure, suddenly everyone--from the backstabbing socialite Penelope Hayes, to the debonair bachelor Henry Schoonmaker, to the spiteful maid Lina Broud--threatens Elizabeth's and Diana's golden future.

With the fate of the Hollands resting on her shoulders, Elizabeth must choose between family duty and true love. But when her carriage overturns near the East River, the girl whose glittering life lit up the city's gossip pages is swallowed by the rough current. As all of New York grieves, some begin to wonder whether life at the top proved too much for this ethereal beauty, or if, perhaps, someone wanted to see Manhattan's most celebrated daughter disappear...

In a world of luxury and deception, where appearance matters above everything and breaking the social code means running the risk of being ostracized forever, five teenagers lead dangerously scandalous lives. This thrilling trip to the age of innocence is anything but innocent.

***************************************************

The Luxe takes place in Manhattan, New York during the year 1899. If Gossip Girl were to take place in the late 1800’s/early 1900’s then this is what it would look like.

Elizabeth and Diana Holland are sisters who spend their time in Manhattan’s elite social circles, attending glamorous parties dressed to the nines, and crushing on handsome guys.

Elizabeth is considered the mature and responsible one. She usually does what she is told.

Diana is more adventures. She longs to be a free spirit and not trapped by society’s rules and restrictions for women.

 This rich and exciting life they lead is all they have ever known and when they find out that their life isn't as secure as they once thought, a sacrifice has to be made.  A sacrifice by way of an engagement between Elizabeth and Henry Schoonmaker; son of one of the richest families in New York. This further complicates things because Elizabeth is already in love with someone else.

Enter Penelope Hayes, who is supposed to be Elizabeth’s friend, but is more like a friend you would never want to trust with anything. Penelope is in love with Henry. So while Elizabeth opens up to her friend, Penelope is trying to plot against Elizabeth in order to get what she wants and what she thinks she deserves.

“Don't go looking for boys in the dark.
They will say pretty things then
leave you with scars.
Do go looking for boys in the park.
For that is where the true gentlemen are.”

-Anna Godbersen, The Luxe (Luxe, #1)

Secrets, deception, jealousy, and romance all mix together in this teen/young adult historical fiction novel. The Luxe is a must read for anyone who enjoys a good historical fiction read and is a fan of the Gossip Girl series. There were some parts in the book that were obvious and I felt anyone could guess, but other than that I enjoyed reading it.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

You can buy The Luxe here: 

B&N

Amazon

Kobo

Join Me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheLifeTimesOfABookAddict

Keowee Valley by Katherine Scott Crawford

Keowee Valley is an absorbing historical fiction read set in the year of 1768 involving Quincy MacFadden, who finds out that her cousin is being held captive by Shawnee Indians. She bravely decides to do something not many women of that time would even consider doing…leaving behind her home in Charlestown and searching for cousin in hopes of finding him alive.

“I was an unlikely adventurer, at least by all appearances. I knew what the people of Charlestown saw when they looked at me: a wealthy woman clad in the new fashions, small of stature but possessed of an unruly mane of yellow hair that made me seem taller—a bluestocking with a well-worn volume forever in hand, one who looked out at the world from a pair of disconcertingly direct blue eyes. The ladies, especially, would whisper “orphan,” and allow that the early demise of my parents could be reason enough for a man such as my grandfather to keep me a spinster at age twenty-five. The gentlemen viewed my person with vague calculation, surely wondering just how much—as the sole granddaughter of Campbell MacFadden, Esquire, and heir by marriage to a profitable rice plantation—I was worth. And so when the trapper arrived in the hour before dawn, smelling of wood smoke and the sweat of a hard ride, I was ready: ready to abandon Charlestown and my life there, to shutter permanently those judging, prying eyes.”

-Katherine Scott Crawford, Keowee Valley

Quincy is independent, a free spirit, and a dreamer. Literally. She has been haunted with visions that she believes are actually omens. Because of this she feels as if she does not fit in anywhere. She longs for a different and better life for herself. When she hears news about her cousin, Owen being captured she realizes that this is the opportunity she has been hoping for. A chance to go someplace different and start anew; and that while she is on her journey for a different life, she will also find Owen.

She ends up in the gorgeous surroundings of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she begins a settlement while she awaits the arrival of Jackson Wolfe a handsome half Cherokee/half Irish man whom she is told can help her find and negotiate Owen’s freedom.

When Quincy and Jack meet there is a connection between them and soon a romance begins to spark. The passion that they share is undeniable…and not to mention steamy.

Jackson is not only good looking, but also a strong, kind man who knows is way around the Appalachian Mountains and is an excellent Cherokee tracker. Because Jack was a translator for the British army, he is stuck in middle and has a tough choice to make on whether to commit treason and flee or begrudgingly obey a King he hates.

My favorite thing about this story is that it’s full of vivid descriptions about the world during the Revolutionary war era that Quincy is in. Its gives the reader a better picture about how things are and adds to the story. I could almost see Quincy’s world unfolding as I read. Keowee Valley is ideal for readers who enjoy history, adventure, and romance. It was a satisfying read, but the ending still left some questions unanswered, so I am hoping for a possible sequel to tie things together.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

@ Amazon

@ BN

@ Kobo

** I received this ARC from Bell Bridge Books in exchange for nothing, but my honest review. Thank you.** 

Join Me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheLifeTimesOfABookAddict