Luxe

"Luxe" by Anna Godbersen.

This novel is classified as "Teen Historical Fiction." I came across it while doing some Christmas shopping at Barnes & Noble and thought it looked pretty good. My daughter insisted that she already had it and so loaned me her copy. Book #2 appeared in my Christmas stocking and is now next in line to read.

Now before you go getting all puffed up about being exposed to reading a teen novel, let me remind you that Stephenie Meyers' "Twilight" series are all teen novels. I guarantee you there are as many if not more "mamas" out there reading those than teen vampirettes. And of course there are the Harry Potter books that are found on the young reader shelves. There is a lot of good reading to be found in the youth section!

"Luxe" takes place in New York City in 1899. The characters are wealthy young socialites all very impressed with themselves. Elizabeth Holland is an attractive young lady who is known to be very virtuous. Through circumstances neither reveals to the other, she becomes engaged to society's playboy, Henry Schoonmaker, creating the event which the drama revolves around.

From the lowliest servant to the highest aristocrat, most of the characters were not very likable in this story, with the exception of Elizabeth herself. That is not to say that the book isn't full of characters you love to hate. And despite some early misgivings some of the characters do manage to redeem themselves.

My daughter hasn't finished book #2, "Rumors" yet, but I plan to steal it away from her and begin it tonight.