Wednesday, January 7, 2015

REVIEW: The Luxe by Anna Godbersen



The Luxe (Luxe, #1)
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. Download a LUXE screensaver PC Version Mac Version Get this widget 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.




MY THOUGHTS
To be honest, I usually don't read books like this. I've heard that this book is basically Gossip Girl in the last 1800s, which is kind of true. This book is full of drama, drama, and more drama. I have issues with drama filled books. They just make me upset because there are usually "girl dogs" trying to ruin the lives of the characters I actually like.

This book begins quite interestingly. It begins with the funeral of Elizabeth Holland. Then we go back in time and see the events leading up to the funeral. I usually hate it when books begin with a prologue from the future, but I actually liked how this book began! It brought a sense of mystery and it made me want to read more! I wanted to know what happened to Elizabeth and if there really was a funeral.

As far as characters, I like half and hate the other half. Elizabeth is an angel and always follows the rules, but she has secrets of her own. I had a few issues with Elizabeth, but I liked her overall and I could understand why she acted the way she did. Diana is Elizabeth's sister and the rebellious one. She annoyed me at first, by how much she was always against Elizabeth, but they are sisters, so it makes sense. I acted ended up liking her personality and how she stuck to being herself instead of a proper lady of the time. I loved Henry, though I wish he would stand up to Penelope. Penelope is a psycho "girl dog", and is one of my most hated characters of all time. She's obsessed with Henry and is willing to do ANYTHING to get him. Lina is another character I hate, but not as much as Penelope. She's Elizabeth servant and dreams of a higher class life. She's not psycho, but she does act like a "girl dog". I don't hate her as much because I can understand where she is coming from, but that doesn't excuse her actions.

As far as the romance(s), I did like them. I ship the relationships that Elizabeth and Diana are in. Penelope and Lina can die alone.

IN CONCLUSION
I liked the  mystery involved in this book, not so much the drama. I hated half the characters, but the other half I am really rooting for. I will be continuing the series, even though I will regret it. I already read the sequel and that book caused me so much pain. But I am already emotionally invested in this series.

I hereby give this book
3 Wheels
Meaning: I liked it

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