The Luxe

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.

I fell in love the book's cover. What a beautiful cover and I couldn't resist grabbing it and giving it a try. I only wished that the story was as nice as the cover. I found it lacking to say the least. It was a true to teenagers and their angst, with jealousy and greed playing a huge part of the story. Basically it was Gossip Girl in the late 1890's. Even the little twist at the end of the book was predictable, and it just made me angry.

I wanted a little more of substance and not superficial fluff. I may be overreacting but the book had great potential but it fell short in the execution. Or maybe I'm just being a moody reader.

Has anyone else read this book? What did you think of it?

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen (2/5) Young Adult; Historical Fiction; Published: HarperCollins (11/07); Series: # 1, The Luxe; 2009 100 + Reading Challenge (149);