BOOK

I shouldn't have even given it a second glance. I should have kept on walking. But while visiting Book Expo with Sharon last June, I was stopped in my tracks by the most sumptuous dress I have ever seen! It was on the cover of a book called The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. I asked the book rep what it was about. She replied, "Well, it's Gossip Girls in turn of the century New York!" I assumed she meant turn of the twentieth century, given the dress. She turned away from me, but I grabbed her arm, and asked, "But what's the story? What ages is it for?" She again said, "Well, it's Gossip Girls in turn of the century New York." Clearly, she had not read the book she was promoting. (Don't you hate when people do that?)

That was all I needed to grab a copy--not the description from Miss I Know Nothing, but the dress, and the prospect of sending this woman MY review of the book. Never did I think it would be my favorite book of the year! In fact, it sat on my desk for almost 2 months before I finally picked it up.

Sure, you can compare it to Gossip Girls. I'll admit the characters are nearly identical. I had someone come up to me and tell me it's just like the British Royalty-there's Charles and Diana, Camilla and the Queen! That's pretty cool. But the story----a historical romance, where love conquers all. But let's be honest, that's not where the fun lies.

Here's a more in depth description from Harper Collins' Website:

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.

Still need more convincing? The book opens at Elizabeth's funeral! The sequel is out in June, 2008.

So what did I miss while I was obsessing over The Luxe?