Thursday, April 23, 2009

I'm Back....



I guess I need to think short entries more often rather than 4 long ones every six weeks! Yikes. That was what I will call an "unintentional hiatus". Okay. New resolution? Try to blog more often even if I don't have a book to feature. So, on to the two newest (three newest) on my favorites list.

AUDIO: I just finished listening to The Luxe by Anna Godberson and found it much better than I had thought it would be. I describe it as "Edith Wharton meets Lisi Harrison". I thought the historical aspect of "Old New York Money at the Turn of the Century" was very redeeming. And, despite the "classic characters"- good girl, tramp, seductress, bad boy and poor-boy-who-can't-get-what-he-wants- the story was engaging and well done. Though the novel opens with news of her death, we find out through flashback how Elizabeth is a rich girl turned almost-poor-girl after her father's untimely death. It is imperative that Elizabeth's mother marry her to a rich man, and soon. Henry Schoonmaker is a very rich, very bad boy who drinks and carouses excessively, much to the distress of his father and very young step-mother. They have decided that Henry needs to marry a "nice and proper" girl because Henry's father is going to run for office. Henry, however, has been secretly having trysts with Elizabeth's so-called best friend Penelope. There are other twists and turns such as Elizabeth's true love being the family coachman, Will; and her younger and more impulsive sister, Diana, falling in love with Elizabeth's fiance. Such turmoil, but I know my 8th grade girls will love it. And, after all, they are getting some historical fiction too. I did buy the next one in the series (Rumors) so I can read that one and then put it on my shelf. I have to say that I'm getting full use out of my new Audible membership because I joined their Audible Gold membership and for a small fee, I can download a book each month. This works for me since I'm such an avid audio book girl.

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