"Bright Young Things" by Anna Godbersen [5]

The Year is 1929.

New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things:

Flappers and Socialites seeking

Thrills and chasing dreams

in the anything-goes era of

the Roaring Twenties.

Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star...

Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined - and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for ... and someone will.

The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall - together and apart.

For all those fans of the divinely written 'Luxe' series comes the brand new novels from Anna Godbersen, this time set in the late 1920's in the last summer of the jazz age.

I absolutely loved this first book from the new series, it was a lot more fast paced than the Luxe books and the girls in this one are more independent and more feisty. The boys at the moment are just the dressing for the girls and it's nice to see that role reversed. The detail from the era is just breath taking you really feel like your in the 1920's surrounded by all the glitz and glamour of the flapper period. It has mystery, romance, betrayal, humour, jealousy and all the things that you come to expect from the Luxe series...but I think even better.

'It is easy to forget now, how effervescent and free

we all felt that summer. Everything fades: the shimmer

of gold over White Cove; the laughter in the night air;

the lavender early morning light on the faces of skyscrapers,

which has suddenly become so heroically tall.

Every dawn seemed to promise fresh miracles,

among other joys that are in short supply these days.

And so I will try to tell you, while I still remember,

how it was then, before everything changed -

that final season of an era that roared'.

So just a little taste of what is to come and what to expect in this new and exciting series from Anna Godbersen. A must read for the year and a definite stocking gift for Christmas, your girls will just fall in love with this series.

I rate this book 5 stars.

Preview of Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

If like alot of people you are hanging out to read the up-coming novel by Anna Godbersen then we have a wee surprise for you ... You can read the 1st Chapter here:

Bright Young Things

With the huge success of The Luxe Series Ann Godbersen has written a new series called Bright Young Things which is set in the roaring twenties and is a set of 4 books ... Cannot wait .....

Bright Young Things is being released on the 26th October 2010 .. Enjoy :)

Wishlist *sigh*

Well there are soooo many new books that are coming out soon ........ So here's a few that I have my eye on .......

Mackie Doyle seems like everyone else in the perfect little town of Gentry, but he is living with a fatal secret - he is a Replacement, left in the crib of a human baby sixteen years ago. Now the creatures under the hill want him back, and Mackie must decide where he really belongs and what he really wants.

There are a couple of different covers available for this book but I love, love, love this UK version .... RELEASED 21ST OF SEPTEMBER 2010


Blackout is the opening movement of a vast, absorbing two-volume novel that may well prove to be Connie Willis's masterpiece. Like her multi-award winning The Doomsday Book, this marvelous new work marries the intricate mechanics of time travel to the gritty--and dangerous --realities of actual human history. The narrative opens in Oxford, England in 2060, where a trio of time traveling scholars prepares to depart for various corners of the Second World War. Their mission: to observe, from a safe vantage point, the day-to-day nature of life during a critical historical moment. As the action ranges from the evacuation of Dunkirk to the manor houses of rural England to the quotidian horrors of London during the Blitz, the objective nature of their roles gradually changes. Cut off from the safety net of the future and caught up in the chaotic system that is history, they are forced to participate, in unexpected ways, in the defining events of the era. Blackout is an ingeniously constructed time travel novel and a grand entertainment. More than that, it is a moving, exquisitely detailed portrait of a world under siege, a world dominated by chaos, uncertainty, and the threat of imminent extinction. It is the rare sort of book that transcends the limits of genre, offering pleasure, insight, and illuhttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=6568093202191299431mination on virtually every page.

Well I have to say the cover just sold this book to me :) .... Love it :) .... And the storyline just sounds great ... RELEASED 14TH SEPTEMBER 2010


BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break. PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape. Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present. Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart.

There are two different covers for this book and they are both gorgeous but I have to say I do like this one better .... I have ordered A Northern Light and looking forward to reading that one ... RELEASED 4TH OCTOBER 2010


Bright Young Things is the first in an epic four-book series about three teenage girls finding their way in the glittering metropolis of New York City and the glamorous mansions of Long Island. It’s 1929 and Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey have escaped their small Midwestern town to chase big dreams and even bigger secrets. In New York, they meet Astrid Donal, a flapper who has everything she could ever want, except for the one thing Letty and Cordelia have to offer—true friendship. Set in the dizzying summer before the market crash, against the vast lawns of the East End and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls will find romance, intrigue, and adventure

Well this is a long awaited new series from Anna Godbersen ... I if you are a fan of her Luxe Series ... Then this book will have to be must for your bookshelf and to pre-order ... RELEASED 1ST OCTOBER 2010


Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still. When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: Jem, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Another book for your diaries .... If you loved the series City of Ashes .... Then this book is a must have book .... Hurray ... RELEASED 6TH SEPTEMBER 2010


Annaleah and Brian had something special -- Annaleah is sure of it. When they were together, they didn't need anyone else. It didn't matter that it was secret. All that mattered was what they shared. And then, out of nowhere, Brian is killed in an accident. And while everyone else has their role in the grieving process, Annaleah finds herself living on the outside of it, unacknowledged and lonely. How can you recover from a loss no one will let you have?

Well sometimes I just go by a cover !!! ... And this is gorgeous and hardback .... RELEASED 1ST OCTOBER 2010


In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die. Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion

Sometimes you just see a cover and boom it hits you ... Then you read the burp and well you are now a gonner .... This is what happened to me with this book ... Cannot wait until it comes out .... RELEASED 30TH NOVEMBER 2010


It's easy to forget that we spend our early teens afraid. We're afraid of fitting in, standing out, or being ignored. We worry that we'll never get a date, never get into college, and never amount to anything. Just like everyone predicts.
It's also easy to discount these fears. Looking back, it seems impossible that we would have stayed awake all night worrying about what someone else thought of our clothes or that we ever doubted our abilities, our potential. But that's only because we know how the story ends.
I wanted to write a book that started with these fears as givens, bottling them in tight and capping them off with that artificial indifference genetically required of all teens. Kyle Chase is not a bad kid. He's not a good kid, either. He's a typical kid. He's any kid. And, at one point in your life, he was you.

This book cover is lovely .... And the reviews this book has gotten already as been really positive .... RELEASED 1ST SEPTEMBER 2010


Lucy Sexton is stunned when a disheveled woman appears at the door one day…a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lucy's own beautiful mother. It turns out the two women are identical twins, separated at birth, and raised in dramatically different circumstances. Lucy's mother quickly resolves to give her less fortunate sister the kind of life she has never known. And the transformation in Aunt Helen is indeed remarkable. But when Helen begins to imitate her sister in every way, even Lucy isn't sure at times which twin is which. Can Helen really be trusted, or does her sweet face mask a chilling agenda?
Filled with shocking twists and turns, THE TWIN'S DAUGHTER is an engrossing gothic novel of betrayal, jealousy, and treacherous secrets that will keep you guessing to the very end.

Love, Love this cover ... And the story sounds great .... The frustrating part is that I have to wait to get my hands on it ... Grrrr .... RELEASED 31ST AUGUST 2010


A teenager grows up in a post-apocalypic, zombie-infested America in Jonathan Maberry's Rot & Ruin.
[close] A teenager grows up in a post-apocalypic, zombie-infested America in Jonathan Maberry's Rot & Ruin.

You know that I love my zombie books and this is right down my street ..... RELEASED 5TH OCTOBER 2010 and a perfect Halloween gift for myself ... yeah !!

"Splendor" by Anna Godbersen [5]

New York City 1900.

While the once revered Holland family recovers from scandal, the spirited Miss Diana Holland is seeking adventure abroad. But then a surprising clue about her father's death is revealed and everything is thrown into question.

Meanwhile, the delectable Henry Schoonmaker has also left the city and bravely gone to war while his wife relishes her role as Manhattan royalty - until a real prince pays a visit and turns her fickle head.

As New York's most dazzling stars chase dreams, cling to promises and tempt fate, society wonders: at exactly what price does a life of splendor come?

I've been hanging out for this fourth book and it hasn't disappointed.

As I've said before, it is Gossip Girl set in the nineteenth century...aheady mix of period parties, glitz and gossip. I terrific read if you like period style books.

The characters are all still very interesting and the author has put a few twists in the plot so the ending that you imagined it's quite that.

I don't want to give any of the story away...so I'll just say a great read.

Books in the series.

1.The Luxe

2. Rumours

3. Envy

4. Splendor.

"Rumours" by Anna Godbersen 4****

'Manhattan has bid farewell to it's brightest star, the dazzling Miss Elizabeth Holland.

Yet the rumours about her untimely demise continue.

Meanwhile her sister, the irrepressible Diana,

has been seen in the company of not one, but three eligible bachelors.

Might there be a fourth?'

Second book in the Luxe series and the first in my Romance reading challenge.

I enjoyed reading the second novel but found it wasn't quite as good as the first. A bit like reading the twilight series in the sense you couldn't put the first one down until you finish, but the second just seemed to drag a bit. I look forward to finishing the series off to see how the author is going to deal with all the problems each of the characters are facing. I love the character of Diana, she has such a free spirit about her and for someone so young she is put into some difficult positions. I'm a big fan of historical romance novels as I love to imagine what the period would of been like... clothes, houses, food, manners etc...

I love the idea of men being genltemen and treating ladies with respect, though it also can be very restrive in how they speak and interreact with each other.

Love the book... well done Anna.

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen 5*****

It was the old New York way...

the way of people who dreaded scandle more than disease,

who placed decency above courage,

and who considered that nothing was more ill-bred than 'scenes',

except the behaviour of those who give rise to them...

- Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence.

Oh the cover of this book just said buy please.... so I did!

Wow... I just could not put it down. For a first time novel it was fantasic.

It has all the glitz of the O.C but with bigger frocks and more dashing boys and it's set in 1899.

There is gossip, intrigue, deceit, romance, jealousy, humour and betrayal

just to name a few things.

The author transports you into a world you can only imagine exists,

a world where your best friend isn't who you think she is and will

stab you in the back whens it's turned.

Love it, love it, loved it,

and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series.

Highly recommend it. I rate this 5*****