I actually finished this series quite a while ago. I just was having a hard time finding motivation to write on my blogs for some reason. But here I am to finally get this done.
The Luxe novels is a series for young adults about turn of the century New York and the teenage/young adult, upper middle class society that they lived in. The series follows sisters Elizabeth and Diana Holland, their friend Penelope Hayes, and their mutual journey to find love and acceptance in a somewhat cruel and judgmental society. (There is another main character, but if I tell you about it, it kind of gives away a somewhat important part of the first book that helps set up the rest of the series) Elizabeth and Diana are from a very well respected family of old money, but are watching their fortune fall away from them fast after their father passes away. Penelope is from a newly rich family and is trying to find the same respect that being from "old money" deserves. As the 2 families struggle with those trials, the girls themselves are struggling with relationships. Elizabeth has to decide if love or reputation is more important to her. Diana has to find a way to not live in Elizabeth's shadow. And Penelope struggles to get the man that she loves to pay attention to her. Their individual journeys often cross paths in some very unique and interesting ways. Each book finds you rooting for a different character as you take the journey with these 3 girls and their families.
I really enjoyed reading this series. It was nice to have a few quick reads that didn't require the depth that books for more mature audiences does. I could lose myself in the story pretty easily. The series actually made me wish that I could have lived at the turn of the century. I've always had that somewhat odd desire to wear fancy dresses and learn all of those super cool dances, and reading a series about that time (even though I'm sure this series was not meant to be super historically accurate at all) kind of enhanced that desire. All in all I really liked this series and would definitely recommend it for young adults (probably only of the female variety since the main story lines are more romantic in subject).
Right now I'm tackling a pretty daunting task. I'm reading all of the Sherlock Holmes stories. I have a book that has them all in one volume. While they are very good and I'm enjoying it so far, I'm finding it harder to want to just sit down and read since the continuity that you get with reading a book isn't there with a bunch of short stories. I'm contemplating reading another book at the same time so that I feel like I'm accomplishing something.
Until next time,
~Tara
