Release Date: 24th August, 2011Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 360pgs
The Story
For the bright young things of 1929, the beautiful days seem endless, filled with romance and heartbreak, adventure and intrigue, friendship and rivalry.
After a month in New York, Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur are small-town girls no longer. They spend their afternoons with Astrid Donal at the Grey's lush Long Island estate and their nights in Manhattan's bustling metropolis. But Letty's not content to be a mere socialite. She is ready at last to chase her Broadway dreams - no matter the cost.
Cordelia is still reeling from the death of her father at the hands of Thom Hale, the man she thought she loved. Now she is set to honor Darius Grey's legacy . . . and take her revenge.
Promised to Cordelia's half brother, Astrid is caught up in a world of dazzling jewels and glittering nights - and the sparkle is blinding. Charlie Grey is a gangster playing a dangerous game; and for Astrid, Cordelia, and Letty, the stakes could be deadly.
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes the second book in an epic series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.
The Review
This book is second installment in the Bright Young Things series by Anna Godbersen which is set in the jazz age of the 1920's. Being a huge fan of the author's previous series, The Luxe, I'm so glad Godbersen continued to write yet another great young adult series. Now in this series, this particular decade has been a big obsession of mine. Flappers, bootleggers, fringed dresses, gangsters and jazz music . . . clearly this book is a winner through everyone's eyes and mine. It's instant love with me and this series and it was everything I hoped for. Now unlike the story of Bright Young Things - where the girls were introduced to the wonders of New York City - in BEAUTIFUL DAYS it's all sin and the dangers of what this big and bright city has to offer. And that's why I'm in love with Godbersen's work because she not only nails the setting, but she also makes you feel like you're right there in the dazzling action!
BEAUTIFUL DAYS picks up right where Bright Young Things left off and while Cordelia was my favourite gal in the first book, but now I'm totally a fan of Letty's character. For me in this book, I couldn't connect to the other girls as much as I did in the first book, but I loved Letty inside and out. She was the true star of the show - and Cordelia as well. But I loved Letty and how we read about her story of many ups and downs, and what really drew me to her character was the glitz and glamour of her trying to pursue a Broadway career. To make a namesake for herself. Now that's the roaring twenties that I know, love and appreciate! As for the girls and boys, and all the other characters that readers are introduced to, I thought every single one of them was awesome and I'm glad to see our characters developing in all sorts of interesting ways.
The best thing about Anna Godbersen is that she writes with such realism. While the series maybe set in the past, during a period I can't help but love, but Godbersen deals with the girls situations so well and deals with the many issues that are still relevant today - including heartbreak, betrayal, jealously, and of course the ultimate one, love. Overall if you're already a fan of Anna Godbersen or have yet to read her books, then definitely check out the Bright Young Things series because with all that Jazz, what's not to love?
The Rating
4/5 stars
Very excited to start this series! I have Beautiful Days but haven't yet read Bright Young Things. I love the feel and atmosphere of that era though and I really enjoyed The Luxe, so can't wait to see how Anna has pulled this off :) Awesome review!
ReplyDeleteYou definitely need to start reading this series!
ReplyDeleteI still need to read Bright Young Things, and I think I will really enjoy it. I have a copy of the second book for review. I'm hoping to get to them soon.
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