Beautiful Americans--Lucy Silag

Think Gossip Girl, but in Paris, with less sex and little less cruelty... and then you have Beautiful Americans by Lucy Silag.

Honestly, what to say about this book? It was a quick read... in fact, it was perfect for reading on the elliptical machine or right before bed, because if you miss a word or two it's ok. I'm not saying it was a bad book; I've just read and reread this same story again and again. Zach, Alex, PJ, and Olivia are all spending a year at the American school in Paris. Zach is a gay emo-boy who wants to find love, Alex is a rich girl from New York who tries to buy happiness. PJ's the hippy-chick whose parents are in jail for drug trafficking, and Olivia is a ballerina who has been selected to dance with the Paris Underground Ballet.

Lucy Silag succeeds in giving her characters different enough personalities to remain distinct from each other, yet she doesn't give the reader much reason to empathise with their problems. I wanted deeper character development, more Parisian scenery, and more believable drama. Still, teen girls will probably enjoy this book, especially fans of Gossip Girl, The A-List, and The Luxe.

Kiss of Life-- Daniel Waters

So, if you have been reading my blog for a while, you might remember my review of Daniel Water's Generation Dead. Kiss of Life is its sequel, and I was lucky enough to stumble upon an Advanced Reader's Copy of the book! Oh, the perks of being a librarian! The publication date on Kiss of Life is May 2009.

Kiss of Life features our same cast of characters: Phoebe the goth chic who dates zombies, Margi her sex obsessed friend, Collette the differently biotic gal who lives with Margi after her parents disown her, etc. This book picks up right where Generation Dead leaves off... and I won't go into it that much because I don't want to spoil Generation Dead for those who haven't read it yet!

This book mostly focuses on the emotional pull Phoebe feels between her exboyfriend Tommy and her best friend Adam. It also still deals with the way society reacts to the differently biotic (zombies), zombie culture and activities.

As a sequel, this book succeeds because I wanted to read more about these differently biotic folks. The idea that teenagers are raising from the dead and becoming zombies is just too fun for one lonely old book. However, I wish Waters had done something more with this book. Generation Dead was funny as well as touching, and Kiss of Life lacks the light-hearted humor the first book had down so well. Also, Kiss of Life relys on the fact that you have read the first book too much. All the character development that went into the first novel didn't find it's way into this book. The characters felt sort-of flat to me, and because of this I didn't have as much sympathy for their plight as I should have.

Still... if you liked Generation Dead, read this one too. I have a feeling a third book might be in the stars, and you know I'll be reading that one too!

The Luxe and Rumors-- Anna Godbersen

One of my librarian friends once admitted to me that Anna Godbersen's Luxe series is her guilty reading pleasure. As I am all about guilty pleasure reading, I thought I would give the series a try. I am currently on hold for the third book in this series, Envy, but I read The Luxe and Rumors this weekend.

The Luxe takes place in the very late 1800s, right at the turn of the century. The series is set in New York City and is told from the perspective of four characters: sisters Elizabeth and Diana from an old-money family, their lady's maid Lina, and a nouveau riche socialite, Penelope, who lets nothing stand in the way of her desires. While not extraordinarily well written, the story is compelling enough to keep readers turning those pages. The Luxe ends with a cliffhanger that leads nicely into the next books.

I appreciated a few things about these books... first, I am glad there is a series about socialites that isn't so sex-designers-drugs-booze, etc. I personally enjoyed the Gossip Girl series when I read it a few years ago, but have a hard time recommending it to teens in our more conservative communities. The Luxe still has the scandal and intrigue, but is much more of a clean read than Gossip Girl. Also, The Luxe brings in the historical fiction aspect, giving it a wider readership.

I would recommend The Luxe series for readers of Gossip Girl, The A List, The Clique, The It Girl, anyone who likes a rags-to-riches story, and those who enjoy historical fiction/romance. I would even recommend it to teens who enjoy Jane Austen, but are looking for a beach and bathtub read rather than a classic novel.