Rumors (A Luxe Novel) by Anna Godbersen

High society New York, socialites on the verge of getting everything they want, and all those delicious, frothy dresses and society events- what's more to love in historical chick lit? Rumors, the sequel to The Luxe, delivers all of this and more. If you have not read The Luxe, you should stop reading this review now as it will spoil what happens in the first book of the series.

Elizabeth Holland has pulled off the trick of the year by faking her death and running off to be with her love, Will, in California. Only her sister, Diana, and her best friend and rival, Penelope, know Elizabeth's secret. Well, at least until Diana spills the beans to her maid who in turn tells her sister, Lina, who is in love with Will too. Penelope on the other hand, is happy to have Elizabeth out of the picture as this puts her in a prime position to get her hands on Elizabeth's former fiancee, Henry Schoonmaker, who Penelope sees as her ticket into the old money society her newly wealthy family has been having trouble breaking into. But there's a little problem there too, for Diana and Henry are secretly in love and are just waiting for the proper amount of time of mourning to go by after the supposed death of Elizabeth. Got it all?

This topsy-turvy novel is not so hard to follow as it may seem, and Godbersen will keep you glued to the end. The story is a juicy, guilty read with just enough historical fact to make you feel not too guilty. If you liked The Luxe, you will enjoy this story too as it follows the same format. But, don't expect a neatly wrapped up ending here as there is more of the series to come.

Book; 13+; ISBN 9780061345692; New York : HarperCollins Publishers, 2008

The Minister's Daughter by Julie Hearn

Witch trials and unwed mothers in the same book?! In 1645, Nell’s grandmother is ailing and Nell must quickly learn to take over as her town’s healer. However, in this time of Puritanism and witch hunts, it is a dangerous profession for women to be midwives and healers. When the minister’s eldest, and unmarried, daughter, Grace, becomes pregnant, she goes to Nell to terminate the pregnancy. Nell refuses to terminate the baby because the baby was conceived on May 1st—under pagan tradition, babies conceived on May Day are sacred children called “merrybegots.” Unable to admit her failing to her father and the town and wanting to get rid of the person who knows her secret, Grace, with the help of her sister, Patience, contrives to blame her condition on Nell and her grandmother. In this time when the Puritan church was fighting against old, pagan beliefs, it was not difficult to get the town riled up about the “witches” in their midst.

While piskies (pixies) and fairies have some minor roles in this story, the story is more historical fiction than fantasy. Set before the Salem witch trials of 1692, this story gets into the psychological background of the witch hysteria that took over New England in the late 17th century. While not a big page turner, the story will still hold your interest to the end.

Book; 13+; ISBN 978-0689876912; New York: Atheneum books for young readers, 2005

The Luxe by Anna Godberson

Like TV shows like Gossip Girl, 90210, and the OC? Then this book is for you. Full of fancy dresses, secrets, and wealthy teens who seem to have not much better to do than one-up each other, The Luxe is as its title suggests. However, not is all as it seems. It’s 1899 in New York and socialite Elizabeth Holland has fallen in love with her family’s stable boy. Unfortunately, their difference in social status is not the only obstacle in the way of their love. The Hollands, who are “old money,” have lost their wealth, and Elizabeth must marry wealthy playboy, Henry Schoonmaker, before anyone finds out and her family is ruined. The plotting begins when Elizabeth’s best friend, and greatest rival, Penelope Hayes, finds out about the engagement. Penelope has already set her sights on Henry Schoonmaker and has been having a secret affair with him. She wants to marry Henry so he can give her “new money” family some credibility in the upper class social circles into which they are trying to break. There are some interesting twists to this story, one coming right at the beginning: the story opens at Elizabeth’s funeral, during which not everybody seems all so sad, including Elizabeth’s sister, Diana. What happened to Elizabeth? You’ll have to read this fun, guilty pleasure of a book to find out!

This story is a fast read- great for a travel or summer book when you don't want to have to think too hard! This is definitely fluffy, chick lit with lots of descriptions of clothes, friends betraying friends, and forbidden romances. It is the first in a series, the entirety of which has great reviews. I'll definitely be picking up the next guilty pleasure in the series soon!

Book; ISBN 0061345660; New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2007