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

Evermore by Alyson Noel

Wouldn't it be cool to be able to read minds and know the moods of those around you? Ever Bloom can, but she is not so happy about it. Ever has lost almost her entire family in a car accident and now lives with her older sister, who is a successful lawyer in southern California. Ever almost died in the accident too, and, after a near death experience, has been able to read people's minds and see their auras. Unfortunately, she cannot turn her power on and off at will. School is sometimes overwhelming with the overload of her classmates' and teachers' thoughts, and has gone from the popular teen she once was to a reclusive girl who hides under hoodies and constantly has her iPod's earphones blocking out the world around her.

Then, one day, the hot new guy, Damen, sits next to Ever and she finds relief from the onslaught of thoughts. She is also unable to hear Damen's thoughts or see his aura. Gradually, Ever realizes that Damen is not a normal human either. As she falls for Damen, Ever finds herself in danger as someone else also wants him, and this girl will stop at nothing to claim the guy she believes is destined to be hers- even if it means killing Ever. Talk about crazy stalkers!

In the beginning, this story seems like another Twilight wannabe- down to how Ever and Damen meet in science class. However, after a few chapters, it develops into its own story line. To explain how the story is different would give away one of the surprises of the novel so you'll have to read it for yourself. It does stand out from all the other vampire and supernatural books that have inundated bookshelves in the past couple years. It is an addictive read and will have you staying up late to read "just one more chapter."

Book; 13+; ISBN 978-0312532758; New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2009.