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    Bright Young Things
    Bright Young Things
    Bright Young Things
    Audiobook9 hours

    Bright Young Things

    Written by Anna Godbersen

    Narrated by Emily Bauer

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

    Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star. . . .

    Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined—and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

    The only person Cordelia can trust is ­Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets.

    Across the vast lawns of Long Island, in the ­illicit speakeasies of Manhattan, and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, the three girls' fortunes will rise and fall—together and apart. From the New York Times bestselling author of The Luxe comes an epic new series set in the dizzying last summer of the Jazz Age.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateOct 12, 2010
    ISBN9780061996825
    Author

    Anna Godbersen

    Anna Godbersen is the author of the New York Times bestselling Luxe series. She was born in Berkeley, California, and educated at Barnard College. She currently lives in Brooklyn.

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    Reviews for Bright Young Things

    3.5/5

    37 ratings33 reviews

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    • 3/5
      The tale of three young women in New York during Prohibition. Letty and Cordelia leave a small town in Ohio on the evening of Cordelia's wedding and head to New York to find their fortunes. Letty wants to be a star. Cordelia finds her gangster father is is rather easily accepted by him as his daughter. Her half brother, Charlie, who begins as something of a bore does a rapid and unbelievable about face. Astrid, Charlie's debutante girlfriend who has been shuttle place to place in her early years due to her mother's various relationships, is rash and pouty. The girls are naive and the ease with which Cordelia adjusts to her new life is not credible. The betrayal by Thom was obvious from the second date they had. The book is a quick read and set the scene for its sequel.
    • 5/5
      Set in 1929 Manhattan... that alone should have you sighing. What a wonderful time frame for a novel to take place within. Ms. Godbersen does a phenomenal job of bringing the 20's glitz and glamor to life in the pages of Bright Young Things. Cordelia and Letty depart their small Ohio town in the hopes of leaving their mark on New York City but both are seeking two very different things. While Letty dreams of being a star and seeing her name in bright lights, Cordelia is on the search for her long lost father. She meets socialite Astrid and a friendship quickly ensues. Their three stories interlock and interweave and are full of scandal, intrigue, and romance. With rarely a dull moment you'll find yourself whisked away to glamorous Long Island mansions and to the bright stages of Broadway. The writing is very detailed - you'll almost feel as if you are watching a movie. I could perfectly envision the girls, the clothes, the socialites, the parties. I also loved how true to the time the way the characters expressions and sayings are. This is the first book in what will be a four-part series so don't expect all loose ends to be wrapped up by the story's closure. But don't let that stop you - the girls, their dreams, their struggles will grab you from the start and will not let you go till you are done with it. I was very impressed and cannot wait for the next installment in the series. Plus, can you really resist a book that has a prologue that says: "One would be famous, one would be married, and one would be dead." Yea, I didn't think so.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed this novel but I didn’t love this novel. I enjoyed the characters, though I found Letty to be a bit annoying. I liked reading about life in the roaring ‘20s. That time period is very interesting to me. Godbersen’s writing style was very easy and flowed well. I can’t really pin down a reason I didn’t love this novel. Overall, it just didn’t have much impact. I would recommend this novel to someone looking for a change in their reading cycle. It was definitely a good break from all the urban fantasy I had been reading.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed it, although not quite as much as the Luxe books. This one takes place in the 1920s, 1929 to be precise, and follows a new group of characters: Cordelia, searching New York for the dad she never knew, Letty, her best friend who wants to be a star, and Astrid, a socialite who seems bored quite often and will soon befriend Cordelia. With this series and HBO's new series Boardwalk Empire, I wonder if we are seeing the start of the flapper style coming back. We'll see.
    • 3/5
      Anna Godberson's newest series takes place in the roaring twenties. Letty and Cordelia live in a small town in Ohio. They have both spent their lives dreaming of something bigger. The night of Cordelia's wedding, the two girls run off to New York City. Almost immediately upon arrival the two girls split up because of a fight.

      Letty ends up working as a cigarette girl, dreaming of working on Broadway. Cordelia finds her father, the famous bootlegger Darius Grey. Both girls get drawn in by the glitz and glamor of New York City and Long Island in the 1920's. Cordelia makes friends with Astrid, her half brother Charlie's girlfriend, also living on Long Island who's life is not as glorious at it seems.

      Unfortunately I wasn't quite in the mood to read this book right now, which dampened my enjoyment a little bit. While there was a lot of historical detail in the book, it felt as though it wasn't as specific as some of the details given in Godberson's previous series. Another difference that I didn't really like was that in the previous work, we got not only the girls thought's and feelings we also got the men's. In this work we never got their feelings so it's harder to tell where the story is really going. You know what's happened but you aren't sure of people's motives so I don't feel as attached the male characters as the I do to the girls.

      While I liked Letty, Astrid and Cordelia I did wonder a little bit at Letty and Cordelia. Both girls have had difficult lives before coming to New York. It made me wonder that they weren't more cautious in their situations. I understand that the work takes place in the 1920's which was a very carefree era, and that the wealthy in particular tended to throw away opportunities and money, but these two girls never really had anything, so they should have known better. Then one of them would be flakey like that is believable. That both of them would completely let the entire experience go to their heads was rediculous to me. I do want to read the next one and find out what happens next.
    • 3/5
      i liked this book for the most part. the plot kept me interested, but I felt the ending was very abrupt. almost like she ran out of things to write and just ended the book =/
    • 4/5
      Anna Godbersen sets her latest series at the end of the roaring twenties, a time of prohibition and loosening morals when everyone who wanted to be anyone flocked to New York City. Cordelia and Letty are no different -- two girls from Ohio convinced that they're bigger than their small town. Cordelia is practically forced into marrying her high school sweetheart after being caught doing things with him that no good girl would do before marriage, spurring her decision that it's time for the girls to leave. They skip the reception to hop on the only train that goes direct to New York City and so begin their epic adventure. Letty (who ditches her last name and re-christens herself "Letty Larkspur") has stage aspirations and while she might be naive, she has the vocal talent that just might make her dreams come true. Cordelia, meanwhile, simply appears to be supportive of Letty's plans and doesn't confide in her friend that she believes she has figured out the identity of her father: the notorious bootlegger Darius Grey. After a night on the town and a loud fight, the girls get kicked out of their hotel for unmarried women on their very first night and go their separate ways. Letty is taken under the wing of a cigarette girl who invites her to live in a small apartment with her and two others, and even manages to secure Letty a steady job while Letty circles newspaper audition ads that she hasn't the courage to go to. Cordelia shows up at Dogwood, Darius Grey's estate, on the night that he's throwing himself a birthday party... and after tricking her way in, is welcomed with open arms by the father who always missed her (even if her new half-brother isn't exactly thrilled with her appearance). Cordelia befriends Astrid, her new brother's girlfriend, and Astrid proves to be a young woman who has grown up privileged, though the situation has always been somewhat precarious as her mother goes through husbands rather quickly. Bright Young Things entwines the stories of these three young women, destined to play a role in each other's lives, and sure to live quite an adventure before "one would be famous, one would be married, and one would be dead."I'll admit that since I haven't read The Luxe and its series, I wasn't quite sure what to expect -- yet Bright Young Things exceeded whatever those expectations were. Godbersen's ability to create a historically sound atmosphere makes for a charming read, as what New Yorker hasn't imagined the bygone days of the 1920s? It's full of jazz and illegal liquor, of course we've imagined it (even before Boardwalk Empire helped us with the details.) As a result, it's a great time period for a series, particularly one that doesn't seem fixated on just providing the point-of-view of the wealthy. Letty's storyline is a touch more realistic (including the struggle to make ends meet and naive notions dashed in dramatic ways), whereas Cordelia is whisked off to luxury and a Montague/Capulet family feud, realized a bit too late for her romantic nature. Astrid, meanwhile, deals with the many sides of both wealth and romance -- which makes her come off a bit one-note in the beginning and she develops depth as we go. Astrid's presence is a little surprising at the start -- though one assumes she'll be folded into the main story and come to know Letty and Cordelia. Her position as girlfriend of Cordelia's new half-brother and Cordelia's new best friend is an interesting role, particularly as her friendship with Cordelia seems very situational. As a result, she remains a bit of an outsider, allowed her closeness with the absence of Letty, and so the next books will likely play upon her tenuous bond. The three girls are all unique in situation and attitude, though I hope we don't lose the perspective that's placed on the less-than-upper-crust scene. The glitz and glamour might be with the high society types, but the peek at how the rest of us might have lived is quite fascinating indeed (and certainly bears a resemblance to young adults of the modern day, just out of college and floundering around in the big city). As the first in a series, Bright Young Things certainly shows promise and while that whole "one would be famous, one would be married, and one would be dead" is ridiculously over-dramatic, it does certainly have the reader guessing as to the fate of each girl.
    • 4/5
      There is a reason the 1920s is known as the roaring 20s and Godbersen manages to capture the fun, the frivolity and the decadence the 20s was renowned for in an entertaining, engrossing and realistic read.The year is 1929 and best friends Cordelia Gray and Letitia Haubstadt have dreamed of the day they’ll leave their small town for the bright lights of New York City where all the Bright Young Things are. Their chance comes sooner than expected when Cordelia makes the decision to escape to New York on the day of her marriage - a marriage which she never wanted - seeing this as her last opportunity of ever making it there. Letty persuaded by Cordelia’s assertion of “you’ll never be a star if you stay here” join’s her. Whilst on their journey to New York Letty decides to change her name to Letty Larkspur, a name which she believes encapsulates her soon to be new “shiny and worthy of notice” life. However once in New York the girls soon find out that perhaps New York is not all it’s cracked up to be after Cordelia’s deception towards Letty regarding her true reasons for coming to New York is revealed and the girls go their separate ways.Whilst separated Cordelia tracks down her long lost father - which happened to be her whole reason for coming to New York - and is suddenly introduced into a whole new world where wealth is flaunted and loving the wrong man can be dangerous. It is in this glittering setting where Cordelia meets Astrid Donal, a wealthy flapper in love with Cordelia’s brother, Charlie, who decides to take Cordelia under her protective wing. Meanwhile Letty is making it by as a cigarette girl in one of Manhattan’s numerous speakeasies attracting the attention of several men, some more respectable than others, soon discovering that it’s not just her singing talents many are interested in.I have a confession I haven’t really read many historical novels before (oh I have read a lot of the classics just not much of the newer historical fiction), I just haven’t found many that have interested me but if all historical novels are as absorbing and as realistically written as Bright Young Things I’ll definitely be giving more a try. I found the realistic writing to be one of the main strengths of this book as I believe for a historical novel to sound convincing it needs a realistic tone and dialogue that is in keeping with the era it’s written in and Godbersen manages to pull this off effortlessly taking the reader back to a time where everyone seemed a lot more polite and genteel.I also loved the setting, before reading this book I couldn’t even begin to envision what New York was like in the 20s but with Anna’s exquisite and descriptive imagery of the isle of Manhattan as well as the fabulous fashions of the time I was taken on a journey back into 1920s New York a place which I wouldn’t mind visiting.From the moment I read the prologue I was hooked, it definitely draws you in especially the ominous sentence describing the fate of three girls where “one would be famous, one would be married and one would be dead”, how can you not want to read on after a revelation like that?As is evident from my blurb there’s a lot happening in this book as we follow all three girls - Letty, Cordelia and Astrid - through their highs and lows yet it’s never confusing and always flows together. Of course there is a romance aspect to the book but it’s not the sole aspect of the novel, the friendships these girls make and loose are just as important.I enjoyed reading about all of the girls as they each were their own woman. Letty may have been naïve yet she showed an amazing strength of character, Cordelia was always so sure of herself, underneath however she was dealing with her own demons from her past and Astrid was the socialite with the seemingly perfect life but beneath it all she was just as insecure as many young girls are. Whilst these girls seemed so different from one another there was one common thread that connected them which was the lack of a caring loving family, Letty’s father was miserable and unkind, Cordelia was raised by her harsh uncaring aunt and Astrid’s mother collected men like it was going out of fashion. So no matter how different these girls lives seem some things are universal no matter what social class or town you come from.The dapper young men in Bright Young Things were just as interesting as the girls particularly so because they were very mysterious from Cordelia’s forbidden romance with Thom to Letty’s smitten admirer Grady and Astrid’s love of the aloof Charlie.The final pages were a blur to me so much was packed into them I ate it up. The ending was a satisfying one, whilst there were plot points left in the open none were left dangling there taunting me, that said I can’t wait until the second book in the series will be released, I’m hooked on these girls and their fascinating lives.So for those of you who don’t think historical fiction is for you I urge you to give this a try just for the beautiful imagery of the city and the fashions alone, you won’t be disappointed.
    • 3/5
      Slow, tedious, and boring. This was ten dollars wasted.
    • 4/5
      I really liked this book! The author does an amazing job of emerging the reader into the roaring twenties. It is a story of two girls trying to find themselves in Manhattan after living in a small Ohio town. One girl dreams of being an actress and the other wants to find her father, who is a famous bootlegger. There is romance, (some forbidden), glamour, swanky outfits, and some new vocabulary to learn for those like me who were not as familiar with the time period. If you are looking for something new to read that is not dystopian or supernatural, or you like the 1920's and all its fashion and sparkle, you will love this book!
    • 4/5
      I need the next book in this series NOW! What an amazing ending! Anna Godbersen is one of my all-time favorite authors, so I was really excited to read Bright Young Things. While I did not like this novel as much as The Luxe, it was still fantastic. It is packed with drama and romance—two things I love in a novel. One of the things I liked so much about The Luxe series was the relationship between Diana and Henry—I wanted to find something similar in Bright Young Things, but I don’t think Cordelia and Thom have that same undeniable chemistry that Diana and Henry do. All around, the characters in Bright Young Things are not nearly as relatable as the characters in The Luxe (which was one of the factors that made it such an amazing series for me). Even though I didn’t like the characters as much, I think that this will change as the story progresses. I started to like Cordelia, Astrid, and Charlie much more towards the end of the book because I had a better understanding of their personalities.The best part about this novel is hands-down the plot. I kept turning to the pages because I was dying to know what happened next. The prologue was also really well-done, what a way to start a novel! From the very beginning, Godbersen tells us that one of the girls will be famous, one will be married, one will be dead. I don’t think I’ve ever started a novel that told me right from the beginning that one of the main characters would be gone by the end of the book, but it really drew me into the novel. If the next book was already available, I would have picked it up immediately. Luckily, even though the next book isn’t available until September, Anna Godbersen will be signing advanced copies at Book Expo America in a few weeks! I am so excited to meet her :). The writing is beautiful, the plot is fantastic, the end is amazing, and the beginning is intriguing—if you haven’t read Bright Young Things yet, I don’t know what you’re waiting for!
    • 2/5
      The book was alright. It was about girls in the 1920's. I love Anna Godbersen, but this series is not as good as her last series. Hope the next book is better.
    • 4/5
      The Little BookwormIt's the era of bathtub gin and speakeasies and for Cordelia and Letty it's the beginning of the rest of their lives. After escaping from their small town in Ohio and moving to New York City each purses a dream of her own. Cordelia seeks out the dad she never know and Letty wants to be a star. But both find that sometimes life doesn't always go according to plan.I am a big fan of The Luxe series, just like I am a fan of the Gossip Girl books. Sometimes there is nothing better than a fun, light read. So I was delighted to learn that Anna Godbersen was going to do a series in the 1920's, one of my favorite eras. It was a great setting and I enjoyed this book. It wasn't a retread of The Luxe, something I was afraid would happen and the characters were distinct and different. I liked Cordelia the best since she was much stronger and more able. I thought Letty was a bit too helpless though rightfully so. It ended on a good cliffhanger so now I am wondering what is going to happen next.
    • 4/5
      A good book that depicts the era of finding oneself. I enjoyed the stories of young women coming into their own & finding their own strength when being a woman was really only one idea. I am looking forward to reading more of this series!
    • 4/5
      WARNING: Contains spoilers!I really enjoyed this novel and the sense of place the author invoked. Out of the 3 main characters, Cordelia, Astrid & Letty, Cordelia was definitely my favorite. She seemed the most real, was stronger than the other two and was the most interesting. Letty I didn't care for at all. She was seriously deluded by thinking the world would fall at her feet the moment she arrived in New York and she was a lousy friend for getting pissed at Cordelia when she found out she had her own reasons for going to the city. At the beginning of the novel it said "By the end of the decade one would be married, one would be famous and one would be dead" so the entire time I was reading I expected those things to happen by the end of the novel. but they didn't and the author just left that aspect hanging. Makes me definitely want to read the next in the series, but also disappointed that was mentioned and didn't occur. I hope it isn't Cordelia who ends up dead because she is my favorite!
    • 2/5
      The book takes place in the 1920's and the main characters Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey come from a small town to the bright lights of New York City. Both girls want two different things from the city: Letty wants to be big and famous, while Cordelia wants to find her father. The two girls fing that glamour isn't everything for young flappers. The book was kind of confusing, but gave a lot of insight on the roaring 1920's. I loved Anna Godbersen's other series called the Luxe and highly recommend that one, but this series is boring. It did not find the characters interesting. I will read the second book if she comes out with one. She is an amazing author and her other books are definitely better then Bright Young Things. I do not recommend this book. It was alright, but their are better books. The genre is historical fiction. ~Taylor~
    • 3/5
      I've been sitting here for about 30 minutes with this window open, trying to figure out how exactly to go about reviewing this book. Bright Young Things is one of those stories that took me a while to be invested in, but once I was it was with fervor! I'm just stumbling a bit on how to describe precisely what about it didn't sit right with me. This will likely be a rambling review, so if you are afraid, don't read on. If you are brave, well away we go!

      First of all, I loved the character development that Anna Godbersen put into place in Bright Young Things. Each and every character that is brought into the story is fleshed out beautifully, and as a reader you really get to see deeply into their lives. My favorite character was definitely Astrid. Her carefree attitude and her ability to talk her ability to use her silver tongue to talk her way out of situations was fabulous! Honestly, it was her character that I believed in the most, and understood the most.

      The other part of this book that I really loved was the setting. The "Roaring 20's" has fascinated me since I was younger. I love how this was such a time of change, such a time of progress for women. Sure, a lot of it was still seen as scandalous by the older generation, but these women were brave and bold. They did, said, and wore what they wanted despite the consequences. It's amazing! Anna Godbersen manages to bring this time period to life with beautiful clarity, and show it to the reader in different ways through they eyes of her various characters. It was a delight!

      However my love for this book was hampered by some of the decisions made by the characters in the storyline. Perhaps if I had grown up during this time period I would understand, but it seemed to me that there was so much selfishness within Cordelia. Her character especially drove me crazy. Some of the scenes just felt forced and slowed the plot down for me. That being said, the overall progress of the story was very slow for me until I neared the end of the book. Yes, I understand a lot of it was used to build characters. Still, it was tough for me to get immersed fully in the story. It wasn't until the end that I was caught up, and reading fervently to find out what happened. The ending was fantastic, and I'm looking forward to seeing where this series goes next.

      As you can see from my rambling review, I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed it overall, but it wasn't one of my favorites of the year. I do believe though that if you have an affinity for historical fiction and a love of Contemporary fiction combined, you'll fall in love with this book. It's already been affirmed for me by some other readers I've talked to. My point is that this book may not have been my cup of tea, but that doesn't mean you won't love it! Definitely give it a read.
    • 3/5
      Not sure I like this as much as I did Luxe... but that certainly won't stop me!
    • 4/5
      In my opinion, the prologue was the best part of the book. It is so effervescent you feel like you've been taken back to that glorious time - the roaring twenties! The description in the prologue leaves you wanting more, more, more! The rest of the book definitely doesn't have such an effect, but it's still a very satisfying read. The alternating points of view, both standing alone and intertwining into the same problems, provide an interesting storyline. The book definitely leaves me wishing I had the next book right this second! As the mysterious plot line goes - One will be married, one will be famous, and one will be dead. Can't wait to see which girl matches these, and with just one figured out in the first book, the mystery continues!
    • 4/5
      Bright Young Things was one of those reads that I felt had to be taken in all at once. Because the chapters are usually broken up by different story lines, about different characters, it's easy to get lost and have to read for awhile to get back into the swing of things. There were times that I mixed up the characters Letty and Cordelia, which might sound strange, but I did have to flip back a few times to make sure I knew which character was which. Once the story gets going, it's amazing how many directions it heads into. It really did keep me moving though the story at a pretty quick pace.Although the story moves along in several directions, I'm still shocked at how much space was covered, how much things changed, and yet how little time that passed! Having said that, I wondered how plausible was some of the action in the story? Letty wants to make it big in entertainment, and she makes a great stab at it. Cordelia wants to meet up with the infamous father she's never known, and she definitely meets him and complications ensue. I suppose these are all the things that a great, dramatic story are built around.Regardless of the switching story lines and the dramatic way that the action takes place, I really liked the novel. There is something about Godbersen's style and voice that has me flipping pages. For some reason, Godbersen reminds me of Edith Wharton, and not just because they've written about similar themes, but there is something about her descriptions that seem familiar. In short, the stories are dishy and fun to read. I'm just thankful we have more to look forward to down the road!
    • 4/5
      I wasn’t intending to read another Anna Godbersen novel so soon (and I wasn’t terribly impressed by The Luxe), but my reservation came up at the library so I felt obliged to read it.Bright Young Things, despite a similar premise to the Luxe series (three girls in NewYork, 1929) started off at a much jauntier pace. Letty and Cornelia leave their tiny country town for the bright lights of New York. By a lucky twist of fate, Cornelia is reunited with her estranged father (who happens to be a bootlegger) and lives a life of luxury on Long Island. Astrid befriends her, but has problems of her own – boys and family. Letty is separated from Cornelia and attempts to make the big time on Broadway.This book is obviously part of a series and like the Luxe series, tells us at the beginning in passing what will happen. Don’t expect a resolution like the first Luxe book though – it doesn’t happen. You still can’t accurately work out each girl’s fate (although you can have a fair guess). It starts off very interesting, but flounders in the middle with not a lot happening. There’s less focus on detailed clothes descriptions and parties and a bit more on plot development this time before (with some overtones of Romeo and Juliet). The historical aspect is a bit more detailed.I enjoyed this more than The Luxe, but perhaps that’s because the author is more experienced now. I’m not sure if I’d buy the next book in the series, but I’d probably borrow it from the library.
    • 5/5
      I had super high hopes for this book. I absolutely loved The Luxe series AND I love reading about the time of Prohibition and speakeasies and all that, so this book sounded perfect to me. And it was! It is! It’s so good – Bright Young Things didn’t disappoint me at all.The descriptions inspire just as extravagant images as The Luxe series did, if not more so. I loved how the story effortlessly switched from point of view to point of view. I thought I would get at least a little bit confused, but it was really well-done and obvious who’s story we were hearing from.The three leading ladies – Astrid, Cordelia, and Letty – were all very unique characters and I loved how none of them really resembled each other. They all had their own personalities, and their own faults. I couldn’t pick a favourite. Letty and Cordelia’s friendship really hurt me and made me want to shake them both, but I’m glad that they each had their own story line. It made for a more exciting book than the alternative would have.I didn’t really like any of the guys introduced in Bright Young Things. No, that’s not true. I liked Thom. And Charlie, kind of… I don’t know. You’ll just have to see for yourself! I definitely liked the guys in The Luxe series more, but these guys were just as handsome, but also infuriating. But it makes sense, because of the time period I guess. In The Luxe series, everyone was more uptight and proper, but in Bright Young Things, it’s a period of more freedom. So I get it, really. But I still love my Luxe men!The plot of Bright Young Things was awesomeeeeee. I didn’t get bored at all while reading this book. Like I said, I love the time of Prohibition and Bright Young Things was an excellent look on the social and political ongoings of the time period. I loved having the three different views on New York City. And, agh! The last couple of chapters are seriously intense. I need the second book in the series now, please!This book truly had it all – an interesting beginning, beautiful girls and handsome men, bright lights and a big city, romance, mystery, drama, temptation of the forbidden, secret tunnels, and an explosive ending.
    • 1/5
      ** spoiler alert ** I only got about 160 pages into this book before I got too disgusted to continue. The characters were just reprehensibly immoral and unrelatable. And believe me, I am NOT a prude! I am not that old-fashioned normally, but it really bothered me that Cordelia got married BEFORE running away to New York. I would've had more respect for her if she'd left before she was forced to marry John because they had sex. AND she acts like she was never married the second she leaves town. I'm sorry, but I did not like that at all and couldn't care about her problems. Letty was spineless and whiny. End of story. Astrid was vapid and almost written into the book as an afterthought for the convenience of Cordelia. I just did NOT like this book at all. Would not recommend it to anyone!
    • 4/5
      Cordelia Grey and Letty Larkspur have always known they don’t belong in the small Midwestern town they grew up in. Together they decide to run away to New York City. Letty dreams of making it big--of seeing her name in lights--but so does every other girl in town. Unfortunately for her, some are willing to do almost anything to make it happen, things she isn’t comfortable with. Cordelia is in search of a father she’s never met. When she finds him, she is thrust into a world of money, glamour...and danger. She befriends Astrid Donal, her half-brothers girlfriend, who becomes her confidante. The three girls experience what the Roaring Twenties had to offer in NYC together, as well as apart. I became interested in the Roaring Twenties my junior year of high school when we studied it in history, so I was super excited to read a historical fiction novel based in that decade. I’m not sure how accurate any of the information actually is, but it was still cool to read about. I particularly love how during this time women aren’t expected to be prim and proper at all times. Despite being set in this decade though, it mainly focuses on the three teenage girls and what they are going through which makes this relatable and relevant to teen girls now. I also really liked that the chapters alternated between the three girls perspectives. It was nice because each was seeing a completely different side of the city. We get to see what it might have felt like to be a cigarette girl through Letty. Cordelia’s, as well as Astrid’s, perspective gives us a first hand look into the rich, powerful, and dangerous lives of the bootleggers. Each have very distinct personalities and are all very likable. I always end up having a favorite character by the end, but I don’t think that happened this time. They’re all great!I adored Anna Godbersen’s Luxe series and this one is just as great. If you haven’t had a chance to read either, get to it! They aren’t too heavy on the historical fiction so these are great even if you aren’t into this genre.
    • 4/5
      "It?s 1929 and Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey have escaped their small Midwestern town to chase big dreams and even bigger secrets. Amongst the glittering metropolis of New York City, they meet Astrid Donal, a flapper who has everything she could ever want, except for the one thing Letty and Cordelia have to offer?true friendship. Set in the dizzying summer before the market crash, against the vast lawns of the glamorous Long Island mansions and on the blindingly lit stages of Broadway, three girls will find scandal, intrigue, and romance. . ."I am a huge fan of Anna Godbersen's The Luxe series and have been anticipating the release of the first book in her new series Bright Young Things for the longest time. Bright Young Things is set in the roaring twenties and the book's prologue automatically draws you in by informing you that come the end of the summer one of our heroines will be famous, the second married and the third dead which immediately gets the ball rolling with you wanting to know which character will end up with what fate. I spent much of the book trying to figure out where things were heading with each girl but its impossible to predict. There are so many possibilities and honestly all three girls could end up with any one of those destiny's. The girls futures keep twisting and turning making it impossible to put your finger on what's going to happen next. Anna Godbersen certainly does a fantastic job of keeping you on your toes making me eager to get my hands on the next book- it's going to be a long wait!I felt that despite their similarities Bright Young Things has a very different feel to it of that of The Luxe series. Whilst Bright Young Things has the drama and glitz and glamour that The Luxe had the girls are very different. With Letty and Cordelia being from a small town they have a certain innocence to them that the Luxe girls didn't. They make mistakes and their not as sure of themselves which makes for interesting reading. I have a feeling that were really going to see these characters grow in each book as they settle into the big city. Bright Young Things also has a more mature feel to it, there's less scheming and bitching than the Luxe and these girls dreams are even more ambitious. The stakes are higher and so each girl has even farther to fall from grace. It took a while for me to get used to the differences as I really did expect Bright Young Things to be like another Luxe only set in the twenties, but once I did I was hooked and quickly fell in love with the girls of 1929.Bright Young Things is a fantastic set up to what I believe is going to be an addictive new series. Anna Godbersen describes New York summer time during the twenties beautifully. She has a real talent for capturing the era she's writing about making the big city come to life right in front of you. Her writings as gorgeous as a glitzy flapper dress and she has a unique talent for really defining her characters making each girl original and special.Once I got over Bright Young Things not being exactly like the Luxe I really enjoyed my time with Letty, Cordelia and Astrid and can not wait for the next book to see what the future holds for these girls. Recommended to anybody looking for an exciting, fun, addictive new series.My Rating 3.5/5 stars ***1/2Thanks go to Penguin/Razorbill for sending me this book to review.Synopsis taken from Amazon
    • 3/5
      I’m not sure if it is the era, or the excerpt from his writing at the front of the book, but this book had a very F. Scott Fitzgerald feel about it. Having recently re-read (and listened to) The Great Gatsby, there is a certain cadence to his words that breathes life into the Roaring Twenties. As I read the first chapter of this book, I could not help but notice that same rhythm, that same striking language, in Godbersen’s writing. I was immediately hooked. While I can’t say that the entire book has that same feel – there were different points when the words lost their luster and seemed a bit tarnished – as a whole I think the vibe remained for the bulk of the story.Perhaps this is merely my perception and not the reality, but it seemed to me that Cordelia had more face time in the book than the other two girls. This is not a bad thing, especially as her immediate story seemed bigger in scope, but I feel almost as if I don’t really know much about Letty and Astrid at this point. I realize this is a series and there’s more to come, but those girls’ stories didn’t seem to be as fleshed out as Cordelia’s. Letty’s story felt predictable, almost as if it was just filler to keep her in the story until a future book, and Astrid is still so much of a mystery as a character at the end of the book that I’m not sure where that story’s going. (Though I have grand ideas for what Astrid should do next; maybe I’m totally off in my thinking of what’s to come, but if she does what I think she’ll do, I’d buy that book. Not that I wouldn’t if that didn’t happen. I’m just sayin’.)I will say that I was a little disappointed in the ending because it felt, in some ways, like a horrible, horrible cliffhanger. Okay, maybe not a cliffhanger, but that annoying feeling when someone knows something you want to know but instead of telling you they just tease you about the fact that they know and you don’t. It’s not that the book is left without a conclusion, but something is mentioned at the beginning of the book, and the whole time I was reading – the whole time! – I was trying to guess how it would play out. But you know what? You don’t find out in this book. And I’m thinking maybe not even the next one. Cruel, Godbersen. Just cruel. (Yet genius, because now I have to keep reading to find out what it means. What does it mean?!?!)
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book. I love love love reading about different eras. The Luxe series was really awesome and I just knew this book was going to be just as good. I think Anna Godbersen is one of my favorite authors. Her style of writing is really good. It's easy to follow the plot line and you never know what to expect. I was really excited to read all the Luxe novels and then was doubly excited to read Bright Young Things. I cannot wait for the next novel to come out. This is definitely a must read if you like Young Adult Fiction
    • 4/5
      After delighting young readers with a charming, yet deliciously scandalous trip to the Gilded Age, author Anna Godberson takes readers to the roaring twenties, a world of jazz, booze and nightclubs -a dangerous lifestyle that ensnares many fine young ladies into a dark world filled with glitz, glamor and money. Godberson's Bright Young Things follows the adventures of three young women in 1929, all of them bright, full of dreams, opportunity and inspiration -all of them young and all of them naive, curious little things...Young Cordelia and her friend Letty live in small-town Ohio, but have dreams of going to the glittering world of New York City and exploring the romantic dreams that unfold in such a city. After Cordelia was forced into a marriage with a local boy, the two girls run away on a late night train to New York. Once there, the two begin to make their way, but follow different paths. Cordelia finds her way to the home of wealthy bootlegger Darius Grey, where she discovers that she is Darius' long-lost illegitimate daughter, and he welcomes her into his family, his home and the wealthy upper class of New York, where Cordelia gets swept up in the games the rich play. Letty, on the other hand, gets a job as a cigarette girl and tries to make her way as a singer which, unfortunately, isn't as easy as it sounds. Then, there's Astrid, the conniving girlfriend of Cordelia's new brother Charlie, who seems to be from a family with secrets. The three try their fortunes in the big city. Some stars rise, some stars fall...Bright Young Things is an absolutely engaging and exciting novel that paints an amazing picture of jazz age America with fully dimensional characters that readers want to cheer for -even the manipulative characters are interesting to read about. Though somewhat similar to The Luxe, this series will appeal to Godberson fans and fans of Gossip Girl, but with the exciting glamor of the twenties. In fact, I really liked how the cover art echoes The Luxe series -it's equally as eye-catching and captivating. I'm actually watching the new HBO series Boardwalk Empire right now, which also takes place in the twenties, so the book seemed to the echo the show, and I found myself building interesting historical connections between the two (even though one takes place in 1920 and the other in 1929). Is there a rush on the twenties? Who knows, but I can't get enough of it.Godberson's writing and storytelling skills have definitely improved since since The Luxe series, and the maturity is apparent here. Bright Young Things could be even better than The Luxe. As soon as I finished the last page of Bright Young Things, I was scouring the Internet for release dates for the next installment, Beautiful Days. Godberson can't write fast enough!
    • 3/5
      I decided to read this because I really enjoyed Anna Godbersen's first series, the Luxe. I didn't fall in love with this book like I did with the first book of Luxe. I felt this was a good book but I was never fully captivated by it. I found it a little bit difficult to connect with these characters. I'm haven't decided whether or not I am going to continue reading the rest of this series.
    • 4/5
      Bright Young Things was a novel that had everything I wanted for being set in the 1920's. It had the air of The Great Gatsby while also including speakeasies under a church that you need to know the password to enter. I felt myself pulled back into one of my favorite time periods, filled with smoke, bootlegging, gangsters and dancing. I picked this one up at a library book sale and couldn't have been happier when I spied the title as I have wanted to read one of Anna Godbersen's series for a long time now. And I only paid a dollar for it! I knew I had scored gold.I'm really glad that multiple point of views were shown in this book because at times I found myself irritated with each narrator and at other times I wish that I could continue reading the one point of view. The change was fluid and help keep the pacing of the book moving. The plot kind of fell flat for me, but I did love the world and the setting. The pacing was alright, and was was really saved by the multiple point of views. My heart wasn't really in the budding romance, probably because it was so brief. I don't blame Cordelia for what happened though, she was really kept out of the loop. It would have been far more interesting if her father had included her in the business rather than just keeping her a party girl.One things I didn't like about this book was that there wasn't enough about the gangsters. Also, they refuse to tell Cordelia anything, which makes it really hard to blame her as she was just thrown into this new world. I wanted so much more and I am sure to return for the sequel this was the first book that I have read by Anna Godbersen and I can't wait to read more by her. At times I was irritated with the characters, but I love them more than anything.