Beautiful Days: A Bright Young Things Novel [Hardcover]

Anna Godbersen (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 20, 2011 | Series: Bright Young Things (Book 2)

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 Greys’ 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.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Anna Godbersen was born in Berkeley, California, and educated at Barnard College. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she is at work on the sequel to The Lucky Ones.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 20, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061962686
• ISBN-13: 978-0061962684
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #202,027 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Anna Godbersen was born in Berkeley, California, and educated at Barnard College. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good news for fans, but still wanting something more September 26, 2011

By vic-tor

Format:Hardcover

I could say that I rolled by eyes at certain points, and scoffed at some of the situations...because I did. But then I would also have to add that I read this book in three hours in the middle of the night...because I did that too.

Beautiful Days is the second book in the Bright Young Things series by Anna Godberson. I read The Luxe books in junior high and LOVED them. Of course, I was in junior high and the books were aimed at me. Now I'm a senior in high school, and while I still find Godberson's novels to be page turning and exciting, I also think that if her books were written for an older audience that they would be magnificent. Anyways, on with the pros and cons.

Cons

-Female interaction: I see the three main characters as having a very superficial relationship. Yeah, we hear that they're great friends but I don't think there interactions show it. I'm perfectly fine with them not even interacting because their stories are all somewhat interesting on their own, but...

-I don't Letty and Astrid: Cordelia is the only one that seems real to me. Letty is tactless and so unlikeable. She just goes around and sings...that's all she does. She has no personality at all. I don't care for the Astrid POV because I don't think she's rational. Cordelia, however, is very relatable to a certain extent.

-Historical context: I'm not saying that there were necassarily historical innacuracies...I just thought that everything was done on such a superficial level. All the information is what is expected or obvious. What I loved about Sophie Kinsella's "Twenties Girl" is that I actually learned interesting things about what the clothes and makeup were like and the real struggle between the conservative girls and the "flappers". because not every girl was a flapper in the twenties...it is known.

-Storyline: again, I wish that Godberson dug a little deeper into the world of the bootlegging. All you ever heard Charlie say was "something happened" or just a sentence about blowing up a warehouse. I want the gritty details, man. I want to know the politics and layers of the story. I just dont think she's up to writing like that.

Pros

-Detailed writing. I really think that the authour embodied the feel of the 1920's...or I should say, the Gatsby view. I appluad that because though it may not be truly authentic, she at least gives the right feel that we expect from a story about the 1920's

-Studs. I totally fell for the pilot Max. I thought he was a little different from your average bro in these types of books. I'm somewhat intrigued by where this is going. This was the only thing that really kept me turning the pages. Cordelia and he had some chemistry.

-I know I liked a book when i can't stop thinking about it the next day. I could stop thinking about this book the next day. I wanted to be transported to these girls live's. That's a good story in my opinion, one that takes you away to something and you don't want to leave

I feel like I sounded way to harsh in the cons part. I don't mean to be. I really liked this book, I just think a little tweaking could have made it really good. If Godberson can get past her stale plot (totally doable, make it more intense!) and had depth to her characters and dialouge then this is five star reading.

If you liked all the other books by this author, then YOU WILL LOVE THIS BOOK. It's not a dissapointment at all for those who enjoyed the Luxe and the first book in this series. It's even better, actually. Enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Swinging Sequel! September 24, 2011

By Mundie Moms/Mundie Kids

Format:Hardcover

I'm so fascinated with this time period and really adore this series. In Bright Young Things I loved the way Anna brought the time period to life via the story of three bright young girls, Cordelia, Letty and Astrid. In this sequel, Anna does another fabulous job with keeping the feel of this era live with her richly detailed setting, her well written characters, surprising turn of events, great storyline and realistic character dialogue.

While the ending of the first book left me feeling a bit heart broken for each of the girls, Beautiful Days leaves me feeling both hopeful and cautious for them. There's a turn of events that leads each of the girls down a different path and in essence changes them, not necessary for the better or for worse, but they've each made decisions that I'm afraid will have disastrous consequences for one of them. I really do adore each of the characters. They each add something unique to the storyline.

Cordelia is trying to get over a broken heart, and help her brother run a new family venture, and in the process of all this she's trying to figure out her feelings for Max Darby, the pilot she saves at the end of Bright Young Things. There's of course complication as she's now the latest gossip in every newspaper around town. Not to mention that there's stuff going down between her family and the Hale Family. Did I mention Thom Hale is still in the picture. Anna definitely does a great job at stringing me along as I try to figure out Max and Thom's motives are. There's something about the two of them I can't quite figure out....

Speaking of figuring people out, Cordelia's brother Charlie is turning out to be quite the twisted character. There's definitely something about him that's alluring and a little off setting at the same time. Astrid and Charlie's relationship isn't as peachy as I was hoping it would be. In fact, it's a bit more volatile, which gave me a hint of that rage that seems to be simmering just below his surface. He's not abusive to her, but there's just something about him that puts me on guard.

Letty is the character my heart broke for the most. This poor girl is trying to juggle following her dreams of making it on broadway and her friendships with Cordelia and Astrid. Both girls are so pre-occupied with their own issues that they often times without meaning to brush Letty aside. I felt so bad that things between her and Grady didn't turn out the way I had hoped they would, and I'm really hoping there's more of him in the next book. Letty definitely deserves someone who can treat her right.

This is a great series. I really enjoy being whisked away into this swinging time period, and feeling like I'm apart of each of these girl's lives. I enjoy the way the character's stories are told. It's not hard to fall in love with them and feel like I'm apart of their lives as they learn to deal with the different turn of events and circumstances that are changing who they are. I'm really exited to read the next installment in this series. I think Anna's going to be throwing a few more curve balls into this series' plot line.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hobbitsies Reviews: Stunning and glamourous, wonderful follow-up September 20, 2011

By Tara Gonzalez

Format:Hardcover

Beautiful Days is an absolutely dazzling book - page after page of glamour and drama. I felt transported to the 1920s whilst reading it. I was Letty, I was Cordelia, I was Astrid - I was wearing sequined dresses and going out to night clubs every night and flying in planes with strange men and getting my heart broken and my hopes crushed and then having them built back up again. Anna Godbersen's writing took me through all these events as if I were experiencing them myself.

Once again, I find myself reluctantly closing one of Anna Godbersen's books, eagerly anticipating the next book.

GUYS how freaking eloquent was that? It took me so long to write because all I could think was OH MY GODDD I LOVE THE 1920S I LOVE MUSIC I LOVE SPEAKEASIES AND BOOZE AND FLAPPERS AND CIGARETTE WOMEN AND CORDELIA AND CHARLIE AND ASTRID and etc, you get the point.

Beautiful Days freaking rocked. Like, better-than-Beautiful-Young-Things type of rocked. Because while I loved Beautiful Young Things, I had trouble remembering what happened several months after reading it(except at the end holy crap). With Beautiful Days? Uh-huh, no chance of that!

Seriously. Beautiful Days is an amazing follow-up to Bright Young Things and I am on my toes waiting for the next book in this series. Gorgeous writing, gorgeous cover, fantastic characters, badass time period, confusing and realistic (for the time) romance - this book has something for everyone. Go read this series ASAP.