The Aristobrats

Did you see the guest post from Jennifer? What a turn of events! Such madness with a creativity avenue underlying – desperate to break through.

I think it was when we lived in Monroe, where I discovered a quaint children's book shop that specialized in getting teens into reading. The shelves were lined with books of interest. While I perused I was shocked and taken aback and some of the genres. Books that I felt certain should be classified as adult romances were being sold, and apparently written and addressed directly for teenagers! Yet then there were also some almost nauseating happy-go-lucky harmless and gentle books as well. Nothing it seemed for a normal girl. For a girl who wants a real book, but not to be corrupted by all the sex and so called romance out there. In the Christian market I have found such books from authors such as Melody Carlson, Lisa Samson, Kristin Billerbeck, Shelly Adina, Anne Dayton & May Vanderbilt as well as Barbour Books' Camp Club Girls Series but I have more more than delighted to find from a publisher that I am fastly coming to love there is another series about to start that is exactly what I would want in a book when my daughter gets to her teen, or even tween years.

Enter, The Aristobrats. I love the cover! From the best friend charms I remember from my own youth to matching outfits and to LYLAS! Love Ya Like a Sister! I cannot tell you how many times I wrote LYLAS (and even LYLAB) in notes passed to a certain duo of friends. This is a book that is current and real and one definitely approved for the bookshelf without having to look over your child's shoulder.

Thanks to the author and Kay Mitchell from Sourcebooks, Inc. for my review copy in exchange for posting my honest opinion of the book.

I promised Jennifer that I would review this months ago, and I am finally following through. Sorry for taking so long, Jennifer!

I'm going to be the first to say that I am not the world's best reviewer. I used to have a “book review blog” years ago, way before they became popular, and I didn't keep up with it because I realized it's not my strength. (Get me blogging about Disney World, on the other hand....) Still, I am going to give it my best shot.

At first glance, it may seem that The Aristobrats is another one of those “bitch-lit” stories like Gossip Girl or The Clique. (And don't get me wrong, I LIKE the few Gossip Girl books I've read a lot.) I was pleasantly surprised it wasn't. The characters are warm and fun to read about. They're not perfect, but that's OK.

I loved Parker's interactions with her mom. I was laughing out loud at a lot of it. They were hilarious. But my favorite story was Ikea's. YAY person of color!! And YAY person of color who struggled with things that I did when I was younger as far as fitting in, trying to be like the other girls. Her story was dear to me. I don't want to give away spoilers, but she is so strong. I was pumping my fist and yelling ‘you go girl' at many points!

I loved that this book wasn't overly positive or negative. It just was. And that was refreshing. :)