Confederates Don't Wear Couture-Stephanie Kate Strohm

Book Title: Confederates Don't Wear Couture
Author: Stephanie Kate Strohm
Version: Paperback ARC
ISBN: 9780547972589
Publication Date: June 2013
Number of Pages: 208
Genre: Young Adult Fiction

SYNOPSIS: Libby Kelting is back and this time she is going to war. Well a Civil War reenactment starting in Alabama anyway. When Libby's best friend Dev first comes to her with the idea Libby is hesitant because she has the chance to spend the summer in Boston with Garrett. And how can she pass that up? Even if it means not getting to live in the 1860's and wear gorgeous hoop skirts and relive epic battles from the Civil War. But the more Dev talks about his brilliant money making scheme "Confederate Couture" bringing the best fashion of the 1860's to the ladies of the south, and what it's going to be like to travel around wearing Dev's best Libby finds herself unable to resist. 

Traveling to Alabama with Dev and their mountains of luggage Libby finds herself getting more and more excited about the summer ahead. Landing in Alabama they are hit by the immense summer heat, which prompts Libby to ask 'why Alabama?' Dev responds "...Because no other southern state boasts their very own Reese Witherspoon rom-com. Obvi." (Pg. 26) Ah yes the all important rom-com logic. Their liaison Tammy Anderson picks them up from the airport and takes them to her B&B to change and freshen up before driving them to meet her handsome, southern-manners-having son Beau. Dressed in her first Couture best Libby meets Beau and there is an instant spark, but it's just because he's friendly and likes history right?

The day of the first battle Dev's idea seems to have been nothing short of genius, minus the fact that he is severely caffeine deprived. His designs start selling like hotcakes and with the amount of money Dev makes in that first day he believes that his dreams of starting college with a full brand name wardrobe is possible. While fighting through the boredom of a battle, learning to 'breathe' in a corset and dealing with an inappropriately attached 13-year-old boy scout Libby finds that this summer may be more than just a good old trip down history lane. Not to mention she has to deal with Beau crushing on her, and maybe she's crushing on him a little too, a ghost that has the camp scared silly, a real estate developer trying to buy up Civil War battlegrounds and Garrett showing up unexpectedly. 

What's a young lady to do when the summer of her dreams suddenly turns into a waking nightmare? Now Libby has to concentrate on solving the mystery of the ghost, find a way to stop Dixie Acres from taking away important historical land, keeping Garrett and Beau away from each other and making sure she is always dressed in the finest Confederate Couture. Whew, and here Libby thought Summer was going to be a breeze. 

REVIEW: When I first read 'Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink' I automatically fell in love with Libby Kelting, Garrett, and Dev. Going into this second book I was so excited to see what Ms. Strohm had in store for them this time. As soon as I started the very first page I knew this adventure was going to be even better than the last. I mean this puts Libby and Dev in the Civil War and everything Dev knows about the Civil War comes from "Gone With the Wind" and he and Lobby together are definitely Scarlett O'Hara. Also "Gone with the Wind" happens to be one of my all time favorite book/movie. So what's not to love?

I knew right away that Stephanie Kate Strohm had a unique and talented voice. In her second novel her skill as a writer has become more defined and obvious. I found myself totally sucked into the lives and dramas of her richly sketched out characters. Although this is still a young adult novel there is a maturity to it that will make it accessible to an older crowd, and I think that this is a testament to Ms. Strohm's growth as an author. Well done Ms. Strohm, I can't wait to see where your writing goes next.

The characters are just as wonderful this time around. Libby is a more defined and solid character here which is so wonderful because how can you not love Libby? And seeing her grow like this is really awesome. Garrett is just as rumpled and nerdy as ever and how can you not like an adorable nerd? And then we have Dev, who is much more prominent in this book, who I have fallen in love with. He is the gay best friend of my dreams and I want to thank Stephanie Kate Strohm for bringing him into my life. He is everything a girl could ask for in a gay best friend. He has the most exquisite taste in clothes, a heart of gold and enough sass to set a Kardashian on edge. Dev is maybe my favorite character now, I mean I love, love, love Libby but I have always wanted a friend like Dev and there he was in black and white. He is just so fantastic that it's hard not to love him. 

The story is so much fun! You learn about history in a fun interesting way, get creeped out by a ghost, meet attractive southern gentlemen and hear Dev quote Scarlett O'Hara and search for the Tarleton twins. What could be better than that? Well throw in a love triangle, couture clothing and the fight to save historic landmarks and you have a cocktail of awesome. 

All in all this is a fantastic book inside and out. Stephanie Kate Strohm has done it again with her second Libby book and I can't wait for everyone to read it. Every Broadway star has to be a triple threat, they have to sing, dance and know how to act. Well a truly great book can be seen as a triple threat as well, good writing, characters you love and a story to die for. Stephanie Kate Strohm has delivered a second triple threat book to the world. And I can't wait to see what she brings us next!

"Confederates Don't Wear Couture" by Stephanie Kate Strohm comes out in June and I highly suggest that all of you loyal readers go out and pre-order yourself a copy. This second Libby book is so worth the wait and the money and I have a feeling that the next will be even better. I am really looking forward to seeing this book fly off the shelves. I will be able to recommend this book as well as "Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink" with nothing but sincerity and praise. Go forth my dear readers and dive into a world that might be lost but never forgotten, Libby and Stephanie Kate Strohm make this world come back to life!


MORE LIBBY:

Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink

The Shadow of the Wind-Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Book Title: The Shadow of the Wind (Cemetery of Forgotten Books #1)
Author: Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Version: Paperback
ISBN: 9780753821206
Published: 2005
First Published: 2001
Number of Pages: 512
Genre: Fiction, Mystery

REVIEW: This is a book about the love of books and so even before I read it I knew that I would love it. I had been told repeatedly that I should read this book and because my list of books to read was so long I kept putting it off. And then someone kind of forced it on me and I am so very glad that he did. This book literally blew me away, it was a truly magical journey that I quickly fell in love with.

The writing soared off the pages in leaps and bounds. It flowed and had beauty to it, every word, every phrase chosen perfectly to make this a truly magical story. Although it was translated from the original Spanish text the power and love behind the words of Mr. Zafron came through loud and clear. His writing is something that is rather unusual in this day and age where it's all about quantity (how many books you can sell) over quality (how well the book is written) Mr. Zafron has it all. His writing is an inspiration and that is a beautiful thing to find. I felt as if I melted into his writing; it was an incredible thing because it was less like I was reading a book and more like I was experiencing it.

His characters are rich with life, especially his young protagonist Daniel Sempere, and yet they are flawed. I loved this about Mr. Zafron's characters. They were so well put together that they seemed as if they could be real people. Not all characters are like this I have found. Sure they are likable, some even lovable, but not all are this real. I really enjoyed the fact that not only were all of these characters in love with books (all characters that feel this love are ok by me) but they each had their very human flaws and I truly loved that. It helped that the characters were flawed. This was a kind of down in the dirt type of mystery and it needed the down in the dirt types to help solve it.

The story is amazing! A young boy that loves books becomes obsessed with one and decides he has to have the rest of the author's work. However this quest seems impossible when he discovers that someone has been traveling the world looking for those books and burning them. And so Daniel embarks on a journey that takes him into the deepest secrets that Barcelona holds. Into brothels and churches, running from the law and begging help from a beggar. Every twist, every new thing that is revealed makes the book totally amazing all over again. Stack them all up and you get one of the best books that I have ever read.

I really loved this book and I highly, highly recommend "The Shadow of the Wind" to everyone! It's that good of a book. I think that it has a little bit of everything in it. So naturally it appeals to everyone. This is just an all around great read and I hope that you go out as soon as possible and find yourself a copy. This is a journey that is worth diving into.