Turning Pages by Penguin Books NZ discussion

Anna K knows the rules by heart. Beautiful, rich and popular, she takes care to maintain her status as the perfect girlfriend, daughter and student. Then a chance encounter at Grand Central station with notorious playboy Alexi 'Count' Vronsky changes everything. Anna knows she needs to avoid Alexi, but sometimes fate has other plans . . .

Soon Anna finds it impossible to resist him, and finds herself willing to risk everything she has to be with him - no matter the consequences .After all, the course of true love never did run smooth . . .

The opening sentence of the blurb on Anna K reads: Welcome to the dizzying heights of New York's Upper East Side: where privilege, partying and scandal rules.

Privilege, partying and scandal are some of my favorite ingredients for a lush escapist read! This is a modern retelling of Tolstoy's epic romance novel Anna Karenina; the Imperial Russian setting becomes New York's Upper East Side, the Russian gentlemen and socialites become wealthy, privately educated teenagers.

And it totally works! Turns out wealthy teens provide the perfect vehicle for the angst and epic scope of Tolstoy's classic love story.

Pitched as a mash up of Gossip Girl and Crazy Rich Asians, the lush, glittering parties, events and homes of the book's characters are easy to get lost in, and the delicious scandals the characters find themselves embroiled in will have you totally engrossed in this binge-worthy book. It's not short (375 pages and the print is very smol!) but I finished this book over two days during the Summer. I couldn't put it down!

Out at bookstores March 17th!