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young adult book reviews & more

The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky

The Time-Traveling FashionistaLouise Lambert is just your ordinary seventh grader with a passion for vintage clothing. When she receives an elaborate invitation to a private vintage sale, she goes along, thinking she’ll fine a dress for her school formal. Instead, trying on a beautiful pink gown somehow transports her to a hundred years into the past and onto a luxurious cruise ship. At first Louise is thrilled. Everyone thinks that she is a glamorous movie star named Alice Baxter instead of a slightly awkward twelve-year-old, and she gets to wear opulent gowns every day!  What more could a girl want? But then Louise finds out what ship she’s actually on, and everything changes, because Louise is on the infamous Titanic. Can Louise save herself and her new friends aboard the ship, or all they all fated to be victims of the inevitably sinking ship?

The Time-Traveling Fashionista is a simply adorable middle grade novel that combines vintage fashion and time travel. I don’t think you can get much more unique than that! Fortunately, Turetsky delivers a wonderfully sweet story along with these great ideas. Initially, I didn’t find Louise’s character to be particularly well drawn, but I soon grew to like her, especially as she showed her determination to help as many people as possible on the Titanic. I just love how Turetsky shows a fascinating part of history through the eyes of a modern day preteen; readers get to see a historical event from a unique perspective that is probably easier for them to relate to than a textbook. Aside from the actual story, The Time-Traveling Fashionista includes full color illustrations. Usually I’m a little wary of books with illustrations, but I loved Sandra Suy’s drawings. Aside from being just gorgeous, they help the reader visualize Louise on her adventures. Overall, this is a thoroughly entertaining if not particularly deep story that exposes readers to the finer parts of vintage fashion as well as a unique moment in history.

The Time-Traveling Fashionista will be enjoyed by fans of Wish and Wishful Thinking by Alexandra Bullen.

Rating: 3.75

Review copy from publisher Little, Brown

2 munch(es) :

Gaby G said...

I really want to read this one. It sounds cute :) Thanks for the review

Rachel said...

I really wanted to read this one, but after realising that the protaganist is only 12 maybe it's not for me. I was hoping for a more mature read, but it doesn't sound like this is it. Awesome review though!

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