Review: Winter White (Belles #2)

Winter White (Belles #2) by Jen Calonita

Format: Trade Paperback (ARC)
Pages: 336
Published: October 9, 2012
Publisher: Poppy (Hachette Book Group)
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult

My Rating: 4/5

Summary (from chapters.ca):

It's time for the gowns to go on and the gloves to come off. Isabelle Scott and Mirabelle Monroe are still reeling from the knowledge that they're not cousins after all - they're sisters.  But with cotillion season right around the corner, the girls barely have time to process the news.  Mira has been dreaming of making her debut in a gorgeous white gown forever, but after breaking up with Taylor, who's going to be her escort?  Izzie, meanwhile, is still struggling to fit into Emerald Cove society, and when the troublemaking former debutante Dylan rolls into town, Izzie thinks she's finally found someone she can relate to. 

As cotillion preparations heat up, though, there are dance steps to learn, manners to perfect... and secret initiations to complete?  As if sophomore year wasn't hard enough!

Review:

**NOTE: A copy of this book was provided by the publisher.  However, no compensations were made and this review reflects my honest thoughts and feelings.**

In a society where little girls dream about making that grand entrance in a flowing white gown, do you choose to fit in and go with the flow or do you step up for what you believe in and make a difference?

We have now officially entered a world in which I cannot even comprehend what the girls/women go through.  First we have the 'wealthier than thou' who treat any outsiders like the scum of the Earth - clearly not me - and now, a cotillion.  Being from the North (Canada to be more precise) we don't participate in such events - that I am aware of or maybe my invite got lost in the mail - but WOW, did Winter White ever make me wish I did.  The glitz and glam of a formal dress, the traditions and initiations followed from years gone by all made me envision a life that is straight out of the movies.

Jen Calonita was able to seamlessly continue the storyline from Belles and while adding only a few new characters to the mix, she was able to transport the readers into a family, and society, that works so hard to appear perfect.  I loved the characters in Belles and was so happy to see so many return in Winter White.  What made me even happier was the way each of the characters were brought to a level playing field through the cotilion aspect of the story.  It allowed me to see the true personality of each person and really form my opinions of them.  While sticking to my guns and still really loving Izzie's character, I was able to see into the heart of Mira and I really enjoyed that.

The flow of Winter White hit that typical mid-trilogy stride and seemed to have some slower parts.  Understanding that extra detail is needed to those joining a series mid-book, I did find myself saying 'okay, enough' a few times but never once did it deter me from wanting to keep reading or needing to find out what would happen next.  Adding in twists and turns in just the right places really did keep readers always guessing right up until the very end.  Bringing the story together in such a perfect way, Jen Calonita will excite and thrill her readers.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Winter White and with yet another cliff hanger ending, Jen Calonita has made the wait for book #3 almost unbearable.