Rating: 
Summary: a very satisfying read
Review: The characters in this book bring you in and wrap their arms around you. The pages are infused with warmth and love, life lessons learned, and good triumphing over despair in the end. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Could Lily be Huckleberry Finn long lost sister
Review: When I finished the book I was quite amazed to find certain similarities between Lily's self-discovery of her own journey w/ the bees, and Huckleberry Finn drifting down the river in search of his own. Both of them care for the person they are running away w/ and each see the horror and discontent beyond the confine of their home or raft. Of course there are differences, but more so since it got me interested.
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Summary: Sorority
Review: The plot is believeable and enchanting. This is a consistently well written narrative. A young woman seeking nurturing from a maternal source finds an unlikely group of strong women to guide her through her journey into womanhood.The parallels between a bee hive and the comfort and security of life with "sisters" is a great undercurrent for this wonderful book.
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Summary: Loved this book
Review: This story was so moving and wonderful as soon as I finished reading it, I wanted to read I again. A little girl searching for her mother and her mother's love. She finds motherly love, but not as she or the reader expected it. This novel was a joy to read.
Rating:
Summary: Just plain old good story telling
Review: Life of Bees has you cheering for all the women throughout the book. The issues were real, but presented without interrupting the story. I was so impressed wtih the writing and story line that I immediately had my (very sensitive) 12 year-old daughter read it. It is a story worth reading and remembering for its sensitive revealemant of abuse and prejudice, and for its recognition of doing the right thing not only for human kind, but for yourself. It makes you proud to be a woman and wish you could cure the world with honey.
Rating:
Summary: charming and a joy to read
Review: A balanced, musical novel about love and harmony, "The Secret Life of Bees" tells the coming-of-age story of 14-year-old Lily Owens. Withering in her 1964 backwoods South Carolina home, she runs away from an abusive father and an uninspiring life. She seeks the town of Tiburon, inspired by a picture found among her deceased mother's possessions, and on arriving she meets a world full of remarkable women who lead her on a journey towards happiness, her mother, and herself. "The Secret Life of Bees" is wonderful to read. It's lyrical and engaging and full of connections. Bees weave in and out of the story, encompassing the setting and the lives of the characters. Although it's not a long book and reads quickly, it builds a world, a house of metaphors that engage and delight. The book's only shortcoming is its neatness. Set at the epicenter of the Civil Rights Movement, it ignores the momentous events of the day, concentrating instead on the deep relationships within and among its characters. However, when racial issues enter the plot, they are suspiciously tidy. Although these incidents do not ring true, they hardly mar the story's charm, since their details and level of realism are peripheral to the novel's true concerns: strength in oneself, love among women, secrets, and bees.
Rating:
Summary: Fun, while encouraging
Review: Some think it's silly, others think it is sensible. I just thought it was a fun, while encouraging, book to read. The Prayer of Hannah by Kenn Gividen is another excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books ever!
Review: I feel so privledged to have had this book in my life. I listened to it as an unabridged audio book, and the narrator "Jenna Lamia" was absolutely astounding and breathtaking as Lilly, and all the other characters. I am sure that Ms Kidd must be thrilled with her interprative reading of this story.
Several times I almost had to pull off the road because I became so enthralled with what was happening! I just wish I knew if Lilly and Zach ever were able to be together!
HINT TO MS MONK- PLEASE write a sequel for Lilly and Zach as they are older!!!
Rating:
Summary: The Simplicity of Love
Review: I agree with some previous reviewers: the most redeeming part of this novel was its life affirming message about the simplicity of love. Reminds me very much of Kirk Martin's books The Gravel Drive and Shade of the Maple. I enjoyed these author's style of writing and positive messages. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A nice fairy tale to warm your heart
Review: This book was like a fairy tale, simple yet compelling. I couldn't really put it down when I started. I'll agree that the story is in many ways "superficial", most of the characters had predictable behaviors from beginning to end of book, and some parts of the story seems silly. But if you approach this book as a fairy tale and not as a bit of historical fiction then you'd definitely enjoy it more. To me this story is really about how simple love is despite all its apparent complexities. I highly recommend it if you are looking for something life-affirming without too much baggage.
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