Rating: 
Summary: Magnificient Novel!!
Review: Sue Monk Kidd is by far the most vivid, and imaginative writer I have ever stumbled upon. This story is about Lily (Caucasian), a twelve year old girl who lives with her father, who often verbally/mentally abuses her. She takes off one day with Rosaleen (afro-american maid/nanny)to find the truth about the death of her mother. They run off to Tiburon where they are welcomed by the Calender sisters who are also Afro-American (their names are May, June, August.) Lily struggles to find happiness, truth, family, love, and forgiveness in this story full of deep meaning and rich symbolism. At the Calendar sisters' house, Lily finds work helping August as a bee keeper's assistant (which helps mentally,physically..work helps to rid of the soul of worries, despair, evil, etc) Lily also finds a sense of family, love, freedom to think. Towards the end, Lily finds the truth about the death of her mother when her father T Ray comes for her...this closes the book. Too many things happened in the book which I did not mention, this is just a glimpse into the book... Overall, this book is perfect for anyone who is doing some soul-searching...the way the story unravels and each character is revealed with a strong personality that symbolizes each character found in Lily....Rosaleen (who takes chances and is bold), August (who is kind, gentle), May (who feels the whole world's pain), June ( who is unsure of love and has been hurt in the past by it), etc...all these characters are embedded in and are a part of Lily...
Rating: 
Summary: Hated it!
Review: I had to read this for my book club. One of the ladys in my club had read it and said it was "the perfect book". I was looking forward to it. Boy was I disappointed! Very predictable story. Her father was over the top mean, poor little Lily! It reminded me of crappy Jane Eyre! I guess Rosleen was to be some sort of comic relief but she was not very believable as a black woman in the south at that time . And I'm almost sorry to say this but I was relieved when May finally did herself in! You knew it was coming, why did it have to take so long? Also, too much narrative. This story could have been told in about 50 pages. Get to the point, I do not have time for drivel!
Rating:
Summary: Very Charming
Review: For a debut, this is a very charming novel. It is also an easy read ~~ a fun story to read while sitting on the back porch, drinking iced tea and keeping half an eye on the kids. Lily rescues her stand-in mother, Rosaleen, from the hospital and they go to Tibrion, SC, to escape from Lily's dad and the townsfolks in her hometown. A peach grower's daughter, Lily has only one clear memory of her mother ~~ the day she was killed. So for most of Lily's life, she has felt like there was a hole in her heart ~~ and longs for a mother to care for her. So this novel is basically a journey into one's past, facing the harsh truths of reality and finding redemption. Lily and Rosaleen meet a house full of women, one of whom is a beekeeper. Lily discovers her secrets as she tends to the bees ~~ and finds herself growing into womanhood. This is a moving story about a girl on the threshold of womanhood ~~ seeking the truth for her mother and about herself. It is about women bonding together in times of duress and in times of joy. But mostly, it is about Lily and her tribulations and trimpuhs ~~ and growing up in the deep South in the 60s just as the Civil Rights Movement began. It's an interesting novel and one to share with others. It's definitely a good book club reading choice! 5-9-04
Rating:
Summary: "We Are Sisters"
Review: This novel, beautifully written with a distincitive voice, embodies the struggle of women and the powerful bond the can exist between women, including those of greatly different backgrounds. Its themes call to mind lines from a poem by American writer jani johe webster, "one small poem": "we are sisters / and wipe away / each other's tears / understand the fear / of walking after dark / feel each other's vulnerability". And so the heroines of The Secret Life of Bees "understand each other's vulnerability"; the unforgettable calendar sisters offer sanctuary to the young and wounded narrator, and hope and healing comes out of great hurt and turmoil. Were there to be a criticism of this wonderful novel, it would only be that August is too good to be true: yet she is the archetypal mother for whom we long and whom we carry in our souls. This book is absolutely ideal for adolescents who are finding their way: it offers the possibility of hope in a world that can be filled with violence, injustice and suffering. We have only to remember the wisdom of August.
Rating: 
Summary: A Must-Read!
Review: This is a beautifully written novel about a motherless young girl who struggles to find happiness and forgiveness. Left with a crude father to live on a peach farm, life is anything but content. She yearns to find something more and takes the opportunity to do so when her nanny is thrown into jail. Together the pair run away in search of happiness(and safety). With the help of each other and others that enter their lives, they eventually find a place they can call home. This is a wonderful story, colourfully told by author Sue Monk Kidd. The detailed descriptions made me feel as though I were right in the story. (I could almost hear the buzzing.) There were sad moments though no jaw droppers, and no disappointment. I enjoyed this story from beginning to end. This book made me feel the way I do when I look at a sunset or soak into a hot bubble bath. It was absolutely wonderful. If you are looking for a heart-warming story I highly recommend this book, as it will deliver! Another terrific Amazon quick-pick suggestion: The Losers Club by Richard Perez
Rating:
Summary: Mesmerizing!
Review: "The Secret Life of Bees" written by Sue Monk Kidd deals with a fourteen year old teenage girl named Lily, who accidentally killed her mother and who lived with her abusive father. Lily was miserable and lonely and decided to run away with Rosaleen, her father's worker. With the words "Tiburon, S.C." written on the back of a "Black Mary" picture that her mother owned, she set off to Tiburon with Rosaleen. There, Lily discovered a whole new world of love and bees. I really enjoy this book as the author is able to make her characters seemed alive. The author touched on the subject of racism and how "colored" people were treated with much hatred. For instance, she showed how it was totally unacceptable in the society for a white girl to be living in a house full of "colored" people. It is also interesting for me to see things from a fourteen year old's perspective. Lastly, she touched on the subject of love and how we might find it in places we least expect. It is definitely a mesmerizing book!
Rating:
Summary: Good Read
Review: I'm not really into the whole "girl-power" movement, but this book was one I couldn't set down. Kidd's telling of Lily Owen's story was captivating to me. I didn't want to wait to see what was going to happen next, and therefore had the book finished in two sittings.
Rating: 
Summary: Another "Chick-Lit" cliche!!
Review: Ok...we have seen a lot of these. Books written by chicks for chicks! The list is long! This one is so syryypy sweet it makes honey seem a bit) flat! (Not to infer anything relating to the title, mind you! The main character is cute. Believable in her feelings and thoughts. But the journey she and the old black gal go on is a bit ridiculous! The idea that they just so happen to come to a house where these nice black ladies invite them in for an indefinite stay, makes the 'Wizard fo Oz' seem like your latest reality TV show. Down with silly implausability of it all. I had to stop reading this nonsense because it sheerly lacked the grounding of realism that a good,solid story needs!
Rating:
Summary: I loved the characters, especially Lily!
Review: My wife suggested that I read this book for a little change of pace. I was a little skeptical, because it seemed to be targeted more for teenage girls. (and I am neither a teenager nor a girl!) While I would certainly recommend it to young girls, I would also recommend it to older men and women. The characters are just great, especially Lily! They seemed like old friends. Lily's innermost thoughts and dreams were revealing... sometimes they were deeply touching and sometimes they were absolutely hilarious!
Rating:
Summary: Unexpectedly delightful
Review: When I heard the title and read the description I didn't know if it was a book that I could really get into. I was wrong. The emotion that filled this book was unbelievable. I actually felt Lily's ache for her mother. It made me realize just how important a mother/daughter relationship is.
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