Where The Heart Is (unabridged)

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Summary: Where The Heart Is
Review: This is a story for those who need a good cry, or love a great book. The story follows young 17-year old Novalee Nation, a young woman who is stranded at a Wal-Mart in the tiny town of Sequoyah, Oklahoma. Living in the Wal-Mart by night, exploring tiny Sequoyah by day, Novalee meets people who will change her life. First is Sister Husband, who thinks Novalee is someone else. Then Moses Whitecotton, who tells Novalee to " give her baby a strong name, one that will withstand some hard times." Then Benny Goodluck, a young boy who gives Novalee a buck-eye tree. After living in the Wal-Mart for 2 months, she gives birth to " The Wal-Mart baby" or Americus Nation. She meets other people too, like Lexie Coop, and her 5 kids, Mr. Sprock, Sister's " gentleman friend", and Forney Hull, the librarian of Sequoyah's library. Everyone can learn something from Novalee's story, how even a 17 year old girl, left behind, can build a good life with good people. I think Novalee is a good person, and this is a story where you will understand home, and how, according to Sister, "home is where your history begins, home is where they catch you when you fall", and how love embraces everyone, and even a down-on-her-luck 17 year old girl can find everything she ever wanted, and where her heart is.

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Summary: "un-put-down-able"
Review: This book made it onto my keeper list. I LOVED this book! PLEASE read this book before even considering watching the movie (although the movie was a fairly good adaption). This book is about struggles, friendships, forgiveness, and love. I did not want this book to end. I wanted to know what happened to Novalee and Americus, as well as their friends, on farther than the book goes. (For me that is the mark of well-written characters!) Be forewarned there is one EXTREMELY disturbing scene with Lexie's children that haunted me for several days. That is the only black mark for this book though. I really felt like I KNEW these characters by the book's end and wanted to hop on over to Oklahoma to see my new friends. You won't be sorry you chose this book - I promise!

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Summary: This is a great book!
Review: The book Where The Heart is was a very precious book yo read. It takes you through various settings and each one is special. I recommend this book for those who enjoy the precious things in life. This book definitly takes you there, and you also gain a deeper understanding of what life really means. This book has tought me that no matter where you live or what you have your life is a gift and treasured just the same. I enjoyed reading Where The Heart Is and highly recommend it.

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Summary: terrific read!
Review: I picked this book up for 3.00 at [other store]. I figured for 3.00 how bad could it be? Not bad at all. I was wary because the movie looked overly sappy and retarded, the book is none of those things. This is a fantastic read, all at once funny and heartbreakingly sad. The main character, Novalee Nation is a strong and proud heroine. This is a terrific beach read (or a saturday afternoon find!)

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Summary: A Book for the Millions
Review: Where the Heart is, is a four-and-a-half star book for many reasons. Billie Letts, the author, allows the reader to get lost in her writing. This compelling story of a sixteen-year-old girl named Novalee draws in people of all ages. In fact, the book is so moving and powerful that it was made into a successful movie, seen by millions.
The simple, yet complex story about Novalee and her acquaintances has a range of topics addressed within it, thus the appeal to so many diverse people. Topics include teen pregnancy, jail, rape, death, hate, fornication, and love. The way the author makes the reader feel the pain, joy and sorrow of each and every character is truly a talent. By the end of the book, the readers find themselves feeling as though Americus is their own, and Novalee is their best friend.
The beginning of the story sets the scene for the entirety of the book. Novalee is traveling with her boyfriend, Willy Jack. She needs to stop for the bathroom due to the pressure on her bladder from her baby, and to pick up some shoes. After she checks out, she finds her boyfriend to be nowhere to be seen. She is horribly alone, and then sets out on her journey for knowledge, companionship, trust, and most of all (yes, again) love.
This book comes highly recommended, even if you have seen the movie and did not like it. The book captures more of a story by following more characters. Within the exploration of the different people, there is an omniscient narration going on that aids in the reader's comprehension of each character's feelings. The way Billie Letts explores so many characters and so many topics truly makes this a book for the millions.

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Summary: Where the Heart Is is a Great Read!
Review: Where the Heart Is, by Billie Letts is a moving, memorable story about a seventeen year old girl who learns to find her place in the world. Novalee Nation is left behind by her boyfriend at a Wal-Mart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma, while they are traveling to Bakersfield, California. With only $7.77 in her pocket, and a baby in her belly, she's totally helpless. Novalee makes Wal-Mart her home for months, meandering around the small town in the day, and returning to the store to sleep. Soon three kind stangers enter Novalee's life, and the teenage girl begins to rely on her new friends tremendously, despite hiding the secret of her home. But her secret is soon revealed when she delivers her baby inside Wal-Mart.
Novalee's dependence on strangers proves useful when her young life begins to straighten out, and she begins to find a home in the small town. Her friends become her mentors, and she learns how to trust and care for people, including her own daughter, despite her horrible past. We learn more about Novalee's depressing and brutal past, as well as the outcome of her ruthless boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens as the book goes on. Filled with surprising twists and turns, it is a heart-warming story that gives a realistic outlook on the lives of many young, helpless teenagers in America. The characters have strong personalities which makes the book realistic and interesting. Although the ending of the book is predictable, I enjoyed this novel because the plot is so believable.

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Summary: "Where The Heart Is" is a touching story for the heart
Review: Where The Heart Is turned out to be my favorite book of all time. The book is about Novalee Nation, a seventeen year old girl who is seven months pregnant, 37 pounds overweight, and superstitious of sevens, who is left at a Wal-Mart in the tiny town of Sequoyah, Oklahoma. There she meets Sister Husband, Lexie Coop, Forney Hull, and Moses Whitecotton. These people change Novalee's life forever. Along comes Americus Nation, Novalee's daughter, fondly called "The Wal-Mart Baby", having been born in the Wal-Mart she was living in. She meets back up with the man who left her at the Wal-Mart in the first place, Willy Jack Pickens. Novalee realizes that this is the place where her heart is and where she is meant to be.

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Summary: Wal-Mart baby
Review: Where the Heart is, was a very touching story. I'm not one to finish a book, but with this book i had to keep reading to find out more. even though i have seen the movie and had a good clue of what, was to happen i still couldnt put the book down. The basic concept of the story is this 17-year-old girl names Novalee, was abandoned by her boyfriend at a Wal-Mart. While at the Wal-Mart she has her baby, Americus, and now is living with Sister Husband at her new home in a new town.

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Summary: Good Book
Review: I thought Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts was truly a heart warming story, and I would rate it with five stars. It really opened my eyes and made me realize how quickly my life could change, and taught me that everything happens for a reason. It was fun book and a relatively quick moving, yet, it still had some spunk which made me want to keep reading. Whenever I feel like something is not going my way, I look back on this book. It makes me view the brighter side of things and made me realize that in just one second a person's whole life could turn around. The story is about a young girl who is pregnant and gets abandoned by her boyfriend at a Walmart. This very unlucky and unfortunate girl has a life changing experience, and in an instant everything turns around. THis book does a wonderful job of explaning the hardships and adventures she encounters along the way.

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Summary: I thought they must have dumbed down the...
Review: ...book to make the movie; but it's a hard contest to know which is MORE dumb! (I know, great English on my part). It was enjoyable, not great literature. It gives me a pretty good idea of what Oprah's book club must be like.