Where The Heart Is (unabridged)

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable reading, witty & touching
Review: I rarely have time to read for enjoyment, so when I do, I take the time to look at what others say to avoid wasting what time I have. This book was thoroughly enjoyable. I've shared it with several friends. I enjoyed the characters...event the loser boyfriend. I laughed & cried too. This is what I like in a book. Billie Letts - what a great imagination. Who else could take a story about a girl, who gets dumped at Wal-Mart by a idiot boyfriend, and turn it into one of the most interesting, funny, & touching books I've read in a long time. Please do it again!!! I would make the time to read another Billie Letts book.

Rating:
Summary: This was a very enjoyable read.
Review: After you read this book you will feel so good about yourself just because you aren't living the life of Novalee Nation. What an amazing woman! This book reminds me a bit of She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb, two women in remarkable circumstances with wonderful presonalities that come through the pages. I wanted to know Novalee Nation after I read this book. This is a wonderful book for anyone looking for a feel good book and light reading that keeps you fixated.

Rating:
Summary: Light and fluffy, but not bad
Review: "Where the Heart Is" starts out in a promising way, with some realism. Initially, the heroine, Novalee Nation, is portrayed as having some flaws. By the midpoint of the book, this tension is gone, and Novalee's life is pretty much "one big happy." Any grit or realism has been swept away, and we are treated to a very hackneyed portrayal of how Novalee becomes an accomplished photographer. A promising first attempt from this author, however. The book could have used a strong editor.

Rating:
Summary: A nice, easy , feel-good read, but the story lacked depth.
Review: This is a nice, easy, feel-good read that is easy to pick up but not difficult to put down, eithor. The story line is simple (although not very believable) and lacks depth. While the characters are oddly endearing, they should have been more developed. Why was this Oprah's pick?

Rating:
Summary: Walmart will never be the same
Review: Once I started it I couldn't finish it fast enough!! When I first started it I was like how tacky, but like "She's come undone" I was compelled to continue. And long after it was over I still thought of the charcters. 2 thumbs up, a must read!!

Rating:
Summary: A story with promise but not fulfilled
Review: The book was o.k. but the violent scene with Brownie and Lexie seemed so out of place. It was like the author threw them in for the shock value. This whole storyline was brushed over and never fully resolved. The author needs to tie up all the loose ends to make this book a lot better.

Rating:
Summary: Trite, banal, contrived
Review: No depth, no literary aspirations, not even a well-written story

Rating:
Summary: An okay read lifted by an incredibly likeable heroine.
Review: The thing that struck me first after finishing Where The Heart Is is that this is a story told by a brilliant storyteller not a brilliant writer. The book is amateuish and labours in parts but it tells a story that at its heart is utterly moving. An extraordinary main character, Novalee Nation, pushes you to read on and guides you through the trials and tribulations that she encounters. The storyline on occasion stretches credibility but you are so endeared to Novalee that you just want to make sure that she ends up okay. I perhaps liked this more than I should have, but if you're after a nice, light easy read for a weekend away or even a weekend in, Where The Heart Is I'm sure you will find is just right!

Rating:
Summary: Leaves you with a smile
Review: Previously turned off by Oprah's selections about struggling and abused women, this book has a curious and refreshingly different plot. Where the Heart Is is a humorous, heart-warming story about a seventeen year old girl who is dumped by her family and embraced by a strange community. It is not difficult to read, and it left me thinking about the open hearts of people today which lay hidden beneath a cold exterior.

Rating:
Summary: An emotional rollercoaster!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was a quick and easy read, yet it showed that with a little encouragement and the chance to learn, even those who are not in good situations can learn to help themselves. You watch the main female character build herself up and be taken down again by greed, violence and mother nature. A good book to make yourself feel able.