Rating: 
Summary: Everyone Must Read This Book
Review: Although 'Where the Heart Is' as Novalee says, refers to the heartbeat of her baby, Novalee's own heart was exactly where it should be. Novalee is the most loving and selfless character throughout the book. She was always putting others before herself and didn't think twice about doing it or expect anything in return.
In the beginning of the novel, Novalee was faced with an incredible obstacle. She was abandoned at a Wal-Mart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma by her hateful boyfriend, Willy Jack Pickens. They were on thier way to California when they stopped at a Wal-Mart so that Novalee could use the restroom and to buy a new pair of shoes. Her shoes had fallen through the floor of Willy Jack's truck, a truck which he purchased with Novalee's money. At the time of her abandonment, Novalee was seventeen years old and seven months pregnant. She was left at the Wal-Mart with only $7.77 and a camera to take pictures for her baby. Throughout the novel, the number seven always meant bad luck for Novalee.
When I first found out Willy Jack had abandoned Novalee, I thought it was the most terrible thing anyone could possibly do. I thoguht that he had left her helpless, but I soon realized that Novalee was better off without him. She proved this throughout the novel by showing how strong and determined she was on her own.
Another thing Novalee proved throughout the book was her unselfishness. (spoiler)
'Where the Heart Is' was an incredible book! Novalee was such a great rolel model for anyone. She was challenged but made the best of what she had. She was so loving and had so much to give to anyone who would accept all that she had, Willy Jack was just too cruel and dense to see it. She did everything that she could for herself and her baby with the help of the kind people in Sequoyah. I greatly admire Novalee, she was so determined, caring, and generous. Without her tremendous personality, the book would not have been what it was, breathtaking!
Rating: 
Summary: Is this America?
Review: When (who named this girl?) Novalee Nation is abandoned by her white trash boyfriend in a Walmart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma (with $7.77 in her pocket, aged seventeen and seven months pregnant) in the opening chapter of this book - you almost don't want to keep reading. But Novalee, who hides out in the Walmart for weeks, manages to make connections to a couple of Sequoyah townspeople including a doddering old woman named Sister Thelma Husband, a sweet elderly black photographer named Moses, and a little Native American boy named Benny Goodluck (who gives her a sapling tree). Novalee has her baby in the Walmart (and names the baby Americus, I kid you not) and receives a gift of kindness from none other than Sam Walton himself. Americus Nation given refuge by Walmart - that kind of symbolism smacks you right in the face.Even though Novalee's situation improves greatly through the kindness of others and her own fortitude - she manages to hold a steady job, and eventually builds a safe home for herself and her child. The world that Letts describes is generally pretty ignorant and that was a little demoralizing to me (are we really that stupid as a general population?). The redeeming quality of this book is that it demonstrates that an education is worth more than ignorance and that having a hobby/interests (like the photography) and reading can change your life. Moral of the story? White trashiness can be overcome if you're a good Christian and are kind to others? Is this America? I was disheartened.
Rating: 
Summary: Where the Heart is
Review: Where the Heart Is was an outstanding book. I loved the book and the way the characters developed. Novalee was a character that had so much personality and so much initiative that she went so far in her life, throughout the book, that made you fall in love with her. The way she was motivated made me think about my life and how I needed to stay motivated and not give up. Only part I didn't like was how the story jumped back and forth from Novalee and Americuses story to Willy-Jacks because I was so into Novalees life that I got distracted by the details of his life. I loved the ending of the book because I finally realized all of her strength and her love for Forney. I would recommend this book to everyone.
Rating:
Summary: America the Beautiful
Review: Billie Letts...Bravo to you!! This book captures the true spirit of America. Let us be knocked down but have the heart to stand and receive our blessings where they lie.Novalee Nation finds the beginnings of hope, family and love where she least expected, (at a retail store). Novalee is tested and found true. She embraces those around her and wants nothing from them. For being herself, kind and honest she is given from strangers so much more than she could ever have asked from her own family. The characters of this book are the melting pot of America!
Rating:
Summary: Where The Heart Is
Review: I just finished reading where the heart is and I have also seen the movie and I can say that I most deffinately like the book much better then the movie. For some reason the book gives a much better description of each character and what their personalities are like. I would recommend anyone to buy this book because it's a pretty easy reading and I like what it teaches. I think that it shows a lot about friendship and who your real friends are. You never know who you can trust anymore these days. You have to be very careful with who you decide to make your close friends. In the small town where the main character, Novalee Nation, gets left behind I love it how the people care about her so much and take her in as if she were there own. Novalee learns to love others and her self in a way that she never thought could be possible. As she faces her everyday challenges and learns to strive on her own she realizes that there is more out there then just bad luck.
This book was so interresting to me. I could barely put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Find where YOUR heart is...
Review: Novalee Nation had a history of unlucky sevens. Nothing changed when she was 17 and seven months pregnant- her boyfriend stranded her at a Wal-Mart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma. Novalee met people there that changed her life forever, and taught her where her heart is. Where the Heart Is is a very heartwarming book, with a great message about life. Novalee had many struggles and obstacles throughout her life, but she still managed to succeed. Her dreams and aspirations were realized by the end of the book, with the help of those she met in Oklahoma. Billie Letts' account of Novalee is best suited for girls, particularly teenage girls and young women, who may be able to relate to the characters in the book. I think it's great when you read a book and you can relate to the character(s). Anyone would be able to relate to at least one character in this book, since everyone included in the book are so diverse. The characters each have quirky qualities and unique personalities, which make the book more interesting to read.
Rating:
Summary: D. Anderson Where the Heart Is
Review: Have you ever had an unlucky number? And whenever you got this number in your life you would have bad luck with everything? Well, Novalee Nation does in the book Where the Heart Is.
Novalee Nation is 17 years old and 7 months pregnant. She has $7.77 to live off of while she lives secretly in Wal-Mart. One of Novalee's major problems is the fact that her unlucky number is 7 and the bad luck causes many problems in her life.
Novalle and Willy Jack Pickens, her boyfriend, are on their way to California. Novalee asked if Willy Jack could stop so she could use the bathroom. Willy Jack stops at Wal-Mart,in Sequoyah Oklahoma, and gives Novalee a limited amount of time to get to the car because he was angry.
Novalee heads in and uses the bathroom, and then uses the 10 dollars, Willy Jack gave her, to buy shoes because she lost her last ones back in a different state. As Novalle walks out, she notices that the car and Willy Jack were gone.
Novalee felt a little awkward being alone so she walked around like a customer. As she shopped, or at least looked like she was, she was met by this lady named, Sister Husband, in the "Welcome Wagon". Sister Husband mistakenly takes Novalee for a girl she used to know, named Ruth Ann. Sister Husband talked for awhile then left.
Novalee meets many more people in Sequoyah. Sister thelma Husband, and a eccentric librarian, named Forney Hull, will take Novalee on a moving, funny and unforgettable journey in her life. I really enjoyed this book and I bet you will to if you read it. This book can be hilarious at some times and very serious at others. This book is a real knocker and I hope you will read it. The only thing that doesn't make it interesting is all the swear words in it. But there isn't that many so, go get a copy and sit down and read.
Lets put it this way, I hate reading, but I really loved reading this book. It is the type that once you start you don't want to stop.
Rating:
Summary: A touching story
Review: I loved this book. There was never a time I wanted to put it down. If anyone has seen the movie, forget it because this book is so much better, and you see everything so clearly, you don't need a movie. I was surprised how long it was, and I didn't know how long it was going to take me to finish. This book will lift your spirits and show you the good in your life. I highly reccomend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Best
Review: This is the best book I have ever read! Fabulous! I stayed up
until 4'o'clock AM reading it!
Rating:
Summary: Where The Heart Is For Me
Review: In Where The Heart Is, we believe Billie Letts displays a teriffic situation of damaged love healed. We enjoyed getting to see Novalee finally find love after all the trials and hardships she was faced with in the beginning of the story, with Willie Jack leaving her pregnant and alone at Wal-Mart. We thought the idea of someone living in Wal-Mart was so far fetched, yet it really made you think about the posssibility of it happening in real life because of the extreme role Wal-Mart plays in everybody's life. The idea of Novalee living in Wal-Mart really brought the story to life for us.
Novalee knew, even after all she had been through, she could still turn her life into a success. This is one reason why we believe you should read this book because we all have some kind of success story in our lives.
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