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Summary: sweet fluff with meat
Review: The characters are lovely and interesting. People are just NICE in this story and it's easy to read. We read it for our book group and it was a nice departure from the over-dramatic chic books. Still a chic book, but so pleasant. Good story telling.
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Summary: Where the Heart Is
Review: Abandoned by her boyfriend, in Sequoia, Oklahoma on their way to California in 1987, Novalee Nation a seven teen year old, seven months pregnant, and stranded at a Wal-Mart will discover how to survive life's hardships. Where the Heart Is, written by Bille Letts expresses Novalee Nation's difficulties, feelings and ideas when she turns face to face with her present and future. Jobless and hopeless draws Novalee decision to make Wal-Mart her secret home. Wandering Wal-Mart isles in disbelief Novalee encounters the four people who end up playing major roles in her life and future. Moses Whitecotton, Novalees mentor, Benny Goodluck, her inspiration, Sister Thelma Husband her sponsor and guardian, and Forney Hull the peculiar town librarian, who hides his true feelings for Novalee behind his books. Novalee sneaks out through the employee's entrance into the small American town without anyone suspecting for six weeks, until she accidentally delivers her baby girl Americus Nation in the Wal-Mart. Sister Thelma Husband takes Novalee and Americus into her home, offers help, and support to help Novalee start a new life. Support and love helped Novalee discover a deep devotion for her daughter a passion involving photography. Novalee's friends teach her how to enjoy a delighted and prosperous life thorough out the years.
Novalee grows to love herself before she can love someone in return and finds 'Where the Heart Is.'
Reading the novel Where the Heart Is captured a glimpse into everyday American people. The author brought life into the characters capturing the same problems with everyday people, in society. The novel puts a humane side to the towns in America where human kind tries to survive. The novel addresses friendship, love, struggles, and the goodness of people. 'People are good at heart.' Understanding Novalee character allows other young readers or people to strive for success no matter what situation they are in. Novalee demonstrates strength and determination has a single mother by attending college and receiving an education. Billie Letts demonstrates the different optical paths humans have overcome through the shifts in the real world.
The novel focuses not only on life, but the importance family dependence offers. . The novel's message through out the book offers clear easy dialogue where any reader can capture 'the true message' to solve their own problems. Through out the beginning, middle, and end the book allows readers to read at an easy pace and causes readers to use their imagination. Oprah's BOOK CLUB chose Where the Heart Is as a CLUB BOOK, however, Where the Heart Is reflects the hard times any body can encounter with their life. Where the Heart Is was also made in to a great movie where both book and movie parallel the conflicts from the book, however the book captivates the characters problems and describes the main conflict in the story, even if your're in the middle of nowhere.
Rating: 
Summary: Corrines review of Where the Heart Is
Review: This was a heart felt, delightful novel to read. Novalee was so sweet and she had such a rough begining. I felt as if I had gone through this journey with her. To picture a pregnant, scared, seventeen year old girl who lived in a Walmart for months was amazing. She made every person she met in Sequoya, Oklahoma part of her family. A little old lady, Sister Husband, was like a mother to her. She took Novalee and her baby Americus in and took care of them. Forney, who I felt played a father figure, was a kind, soft hearted and wonderful man that eventually Novalee fell in love with. Moses Whitecotton and his wife were like godparents to Americus. They gave thier hearts to Novalee and Americus. Moses helped Novalee find and live her dream of becoming a successful photographer. Lexie was Novalee's best friend, though she had many problems of her own, Novalee and Lexie helped each other through all of their hard times.
This seventeen year old girl fought off every bit of bad luck and made a wonderful life for her and her daughter. I laughed at the names of Lexie's kids, ... ...> This book taught me that the family you are born into isn't always the family you will keep through life.
Rating: 
Summary: Inspirational, cheesy, lame
Review: Being a high school student, I had to slog through this novel for summer reading and was quite disappointed. The editors' reviews already do a fine job of explaining the basic premise of "Where the Heart Is" so I won't attempt it but other than that basic storyline - I'm sorry, but there isn't much else. It isn't terrible, but is just so cheesy and inspirational that it's sickening. Quissential Oprah Book Club. Most of the characters have no real depth. They are quirky, memorable certainly, but are 2 dimensional and have nothing below the surface. I also found the unusual character names irritating. I have absolutely nothing against unusual names, being Asian-American myself, but these names were also unrealistic and unnecessary, as if the author just had to stick them in to make it more politically correct. The reading level was extremely simple, I would say around middle-school - and the vocabulary level was astonishingly low. There was also excessive use of ". . ." that I found annoying, and also unnecessary. The use of italics to denotate say, flashbacks or song lyrics or poetry was silly as well. And the mentions of "higher art" were forced and done clumsily. All in all, it's just a very light, fluffy book. There are some funny moments, which I enjoyed, but the attempts at depth fell absolutely flat. The love storyline between Novalee and Forney was clichéd and should not be considered a spoiler, as any reader will know from the moment she claims "oh, but I don't love him like that!", they are bound to be romantically linked. The "bad guys" are not outlined well, and I thought Willy Jack was one of the few, perhaps only fleshed out character. Most of the others, in addition to being more like sketches than real people, are unrealistically good. They seemingly have no faults, and I for one hate characters who are like that. In fact, the whole entire story is unrealistically positive and the few flashes of violence are not scary, and seem to be put there just for the sake of it - the further ramifications of these scenes are not explored at all. (if you've read the book, you will know what I mean, trust me, vague mentions of therapy don't count) And every chapter or so, the title must be banged into the reader's head once again, as if to make absolutely certain its lovely inspirational message that Home Is Where The Heart Is and that People Are Good And Kind And Really Really Nice must be made very, very, clear. I understand that this has turned into a rambling, angry review, but please note that is due to frustration on my part that society cannot seem to accept anything other than unoriginal, sickeningly heartwarming novels. This was not as terrible as some, and admittedly started off well, but just kept on dragging until it thankfully reached its end.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Book
Review: If you like to sit down and read a good book, read this one. The people Novalee runs into are very interesting and wonderfull characters. Take the time to read this, you won't be dissapointed. You should also watch the movie.
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Summary: A thought provoking message of hope.
Review: This heartwarming story of hope, teaches us the life lessons of the heart. Kindness, fear, trust, love and compassion are all important lessons taught to us in life and this book teaches them in a refreshing way. While focusing on the melting pot of America, Letts shows the reader that cultural differences can be overlooked and she takes you to the real urban America and its hopes and dreams and trials and tribulations. The novel showcases human generosity and how it can help one to grow and blossom into a dynamic being and in doing so, Letts gives us hope that good Samaritans still exist and fairy tales still come true. The storyline is involving and suspenseful and the setting so realistic with today's society, that there will be moments when you forget the book is fictitious. Perhaps this is due to the vivid, down to earth souls that Letts gave the characters. Each has a distinguishable personality that readers can relate to, as they are figures we can identify as members of our society, our neighbors, and possibly ourselves. Letts style of writing is simple and easy to understand and undoubtedly written from the heart. Humanitarians will deeply appreciate this novel for its positive portrayal of the human spirit and the casual reader will enjoy its simplicity of such a complex range of emotions. Every reader of this novel will walk away feeling uplifted, hopeful about their own lives, and possibly looking forward to helping a stranger.
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Summary: Best Book To Come Along !
Review: I ordered this book as soon as I read a preview in the local paper. Once I got started, I couldn't put it down--I read it in 2 or 3 days and LOVED it so much I wrote Billie Letts to let her know how much I enjoyed it. She sent me a handwritten note back thanking me and has kept in touch about upcoming books and when the book was made into a movie.
The characters are wonderful--Novalee is young, naive; Willy Jack is young and unsettled. Unfortunate situations test Novalee and she rises above it with kind hearted strangers who soon become part of her world.
Though the characters seem odd at first, we see whats beneath the surface to find delightful people who become like family.
Everyone who read this loved it as much as I did.
To my surprise, the movie was as good, if not better, than the book.
Billie Letts has become one of my favorite authors!
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Summary: Better than the video version
Review: Novalee is a teenager when she is pregnant with her daughter, to whom she gives birth in a Wal-Mart. She is taken in by a wonderful "family" and makes many new friends, including Lexi. Novalee spends time with a man named Forny Hull whose sister is the town Librarian. I think despite the misfortunes Novalee encounters, she brought a lot of them on herself. I also think that the way she treats Forny toward the end is wrong. However, it is a true taste of life, and the book is definitely better than the video version. In the video, the actors and actresses are always beautiful and unblemished. Billie Letts' intention was for the characters to all have some blemish or physical problem to make them seem more human and to show that we all have weaknesses. Great book!
Rating:
Summary: Five Star-Worthy Book!
Review: This book really is an excellent read. Billie Letts sure knows how to pull on your heartstrings but at the same time make you laugh the whole way. The characters are so real and desirable... while reading the book, I wanted a friend like Lexie, a crush like Forney, a child like Americus, and a loving 'caretaker' like Sister Husband. If you live in the country or in a small town, this book really hits home. This is an irresistable book that won't let you put it down. I recommend this book to everyone!
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Summary: Much better than the movie.
Review: As a male reader, I loved this book. Novalee Nation joins my list of favorite characters. If you have seen the movie, you should definitely read the book as it is much better.
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