Big Cherry Holler

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: I read this book all in one day. It simply just kept getting better and better. I would have loved a little more of the visit from Italy, because it didn't seem like Pete could "fall in love" with her in that short of time and then to find her just didn't have the backing that I think it should.

Other than that, Milk Glass Moon is on my agenda today and I look forward to it! I wouldn't mind a book 4 either!!!

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I probably should not have started this book with such high expectations, but since I so much enjoyed Big Stone Gap, I assumed I would love Big Cherry Holler, also. Although the book begins promisingly, with Ave Maria's young daughter competing in a radio quiz bowl, and the voices of the characters I loved from Big Stone gap were back and sounding familiar and enticing me back into their world, I was extremely disappointed with the conclusion that Ave Maria was not only "wrong" in her attraction (but there was little credit given her for saying "no") to another man, but she was ALSO "to blame" for Jack's affair... that's just plain wrong - Jack should have been responsible for his own choices and actions, not Ave Maria - it seems the author is saying that just because Ave is not a "perfect wife" (like Jack is "perfect"? Bull!), it was ok for Jack to cheat. Ave's best friend, Theodore, sure doesn't act like a "friend" when Ave comes to him, broken-hearted and needful of support only to be told coldly that she brought it all on herself... now I'm not one who thinks a true friend should lie, but to tell a hysterical, hurting FRIEND how wrong she is instead of first offering care, comfort and a validation of that friend's feelings seems cold and cruel to me. It's like telling a friend who is starving that it's her fault that she's hungry and she needs to wake up and smell the coffee, then slamming the door on that friend instead of feeding her.

And we're not done bashing Ave Maria yet... the way she mourns for her dead son is "wrong," and since Jack was ready long before Ave was to talk about it, he becomes superior to her and a victim of Ave's "distance," even though he sure doesn't seem all too patient or eager to accept Ave's attempts to communicate love and a willingness to try to communicate to her husband. How cold is it, anyway, to agree to take a summer trip with your wife, tell her you're not going at the last minute, and then not show any kind of feelings when she tells you how much she's looked forward to spending time together on the trip?

If you want to take a chance with this book, I recommend checking it out from the library rather than buying it.

Rating:
Summary: A GREAT ONE OF THREE GREATS.
Review: BIG CHERRY HOLLER IS THE SECOND IN ADRIANA TRIGIANI'S TRILOGY
WITH BIG STONE GAP AND MILK GLASS MOON BEING THE OTHERS. I LOVED
ALL THREE AND RECOMMEND THEM HIGHLY! IF YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED IN "ANOTHER WORLD" WITH THAT WORLD'S CHARACTERS - I
ESPECIALLY LOVED IVA LOU AND FLEETA WHOSE EXPRESSIONS ARE
PRICELESS - THIS TRILOGY IS FOR YOU. PERSONALLY, I FOUND THESE
BOOKS ENTERTAINING FROM BEGINNING TO END AND WOULD WELCOME A
CONTINUATION WITH # 4.

Rating:
Summary: A great read even with the heavy life issues
Review: Well, Eva Maria and Jack Mac have been married 8 years. They have a precocious daughter, Etta, and they have survived the death of their beloved son, Joe. Now they are growing more and more distant, and Eva--being Eva--blames herself and is having problems seeing past her own needs. She listens to everyone's advice (Ida Lou, of course, gives her birds 'n bees advice on how to keep a husband happy), but she really has to get away from it all in order to find out what she really wants.

All the wonderful, quirky characters from Big Stone Gap return to make this a fun read. However, don't expect the same level of bust-a-gut humor present in the first book. Eva is much more introspective and is much more enmeshed in the life issues we all face while approaching middle age. This book is not a light read and will most likely push you to consider your own life, your goals, and how you treat the people you love. My only gripe is that Eva's character is the one who seems to bear the brunt of all the ills of her marriage...that's a gripe, however, that does not get in the way of enjoying this novel.

I read this in one sitting just because I couldn't put it down. Although it is different than the first in the series, it's a very good read, and I highly recommend it for fans of this type of literature.

Rating:
Summary: She's Done It Again!
Review: Big Cherry Holler is the sequel to Big Stone Gap, and it's every bit as enjoyable as its predecessor. Ave Maria Mulligan MacChesney is now married to Jack MacChesney for eight years; they have a little girl, Etta, who was just born as Big Stone Gap ended. When the coal mining business leaves town, Jack is left unemployed and needing to redefine himself. Ave Maria, not an openly warm woman, although very likeable, doesn't do much to help him, and their relationship is tested. Suffice it to say they both need to reevaluate their feelings. In the meantime, all the other characters we met in Big Stone Gap are here, too: Iva Lou, librarian and expert on men; Fleeta Mullins, cranky but likeable cynic; Pearl Grimes, the young lady to whom Ave sells her drugstore in B.S.G.; Spec Broadwater, the rescue squad captain; and Theodore Tipton, Ave's close friend who becomes director of the marching band at the University of Tennessee. This is another very enjoyable book about love, marriage, and self-identity, set in a small town with people who know all about each other, but also care for each other in a heart-warming way. Although it's not necessary for understanding this book, just for the pleasure of spending more time with these characters it would be a good idea to start with Big Stone Gap and then visit with them again in Big Cherry Holler.

Rating:
Summary: Stellar read!
Review: While Milk Glass Moon is my favorite, Big Cherry Holler is my second choice. Both are excellent and should not be missed. Big Cherry is a wonderfully drawn portrait of life, and the change of settings in the book is used for maximum effect. This is really a sequal book to Big Stone Gap, and I highly recommend you read that one first.

Also recommended: McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: I read this book all in one day. It simply just kept getting better and better. I would have loved a little more of the visit from Italy, because it didn't seem like Pete could "fall in love" with her in that short of time and then to find her just didn't have the backing that I think it should.

Other than that, Milk Glass Moon is on my agenda today and I look forward to it! I wouldn't mind a book 4 either!!!

Rating:
Summary: Big Cherry on top!
Review: There are so many great books out there to read at first glance, but by the time you get to the end you're usually asking yourself, "What just happened????" Not so with anything written by Trigiani. Loved this book, loved the characters, and love the author. Kudos, Ms. Trigiani!

Also recommended: Milk Glass Moon and Bark of the Dogwood

Rating:
Summary: Can't go wrong with this one
Review: You can't go wrong with any Trigiani book, but especially this one. Heart-felt, warm, real, and brilliantly written, this is one you'll want to pass along to a friend. There are three books I've read recently that are "musts" for anyone interested in great reading: "Cold Mountain," "Bark of the Dogwood," and this one--"Big Cherry Holler." BCH is by far my favorite of all three, but you should check out the others when you have the time.

Rating:
Summary: An entertaining read
Review: However, I was slightly disappointed in this book. It wasn't what I expected ~~ for one thing, it skipped over 8 years in Ava's life. There were several storylines in this book that were loosely threaded together and sometimes, it was barely even touched upon. For instances, when Ava came home from Italy, the author barely even skim over the issues on why Ava and Jack agreed to be apart for awhile. In this book, Ava was more wishy-washy than strong and determined. There weren't that much humor in this book. And it seemed to be a rushed and hurried job.

Ava takes her daughter, Etta, home to Italy to meet her grandfather and grandmother ~~ Jack was originally supposed to go with them but at the last minute, he decides to stay home. While in Italy, Ava meets a dashing American, Pete, and had to choose between two men. This is the basic plot of the story.

If you're looking for a light entertaining read, this book would be it. But if you're looking for a more substantsial book, this isn't it. This one barely glimmed over the relationships Ava has with her best friend, Iva Lou and Fleeta, and other characters from Big Stone Gap. Sometimes the story just doesn't go as well as it should have. It's an ok book from an exceptional author. Hopefully, Milk Glass Moon holds more promise than this one.

10-1-03