Rating: 
Summary: Fun, stunning, sad, hilarious....
Review: Every now and then a book comes along that just grabs you by the emotions and won't let go. I read Divine Secrets first and then rushed out to buy Little Altars, and although the writing style is quite different, each book has amazing strengths of its own.
Little Altars is a short book (the trade paperback is only about 224 pages), but it packs a big punch. Each chapter is told by one of the characters in a reminiscent style. I really liked that the male characters are more fleshed out here. Wells lets us in on the inner workings of Shep, Little Shep, Baylor, and Chaney; this is an aspect that really isn't present in the female-centric Divine Secrets.
These stories are fantastic! It's been quite a while since I laughed and sobbed so often while reading the same book. "Cruelty to Animals" had me laughing so hard I couldn't breathe! "Snuggling" and "E-Z Boy War" were two stories that simply made my heart ache. Wells is wonderful at creating characters that stand on ther own; she gives each one a unique voice and then simply allows the story to tell itself. The writing is simple but powerful, and all of these "little" stories combine to create a vivid picture of this Louisiana community. In Little Altars, we really get to see the characters for who they are; this isn't so much one character trying to figure out her mother, her family, and her own place in all of it. This is more of a combination of stories to show that every family has so much more meaning underneath its outward appearance. Be prepared to be shocked by some of the more horrific things you learn about Vivi in this book. And if Willetta's chapter doesn't shake you to the core, then this type of story-telling might not be for you!
Little Altars is a bit darker than Divine Secrets, but it is just as enjoyable. It's an emotional roller-coaster, and I'm glad I took the ride!
Rating:
Summary: sadder than the Ya-Ya's, but a must-read...
Review: I read "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" a couple of years ago and fell in love with it. When I found out there was a book that came before of the same characters I had to read it. The book was good and a must-read for anyone that reads the Ya-Ya's. BUT be prepared. It's definitely a more disturbing picture of Vivi. While we get a better look into Big Shep's head (Sidda's father) and learn that his compassion runs deeper than Vivi's but he just either doesn't know how to show it or feels there'd be no point to it anyway. Vivi's dark side is much more than I'd suspected having read the second book first. Her alcoholism is plain as day in Altars whereas in the Ya-Ya's she just seems to be a social drinker. (Same goes for Big Shep) And you can see more clearly the emotional scars all of her children carry and how they truly feel about their mother. This book left behind some disturbing images in my head and I wish that I had been left with the ones I garnered from reading the Ya-Ya's. One's where Vivi's motherhood crimes did not seem so vicious and contemptable.
Rating:
Summary: a Good Book
Review: I thought Little Altars Everywhere was very well written. Not like anything else i have read before. I enjoyed reading every minute of it. I wanted to learn more about the Walker Family. Each page was full of interesting comments or stories.
Rating: 
Summary: A five-star melancholy story
Review: On Friday I stopped on the way home from work to buy "Little Altars Everywhere" by Rebecca Wells. It has been on my wish list for about a year now and I didn't even know it was related to the Ya-Ya Sisterhood until last week!Anyway like I said I got it on Friday afternoon and finished it by dinnertime on Saturday - it was THAT GOOD. Each chapter was told in a different characters' point of view. There were several by Sidda and a few from Vivi, but there was also some insight from Big Shep, Willetta, and Sidda's siblings Little Shep, Baylor and Lulu. This format provided better insight into the family's troubles than just Sidda's POV would have. The story overall is disturbing and sad - especially the chapters with Willetta and Little Shep. Plenty of happy memories are visited throughout the book but they are overshadowed by a dark cloud in every chapter, usually the result of something Vivi has done. Reading this book helped me to better understand its subsequent "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" and I would highly recommend it with FIVE STARS!
Rating:
Summary: sadder than the Ya-Ya's, but a must-read...
Review: I read "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" a couple of years ago and fell in love with it. When I found out there was a book that came before of the same characters I had to read it. The book was good and a must-read for anyone that reads the Ya-Ya's. BUT be prepared. It's definitely a more disturbing picture of Vivi. While we get a better look into Big Shep's head (Sidda's father) and learn that his compassion runs deeper than Vivi's but he just either doesn't know how to show it or feels there'd be no point to it anyway. Vivi's dark side is much more than I'd suspected having read the second book first. Her alcoholism is plain as day in Altars whereas in the Ya-Ya's she just seems to be a social drinker. (Same goes for Big Shep) And you can see more clearly the emotional scars all of her children carry and how they truly feel about their mother. This book left behind some disturbing images in my head and I wish that I had been left with the ones I garnered from reading the Ya-Ya's. One's where Vivi's motherhood crimes did not seem so vicious and contemptable.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: This was a nice easy read for high schoolers or adults. It's written in a laid back style with everyday language. The way it's written in all diferent voices and including tons of different points of view also kept it interesting. There were, however, some very disturbing parts and the cover and title seemed misleading to me.
Rating:
Summary: Little Altars Everywhere
Review: Rebecca Wells is the author of Little Altars Everywhere. It is a novel about family relationships and the struggles they go through. She draws the attention of the reader through the use of emotions of even a seemingly heartless character. The novel can make you cry, yet at other times you sit there and laugh. Rebecca shows the value of family and friendship in this novel which is a crucial part of life in 1960's Louisiana. Rebecca Wells is often compared to Danielle Steel because of their use of emotions are very similar. Little Altars Everywhere won Rebecca the Western States Book Award. The sequel to this novel, The Devine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood was turned into a motion picture.
Unlike other novels, this one does not have a plot that goes in a straight line. It does not have an introduction, suspense, or a conclusion. Instead, it goes back and forth between the voices of the characters. There is not one main character.
There are two parts to this novel: The first part of the novel takes place in 1960's Louisiana. The second half is thirty years later. Each member of the family take turns talking in this intriguing novel. The parents, Viviane and Big Shep Walker, the children Siddalee, Little Shep, Baylor and Lulu, and the two black helpers Willetta and Chaney, talk about events that happen in their daily lives. What is interesting is, rather than having one narrator as most novels do, this novel is narrated by the individual characters, chapter by chapter. Each family member has a different point of view on events. They also have different view points of Viviane's alcoholism. Each character came alive in their respective chapters. You could picture these characters in your mind.
Viviane Walker is the alcoholic, mother who has extreme highs and lows. Big Shep is the father. He is a cotton grower and likes to duck hunt. Siddalee is the oldest daughter. Her and her mother love to read and spend hours at the public library. She is a devoted Catholic and her emotions tell a great story. Baylor tells of the family's summer house at Spring Creek: how wonderful it is during the summer and how it is just his mom, his siblings and the Ya-Ya's. He loves how they are allowed to do whatever they want when they are at Spring Creek without daddy ever finding out. Little Shep loves yard dogs and tells about his experience one day with his grandma Buggy's poodle named "Miss Peppy." He is adventurous and likes to have fun. The youngest daughter Lulu, is the rebellious one. Her chapter is all about how she shoplifts and gives the items she steels as presents to her family until one day she gets caught and plays it off like she is an orphan. Willetta and Chaney are the black couple who help out the family. Chaney's family has been working with the Walker family for many generations; they are both good at heart. All of these characters are expressed through Wells' use of emotion and make the story one you can not put down.
The second half of the novel takes place in the 1990's and each member of the family again take turns talking, but this time it is about their past. Siddalee grows up and moves to New York, becomes a play-writer, and has been in therapy for ten years trying to figure out her mother. She is so drawn into the past and her emotional scars that her mother has left on her that she doesn't want to go home and see her mother.
She feels that her mother has ruined her life. Each character talks about the alcohol, physical abuse and violence they all had to go through to live and cope with Viviane.
The southern setting of the novel again is in Louisiana in the 1960's and plays a key role in the relationships with family and friends. The author grew up in Louisiana and could really express what life was like. Like Sidallee, Ms. Wells also moved to New York and became a writer as well as an actress and a play writer. But, this is not an autobiographical novel.
This novel is a real page turner. It opens your eyes to what life was like in Louisiana in the 1960's, with a very dysfunctional family. It is happy and sad all rolled into one exciting, must read novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Little Altars
Review: "Little Altars Everywhere" is a humorous and heart-breaking look further into the Walker family. Although not quite as good as "Divine Secrets," it is an enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing Novel with Some Twists
Review: I read 'Little Altars Everywhere' for my English class this year...it is a wonderful novel. The main character- Siddalee Walker- is not only intelligent beyond her years but she also possesses wit and quirkiness that makes a reader want to hear what she has to say. This book takes you through her life from her view and the views of everyone in her family plus some friends. It really gives the story more depth to have it told this way. It takes place in south and so the speaking style the author uses are really fun to read. Vivi says some funny stuff but I reallllly don't like her. Although there are some evil twists, I still would recommend this book. My favorite character was Big Shep. I thought there was a lot more to him than what the rest realized. My least favorite character was Vivi for reasons you will know if you read the book. Overall I think this was a really worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: Wow!!
Review: Well this book was not at all what I expected! It's so much darker than I thought it would be. I thought the Ya-Yas where a fun-loving, happy-go-lucky kinda group (I'm basing this on the few previews I saw of the movie)...but no...not at all. I didn't expect constant drunkiness, child-abuse, and cruelty. It did make for a very entertaining read though...as awful as that sounds. I couldn't put the book down! The messed-up world of the Walker family is funny, tragic, happy and sad all in one. I really recommend this book. I've just picked the 'Divine Secrets', and am really looking forward to what more this family can get themselves into!! Definitely a must read!
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