Rating: 
Summary: Perfect for reading groups
Review: Five women, neighbors, meet in the early 1960's in Minnesota and form the "Freesia Court Book Club", but that name evolves into "Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons" from a snide remark of the husband of one of the members. These women share their lives - their marriages, children, politics, and of course their love of reading, over the course of the next thirty-plus years. The characters are an interesting mélange of suburban housewives - Audrey, an independently wealthy woman who doesn't leave home without baring her cleavage; Slip, the politically motivated feminist rebel; Faith, who has a past she'd rather forget; Kari, a slightly older widow who adopts a bi-racial baby; and Merit, the beauty who is married to the beast. Each chapter is written in the voice of the host (not hostess - Slip feels that feminizing nouns is demeaning to women), which begins each chapter, along with the book they are reading - which ranges from Love Story (they hated it) to The Total Woman (they really hated it - or was that me?) to On the Road (loved it) to A Confederacy of Dunces (thought provoking), along with the reason chosen or food served or highlight of the meeting, bringing a varying perspective to everything going on their lives and a nostalgic (for me) look back on the past few decades. This is obviously a book aimed at reading groups, yet it doesn't come off as a commercial attempt at such, but rather a creative and fascinating look at the role of women over the last part of the twentieth century - the books are just an added bonus.
Rating: 
Summary: Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons
Review: As a huge fan of Patty Jane's House of Curl, I had high expectations for Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons. I love any books that center around a group of women and their friendships. Unfortunately, I was left somewhat disappointed with this novel. It did have its cute moments and it wasn't bad, but I didn't finish the last page loving it, like I did Patty Jane. Each chapter starts out with a different character who is hosting the Angry Housewives book club, lists what book she has selected and the reason it was chosen, which I thought was a cute touch. I think the reason I didn't love it was that none of the characters really grabbed me. Each of the five women had a very distinct personality, and their struggles were ones that I think women everywhere can relate to, but there wasn't anything overly unique about them other then their stereotypes. I don't mind reading something that's been done before, but didn't find anything unique that really grabbed me with any of these women. I still adore Lorna Landvik and will eagerly await anything else she writes. The writing was excellent, I just didn't fall in love with the story.
Rating:
Summary: Made me want to start a bookclub
Review: I have read all of Lorna Landvik's books, but this one is my favorite.I absolutely fell in love with the characters in this novel. The nostalgia of the times, the social issues, the unique layout of the book--centering on one of the 5 women; whichever was hosting the book club for that month was a great way to tell each person's story. I laughed and cried at different parts of the book. I couldn't wait to pick up the book again, and now I am sad that I have finished. I was hooked on the characters and could relate and escape to their world, so it is like moving away from Freesia Court to finish the book! Now I want to read some of the books the women read in their bookclub. When I finished this book, I emailed all my women friends that read and recommended that they buy it or check it out; but READ IT!
Rating:
Summary: What a perfect combo!
Review: What more could you ask for? Best of friends and books! These five need to move on my block! I loved being a part of their world on Freesia Court and hated to leave. This book touched every subject, and everything was just in the right amounts. Many times I laughed outloud, only to have to explain why I was laughing! I loved the timespan on the book, she covered many years in such a short time. Lorna Landvik is an author to put on your favorites list!
Rating: 
Summary: Friendships spanning decades
Review: ANGRY HOUSEWIVES EATING BON BONS by Lorna Landvik Here's a book that is somewhat reminiscent of THE SAVING GRACES by Patricia Gaffney, but only better. Five women who live in the same neighborhood become life-long friends in ANGRY HOUSEWIVES EATING BON BONS, Lorna Landvik's latest novel. If you loved PATTY JANE'S HOUSE OF CURL, you will certainly love BON BONS. Both books are very different, yet they have a distinctive Landvik flavor. As the story opens, we are introduced to the women, who are sitting in a hospital room visiting Slip, who is one of the members of the Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons book club. The other members reminisce about their pasts: Audrey, the sexy one; Merit, the shy and beautiful one; Faith, the one with the many secrets; Kari, the older of the 5 women, widowed at a very young age. In this prologue, the reader is very aware that Slip is ill, and her friends watch vigilant, crying their eyes out. From there, we move back to the past, when Faith Owens first encountered some of the other ladies on the block known as Freesia Court. Faith, who was still getting used to living in the cold Minnesota winter, finds herself without her husband one cold night, because he is out of town on business (again) and so she's left to fend for herself and her twins, Beau and Bonnie (mere babies). All of a sudden, the power goes out and she's left in the dark. As she freaks out, worrying about being attacked by a burglar, she notices that there are some of the neighborhood women playing outside in the cold snow: Four of them, in fact. And to her horror, they are playing with snowballs and throw one right at her window, as she is looking out at them. She goes outside to have a talk with them, but for some reason she decides to join in their fun, and before she knows it, she's having the best time ever. After their snowball fight, Faith invites the women into her new home, the first time she's ever entertained there in Minnesota, and from that point her friendship with these women begins. And soon, they start a book club, where they meet once a month to share munchies, discuss books, but mainly to find an excuse to get together. Each chapter starts off with the book of the month, the book moderator for that month, and the reason why the book was chosen. Each woman's personality comes across on those first few lines, and it becomes more apparent as the reader gets to know each of the five women better. The five grow together, along with their children, and they go through myriad's of events. They cry together, and they laugh together. They even fight together. But the bottom line is, they are friends through everything, and they experience and grow with the changing times, from the 1960's to the 21st century. There isn't one main plot in ANGRY HOUSEWIVES EATING BON BONS. However, there are many subplots, each one involving each of the five members of the club. I found that each story was interesting enough on its own, but they each added to the overall book about the friendships of these five women. I recommend this to everyone who likes a good 'women's lit' book. It's probably not for everyone, but anyone who enjoyed THE SAVING GRACES by Patricia Gaffney will most likely enjoy this one!
Rating: 
Summary: Trite is right!
Review: I got about half way through and flipped to the end. It was not worth the effort to finish. Cute title that did not live up to expectations.
Rating:
Summary: I wish I'd lived on Freesia Court!
Review: This book is a wonderful story of friendship and life. I love the way the author brings the characters together through their love of reading (and eating) and how she weaves important books of the time into the story. The characters really came to life for me and I felt for each of them when they suffered or rejoiced. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!
Rating:
Summary: Easy page turner
Review: This is the second book we read in our newly formed book club. Surprisingly, none in our group has ever been in a book club so "Angry Housewives" was sort of a primer on how to run our club. This book was certainly a lighter read that our first book ("Mary Called Magdeline"), but we only really found things to complain about in our discussion. The things that happened were really over the top and the characters' reactions in many cases were not realistic. We had the most fun figuring out which character we were most like.
Rating:
Summary: Trite Tripe
Review: Okay, so I was sucked in by the title. I thought this would be a fun read. I wouldn't even put this on a "beach read" list. It's everything you'd expect from a "chick lit" book and less.
Rating:
Summary: What a great fictional book club!
Review: I absolutely loved this book, as it was much more than the title belies. In fact, I was amazed at the creative choice of titles that this Freesia Court set of neighbors chose to read. And, I found it fascinating that each hostess went all out in decor and food that was tied to the read. Best of all is the closeness, the friendship of this circle of reading friends. Typical of Lorna Landvik, there is humor, but lots of poignant moments as well. Truthfully, I felt I was in the midst of another set of friends akin to a novel by Lee Smith, Haywood Smith, Fannie Flagg, Nancy Turner, Nanci Kincaid, Rebecca Wells. But that is just okay! Sometimes it is just a joy to relax with a set of folks that seem familiar, because they exhibit the love we hope for everyone, through thick and thin. This is a fine escapist read. And what a great book list emerges. I also highly recommend Landvik's other novels. Sort of northerner versions of the southerner writings already mentioned.
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