Rating: 
Summary: Story is great; Cajun it ain't
Review: I eagerly devoured the book after waiting two months on a public library reserve list to get it. Personally, I loved the story - but while Wells may be from Alexandria Louisiana (central non-Cajun part of the state) I wish she wouldn't have tried to capitalize on the Cajun craze because she is very inaccurate regarding life in Cajun country.Caveat: I am from OHIO! But my Mama is a native of South Louisiana and her Cajun grandmother came to live with them when she was young. And this is what bothered me: Crawfish referred to as "crayfish" - This will earn you a gentle reprimand in Cajun country Alledged Cajun character with surname of St. Clair - Just because it's French, don't assume it's Cajun. Better to stick with Boudreaux and Thibodeaux . . . Ya-Ya's eat Oyster Muffalettas - this is an abberation and could not exist. The Muff is a sandwich made of ham, salami, provolone and most importantly olive salad, preferably from the Decatur Street groceries Central Grocery and Progress Grocery. I've heard of a few variations but oysters are rather inconceivable. Crawfish (not Crayfish - ouch!) boil in October - Mudbugs are out of season from about July till December - nobody would do this! There is more, but it tainted a wonderous yarn for me with these inaccuracies.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Read
Review: The book was highly recommended by two people whose "book opinions" I respect. Enjoyed the read. Really felt the "sisterhood". Brought back memories of my younger years.
Rating:
Summary: What is real and what is important in life
Review: I loved Vivi. She is a very real character - believable and lovable. This book does what fiction is supposed to do; make the reader feel the passion and sorrow of the character. Vivi's scrapbook made me want to live my 50 years over to save and savor the memories. The book also made me want to be more spontaneous and fun-loving. In the end we come to realize that only through pain can we see happiness, and Sidda is a better person having looked at Vivi's life.
Rating: 
Summary: Makes this Yankee reel for the colorful South of the Ya Ya's
Review: Great easy read. I became completely absorbed by the characters in this novel. I did not want to put the book down and was sad that the book had to end...I will miss not having the players in this novel be a part of my day. A must read for any women who has come to (postitive) terms with her mother. It was my first read of Rebecca Wells and will not be my last.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but whiney and over-dramatic
Review: I am disturbed reading so many reviews of this book in which the reader claims to "want to be a Ya-Ya." These people seem to have completely missed the fact that these women were raised in a terribly difficult time and grew up to be child abusing, alcoholic, miserable people, who's only bond was their immaturity and their unwillingness to deal with reality! Who would want to be a Ya-Ya? However, I enjoyed reading this book. But I found the characters to be melodramatic, and Rebecca Wells to be working out some sort of therapy of her own in this novel. Through her main character, Sidda, she whines and reflects too often and too sappily, rather than just describe the situations and let the reader draw her own conclusions. The book is well-written and contains interesting characters and touching situations. If Wells had left well enough alone, she would have had a much stronger novel, and her readers would have much more sympathy for her characters. I would rather not be told how to feel about what is happening to the characters in a novel. Wells needs to trust her characters and her story more. No over-explaining, please. A work that has such potential shouldn't be so embarrassingly blatant and melodramatic. A near-miss.
Rating:
Summary: Loved the friendship and the imagery of the Ol' South
Review: I couldn't put this book down, read it twice in a row. It took me to the days of my high school clique where "us girls" did everything together, and made me sad that work, marriage, etc. get in the way of most modern women to maintain strong relationships with other women. I heartily recommend this book as the number one summer read!
Rating:
Summary: Ya Ya Yummy!
Review: What a wonderful gal-pal book! Yes husbands are nice, and children are sweet, but when push comes to shove it's our gal-pals that are there for us. This book reminded me of so many common expericences that my friends and I have gone through together, the good and the bad. I immediately went out and bought six copies and mailed them to my closest girlfriends insisting that they read them and reminding them that we were also a great bunch of Ya Ya's!!
Rating:
Summary: engulfing
Review: I read this book in a full day because I could NOT put it down. This book really does explain the relationships between Mothers and Daughters...Husbands and Wives....Girlfreinds and Girlfriends...and of course Southerns and their Families. The bonds expressed by Ms. Wells of a woman and her friends are so true to form. No man can understand this very precious bond of love of a friendship. I would love to see more about the Ya-Ya's life and times. I have told every female I know to read this book and sit back and ENJOY!!!! I give this book 5 snaps and a yoohoo.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!!
Review: What a great book about women and their relationships with their friends and families. Sidda remembers her Mother and the past in a certain way. But as we get her Mother's perspective we are exposed to both the warmth and the darkness of growing up in the South. Great characters, great story and wonderful writing. I really missed the book when I was done reading it!
Rating:
Summary: An intimate account of sisterhood among southern young women
Review: I had read several reviews and noticed this book has been on all of the best seller lists and was interested. Still, I had slight reservations reading a book about white southern women. However I found the love and camaraderie between these four women heartwarming. Being an African-American woman I found some of the references of the relationships with blacks, if not offensive maybe uncomfortable but I put into perspective the setting and time period. The scene where Vivi and her three comrades entered into a Shirley look-a-like contest that excluded little black girls was both poignant and humorous. When you think of how women and friendships should be this book gets to the heart of solidarity and sisterhood as any I've read about or encountered. I became wistful for the friendships I had in high school. I am about the age of Sidda and my mother the age of Vivi, the main characters. I just finished the book last week and will turn over to my southern born mother and let her reminisce about her Shirley Temple Days.
| 
