Rating: 
Summary: I laughed, I cried
Review: Divine Secrets was a very fast read & thoroughly enjoyable. I travel cross-country on a weekly basis and can't help but judge books on the zzzzzz factor -- i.e., does it put me to sleep? Divine Secrets succeeded in engaging me emotionally through its superb narrative. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. Made air travel that much better.
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Summary: Sassy Southern Sisterhood - or just shallow and superficial
Review: Have just finished this book, and it didn't leave me feeling anything in particular. I couldn't resist the temptation to read the amazon customer reviews to see what other people thought of it BEFORE I finished - bad move. I suddenly became quite the cynic about it all, or perhaps it was just as people said: starts off well and then slides downhill to wallow in muck. I couldn't help but relate to Siddalee's coming to terms with her history with Vivi, as I think it's pretty standard for women to go through this trauma and drama about the time they hit their mid thirties - Adolescence Mark II. However, Vivi and her cohorts didn't get finished with adolescence the first time around. They shone their brightest in their teens, (not before becoming pre-pubescent lushes) and somehow they just stayed put. I saw no evidence of growth in Vivi, despite her having been affected by war and death - small wonder that motherhood gave her no opportunity to mature. She was so focused on Vivi being the star of the show at all times, indeed, it was her true calling in life, her purpose. The ya-ya's perpetuated this whole self-indulgent myth for themselves, with Vivi the hub of the attention seeking fantasy life that they craved. Her children were surely only put on this earth to worship and admire their mother, and the little beasts had to go and be babies before they could get to that point. How dare they make demands of their mother! So, sorry Vivi, but you weren't a character I could warm to, with your endless unrealistic expectations of life. It would surely be masochistic to read "Little Altars Everywhere" - unless of course I ENJOYED hating Vivi, but I just can't get passionate about her even in a negative way. The Sidda storyline only had one possible outcome, 'specially for the fans, but I'd better not say what. Maybe Ms. Wells can flesh out some more stories about the other ya-ya's, surely there's a redeeming feature, some endearing quality, somewhere among the three of them. The book had some fine points even though the characters left me cold, the writing had moments of wonder for the child in us all. As her writing matures she may yet surprise us with some real-life developed people too!(Had to finish with a bat and ball)!
Rating: 
Summary: What a Stupid Book!
Review: I can't believe I paid money for this book. The characters had no depth to them at all. For the most part, they were stereotypes. This is a feeble attempt at a "feminist" book. As a woman, I am insulted by this book and the supposed "sisterhood" it portrays.
Rating:
Summary: Good story about forgiveness
Review: I went into this book expecting to absolutely LOVE it because of all the hoop-la about it. Because of this, I was a little disappointed. I think this happened for several reasons: 1. I am only 18 and have not had a lot of life experience yet-- this book must touch a chord with those who have had experiences with love, hurt, and (ultimately) forgiveness. I can't say that I've really had those experiences yet. 2. Some parts of the novel were slow-- I really enjoyed the narrative portions... Stories of Vivi's youth. But, the parts where Sidda was searching through the "Divine Secrets" scrapbook dragged for me. But, they were essential to the eventual surprise and contentment that reader feels when Vivi's narrative clears up both Sidda's and your confusion.I love books that are almost immediately intriguing. The kind of books that have a story so good that you don't even remember turning the pages. This was not one of those books for me, but I wouldn't deter someone from reading it-- perhaps they will get something out of it that I, in my limited life experience, did not.
Rating: 
Summary: "Ya-Ya's" is a Great Read
Review: A friend recommended this book, because she knew I enjoy Southern Fiction. I did not recognize the author, so I did not expect the book to be any good. I was WRONG! This is Southern Literature at it's best. I didn't read the book, I lived through it. It brought me through the best and worst of the South. It reminded me of home. This book is a must read for any Southern girl. I also recommend "Little Altars Everywhere", but it isn't as good.
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Summary: Amazing Work of Soul Fiction
Review: I got this book as an English assignment. I was under the impression that anything I got from school would have a message I couldn't relate to. God, was I wrong. This book absolutely floored me, and sent me reeling back to page one for another trip. It killed me to see it end, and I lived and died through the characters many times throughout the duration of the book. With every disappointment, I cried with Vivi and Sidda. With every triumph, I grinned and giggled with the Ya-Yas, and even looked for Ya-Ya's in my own life. The book didn't make me envious, but it made me wish I had friends like that. Everyone should. The bonds between the Ya-Ya's showed to be unbreakable through every kind of turmoil, and that bond sucks you in and makes you a part of it, until the very last page. This book makes you a part of Louisiana, with the dialect and the smells and the heat against your skin. By far, an amazing work of fiction that warms the soul. A multiple-read. Fantastic.
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Summary: A teenager's point of view
Review: This book was amazing. It dealt with the real issues of life: kids, husbands, alcohol, depression, and the most trying of all- family. While I am only 18 and I have no kids or a husband, it really put a lot in perspective for me. And I really admired the relationships these women had with each other. It made me rethink the way I treat my mother. Every teenage girl should read this.
Rating:
Summary: A spectacular read dah-lin'!
Review: This is a book about the bonds that can tie imperfect people together and make them stronger. Vivid description and at times very funny but also very touching- especially if you've lived in the South-- or have a mother! The characters and their adventures are memorable; it's one of those books you read over and over. Far superior to "Little Altars Everywhere", the book this is a sequel to. Rebecca Wells obviously matured as a writer after writing Little Altars, which does not have to be read to understand this book (in fact I would say don't read it at all, just enjoy Divine Secrets). Divine Secrets is bound to be a favorite book passed from mother to daughter-- or in my case daughter to mother! Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A funny, sad, great book
Review: This was a really good book. It tells the story of Vivi, her daughter Sidda, and the Ya-Ya's, Vivi's life-long friends. I especially liked the parts when Vivi flashed back to when she was a teenager in the 1940's.
Rating:
Summary: Oh yes.
Review: If you read only one book in the bathtub with a martini this year, make it this one. I was mortified to see it end. I wanted to turn back time, but of course all attempts to do this failed...I will just have to wait another year or two and read it again - by then it will all seem new. Ms. Wells is a true original. Rejoice.
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