Finished 1-2-10, rating 5/5, fiction, pub. 2010
I stared at my hands, not knowing how to respond. I’d never heard of a holy man named after a llama, I’d never heard of a great gaping vagina, and I didn’t know a thing about the black boomerang of karma. All I knew for sure was this: I had been plunked into a strange, perfumed world that, as far as I could tell, seemed to be run entirely by women.
Chapter 8
Cecelia Honeycutt is a twelve-year-old Ohio girl who has grown up with a mentally ill mother and a mostly absent father. When her mother is killed in an accident CeeCee is shipped off to her great-aunt Tootie in Savannah, Georgia. Here, CeeCee is surrounded by wealth, beauty, and the constant love and support of Aunt Tootie and Oletta, the cook who is really a part of the family. CeeCee is still dealing with guilt and abandonment and grief, but she is also falling in love with where she is, the south.
Okay, first book of the year and the one I’ll be judging others by since I’m giving it 5 stars. This book made me cry and laugh and left me with a smile on my face, not something that happens very often. CeeCee was a charming girl who had led a hard life to date and my heart broke for her. I loved her and her mistakes were both funny and important, reminding me that she was still just a girl no matter how grown up she sometimes seemed.
The other main player in this story was Oletta. She was an important woman to CeeCee and CeeCee was just as important her. The friendship between the two was the glue that held this story together. I also loved all of the other kooky women CeeCee met and they each left an imprint on her heart and sense of well being. This book is a love affair with the south, especially southern women. I love that, although I’d like to note that us northerners are not all that bad and have our virtues too 😉
I highly recommend this one! Hoffman’s debut novel was simply wonderful. I received this for free from Library Thing’s Early Reviewer program.
Stacy's Books 
This is the second excellent review I’ve seen in the same day! I can’t wait to read it myself. It sounds wonderful!!
So many good reviews coming in for this novel. It’s on my must read as soon as it is published list : )
The plot sounds so sort of unpleasant, and yet everyone is raving about this. One thing I’ve found out over the past year is that I can trust blogger raves! Glad to see you liked it so much, and I guess I’ll have to read it also!
I wouldn’t call it unpleasant, but I did shed a few tears so I guess it’s not always easy. Hope you like it!
I loved this book too! CeeCee’s character was so great because she wasn’t perfect. Oletta was simply wonderful.
The photos that she was taking with her Poloroid really cracked me up 🙂
Great review!
I’m about a third of the way through this wonderful book. I am totally enjoying it and hope to get through more of it today. Glad so many are liking it. I think it totally deserves a 5.
I can’t wait to see what you think.
I cannot wait to get started on this book…especially knowing you gave it a 5/5! Thanks for the review.
This one looks good! Great review!
I read yesterday that Sam’s Club has formed a book club and this is their first selection. I’m assuming that means it will be at a special price and be read by lots of people. Good thing for the author and good for Sam’s Club too. It certainly is on my list.
Sounds great. Nice to get a ‘5’ read right off the bat for 2010.
There’s just too much snow to travel to Sams! Your review made me want to read this book.
Glad to hear that you enjoyed this book!
This is the 3rd great review I’ve read of this one…I will have to get it from the library for sure. I love books that elicit all of those emotions!!
Sounds like a great read. LT always has great taste with its ER books! 🙂
Sounds great! I’ll have to add this on to my wishlist!
This will definitely be on my radar now. Thanks for the review!
wow, I’m in LOVE with the cover, it’s so pretty, I just feel like looking at it for hours 🙂
Putting it on my wishlist.
As I find reviews that I want to go back to in my internet wanderings, I’m adding them to my list at Saturday Review of Books at Semicolon. If you’re not familiar with it, check it out—especially if you need titles to add to your reading list. And feel free to add links each Saturday to your book reviews for the week.
Everyone just loves this book!!
Love the review! I’ve posted one recently myself and enjoyed it just as much (made a similiar point about the Northern thing though….). =0)
Glad to see others are enjoying it….spread the word! It’s “CeeCee”‘s BOOK BDAY! (Conrgat’s to author Beth Hoffman on a great read!)
This one is certainly creating a buzz lately. Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Stacy!