Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood: A Novel

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It's Pretty Good

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

What's the fuss?

Great Narrative Voice

An Easy Read Fly-Weight

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood: A Novel
Rebecca Wells
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Wells, Rebecca | ( W ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

ASIN: 006075995X
Release Date: 2004-12-07

Amazon.com

Wells is a Louisiana-born Seattle actress and playwright; her loopy saga of a 40-year-old player in Seattle's hot theater scene who must come to terms with her mama's past in steamy Thornton City, Louisiana, reads like a lengthy episode of Designing Women written under the influence of mint juleps and Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!. The Ya-Yas are the wild circle of girls who swirl around the narrator Siddalee's mama, Vivi, whose vivid voice is "part Scarlett, part Katharine Hepburn, part Tallulah." The Ya-Yas broke the no-booze rule at the cotillion, skinny-dipped their way to jail in the town water tower, disrupted the Shirley Temple look-alike contest, and bonded for life because, as one says, "It's so much fun being a bad girl!"

Siddalee must repair her busted relationship with Vivi by reading a half-century's worth of letters and clippings contained in the Ya-Ya Sisterhood's packet of "Divine Secrets." It's a contrived premise, but the secrets are really fun to learn.

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

Performed, not read, by the author is the key here. This highly spirited interpretation of the cult classic is, like the book, full of humor and surprises. It captures with ease the powerful lifelong friendship between four Southern women, the Ya-Ya's: Vivi, Teensy, Caro, and Necie. The author endows each of her charming characters with an inimitable Southern accent, from a low rumble for the aging oxygen-tank-carrying Caro, to the fresh innocent voice of Vivi as a child. The story moves back and forth from present to past when Vivi's daughter, Sidda, is faced with a crisis and is given the golden opportunity to explore the history of these devoted pals through her mother's secret scrapbook. Her journey is sprinkled with her own memories of her irrepressible and irresistible mother, and she is rewarded with glimpses of true love and loyalty against an often hilarious and poignant backdrop of life in the rural South.

Some favorite scenes, anecdotes, and the rich bayou background are not included on this abridged audiocassette, but fans of this special sisterhood will nonetheless enjoy listening to the author's take on the world of Thornton, Louisiana, and the female friendships she created there. (Running time: 3 hours, 2 cassettes) --Anne Depue

Book Description

When Siddalee Walker, oldest daughter of Vivi Abbott Walker, Ya–Ya extraordinaire, is interviewed in the New York Times about a hit play she's directed, her mother gets described as a 'tap–dancing child abuser'. Enraged, Vivi disowns Sidda. Devastated, Sidda begs forgiveness, and postpones her upcoming wedding. All looks bleak until the Ya–Yas step in and convince Vivi to send Sidda a scrapbook of their girlhood mementos, called Divine Secrets of the Ya–Ya Sisterhood. As Sidda struggles to analyse her mother, she comes face to face with the tangled beauty of imperfect love, and the fact that forgiveness, more than understanding, is often what the heart longs for.

Visit Ya–Ya.com, where you can:

find tips on starting your own Ya–Ya group
join the Ya–Ya.com Community
send Ya–Ya e–cards
download Ya–Ya wallpaper for your computer's desktop
use the Ya–Ya name generator to come up with your own Ya–Ya name

Download Description

Siddalee Walker won't forgive her mother Vivi for her painful Louisiana childhood. But Vivi's lifelong friends -- the Ya-Yas -- have other ideas.. Locked in a cabin, they present Siddalee with a scrapbook of their childhood mementos, and reveal the secrets of a tangled, emotional relationship between a mother and her daughter. Companion to the beloved bestseller Little Alters Everywhere.

When Siddalee Walker, oldest daughter of Vivi Abbott Walker, Ya-Ya extraordinaire, is interviewed in the New York Times about a hit play she's directed, her mother gets described as a ""tap-dancing child abuser."" Enraged, Vivi disowns Sidda. Devastated, Sidda begs forgiveness, and postpones her upcoming wedding. All looks bleak until the Ya-Yas step in and convince Vivi to send Sidda a scrapbook of their girlhood mementos, called ""Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood."" As Sidda struggles to analyze her mother, she comes face to face with the tangled beauty of imperfect love, and the fact that forgiveness, more than understanding, is often what the heart longs for.

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood may call to mind Prince of Tides in its unearthing of family darkness; in its unforgettable heroines and irrepressible humor and female loyalty, it echoes Fannie Flagg's Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe.

Customer Reviews:

It's Pretty Good.......2007-09-26

I rarely read abridged books of anything, but I chose to do it this time and I am
glad that I did. The reason why I chose to "listen to" the abridged version is
because I find a southern accent quickly grating. I can only listen
to about one half of one disc at a time and then must give it a rest.

It is hard to tell how good the original book is with so much chopped out. But it
wasn't a bad read just the same. The sisterhood did have a penchant for nudity which I thought was a bit overblown, but maybe if I had read the entire book it would not have been so noticeable. I cannot imagine that many of the experiences
of the young women were anything like those of my mother who also came of age
around the time of the war, or mine either for that matter. But I wasn't expecting
realism when I chose it, so that was not a particular disappointment.

I did find it interesting enough to check out the movie, which is next on my list.

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.......2007-06-05

ISBN 0060928336 - A #1 New York Times Bestseller, Divine Secrets proves, yet again, that marketing can make a mountain out of any molehill. I really WANTED to like this book even half as much as the marketing told me I should, but I just couldn't work up that much enthusiasm about it.

Sidda is engaged and the wedding date nears when she freaks out, realizing she doesn't "know how to love" and runs off to contemplate her belly button. Blaming her lack of "knowing how to love" on her mother, Vivi, who Sidda recently offended - in the New York Times, no less! - Sidda finds herself adrift without the anchor that Vivi and her mother's friends had been for most of her life. Believing that the answer lies with these women, Sidda is fortunate when her mother relents just enough to send her a scrapbook of Ya-Ya-rablia. Sadly, little scraps don't tell the whole story and Sidda can't piece it together without help.

After the introduction of each scrap, Wells puts it in context for the reader, telling the story of Teensy, Caro, Necie and Vivi - the Ya-Yas. Sidda is NOT aware of these stories, except in rare instances when a character talks TO her or it is her own memory, which makes for some mild confusion. Sidda has to wade through the mess in her head and the scraps in the book in order to feel that she can love - and be loved.

Wells felt the need to subtly point to the fact that Sidda's fiance looks like Vivi's one true love, Jack, several times, but it is never clearly said and therefore seems pointless - most especially since the only person who doesn't seem to remark upon it is Sidda. Oddly, the only thing about the book that sticks in my head after finally finishing it is that every exaggeration was "eighty four thousand" - "saw it eighty four thousand times", "dyeing eighty four thousand eggs", etc.

Fans of chick-lit will like this book. Others, like me, will find themselves referring to it as "the blah-blah sisterhood". The story of the Ya-Yas themselves, without a character like Sidda in the way, might have been more interesting. On the up side for me, I did rather enjoy seeing religion portrayed as one of the worst evils in the story. Not awful, just not worth more than the current used price of one penny (plus shipping).

What's the fuss?.......2007-03-30

I really tried to like this book. It was given to me by my Mother who loved it, and after a couple of attempts, and struggling to about half way, I finally decided that I found the book extremely boring and gave it up.

I even watched the movie to try and spark my interest, and although I found the movie OK, it did nothing to make me want to pick up the book and finish it. I don't often put down books, I will usually persevere, and I tend to be a fairly easy critic, but this one just had nothing for me.

Great Narrative Voice.......2007-02-18

What I love about well-written Southern books is the clever setting descriptions and wonderful wordplay characterizations and Rebecca Wells delivers on both nicely. She's a fantastic writer and here's why:

I hated the story of discovery. I hated the travel through a coming of age decades-come-late. I hated the little organization of friends who support and encourage each other through understandable secrets and hard life's lessons. I hated all of it, yet I kept reading the book and the reason I kept reading the book is because Ms. Wells is just that good of a writer. I even asked myself, "Why are you reading this book?" and my answer was, "I want to write that cleverly."

For someone who loves intricate stories of women's lives and motivations, this book is going to be heaven. For someone who doesn't, this book is a lesson in how to do it right - or how to do it write. I recommend on either count.

- CV Rick

An Easy Read Fly-Weight.......2006-10-08

Sidda is forty, engaged to be married, and a theatrical director who has recently hit the popular and critical jackpot in her staging of a New York play. She has also managed to give an interview that has fractured her already strained relationship with mother Vivi, and her reflections on her mother and her Lousiana childhood have led her to an emotional crossroads: can she reconcile with her mother, the past, and indeed her own life?

DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD was tremendously successful when first published, and many professional reviewers commented that it was the sort of novel that would make you cry and laugh at the same time. It is quite true that the book has much to offer: it contains several very memorable characters, and author Wells does indeed manage to capture a sense of the bonds of friendship as well as a uniquely Louisiana way of life. But I can't say that I found the book laugh-out-loud funny or that it made my eyes water, much less shed tears.

Simply put, DIVINE SECRETS reads very much as if Wells and a host of marketing men sat down together and premeditated a book that would be an easy-read best seller. It is well written, but I never quite believed in the characters or the situations they faced; as such I never found any of it greatly funny or even slightly moving. At absolute best, the novel is an easy way to pass an otherwise empty afternoon, enjoyable in an utterly mindless sort of way. I recommend it on that basis alone.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood: A Novel

Average customer rating:

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood: A Novel
Rebecca Wells
Manufacturer: Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UKW5SU

Book Description

Beautiful, charming and respected as the wife of an ambitious senator, Helena Cabot is the leading lady of Saratoga Springs. But beneath the facade lies a terrible deception. Helena married for all the wrong reasons -- and discovered too late that her husband is a dangerous man. Fearing for her safety, she ends her marriage and flees to legendary Moon Lake Lodge, where she creates a refuge for other women in need of a safe haven. And there she finds the courage within to become the woman she was meant to be.

But Helena can't outrun her past. In desperation, she turns to Michael Rowan, a man she once loved, a man who broke her heart. A brilliant inventor, Michael is still ruggedly handsome, still defiantly unconventional. For Helena, the road to trusting Michael again is long and hard. And danger lies ahead. But Michael has just discovered a shattering truth . . . and a reason to stay and fight for the woman he once lost.

With a deft hand and a unique voice, acclaimed author Susan Wiggs creates an enchanting story that will take your breath away as it reaffirms the power of love and the magic of forgiveness.

Customer Reviews:

I'd give 3 1/2 stars if it would let me.... A solid read and top author.......2006-05-31

I have read quite a few books by Susan Wiggs this past 12 months (Horsemaster's Daughter & A Summer Affair, Miranda, The Firebrand and Halfway to Heaven - all really good and historical in content). She is one of my most favorite authors now. I prefer historical romances and this one had a definite taste of the past. This author is great at weaving a detailed story line, pulling you back in history and creating interesting and unique characters. She spends little time in developing passionate love scenes so, if you want that, look elsewhere. She spends little time making the main content of the book about sex and attraction, if you want that, look elsewhere. If you want a warm hearted story deep with emotion and is fulfilling from beginning to end - stop here.

I wasn't sure I would like this book as a number of readers didn't care for this follow up to Halfway to Heaven. The first book was about sister #1 - Abigail. This book was about sister #2 - Helena. I think anyone who read the earlier book was interested in hearing the story that made up Helena and Michael's broken love story. Although this book was intricate and detailed, I think the most glaring thing lacking in this story was the true connection that was made again between Michael and Helena the second time around. Clearly, their joint son William was the main link and then the woman's retreat they created together at Moon Lake Lodge was the second link. Their continued love and attraction for each other seemed almost lost in the background of all the other events going on in this book (battered woman, suppressed woman's rights, a legal system in place for a male dominated society only, impossible divorces even when a woman needed it, raising a son alone, being an outcast from society and so on).

I liked that Ms. Wiggs tackled the important topic of battered woman - especially in a time as strict and male dominated as the late 1800's. I think she did a good job of allowing Helena to evolve from a pampered and beautiful daughter of a rich and powerful Senator into a mature, independent and intelligent woman in her late 20's - early 30's. She didn't crumbled up and loose it in the face of adversity as expected. Instead, she got smart and she got strong. I liked that Helena didn't stay just a pretty face - instead - she became someone to truly admire and like. I also liked that many of Michael's quirky characteristics remained in this book too - that his socks didn't match, his clothing was often rumpled and messy, his hair too long, his beard too thick, his mind brilliant but, scattered and his heart big but, tender and shy. Micheal and Helena's son William was a joy to read about. He was curious, interesting and appealing as a boy. You could really feel his wonder regarding the world at large and his ever growing fascination with everything around him. Another little mad scientist in the making.

I would have wished for more direct romance between Helena and Michael. Most of their previous lightness, joy and passion were found in the first book and even then, we only got a sprinkling of what happened. I would have enjoyed more flashbacks to warm and tender times and what caused all the attraction in the first place. I think the author had them at odds and fighting and arguing of the past and their differences a bit more than I would have liked. I would have enjoyed some more NEW loving and affectionate moments between the two. There was only one or two moments at the most in the whole book. Their relationship was often contentious regardless of their attraction and long suffering desire for the other. I do read these for the powerful emotions created and although this one had remnants of desire and deep love, it did get a little lost along the way with all the side events happening.

As all stories, this one works out nicely in the end and frankly, the bad guys get their due (Troy Barnes, etc) and the good guys & gals (the ladies at Moon Lake Lodge, etc) - find a way to make a nice life for themselves. This was an enjoyable novel to find out Helena's story and put closure to the lives of the two sisters.

This is always a great author to read. If you start with this book, just know she has many others that are really amazing and will blow this one away so, keep buying and reading Ms. Wigg's stories -you won't be sorry you did. If you are a fan already - you'll probably agree with a lot of things I said. I can't give four stars as this book was missing that passionate and deep element called "amore' - love". Five stars are reserved for only the best of the best - this one was pleasing but, fell short of true greatness. So...I gave three stars for a solid read and a top author.

Touching and beautiful.......2003-04-14

Susan Wiggs has already proven her talent as a writer with some amazing romance novels like Lord of the Night and The Charm School, and it's really nice to see her taking on this new kind of storytelling. She tells this one from the heart, and anyone who's read interviews with her on the subject of this book will see that she is best friends with her own sister and is therefore able to write something that's completely genuine and touching on the subject. For fans of her romance novels, there's still a love story involved, and for fans of simply great reading (or of just Susan Wiggs), this book satisfies across the board. I recommend this, or any of Susan's other books, for anyone who wants to read beautiful and genuine stories of being human.

Not the best but a must read if you are following the series.......2002-12-08

Courtesy of A Romance Review

Enchanted Afternoon takes place in Saratoga Springs, New York with a hero and heroine that have a big difference both in their background and education. Helena is born rich as a senator's daughter and Michael is a poor lad when they first met in Halfway To Heaven. Ironically, Helena is illiterate and Michael is a professor. Only their love and trust can heal their broken hearts and make a bright future together.

A love story to dream about.......2002-10-08

This is definitly one of Wiggs' best. She goes beyond the fairy tale to explore the real meaning of love and commitment. Helena and Michael started out on the wrong foot (some sizzling scenes in the previous book, Halfway to Heaven) and then drifted apart. The wrenching choices each one made are examined in detail. Helena finds herself in the worst possible place--with a husband who has turned on her, running for her life. When Michael comes back, it's not your typical hero to the rescue, but a realistic and emotional journey for the both of them.

There are some humorous scenes too. I still think about these characters and look forward to the next one.

Not very good.......2002-09-26

Susan Wiggs is a wonderful storyteller; however, this one is not very good. The main characters are flat and I wasn't able to care about them enough to even finish the book.

Average customer rating:

Truly lives up to its title!
From the Editor, Marty Halpern, Golden Gryphon Press
none

Stories for an Enchanted Afternoon
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Manufacturer: Golden Gryphon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Short Stories | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1930846029

Book Description

The first story in this collection of the author's best short fiction, "Millennium Babies," looks at the "losers," the infants who are not the first born in the New Year. Then in the novella "The Gallery of His Dreams," a finalist for the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy Awards, the life and talent of Matthew Brady, a daguerreotype photographer who photographs the horrors of future wars and atrocities in order to preserve the past, is detailed. The collection also includes "Skin Deep," "Echea," "Coolhunting," "Going Native," "Harvest," "Strange Creatures," "Monuments of the Dead," "Spirit Guides," and "Burial Detail."

Customer Reviews:

Truly lives up to its title!.......2001-10-14

Kristine Kathryn Rusch has authored more than fifty novels, won numerous awards, and is an effective, talented, and experienced storyteller. Stories For An Enchanted Afternoon showcases her best short fiction in the field of science fiction and will serve to introduce her to a whole new generation of readers. The stories comprising this outstanding anthology include: Skin Deep; Echea; Coolhunting; Going Native; Millennium Babies; Harvest; Strange Creatures; Monuments to the Dead; Spirit Guides; Burial Detail; and The Gallery of His Dreams. Augmented with a foreword by science fiction author Kevin J. Anderson, Kristine Rusch's Stories For An Enchanted Afternoon truly lives up to its title!

From the Editor, Marty Halpern, Golden Gryphon Press.......2001-09-21

As the editor of Kristine Kathryn Rusch's first short fiction collection, STORIES FOR AN ENCHANTED AFTERNOON, I'm a bit too biased to actually rate this book. But I did want all of Kris's readers to know that one of the stories contained in this collection, "Millennium Babies," has recently won the 2001 Hugo Award for Best Novelette. In fact, you might be interested to know that the title for this collection was originally MILLENNIUM BABIES: A SHORT STORY COLLECTION! This was the title Kris chose when she submitted the manuscript to Golden Gryphon Press. However, our distributor was hesitant to accept a book with "Millennium" in the title because so many other such books had already been published and the "Millennium" was now, of course, passé. So we agreed to make a title change. If only we had known . . .

none.......2001-05-30

Whether set in a grim future, or fantastical realm, Rusch has an eye for detail that lends her characters a voice that's nearly poetic in quality, and stories filled with a touch of horror, humor, caution, wonder, and awe. Stories that enchant anytime... Gary S. Potter Author/Poet.

Average customer rating:

Enchanted Afternoon

Manufacturer: Mira Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739428799

4 Titles: (1) Enchanted Afternoon; (2) The Firebrand; (3) The Mistress; (4) The Lightkeeper

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4 Titles: (1) Enchanted Afternoon; (2) The Firebrand; (3) The Mistress; (4) The Lightkeeper
Susan Wiggs
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000TKH6E4

Casper and Wendy's Enchanted Afternoon Read-Along Fun Pack: Contains Book, Cassette, and Casper and Wendy Collectible Figures

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Casper and Wendy's Enchanted Afternoon Read-Along Fun Pack: Contains Book, Cassette, and Casper and Wendy Collectible Figures
Harvey Comics
Manufacturer: G T Publishing Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1577196422

Customer Reviews:

Damn, don't read this without bracing yourself, Batfans!.......2002-05-10

...I make my way over to the graphic novels, and low and behold I find part 3 in the Batman/ Vampire trilogy! Of corse, I have not read the first 2 books but I picked this one up since it was in paperback and all the other copies I found were in hardcover...being the avid Batman Graphic Novel reader I am, I expected Batman to cure himself from being a vampire (that's all I had heard. That he became a vampire, and knowing my folklore, there is a cure to gaining your humnaity back). No such luck. :(
Batman is dead, I'll tell you that much. For you Batfans like me who expect him to always survive in the end, give up hope now, because he's already dead at the beginning of this book.
Boy, and another thing, if your like me, you'll have a sick feeling after reading this book. But that's because you see practicaly every famous Batman character hacked and slashed beyond reconition. And trust me, it's not all that great to see your favorite childhood characters treated that way. No sir. :(
But all in, this everything I didn't expect it to be, and that's why it's a good read. It's dark, it keeps true to Vampire folklore and the art is great! I just love Kelly Jone's art, it's so gothic!
You must pick this book up! It is a damn fine Batman novel. And if you don't like Batman, pick it up anyways because it's also a damn fine Vampire novel.
But word to wise, read the 1st 2 books beforehand... oh... and bring a barf bag.

Not As Good As the First Two Books, But Get It Anyway.......2002-02-05

Don't get me wrong, Batman as a vampire is the most compelling concept I've come across in comic-land. The first two books were so cool and intense that years later I still read it with eyes intent on the page. I can't say for others, but for me it speaks of the heart's deep inner urges, longings, appetites, and pent-up rage and regrets. Bloodstorm was, for me, the penultimate description of the human condition. Only Christie Golden's book, "Vampire of the Mists," can touch what the creators have done in this trilogy.

Having said that, I must admit that the third installment here carries two basic flaws:

First of all, it loses touch with what makes Batman a living, pulsing character. I can't speak for others, but I can't identify with an unleashed, hell-bent-for-slaughter-and-mayhem Batman pushed past an insanity even the Joker never had. This Batman kills without compunction, guilt, recrimination, or reserve. He's ten times worse than any criminal he savages, and he's SCARY in ways that Batman never was meant to be, even in Elseworlds!

Second and more importantly for me, he looks U-G-L-Y ...with a capital UGH! I don't WANT to look at an animated rotting dessicated corpse of a once-Batman-turned savage killer running about tearing out necks and cutting off heads! I can only handle so much gore, and the creators gave more to spare here!

Call me silly, but one of the reasons I loved the first two installments is that Batman looked so COOL as a vampire! All shadows and cape and fangs ...he was creepy, but in a COOL way. He was all that Batman pretended to be... for real! But this Batman is just an ugly, insane monster.

Aside from all that, it was still a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. The end of Bloodstorm left me hanging, sad, and wanting more. Crimson Mist left me with a feeling of closure, as Batman dissolves into dust, leaving his cape behind to find that peace that he so longingly searched for.

Fanaticos del Murcielago no seran decepcionados.......2001-05-29

Este es un muy buen libro que completa la trilogia de vampiros (Red Rain y Bloodstorm siendo los otros dos), el arte es continuo con los libros anteriores y el relato excelente. Personalmente creo que Red Rain cuenta la mejor historia, Bloodstorm (mi favorito) entra de lleno en el mundo del detective y Crimson Mist da un buen termino a la serie. No considero cinco estrellas ya que me hubiera gustado ver a un Batman un poco mas humano en Crimson Mist, y quizas una historia un poco menos apresurada.

A Fitting End To An Excellent Trilogy.......2000-10-26

This is good. In fact, it's very good. It's a huge Gothic melodrama - which is a good thing. It's very gory. The art fits the story like a glove. But don't read it unless you've read the first two books in the trilogy (Red Rain and Bloodstorm). You'll be able to understand Crimson Mist without having read them, but I doubt you'll fully appreciate it. If you have read the first two I hope that saying it's more of the same will persuade you to read it as soon as possible. I think it's probably the best of the trilogy, but that could be because it's the freshest in my mind.

It's always nice when you spend a lot of money on a book to get nice packaging, and this was no disappointment. A good cover, which indicates exactly what the story is going to be like. The paper is very glossy and I don't think this is going to fall apart in a hurry. Little things, like the small gold images on the pages and the skull on the front cover indicate that care has been taken over this. It is expensive, but no more so than many hardback novels. I won't say it's great value for money, but it's not a rip-off by any stretch of the imagination.

The prose is gothic, over-blown, melodramatic and quite, quite brilliant. This is a vampire story. A tale of blood-lust, ancient evil, darkness and tragedy. The prose fits the themes. Batman sounds like a vampire should sound to all of us that have grown up on the Dracula myth. There's a nineteenth century feel to the writing that only serves to accentuate this. It's melodramatic, as I've already mentioned, but I like melodrama. It works.

I've always liked Kelley Jones' art. One thing that struck me was that everyone in the book looked grotesque. Which is how it should be. This is a horror story, after all. Even the 'good guys' have done wrong and are tainted by the memories of their actions and the evil enveloping Gotham. The only minor problem I had was with Poison Ivy, who should look beautiful, even in a book such as this, and she looked as ugly as everyone else.

The inking and colouring is excellent, and helped a lot by the paper quality, I'd imagine. There are shadows where there need to be shadows and the light, such as it is, glows. Gordon's moustache seemed to disappear in one panel, but that's taking nit-picking a little too far.

The plot itself works well, but I won't go into any detail here.

A very good book in its own right, and a fitting end to an excellent trilogy.

Crimson Mist is an awesome conclusion to the vampire trilogy.......1999-06-06

Doug Moench, Kelley Jones, and John Beatty finally, FINALLY get to release the long-awaited final chapter of the Batman vampire trilogy. We get to see variations on such Batman villains as Black Mask, Two-face, Killer Croc,and what has to be my favorite- a Riddler with a question mark stitched into his face! Batman, rapidly losing control, deals them his own rough justice, all the while wondering just how far he'll let himself go. the art is some of Jones's and Beatty's finest, and the colors here scream out at you. This one is not to be missed!

Book Description

When Jana returns from a missions trip, she discovers that her pastor husband has left with his secretary.along with their bank account. Humiliated, penniless, pregnant, and very much alone, Jana reluctantly turns to her mother, Eleanor, in desperation. Eleanor is haunted by her own guilt and pain, and the arrival of her daughter only serves as a daily reminder of the memories she has long kept hidden away. Will a delightfully eccentric aunt become a catalyst between these two women? Will they allow God's spirit-and God's people-to bring true healing...and a future filled with love?

Customer Reviews:

Can't go wrong.......2007-04-01

Tracie Peterson is quickly becoming another favorite author of mine. This book didn't fail me in my expectations. It is about a pastor's wife who finds out she is pregnant while on a work and witness trip and comes home to share the news and finds out her husband, the pastor, has left her for another woman. What I found refreshing about this book and storyline is just because we're Christians, doesn't mean our lives are storybook. It is nice to see a realistic point of view and that God can overcome the hurts if we let Him help us.

Help me understand.......2006-03-07

I read this book and loved it. I now understand a family memeber better who was sexually abused by their father. I am going to give it to her to read as well. Maybe she can find some forgiveness in her heart for herself not her abuser.

As a Christian, I find it refreshing to read a book with a Christian perspective and not a wordly response.

not the best from tracie but still good.......2006-02-10

What She Left for Me by Tracie Peterson is a book that deals with themes of adultery, rape, incest, and child abuse. Tracie gives a warning at the beginning of her book mentioning that parents should first make sure the book is okay for their teenagers to read. Because I am 19 and was able to handle this book, I'm not sure the typical 13-14 year old would be able to. She does not make things graphic like other authors to, but it is implied that inappropriate things are happening.

The books starts off with 26 year old Jana McGuire coming home from Africa from a missions trip. Excited to tell her pastor husband that she is pregnant with their first child, she comes home to a airport with no one there to greet her. Once home, she finds a note from her husband saying that he has fallen in love with his secretary and that he wants a divorce. He withdraws all their money--leaving her penniless, and even takes her family heirloom jewerly. Jana with no one to turn to calls the mother she barley knows and asks if she may move in with her and her great-aunt Taffy. Her mother, Eleanor however is very reluctant with the move-in. Eleanor has secrets from the past that she is trying to hide, a past she just wishes would go away and disappear. Jana, however wants to know those secrets and find out truly who her father is, who she really is, and how her past has affected the choices she has made. Will these woman ever truly be set free from the past secrets and lies that bond them?

This is not the best from Tracie. Not very rich in detail compared to her wonderful Heirs of Montana series and other past works she has done. Neitherless it was still a good read. The book has TONS of dialogue between the three main characters (Jana, Eleanor, and Taffy). Sometimes the dialogue gets so repetive though you just want the main plot to move forward--I kept looking ahead to find out what happens. I still enjoyed it, but it wouldn't be something I would read again. If you want a REALLY good book about family secrets and lies told read Lynn Austin's "Eve's Daughter's".

Draws you in-- you won't want to put it down!.......2006-01-11

This is an excellent book! From the opening pages to the close of the book, I was constantly wondering what was to come and did not want to put the book down! Tracie (respectfully) writes about some very sensitive issues that some women (Christian or not!) may face in their lives, but that must be dealt with in order to overcome the past and move forward to have a healthy future. While it may be difficult for some to read, the message of confronting your past and forgiveness is powerful and necessary.

This is definitely a book for adults and merits the authors warning in the foreward of the book.

Deep content.......2005-12-10

This book has some really deep issues in it. Women are forced to find redemption and forgiveness to be able to move on with their lives.
I do have to admit: I skimmed over quite a bit of it. There are repetitive, long (page after page) dialogues between the women. The content of these conversations is good, it just got a little old and tiresome to read the banter back and forth, back and forth.....

What She Left Me: Stories and a Novella (Bread Loaf Writers' Conference)

Average customer rating:

hold no punches
Not so wonderful as I expected.
a wonderful short story collection.
The light shines through.
A Brilliant Collection of Moving Stories!

What She Left Me: Stories and a Novella (Bread Loaf Writers' Conference)
Judy Doenges
Manufacturer: Middlebury
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (Sweetwater Fiction: Originals)

ASIN: 0874519373

Amazon.com

The characters in Judy Doenges's edgy What She Left Me are self-appointed outsiders: gamblers, petty criminals, men and women on the fringe of both gay and straight worlds. Chic, gin-soaked mothers haunt these stories, as do cops. There are guns, dubious inheritances, and a pervasive sense of emotional anomie. Caught in a police spotlight at the end of "Crooks," a teenager imagines that "this was the kind of light that would follow me to the police station, then to my home, even on to college, where I would be forever squinting and cringing under someone's scrutiny, never quite measuring up, never quite fitting in." In "MIB," the narrator's lover abandons her in search of someone who "lives here, outside, with the rest of us." Even the sense of family offered by the lesbian community is suspect. "As far as I was concerned"--according to the narrator of "Incognito"--"gay people made up an amorphous, loose, happy group, pairing up for love but still remaining outlaws. This family business seemed too familiar and dangerous. An old idea like that made the present very confusing."

Of course, it's hard to write about alienation without leaving the reader disconnected as well. The two best stories in Doenges's collection sidestep this problem by anchoring themselves firmly in the physical world. In the title piece, a waitress named Sandra obsessively catalogs the contents of her dead mother's house: barware, swimsuits, two aging Great Danes, the father's leather address book that he abandoned along with his family. Doenges switches gears in the masterful final novella, "God of Gods," in which a touchingly unworldly butcher named Odin Tollefson struggles with the changing social landscape of Chicago in the '70s--and his own attraction to a male coworker. Odin is something Doenges's other characters are not: engaged, palpably eager to love, to be loved, and to do the right thing. His story concludes with the sweetly redemptive sight of a bed sheet being folded back: "To Odin it was as if the earth had burst open beneath him and brought forth a newly minted, gleaming city." It's the book's only happy ending, and its most satisfying one, also. --Mary Park

Book Description

Powerful stories about the many guises of family bonds.

Customer Reviews:

hold no punches.......2002-01-01

While I too loved the highlight stories listed in other reviews, I found "Whole Numbers of Families" and "Crooks" to be strong as well. In a way her stories remind me of the writer Marisa Silver's portrayals of life in L.A., in that Doenges creates a landscape of hidden lives in modern America, often with glimpses of Chicago. Odin is a great character; all of her main characters are believable and intimately atriculated. I hope she writes more; as a 20 year old queer person I was really happy to find this book. Doenges takes the time to make her people complicated but really gay, telling stories that are just plain interesting. If you are Doenges and you are reading this, thanks for making these characters and talking about these lives. Even if they are slant lives, they are important. It's also nice to feel like you're not alone, reading them.

Not so wonderful as I expected........1999-09-25

I read some wonderful reviews of this book, and I purchased it with high hopes. Though I found several of the stories (specifically, the titular work, What She left Me) to be interesting and provocative, I was disappointed with the book as a whole. It was very uneven, and for every high point there were long sections full of dull, predictable prose. All in all, an uninspiring, if occasionally rewarding, collection.

a wonderful short story collection........1999-09-12

For short story aficionados this is an excellent collection. The stories are rich in detail, seamlessly written, and completely engrossing as far as this reader is concerned. The final story, "God of Gods," is masterful.

The light shines through........1999-08-30

This collection of stories combines uncommon craft with uncommon insight. The opening of the title story reminds me of one of Janet Fish's remarkable paintings of glassware. That is, while you might think the topic is glassware--or bar ware--the topic is really the light (of the protagonist) bending, twisting, transforming, and still shining through.

A Brilliant Collection of Moving Stories!.......1999-08-23

Judy Doenges is a masterful writer! Her work is filled with emotion and very convincing. I especially like the story "MIB"--it is one of the most poignant stories I have ever read. "What She Left Me" is a wonderful book--richly detailed and highly intelligent. It definitely deserves its rave review in the New York Times!

Average customer rating:

What She Left for Me
Tracie Peterson
Manufacturer: Recorded Books, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 1419375105

Product Description

10 cassettes unabridged fiction

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