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thursday48's review against another edition
2.0
This book is better than "Little Altars Everywhere" and follows a timeline better but still lacks the outside storyline to justify the flashback/plot progression.
Since I just finished all three I'm going to cover the series all really quick.
Little Altars Everywhere is a terrible start to a series, at this point you don't know the characters and don't have a reason to care about them, the story line isn't there. It, like Ya-ya's in Bloom, is all about the side characters and relationships, as well as building the childhood issues that explain why Sidda goes on her sabbatical in Divine Secrets. While this is somewhat interesting in the way of building a more 3d character, neither book adds much to the overall story. As a reader we can understand how having an alcoholic mother and suffering abuse at her hand would cause some issue in your relationship with her and anyone else, we do not need 2 books of abuses and happy times to see why this would make it hard for Sidda to have a normal life. There is little conflict to overcome in Little Altars Everywhere or Ya-ya's in Bloom, leaving the readers to ask why they care.
I read that Wells said these books are not a memoir, however with the way that the first and third book in this series read I really have to wonder how much is fact and not fiction.
2
Since I just finished all three I'm going to cover the series all really quick.
Little Altars Everywhere is a terrible start to a series, at this point you don't know the characters and don't have a reason to care about them, the story line isn't there. It, like Ya-ya's in Bloom, is all about the side characters and relationships, as well as building the childhood issues that explain why Sidda goes on her sabbatical in Divine Secrets. While this is somewhat interesting in the way of building a more 3d character, neither book adds much to the overall story. As a reader we can understand how having an alcoholic mother and suffering abuse at her hand would cause some issue in your relationship with her and anyone else, we do not need 2 books of abuses and happy times to see why this would make it hard for Sidda to have a normal life. There is little conflict to overcome in Little Altars Everywhere or Ya-ya's in Bloom, leaving the readers to ask why they care.
I read that Wells said these books are not a memoir, however with the way that the first and third book in this series read I really have to wonder how much is fact and not fiction.
2
banrions's review against another edition
2.0
I feel like Rebecca Wells is sort of a one trick pony. I really liked Divine Secrets, and I mostly liked Little Alters (I read them out of order), And to me this felt like the same story being told. I like the characters, but it just seems to repetitive, they don't change or evolve that much.
abra81's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book! I listened to it on cd and the narrator was amazing! I felt like I was watching a movie...definitely fun to revisit the Ya-Ya's!!
bookapotamus's review against another edition
3.0
Jumps around too much, doesn't focus on main characters enough. Very choppy.
cascadianriot's review against another edition
3.0
Not as good as "Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood" but worth reading to get the history behind their stories.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
3.0
3 STARS
"An emotionally charged addition to Rebecca Wells' much loved previous novels, 'Ya-Yas in Bloom' reveals the roots of the Ya-Yas' friendship in the 1930s and roars through the 60 years of marriage, child-raising, and hair-raising family secrets." (From Amzon)
This book was not as good as the first two books in the series. I liked it because we get more Ya-Ya.
"An emotionally charged addition to Rebecca Wells' much loved previous novels, 'Ya-Yas in Bloom' reveals the roots of the Ya-Yas' friendship in the 1930s and roars through the 60 years of marriage, child-raising, and hair-raising family secrets." (From Amzon)
This book was not as good as the first two books in the series. I liked it because we get more Ya-Ya.
halirose's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
kandicez's review against another edition
5.0
I adore the Ya Yas. I have read this and the other two books about them before, seen the movie countless times, and often wished to BE a Ya Ya. This was my first time audio-ing one. Judith Ivey was the perfect narrator. Her accent was spot on, she did the voices (which I usually hate on audio) perfectly, and if she wasn't tipsy when she was relaying a story from Vivi's POV, then she is one of the best actresses I have ever heard!
I actually prefer this book and [b:Little Altars Everywhere: A Novel|6697|Little Altars Everywhere A Novel|Rebecca Wells|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165604311s/6697.jpg|851747] to [b:Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood|137791|Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood|Rebecca Wells|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172090847s/137791.jpg|1010054]. Divine has a plot running through the chapters, whereas this one and Altars just gives us glimpses back in time to a different age. That's what I crave. The stories she shows us of how these girls love, support and care for one another through their childhood and entire lives. For every horrid, irresponsible thing they did, there was an equally wonderful, loving, uplifting action. Life is not constant, steady or routine. How can we survive if we try to be those things?
The Ya Yas always remind me of my mama and aunts. I have so many pictures of them pregnant, playing dice (instead of the Ya Ya Bourre) a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other! They didn't know it was wrong. They may not have done what we think is best for our children now, but they sure loved us the best they could. As flawed as the Ya Yas are, they are loyal, devoted lovers. What Wells shows us through them, is that we can only love another wholeheartedly when we have given in and loved who we are. Done our best with what we have and given up appologizing. Be yourself. You are the only one that knows how.
Ya Yas forever!
I actually prefer this book and [b:Little Altars Everywhere: A Novel|6697|Little Altars Everywhere A Novel|Rebecca Wells|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165604311s/6697.jpg|851747] to [b:Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood|137791|Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood|Rebecca Wells|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172090847s/137791.jpg|1010054]. Divine has a plot running through the chapters, whereas this one and Altars just gives us glimpses back in time to a different age. That's what I crave. The stories she shows us of how these girls love, support and care for one another through their childhood and entire lives. For every horrid, irresponsible thing they did, there was an equally wonderful, loving, uplifting action. Life is not constant, steady or routine. How can we survive if we try to be those things?
The Ya Yas always remind me of my mama and aunts. I have so many pictures of them pregnant, playing dice (instead of the Ya Ya Bourre) a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other! They didn't know it was wrong. They may not have done what we think is best for our children now, but they sure loved us the best they could. As flawed as the Ya Yas are, they are loyal, devoted lovers. What Wells shows us through them, is that we can only love another wholeheartedly when we have given in and loved who we are. Done our best with what we have and given up appologizing. Be yourself. You are the only one that knows how.
Ya Yas forever!
kat7321's review against another edition
4.0
This is the third in the Ya-Yas series, but I "read" it first because I grabbed the audio off the sale table at my library for $1. I didn't really expect to like it as much as I did! I don't know, the covers of this series of books always seemed a little strange to me. Well, "don't judge a book by its cover" proved, once again, to be very true. I loved it! The audio has the added advantage of enabling the listener to experience the southern drawls of the characters which, for a life-long Yankee girl like me, added a lot of charm and humor to the story. These characters are terrific; flawed, vulnerable and truly lovable. The story is at times hysterically funny, at times poignant, and sometimes both moods work together, which made me eager to listen to the next part of the book (I listened to it while driving my car). The first two novels in this series are now at the top of my list of "must reads". The child at the end of the book (one of the "très petite ya-yas) who played the angel in the Christmas pageant clinched it for me with her announcement "Unto y'all a child is born!" How can I not read the others?