Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees, a heartwarming coming of age tale set in 1960s South Carolina, a multi-million copy New York Times bestseller, now an award-winning film starring Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys

Fans of Kathryn Stockett’s The Help and Beth Hoffman’s Saving CeeCee Honeycutt will love Sue Monk Kidd’s Southern coming of age tale. The Secret Life of Bees was a New York Times bestseller for more than 125 weeks, a Good Morning America “Read This” Book Club pick and was made into an award-winning film starring Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys. Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed.

When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the town's most vicious racists, Lily decides they should both escape to Tiburon, South Carolina—a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. There they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters who introduce Lily to a mesmerizing world of bees, honey, and the Black Madonna who presides over their household. This is a remarkable story about divine female power and the transforming power of love—a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

Going to be sent off as part of sweepstake game

Surprise sweepstake winner, hope you enjoy your book and your wings x

I just won this book in a sweepstake. It was a wishlist book and I am very happy to read it ;)
As if not enough, I also got wings - my first wings! Juhu!

Thank you so much!

To lamelemon as a prize in the 1st sentence vbb. I hope you enjoy ;)

Thank you Andrasthe for sharing this book via the First Sentences VBB! I picked it up this morning from the post office and was surprised to find it. Although I heard good things about this book, I would have expected a different kind of royalty given its first sentence :)

This is a book I'm sure I will enjoy, now where have I left my reading space and time .. :)

On the good side, there was so much of everything. On the bad side, there was so much of everything. I found the book very easy to get into, intense at times, depressing and hopeful at the same time. Some things felt unrealistic, though, and the moral depth and rationality of some of the characters felt far-fetched. A good read, all in all, but not my best.

Thanks for sharing, soon to travel to Tsjara via Nataliec7's Already Bookcrossed VBB.

Posted this morning. Happy reading!

Thanks lamelemon! This is one of those titles that I have often seen/heard about but never read, so I am quite curious to read it. And I am rather fond of coming of age tales :)

It was a nice read, though I did not find it that special to understand why it was such a bestseller (maybe it set my expectations too high). Easy to read and likeable characters, though sometimes Lily seemed naive and childlike to me at 14, while at other times rather wily. And I kept wondering if there was someone missing from the sisters. There were April, May, June and August, but what about July? The bits about beekeeping were quite interesting though.

On its way to my b-day buddy together with some goodies. Sorry it's a bit late, I hope you had a great birthday! :)

Thank you for everything, including the goodies :)

The book seems quite interesting, looking forward to read it !

What can I say about this novel… well, it’s quite an interesting read. It’s been a few days since I finished it and I have yet to come up exactly with I want to say about it. Yes, the story doesn’t let the reader indifferent, as it sees the inequalities during the sixties between white and black people. I did like the fact the main character goes through an introspection and finds her way to what and whom she truly is, which is not done without any kind of difficulties. Yet, it has a good pace and actually read quite fast, once you get into the story. Overall, it was an excellent book and worth being put on a list of books to be read, if it’s not already the case.

Sent along with some goodies.

Hope everything will be liked :)

Got the book as part of a birthday package. This is a great book, and since I have already read it I will be letting a friend read it next.