Journal Entry 1 by Blithe10 from not specified, not specified not specified on Monday, July 07, 2003

This Book Ray is open

The way I understand it this is a book you either love or hate. Unfortunately I fell into the later catagory, and so I decided to release my copy so that it can be read by people who will appreciate it. Should you be interested in why I threw the book at the wall you can follow this link to my review:)
Divine Secrets of
the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

List so far
(This is not a complete list, and is still open so if you're interested PM me and let me know, and let me know if you're able to post internationally)

Xaphania (UK) - Finished, Journaled
Xaphania's mum (no BC ID yet) (UK) Read
Talkland (UK) - Received
perfect-circle (UK)
Candyfloss (UK)
dizzydormouse (UK)
Mymlan (Finland)
SuorClarisse (Canada)
spaceystacey (US)
Tobaira (Aus)

This ring is still open, so PM me if you're interested in joining.
 

Journal Entry 2 by Xaphania from not specified, not specified not specified on Monday, July 28, 2003

I didn't actually manage to reach Blithe10's gratuitous moist...however, nor did I hurl it at the wall!! I do agree that Sidda's mum was a spoilt brat and Sidda was a pain and the Ya-Yas were cracked, but it didn't annoy me as much as bore me (as well as make me feel a bit sick along the way). I'd just seen the film at a friend's sleepover and while it had its amusing moments, I didn't like it nearly as much as some of my friends did and definitely wouldn't see it again. I tried the book anyway but it had nothing extra, no unexpected little special touches- it was basically a re-run of the film, in small print. So I didn't bother. I do think friends can be as close as the Ya-Yas, but probably not in such a loud, overstated way, as if they were all acting out the part of "special friends" in a play. And definitely not with a queen figure like Vivi being all selfish and bossy. Even the most devout Ya-Ya would be sick of her within 50 minutes, let alone 50 years!  

Journal Entry 3 by Blithe10 from not specified, not specified not specified on Thursday, February 05, 2004

Due to a minor glitch in the book ray machine this book came back to me, rather than being sent on it's journey once more. As a couple of people have dropped out of the ray I'm going to relaunch the ray, contact people waiting for it to see if they're still interested, and get the ray moving once more. Stay tuned for more info very, very soon. 

Journal Entry 4 by Blithe10 from not specified, not specified not specified on Wednesday, February 11, 2004

Finally this book gets back on track, and gets to visit Talkland. I posted it yesterday, so you should receive it anytime. Hope you enjoy reading it. 

Journal Entry 5 by talkland from Eastbourne, East Sussex United Kingdom on Thursday, February 12, 2004

I have seen the movie which is a combination of this book and 'Little Altars Everywhere' which I have already read. I enjoyed 'Little Altars' and I am looking forward to reading this. Thank you Blithe for sending this to me. 

Journal Entry 6 by talkland from Eastbourne, East Sussex United Kingdom on Saturday, February 21, 2004

'Little Altars Everywhere' was a good book so what happened here? It is hard to believe that the same author wrote both books. I think Rebecca Wells must have been under pressure to write this sequel. The novel is trite, inconsistant and boring. Having read 'Little Altars' somethings stuck me as bizarre; How did Sidda turn out to be such a whiny bore? Vivi and her friends were suppose to be admired being strong and their sisterhood when really they are a bunch of alcoholic women who hate their husbands, neglect their kids and generally just awful. What happened to Sidda's father and siblings, they were hardly mentioned? The thing which really made me sick though was the way we were suppose to forget Vivi sexually molested her sons and beat her children. Why does the author want us to admire such a wickedly irresponsible lush and abuser?
 

Journal Entry 7 by talkland at on Saturday, February 21, 2004

Released on Saturday, February 21, 2004 at the post office in Eastbourne, East Sussex, England, in Controlled Releases.

Off to Perfect-circle. 

Journal Entry 8 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Thursday, March 04, 2004

totally forgotten about this so was pleasantly surprised when it arrived this morning. Will attempt to get it started as soon as I can. 

Journal Entry 9 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Friday, March 12, 2004

I struggled with this but made it through to the end. I had hopes for it being a positive message for women, about sisterhood and friendship but I agree with Talkland - the Ya-Ya's were alcoholics who seemed to care more about each other than their marriage and children. Vivi was supposed to be strong but didn't seem to have learnt anything from her own upbringing and just repeated mistakes or made them worse. I don't think I'll be bothering with the film. 

Journal Entry 10 by perfect-circle at on Saturday, March 13, 2004

Released on Saturday, March 13, 2004 at Postal Release in Controlled release, England United Kingdom.

posted to Candyfloss today 

Journal Entry 11 by Candyfloss from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Received in the post this morning from perfect-circle.

I hadn't read any reviews when I signed up for the bookring, it's a book I have been meaning to read for sometime. However, some of the other comments promise a very interesting read indeed!

I started reading on the train to work this morning, so I hope it won't take me too long to get through. 

Journal Entry 12 by Candyfloss from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Thursday, April 01, 2004

Mmmm- I didn't love or hate this book, although I guess I got into it a little more as the novel progressed.

It was hard to sympathise with either Sidda or Vivi. I found Sidda to be rather pathetic for a 40 year old women and much too introspective. I just wanted to slap her at times and tell her to get on with things! Vivi was too melodramatic for my liking, although I did feel for her when it became clear she had had a breakdown after having her 4 children so quickly with a man she clearly didn't regard as her true love. Still, no excuse for the abuse she inflicted on her children (I missed the bit about her molesting her sons though which another reviewer mentioned?) And the Ya-Yas- they have got to be caricatures! I have close friends but they were just way over the top!

I understand the themes running through the novel- sisterhood and friendship; relationships between mothers and daughters etc etc but all in all I found this to be a saccharine, schmaltzy novel, which is a shame since some of the writing was very good. I wouldn't seek this author out again in a hurry.

OK- I'm ready to send this on to dizzydormouse.

 

Journal Entry 13 by Candyfloss from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Saturday, April 10, 2004

Posted to Dizzydormouse first class today.

Dizzy- sorry for the delay. I had a nightmare in work this week and when I did finally get out to the PO on Thursday they had no post-bags to fit the size of the book. Hopefully it should be with you by Tuesday morning.

I look forward to reading everyone else's reviews.

Candyfloss 

Journal Entry 14 by Mymlan from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Tuesday, June 15, 2004

I got the book Tuesday June the 8th and read it in a week, so it was better than I expected - but that wasn't much.

The story engaged me in the beginning, even though Sidda didn't really get my sympathies, but I was interested in Vivi's story. Towards the end the whole thing became absolutely over sweet though, and the last pages were just nauseating. At places the description was ok, but dialogue lacked all fluidity and the sex scenes were what I'd expect of a Harlequine-series.

Vivi made me think of my grandmother and have even more respect for her: at about the same time she actually did what Vivi failed, being a famous newspaperwoman, a devoted mother and a funloving, non-conventional gal with many true friends. Well, I suppose Vivi had a huge handicap being born in the American South.

The book will be on it's way as soon as I get SuorClarisse's address. 

Journal Entry 15 by Mymlan from Helsinki, Uusimaa Finland on Monday, June 21, 2004

Sending to SuorClarisse today. 

Journal Entry 16 by SuorClarisse on Tuesday, June 29, 2004

The book just came this AM in the mail & boy, do I need a good read right now! I amexpecting a new baby in the next few weeks, so if I don't finish the book before then I know what I'll be reading in hospital :)

Spaceystacey I'll be PMing you for your mailing address today.... 

Journal Entry 17 by SuorClarisse on Saturday, July 31, 2004

Not quite as raw as Little Altars Everywhere - or maybe it was knowing some of the details already that cushioned me a bit as I read it. But I very much enjoyed the writing style, and watching the whole story unfold. Helped me through a very long and unproductive labour :)

Baby is with us, safe and sound now, and the book is on its way to spaceystacey. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 18 by spaceystacey from Bridgeton, New Jersey USA on Thursday, August 05, 2004

Just received in the mail today. Will be reading as soon as possible. I have a small mountain to read ahead of this one.

STARTING A BOOKRING! 8/27/04


1.Ecitorphschool NC USA ship internationally
2. Elhamsiabel Germany
3. Meliluc France
4. Bookmanu Portugal 1/05 mailed 5/05 to crestfallen who was skipped.
5. Crestfallen Portugal ***********on the way to.
6. Seaflower Finland
7. Piiku Finland
8. hetku77 Finland
9. Wilmar Netherlands
10. blaisezabini12 Romania
11. Lady Eilan Chile
12.concertina8 Vienna, Austria

14 kkbhme California
15.tnelson99 Missouri 

Journal Entry 19 by EcitorphSchool from Morganton, North Carolina USA on Monday, September 06, 2004

Perfect timing! 2 kids have a cold, so everything has come to a grinding halt until everyone is healthy again. I can escape into a book for awhile when the going gets rough... 

Journal Entry 20 by EcitorphSchool from Morganton, North Carolina USA on Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Well, having read "Southern-Fried Fiction" before (as well as having lived in the south for 20 years), I am familiar with the settings and personalities of G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Raised In The South), so Ya-Yas came as no surprise. I have NOT yet read "Little Alters" (I think I am to receive it soon, however).
I would disagree that there is an excessive abundance of "moistness" in the book (per Blithe10's review), but again, the genre of the book leans towards over-dramatization, and romance-novel-esque descriptions, so it would be more surprising (to me) if these were missing. And thus, the "spoiled brat, whiner, alcoholic" descriptions in previeous journal entries are correct, but I believe miss the point of the novel (see below).
I've seen the movie, and as usual, liked the novel better (who wouldn't - rarely does a movie do a novel justice). I would encourage anyone who reads the book, to see the movie (and vice-versa). They each have a unique perspective to offer, and it is always interesting to see where movie-makers take liberties and change things to make their ideas work and sell.

If one would read Ya-Yas from the perspective of it being a gross, hyperbolic caricature of the "typical" dysfunctional US family of the post-WWII era, I think the book would speak volumes to the subject of our current society in the USA. The people in charge today, are those who grew up during the '50's and '60's, raised by a generation who lived through the Great Depression of the US, raised by Victorian-Era mindsets... 

Journal Entry 21 by elhamisabel from Frankfurt am Main, Hessen Germany on Thursday, October 28, 2004

This book arrived today. Thanks!

I've got another bookring here with me. So it may take some days until I start reading it. Looking forward to doing so! 

Journal Entry 22 by elhamisabel from Frankfurt am Main, Hessen Germany on Wednesday, November 03, 2004

I've finished the book today.
I had seen the movie and knew the story. The novel has far more depth than the movie of course.
Sometimes, though, I had the feeling the author tried hard to put as much information into a sentence as possible. Especially in the beginning. I liked it a lot, though.

I'll send it on to Meliluc in France as soon as I get her address. 

Journal Entry 23 by meliluc from Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées France on Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Got it and read it really quickly, but I couldn't register it because of internet troubles.

I liked this book, though I don't think it's an unforgetable, it was quite enjoyable. But definitly not good enough to make me have strong feelings like love or hate towards it. The characters were believable, but the big build-up towards a disapointing ending made me loose interest. So that was the big secret ?

I'm PMing Crestfallen for her adress ... 

Journal Entry 24 by bookmanu from Cascais, Lisboa (distrito) Portugal on Sunday, January 16, 2005

Thanks! It was waiting for me on my return from my holiday in South Africa.I left Portugal on 15 December and arrived on 11 January. Apologies for only journalling today. I have 2 other books ahead of this one, but hope to send it off to the next reader by the end of this month. I noticed that Crestfallen was on the list before me, but the book was sent by Meliluc. I'll try contact Crestfallen for her address to see if I can send it on, before contacting the reader ahead of me. 

Journal Entry 25 by bookmanu from Cascais, Lisboa (distrito) Portugal on Monday, May 09, 2005

At last! Apologies to everyone for having kept this book for so long! It's now on its way to Crestfallen.

It took ages for me to get into the book. I picked it up, read a few pages,got bored,put it down, felt guilty looking at it,picked it up again, read a few pages, put it down again,kept feeling guilty and eventually resolved to stop delaying the bookring further... so I picked it up read it and finally...today it was sent off to Crestfallen who was on the list before me.

I have mixed feelings...it's difficult for me to pinpoint what I didn't like about the book,perhaps because it's chicklit and I'm a man. I know...I know...I'm following stereotypes (apologies if anyone is offended). Overall, it was an OK read...I'm happy that it all worked out for Sidda in the end. Some parts were amusing -e.g. Lawanda (?) the Elephant other parts were 'uplifting' e.g. the 'Avon' lady (I've forgotten the exact name of the make.up company) ...I thought of Blanche Devereaux from the Golden Girls sitcom many times and created many pictures of what life must have been like in the Southern states of the U.S.A. a few decades back...I wonder if much has changed?

P.S. I sent off 3 post cards to the Gowan Girls today as well. It will be nice to know if they arrive. 

Journal Entry 26 by lostbookisland on Saturday, December 16, 2006