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41st out of 317 books
—
512 voters
Ya Yas in Bloom
by
Rebecca Wells (Goodreads Author)
Those sassy southern belle-dames are back. Hallelujah. Fans of the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood will leap for joy. And, to be fair, if you didn't get swept along in the divine madness of the Ya-Yas first time around, there's still plenty to hold your interest in this latest look at the Louisiana lives of the four gals and their increasingly blooming offspring, d...more
Hardcover, 400 pages
Published
May 3rd 2005
by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
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I have kind of mixed feelings about the book. While I love the characters, and have enjoyed all three of the books about them, this book left me with some feelings that I need to sit and think on. While reading the previous two books, I remember thinking how wonderful to have such a close-knit group of friends to form a life-long circle of support and safety. In this book, the vignettes about two other local women (a mother and daughter) made me think about the exclusivity of the group, even acr...more
Apr 08, 2012
Steven
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Die hard Ya-Ya fans!
The familiar and much loved characters of the Ya-Ya series return in a collection of short stories. As always, I enjoyed the writing style, rich characters and Louisiana setting (a personal favourite of mine). I felt the additional character development of Baylor particularly interesting - a sensitive man who refuses to carry a gun or kill a deer but still goes hunting with the other masculine characters. The closeness of Baylor's relationship with his wife and children was touching. I was left...more
Where do I begin?
First, I know this has nothing to do with the actual story, but I needed a place to vent my frustration. I also know that I shouldn't be so superficial nor should I judge a book by it's cover, but I have to say a serious, okay maybe not significantly so, but still, a distraction was the author's "glamour shot" on the back cover. Those ultra short, choppy bangs and drawn in eyebrows turn what would otherwise be an okay face into an old lady who looks like she is trying way too ha...more
First, I know this has nothing to do with the actual story, but I needed a place to vent my frustration. I also know that I shouldn't be so superficial nor should I judge a book by it's cover, but I have to say a serious, okay maybe not significantly so, but still, a distraction was the author's "glamour shot" on the back cover. Those ultra short, choppy bangs and drawn in eyebrows turn what would otherwise be an okay face into an old lady who looks like she is trying way too ha...more
I finished Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood about a week ago, and I was excited to start this book, but it was huge bummer!
The book consisted of a bunch of stories. that was it-just stories, no plot. the stories were entertaining, and reading wasn't a PAIN, but there was stuff that bothered me like:
1. it was more of a bible then a story! i could tell from the first book that religion was important to the characters, but this was over the top. every page was a prayer, every page mentioned s...more
The book consisted of a bunch of stories. that was it-just stories, no plot. the stories were entertaining, and reading wasn't a PAIN, but there was stuff that bothered me like:
1. it was more of a bible then a story! i could tell from the first book that religion was important to the characters, but this was over the top. every page was a prayer, every page mentioned s...more
Last night I finally finished Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible and though I consider it a good thing to have read, it was not entirely my style. I am not in a heavy mood right now and the story of a missionaries family torn apart by themselves and the jungle in the Congo is not necessarily what I wanted to read.
But read it I did and so now I will let you know about it. 4 daughters and two parents head to the inner jungle to “convert the heathen.” I had mixed reactions to this sort of be...more
But read it I did and so now I will let you know about it. 4 daughters and two parents head to the inner jungle to “convert the heathen.” I had mixed reactions to this sort of be...more
Ya Yas in Bloom is the sequel to Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells. It doesn’t read like a sequel, however, but more like an expansion of what we learned about the Ya Yas and the Petites Ya Yas in Divine Secrets. The narrative jumps between Vivi’s early youth and the Ya Yas first encounter in 1930, through to Sidda’s youth in the 1960s and on to the 1990s. Different events in the lives of the Ya Yas, Petites Ya Yas and Trés Petites Ya Yas are told from the viewpoints of Viv...more
I bought this book at the supermarket and was so excited to get home and read it that I didn't get half the items on my list and made my husband eat a tv dinner that night! That being said, I wish that I would have read reviews before I purchased full price for this book. I wish I could have gotten it out of the library instead and not wasted my money.
I adored Divine Secrets and Little Altars, so much that I continually reread them over the years. This one, though, leaves a bad taste in my mouth...more
I adored Divine Secrets and Little Altars, so much that I continually reread them over the years. This one, though, leaves a bad taste in my mouth...more
Now that I have read all three of Rebecca Well’s Ya-Ya books, I can honestly say that while Divine Secrets was the most intellectually satisfying of the three, Ya-Ya’s in Bloom was the most emotionally satisfying.
It’s mostly a matter of tone. The books seem somewhat like a continuum… or maybe more like working through the stages of grief and recovery. In Little Altars Everywhere, I felt the author dwelled on the broken, angry, bitter aspects of the Walker family history. In Divine Secrets of th...more
It’s mostly a matter of tone. The books seem somewhat like a continuum… or maybe more like working through the stages of grief and recovery. In Little Altars Everywhere, I felt the author dwelled on the broken, angry, bitter aspects of the Walker family history. In Divine Secrets of th...more
If I had read this ten years ago, I probably would have given it five stars. After all, in high school, I was obsessed with all things Ya-Ya. Seriously - I read Little Altars Everywhere and Divine Secrets multiple times. I loved Sidda and her artistic take on the world. I loved the idea of friends being best friends since childhood. I loved the Southern phrases and the references to entertainers through the decades. And, of course, I loved the drama of it all.
Now, while I enjoy the books, I see...more
Now, while I enjoy the books, I see...more
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I have found this series to be a little to close to home at times. I enjoyed Little Altars Everywhere. I found it a very interesting depiction of incest which I did not anticipate in the Ya-Ya Sisterhood book which was much more commercial. I listened to the audio of Ya-Yas in Bloom. It was more l linked short stories rather than a cohesive novel. There were stories from the point of view of three generations - Ya-Yas, Petite Ya-Yas and Tres Petite Ya-Yas with a few random town folk thrown in. T...more
Critics generally agree that the bloom may have left the Ya-Yas. The novel, a collection of vignettes about "the time that [insert: _
This is the third Ya-Ya book I have read and I must say I enjoyed this one almost as much as the original. I loved the stories of how the Ya-Yas first met and how even though they were so different from each other they were able to form a life long bond-perhaps because they could blackmail each other with all they knew. The personalities are a little over the top and it makes for some funny scenes-almost like "Mama's Family". I enjoy the southern dialect interspersed with Creole French and the d...more
seriously, it's as if she was drunk when she wrote this. or gave it to her child to write. or gave it to her drunk child to write.
don't read it, don't don't don't
but if you DO read it, make sure you read and fall in love with the first two books first
don't read it, don't don't don't
but if you DO read it, make sure you read and fall in love with the first two books first
It was so nice to reunite with my old friends the Ya-Yas. I listened to this book on CD and frequently found myself laughing loud, smiling as I drove and listened. This book focuses on the Ya-Yas little ones on into their adult lives with little ones of their own. My only issue with it was the abrupt change from the 1960s to the 1990s. I thought I must have skipped a CD. The timing of reading this book was perfect, both for the Christmas season and the Ya-Yas Christmas pageant, but also for the...more
a terrible attempt to build on her other two ya-ya books. ya-yas in bloom focuses on the ya-ya kids and is dramatically different from wells's other books - both in style and quality.
At the time I read this, I said: It's certainly a good thing I've read some excellent books this year to offset books like this. ... Apparently Wells needed some quick cash.
Ya-Ya's in Bloom by Rebecca Wells
3 stars
Vivi and the Ya-Ya's are at it again, being in the center of attention again. This time it we see in the lives of other people in their crazy life. Baylor, Vivi and Big Sheps youngest son is the main person in this one, where Siddalee was the focus in the Divine Secrets.
I liked the book, didn't love it but liked it. It was good to see the interactions between the Petites and the Ya-Ya's as well as how the Tres Petites are now becoming the best of friends...more
3 stars
Vivi and the Ya-Ya's are at it again, being in the center of attention again. This time it we see in the lives of other people in their crazy life. Baylor, Vivi and Big Sheps youngest son is the main person in this one, where Siddalee was the focus in the Divine Secrets.
I liked the book, didn't love it but liked it. It was good to see the interactions between the Petites and the Ya-Ya's as well as how the Tres Petites are now becoming the best of friends...more
The once inherently charming now borders on the tedious as tales are rehashed in an effort to win a new audience. Charming at their most powerful and eccentric, very real women hid a number of serious issues behind the cheerful facade of their bickering and teasing. There was a real sense of generational connectedness that spoke to women, north and south, of the relationship between mothers and daughters and why secrets are kept to protect the innocent. In their current Ya-Ya incarnation, the di...more
Listening to Judith Ivey performing these characters is as good as a Broadway show. I laughed, I cried, I held my breath and pulled the car over so I could listen. The book itself is really just a bunch of unconnected character sketches that jump around in time, with no plot and no consistent perspectives. I get the feeling that it was published directly from the author's notebook, where she had written back stories on her characters and their children that never made it into the Ya-Ya Sisterhoo...more
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Hunting for something to take on a car trip, I found this in the library. This lent itself to the audio format as it was more like snippets of memories. Kinda like when you are talking to an old friend and say "oh, remember when..." Like, remember the year it snowed? Well I do so had fun listening to the colorful folks tell their version. More than once it made mom and I laugh in the car. Of course I grew up with colorfully fun southern people around me and had a similar nickname.
I don't think i...more
I don't think i...more
I listened to this book while I drove on a recent lengthy trip and if I had had any other options to entertain myself I would have turned it off. While the ya-yas were entertaining as teens their rituals as 68 year old women were ridiculous. Their sense of entitlement , understandable as teens, was offensive in adults. Perhaps most offensive was their casual acceptance of overt racism . I am sure Wells thinks she wrote against racism by making the most racist characters people the ya-yas don't...more
Another delightful Ya-Ya book from Rebecca Wells.
Ya-Yas in Bloom is told from multiple viewpoints, with some stand alone chapters. Other chapters offer multiple views of the same storyline. There is not a cohesive storyline tying everything together like there was in The Ya-Ya Sisterhood. This book is more about snapshots in time, told from the perspective of different characters. We do get to learn a little bit more about the male characters of the Ya-Ya world.
This book was a fast and enjoyab...more
Ya-Yas in Bloom is told from multiple viewpoints, with some stand alone chapters. Other chapters offer multiple views of the same storyline. There is not a cohesive storyline tying everything together like there was in The Ya-Ya Sisterhood. This book is more about snapshots in time, told from the perspective of different characters. We do get to learn a little bit more about the male characters of the Ya-Ya world.
This book was a fast and enjoyab...more
I read this book on a vacation. It was a light read which consisted of chapters of a short story flavor rather than a novel. I found the first portion of the book to be the best with my interest failing towards the end. Some stories/chapters seemed so out of place and I found the numerous comments relating to religion to be too much for me. The book explains how the ya ya sisters originally formed a link and how their children also formed bonds of their own. I have to wonder if the author was tr...more
A nice collection of short stories featuring various Ya Ya characters's experiences, all neatly tied together with a big red Christmas bow at the end. Enjoyable, but I still don't get the deification of Mary. I never will. I found the man-made religious stuff in this to be a bit tedious at times. Still, the book has its charms and some cute humor with lots of Louisiana-specific references, including Dark Roast Community Coffee (the only one my husband will drink) and a Christmas party menu that...more
I have almost nothing in common with the lifestyles of the women in this book, but I still enjoyed it very much. I thought a couple of the chapters were 2-star chapters and a couple were 5-star, but my overall rating is 4 stars. I especially enjoyed the thoughts about religion expressed in this book. I am a protestant, but I am familiar with the guilt from not being perfect. My favorite character turned out to be Baylor, both as a little boy and a man. There should be more like him around! Best...more
Quick read - characters were familiar, but there was really no plot. Basically just a book of stories about the characters from 'Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood' which was so much better than this. I felt like I could have picked it up anywhere and read. Enjoyable anyway, and it was nice to see the lighter side of many of these characters, because 'Divine Secrets' was wonderful, but sad and heavy at times.
Ultimately, I think the author just wanted to capatalize on the Ya Yas. I loved 'Di...more
Ultimately, I think the author just wanted to capatalize on the Ya Yas. I loved 'Di...more
I don't remember reading this book before, but apparently I did. I love the Ya-Ya sisterhood and this book isn't any different than any of the other ya-ya books. They're raising hell and everybody around them wants them to either shut up or fall flat on their faces. This book fleshes out a lot of the stories from the other books. Like the time Teensy stuck a pecan up her nose or the time Aunt Jez got Vivie tickets to see the Beatles. Read it if you like this sort of thing and really, who wouldn'...more
If you happened to have noticed how long the status of YA-YAS IN BLOOM has been "currently reading," please don't imagine that this novel must not be interesting. If speed-reading were an Olympic event (in any season), I would qualify for participation in the Special Olympics. But enough about me, let's move on to my opinion. The book (get ready for a fresh phrase) is a "page-turner." (I just turn pages slowly.)
As someone who read Wells's LITTLE ALTARS EVERYWHERE and DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA...more
As someone who read Wells's LITTLE ALTARS EVERYWHERE and DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA...more
I think I liked this book better then Divine Secrets, although that's not actually saying much.
I enjoy books like this, written from a perspective I can't even imagine by someone who grew up in a time and place so different from anything I'm familiar with, regardless of the plot. Which is good because this book doesn't have much in the way of plot. Some lovely memories though.
On second thought additional comment not printed for fear of giving offense.
Anyone really interested can ask me I guess...more
I enjoy books like this, written from a perspective I can't even imagine by someone who grew up in a time and place so different from anything I'm familiar with, regardless of the plot. Which is good because this book doesn't have much in the way of plot. Some lovely memories though.
On second thought additional comment not printed for fear of giving offense.
Anyone really interested can ask me I guess...more
Meet the Ya Ya Sisterhood in their younger days. Ya Yas in Bloom starts in 1930 with Teensy being taken to the doctor because she has shoved a pecan up her nose. She meets Vivi there and her pecan becomes immortalized for all patients to see in the years to come.
Then Teensy and Vivi plot to meet Necie because they are sure she is the famed Coco Robichaux that Genevieve, Teensy’s mother, tells them about all the time. Caro is brought into the group and The Ya Ya Sisterhood is born and will remai...more
Then Teensy and Vivi plot to meet Necie because they are sure she is the famed Coco Robichaux that Genevieve, Teensy’s mother, tells them about all the time. Caro is brought into the group and The Ya Ya Sisterhood is born and will remai...more
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Rebecca Wells was born and raised in Alexandria, Louisiana. “I grew up,” she says, “in the fertile world of story-telling, filled with flamboyance, flirting, futility, and fear.” Surrounded by Louisiana raconteurs, a large extended family, and Our Lady of Prompt Succor’s Parish, Rebecca’s imagination was stimulated at every turn. Early on, she fell in love with thinking up and acting in plays for...more
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Oct 19, 2011 06:39pm