Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell

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Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell

3.6 of 5 stars 3.60 · rating details · 207 ratings · 58 reviews

Expelled from thirteen boarding schools in the past five years, seventeen-year-old Jane Fontaine Ventouras is returning to her Southern roots, and the small town of Bienville, Alabama, where ladies always wear pearls, nothing says hospitality like sweet tea
and pimento cheese sandwiches, and competing in the annual Magnolia Maid Pageant is every girl’s dream.

But Jane is wh...more

Paperback, 298 pages

Published June 14th 2011 by EgmontUSA (first published May 25th 2011)

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Jan 18, 2012 alicia eltzroth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1212-this-time-i-will-do-this, books-for-girls-off-all-ages

After being kicked out of boarding school after boarding school Jane Fontaine Ventouras finally ends up back where she started at her grandmothers house in Bienville, Alabama. As a way for Jane to get back to her root and to help her fit back in to this small southern town Jane’s grandmother convinces her to try out for the annual Magnolia Maid Pageant. Never thinking that she'll make it she tries out and horror of all horrors she is one of the girls picked to be a maid. Confronted with the idea...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Rachael rated it 3 of 5 stars

After being expelled from thirteen boarding schools in the past five years, Jane Fontaine Ventouras is finally returning home to Bienville, Alabama. Jane can’t believe she’s back in her grandmother’s house after all this time, along with the sweet tea, good old southern hospitality, and all the pearl-wearing and perfectly primped pageant hopefuls. She couldn’t feel more out of place in her hometown, and her plans of blending into the wallpaper unnoticed are dashed when she is forced to compete i...more After being expelled from thirteen boarding schools in the past five years, Jane Fontaine Ventouras is finally returning home to Bienville, Alabama. Jane can’t believe she’s back in her grandmother’s house after all this time, along with the sweet tea, good old southern hospitality, and all the pearl-wearing and perfectly primped pageant hopefuls. She couldn’t feel more out of place in her hometown, and her plans of blending into the wallpaper unnoticed are dashed when she is forced to compete in the annual Magnolia Maid Pageant. Jane is anything but a southern belle, but when she’s chosen as a Magnolia Maid, she realizes she’ll need to step up before the pageant turns into a bratfest. She’s going to have to try really hard to be a lady, but there’s no doubt she’s not going down without a fight.

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell is one of those books whose title perfectly captures the flavor of the story: charming and funny. I always find southern debutante/pageant books so enjoyable to read because I can expect the pageants and balls to be over the top, but I can also expect the resisting protagonist to be a little ridiculous in her attempts to escape this torture. Rumley does humor in her debut novel very well, and I was giggling throughout the entire book. I was a little bit less pleased when it came to the characters. The more minor characters, though undoubtedly colorful and entertaining, tended to be rather flat and for me, ultimately uninteresting. What I found slightly more irritating was Jane’s character. I loved her in the beginning of the story because of her attitude and humor, and it was great seeing her grow into new friendships with her fellow Magnolia Maids, but something felt a little strange by how she seemed to buy into the entire pageant thing at the end of the book. The changes in Jane’s mentality weren’t so smooth where this transition felt natural. However, even though the characters could have used a little work and the romance was very predictable, I found Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell is quick and entertaining read.

This novel is sure to be enjoyed by fans of The Debutante by Kathryn Williams, Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee, and The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com (less)

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, teen

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. I picked it up because the title made me laugh and I was expecting a cute, but forgettable read. There was a lot more depth to the story than I expected. Jane was a fairly complex character, and each of the girls had a distinct personality. Some didn't get much attention, but I never had trouble remembering who was who, as is sometimes the case in books with a multiple teenage girls. [return][return]Jane does a lot of growing, which I loved and t...more

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Sep 24, 2011 Nicci rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I would have never given this book a second glance if I had not won it. I must acknowledge, therefore, Becky @Stories & Sweeties since I won this from her. Thank you! The cover of this book paired with its summary just equaled not interested for me. The cover I am just not a fan of, and the summary annoyed me, especially the last lines. Then I was bored one day and this was sitting on my shelf, so I figured I would give it a shot. Not only did I find a book I enjoyed, I found a book that I l...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Nathalie S rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Nathalie by: Liz

I was attracted to the title of this book--Sounded like a great combo and it was. Jane Fontaine Ventouras is a rebellious teen-what else-who has been kicked out of many boarding schools for misbehavior. She is finally living back in her hometown of Bienville, Alabama with her maternal grandmother. Her mother died of ALS when Jane was 9 and her father has chosen to deal with his grief by being an absentee father. So this all explains Jane's rebelliousness as a way to cope with all this. This isn'...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Danyelle Leafty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookshelf-2011

One of the first things that stood out to in NEVER SIT DOWN IN A HOOPSKIRT was voice. Jane has this incredibly wonderful voice. She's the girl that's been expelled from 13 boarding schools in five years, and would be the least likely suspect in a beauty pageant lineup. And she'd only applied to be a Magnolia Maid--the beauty pageant of the town--because her grandma asked her to.

Imagine her surprise, not to mention the entire town of Bienville, Alabama, when she's nominated to be a maid. Along wi...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Sandra rated it 3 of 5 stars

Despite being heavy on the stereotypes, this book was entertaining, to be sure. There were several moments I was laughing out loud at the Magnolia Maids and their antics. I also particularly enjoyed the part of the plot that explored "modernizing" the court of the Magnolia Maids - for the first time in its history an African-American and a non-wealthy girl were elected to the court. I would have liked to have seen these aspects explored more, that might have given the book some substance.

I don't...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Adrienne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Troublemaker Jane isn't exactly the typical participant in Bienville, Alabama's Magnolia Maid Pageant, but since her beloved grandmother asks her to try it and Jane is trying to connect to her deceased mother (the Magnolia Maid queen in her day), Jane gives it a go, and surprisingly, is one of the finalists. That means she has to join four other girls in being a true Southern belle, complete with a hoopskirt and sweet Southern manners. However, bickering between the girls, plus the barriers Jane...more

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Feb 18, 2012 Jessica Harrison rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, young-adult

full review at Cracking the Cover
“Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell” by Crickett Rumley is laugh-out-loud funny. Who hasn’t seen “Gone With the Wind”? And who hasn’t wondered what it would be like to walk around in one of those dresses? The book’s cover is a great setup for that.

But this book is more than a pageant experience. It’s also an exploration of individual growth. And it’s not just Jane that experiences change. Crickett’s book is smart witho...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Deb Zdenek rated it 4 of 5 stars

Let me start by saying, I am from the south. Born and raised in and around Mobile, Alabama to be exact, and I must tell you that I found this book simply hilarious. I have first-hand knowledge of the organization that the "Magnolia Maids" were based on, as my daughter was on that court about 3 years ago. I think you can enjoy the book, even if you've never heard of them, but it might help to have a little bit of knowledge about the girls and the organization for you to really appreciate the humo...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a really good fun story about Jane Fontaine Venturas, who was raised by her grandmother, sent by her absentee father to many boarding schools, and now back home and an unwilling member of the famous Magnolia Maid Court in her hometown of Bienville, Alabama. She is a rebel and causes not a few problems when the sponsors of the pageant try to make her fit a mold that was outdated decades ago. She decides to use this opportunity to change (gasp!)how the community sees the pageant girls and...more

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Jul 14, 2011 Brandy Painter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, young-adult

Review originally posted here.

I call the south home but I am not from here. Minus a three year stint in New Mexico I have lived here since I was 16. My parents are originally from Michigan. The places I have the most memories of I lived prior to here were England, southern California and upstate New York. I was little prepared y'all. Things are different here. Wedding are different, funerals are different, life is different. There are things I have come to appreciate about this region I call hom...more Review originally posted here.

I call the south home but I am not from here. Minus a three year stint in New Mexico I have lived here since I was 16. My parents are originally from Michigan. The places I have the most memories of I lived prior to here were England, southern California and upstate New York. I was little prepared y'all. Things are different here. Wedding are different, funerals are different, life is different. There are things I have come to appreciate about this region I call home: the availability of sweet tea in restaurants, sweet potato casserole, Mayfield Dairy products, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the beaches, being surrounded by so much history. There are still things that have me boggled about the place: the array of desserts people insist on making from citrus fruits, the need to throw anything edible into a deep fat friar, how slow everyone moves, the entire state of South Carolina. And while I love the history I don't really see the need to cling to it like it is a lifeline and you are about to drown. Also, the famed sweet southern hospitality is a veil of hypocrisy that makes me want to grind my teeth to dust. Which is why I was excited to read Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell by Crickett Rumley. I connected with Jane's character immediately and settled in to enjoy myself. The book is a very fair portrayal of the region, good, bad and indifferent.

Jane's voice had me from the beginning. She is intelligent yet sounds genuine. And she is funny. Not sarcastic, funny. (Well, a little sarcastic but it is not overkill.) The entire book is funny especially if you know the south. She pretty much had me hooked for good on page 29 with this:
"Oh no. He did not. But yes, he did. Mr. Walter had just uttered the dirtiest six letter word in town. Change. Southerners tend to have a real hard time with that word. Don't get me wrong, we do appreciate certain kinds of change: bigger Walmarts with grocery stores inside for easy one-stop shopping. Fancy, new subdivisions out in the county, far from those darn city taxes. Modern new churches with rapidly expanding memberships. But when push comes to shove, if the change is substantial, forget it. People who don't understand us would like to say it's because we're backward or stupid or lazy. But really, it's because of the ancestors. It's as if everybody thinks all our dead ancestors, back to the ones who showed up here from France and Spain to colonize the joint, are sitting up in the afterlife watching our every move, fixing to send hellfire and damnation down on us if we dare deviate from the way they set things up for us. We fear that more than we fear the Supreme Court, the National Guard, and the evil guy from Saw all put together. For that very reason it is not uncommon for a young lady to hear things like, 'Your great-great-grandfather founded the Presbyterian church in 1785. No, you cannot take yoga. It's heathen.'"
This is such an accurate summation it comes as little surprise to discover author, Crickett Rumley, is from the south. Notice how Jane is referring to all this though, how she is using "we". She includes herself in this. Her town, her heritage, is important to her even if her time away from it has left her questioning it in a way she never would have had she not been banished. Jane's anger and rebellion are directed toward her father who, after the biggest parental overreaction in history, took her away from the home and grandmother she adored. Most of Jane's rebellious antics take place prior to the start of this story. She just has a couple left over souvenirs, a smoking habit and a tattoo that has the Magnolia Maid seamstress coming up with inventive ways of sewing an off the shoulder gown. Jane also has a big mouth that gets her in trouble. She is very vulnerable though and this is shown when she is confronted by the solicitude of those in the town who remember her. The fake solicitude that is the veneer on the ugly gossip spread about her. She is a very sympathetic character and it is easy to relate to her emotions. Her fellow Magnolia Maids are also well written. They all have distinct personalities and stories of their own.

The book's one major flaw in my opinion is the heightened ridiculousness of some of the scenes. It was almost as if the author couldn't decide if she was writing satire or a humorous look at life. The book is mostly the latter, but there are a few scenes that fall into the former category making them seem a bit too much. However, I mostly enjoyed how realistic the portrayal was of the girls, their relationship, the region, and teenage life in general.

There is a romantic thread very loosely woven through the broader fabric of the story. So loosely woven there isn't even any kissing (except a flashback to Jane's very first kiss). I liked this because Jane's crush, Luke, was her best friend in her former life in Bienville and reconciling with him is part of reconciling the new Jane with the old life she had and the one she is now building.

Mostly this is a story about Jane and the other girls. It is a lovely read about friendship, sisterhood, and finding and accepting your place in the past and the present.

For Concerned Parents: There are a couple incidents of underage drinking in the book (one of which gains the girls a tour of the city jail) and there is also some discussion of sex.(less)

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Oct 17, 2011 Kricket rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, teen-fiction, parent-woes, southern-us, guilty-pleasures, who-am-i, friendship, rom-com

after being kicked out of yet another prestigious boarding school, jane returns to her hometown of bienville alabama to live with her grandmother. here she is encouraged to follow in her late mother's footsteps by trying out to be a magnolia maid, a local beauty queen who represents the town in civil-war era hoop-skirted costume. jane, a rebellious smoker generally seen in all black, is surprised when she makes the court, which is trying to "diversify" this year. immediately, evil ashley tries t...more

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May 11, 2011 Yan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell speaks for itself. Charming and funny with a sassy protagonist that’s sure to keep things lively. Never Sit Down in a Hoop Skirt brings to attention the life of the wealthy with their many connections, racial tension, and the pressure of being truthful to yourself while still trying to please others.

Jane Fontaine Ventouras has gone through countless boarding schools until eventually she ends up back South to her gra...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Khy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Being from Southern California, I find the entire idea of pageants and Southern belles and the like unbelievably strange but simultaneously fascinating. I don't understand the point of this whole belle thing, or the appeal, or why anyone would subject herself to it, but I do understand the appeal of books about the whole bizarre situation. This book in particular is a delight-- funny but not annoyingly so, sweet but not cheesy, and oh so much more.

This whole Southern belle thing is just so ridic...more Being from Southern California, I find the entire idea of pageants and Southern belles and the like unbelievably strange but simultaneously fascinating. I don't understand the point of this whole belle thing, or the appeal, or why anyone would subject herself to it, but I do understand the appeal of books about the whole bizarre situation. This book in particular is a delight-- funny but not annoyingly so, sweet but not cheesy, and oh so much more.

This whole Southern belle thing is just so ridiculous that it would amuse me even in the worst books. However, this book is luckily nowhere near being a "worst book" and makes the whole belle situation a constantly amusing aspect of the story. Jane and I are full of so much similar disdain for the pageant that I couldn't help but laugh as she snarked on it and its many issues. However, the best parts of the book came when she was forced to take it seriously. Because most of the other Magnolia Maids, particularly the "leaders" Ashley and Mallory, are so into it, it's wonderful to see the two groups face off once they realize how important it is. They get into so many shenanigans that I couldn't help but love them all, especially as they bonded during their many battles.

However, this book isn't all fun and games. There are plenty of deeper issues included, however small their role may appear in comparison to other story lines. For example, the issue of racism within the pageant system is heavily acknowledged because this is the first year that one of the Maids is not white. There are also plenty of subplots involved Jane directly-- her feelings about her mother's death, which the townspeople constantly bring up; her absent father; her feelings for her childhood best friend Luke. I actually wish these story lines more involving Jane were talked about in depth more, because they were often glazed over and yet seemed to be huge deals. Most of the people they involved were rather flat and unbelievable as well because they appeared so little; I vastly preferred the Maids, whose individual story lines were handled much better.

It could have used more development in many of the smaller story lines, but I still found Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell to be wonderfully humorous and smart in dealing with big issues. (less)

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Jul 09, 2011 Stories & Sweeties {Becky} rated it 4 of 5 stars

First off, I have to say: the title and cover of this book crack me up. Everytime I look at this one it makes me smile---the whimsical cartoon style, the look on that poor girl's face, the gigantic hoopskirt flipping up, and, my favorite part...the punky fishnets and converse underneath!

Inside, the story is just as fun. Jane Fontaine Ventouras has just been plopped back into the small southern town she grew up in. Thirteen boarding school expulsions and one fed-up non-present father later, she i...more First off, I have to say: the title and cover of this book crack me up. Everytime I look at this one it makes me smile---the whimsical cartoon style, the look on that poor girl's face, the gigantic hoopskirt flipping up, and, my favorite part...the punky fishnets and converse underneath!

Inside, the story is just as fun. Jane Fontaine Ventouras has just been plopped back into the small southern town she grew up in. Thirteen boarding school expulsions and one fed-up non-present father later, she is back at her grandmother's house, being guilted into entering the Magnolia Maids pageant. Jane has this wonderful spark about her, and a smart-ass attitude like they've never seen in Biensville, Alabama---and certainly not in one of their Magnolia Maids. She smokes, she drinks, she says what's on her mind, she sasses like nobody's business,...and yet she still wins one of the coveted spots on the Magnolia Court. I love how she seems to have a perfect balance between putting everyone off and sticking up for people when they need it most. The hilarity ensues as she battles the insane Mizz Upton, advisor to the Maids, Ashley LaFleur, snob extraordinaire, and the rest of the town as they pull out the sweetness to her face and save the harsh judgement and gossip for when her back is turned. One of the funniest parts of this story is hearing about all the details and customs of the Magnolia Court---and Jane's thoughts on them! Crickett Rumley really brought this experience to life!

Of course, this is not all fun and cat-fights. Returning to Biensville, Jane also faces some pretty emotional memories of her mother who passed away, and deals with her feelings about her father who has since had almost nothing to do with her. There is also Luke Churchville, her childhood best friend...what happened between them was the reason she was sent away. So where does that leave them now? Personally, I would have loved to see more about Luke and Jane in this story, but it really is just a side plot. A little more romance might have made this a 5-rated book for me.

Along the way, Jane learns that a situation is what you make of it, that people have a way of changing right before your eyes, and that even though it's good to be yourself, think independently, and speak your mind, sometimes doing just whatever suits you, regardless of how it effects others, might not always be the best way to go.(less)

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Jul 21, 2011 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, young-adult

The Little Bookworm
Jane is the typical rebellious teen but she wants to do her grandmother and late mother proud so she agrees to be a Magnolia Maid for a year. A Magnolia Maid represents the town of Bienville, Alabama as an ambassador, participating in publicity events. All while wearing antebellum hoopskirts and corsets. Jane is not about to put up with the normal antiquated Maid routine and she tries to change it. But change is not something most Southerners like and Jane has her work cut out...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Christina (Reading Extensively) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicklit, read2011, ya

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell is a funny book with a mostly positive message. Jane is a character with a great sense of humor and quite a bit of sarcasm. Her attempts to be a model Magnolia Maid are hilarious. Fellow maid Brandi Lynn Corey also adds unintentional humor with her enthusiasm. I also liked that this book shows girls who are so different working together. It could have been a book about the underdogs defeating the mean girls but it wa...more

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Nov 18, 2011 Tara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

ORIGINALLY POSTED here

April from Good Books and Good Wine told me to save Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell by Crickett Rumley for a rainy and sad day, because it was sure to cheer me up. And she was so right!

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell is freaking hilarious! I love reading about the typical south with girls with big dresses and big hair (possibly why I love Hart of Dixie so much) and the story in N...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Jessica Lawlor rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-debut-challenge, read-in-2011

Bad girl Jane Fontaine Ventouras is far from a Southern Belle, but if her Grandmother has anything to say about it she’s about to become one quick. After being expelled from thirteen boarding schools, Jane has just returned to Bienville, Alabama, a very small Southern town.

With a difficult past behind her, Jane isn’t sure she’s going to fit in in Bienville. After her mother passed away years earlier, her father buried himself in his work on the other side of the world. Jane moves in with her gra...more Bad girl Jane Fontaine Ventouras is far from a Southern Belle, but if her Grandmother has anything to say about it she’s about to become one quick. After being expelled from thirteen boarding schools, Jane has just returned to Bienville, Alabama, a very small Southern town.

With a difficult past behind her, Jane isn’t sure she’s going to fit in in Bienville. After her mother passed away years earlier, her father buried himself in his work on the other side of the world. Jane moves in with her grandmother who promptly asks her to try out for the Magnolia Maid Pageant. The pageant has a long history in the town of Bienville, and only five lucky girls are chosen each year to become a Maid. Competing to become a maid is the last thing Jane wants to do, but when her grandmother sweetly asks her to try out, if only to follow in her mother’s footsteps, Jane reluctantly agrees, comforted by the fact that she’ll never in a million years be chosen to become a Maid.

Until she is chosen…and then all hell breaks loose.

In one word this book can be described as sweet. I absolutely adored the story and devoured this book in about a day and a half.

My favorite part of the entire book was the adorable Southern language. I found myself putting on my own little Southern twang as I read the dialogue. I’m clearly not from the South (Philly girl at heart) and I’ve never been to the South, so reading about Southern culture was extremely interesting to me. I wonder if people will mind if I start throwing “ya’lls” into my every day conversation.

I was fascinated by the idea of a Magnolia Maid Pageant. The fact that this honor was so sought after in this small town’s social circles was so interesting to me. Even though this book took place in modern times, the Southern charm and talk of hoopskirts and fancy dresses definitely took me back to a completely different time and place. I love that time has somehow managed to stand still in Bienville, but with the appropriate adjustments to embrace a more modern Maid (for example, including Brandi Lynn and Zara, two untypical choices for Bienville).

One thing I wasn’t a fan of were the several mentions to pop culture. I feel like Rumley may have dated this book a little by peppering in mentions of current TV shows and songs. Something else interesting included in this book was acknowledgment of the oil spill in the South in 2010. While I liked that Rumley was able to include a current event and how it affected these characters, again, I’m afraid that in a few years, this book will be pretty dated.

The only other part of the book that I had a slight problem with was how quickly the story wrapped up. I feel like there was a lot of build up, then the main conflict happened and all of a sudden the book was over. I would have liked to see the ending developed a bit more, especially since Rumley had done such a fantastic job helping us get to know each of the characters and their wants and desires.

Besides being laugh out loud funny, this book also has some serious heart. Rumley expertly inserted the right amount of history and emotion to truly make Jane come alive. We see Jane’s rough past sprinkled all throughout the story. Her mother becoming sick. Passing away. Her father leaving and only coming back when Jane was in trouble. Her friendship with Luke abruptly ending. Clearly Jane has had some tough times. This book isn’t serious by any means, but there are serious moments in the book, and I appreciated the way they were perfectly weaved into the story.

The dynamic between the five Magnolia Maids throughout the book was hilarious. I loved each and every character including the often bitchy Ashley and even tag-along Mallory. Brandi Lynn was absolutely adorable and I loved that throughout the course of the book, the other girls finally embraced her for who she is. I liked that Zara came from DC, far outside Bienville and brought a completely different worldview to the book.

And then of course there’s Jane. I liked Jane from the very beginning of the book. Her snarky and sarcastic commentary about the Magnolia Maid Pageant had me laughing out loud and I knew from the start that I’d enjoy this book from Jane’s point of view. Seeing Jane grow throughout the book from somewhat rebellious to a leader was a very fun transformation to watch. Reading the story through her eyes (and adorable Southern drawl) was an absolute treat.

This is the perfect, light summer read. Enjoy it with a mojito in hand.(less)

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Apr 23, 2011 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, trt-gold-star-award-winner

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Jane's been kicked out of more boarding schools than she can count. She's come home to Bienville, Alabama, to live with her grandmother. Suddenly, everyone's talking about her. Hoping to fly under the radar, she's unhappy when her grandmother guilts her into participating in the local pageant. To Jane's horror, she actually makes the Court.

Now, she must complete a year of appearances, fund raising, and attending balls with her fellow Maids. For the...more

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May 10, 2011 Princess Bookie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read2011

My Thoughts: We are introduced to Jane who comes back to town to live with her grandma. She used to live in town with her parents but her mom passed away and she's gotten kicked out of numerous boarding schools so she's back to live with her grandmother. Everyone in town is gossiping about her being back. She's even a little excited to see her childhood best friend, Luke. She decides to join the Magnolia Maids. Her mother was a part of it as a girl and Jane thinks she should do something her mot...more My Thoughts: We are introduced to Jane who comes back to town to live with her grandma. She used to live in town with her parents but her mom passed away and she's gotten kicked out of numerous boarding schools so she's back to live with her grandmother. Everyone in town is gossiping about her being back. She's even a little excited to see her childhood best friend, Luke. She decides to join the Magnolia Maids. Her mother was a part of it as a girl and Jane thinks she should do something her mother did. The catch, half the girls like her while the others don't. They think she isn't good enough to be a Magnolia Maid, and she hasn't lived there her whole life so why should she be able to be a part of it?

I'm not going to go on and on about this one. It was just okay in my opinion. I just wasn't fascinated with the storyline. Half the time, I didn't care what was happening and I wasn't overjoyed with all the fashion and southern tips. I didn't like that the ladylike traditions were expected of her. Like biting her tongue. Jane was an outspoken girl, I liked that about her. I liked that she would voice her opinion and stand up for herself. So, the fact that she has to keep her mouth shut most of the time bugged me. I also didn't like how Luke was so full of himself, he wouldn't suck it up and just talk to Jane. Half the time I didn't know if he actually liked her or was into someone else. Yes, I'm happy with the ending, but Never Sit Down In A Hoopskirt didn't make my favorites of the year.

Overall: It was just okay. It was an okay debut but I had trouble getting into it. I know I'm not going to love every book I read, so I expect this sometimes. If you think it looks and sounds good, try it out anyways. Who knows, you may love it!

Cover: The cover is interesting. I like how her dress looks big and how its more of a cartoon cover.

What I'd Give It: 3/5 Cupcakes
______________________________________

Review Based On Softcover Edition
Taken from Princess Bookie
www.princessbookie.com (less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Carrie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. The characters of Jane and Ashley were well developed and it was a good read. I however did not find it as funny as I had hoped. I only laughed out loud once and that was in church...you'll know when you read it. Having been a member of the organization the Magnolia Maids are based on, I can agree that there is a special bond and the book portrayed that well. All in all it was cute. I bought it because of the title and the fact that I know how to sit (and drive) in a hoop sk...more

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Oct 29, 2011 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the heck out of this book! It is a really fun and quick read, true, but beyond that it is quite poignant and has a lot of heart. I could NOT put it down! I laughed, I cried, it was everything I love about books and reading. Totally getting lost in a story and feeling like you know the people...a truly sweet story. I recommend!

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Oct 12, 2011 Bri rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Young Adults

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very interesting to me, reading a book from a place close to where I live. It really was interesting, and gave me a surprising interest in books like that. I very rarely choose to read books from places I live near, but this one really caught my eye. And my spirit. It was really neat to read.

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Aug 03, 2011 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm not living in a Southern state at the moment and it made me homesick in a good way. This book was a joy to read. Jane's voice is so strong and distinct that the story grabs you from the beginning and takes the reader along for the crazy ride that follows.

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Sep 22, 2011 Sumiyya Abdul-Rasheed rated it 4 of 5 stars

Like probably about everyone who read this book I was attracted to both the cover and the title. From page number one all the way to the very last sentence of page 296, this book has not failed to be humorous, interesting, and a very good read.

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Aug 14, 2011 Christie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, ya

A good read. I liked this book about a troubled girl whose grandmother wants to be a good Southern belle. Six unlikely girls are forced to be maids together. They fight. learn secrets and finally help each other in one way or another. Great ending is all I am going to say so I don't give it all away.

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Aug 12, 2011 Lizz Wodrich rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a young adult book that is by turns laugh out loud funny and poignant. It pokes fun at some of the old Southern ways, and is also a really touching coming of age story.

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Feb 27, 2013 Tiffany Baker rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was the book I needed. It was hysterical, charming and totally relatable. I grew up with girls like these in Texas. Hell I was one of these girls! Bravo, Crickett !!!!

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About Crickett Rumley

Crickett Rumley graduated with an MFA in film from Columbia University and teaches screenwriting at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. As a screenwriter, she adapted Susan Taylor Chehak’s Smithereens for Killer Films and Julia Alvarez’s “The Suitor” for Gigantic Pictures and PBS.

Crickett’s experiences growing up in the South inspired this debut novel. Though she now lives in California wit...more

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title link	preview: Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9369686-never-sit-down-in-a-hoopskirt-and-other-things-i-learned-in-southern-bel?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320560445l/9369686.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9369686-never-sit-down-in-a-hoopskirt-and-other-things-i-learned-in-southern-bel?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell by Crickett Rumley[/url]

Never Sit Down in a Hoopskirt and Other Things I Learned in Southern Belle Hell

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