Unlock The Secrets Of Saving Ceecee Honeycutt Articulated By Beth Hoffman Provided As Publication Copy

"The afternoon sun sent fireworks of light sparkling off the hood ornament a miniature silver angel with open wings and her arms stretched out in front of her, palms forward, as if she were ready to push aside anything that dared get in her way.
"

First off I want that hood ornament! Sadly they don't put them on cars anymore, sigh This quote really jumped out at me because it describes the story as a whole, Ceecee will be protected by the brave, fierce, and beautiful women of Savannah, and they will fight tooth and nail for this girl, just like the angel.


Poor Ceecee has had a hard time to say the least, Her crazy mother gets killed, In a way it proves to be a good fortune for her, but just like any other girl she is devasted.
Though her mother did more harm then good and many a time she wanted her gone, deep down she knows she always hoped that her mom would someday be a normal mother.
Her father is basically out of the picture, and just avoids the whole situation as much as possible, He does do one good thing for her he decides that Ceecee will go to Savannah with her greataunt Tootie.
That one decesion will change Ceecee Honeycutt's life forever,

The southern charm always gets to me, Right off the bat I love books with this kind of setting, The story is not only set in the south but in the's, I'm glad the author didn't try to shove down our thoarts the Civil Right movement, but she does give us clear displays that this in fact is happening.
It's not the central idea to the novel but is part of the telling how Ceecee comes to see the world through different eyes.
The whole cast of women were great, Starting with Oletta all the way to even Viola, It's actually hard to believe there could be so many generous people, but I do want to believe,

The only reason why I didn't give it the whole five was because it seemed just a tad too perfect.
Other than that the story is lovely and makes you smile to see that people could care so much about one girl.
One person after all can make a huge difference, A charming southern style read, . . reminded me of those strong willed women and of course their Georgian style etiquette in steel magnolias, An enjoyable read. This book would be perfect for twelveyearold girls, but it's just too precious for grownup readers, Had it been published and promoted as a book for youngsters, I would have rated it higher and reviewed it more gently.
But it was marketed as an adult book, so I'll rate and review it as such,

The writing, plot, and characters aren't all that bad for light fiction, I was able to finish it without hating it, which is increasingly rare for me with fluff novels, THE PROBLEM: There were a lot of opportunities for real depth here, The story could have explored serious issues such as mental illness, a child's loss of her mother, and racial tensions in the South of thes.
Hoffman kills every chance for depth and dramatic tension by tidily dispatching every crisis with perfectly worded homilies delivered at just the right moment by just the right character.
These little sermons are happily accepted by the other characters, who never raise the issue again, They all float along in saccharine harmony until the next crisis, which will be just as neatly dissolved with another special conversation.

Sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows get tediously predictable by about halfway through the book, There are some delightful characters, but they aren't believable when they're so easily swayed and soothed,

If you're looking for something sweet and fun and you're less critical of light fiction than I, you will probably find this a wonderful little escape.
It has a lot of Southern charm and colorful characters, and there are some quite humorous escapades, I loved the photo journey of Miz Hobbs's remarkable traveling brassiere!
Aunt Tootie, Oletta, and Miz Goodpepper are lovable but not very convincing.
This book was fantastic, I felt like I was in the story, The characters were so authentic and realistic they had me hooked from the beginning, I found myself getting choked up and then laughing out loud, a thoroughly delightful listening experience,

CeCe, is an isolated young girl who lives with her bipolar mother and an absentee father, She has no friends, or family that visit, her only real attachment is to an elderly neighbor who has loved and watched over her since she was a baby.
After her mothers untimely death, a new chapter in CeCe's life starts when she goes to live with her, Great Aunt Tootie in Savanna, GA.
Aunt Tootie, as it turns out, is the Salt of the earth and lives in grand home that is full of wonderful smells and warm memories.
Over time she, her friends, and her hilarious neighbors, help CeCe to heal and learn how to open her heart to love and friendships.


Oletta, Aunt Tooties' maid, long time friend, and CeCe, quickly become thick as thieves, After a mishap while on a trip to the beach, the two of them have a secret that may be their undoing.
Many amusing adventures and wonderful feelings of comradery, simply make this charming book one I would definitely recommend to all.


Jenna Lamia does a stellar job with all the different women's voices, It's amazing how she did so many different voices all with the southern accent, Each character had a different dialect and were distinctly recognizable, Spectacular Job. A book very reminiscent of "The secret life of Bees", "Midnight in the garden of Good and Evil" and a book that at times is so predictable it feels like it has copied the dozens of other books that involve southern charm, race relations, mother daughter relations and young women who rise above disadvantage and ultimately triumph.
At times the book would take a turn and I would think "but hasn't this plot line been in so many other books" Even the names of the characters are so predictable of a southern novel.
That said, I read the book in two days, . . it captivated me. The characters were strong and story line engaging but what did it for me was the imagery, This book was an indulgent sensual bath at times leaving me raw and sad and then at others being full of comfort, love and goodness.
It's a mentally visual feast full of splendid gardens, old homes, lovely architecture, a first visit to the sea, peacocks, hummingbirds and a host of crazy, colorful, indomitable southern women who know how to cook up some comfort food and tell tall tales.
I was not surprised that the author was previously the head of a successful interior design firm, And for someone like me, who loves the aura of old houses and splendor of gardens this book just engaged my senses.
Just when it verged on being trite one of the characters would offer pearls of wisdom or insight that were so beautifully stated I would be knocked down.
And the underlying storyline about grief and overcoming it is something I understand and am interested in, A very satisfying read.
What a wonderful, heart warming surprise this book was,

Exceptionally well written, It had me laughing out loud, crying into my hanky, and then laughing again,

The "unpredictable escapades of Miz Hobbss remarkable traveling brassiere" had me laughing until tears rolled down my face.
Probably because it reminded me of my daughter, who hung one of my bras on a moose statue in a park in New Hampshire, took a photo and posted it on Facebook.
I was in New Jersey at the time or I would have smacked her!

There's a cast of genuine, lovable, female characters that I enjoyed spending time with and left with reluctance.


I wish the book had been much, much longer, I wish that I hadn't finished it in one sitting,


I cried real tears at parts of this lovely story of young CeeCee Honeycutt, a little girl who suffers unimaginable loss at the hands of a mentally ill mother and unsympathetic father.
But like the spider webtrapped hummingbird rescued in Chapt,by pulling "the stickiest strings free of the bird's delicate wings," a community of concerned women carries out a similar attempt for CeeCee.
In both cases, a wounded creature is allowed to enjoy the life it should, I loved this book that climbs from frustrating despair to capturing a real glow in life restored, Great hysterical book set in Savannah, The characters were the best part, Another great southern fiction. I loved everything about this book, the characters especially, I experienced every kind of emotion while reading this, but the smiles outweighed the heartaches,

Until I have time to write more, and to avoid spoilers, I'll just say that Ceecee's mother, once loving, sinks into psychosis, and twelveyearold Ceecee ends out with a distant relative in Savannah.
A wide variety of things happen in this book, but none felt forced, just the result of interesting characters,

P. S. The audio by Jenna Lamia was wonderful,

When Camille Sugarbaker Honeycutt, the pretty but crazyVidalia Onion Queen dies, her twelveyearold daughter CeeCee has barely a hope in the world.
To her rescue arrives Great Aunt Tootie in the most magnificent car CeeCee has ever seen, and she is whisked away to the city of Savannah.
Among the sweet scent of magnolias and the loving warmth of Tootie and her colourful collection of friends, it looks as though CeeCee has arrived in paradise.
But when a darker side to the Southern dream threatens this delicate, newfound happiness, Aunt Tootie and her friends must rally to CeeCee's aid.
This is a review of the audiobook, This was charmingly narrated by Jenna Lamia who convincingly sounds not only like an intelligent, forlorn littleyearold girl, but the many moods of CeeCee herself worry, happiness, embarrassment, guilt, wonder, revenge, fear, grief, sadness, humor, forgiveness, and delight.
Ms. Lamia performs the various accents, Northern and Southern, female and male, with distention and authenticity, There are some wonderful, touching scenes in this comingofage story and she delivers them nicely, I adore this style of writing, dripping with deep southern charm set in the summer ofSavannah, Georgia, What a sparkling gem of a debut for Hoffman, I'm gonna have to compare this book a little because of the age of the main character to Secret Life of Bee's with ayear old girl named CeeCee living in Ohio, with her tender heart in shambles after the passing of her mentallyill mother and having an absent father with no parenting skills.
This event changes her life as she moves to live with her wise, little Aunt Tootie and her dearest friend and housekeeper Oletta.
Told with a beautiful and unique voice and vividly described setting, wonderful eccentric side characters and neighbors, This is a lush story that squeezes your heart, so full of warmth, humor and charismatic characters so real, you just feel like could run over to sitandshare with them while sipping Iced sweet tea in Tootie's backyard basking in the aroma of Magnolia and Wisteria blossoms.

You just can't help but adore Aunt Tootie, Oletta, Miz Goodpepper and Mrs, Odell these generous, spunky, loveable characters that seem to know just what to do to heal CeeCee's tender broken heart and help her bloom simply by being themselves.
CeeCee adds to there lives as well to seal a strong circle of friendship,
so touching I was crying, laughing and cheerfully embracing this story that feeds the soul and leaves an intoxicating, aromatic delight of great southern food and exotic flowers.
A must read for anyone who enjoys southern stories like Ya Ya's series, Steel Magnolia's or The Help, A sweet and tender book that delivers with plenty of southern charm, I loved the simplicity of this story,

A full cast of wonderful colourful characters, it depicts the essence of southern hospitality in a heartwarming way, Although at the beginning the story is tinged with sadness it's delivered with a softness that makes you feel all gooey inside.


The women who rally around CeeCee when she goes to live with her Great Aunt in Georgia become paramount in changing CeeCee's life for the better with lots of uplifting lessons learnt along the way.
A truly wonderful book! This book was a total escape for me, I got lost in the world of precocious,year old Cecelia Honeycutt who experienced growing up in a depressing Ohio home, with an absentee father and a psychotic mother that dies tragically.


Hope finally appears with a flare, upon the arrival of her unknown, greataunt Tallulah Caldwell, Aunt Tootie drives CeeCee off to Savanna, Georgia, and a bright new life begins,

The book flowed with Southern charm, unforgettable characters, and everyday adventures filled with wisdom and love,

Here's an excerpt that I related to:

"I loved this time of night, how everything softened and lost the hard edges of day, and how, if the wind moved just right, the live oaks would murmur tender green words across the shadowy lawn.
Sitting with a book in the warm circle of light from the table lamp had become my favorite way to end the day.
"

I also read at night, I lost a lot of sleep over this book, because I had a difficult time putting it down, I wanted it to go on forever, . .
I'm probably the only person in the U, S. of A. who didn't like this book, I just don't get what everyone sees in it, It was so sugary sweet I thought it was going to put me in a diabetic coma, And the characters were such steriotypes, Like the wise Oletta who says "Child, child, you've got a whole lot of healin' to do, But the Good Lord sent you to the right place, Ain't nobody walkin' this green earth got a bigger heart than Miz Tootie", Argh!! The author was constantly barraging the reader with forced, awkward sounding metaphors, "I was nestled deep in the feather bed like a baby bird in a nest", "A string of creampuff clouds seemed to bump into the treetops", "I noticed an adventuresome earthworm, . . it lay there sizzled up like a forgotten sausage on a grill, " I haven't seen so many bad metaphors since Creative Writing, I expected a lot from this book because of all the rave reviews, but I was really disappointed, I am often a fan of Southern literature because it is frequently filled with colorful, eccentric characters, beautiful descriptions, and improbable situations.
At its best, it is also infused with humor, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt lives up to the traditions and expectations,

Cecelia Rose CeeCee lives in's Ohio with her increasingly unstable mother, who was theVidalia Onion Queen, and an increasingly absent father.
Her mother, transplanted to the North, was never able to thrive there and becomes lost in a world of Goodwill prom dresses and irrational behaviors that humiliate CeeCee.
Circumstances lead CeeCee to a greataunt in Savannah, a woman as dedicated to saving CeeCee as she is to saving the beautiful old houses in her town.


Is it possible to commit murder by garden slugs What is the “black boomerang of karma” going to do next What happens to the racist white man who attacks blacks in a world too quick to believe a bad white man over three good black women

I found this to be a tender, delightful story with characters I came to love.
Well, I didn't love Miz Hobbs, but then, who would

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