Gods in Alabama
10 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Heaven-Ali from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, April 28, 2007
Oops bought as a result of a trip to the dreaded "bad bookshop"
Synopsis
When Lena Fleet goes to college, she makes three promises to God: she will stop fornicating with every boy she meets; never tell another lie and never, ever go back to her hometown of Possett, Alabama. All she wants from God in return is that He makes sure the body is never found...But ten years later, it looks like God's going back on His deal. Lena's high school archenemy appears on her doorstep, looking for the golden haired football god who disappeared during their senior year. To make matters worse, her African Amercian boyfriend has issued her with an ultimatum - introduce him to her lily-white family or he's gone...While she would rather burn in a fire than let him meet her steel magnolia Aunt Florence, her half-mad Mama, her sweet-as-pecan-pie cousin Clarice and the rest of her eccentric and racist family, Lena realises it is time to go home to Alabama and confront the past once and for all...
Synopsis
When Lena Fleet goes to college, she makes three promises to God: she will stop fornicating with every boy she meets; never tell another lie and never, ever go back to her hometown of Possett, Alabama. All she wants from God in return is that He makes sure the body is never found...But ten years later, it looks like God's going back on His deal. Lena's high school archenemy appears on her doorstep, looking for the golden haired football god who disappeared during their senior year. To make matters worse, her African Amercian boyfriend has issued her with an ultimatum - introduce him to her lily-white family or he's gone...While she would rather burn in a fire than let him meet her steel magnolia Aunt Florence, her half-mad Mama, her sweet-as-pecan-pie cousin Clarice and the rest of her eccentric and racist family, Lena realises it is time to go home to Alabama and confront the past once and for all...
Journal Entry 2 by Heaven-Ali from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Sunday, June 17, 2007
Wow this is a great read, I could hardley put it down. Fans of Rebecca Wells will surely love it. A really good firat novel, which explores themes of race and abandonment. A lively authentic southern voice - and I will be looking out for more by this author.
This may end up being a ring now.
msJoanna (us) (US/mexico only)
top-tappser (US) (US/Canada)
nynjagrrrl (US) (anywhere)
ana-b (Netherlands)(anywhere)
cross-patch (UK) it's here
Anglersrest (UK)
kiwiinEngland (UK)
Lyzzybee (UK)
This may end up being a ring now.
msJoanna (us) (US/mexico only)
top-tappser (US) (US/Canada)
nynjagrrrl (US) (anywhere)
ana-b (Netherlands)(anywhere)
cross-patch (UK) it's here
Anglersrest (UK)
kiwiinEngland (UK)
Lyzzybee (UK)
Journal Entry 3 by Heaven-Ali at A fellow bookcrosser in By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, July 7, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (7/7/2007 UTC) at A fellow bookcrosser in By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
This has arrived in New York just in time for me to take it on vacation with me. I'll be traveling for the next two weeks and expect to read it while traveling. Will journal again once I've finished and will send along to the next person in August.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were authentic and believable and the narrative moved quickly. It was perfect for my plane flight, though I wish it had been longer so that it would have lasted through the whole flight rather than needing to move on to another book soon afterwards. I'm also expecting the author's next book from a different ring and am really looking forward to it.
(mailed 7/27)
(mailed 7/27)
Arrived in today''s mail. Will get right to it.
Fun, a couple laugh out loud spots. Dark, in places, not what I expected. Enjoyed the twist. Will mail out sometime this week.
Mailed today. Thank You Heaven-Ali for the opportunity to read this entertaining book.
I got this in the mail to other day. Thanks for sending it!
I enjoyed this book. The ending was not what I expected. Lena certainly has an interesting family! It will be sent off to Ana-b soon.
Arrived this morning. I have two other ringbooks waiting, so I'll start this weekend.
What a beautiful story and I loved all the strange characters. Covers a lot of important themes: racism, regret and remorse, love. An original ending, I was happy for that.
Thanks for sharing this book. I'll PM the next participant in this ring for his/her address.
Thanks for sharing this book. I'll PM the next participant in this ring for his/her address.
Released 16 yrs ago (9/24/2007 UTC) at
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
The book is sent by mail today, to cross-patch. I hope you enjoy it.
The book is sent by mail today, to cross-patch. I hope you enjoy it.
Journal Entry 14 by 
Cross-patch
from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Arrived safely this morning. Thanks go to Heaven-Ali and ana-b. Also, thankyou ana-b for a lovely post card.
Journal Entry 15 by Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 30, 2007
I agree that this was a very good book, well-drawn characters, and I got tricked by the plot direction. I haven't read any Rebecca Wells' books but am going to look for some now. Thank you for a chance to discover this author.
Parcelled up and going in the post today.
Parcelled up and going in the post today.
Book rings are really like buses, none for months then three in a week! Arrived today and at the bottom of a small ring pile.....
Just PMing kiwiinEngland for an address in readyness!
Just PMing kiwiinEngland for an address in readyness!
Journal Entry 17 by AnglersRest from Teignmouth, Devon United Kingdom on Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The very gentle story of Lena Fleet, who has made a promise with God. That she will stop sleeping with every boy she meets, move and not return to her home town and she will not tell lies, all she asks from God is that her secret remains that way.....all was OK until she met the love of her life.....
This lovely book will be winging it's way to kiwiinEngland later today.
This lovely book will be winging it's way to kiwiinEngland later today.
Arrived today and on my ring/ray tbr pile (which is pretty small) at the moment.
Thanks for passing this along
Thanks for passing this along
I enjoyed this book, and the way people related to each other.I've never spent time in the southern states of America, or meet anyone who has been there. I wonder if the stereotypes are true….
Will post to Lyzzybee on Saturday 15 Dec 2007.
Journal Entry 20 by LyzzyBee from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Sunday, December 23, 2007
Received in a suprise Sunday post today! Looking forward to this though might delay starting it slightly so I can finish my "getting my TBR down to a shelf and a pile before Christmas Day" project (I won't see Ali till the 29th at earliest and will probably get it read before then!)
I have been to Alabama and Georgia, by the way, kiwiinengland - I'll report back if the book portrays Alabama accurately!
I have been to Alabama and Georgia, by the way, kiwiinengland - I'll report back if the book portrays Alabama accurately!
Journal Entry 21 by LyzzyBee from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Friday, December 28, 2007
Thanks for adding me to this ring, Heaven-Ali. Even though it had a nasty bit in, I coped fine. An excellent first novel with a real feel for characterisation, it took the Southern Novel stereotypes - the good, blonde cheerleader, the Mum On Pills, the popular jock, and twisted them a little to show what was underneath. I particularly liked the interactions between Burr and the Southern family, and the plot was well done and twisty enough without being silly.
I think there's another one by this author doing the rounds? Yes, please!
Oh - and to answer the question about Alabama. Well, I found a lot of similarities with other books about the Southern States - close, almost too-close families, the homecoming queen and the jock as the king and queen of school and town, the Southern Baptist stuff. I've experienced the good side of this - the hospitality, the willingness to present a neat, tidy, dainty appearance at all times, the slightly stereotyped gender roles...
Anyway thanks Ali, and I'll pass it back to you when I see you next!
I think there's another one by this author doing the rounds? Yes, please!
Oh - and to answer the question about Alabama. Well, I found a lot of similarities with other books about the Southern States - close, almost too-close families, the homecoming queen and the jock as the king and queen of school and town, the Southern Baptist stuff. I've experienced the good side of this - the hospitality, the willingness to present a neat, tidy, dainty appearance at all times, the slightly stereotyped gender roles...
Anyway thanks Ali, and I'll pass it back to you when I see you next!
Journal Entry 22 by LyzzyBee at A Bookcrosser in A BookCrosser, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, January 6, 2008
Released 16 yrs ago (1/7/2008 UTC) at A Bookcrosser in A BookCrosser, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Returning this to Heaven-Ali on Monday evening.
Returning this to Heaven-Ali on Monday evening.
Journal Entry 23 by Heaven-Ali from Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Friday, January 18, 2008
oops forgot to journal this - it's back with me now.
Picked this up from the book buffet at the BookCrossing Convention... Interesting to see that it's already passed through so many hands! Hopefully it won't take me too long to read this one and get it moving again.
As others have said, this was a enjoyable book with a great diversity of characters. I didn't spot the final twist ahead of time, but thought it added a significant extra dimension to the story.
Will try and find a new home for this soon.
Will try and find a new home for this soon.
