Darien GeeRezensionen

Disheartened to say that though I liked Darien Gee's latest novel (Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society) taking place in Avalon I didn't really love it. If you have previously read "Friendship Bread" and "Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society" besides a mention and some actually sightings you don't get to follow up with characters from the previous novel that much.

I on the other hand ended up loving mostly all of the 12 short stories included in this novella. I generally do like most Christmas themed books. There were only two stories that I found to be sad and not uplifting (Chapter 6: Late Bloomers and Chapter 8: And We're Wassailing) but found that besides those two that I loved the other stories.

Ms. Gee does keep a narrative thread working through all of the stories about an anonymous donor and we do revisit characters that appeared in the first story and then the last. I hope in her next Avalon novel that Ms. Gee revisits some of the characters like Mary and Daryl who appeared in Chapter 1 and 12.

Ms. Gee includes recipes and also provides details on how to make friendship bread. I do have plans on making some this holiday season since the recipe looks to be very easy.

I recommend to those fans who want to catch up with the town of Avalon.

If you have read the story "Friendship Bread" you know that story takes place in the fictional town (maybe? I don't know) of Avalon. Author Darien Gee has returned to this location and characters in subsequent books: "The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society", "An Avalon Christmas" and now in "An Avalon Valentine." It is nice to revisit some of these characters we have come to known. But due to the length of this book (176 electronic pages) Gee doesn't have a lot to work with regards to the four main story-lines she decides to follow.

Story-line 1 follows long time character Hannah Wang. She is happy in her relationship with her boyfriend Jamie Linde, but now her ex-husband is back trying to rekindle their former relationship.

Story-line 2 follows another long time character, Connie Colls who is getting a bit bored with her samey relationship with vet Eli. That is until a new vet comes along who has Eli changing his ways.

Story-line 3 and 4 follow two characters that are new, Lucia Blake and Goldie Love (yeah that last name...sigh). Lucia is dealing with having a crush on her mail carrier and Goldie is a retired romance writer who is resistant to celebrating her 50th wedding anniversary.

There's a little hidden story-line in this one too, Julia Evarts daughter from the first book, Gracie, gets a little part of the Valentine's Day theme, I honestly wish that it had been cut since it just didn't work well with the other 4 story-lines.

I have to say for me this whole book was a wash. The POV jumped around a lot and we don't get to spend much time with any of these characters. I thought that Hannah's story-line had the most potential and could have been it's own stand alone book taking place in Avalon, but shoehorning in Connie, Lucia, and Goldie's stories just made the whole book feel cluttered. Maybe if Gee had decided to make this into a full length novel so some of these stories could have breathed it would have worked better.

The writing was okay, but I was missing the magical sense of this town that I have read about for a few years now. I just thought that the background of Valentine's Day would make it more interesting, but I was honestly bored. Maybe if Gee had shaken things up a bit with regards to some of the longer term romances in this book that would have made for a more compelling read? It just seemed most of the issues were once again adults not talking to each other and everyone just ignoring having a conversation that ended up fixing all in like ten minutes.

The ending fell a little flat. I am happy to get some new Amish friendship bread recipes though.

First off I loved Darien's Gee's first novel Friendship Bread: A Novel. This newest offering from her is a sort of sequel to Friendship Bread. Gee revisits some of the former characters from Friendship Bread but not all which is one of the two complaints I had about this novel. We do catch up with Madeline and Hannah. I wish we could have re-visited Julia and her family in this novel and so it felt a little false to me that she didn't pop up again.

This novel can be read as a stand alone novel but I still think it would be a good idea for the reader to read Friendship Bread first though since Gee does bring up events from the previous novel and you may be a little bit lost in places without the introduction.

This novel centers around four women living in Avalon, Illinois. The first is Isabel Kidd dealing with the anger she still feels towards her late husband. The second woman is Ava Catalina who is in mourning for the man and life she lost when he unexpectedly died leaving her with a young son to raise. The third women is Yvonne Tate a sexy plumber trying to build up her business in Avalon and also trying to find the one. Last we have Frances Latham, who is in the process of trying to adopt a girl from China.

All of the women end up meeting and getting embroiled with the Scrapbooking Society due to Bettie Shelton the head of the Scrapbooking Society going far and wide to recruit women and men to join in with her love of scrapbooking. Though it is called "The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society" the Avalon Ladies are not exactly front and center here. Though scrapbooking is a theme that Gee tries to tie the novel into you don't really see the payoff to that particular group until the very end.

My second complaint was due to the vignettes that Gee has inserted in certain places in the novel. These broke up the flow of the novel and though were interesting I couldn't always find the thread that connected them to the other people in the story. I actually started writing down names to see if they appeared elsewhere in the novel later and was 100 percent frustrated with the introduction to so many people.

I would still recommend this novel to anyone out there looking for something to read that reminiscent of Maeve Binchy's later novels.

Please note I received this novel for free via the Amazon Vine Program.

Carino, lettura leggera... e vissero tutti felici e contenti.

I was lucky enough to win an ARC. I loved the characters, especially Bette, and all the storylines all wove together well. I enjoyed reading this and appreciate the chance to read it.

This heart-warming story collection portrays the spirit of Christmas as displayed by the residents of Avalon, Illinois. Some stories are more interesting than others. Characters occasionally reappear in other stories. Most of the stories mention Harmony Homes, a facility for seniors which appears to include both independent living and assisted-living portions. This collection puts the reader in the Christmas spirit. Several recipes, including the Amish Friendship Bread and variations mentioned in the text, appear following the final story.½

Very enjoyable. An easy read with a good cast of characters. The sort of book you curl up with on a cold wet day in front of a warm fire and hot drink.

Another outing with the ladies of Avalon, Illinois. Darien Gee’s books are chick lit at its most charming. Getting to know her ladies is a pleasure. I look forward to more from this author.

I really enjoyed reading this book. All the character's stories came together throughout the book. There were a couple of great twists that developed until the end of the book. But honestly, I thought the ending was underwhelming. I couldn't give the book the full five star rating because of it. I kind of felt like I was left wanting more or just left on a hook. Maybe there is more for another story but who knows.

I found this book a delight to read. Dealing with friendship, community, grief and forgiveness, it was one of those rare books where, when I reached the last page, I went 'ahhhh'. A truly sweet story.

Healing comes from an unexpected gift: friendship bread. The story follows the lives of five women, all at different painful areas of life and all of them struggling alone from the weight of the pain they are going through.

One day, Julia comes home to find a plate with a loaf of bread, and a recipe for friendship bread. Her five-year-old daughter Gracie pleads for her to make the recipe because she wanted her daddy to try some of it. And in 10 days, Julia is left with bags of starter and sends them to school with Gracie. What happens is an epidemic of friendship bread.

While the bread is a sweet spot in the story, the pain and grief the women and families that are the focus of the story is not. Ms. Gee has written this story so well that the reader feels the pain and heartache of each character. The reader cannot help but cry, feel hope, smile, laugh, and cry some more while reading 'friendship bread'.

This collection of short stories take place in the fictional town of Avalon, Illinois. More character than plot driven, they are a beautiful and heartwarming stories. The stories are connected not only by being set in the same town, but some characters are in more than one story, and events are often referenced that took place in previous stories.

The author's writing style reminds me of the stories by Fannie Flagg. The characters are authentic, and as soon as I finished one story, I couldn't wait to read the next one. This a good book to curl up with on a cold night with a warm blanket and a hot cup of tea.

The stories really make you feel the true spirit of the Christmas season without being religious or preachy.

I find these kinds of books kind of boring at times. It wasn't that the stories were disinteresting, rather that when you are following so many connected stories, you never truly relate to one character. Some of the characters were a bit shallow but this is one for a pool side read. I ended up skipping the last few chapters, I needed to return the book to the library and I wasn't so involved that I felt the need to find out what happened in the end. The most interesting part of the book was the way scrapbooking was used to bring all of the characters together and served to tie in the theme of friendship and love.

I find these kinds of books kind of boring at times. It wasn't that the stories were disinteresting, rather that when you are following so many connected stories, you never truly relate to one character. Some of the characters were a bit shallow but this is one for a pool side read. I ended up skipping the last few chapters, I needed to return the book to the library and I wasn't so involved that I felt the need to find out what happened in the end. The most interesting part of the book was the way scrapbooking was used to bring all of the characters together and served to tie in the theme of friendship and love.

Why is it that so many novels about women, (chick lit, arguably) hinge on the premise of one or more central characters being devastated with heartbreak at the start of the novel.
Show me books where the central plot arcs aren't grieving some giant loss, or catching a romance... with a strong female character at the center.

This book got good after a lugubrious and sad start- once the baking started proliferating, and eccentric other characters showed up to make the focus feel less sharpened on Julia, it worked for me. Longer review to come on my blog.

Why is it that so many novels about women, (chick lit, arguably) hinge on the premise of one or more central characters being devastated with heartbreak at the start of the novel.
Show me books where the central plot arcs aren't grieving some giant loss, or catching a romance... with a strong female character at the center.

This book got good after a lugubrious and sad start- once the baking started proliferating, and eccentric other characters showed up to make the focus feel less sharpened on Julia, it worked for me. Longer review to come on my blog.

Why is it that so many novels about women, (chick lit, arguably) hinge on the premise of one or more central characters being devastated with heartbreak at the start of the novel.
Show me books where the central plot arcs aren't grieving some giant loss, or catching a romance... with a strong female character at the center.

This book got good after a lugubrious and sad start- once the baking started proliferating, and eccentric other characters showed up to make the focus feel less sharpened on Julia, it worked for me. Longer review to come on my blog.

Why is it that so many novels about women, (chick lit, arguably) hinge on the premise of one or more central characters being devastated with heartbreak at the start of the novel.
Show me books where the central plot arcs aren't grieving some giant loss, or catching a romance... with a strong female character at the center.

This book got good after a lugubrious and sad start- once the baking started proliferating, and eccentric other characters showed up to make the focus feel less sharpened on Julia, it worked for me. Longer review to come on my blog.

Title: An Avalon Christmas
Author: Darien Gee
Published: D.G.
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: 5
Review:

"An Avalon Christmas" by Darien Gee was a wonderful collection of short stories that took place in Avalon, Illinois. You will find from the read that this is a wonderful town to live in especially during the Christmas holiday season. These stories are of individuals lives and their dealings with the community during 'Christmas, a senior facility, anonymous giving and the Bah Humbug Club.' This author did a wonderful job with giving the reader a read that will lift your spirits of the Christmas holiday. Many of the stories brought tears along with some plenty of laughter. I think my favorite was the Bah Humbug story and I would truly recommend you pick up "A Avalon Christmas" to find out which one you like the best. I would recommend these stories because they are all beautifully written and these stories will be found so very heartwarming. So, with that being said I would recommend you to sit down and read about this special town in Avalon, Illinois.

This might be the only book with a kidnapped goat, a female plumber, an out of country adoption, a naked gardener, an unexpected house fire, a busy tea salon, and scrapbooking. Somehow it all adds up to a wonderful story with characters that you could picture as your own friends. I am looking forward to the next one by Gee. The recipes and scrapbooking tips were a nice added bonus.

Fan's of Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street series are sure to enjoy The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society. I loved getting to know the people of Avalon and the book certainly centers on individuals and how their stories impact those around them. I was a little concerned when I started reading that I would feel that I was missing pieces of the story because I haven't read Friendship Bread but that wasn't the case at all. I was given exactly enough detail about each character and their history to become immersed in their current story line. I loved the between the chapters sections that gave us even more details about characters who weren't the focus of this book but had a smaller role to play in influencing events.

I do not scrapbook but the way Bettie describes scrapbooking makes me want to start! The scrapbooking wasn't the focus of the story but gave the women a reason to gather and share the events of their lives. Gee included enough scrapbooking detail and terminology for an authentic experience but not so much that it is overwhelming to people like me.

I greatly enjoyed The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society and look forward to reading Friendship Bread. I hope Gee plans to return to Avalon in the future as there are certainly many more stories to be told.

The ladies of Avalon, IL are all dealing with their own particular concerns, but they all come together when resident Bettie Shelton, the local scrapbooking Queen, runs into trouble.
I should not have liked this book. It was everything I turn my nose up at: present tense voices, happy endings for everyone, a scrapbooking party line (don't get me wrong; I like to scrapbook. But I don't think scrapbooking and Amish Friendship Bread will solve the world's problems).
But I did like it. It was well-written, the characters were (mostly) likeable, there was genuine drama and human interest. So for me, it maybe rates lower, but if you're a fan of these kinds of books, I suspect you will love it.½

Read from April 30 to May 01, 2013

Read/Listened for Review (Edelweiss /Tantor)
Overall Rating 4.50
Story Rating 4.25
Character Rating 4.75

Audio Rating 3.50 (not part of the overall rating)

First Thought when Finished: I really enjoyed revisiting Avalon and learning about a whole new set of women in the town! Also, loved seeing some old familiar faces.

Speed Date Review

First Date: Stepping back into the town of Avalon made me feel like I had gone visiting old friends. The town is wonderfully simple while they people that live there are complex. I loved scrapbooking being the center of the story for this one!

Second Date: Wayward goats, bottle cap jewelry, starter packs, and even some friendship bread makes this book feel really homey. The characters are all going through some really tough things (some brought on themselves) and there are a few I want to hug, a few I want to be snotty with, and one that I think is going to break my heart!

Third Date: I loved how everything came together in the end. Was it perfect? No! Was it a work in progress (like life)? YES! I will say that Bettie's storyline is the one that hit me hardest because my grandmother went through the same thing. It was tough to read and pulled at my emotional heartstrings!

Audio Date:

Narrated by Tanya Eby /Running Time 14 hrs and 16 mins

I love Tanya's female voices! I have listened to her do several audiobooks. Her pacing is wonderful, her emotions pitch perfect, and her rhythms spot on. I would say the only thing that gets me with her are the male voices but in this book those were few and far between. Overall, I really enjoyed this one on audio!

Relationship Status: Still going strong after 2 books! This is one of the few women's fiction series that I adore.½

This story returns us to the lovely town of Avalon, Illinois. Once again we can sip tea and eat Friendship bread at Madeline's tea salon. There are familiar faces in town, and some we don't know. Yvonne, a beautiful, young woman with a plumber's license is trying to get her business going. Isabel, a widow, who is still reeling from the misadventures of her husband. Frances, the mother of a bunch of boys who is hoping to adopt a daughter from China. And Bettie, the head of the Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society and town busybody. By being drawn into the scrapbooking by Bettie, these women become interconnected and their personal stories revealed. And they begin to find out that their lives are about to change. Ms. Gee writes a warm story in the tradition of Debbie Macomber. The character become your friends and you become a part of the community. I look forward to more stories from her.

I'll begin this by saying I received an unsolicited review copy of this novel in the mail. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was something I would never have picked up on my own, but since it fell in to my hands, so to speak, I decided to go ahead and read it. The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society is about a group of women living in the small town of Avalon, Illinois. The book loosely centers around 77-year-old Bettie, who runs a scrapbooking club. The plot describes the ups and downs and friendships formed among the club members. The characters, I must say, were not particularly believable, and their actions often left me saying, "Really?" For example, next door neighbor Isabel does not like Bettie. When Bettie has a plumbing emergency, she commandeers Isabel's entire home and schedules a scrapbook club meeting there. Isabel returns home in the evening surprised to find a house full of uninvited scrapbookers, asks them to leave, and they ignore her. So Isabel rolls her eyes, sits down, and just waits for the meeting to end. Really? There's also Isabel's relationship with Ava. Ava has an affair with Isabel's husband, Bill, and becomes pregnant. Just before Bill leaves Isabel to marry Ava, he dies in a car crash. In the following four years, although Ava is a lovely person, she hadn't made a single friend in town and she longs to be best buddies with Isabel. Really? As you can see, I found the book a little silly. Darien Gee's writing is competent, however, so the book is easy to read. The endings are predictable but happy, every single young woman finds herself a man, and if you like Romance novels and are looking for a mindless beach read, this may just be the ticket.