Title: Saving CeeCee Honeycutt
Author: Beth Hoffman
Pages: 306
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publication Date: January 12, 2010
My Edition: ARC Paperback
Reading Level: YA/Adult
Received From: LibraryThing
Summary from Beth's website:
Twelve-year-old CeeCee is in trouble. For years she’s been the caretaker of her psychotic mother, Camille— the crown-wearing, lipstick-smeared laughingstock of an entire town. Though it’s 1967 and they live in Ohio, Camille believes it’s 1951 and she’s just been crowned the Vidalia Onion Queen of Georgia.
The day CeeCee discovers Camille in the front yard wearing a tattered prom dress and tiara as she blows kisses to passing motorists, she knows her mother has completely flipped. When tragedy strikes, Tootie Caldwell, a previously unknown great-aunt comes to CeeCee’s rescue and whisks her away to Savannah. Within hours of her arrival, CeeCee is catapulted into a perfumed world of prosperity and Southern eccentricities—a world that appears to be run entirely by women.
While Tootie is busy saving Savannah’s endangered historic homes from the wrecking ball, CeeCee encounters a cast of unforgettable, eccentric characters. From the mysterious Thelma Rae Goodpepper, who bathes in an outdoor tub under the watchful eyes of a voyeuristic peacock, to Oletta Jones, the all-knowing household cook, to Violene Hobbs, the loud-mouthed widow who entertains a local police officer in her yellow see-through peignoir, the women of Gaston Street keep CeeCee entertained and enthralled for an entire summer.
But CeeCee’s view of the world is challenged in ways she could have never imagined: there are secrets to keep, injustices to face, and loyalties to uphold. Just as she begins to find her ballast and experiences a sense of belonging, her newfound joy collides with the long-held fear that her mother’s legacy has left her destined for destruction.
The day CeeCee discovers Camille in the front yard wearing a tattered prom dress and tiara as she blows kisses to passing motorists, she knows her mother has completely flipped. When tragedy strikes, Tootie Caldwell, a previously unknown great-aunt comes to CeeCee’s rescue and whisks her away to Savannah. Within hours of her arrival, CeeCee is catapulted into a perfumed world of prosperity and Southern eccentricities—a world that appears to be run entirely by women.
While Tootie is busy saving Savannah’s endangered historic homes from the wrecking ball, CeeCee encounters a cast of unforgettable, eccentric characters. From the mysterious Thelma Rae Goodpepper, who bathes in an outdoor tub under the watchful eyes of a voyeuristic peacock, to Oletta Jones, the all-knowing household cook, to Violene Hobbs, the loud-mouthed widow who entertains a local police officer in her yellow see-through peignoir, the women of Gaston Street keep CeeCee entertained and enthralled for an entire summer.
But CeeCee’s view of the world is challenged in ways she could have never imagined: there are secrets to keep, injustices to face, and loyalties to uphold. Just as she begins to find her ballast and experiences a sense of belonging, her newfound joy collides with the long-held fear that her mother’s legacy has left her destined for destruction.
Laugh-out-loud funny, at times heartbreaking, and written in a pitch-perfect voice, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is a spirited Southern tale that explores the intricate frailties and strengths of female relationships while illuminating the journey of a young girl who loses her mother but finds many others.
Review:
Review:
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt was a refreshingly, sweet novel about a little twelve year girl who goes through many hardships to finally feel like she fits in and to feel loved. Cecilia "CeeCee" has to overcome the death of her crazy, mentally unstable mother and leave her father who was never been there to take care of her or her mother. She goes to live with her great-aunt where she meets several strong-minded women who she grows to love and cherish, and finally she starts to feel like she finally has a real family.
The characters of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt were mainly women, but were so strong they overpowered the men from their past. I loved reading about CeeCee's new life as she moves to Savanna, Georgia to live with her generous, loving aunt. The story was nicely written and very enjoyable to read. It was pretty hard to stop reading, and at times I could picture the scenes in my head while I was reading. At one part, I even became hungry for peaches because I could just picture the scene so perfectly.
It is set in the past in a time where African Americans weren't truly excepted yet, so at times, the racial discrimination was just horrible. I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed the book because when I first received it from LibraryThing after winning an ARC to review, I kept putting it off to read because I thought it would be unrelatable and boring. I was really wrong to delay from reading it because it is a sincerely, great book.
I loved the main characters so much! CeeCee along with her loving Aunt Tootie, and Oletta were amazing people and characters. The ending was just so good, and it left off at the perfect time leaving me very pleased. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is Beth Hoffman's first book, and I'm very impressed by the well written and developed story. Altogether, it was a wonderful novel filled with Southern charm, lovable characters, and a great setting/plot. I can't wait to see how Beth's future books stack up against such a great debut one.
Rating:
