The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I would have to say that this book is one of my favorite books this year. Told with alternating viewpoints, The Help explores racism in the South during the pre-Civil Rights era. However, it does so without being preachy or depressing, and I think that is because the characters are written so well. I absolutely loved the characters. Aibileen, the sweet caretaker who finally gets fed up with being treated like a second-class citizen; Minny, the sassy maid with a heart of gold; and Skeeter, the college graduate who is determined to actually use her college degree. When Skeeter ropes Aibileen into helping her write a tell-all book about being a black maid in Mississippi, each of the women must decide if telling the truth is worth the consequences.

I found myself really caring about the main characters (as well as "white-trash" Cecelia Foote) and their struggles to grow in a society that did not allow for growth. The ending did leave me hanging, but I was satisfied with it. The injustices that the black women faced made me angry and grateful. While I know that we do not live in a perfectly colorblind society, I'm glad that it is not as bad as it was then. The rampant racism was appalling and sad.

I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. A great read!

Sunrise by Jacquelyn Cook

Here is my second review for the Southern Literature Reading Challenge. Sunrise by Jacquelyn Cook is the story of Anne Tracy Johnston and William Butler Johnston. They are the real life southerners that built the Johnston-Felton-Hay mansion in Macon, Georgia. The story follows Anne and William through their courtship, honeymoon in Europe, and marriage. It covers their lives during the civil war and the outlines the lives of the family and friends that surround them.

While this book had the potential to be very interesting, it ended up being one of the most boring books I've ever read. I got it free on my kindle, which is a good thing. I would have been seriously disappointed if I had paid for this book. The main character Anne, was annoying. She was constantly whining and having fits of temper. Then her entire personality would turn around after a little prayer or a bible verse was given to her. Mr. Johnston could have been an interesting character, but he was kept in the background during much of the story. Not only that, but the plot just read like a timeline of events. There wasn't much storytelling involved. The worst part was when it read like a timeline of deaths. I know this time period wasn't the best for a long life expectancy, but it seems that just about everyone died in this book. It is based on fact, but it felt like there was nothing but death after death througout the book.

I would give this book one out of five stars.

Sweet Tea at Sunrise

Sweet Tea at Sunrise by Sheryl Woods

Newly divorced mom, Sarah, has come back home to Serenity, North Carolina to rebuild her life with her two young children. Emotionally battered by her ex-husband and family, Sarah suffers from an extreme lack of self-confidence. Enter Travis McDonald, a sweet-talking ex-baseball player. Travis has opened a new radio station in Serenity and he wants Sarah to be his morning deejay. As they begin to work together, sparks start to fly, but can Sarah ever believe that she is the woman Travis really wants?

Sweet Tea at Sunrise is #5 in the Sweet Magnolias Series. I would highly recommend reading some of the other books in the series before trying this one. While the romance part of the story stands alone, there were many references to past events that just made no sense to me. Also, there were way too many characters. I had to keep backtracking to figure out who was related or who a person was. I'm sure that if I started with the first book in the series this would have been less confusing.

Sarah suffers from way too much self-doubt. I'm sure that her marriage was hard on her, but not only did she lack self-confidence, but she also lacked any spunk. Instead of facing her problems or doubts head-on, she just kept avoiding them. Instead of acting like a mature adult and having conversations with Travis, she would either argue with him, avoid him, or kiss him senseless. I also didn't like how her friends kept telling her what to do and treating her like she was a child. This was a bit annoying for me. The ending was also a bit abrupt. I did like many of the side characters. I'm interested in reading more of their stories.

Southern Literature Challenge

Here is another reading challenge that I am taking on for 2011. The Introverted Reader is hosting a Southern Literature Challenge. Since I am from Texas and adore all things Southern (although Texan and Southern are NOT synonomous), I think this will be fun to try.

My goal is to read 4 Southern books and I'm reading my first one right now. Here's to a successful challenge!

Head on over to The Introverted Reader for more information and a list of great books to choose from. I'll post a review once I finish my book.