The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder

This story fills your heart and soul with the feelings of sweet southern women. I cried and I laughed and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. You really feel the hurts and triumphs of Cally Lily Ponder and wish you were one of her great friends. It will be a long while before I forget her.

She had the authentic southern accent but most of the female characters were over-the-top while most of the males mumbled and drawled out every syllable beyond reason. The effect was that of cartoon character hillbillies. If the story itself was better, this would be better to read than to listen to.

I am so disappointed at the shallowness of the plot and the lack of character development, especially as I enjoyed The Ya-Ya Sisterhood so much. Ms. Wells did not live up to her earlier achievement with this one. The first half of the story sounded like entries in an adolescent girl's diary - we went swimming, we went shopping, this is how we did our hair. Every imaginable southern cliche was used, and every attempt at humor fell flat - especially the embarassing attempt by Calla to use voo-doo to convert a gay hairdresser. And what was with Calla's emotional reminiscence of Romeo and Juliet in which Romeo stabbed himself and Juliet was screaming with his blood streaming down her gown? Which version of Shakespeare did she read? Please!
I came very close to not finishing, but stuck with it hoping for improvement. Just as there seemed to be some hope for genuine feeling towards the end, we descended back into predicatable cliche by route of Harlequin romance. I cannot recommend this book and feel it was a wasted credit.

First, my most favorite thing about this audiobook was that Judith Ivey sounds just like Paula Deen! Wonderful.

Second - if you don't like to cry, skip this one. I must have had tears streaming down my face for half of this book - which looks a little crazy in Albertson's, let me tell you!

Wonderful story - rich characters, real pain and joy, descriptions of Louisiana food that made my mouth water!

I couldn't take my ear buds out - I wanted to listen all day!

I read both "Little Altars Everywhere" and "Ya Ya Sisterhood" and thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. Excellent reading voice - very easy to listen to. If you've liked other Rebecca Wells' books, you'll love this as well. Definitely a 'chick' book - romantic, a bit predictable, but thoroughly enjoyable.

I have loved all the books by Rebecca Wells, and this book is no exception. Really a nice story, very touching, and Judith Ivey doesn't just read it, she PERFORMS the book. Great listen.

This was my favorite book of 2009. The reader was wonderful, the book lyrical. The love stories are sweet and enduring. The place created in my mind magical. It is a story of innocence and purpose. Incredibly written. I highly recommend it!

Fans of Rebecca Wells will not be disappointed with the Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder. Very well read and interpreted. The characters came to life and left me wanting more. Delightful!

What a wonderful listen. The story is memorizing and the reader is so captivating I could hardly stop listening.

The book started out strong and I didn't want to stop listening, however has it went on, I got the feeling that Calla Lily was a little pious. I actually stopped listening for a couple of days as I felt her "wonderfulness" became too much. Other than that and wishing the ending had been stronger, for the most part the story was entertaining and teh narration was spot on!

Laughed and cried listening to this wonderful story! I thought it was great and want more.