Customer Reviews

Julia's Chocolates

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

Usually chosing books on reviews, I was a bit apprehensive that I chose this book from the cover and inside blurb. Twenty pages in I was relieved to know I made a wise choice as Cathy Lamb's book is rich in character, plot and resolution.

Julia, abused her entire childhood, sickly chooses a cruel finance who continues the pattern with great zeal. The day of the wedding, in a moment of clarity, Julia realizes she is making a huge mistake. She escapes in her beat-up car from New England to Golden, Oregon to the comfort of her Aunt Lydia's farm, leaving her wedding dress dangling from a tree in North Dakota. At Aunt Lily's, Julia befriends 4 women who attend "Aunt Lydia's Psychic Nights" where each lady exposes her own set of disturbances. The friendships open Julia's injured mind to understanding no one deserves constant berating, constant hitting, constant chaos. But as she heals, her crazed fiance plots vicious revenge, and Julia knows a reckoning is coming.

I found this beautifully written because in the face of disturbing subject matter there was still uproarious humor, gentle moments, quirky, loveable characters and redemption. Written with a homespun prose, the book keeps you on a fragile edge, but doesn't leave you dangling for too long. A perfect balance makes this a must read for all that hide from truth or are in search of it.

Great first effort; I look forward to more books from this gifted author.

From the beginning of this story, chocolate is in the background. It represents security, peace, and self-confidence. It is a touchstone for the main character, Julia Bennett, a woman on the run from her past.

She had a crappy childhood and a pretty awful adult hood (so far). So, after running out on her abusive fiancee, she lightly packs her car (taking a few necessities, including some of her own chocolate) and heads for the home of her heart.

Julia's aunt Lydia is the hero of this story in many ways. She provides Julia the space comfort and energy Julia needs to grow. A cast of characters builds in Lydia's hometown of Golden, Oregon. They are all interesting (and there's a good number of GOOD male characters: a rarity in most chic-lit). But the coup de story is definitely Lydia. She goes around shouting things like "feel the female power in your breasts." Yet somehow, though I was almost embarrassed to read what she said, by the end, I could understand her message (though I don't know if I can ever love my body parts the way Lydia implores).

I adored the pacing of this story, the characters, the plot (which is, in many ways, graphically violent - reader be warned), and the "morals" of the story.

Scenes from this will occupy my thoughts for weeks. That is surely the hallmark of a wonderful book. Also, it features lots of orgasmic chocolate, which speaks to me.

Highly, highly recommended.

(*)>

This book was a total waste of money. It is not well written, and the story line so boring I couldn't finish this book. I gave it 90 pages and then gave up. If you read at a college level and love good writing pass this one up for something more stimulating and believable.

wow, I loved this book! Best thing I've read in ages.

The characters are well developed - highly quirky, funny and will without a doubt work their way into your heart. Although this is a story about friendship and courageous women, it is also a tale about facing your fears, having the courage to take risks and finding yourself. What a journey - I simply howled about the Psychic Nights, cheered at the victories and felt the fear they faced. I can not wait for Ms. Lamb's next book and have to admit that it was hard to see this book end.

There were many moments where I laughed and cried during this treasure.

When I bought this book, it had nothing but 5-star reviews, so I was really looking forward to it. I was so disappointed. This book is one of those highly oversimplified, sappy, fairy tale type books where the main character comes from hardships, changes her physical location, and her enitre life changes. Everyone sees her worth the instant they meet her and love her immediately, everyone she cares about is the most exceptionally gifted person at whatever they do. Nobody judges superficially as they used to, and the main character now suddenly has the power and fortitude to stand up to all wrongs and give so many gifts to the world.

I honestly just found the writing ludicrous and the storyline laughable. If you are looking for a story with some substance or realism, skip this one. If you just want some immature girly fluff, this is the book for you.

Julia Bennett is the central character in this book. She has lived with abuse all of her life with her alcoholic mother and her many boyfriends, and she is reliving it all over again with her fiancé Robert. Finally, one day after being abused she sees the light and decides to leave before her wedding and go to look for refuge with her Aunt Lydia, a woman who has tried to help her in the past.

In living with Lydia, Julia also gets to know a group of women who will help her find herself and heal her soul and her body in the process. Unfortunately, for me, a lot of these characters were just too out there in regards to the psychic nights and the ability to find strength in their private body parts! I mean, who does that?! It's fun to be quirky but this was just a little too bizarre and kind of killed the story for me.

Julia, of course manages to find love and her talent in the midst of some serious situations.

While this book is indeed filled with warmth and love, I just could not get into the characters lives, thankfully so I guess since most of them are dealing with some very serious issues. I wanted to like this book but in the end, I was just glad that it was over.

This book was highly recommended to me by a friend. However, it seems my friend and I have entirely different tastes in books. I struggled through 100 plus pages, but didn't finish it due to boredom and a total lack of interest. The characters are unbelievable and cliche, and I cannot relate to women who sit around and celebrate their private body parts. It just isn't a realistic story.

Julia's Chocolates is a definite page turner--full of emotion, humor and courage. I found it hard to put the book down. It's about an abused woman running away from her psycho fiancé on her wedding day and her journey in finding her own self-worth, thanks to the loving support of her eccentric Aunt Lydia and unique women friends in Golden, OR. If you like The Secret Life of Bees and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, you love Julia's Chocolates.

If you enjoy your chick lit a little more serious, then this is the book for you. I found this book hard to put down once I started. The characters are well developed and, best of all, there is a complete plot! I thought this book would appeal to readers who enjoy Jodi Picoult and Wally Lamb. It is a very emotional book written with humor and grace. I don't want to give away the plot, but basically a troubled and abused woman overcomes her abused past and triumphs over tragedy. You have to read it.

I was very surprised to be completely disappointed by this book. It was a poor cross between "The Divine Secrets of the Yaya Sisterhood" by Rebecca Wells and "Chocolat" by Joanne Harris. Both of these wildly popular books had a unique way of capturing the spirit of the characters. Yet, "Julia's Chocolates" fails to deliver that sense of knowing the people you are reading about. This novel seems to take elements from both of these books, and mishmash them together, to create something lesser than either.

The characters are more like caricatures, and none seem fully developed. Each one seems to be 'putting on a play', but not establishing themselves.

I wanted to love this book, and kept plugging along, even when it became repetitive and predictable. I wish I could say it ended better than it began. The beginning few pages were the best in the novel.