Book Beginnings & Book Ends!

Happy Monday, everybody!

This morning, I'm excited to do my first post for the blogger's book club Book Beginnings & Book Ends! We're reading the novel "The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes", by Diane Chamberlain. So far, it is wonderful! Its one of those books I'm excited to sneak away to a quiet spot in the house and get lost in. I can already tell I'm going to have a hard time making myself stop reading for each discussion.. I could easily not put this book down and be finished in two days!

But, I'm going to hold myself back. I'm currently reading a couple of other books anyway, so I'll just have to switch between the three :)

For today, we were to have read the first 10 chapters. So far, we have a pretty good introduction to the characters, their relationships, and to one of the main events of the story.

Questions:

1. What was your first impression of Tim? My very first impression was that he was a really sweet, great guy! I really like CeeCee's character, and I thought he was going to be the sweet college boy who sweeps her off her feet. As the chapters have progressed, though, I have definitely changed my mind. I don't think he has her best interests in mind, at all. And, I think he saw her as a naive, young, needy girl, and decided that was exactly the kind of person he needed to help with his and Marty's "plan".
2. If you were in CeeCee's position, would you be willing to help your boyfriend in the way that she is willing to help Tim? This is sort of a tough question. I know I would definitely never agree to be a part of any sort of plan like the one they are preparing for, let alone if I had only been dating a guy for a month or so, like CeeCee has! This shows how naive she is. I think the readers can see she's being taken advantage of. However, I can understand Tim's need to save his sister's life, and because she loves him, and seems to love his family, she is willing to do something she would not normally do to "make things right". But, again on the other side of the token, I personally would not want to live a life in secret for a family I barely knew. I don't think its a good idea for her to be involved. I have a feeling something is going to go wrong...
3. Why do you think CeeCee is so eager to please Tim? I think CeeCee is so eager to please Tim because of what she has been through. She lost her Mom when she was 12, had no real father figure in her life before that, and since then she has been in several foster situations. For the last four+ years, she hasn't had the full acceptance of being a part of someone's (or her own) family. Tim represents a chance for her to have that again.. to belong with someone; to be loved unconditionally be someone; to have a family. I think she wants that desperately, and it is shielding her view of what is right and wrong.
4. Who do you think has it harder? Tim or CeeCee? Both of these characters have it pretty hard. Tim has had to lose his sister and mother, both in some pretty horrific circumstances. CeeCee has also lost her mother, but her mother took care to make sure she was as prepared for it as possible and through her letters could still be present in her life after her death. I guess when I really think about it, though, Tim must have it the hardest. Not only has he had to mourn the loss of his sister (even if temporarily) and mother, he's sort of lost the "brother he knew" after Marty returned from the war, and his father is miles away. His entire family fell apart. In addition, he feels the pressure to do something so extreme to save his sisters life, and that must be a horrible position to be in too. I'm interested to find out what happens with his character though, because I don't trust something about him...
5. What character trait about CeeCee stuck out the most to you in these first 10 chapters? I think her caring, mothering nature has stuck out the most to me. I think these traits also lend themselves to her being so naive. She just wants to help, and make things right, and it is causing to her to get involved with something that can really hurt her in the long run. She's taking care of everyone but herself.
6. Do you think CeeCee is as mature as she seems? In some ways, yes. In others, not at all. I think she is smarter and has been through more than most 16 year olds. But again, she has the naivete of a 16 year-old. To me, this is one of the reasons Tim has decided to pursue her and involve her. He knows she can be persuaded and blinded by "love".

I'm so excited to keep reading! Hope you all are enjoying the book, too! :)