Belong To Me by Maria de los Santos
I’m usually sort of wary of books that seem like they would fall into the genres of chick lit, or even women’s fiction. I’ve become a little more amenable to the idea lately, and have even requested a list from Swapna of Skrishna’s Books of some smart women’s fiction that might make for some lighter reading when the baby comes. I was pleased to see that one of the books she recommended to me was “Belong to Me,” which I had already accepted for review from the publisher. That made me feel good about the possibility I would like “Belong to Me” and, after having read “Belong to Me,” I’m extremely confident about the other books on the list she gave me, because I LOVED “Belong to Me.”
Cornelia and her husband Teo have recently uprooted thir urban selves to move to the suburbs of Philadelphia. Originally feeling on the outs with the other women in the neighborhood, particularly the fairly snotty Piper, Cordelia makes friends with Lake, a waitress with a brilliant, loveable 13 year old son named Dev. Throughout the book, all of their lives become increasingly intertwined, with Cordelia and Piper moving from hostility to accord to friendship as Piper deals with the terminal illness of her best friend Elizabeth.
I loved basically everything about “Belong to Me.” It is a little on the sweet side, being what I would consider women’s fiction. However, the writing is easily of the caliber of good literary fiction. The characters were fantastically written and flawed. I really, really wanted to hate Piper, but de los Santos just wouldn’t let me view her as a one-dimensional villian. Basically I was just totally enthralled by the characters, the story, and the writing. I had quite the ‘aha!’ moment when I read the back of the book and realized that de los Santos is an award-winning poet and holds a Ph.D. in literature and creative writing. Suddenly I understood why everything was so smart and well put together.
If you are looking for women’s fiction that has large cross-over potentional, a story that is enthralling and feels real with fantastic writing, I would definitely recommend “Belong to Me.”
I have three copies of “Belong to Me” to giveaway. Because HarperCollins is sending these out, this giveaway will be US-only. Sorry international readers. To enter, leave a relevant comment on this post. It should include “please enter me” or something of that nature, but if that is all that is in the comment, you will be disqualified. Blog or Twitter about this contest for extra entries. You must leave an additional comment for each additional entry and you must leave the URL for your tweet or blog post or additional entries will not be counted.
This contest will close Friday, June 12th. Winners will be notified and addresses will be sent to the publisher who will send out your books.
Buy this book from:
Powells.
A local independent bookseller via Indiebound.
Amazon.
62 Responses to “Belong To Me – Book Review and Giveaway”
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This sounds like a delightful book. I loved that the characters are somewhat flawed. I’ve read books that were off putting, giving unrealistic emotional divulgence to characters making it unbelievable. Please enter me in this drawing. Thanks for the opportunity! Indigo
Indigo’s last blog post..Jump…The Open Letter
Have you read Love Walked In? I just finished it the other day and loved it. I’m glad to know that Teo and Cornelia are the focus here too. I have this book at home so no need to enter me. =)
I haven’t, it is also on the list Swapna gave me, I think I’m definitely going to have to pick it up though!
Thanks for this lovely giveaway. I am captivated with this great story and the endearing characters.
I’m also not a big reader of chick-lit, but I’m always looking for ways to expand my reading horizons. This book sounds like a good way to transition away from some of the negative feelings I have about chick-lit! Plus, I bet it would make for a great summer read. Please do enter me in the drawing.
Brittany’s last blog post..Review – Walk Two Moons
I just finished Love Walked In and really enjoyed it. I had no idea that Belong to Me was the sequel! Please enter me in the giveaway, I would love to read this.
Thanks,
jess
barney’s book blog
jedziedz@hotmail.com
Jess’s last blog post..Review — Thr3e
Your review has put me over the fence, and now I want to read “Belong to Me”. I’ve almost bought this books a couple of times but I think I thought it was going to be too mushy based on the cover art (I know that’s silly, but something about the rainboots turned me off). Please enter me!
Beth C.’s last blog post..A Trip to the Far East, The West Coast, and Through Sisterly Trials in Lisa See’s "Shanghai Girls
Sweet can be good, and flawed even better. As I have flaws abundant, it helps me relate to the characters. I like to alternate books like this with the darker stuff I read, and they are great for the summer. I would love to be entered to win this one! I am a follower. rnawrot at cfl dot rr dot com
Sandy’s last blog post..Drums of Autumn – Diana Gabaldon (audio)
What a great review! I’ve heard wonderful things about this author but not had the chance to read anything yet. This sounds like something I would enjoy. Please enter me and thanks for hostessing the contest!
wendyhines (at) hotmail (dot) com
Wendy’s last blog post..Angel Award
Sounds like a good book. Sadly I can enter the giveaway, but I might try to snag it from the library! Good luck to those, thanks for the review.
I have been wanting to read this book! It sounds like a great summer read! thanks! Please, enter me.
Jan, the best bookstore manager ever, recommended this book to me several times. But… alas, I never picked up a copy of it and now my Waldenbooks is closed. *sigh* I always figured, even if all the other shops closed down, surely the book store would remain.
Well, maybe I can win a copy of it
BTW, I have an award for you over at Mt. TBR
The Kool-Aid Mom’s last blog post..Free Books and an Award, WINNING ROCKS!
I just finished this book last week and still need to write my review so I admit that I didn’t read your review closely! I thought this book was wonderful and I can’t recommend it enough!
Don’t enter me — just wanted to pipe in!
Julie P.’s last blog post..Video: My Friend Amy and Booking Mama on E-books
I love your comment of “smart women’s fiction” Sometimes I like chick lit but have to be in the right mood. Smart women’s fiction sounds so much better. Please enter me in your contest. I’ve had this book on my list for awhile.
Bree’s last blog post..I Want to Read YA Book List
This sounds really interesting but should one read Love Walked In first?
I occasionally read “chick lit,” as I am doing now (“The Actor and The Housewife”) but was unprepared for the discovery in the front of the book showing cataloguing info actually giving the category “Chick lit.” It’s listed under Library of Congress Cataloguing Data but it was my understanding that the L of C didn’t recognize this category. It would interest me to know, does “Belong to Me” do that also? Anyway, whatever it’s called, it has to be better if it has flawed characters. Please enter me!
nbmars AT yahoo DOT com
rhapsodyinbooks’s last blog post..Review of “Testimony” by Anita Shreve
I’ve gone back and forth about buying and reading this SO many times, which goes with my ambivalent relationship with chick-lit – and yet, I know a lot of people whose taste I respect who really liked it, do maybe I need to quit the waffling. Winning a copy would help, though
. Please enter me!
Florinda’s last blog post..I don’t call them "guilty" pleasures (Weekly Geeks 2009-20)
Hi, Jen; I can’t believe I haven’t stumbled across your blog before now! Are you on the Bloggers group on LT? I only recently started mine, and I’m working to build my network. I hope you’ll come by sometime if you get a minute
I’d love to be entered in the giveaway; this sounds like a terrific book that I’d really enjoy.
Kirsten, a.k.a. Aglaia531 on LibraryThing and BookMooch
And tweeted! http://twitter.com/aglaia531/status/2008209440
I generally don’t like chick lit, either. But, I’ve found myself attracted to books like “Belong to Me” because they deal with how women interact & support each other. The chick lit I tend to shy away from is that directed to the 20- & 30-somethings. For some reason, I just can’t relate. But, “Belong to Me” seems to have characters that I can relate to.
Please enter me – Thanks for the nice review!
megalon22[at]yahoo[dot]com
I’ve heard such good things about de Los Santos. I tried listening to one of her books on CD, Love Walked In, and while I liked it while I was listening, it didn’t hook my interest enough to keep listening and I never did finish. Maybe this story would hold my interest more or maybe reading is better than listening for me!
Please enter me.
Nicole’s last blog post..Promising New Author
Like Beth C. wrote, this review has also put me over the fence on this one. I’m a suburban Philly girl, so it’s somewhat puzzling why I haven’t picked this up yet, as I usually try to read local authors. (Also – as someone new to your blog, can I just say how in awe I am at the number of books you read? Simply awesome.)
Betty and Boo’s Mommy’s last blog post..Lightning Crashing Too Close to Home
No need to enter me, but I’m SO GLAD you enjoyed this one! I was a little nervous making that list for you!
S. Krishna’s last blog post..Beach Trip – Cathy Holton
I love contests that require relevant or interesting comments to enter! I have had this book on my tbr for so long that I often forget it, so sad. I really do want to read something/anything from this author, so do please enter me in your contest. I recently read a smart interview of her about how she finds time to write and I enjoyed it very much, so I’m hoping I will like her novels, too. I saw this giveaway on Twitter, fyi. Thank you!
Care’s last blog post..Thoughts on The Awakening by Kate Chopin
I’ve got “Love Walked In” waiting for the perfect time to read it. I’d love to get “Belong To Me” so that I could read them together!
Lisa’s last blog post.."Daphne"
Good review – you gave just enough detail to make me want to read more w/o actually telling me anything!! I would love to win this one.
kherbrand at comcast dot net
Kristi’s last blog post..Waiting on Wednesday: The Weight of Silence
My favorite genre is historical fiction, but sometimes I feel the need to break away and read “chick lit” or contempory women’s fiction. This one sounds good and I love the cover. Please add my name to the drawing. Thanks
This sounds fun. I’d lived in Center City, Philadelphia while at University of Pennsylvania Law. I really loved the city and the few suburbs that I explored. This makes me even more interested in the book. It helps that you loved it!
Please count me in.
gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com
I’m a follower
gaby317nyc AT gmail DOT com
gaby317’s last blog post..Friday 56
sounds wonderful thanks for the giveaway
I actually saw this book in Kmart today and read the back cover. It sounds like the author does a good job of character development. Please enter me to win one of the copies. Thanks.
I enjoy well written women’s literature that makes you think but also has an emotional depth which this book seems to have. Definitely putting this on my summer read list.
I love Women’s Literature and look forward to reading this!
Angela’s last blog post..June…
Please enter me – I must admit, I like the cover and I know, you can’t judge a book… but still… Sometimes the best reads have been when I liked the cover – go figure.
Lolli’s last blog post..Answered Prayer
I hadn’t even heard of this, but it sounds wonderful!! Thanks for the chance
emvark at gmail dot com
Please enter me for Belong to Me. I have this book on my PBS wish list and really need some lighter books to read this summer. I have challenged myself to read as many foreign authors as possible and some of them are difficult reading…..
I am also guilty of running the other way when presented with women’s lit. but I am desperately trying to broaden my horizons this summer! Please count me in; this sounds like a good starting point.
I completely agree with you about chick lit, though “women’s fiction” is not the same thing. Have you read any of Anne Tyler? She won the Pulitzer for “Breathing Lessons,” though my favorite of hers is “The Accidental Tourist,” which contains what I consider to be one of the best last lines of a book.
Chick-lit is such a difficult category. Who wants to admit to reading it because it conjures up light reading. Women read more books than men and books in this category used to be the frilly books about 20-somethings looking for love and a career path and now those 20-somethings have started moving on and “chick lit” has expanded as well. Every author has a different range of good and bad ie. Stephanie Meyer may have sold tons of Twilight books and I liked the first two but the writing itself? Juvenile. Of course did I write a million dollar best-seller? No.
Amy S.’s last blog post..Blast from Past: Postcard from Iain Baker
I love an intelligent book written by an intelligent woman. Please enter me.
madamerkf at aol dot com
Please enter me. I think that I would love the characters in this book.
I would love to read this. It sounds like a really good beach read.
Thanks,
darkfyre1(at)gmail(dot)Com
Well, I am looking for chick lit books for summer reading on vacation. I like how you describe this to be on the “sweet side”. I need a book that charms me and soothes the frazzled nerves of chasing little kids. No murder mysteries while on vacation. I need all the sleep I am allotted. Thanks for the chance!
please enter me because this looks like a book I would enjoy
Marilyn’s last blog post..Win Bora Bora Perfume by Liz Claiborne
I usually read and blog about mystery and crime fiction but everyone needs a break now and then from their genre. I would love the chance to read this book. Have you read The Litle Giant of Aberdeen County? The type of book I would probably avoid but so many people recommended it I had to give it a go..A fantastic read!
Kim S’s last blog post..The CWA Dagger Awards 2009: Shortlists announced
No need to enter me. I just posted about it on my Giveaways Galore.
Teddy’s last blog post..Time for a celebration Giveaway
Please enter me. Moving can be a difficult transition at any age. This sounds more like a well-written read, rather than just a piece of chick lit fluff.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo.com
i love to read all sorts of genres and chick lit is one of my favorites. Please enter me in the contest.
Thanks so much for the opportunity to win
Val
lastnerve2000@gmail.com
I too would be reluctant to read strictly chick lit but based on your comments I am really interested in winning a copy of this book.
Having not read for a few years and getting back into it again, I am trying to read a variety of genre to find my favorites. This book sounds interesting, showing the complexities and intertwining properties of human emotions. I’ve never read anything by Marisa de los Santos, but I have her other book Love Walked In sitting on my shelf. I recently picked it up.
Please count me in. Thank you!
nfmgirl AT gmail DOT com
nfmgirl’s last blog post..Book Giveaways in Blogworld (06-06-09 edition)
I blogged it:
http://cerebralgirl.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-giveaways-in-blogworld-06-06-09.html
nfmgirl’s last blog post..Book Giveaways in Blogworld (06-06-09 edition)
I adote women’s fiction..especially during the summer. This sounds really good. The characters do sound real.