Out of the Pumpkin Shell

by Nancy Werking Poling

[Charli G.]

To be perfectly honest, this looked like it was one of those heartwarming stories, along the lines of a Jodi Picoult novel. To this end, I was not disappointed, although I will admit not understanding the title of the book until the very end, and then needing a clue given in the book in order to "get it."

This book is extremely well written and while it took me a while to read it, this is more likely due to my having a slump in reading due to headaches and just life in general rearing it's ugly head. ;) However, once I got into the book fully, I did not want to put it down.

It is hard not to laugh out loud at some of the things that are done and said in this book. My roommates kept giving me strange looks when I would start laughing, and at times I found myself compelled to read the passage in question to them so they would understand why I was laughing. At other times, I felt like crying for poor Rose, who you will meet first through her diaries, not in person.

Once you have read the book, you will understand the title, and you will understand the strength it takes for these five women to do what they have done - in their lives, in their pasts, and for their futures.

This is a five star book and I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys heartwarming novels.