Rebecca Wells, Ya-Yas in Bloom

Ya-Yas in Bloom

Rebecca Wells

Harper, April 2006, $13.95

ISBN: 0060953659

The four Ya-Yas sisters Vivi, Teensy, Caro and Necie met in 1930 Louisiana as little girls. They were a hand full as individuals, and so filled with zest and prankishness, but as a quartet, though very young, they ruled their world. Over the years they married, had children, but remained the Ya-Yas, whether they fought with nuns or raised the next generation of "Petites Ya-Yas".

Others their age kept out of their exclusive club, like nasty jealous Myrtis who detested the fearsome foursome. Her loathing leads to her even more resentful emotionally deranged daughter Edythe kidnapping Necie's three-year-old granddaughter, Rosalyn. No one messes with the septuagenarian granny Ya-Yas who are coming to rescue one of their own.

The first part of the book consists of interesting vignettes from the salad days of the Ya-Yas, though not linear in nature, but just as fun to follow. The tale does a 180 spin with Edythe narrating how much she hates and envies the Ya-Yas, who she desperately wanted to join but did not fit in. Edythe never seems real, as she has one emotion: animosity. The story leaps again to 1994 and the kidnapping. Though lacking continuity as if three novellas were combined into one book, fans will enjoy YA-YAS IN BLOOM, especially the escapades of the early years.