" The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes" Chapters 21 - 35

This week we are discussing Chapters 21 - 35 of the book "The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes".  This is about halfway through the book at this point.  It has been so much fun reading with other people and reading what they think about the book. I finished the book ahead of time because it was one of those books that you just couldn't put down.   Here are my thoughts for this week.


1.  Do you think Tim is the one sending the money?
I really didn't want to believe that Tim was sending the money.  If he was sending Cory money then he knows where CeeCee is living.  I kept questioning that if Tim sent the money why wasn't he contacting CeeCee.   But I do know that it only made sense that Tim was the one sending the money and deep down I believed the money came from him.

2.  So far, there's been a lot of discussion on CeeCee/Eve and her choices.  What choice(s) would you have made differently from her?
The biggest choice that I would have made different then CeeCee would have been that I would not have kept the baby.  I could not have lived a secret life like she is doing and try to raise a baby at the same time.  I would have also tried to make some decision for myself and not let other people make them for me.  I always felt through the entire book the CeeCee/Eve never made any decision for herself.

3. What do you like about Jack?  Are there things about him that you don't like?
Jack seems to be fun and happy all the time.   He is so different from Eve.   He lives life as it comes to him everyday and Eve stands back and watches life happen because she is always so nervous.  I didn't like that Jack saw so easily through Eve's lies and that he didn't pick up on anything. 

4.  What is the difference between CeeCee/Eve's relationship with Tim and Eve's relationship with Jack?
The biggest difference is the trust.   CeeCee trusted Tim to a fault.  She was so wrapped up by his spell that she did not see the big picture of what he was doing to her.   Eve's relationship with Tim is so much the opposite.   Eve had Jack under her spell believing all of the lies that she tells about her life and Cory.  

5.  Do you think that Eve is to blame for Cory's fears?  What could she do, specifically, to help Cory feel like an outsider?
Eve is somewhat responsible for Cory's fears.  Eve is so fearful that some of her fears have transferred to Cory.  I also believe that Cory just has a personality that is fearful and Eve's fears just helped bring out that fearfulness in her.  Eve needed to continue to encourage Cory and help overcome her fears.  I think that Eve really tried to help her as best as she possibly could.

6.  Do you think Eve appropriately answered Cory's questions about her father?  Do you think Cory will question her father more as he grows older?
Eve answered the questions as best as she could about Cory's father but I don't agree with the answers she gave her.  Eve is so deep into the lie of her life and Cory's life that she had to make up a story about the motorcycle accident.  To me, it is just continuing the lie and getting Eve in deeper into the fake life that she has been living.  But I don't know what else Eve could say except the truth.


I am so excited for the next book.  I can't wait to hear what it will be.  Although, next time I am going to do a better job of reading on the assigned schedule so that it make it easier to discuss the chapters.  Since I finished reading I have a hard time answering some of the discussion questions since I know what happens in the book! 

This has really rekindled my love for reading.   I look forward to reading all of the responses.

Chapter 11 - 20 "The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes"

Here are my thoughts on this weeks chapters.

And first things first, in response to Rachel's final question about CeeCee losing her letters from her mother.  I would just say that I kept trying to figure out a way that CeeCee could get her letters back once I realized that she was not going back and had to completely change her life.  But any of the options that I came up with put CeeCee/Eve in too much jeopardy of being discovered or found.   It was very sad.

1.  Where do you think Tim and Marty are at this point in the story?
I think that they are off in hiding somewhere just taking care of their lives.   I just kept wondering at this point if they even thought about CeeCee or had any concern for her safety and well being.  I was hoping that Tim would find a way to reach out to CeeCee and contact her in somehow.

2. What were your thoughts as CeeCee was helping Genevieve deliver her baby?
I was in total denial.   I really didn't think that she was actually delivering the baby.  I figured that Genevieve was just trying to get out of the cabin and escape.   Once I realized that she really was delivering the baby, I could only thing about CeeCee getting her to the hospital.  I thought she should just drive.  Even though she didn't know where she was, she would eventually find someone or something that could help her with Genevieve and the baby.

3. After Genevieve died, what would you have done with her baby if you had been in CeeCee's shoes?
I would have found a way to get her to a hospital or police station.  I would have left her somewhere with a note or something so she could be returned to her father.  I know CeeCee was nervous and sixteen but what she did seemed very odd to me.  She defiantly just went with the flow of life because people made the path for her instead of CeeCee making life decision for her and the baby.

4.  Why do you think CeeCee/Eve is still holding on to the hope that Tim will come for her?
CeeCee didn't believe that she was being used by Tim and Marty during this entire process.  She really believed that Tim loved and cared for her.   Since he was really all she had in life, she kept holding on to the thought that he would come for her. 

5.  How do you think Eve will establish her new identity in Virginia?
This question is really hard for me to answer because I have finished the book. So I will answer carefully.
I will say that I believed the Eve would always live in fear and be haunted by the choices she made getting involved with Tim and the kidnapping.

6.  What do you think of CeeCee/Eve now after she has gone through the kidnapping, the delivery of the baby, the escape, and the relocation?
CeeCee is just so scared and lost in life.  She can't seem to make a decision and just lets other people make decisions for her.   She needs to step on and be accountable her decisions. The one that she made in the past and start making decisions for her life going forward.

The Secret Life of Cece Wilkes: Chapter 1 -10

First I must say that I couldn't put this book down!!   I could have read it all at one sitting but tried to hold back and finish the chapters along with the reading schedule.   While that didn't work and I have already finished the whole book.   But I look forward to participating in the weekly discussions!

I will answer the questions that were presented so I can stay on track of where everyone is reading and not jump ahead.

1.  What was your first impression of Tim?
I was very impressed by Tim's work habits and ethics.  He seemed so focused on working every morning in the diner.  But I did wonder who could do that everyday...spend so much time in a diner.


2. If you were in CeeCee's position, would you be willing to help your boyfriend in the way that she was willing to help Tim?
I by nature like to help people.   I sometimes get wrapped up into helping people and then step back and see "the big picture."  I also can be naive and only see good in people.   So with all that said I hate to say that I could see myself getting sucked in to help someone and getting in to deep like CeeCee.  Although thankfully I have passed 16 and can make better decisions.


3. Why do you think CeeCee is so eager to please Tim?
CeeCee really doesn't have anyone in her life, she needs to feel a connection with someone.  She has no family and has just bounced around in foster homes.  She is very vulnerable in life and Tim grabbed onto that personality and took advantage of her.  



4.  Who do you think has it harder?  Tim or CeeCee?
Defiantly CeeCee.  She seems so lonely and naive.   Tim has his brother and they can take care of each other.  CeeCee did not choose to lose her mother and have to watch her die.  Tim and his brother had more say in their actions (Don't want to say much more to avoid a spoiler)


5.  What character trait(s) about CeeCee stuck out the most to you in these first ten chapters? 
CeeCee has a great deal of drive and motivation.  She did not have a father and stood by her mothers side when she died at a very young ago.  CeeCee bounced around a couple foster homes for a few years.   Yet she still seemed to try to make the best of her life with everything that she was dealt.   She was working and had a focus of trying to go to school while she continued to save money.  


6. Do you think CeeCee is as mature as she seems?
No.  CeeCee has some mature characteristics because of the life that she was dealt.   But deep down inside she is very immature and scared.   She showed this by getting involved with Tim.  Especially she was so easily influnced by Tim.  If she were more mature she probably would not have gotten involved with Tim.

Blogger Bookclub

I have thought about joining a book club recently because I really enjoy reading.  I also love to have suggestions of what to read and then having someone to discuss with once I am finished.  But the book club in my area is at the library and it is not held at the most convenient time.  So I have been just reading on my own this summer.   

Anyway, I was so excited to hear that Erin and Rachel have started an online book club!   It can be found here!  It is called Book Beginnings and Book Ends. 

The first book we are reading is "The Secret Life of Cece Wilkes" by Diane Chamberlain

I have to be honest, they announced the book club about a week ago and I was so excited to start I ordered the book on my Kindle right away.   Then I decided that I better start reading and have a head start on things because I am a slow reader.    Well... the book is so good that I can't put it down!   I am more then half way finished.   My Kindle says I am at 53% and the reading assignment for the week is chapter 1-10.  Well I am at chapter 33 so next week I will have to be careful when discussing the first ten chapters.

I am going to try to pace myself so I can join in on each weeks assignment and share my thoughts and ideas.  Although I am flying to Maine this weekend so I predict that I will need to read while I wait for my plane and then read on the plane.

Join in the book club, get the book, it is fantastic!