" 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.