Dollbaby by Laura Lane McNeil

This book is like a combination of Kathryn Stockett's "The Help"  meets Miranda Beverly - Whitmore's "Bittersweet"  - both books I loved.   I have had this one on my TBR pile for a year now, and thanks to the settlement with Barnes and Noble,  I finally finished reading it. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it!

It's the story of   Ibby Bell, AKA Liberty Bell.  Born on the 4th of the July,  Ibby grows up far from her southern heritage, but tragedy takes her back to New Orleans to meet a grandmother that she never even knew she had.   In addition to her  grandmother,  Ibby also meets her grandmothers help - Queenie and Dollbaby.  She learns the "rules"  for dealing with her grandmother and all her quirks.

This book is part historical fiction and all wonderful.  I never really realized the importance of Lyndon Johnson's civil rights act at the time, but I realize now that  it meant everything to blacks in the south and the implications that this law had for their lives was tremendous.  This book really helped me see and feel their struggle.   I loved every single character.  It's a quick read -  I finished in a day.  5 stars.