Rating: 
Summary: quick easy read, but a little... how you say, confused?
Review: This must be a good book, because I liked it a lot inspite of all of the confusion. The book is about Jane, lost, looking for love and of course after trials of heartbreak, she finds it. I was happy for her, but I was confused. Stuck in between 2 chapters of Jane's experience is a scene from the family who lives in the apartment below her. Of course I waited, reading through the chapters waiting for there to be some kind of connection, some explanation as to why that chapter was there. But there was no connection, only a mention that Jane overhears a conversation they have which inspires no revelation in her, so what was the point?. Then there is this cryptic anonymous chapter about a woman, with an angry, "perfect" boyfriend. She get's breast cancer, rides a bike, shaves her head and does some other things. Was that Jane? did Jane have breast cancer? Was that another unrelated story? was that someone else? It just wasn't clear. In the last chapter Jane reads a dating guide and for the rest of the book she is accompanied by 2 imaginary dating counselors, the books authors. IT was interesting but still, out of line with the rest of the story. the story of Jane anyway. To be honest I wasn't surprised by this sudden change of style because at that point the books cohesion was suffering from all of these added tidbits. Perhaps the author was trying to show the universality of life's experiences by using this random interjection of other peoples stories, however it just didn't work for me, it was disjointed and distracting. But still, inspite of all of this, I enjoyed the book. But then again, I also watch American idol. So draw your own conclusions
Rating: 
Summary: Even Better Than Ya-Ya
Review: I loved this book. It was an easy read and very entertaining. I'm not usually into women's issues books, but this one was so well written. I just have to say that it's worth the money to buy and will have the empathy of most women.
Rating:
Summary: A Girls' Guide to Finding Herself (and Men)
Review: This is a "girl's guide" to the right and wrong ways to "hunt and fish" for meaningful relationships. Jane Rosenal finds herself in several meaningful relationships throughout life. Jamie just doesn't work out. Her relationship with Archie, a man 28 years older than her, ends twice. Although they're great guys, they just don't fit. Unhappy with singlehood, she decides to read one of those self-help books that offers dating advice and requires you to be everything but yourself in order to "catch" the guy. But what happens when the guy you catch has fallen in love with the real you rather than self-helped and contrived you? During the first part of the book, Jane seems to be a little shallow. The characters seem as if they are on perpetual vacation -- sailing, swimming, playing tennis, being leisurely. The characters have a kind of upper-class snobbery behind their words and actions. As the book progresses, Jane moves out of this upper-class snobbery world. However, she still seeks out people like Archie who belong to that world. By the end of the book, Jane has realized what makes her happy and who she really is. The book is written with a creative play on character voice. The majority of the book is written from the first-person viewpoint of Jane. However, a whole chapter (which seems misplaced to me) is written from the first-person viewpoint of Rita, Jane's aunt and seems to be written in the past. When Jane battles a serious illness, the story is written in a spiraling and detached second-person. And, in yet another part of the book, Jane carries on conversations in her head with the writers of the unhelpful self-help book as if they are on the date with her, giving her advice. The author seems to develop as a writer over the course of the novel. Her next book will probably be better. Other than the stray chapter that doesn't seem to belong to the book and the shallow characters at the beginning, The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing is a nice story. But, truthfully, the last chapter could stand alone and tell the story beautifully.
Rating: 
Summary: This is how it ends????
Review: Is exactaly what I said after finishing this book. It seems great from the first chapter and then slowly goes down hill. You never really get to know Jane. You jump around in her life and meet these characters that are described more than she is. This is yet another short novel with a main charcter that is neither intresting or compelling.
Rating: 
Summary: Just when you think her man search is over...
Review: I too felt Jane's pain and happiness in this page turner of a book. It is definitely a chick book but maybe your more open minded guy would fall in love with it too. Poor Jane just can't seem to hit the bulls eye with her relationships, but then, just when you think her man search is over, well... I won't spoil it for you (even though I probably already have.) While this is not my most well written review, I can't really explain what made this book so enjoyable to read. I'm a 20 year old college student that is trying to catch up on her reading during her winter break, and I am glad to say I was able to fit this one in.
Rating:
Summary: Quick, light with enough depth to keep attention
Review: This was a nice, quick read. A bit confusing at times - Is this chapter dealing with Jane or another character? Why are the links/transitions never explained? - but the writing is thoughtful and occassionally thought-provoking. Good for a few lazy days or light reading in between more sophisticated works.
Rating:
Summary: good, easy read
Review: I usually don't write these things but I thought this book was great! Jane is a self-important, shallow woman (kind of)- like others have written- but I think it's that quality/character is what it's all about, it's truthful. I think everyone is at least a little self absorbed in their 20's. While I don't think it's the next Edith Whaton novel, I think it's good read (took me a day). It's fun for all girls out there.
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Summary: Another person in publishing (surprise!) makes a book deal
Review: Once again, a book about someone who lives in Manhattan, works in the publishing industry, sleeps with an editor and never worries about money. A typical American's story, in other words, right? Bank's novel (or "fiction" as the cover calls it) is well written and often witty, but it's also shallow and, more importantly, insubstantial. Narrator Jane comes across with no real personality -- for example, she once mentions she likes R & B, but never talks about any artists or songs the way real fans of anything do. In the climactic story, the thought process that leads to her following the advice of a "Rules"-type dating book makes her unsympathetic (or maybe just pathetic) in the extreme, so that the object of her affection would probably be better off without her (as if that is even a remote possibility). A reader can only assume that this novel generated "buzz" (and all that advance money) because so many Manhattan single women working in publishing thought, "My God, she's telling my story!" And she is. But for the rest of us, it's a trip into a world of shallow people and thin emotions.
Rating:
Summary: Light, charming good read
Review: This is a good book and I wish more people realized how well-written it is...the "heroine" is a twenty something trying to figure it ALL out as she struggles through her first magazine writing job. It is absorbing and well-paced...it is NOT Dostovesky-style literature but then not every book is meant to serve that purpose! Happy Reading!
Rating:
Summary: smart, bittersweet, insightful book
Review: I'm surprised to find so many negative reviews of this book here. I loved it and personally I don't care if the author has a trust fund or not. How is this even relevant? What, we can only like books that were written by people who aren't rich? The point is, her stories are smart, bittersweet, insightful and fascinating. I especially love the first one, which is told from the point of view of a teenage girl as she gets to know her older brother's first serious girlfriend. It's a wonderfully complex portrait of jealousy, protectiveness, curiosity and disillusionment. I highly recommend this book.
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