Rating: 
Summary: Not what I was expecting
Review: As some of the other review mention, this is one person's journey through infertility. It is somewhat comforting to know that others are going through many of the same emotions but I was expecting more practical tips on how to manage these emotions. After reading this book I was also relieved that I wasn't quite as wacky as the author seemed to be. She also skimmed the surface of all the procedures to try to achieve pregnancy and focused more on the unusual aspects of her case. I am very glad she had the happy ending but as some other readers, I felt somewhat betrayed by this because it felt like the lesson was "do nothing and it will work out for you" which couldn't be farther from the truth for most people. It was also not helpful to read about all the complicatioins she had after she achieved her first pregnancy. I guess it is a dose of reality but I think any of us that would be reading this bood have struggled with this enough. Overall, not very useful and caused more stress than relieved. If you just want to know the terrible experiences of fellow fertility challenged people then this is your book.
Rating:
Summary: great, but then...
Review: At first I absolutely adored this book. My husband & I just lived through our first failed IVF attempt and we are the only people that I know who are dealing with infertility so I needed a "girlfriend" as the title suggests. I was disappointed and annoyed that after all the author had gone through, she ultimately got pregnant by "just relaxing."
Rating: 
Summary: A personal record of an infertility journey
Review: Girlfriend to Girlfriend is a very personal story shared by Kristen Magnacca as she goes along her own infertility journey. Kristen's tale is quite descriptive and provides a view into one person's detailed experience of the world of infertility. If you are without support, this book lets you know what the process was like for Kristen and may help you feel connected with someone who experienced a similar struggle. I will recommend the book to coaching clients who are alone and need a sense that others also have rough infertility experiences. The book is somewhat similar to A Little Pregnant by Linda Carbone and Ed Decker. Because I felt so completely a part of the experience through Carbone's book, I missed the perspective of Kristen's husband in this one. At the end of each chapter, Kristen has a suggestion or two. While these are useful, there aren't many of them. For me, the best part of the book is the personal sharing.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I could relate to this book until I got to the very end. I felt misled and betrayed by the author. No where on the back of the book or clearly stated in any of these reviews, is the clarification that this author only dealt with her fertility challenge "temporarily." She struggled and had a lot of pain and hardship for 3 years, but then she got the happy ending- her own little baby boy. This book seems to be marketed to those dealing with infertility (or fertility challenges) and the author herself wants to help women going through the struggle. This is admirable. And the description of her own struggle (which is 99% of the book) is deeply moving. But I wish I had known going into reading this book that she does go on to have a baby. Because what about those of us that don't get the happy ending? (At least not in the form of a pregnancy that works out?) I am one of those, and was anxiously waiting to hear how she moved past the pain into some semblance of peace and acceptance. A life beyond a desire for a baby. But she didn't stay fertility challenged so she never had to find a way beyond broken hopes, desires and the anger. She got lucky. But she puts a spiritual spin on it all that in a way is hurtful to those of us who she is supposedly trying to help- the fertility challenged who maybe stay fertility challenged! Just as she was feeling betrayed by her God, and wanting to release the anger so she could reconnect to a spiritual path, she got her "bundle of miracle." She implies that because she gave her struggle over to God, and decided to do something to try to help others, that is the reason in the end she got her baby. I came away from this book feeling really awful! There are a lot of women who have come to a spiritual crisis in their journey and let go to a higher power and who also contribute much in this world to help others. But we don't all get what we "want," the outcome so hoped for as Kristen did. There is a time when the window shuts and those women have to find a way to move on. If this is what you are looking for and need help with, this book does not offer much help or guidance in that way.
Rating: 
Summary: Written from the Heart
Review: I couldn't put this book down. Kristen Magnacca's story was written from the heart and it was really moving to follow her journey into the world of fertility treatments. I felt that I was right there with her during all of the ups and downs. The book is helpful not only in its ability to make the reader feel less alone in her own fertility struggles, but also because it provides some excellent "Girlfriend to Girlfriend" tips or lessons learned that can make the rollercoaster of infertility more manageable. A great book.
Rating:
Summary: A great new perspective
Review: I have read many books on this subject. This is the first book that was written about the emotional side of infertility. Most authors fail to keep in mind that they are dealing with men and women who's desire to have children is so overwhelming that it can almost destroy lives. Thank you Kristen for helping me realize that I am not alone or crazy.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: I read this book in one afternoon, after having seen the author and her husband speak at a Resolve conference outside of Boston. They were powerful, dynamic, and so helpful in person, I wanted to take a part of their spirit home with me and so I bought this book. I laughed and cried while reading it, as our worlds are the same. The author could have been writing about my life. Seeing my own reactions and feelings on the page helped me feel less alone and I now have hope that even if I do not end up getting pregnant, I can take control over my emotions and create my own state of happiness. I thank the author for helping me see there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and most importantly, that this light has been within me the whole time. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: This book brought me comfort
Review: I was diagnosed with a disorder called ploycystic ovarian syndrome about six months after I got married. The bottom line was that I am medically infertile. My husband and I tried everything the doctors told us to do, and we were having no success.
If you've never been in that situation, you would not understand the pain that goes along with it. It seems as though you're alone in your struggle, with more foreign feelings than you could ever get a handle on.
Then I found "Girlfriend to Girlfriend". As I turned each page, I realized that other women plan their days around ultrasounds, lab work, and hysterosalpingograms. I also learned that feeling my stomach turn inside out everytime I saw someone with a baby didn't make me a bad person. I was just a woman in pain, and I wasn't alone.
Kristen Magnacca was very brave to tell her story. I'm sure the pain of living through such troubled times was far from healed when she opened up her life to share with the world, but I'm glad she did it. I shared my fertility problems with Kristen, and prior to my last ultrasound I asked her to send me some positive energy, and she did. That was the day I had my first successful ovulation in a year! Now, I too am expecting. It's very early and I probably wouldn't share this news just yet, but I feel the need to say that when Kristen said she would share her story over a cup of tea at her house, she meant it. We communicate regualrly about my situation and hers, and now I see her as more than a respected writer. She's my good luck charm, and my friend.
Rating:
Summary: Finding the Best of Friends When You Least Expect It
Review: I was diagnosed with a disorder called ploycystic ovarian syndrome about six months after I got married. The bottom line was that I am medically infertile. My husband and I tried everything the doctors told us to do, and we were having no success.
If you've never been in that situation, you would not understand the pain that goes along with it. It seems as though you're alone in your struggle, with more foreign feelings than you could ever get a handle on.
Then I found "Girlfriend to Girlfriend". As I turned each page, I realized that other women plan their days around ultrasounds, lab work, and hysterosalpingograms. I also learned that feeling my stomach turn inside out everytime I saw someone with a baby didn't make me a bad person. I was just a woman in pain, and I wasn't alone.
Kristen Magnacca was very brave to tell her story. I'm sure the pain of living through such troubled times was far from healed when she opened up her life to share with the world, but I'm glad she did it. I shared my fertility problems with Kristen, and prior to my last ultrasound I asked her to send me some positive energy, and she did. That was the day I had my first successful ovulation in a year! Now, I too am expecting. It's very early and I probably wouldn't share this news just yet, but I feel the need to say that when Kristen said she would share her story over a cup of tea at her house, she meant it. We communicate regualrly about my situation and hers, and now I see her as more than a respected writer. She's my good luck charm, and my friend.
Rating:
Summary: So glad I purchased this one
Review: I was so glad I purchased this book. It was written with gritty reality and humor. Try putting those together yourself! I'd say it's a must read for those of us going through infertility. It really helped me. The tip about wearing dresses alone was worth 10X the price of the book! :) p.s. We've been trying for **nine** years now, and I've read many books along the way so I take this review very seriously.
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