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Summary: Finally available in the States!
Review: To the new Marian Keyes reader, Madame Keyes may come off as a Helen Fielding wanna-be. Don't be fooled. Marian Keyes is much better than Helen Fielding and has the sales to prove it."Sushi For Beginners" is the latest Keyes title to cross the pond. Like "Last Chance Saloon", "Sushi" is a multiple point of view novel. And like "Last Chance Saloon", there's nary a Walsh sibling to be found. "Sushi" follows three women in Dublin. The first is Lisa, a glamorous, shiny, sleek fashionista who is more married to her job then her stud muffin photographer hubby. Ashling is "Little Miss Fix-it"/weekly womens magazine writer who is prepared for any emergency. Clodagh is Ashling's best friend and married the hunky Dylan. Instead of the job on "Manhattan" that she craves, Lisa is sent to Dublin to start "Colleen", a light, sexy mag for the hip, young Irish female (think Jane/Marie Claire/Glamour/Cosmo, etc). This is the last thing Lisa wants, even if the head of the Irish branch of her mega-media company is the jumpable and aptly named Jack Devine. Ashling comes on board as the 2nd in command on "Colleen" and becomes the target of Lisa's annoyance and rage. Meanwhile Clodagh with the perfect life can't stop fantazing about every man but the delightful Dylan. Keyes manages to include some hard looks at heavy topics (depression and homelessness) without going overboard. These touches add a true sense of realism to a book that could be see as sheer fluff. If you are a fan of British Chick Lit or Marian Keyes, end your wait and pick this up!
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Summary: and you have to pick one...
Review: this is the book that got me addicted to marian keyes! she has a way of drawing you into the characters lives like nobody else. the story revolves around the lives of its two main characters, lisa edwards and ashling kennedy. lisa expected an assignment to nyc and instead gets transferred to ireland. ashling ends up leaving her old magazine under less than ideal circumstances. the book follows the two women as they develop a brand new magazine, colleen. you'll learn about their exes, neighbors, friends, and coworkers. if you loved rachel's holiday, you'll love this one too.
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Summary: Sushi, anyone?
Review: Many characters are brought to life in Marian Keyes' ("Watermelon", Rachel's Holiday")latest novel. But the main story focuses on 2 women; Lisa Edwards, a hard-nosed, friendless editor for a major London magazine, and Ashling Kennedy, a girl with good friends and what she describes as a "lack of a waist" problem. These two come together when both are hired to get a hip new mag for Irish woman called "Colleen" off the ground. Lisa feels she's been demoted (her hopes were set on being sent to NY to become the editor of "Manhattan" magazine instead of wallowing in some Irish backwater), whereas Ashling feels her dreams have come true (she was recently fired from a Redbook-like magazine for giving bad advice to a reader about removing a stain from her couch). Lisa's upcoming divorce does nothing to melt her icy exterior, and Ashling's boyfriend Phelim has up and moved to Austraila. Lisa and Ashling's world's collide over and over again as Lisa uses and abuses Ashling and her ideas for articles, and she also (albiet inadvertently)teaches Ashling much about running a fashion mag. In between all this are the supporting charcters and their stories; Clodagh, Ashling's beautiful best friend (who swiped Ashling's boyfriend 10 years prior and married him), who is bored to and beyond death with being a wife and mother; Ted and Joy, Ashling's friends and loyal believers in the validity of tarot cards; Jack Devine, editor-in-chief who finds himself drawn to both Ashling and Lisa; and Ashling's mother Monica, who's battle with depression has passed on to her daughter. Hilarious situations duke it out with heartbreak and betrayl in this book. "Watermelon" is still my favorite Keyes novel, but SFB comes quite close. An excellent beach read.
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Summary: You can't go too wrong with Marian Keyes
Review: Sushi for beginners was good, but I definitely preferred Rachel's Holiday, Angels, and The Other Side of the Story. Still, you can't go wrong with Marian Keyes. Her books are always entertaining, and her characters are always interesting.
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Summary: What happens AFTER "happily ever after"
Review: A nice change from run-of-the-mill chick lit, "Sushi" features a fresh setting in Dublin, a nice trio of not-cloyingly-cute characters, and most refreshing of all, a glimpse at what happens after the "happily ever after," i.e. family and kids. The daily drudgery of motherhood and married life for even a gorgeous gal married to a perfect man is a nice corrective to all the puffery about "having it all" out there, without ranging too far into nightmarish Kate Reddy territory. Not especially well written or plotted, but readable, fun and engaging.
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Summary: Great Fun!1
Review: I just finished this book. It is my first experience with the author and I have to say it got me hooked. I am looking forward to the rest of her books. This book is long so it will keep you busy, which is nice if you love to read. For those weary of the length the short 2-3 page chapters keeps the pages flowing.
There are many characters in this book, each with their own unique storyline, but all tied together by their ties to each other, through work and friendships. I am impressed with the authors ability to keep the stories seperate but not off subject.
The main characters:
Gorgeous, workaholic Lisa has just relocated from London to Dublin to start a new magazine for women called Colleen. She is less than pleased with the move, as she is deeply fixated with pop culture, and finds Dublin to be dull. She is bitchy on the surface, but as you learn more about her you see that the tough exterior is only a front to help her cope with her insecurities.
Working under Lisa is Ashling. She is the "girl next door" type, and oh so helpful. She is the one to turn to if you need a band-aid, button or tissue, as she carries everything around with her and is always willing to help. Her sweetheart personality annoys bitchy Lisa, but deep down Lisa's got a soft spot for her. She is very superstitious, as a result of her troubling childhood. She is trusting and non-confrontational.
Other characters include Joy, Ashlings neighbor who always drops by for a chat, and a go at the Tarot Cards. Ted, Ashling's friend who has just started a career in comedy as a way to meet women. Clodah who is married to oh so hot Dylan, and raising their two children. Jack, the mysteriously endearing boss of Lisa and Ashling. Marcus Valentine, Ashling's boyfriend\comedian. Trix the receptionist at the magazine. A homeless man named Boo, who Ashling befriends and many more.
The story deals with love, betryal, ambition, divorce, infedility and so much more. I urge you to follow the stories in this great novel. With so many great twists and turns along the way you'll never experience a dull moment. Key's writing is realistic and so down to earth. While you read and learn about the characters it becomes quite easy for you to see these characters as real people with real problems.
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Summary: Unusual and well written
Review: I was able to read through this book without putting it down at any point. I felt it was a tiny bit slow at the beginning, but it quickly picked up. The author did a good job of really satisfying readers needs for hero's, as well as the bad guys. A great read for any women with any interest. My current reading list is as follows, and all of it is good: Bark of the Dogwood
Lovely Bones--Seabold
Children's Corner--McCrae
Heart is a Lonely Hunter--McCullers If you're looking for interesting reads, these books will do nicely.
Rating: 
Summary: 3.5 in reality
Review: This was a pretty decent book as far as chick lit goes. Keyes fans are not likely to be disappointed. The story has plenty of humor and would be a very good beach, airplane, rainy weekend type of book. Probably worth purchasing in softcover if at a reasonable price and definitely worth checking out from the library.
The story is about 3 girls: Lisa, Ashling and Clodagh. I really disliked Clodagh as a character. She is supposed to be Ashling's best friend but you would never want a friend like her in real life. I think I'd rather have enemies! Lisa is a workaholic - your stereotypical career woman. She's very interesting and quite mean -- a combination that makes up for the drama that Ashling's life lacks. So: you have a nice girl, a mean girl, and a girl who is mean but doesn't know it. The 3 different types of women give the story momentum. Drags on a bit more than necessary but overal a worthwhile read. Closer to a 3.5 than a 3.0 but I am not giving a 4 because like most chick lit it was relatively predicable.
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Summary: Okay- Last Chance was her best
Review: Not my favorite by any means. The best parts where the last 5 chapters. I will try her new book and hope it perks my interest. THis one did not
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Summary: I normally LOVE Marian Keyes, but...
Review: this book dragged on FOREVER. I kept at it, thinking, "It's Marian Keyes, it's gotta get better!" Alas, it was slow throughout. I liked the premise, I liked the characters, but I was happy when the story was over.
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