Pink Slip

Rating:
Summary: Couln't get through it
Review: Be weary of this book. Although I found it to be well-written, the plot moved too slowly. I couldnt finish the book, I dont even think I got half way through it.

Rating:
Summary: Interfaith, intra-office love affair.
Review: Italian Catholic Lisa meets and falls in love with Jewish boss Eban at work. This is romance writing at its best: no clichés, plenty of witty wise cracks, angst, Holocaust interviews (not the usual fare you'll find in romance fiction!), and a good story line.
Read it, then read her latest, Remind Me Again Why I Married You, for an update on Lisa and Eban.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Entrance
Review: At 18 years old, "Pink Slip" was my first entrance into the realm of contemporary chick writing. And let me tell you - what an entrance it was. I was perusing the bookstore one day, and I'm not sure exactly what it was that attracted me so, but the next thing I know I'm handing the cashier a wad of money for this book that I have no idea about... Later that evening, I begin to read... and I find it extremely difficult to stop.
In my opinion, "Pink Slip" is a masterpiece, and Ms. Ciresi has woven a tale of complete genius. The things that our beloved "Lisar" thinks about and talks about are none other than what we, as "modern women," think about ourselves... but Ms. Ciresi has taken it upon herself to publish it. Never again do I think I will find a book that I hold in such high esteem - I am now reading my first Red Dress Ink book and I am constantly comparing it to the pleasure of "Pink Slip." For anyone who needs a wonderful distraction from Calculus class (as I did so many times), pick this book up. It is, much like Lisa, a "sure thing."

Rating:
Summary: Heart felt, thoughtful, and funny
Review: The pains and humor of friendship, family, and the road to love and sex are very compelling in this novel. I immediatly felt a kinship and empathy for Lisa Diodetto and fell in love with Eben Strauss and their struggle for companionship and acceptance.

I loved this book and it illustrated beautifully that the road to love is painful atimes and rewarding.

This is the first novel I have read by Rita Cerisi and was very impressed with the full characterization, original dialogue between characters, and the instant feeling of truth. I will read more of her work and the follow up to Pink Slip.

Rating:
Summary: Hated it!
Review: Just drags on slowly... I figured that there's no point in sitting there trying to understand what the author is trying to say.

Rating:
Summary: I thought this book was awful
Review: I don't know how others can rave about great character development, but I thought there was very little in this book. The writer could have delved in so much further and developed the mother/ daughter relationship that I found to be completely lacking. The front of the book spouted about "Lisa's mother wants her to get married so badly that anyone in pants will do," however it didn't really seem to be about the mom at all. I am definitely one of those who have to finish a book once they have started it, so I blame myself for weeding through horrific writing just for the sake of finishing the book.

Rating:
Summary: well-written book, developed characters so you actually care
Review: Rising well above the drivel, Pink Slip presents the story of Lisa, a 25-year-old Italian-American in Ossining, NY in the 1980s. She has left New York City under the advice of her gay cousin Dodie, born on the same day as she and close enough to be her twin. Dodie helps Lisa sort out her investments, living situation and her relationship with her overbearing Old-world mother (who believes that Lisa won't get any Social Security unless she gets married, and is appalled to learn that Lisa will get it after all, simply because she has earned a paycheck.)

Lisa gets involved with a supervisor soon after she makes the move to the Editorial department of Boorman Pharmaceuticals, after Dodie advises her to leave her tiny apartment in NYC. She learns much about him and his past, due to his having submitted a story to a book she edited at her previous job. This proves to be the most complicated, intense and dangerous relationship she has ever had.

Dodie is also experiencing turmoil, especially since he has not seen his dad since announcing he was gay several years beforehand.

This book is sharp and insightful, and not to be mistaken for the garbage published today. It is touching and the relationships are real and well-formed, not just the tiresome "Oh, I like that guy, now let me go to a bar with my friend Kate and dissect how to get him to notice me with a new hairstyle" annoying 'writing' so many people are just churning out.

Rating:
Summary: Psuedo Feminist Just Wants to get Married and Pregnant
Review: the main character is a career gal, a sexually agressive (at least in her early years), trained liberal-arts-college feminist who can espouse the requisite lingo/literary figures/issues. yet, this supposed feminist chick's life is eclipsed by the fact that she spends the entire book trying to get herself a man. this is but one sense in which she is pathetic. she has ZERO friends other than a gay male cousin who she continually says "gets in her way" of her real goal in life - which one can only assume is to get a man.

sure, the writing is compelling and you find yourself getting sucked in in spite of yourself...

Rating:
Summary: I LOVED IT!
Review: I thought this book was easily one of the best books I have ever read. It is fun and exciting and hard to put down. Her other books, Blue Italian, and Sometimes I Dream in Italian are just a wonderful. I would reccommend all of them to anyone- any age!

Rating:
Summary: Despised this book
Review: This is the first of Rita Ciresi's books I've read. I doubt I'll try any more.

The worst thing about this book is 'Lisar' the main character - annoying, ignorant, self-involved, stupid, whiny, and dull. She seems to have no problem sleeping around with every guy she comes across, even having sexual fantasies about her own dead father, and then blames her boyfriend when he can't take her past. Nothing is ever her fault, only everyone else's. She has no friends whatsoever, except her gay male cousin, who is as vacuous, dull and stereotypical as she is. And for the entire book, all she does is complain - about her parents, her boyfriend, her life, her job, her boss, the dumb jock (that she still comes on to, even though she can't stand him) her size zero body etc. etc. Trite and boring!

The second worst thing about this book are all the other characters - every one of them is such a cliche it's very difficult to swallow. Poor writing indeed.

A huge disappointment.