Party Girl: A Novel

Average customer rating:

Do you need a laugh-out-loud good read?

One Big Disappointment

Not engaging at all...

Mediocre

A fun and quirky romance

Party Girl: A Novel
Sarah Mason
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Avon ANEW CLINICAL 2-Step Facial Peel

ASIN: 0345469569
Release Date: 2005-12-27

Book Description

When life hands her lemons, she makes a French martini.

Life is one big party for event planner Isabel Serranti. Armed with cell and laptop, she’s game to field any fete–including her next nearly impossible gig: an impromptu themed party. Five hundred guests? (No problem.) On a country estate? (Lovely!) Near her girlhood home and hosted by her infamous childhood tormentor Simon Monkwell? (Uh-oh. . . .)

Luckily, Simon is away for most of the planning, which leaves Izzy to cope with his kindly, eccentric family and their curious secrets. But when Simon–looking good enough to eat–makes a surprise visit, he’s not quite the wretched oaf she remembers. And he needs her help to pull off something daring that requires clever planning, devious imagination, and a lot of panache. Naturally, they’ll be working together very, very closely. . . .

“Hilarious and touching.”
–Romantic Times, about Playing James

Customer Reviews:

Do you need a laugh-out-loud good read?.......2006-09-07

Mason, who excells at writing British "Chick-lit", gets better and better. Don't worry about the plot; it is the characters that make this books so enjoyable. I have read to multiple folks the section where Izzy searches for Aunt Flo's escaped tarantula - we have all howled with laughter. Full of wonderful characters, true romance (and no overt sex)- this is a wonderful read.

One Big Disappointment.......2006-04-17

After reading and loving both Playing James and Society Girls (Sarah Mason's first 2 books), I just had to read Party Girl. I'm sorry to say that I was very disappointed.

The basic plot is the same as all the other reviewers have already hashed out: Izzy is a party planner and is hired to plan a ball for a family whom she was close to during her childhood, but later fell out with.

Overall, the novel was quite dull and boring. The plot really didn't develop, and the huge ball that consumed most of the book took place over about 2 very non-descriptive pages. I found myself saying, "This is so pointless!" over and over again during the time it took me to read this. There were so many unneeded subplots (like Dom's "relationship" and the whole "Nordic Ice Ball") that the important stuff just kind of got lost. I though the development between Izzy and Simon was horrible and the end where you actually find out what happened just seemed so random.

I must say, this is not Sarah Mason's best attempt to write chick-lit. If you have read this, don't take it as an indication of her other 2 books. Playing James was one of the best chick-lit books I've read. Society Girls, the sequel to Playing James, wasn't far behind (although not as good as its prequel).

Not engaging at all... .......2006-03-30

Sarah Mason's "Party Girl" centered around Isabel, a party planner who was assigned to plan a charity ball at a family estate, Pantiles, owned by the Monkwell family. Isabel used to know the Monkwells as a kid and she was particularly close to their son, Simon. However, their friendship ended badly when Simon began to torment and bully Isabel. She never understood why Simon's friendship towards her changed. Regardless of that, Isabel was eager to make this party a successful one. Going back to the estate brought back memories for Isabel and she was reconnected to the family members and as for Simon, Isabel was prepared to keep her distance. The Simon that she met now was completely different from the Simon who bullied her and Isabel began to get attracted to him.

This was really an average chick lit as it was a bit long and the story was not able to hold my interests. The plot was rather thin and was quite predictable. It was somewhat interesting for the first half of the book but after that, the author seemed to be writing about the same thing (more or less) and the book became somewhat boring. This is definitely a below average book for this genre.

Mediocre.......2006-03-24

This is not stand-out chick lit ~ very formulaic. Ultimately I will have forgotten I ever read this book in a couple of weeks.

A fun and quirky romance.......2006-03-21

Isabel is a successful party coordinator. When she is asked by the Monkwell family patriarch (an old family friend) to put together the ultimate party, she finds herself working for the boy who broke her heart and tormented her as a young girl. But Simon has grown into a very sexy and successful businessman, and appears to have let bygones be bygones.

While she tries to keep her distance, she finds that she is suffering from a growing attraction to the one man she should steer clear of. When she inadvertently shares information with her former boyfriend regarding the Monkwell party, it has repercussions she could never have imagined, and threatens the acquisition that the Monkwell family is counting on. To make amends, she works closely with Simon to charm investors and win back his trust. Will Izzy be able to forgive Simon when she finds out the basis for his evil teen machinations?

Mason has created another quirky cast of characters that will capture your attention and keep you glued to the end of the story.

Average customer rating:

THE TALKING HEAD

Comic Party, Vol. 4
Sekihiko Inui
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1595325840

Customer Reviews:

THE TALKING HEAD .......2005-02-25

One of Kazuki's biggest fans at the comic conventions is Asahi Sakurai, but she also one of the shiest. Everytime she comes up to him, she can hardly stutter out a conversation. Who would ever guess that she is actually a pop idol, famous across the country for being a singer and radio personality. The only problem is that she can't talk very well unless she has a script in front of her. Maybe Kazuki can charge up her self-confidence? Related to this problem is Kazuki's friend and fellow doujinshi Aya Hasabe who is giving Kazuki an education on how to write original work instead of parodies. But after Eimi blasts her work for not appealing to the masses she too begins to suffer an identity crisis. Oh, the tragedies of shy girls!

Volume 4 of Comic Party is a good read for fans of anime and manga and really shows the inner workings of normal people struggling to become artists. It would be nice if we had this level of passion and oppurtunities to exhibit amateur work in America.

I would also recommend the Comic Party anime, which is superior to the manga series.

Average customer rating:

Why this isn't chick lit
If you can't live without your celebrity gossip, Party Girl is the book for you
LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!
Very Good Start
5+ stars for entertaining, 4 stars for writing flow

Party Girl: A Novel
Anna David
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0061198722
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Book Description

Celebrity journalist Amelia Stone is the quintessential L.A. party girl. She goes to Hollywood's most exclusive, star-studded events, where she rubs shoulders (and occasionally more) with celebrities, stays out until all hours of the night, and indulges in the ultimate sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll existence. In short, she's got everything a party girl needs: the looks, the job, the lifestyle. And oh, yes, the out-of-control coke habit.

But it's hard to keep topping your own outrageous exploits, and after losing her job, her friends, and much of her mind (not to mention waking up in the hospital after combining five Ambien, four lines of Special K, and an inestimable amount of cocaine), Amelia makes the drastic decision to end her drug abuse. Sobriety, she finds, has its rewards: she starts seeing the man who could be her Mr. Right and gets hired by a big-name magazine to write a column detailing her wild adventures with the celebrity party crowd. And who could write it better? After all, she has plenty of experience to draw on.

There's just one little problem. Overnight, Amelia Stone has become the new face of Hollywood nightlife, and her editors—who don't know she's come clean—want her to play the part. As her popularity skyrockets and the film and TV agents start calling, the lure of her former fast-and-furious lifestyle begins to pull at her. Faced with the most exciting opportunity of her career, she must now decide to either save herself—or salvage her reputation as the ultimate party girl.

Acidly hilarious and achingly honest, Party Girl is a harrowing ride through the world of Hollywood excess with a heroine who's deliciously flawed. Whether snorting coke or crying in rehab, hooking up or breaking down, Amelia Stone makes her way across the treacherous grounds of addiction, self-destruction, and recovery without ever losing her sharp wit, unapologetic candor, or odds-defying optimism.

Customer Reviews:

Why this isn't chick lit.......2007-08-07

The self-loathing displayed by our heroine is not tied to her gender, but rather is a more universal human suffering. David does an admirable job tackling the subject of addiction without spewing tired 12 step wisdom or making it seem easy. David appears to have the depth to have written a much more somber book, but for some reason decided to fluff it into something that resembles chick lit, but is much more.

If you can't live without your celebrity gossip, Party Girl is the book for you.......2007-08-04

Amelia Stone is a party girl, in every sense of the word. In fact, her story begins with her being caught in a compromising position with the cousin of the bride at a party being thrown at her mother's house. The story then goes on to describe her almost having a menage a trois with two groomsmen, before sobering up and falling asleep. Because this is what party girls do. Living her life in a haze of cocaine and alcohol, Amelia stops partying only long enough to turn in her articles at Absolutely Fabulous (an Us Weekly-type celebrity gossip mag), feed her cats, and catch some zzzzz's. Other than that, you can find her at the hottest industry parties, doing drugs in the bathroom, staying up all night, and using Ambien and alcohol to fall asleep. That is, until her hard-partying lifestyle catches up with her and Amelia finds herself in rehab.

Though she doesn't believe she has a problem with alcohol, Amelia is willing to admit she has a drinking problem. When she checks in to Pledges, her life is in shambles, she's been fired from her job, and she doesn't know what she's going to do for work. One month out of rehab later, she re-enters the world only to find that an admirer of her party girl lifestyle (the publisher of Chat, a different magazine, with a more Cosmo feel) is offering her a job to write about the crazy nights she used to have. Amelia knows she can't pass up this opportunity, but can she make a living out of writing about a life she no longer leads?

If you're the sort of person who reads Perez Hilton or Pink is the New Blog every day, and can't live without her (or his) Us Weekly, Party Girl is going to be right up your alley. This book has all the fun and entertainment of reading trashy gossip rags without the guilt, since the characters are fictional. Amelia was an intersting narrator, to say the least. At some points she was clearly so screwed up that I pitied her, but she managed to use her own downfall to build herself up bigger than she was before. The twists and turns that this book took were not all unexpected and at times the story was a bit predictable, and in that sense it's not the best book I've ever read, but it was still enjoyable from start to finish. If nothing else, it's something to kill the time while you wait for the new Us Weekly to hit the stands.

LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT! .......2007-08-01

This book is awesome! I absolutely love Anna David and Amelia Stone! Two thumbs up!

Very Good Start.......2007-07-25

There were times when I was tempted to re-read the cover again while reading this book. I had to make sure it wasn't an autobiography. At times it feels like a reverse James Frey A Million Little Pieces. Being a male reader it was very interesting seeing inside the female characters mind. I've met the girl in this book a few times in my life and now I feel like I know what's going on in that mixed up head of hers. This is a very good first outing for David and I hope she writes many more books.

5+ stars for entertaining, 4 stars for writing flow.......2007-07-10

5+ stars for entertaining
4 stars for writing flow
5 stars for being a good self help book in disguise

This genre of this book isn't the type I usually read, but I thought it was a witty and creative twist on a woman's journey in this age. In fact, I hardly realized there was a message until the end of the book, and with each attempt to send the message, it was written poignantly and catchy.

I think this would be a fun book for a girlfriend who parties too much and could use some advice on addictions because the main character really plays the part.

Average customer rating:

Fun & Fabulous
a fun, steamy, chick book
Shallow and Annoying
Great Chick Lit!
Calling Sex and The City Fans

Party Girls
Roz Bailey
Manufacturer: Kensington
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0758201974

Customer Reviews:

Fun & Fabulous.......2005-11-03

Zoey, Jade and Marielle are your classic single 30-something women who are from the city and reunite in the city when their lives all start to fall to pieces. Roz Bailey's elaboration of the characters is so brilliantly executed that you can't help but read the book in 2 1/2 days (I know I did!) I think this is a fabulous read for anyone looking for a chick lit book. As an NYC-girl myself, it is an extremely relatable novel that I've passed to three other friends who adored it and I'm reading it again!

a fun, steamy, chick book.......2004-10-11

this is the only book i've read by Roz Bailey, but i found it to be a great pageturner. the fun, wild life of these 3 women will keep your attention until the end and make you feel like calling up your girlfriends and finding the nearest party. this a great read for the fun-loving females out there!

Shallow and Annoying.......2004-07-15

Generally I love this genre. A group of single friends trying to make it in New York City. This story, however, was predictable and shallow. The main character concentrated mainly on getting drunk. Repeatedely her buzz is descirbed in mind numbing detail. Even though she is in the midst of a divorce, she is more concerned about her new haircut than her financial and emotional challenges. Her friends are equally annoying and often portray insulting stereotypes. The African American, the gay guy, and the Jewish girl all seemed consumed by the search for sex and the perfect relationship. The dialogue between the group was corny and unbelievable. What makes the author think it's okay to keep repeating "You go girl"? As is typical with this type of literature everything works out nearly perfect in the end for everyone involved. This book was juvenile and boring and a complete disappointment...Don't waste your time.

Great Chick Lit!.......2002-11-10

Having read nothing but dark and poignant books lately, I decided to indulge in my favorite guilty pleasure: a chick lit. And what a great chick novel Party Girls is too! Reading about three thirty-something Manhattanites' struggles with love, careers, cocktail bars and real estate was quite enjoyable. Roz Bailey has created characters so believable that I hoped things worked out for them at the end. Sex and the City has got nothing on this gem! Are you in the bargain for great chick lit? Pick up Party Girls.

Calling Sex and The City Fans.......2002-10-16

This book has 3 main chicks in it. The first one being Zoey, an novelist with only one book on her bestseller list, she gets away from the pressures of her divorce and stays at a friends house in New York to help cure her writer's block. The second is Jade. She is the amourous one of the bunch. For every house she sells, it adds another on her list of sexual conquests. But lately she just feels unsatisfied and wants to experience a deeper feeling of intimancy in her sex life. Instead of a one hour romp in the floor of the new home she just sold. The third, and my favorite, is Marielle. She is an African-American struggling actress who has to change her hairstyle with every new audition she recieves. She doesn't realize that what she really needs is love and not a hairstylist.
I would highly reccomend this book to my friends. It is a great chick book with alot of problems women face today.

Galaxy Angel Party Volume 2 (Galaxy Angel)

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Galaxy Angel Party Volume 2 (Galaxy Angel)
Kanan
Manufacturer: Broccoli Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1932480277

Book Description

Things are getting a little weird for the Angel Troupe. Mysterious forces haunt the Elle Ciel, wreaking havoc on Mint's favorite dessert. Worse still, the Angels are sent on a mission to the Planet of No Return, and Vanilla has to adjust to the responsibilities of motherhood. But none of this can prepare the Angels for the strangest thing of all: Forte has a date! What kind of party is this, anyway!?

Party for the Girls: Six Stories (Revived Modern Classic)

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Party for the Girls: Six Stories (Revived Modern Classic)
H. E. Bates
Manufacturer: New Directions Publishing Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

British | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0811210502

All I Want Is Everything: A Gossip Girl Novel (Unabridged)

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As breathtaking as a first kiss
Another great Gossip Girl
All I Want Is Everything (Gossip Girl, 3}
All I Want Is Everything
So bad it's good

All I Want Is Everything: A Gossip Girl Novel (Unabridged)
Cecily von Ziegesar
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download

Gossip Girl | Series | Teens | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: B000HEWFIE

Amazon.com

They're the teens you love to hate, and yet it's not all trash. Beneath the designer name-obsessed veneer and the nasty soap opera quality of Gossip Girl novels, there's plenty that's true and real for any teenager. Angst, creative passion, love, college applications, drinking, smoking, sex…sure, these kids are obnoxious and spoiled, but their core issues are not a million miles away from every other teen's. And you know you love it. (Ages 14 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

S and B and J and N are back, along with A, D, V, and assorted other rich, catty Manhattan teenagers in this third installment of the Gossip Girl series. An omniscient and anonymous narrator keeps track of the scene in www.gossipgirl.net (now an actual site), where the rumors fly, backs are stabbed, and celebrity sightings are dutifully reported. Serena (S) and Blair (B) are best friends again, shoring each other up as Blair faces life without her ex, Nate, who has hooked up with a sweet, busty 14-year-old, and Serena fends off advances from drop-dead-gorgeous rock star, Flow. Life's rough. Meanwhile, Vanessa and Dan play the will-he/won't-he game of sex, and Aaron tries to thwart his own crush on new stepsister Blair. They're the teens you love to hate, and yet it's not all trash. Beneath the designer name-obsessed veneer and the nasty soap opera quality of Gossip Girl novels, there's plenty that's true and real for any teenager. Angst, creative passion, love, college applications, drinking, smoking, sex#133;sure, these kids are obnoxious and spoiled, but their core issues are not a million miles away from every other teen's. And you know you love it. (Ages 14 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Customer Reviews:

As breathtaking as a first kiss.......2007-09-29

Blair Waldorf is having the worst time of her life. She has just completely flubbed her Yale interview, even going so far as to kiss her interviewer; she must contend with a dreadlock-bearing new stepbrother named Aaron, who seems to have some ulterior motives up his sleeve; her mother is marrying a loser whom she has known for hardly no time at all; and, to top it all off, Nate has ditched her for a chesty ten-year-old - well, she looks ten. Luckily, she and Serena van der Woodsen are back on speaking terms, and living it up as BFF's once more. But who knows how long that will last.

The holidays are just around the corner, and with the Upper East Side absolutely freezing, everyone who's loaded is planning on ditching their Marc Jacobs coats, and slipping into their Missoni string bikinis for a Christmas in a tropical place. With Nate Archibald having called it quits with Blair in order to take up a romance with freshman Jenny Humphrey, Blair is anything but ready to say goodbye to the city, and head off to St. Bart's with Serena, where they can sunbathe topless, and, perhaps, have a winter fling. Unfortunately, Serena is being stalked by Flow, the hottest rock star on the planet - at least at the moment - and can't seem to shake him off, and Blair, armed with her iBook plans on holing up in the hotel room writing the essay for her Yale application. Looks like this vacation won't be as sizzling as originally planned. But with Blair's new stepbrother, Aaron, and his pal Miles in tow, you never know when the sparks will fly.

Back in the city, Nate and Jenny are having the time of their life. But with Blair's sudden appearances at every turn, Nate finds himself more and more drawn to the girl he has known and loved for so many years. But then there's Jenny. Sweet, innocent, voluptuous Jenny. Maybe if Nate spent less time being baked, and more time being straight, he'd be able to decide who he's truly lusting over.

Then there's Jenny's older brother, Dan. Since admitting their passion for one another, Dan and Vanessa have been having a whirlwind romance - albeit a dark one - filled with foreign films, cigarettes, strong instant coffee, and lots and lots of black. But since falling in love, Dan finds himself at a standstill regarding his poetry. Suddenly, he's experiencing writer's block firsthand, and it's not a pretty picture. But when Vanessa supposedly does something that betrays both him and Jenny, he wonders if this is the push he needs to get his writing back on track - and to get even.

Three books down, and still Cecily von Ziegesar is going strong; creating intoxicating storylines that leave you craving more, and dying to find out what will happen to S, B, N, and the rest of the gang. Finally Blair and Serena are back to their old tricks, partying 'till the break of dawn, and hamming it up for the cameras. While their friendship is a beautiful thing, and it's wonderful to see them back on speaking terms, the fact that they're not at each other's throats any longer kind of makes the reader miss their feuding; however, their gossip fests about their friends, and their many shopping sprees certainly make up for their catfights. Jenny is still the sweet girl we all know and love from GOSSIP GIRL and YOU KNOW YOU LOVE ME; but in AS LONG AS WE'RE TOGETHER, she finally seems to be growing up a bit, and it's nice to see her stand up for herself for once, and not allow people to push her around. Her relationship with her brother, Dan, seems to have changed slightly. Suddenly, he's watching her every move, and not being as friend-like towards her. Instead, seeming more like a jail warden. But, no matter what, you can't help but love each and every one of them - even the slightly creepy Miles, who seems to be stalking Blair. Of course, the installment wouldn't be complete without Gossip Girl reporting straight from...wherever, giving us all the lowdown on what it takes to be a part of the In Crowd, and providing us with the status of every move all of our favorite characters take. As breathtaking as a first kiss.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Another great Gossip Girl.......2007-07-05

Cecily's back with another great Gossip Girl novel. In this installment, it's Christmastime and almost everybodies in a great mood. Blair invites Serena, to go to St. Barts island for Christmas with her because Blairs mom is on her honeymoon. Serena has a lover, Flow, who annoys her buy always giving her presents, unfortunately he doesn't understand how to back off. Aaron's friend Miles, falls in love with Blair, while Blair get disgusted with Aaron for staring at her naked. So Blair and Serena leave early so Blair can wotk on her screenplay for her Yale Admmissions Essay, while Serena gets help from some friends, Kati and Isabel for the best New Years Party ever. Cecily did another great job on this novel, like her other ones. This series is really addicting and breathtaking. I reccomend it to anyone.

All I Want Is Everything (Gossip Girl, 3}.......2007-05-12

This book was for my teenage daughter. She loved it!!

All I Want Is Everything.......2007-04-14

All I Want Is Everything, Gossip Girl novel, written by Cecily von Ziegaeser is a book full of action and drama. I read this book a few weeks ago and I have read it along with all the others in the series. This book is number 3 in the series. So I suggest that you read the two others before starting this one because it might not make sense. In this book, Blair and her new best friend Serena go to St. Bart's for the Christmas vacation with Blair's family. Blair recently broke up with her boyfriend Nate and is meeting all new kinds of guys, but at the same time, she really misses her ex-boyfriend. Also Blair, the main character in this book, is trying to get into Yale. If you are a teenage girl, who loves realistic fiction books, you will love this series! Enjoy your reading!

So bad it's good.......2007-01-21

All of our favorite obnoxious teenage socialites are back in book 3 and trying to get through midterm exams so they can celebrate Christmas. Nate and Jenny are still together although he seemed so baked all the time that no one is sure, including him, whether or not he really cares for Jenny. Dan and Vanessa are enjoying their decision to make their relationship romantic although the sexual tension may prove too much for the pair. Blair is still feeling down over losing Nate, but her friendship with Serena is better than ever and if they can make it through their exams they will celebrate on the beach in St. Barts. But as usual, her family has surprises in store that will threaten to ruin the vacation that is supposed to be so perfect.

Again, the story and the characters are superficial and ridiculous, but that's why this series is so much fun. Everyone has incredible amounts of money, everyone is stereotypical to the extreme, and readers will enjoy reading about them with voyeristic pleasure. Know that this book is a quick and easy read and the guilt becomes easier to handle.

Average customer rating:

Party girl (Gold Medal books)
Marvin H Albert
Manufacturer: Fawcett Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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