20 Times a Lady (2011) (edit title/settings)

• Rated 4 stars

“I picked this book up because my friend Ames totally loved this book. She led me over to Karyn Bosnak's blog, Pretty in the City and I read some posts and thought, holy wow this woman is hilarious, so I was pretty stoked to get this book and read it.

It started out really good, I was hecka loving Delilah and I was loving her personality, her apartment and her sexy neighbor, Colin but then she went on this outrageous road trip to find her ex boyfriends in hopes of finding happiness with them so that she doesn't up her number to 21.

How crazy is that? She hires her next door neighbor, Colin to track down all of her exes and she goes on a road trip to see if she can reconnect with any of them. I'll be honest and let you know that it made for some hilarious scenes but as she went from city to city stalking and then trying to get to know each of her ex boyfriends, I got hecka embarrassed for her and then I groaned over some of the things that she did because some of the things she did made me wince in embarrassment for her. I was embarrassed for a fictional character and though I ended up liking the book, I got good and pissed with Del more than once in this book.

So she's on this road trip to find her exes so that she can keep her number at 20 (and by her number, I mean her sexual partners) and she's running around trying to make things work, build happy endings with men that she broke up with. Men that did things, were things she didn't want to be with anymore and still, she went to see all of them and out of all the men that she ever went out with, the one that I thought oh okay, maybe this guy I could see her having a happy ending with (well with the exception of the man that she actually ends up with) was the guy who's in rehab and a total nut case.

And the things she did in order to see these guys was just laughable. She got a dog to see the first one (and Ames, I totally thought about you with Rod and his dog named Max), she checks herself into rehab for another one and then she gets stuck in rehab for a few days and when she finally comes out, everyone is beyond themselves with worry over her and after that, I found her to be totally irresponsible and though she was sorry for it, I thought that okay, she finally realizes that what she's doing is not the best way to handle things but does she stop? NO! I was so mad when she didn't let up on this whole ridiculous chase after the whole Matt King thing that I wanted to stop reading and then things got better because she went back home, still single and still going to end up with a #21 but does it end there and does she stop from pissing me off?

NO!

Eventually she gets it right but the getting there was pretty ridonkculous and I wanted to slap her in the head so many different times but I'm glad that I finished this book. I'm glad that I got to know Del and I'm glad that she ended up with the guy she ended up with. This book was a rollercoaster of just everything and I'm totally glad that I read it. I rejoiced with Delilah and I got so pissed off at her but I ended up really caring about her the same way that Michelle cared for her and the same way that Colin, her Mom, Daisy and everyone cared for her.

This was a good book and I totally recommend it to anyone who is looking for a spunky heroine with a self journey that is going to drive you totally bonkers but make you laugh anyway.”

• Rated 4 stars

“cute light read :) great summer read!”

• Rated 0 stars

“This is a book about a woman going through her like to track the guys she has 'been' with. She has made a list that shows the number of guys she has 'been' with and goes back to meet this guys so her list will not have to grow longer. It is very comical but intriguing story for young women and adults.”

• Rated 5 stars

“This is a fun book to read! It is a quick and easy story!”

• Rated 4 stars

“This book was very entertaining, the plot was completely unbelievable but I think that's what made it so funny! The story reminded me of the short-lived TV show "The Ex List" where we follow a woman as she goes back to reconnect with her past boyfriends/sexual partners. I usually don't read 'chick-lit' type books but I had a lot of fun with this one and I totally recommend it! ”

• Rated 5 stars

“This was a Watson book club book. When I first begain reading it I was unimpressed. In the begining I thought of Bridget Jones. I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did. It was very quirky and hilarious. It also has a bit of wisdom in it. My favorite is, "If you're going to remember anything from your past, then do so fondly because you can't change a thing about it." Good advice just don't run for public office:).
I would reread this and recommend it. It was a lot of fun. I can see it becomming a movie.”

• Rated 2 stars

“Save Karyn was worth reading and was funny, I think, because it was true. It did not require Bosnak to have thes kills required to a good writer. This idea of this book has Kathryn Heigl movie premise written all over it (which is not a bad thing), but it is completely predictable and so laden with pop culture references that it dates itself immediately. Some of her jokes are groan inducing and her characters are completely cliche--the mother and grandfather in particular. If you like pointless chicklit, this is an enjoyable read, but if you want to be entertained or challenged, I'd skip it.”

• Rated 5 stars

“This book is hands down the best chick lit I've read in a while. It would make a PERFECT romantic comedy. I won't summerize the plot but this book made me think about my own "List" and wondering what those guys are up to. Delilah is hilarious, she is realistic, her relationships with her family are realistic, and there is no stupid wondering about "Why don't they see THEY are really in love?" when you know they will.

For the person who was wondering why Colin falls for her: Maybe because she wasn't falling all over his feet as other girls did. Maybe because she was interesting and they got to become friends.

The stuff about the dog Eva was hilarious and I could totally relate because I own a Yorkie and they are SOOOOOOO like THAT!

Anyway read this book. You'll laugh out loud more than once.”

• Rated 0 stars

“Delilah Darling has hit THE number. After discovering in a magazine that the average woman has had only 10.5 partners in her lifetime, Delilah decides that her behavior cannot continue. Her younger sister is getting married, their mother pities her, and she just got laid off. Delilah decides it’s the perfect time to get a grip on her life, and takes her severance pay to finance a trip down memory lane with all of the men on her list, figuring that a keeper has to be in there somewhere. The hilarious road trip that ensues and the encounters she has with all of her exes are laugh-out-loud funny. Delilah’s journey through the past makes her realize how fortunate she is to be where she is at in her life. A must read for fans of humorous chick lit.”

• Rated 2 stars

“I found this book really disappointing. Absolutely great idea, poor execution.”