Found this book painfully hilarious, can’t say I relate to such a drive to socialize but the numerous attempts(and fails) to befriend the people of out main characters new tight knit town is both laughable and applaudable.

Ending was a little whirlwind-ish but this book successfully got me out of a slump! So I am very much grateful<3

This book wasn't bad. It was like reading Notaro's nonfiction, but in third person. It was pretty entertaining. However, there was a point at which I seriously considered stopping reading because she was poking fun at everything I like: musicals, Alice Hoffman, Pat Benatar. She never directly dissed cats and didn't say anything bad about chocolate, so I was able to continue reading without feeling completely offended. In the end, I was glad I continued reading because Pat Benatar is vindicated to some extent. :)

Disappointing. I was REALLY looking forward to this book. Every other book she has written makes me laugh so hard I have to stop for a moment to catch my breath. Maye, the lead character, is clearly a representation of Laurie in Oregon. A fish out of water. All her awkward encounters seem like they may have actually happened but are stretch for comic affect.
It is an easy read and you probably will breeze right through it. I was sad to see it didn't have the same passion or wit as her other pieces but I am still a fan.

This book was absolutely awful. Please do not misunderstand me here, I wish I did not have a policy of finishing everything I read because even though this only took a bit over 24 hours for me to get through, I really struggled with it.

Everything about the set up was contrived and stupid. The characters were simplistic and unbelievable, not to mention not very likable. Maye is just looking for a friend and I could feel Notaro chuckling to herself at her own creativity in devising "adventures" for Maye. BLEECH.

It did make me momentarily think of Portlandia, but that is a skit comedy show that intentionally is overblown. This was a book written for fat old women to read while they eat candy and giggle thinking they are sophisticatedly aware of the ways in which the liberals are too un-self conscious.

The karate kid reference was not cute, but instead falls flat and the idea of getting someone high on donuts could not really be believable to anyone over the age of 10.

Do not come near this book, there was absolutely nothing redeeming.

2.5/5⭐️

I was a lot more excited by the title of this book than I was by the content. I did not think the characters were very well developed. I would have liked to learn a lot more about Ruby, and also the housekeeper at the Dean's house. I found the most interesting part of the book to be the time that Maye spent at Ruby's house - that was the only point when I found myself quickly turning the pages rather than just killing time. I think the author started a lot of different story lines with various characters (the clerk at the bookstore, the neighbor across the street, etc.), and then they just ended out of the blue. Each time a new character was developed I found myself wondering if THIS was going to be the storyline I was looking for but never quite found it. Overall, I would not recommend this book. I think the author has a lot of potential to write a book I would love, this just was not it.

I bought this book from a used-book store because years ago I read one of the author's books of non-fiction essays that I found highly amusing (The Idiot-Girls Action Adventure Club). I guess this is her first foray into fiction. It's humorous, but not laugh-out-loud funny. It takes place in Oregon but the characters are really worthy of a quirky Southern novel a la Sweet Potato Queens. They are a little too over-the-top wacky. But, I could connect with the narrator's struggle, as an adult without children, to make new friends when she moves to a new state. It's a fairly quick read and would probably be a good beach read. Just don't expect a lot of depth.

Hmmm, I find it difficult to rate this book. It was mildly entertaining with a few moments that I found myself laughing out loud. However, it took a few chapters for me to get accustomed to the author's humor. And the storyline was nothing monumental, or riveting, or deep. Yet overall I think it IS worth reading if you're into a rather quick, somewhat humorous read. I won't give anything away, but will add that I was a little disappointed in the ending. Something happens that's a bit of a "stretch"...

From the beginning I felt at home reading this book since the main character, Maye, seemed so much like the author. As I read through the chapters it brought to mind a number of Notaro's essays. Or, maybe a big part of it is just that Maye, like Notaro, has a self-deprecating sense of humor and has a flamboyant way of describing things.

I felt the actual story in the book was a little predictable (I won't spoil anything for you), but it was still fun. When reading Notaro's works I expect something humorous--rather than a mystery or an involved plot--so as the pieces of the story came together and the relationships between the small-town cast of characters came to light I didn't mind that I could see it coming together that way and that the story wrapped up with a happy ending.

What I did love about this book is how Notaro describes certain things and the eccentric situations she creates. Just let me say that I will never listen to the song "Love is a Battlefield" without thinking of this story. Notaro makes me laugh out loud while reading, which is what keeps me coming back. I'm very intersted in finding out how she approached her next fictional work, due out soon. I'll be looking forward to reading it and seeing what new, lovable leading ladies she creates.

I love this book. I bought it solely for the title (thinking someone had been writing my life story) and fell in love with not just the book, but Laurie Notaro, too. And wouldn't you know it, it turns out she used to babysit my husband. That explains his weird sense of humor. ;-) Laurie is known for writing memoirs, which are hysterical, but this go at fiction is a big win. Anyone who has ever tried to fit in at a new school, job or town will love her perspective and observations. Too witty for words.

I seem to have this knack - without even reading the blurb - of finding books that are both hilarious and heart-tugging. And I'm okay with that. Y'all should read this. It's fun. Truly. :)

The title alone could be the story of my life. I always think I could be going to hell--if not for my sarcasm then well....this isn't a confessional. I read this book because of the humor, pure and simple. I didn't read it for it's engaging plot or great literature value. It's dang funny and I needed that this week. I would have given it one more star except for all the writing about dogs in this book--I found the storyline of her dog Mickey (and the other annoying canines) to be a real snoozer. But that's just me.

A little bit of swearing which I always find annoying in novels, but nothing too bad I didn't just skip over.