Rating: 
Summary: Not great, but not bad either
Review: I was looking for something light, and I definitely found it. There are plenty of things wrong with this book - the narrative style is a little patronizing and the climax falls a little flat. I found myself not really liking any of the characters I was supposed to like. And there are a few too many unconvincing coincidences. But hey, it's not great literature we're talking about here. This book is engaging and fun, and as long as you don't stare at it too long, you can convince yourself that the story's not really THAT transparent.
Rating: 
Summary: Lame!
Review: this is by far one of the worst books i have ever read. totally [dissatisfied]bridget jones, minus all the talent, humor, sparkle, wit, and writing skills of ms. fielding. the style of "jemima j." reminds me of some really unintelligent high school kid who aspires to be danielle steel. but even this one probably has some sense of tension, action twists, etc. the cliches are packed by dozens on each page -- fat girl turn thin girl, heart of gold throughout, good gorgeous guy (i feel faint every time i read "ben's looks", "because ben is so handsome" -- this is the most extravagant description of ben-being-pretty in the book, btw), bad gorgeous guy, two nasty roommates, blah blah blah. and of course, in spite of the writer's intentions to show beauty under layers of fat, it's all about how life is good only when you are pencil-thin. oh, this stupid book made me so mad. though the message is not as infuriariating as the lack of talent it displays in every single line.
Rating: 
Summary: cute, but a little disheartening......
Review: i liked the book first off, because i could relate to the "fat" jemima and some of the stuff that she said and thought was so true that it was funny. the only thing that upset me was the characters rapid (and very unbelieveable) weight loss and the fact that when she was thin, she got everything she wanted. i was almost rallying for ben *not* to like her in the end. he never loved her until she was thin and that's not exactly fair. don't get me wrong, i enjoyed the book. it was a fun, light read. makes me want to exercise. :) but coming away from it, i'm feeling a little, honestly, fat. she was only 204 pounds people. that's what i am. that's a size 16. i don't think that calls for the quadruple chins reference and huge orange shirts. i can't help but think it would be more believeable if a skinny person hadn't written it.
Rating:
Summary: Fun read!
Review: Heroine: Abundant, loses weight, then regains some Overweight Jemima Jones is sure her life will get better just as soon as she is thin. She'll get promoted out of the "Top Tips" section of the rinky-dink newspaper she works for. Her flashy flat-mates will stop walking all over her. And she'll have men groveling at her feet. Especially her gorgeous co-worker Ben Williams. But she never seems to find the motivation she needs to drop the pounds, not even in the glossy fashion magazines she pores over every chance she gets. Until she has an epiphany of sorts: the man she's been chatting up online, the one to whom she sent that seriously computer-retouched photo, wants to meet her face-to-face!! Jemima under-eats and over-exercises to shed the weight in a hurry. And from the cocoon of fat emerges a tan and toned hard-bodied glamour gal. J.J (Jemima doesn't suit her any longer) revels in her new status as one of the "beautiful people." But will she be able to keep the weight off? What worked for me:
Jemima's life at the opening of the book certainly struck a chord with me, as I think it will with most women: The guilt over eating anything with even a smidge of fat. The belief that life will start when the weight comes off. The feeling that somehow thinner people are better than you. What didn't work for me:
The book flips back and forth from Jemima's point of view to that of some omniscient narrator, but since there is no real warning for the change-over it can be a bit disconcerting as you're reading along. I don't care how much one exercises, you lose one hundred pounds in a hurry you're going to have loose skin folds, at the bust line at the very least! Jemima does eventually decide that rather than continue to over-exercise and under-eat, she'll just let her weight settle where it may. But at the end of the book she's still rather thin since she only just made this decision. And the guy she just landed got together with her while she was, because she was, slender. Given that most of J.J.'s friends and love interests valued her most when she lost the weight, will she then lose her social circle and her man if she gains some weight back as she plans? And will she still be able to make things happen for herself if she is no longer the ultra-slender J.J., or will she go back to being put-upon Jemima? (I would think some serious counseling is in order to help J.J./Jemima resolve whatever drove her to abuse herself the way she did both before and after her weight-loss.) Overall:
The "moral of the story" perhaps hits the reader a bit too hard on the head, and the ending was somewhat predictable but getting there was very interesting and entertaining. A solid read and worth searching out. :^)
Rating:
Summary: California Dreamin'?
Review: While I was inspired by Jemima's quest to lose weight and enjoyed all of the theoretical questions dotted throughout the novel, I have to agree with a few of the other reviewers who believe that Green is sending a mixed message. Sure, Jemima isn't happy with herself and feels she is being discriminated against; BUT, Green illustrates her journey through self-discovery as though it were as easy as signing a gym membership form. I thought this was a bit too simplistic, and Green missed a great opportunity to expand upon her theme. This novel was a nice departure from all of the self-loathing singleton stories that are out there- We are able to sympathize with Jemima, who is a genuine character. But come on...We knew how the story would end, didn't we?
Rating: 
Summary: Superfly
Review: I devoured this book in one night. I couldn't put it down. Not because it is some big giant life changing novel, but because I came to love the main character, Jemima J. I kept wishing and hoping the best for her, and I just had to make sure the best happened. It was definitely a fun read.
Rating:
Summary: A very lame Bridget Jones wannabe
Review: I tried and tried to get through this book and was continually discouraged by the amateurish and plodding writing style. Jane Green doesn't write in a very engaging way and the narrative is dull. Jemima is a fat girl, lusts after cute boy, has thin gorgeous friends and roommates, boring career. Ugly-duckling-into-swan story, a cliche even when done well. It tries to be Bridget Jonesy and isn't half that book, which in itself is no great work. I couldn't get past 50 pages in this book even after giving it multiple tries. Don't bother.
Rating:
Summary: Not just another Bridget Jones clone
Review: "Bridget Jones' Diary" has turned many readers on to the wonders of British contemporary romance novels. As such, most BCRMs are compared to the "original" (which BJD actually wasn't). However, I believe that Jemima J can stand on its own. It makes some major changes to the genre - the main character is obese, part of the action takes place in California, etc. I found this to be a really enjoyable book!
Rating:
Summary: SCRUB YOUR GROUT INSTEAD
Review: As a mother of 3, my reading time is so precious and I can't tell you how robbed I felt when I finished this book. The first few (very few) chapters were promising. It seemed Ms. Green really had some insight to the weight issue but, unfortunately, it took a downhill turn and spiraled into an unrealistic, shallow and just plain STUPID story! I believe Ms. Green wanted to write a message along the lines of "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", "beauty is only skin-deep", etc., but she constantly contradicted herself and ultimately sent the message that you DO have to be thin to be worthy. There are too many good books in the world to spend your precious time or money on this one. Scrub your grout instead ~ it'll be more enjoyable and at least you'll feel like you've done something worthwhile!
Rating:
Summary: Being fat in a thin world!
Review: Jemina Jones is one of the easiest reads I've found! It is funny, witty, romantic! I really felt like I knew her, and I can relate to her as well. I am constantly trying to live up to the images our society has put on women. Jemina Jones shows that being thin isn't the only answer to perfection!! The characters are wonderful and I wish I had a Ben Williams in my life! Bravo Jane Green!
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