Great fun! Could easily be another eat-your-heart-out decorator exercise, but Spencer's breezy, self-deprecating tone makes the book genuinely fun to read. The interiors are inspiring, though perhaps she makes it look TOO easy. (I've tried my hand at refinishing furniture, and it was a much bigger deal than she implies -- or maybe I have less patience?) Very enjoyable book. ( )

This book should be called 'Give Me A Break -Who Would Ever Take This Horrible Advice?'...

First and foremost, Lara Spencer's message is: "I know you're not rich like me, and aren't on tv like me, and you don't have two giant homes- on both coasts-like me-but, I can show you how to 'fake' being like- you guessed it: ME!!" She then tears into world-bettering facts such as: Being a Blue-Blood (her favorite phrase) means you're from a GOOD family." Really? A GOOD family- or a RICH family? She then puts 3,000 pictures of HERSELF 'thrifting' in her 'make me look pulled -together casual-as though I'm not freshened up and spritzed every minute, surrounded by a crew and stylists while I'm 'dropping in' (unannounced) at yard sales in rich neighborhoods. Coz you know those mansion owners-they are Yard Sale/Auction crazy!' and they like nothing more than to put their stuff out in the driveway, move the Bentley, open up the electric gate and have the 'common folk' show up with fanny packs full of singles and Honey-Boo-Boo t-shirts (as everyone knows, Mr. John D. Rockefeller is said to have coined the phrase: 'A dolla makes me holla!')

After Miss Spencer (somehow) finds an item she can turn into a blue-blood fake we see her situating these things in one of the 47 or so rooms she has to choose from. She uses gag-inducing phrases like 'Shopurtunity' with exclamation points, and words like 'toniest!'-and insists that good items are like Blue-bloods, with 'good bones and good breeding!" She is a walking, talking air-kiss! I bet what little food she eats is 'delish!' She invents a 'Decorationary' that makes me want to punch her in the face.( Metaphorically speaking, of course!) She even explains the difference between a Painting and a Drawing, because you know us public school students, we're all a bunch of dummies! From what I gather, painting uses that brush thingy and drawings don't. I'm really not sure- it's sooo confusing.

The best quote is in the acknowledgments: To paraphrase: 'Thank you to photographer Michael McNamara, who went above and beyond the call of duty and worked so hard to capture the INSANITY!' That poor man! I hope he was well paid! Can you imagine him trying to soothe both her and her pocketbook dog during a tragic smudged mascara incident? Or coordinating the grape-feeding/palm frond fanning at the local flea market? And I don't know who this lady is-I don't watch daytime tv and she may be one reason why- but I picture her on 'The Housewives of Beverly Hills' (which I have never, and will never watch-hand on heart)

I am completely offended at her assumption that ANYBODY wants to be like her, let alone that they would settle for 'faking it' because she's just that fabulous. There seems to be a wave of 'braggy' books lately- and it strikes me as so vile in this economy! This book is under the 'guise' of a 'self-help' deal, but is actually a 'self-hype' book. Lara :Get over yourself, and leave the yard-sales and (especially) thrift stores to the people that genuinely respect them. So- I disliked this book. In case you couldn't tell.

(ps: There is a fabulous thrift store guide called 'Thrift Score' by Al Hoff, that is quite old, but really wonderful, by a woman who really respects and appreciates the 'art' of turning second hand items into cool and unique things for your home but advocates living your own beautiful life, not some shallow woman's nightmare of sewn in labels and phony fronts)

But I always try and say something positive about even a book I don't like.(Thanks, mom) There is some decent info on thrifts and locations, and refurbishing things. But it's a reach. ( )