Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
Going back and reading the series from the beginning, having just finished Big Boned. I don't normally do this, and it's kind of funny since the some of the characters are already familiar.
I thought this would be fun a fun "brain candy" read but it really just did not hit any of the right notes for me. I think if I wasn't waiting on other audiobooks to come in from the library, I would have just given up.
It's a quick, light read -- I read both this and the second book in the series during a weekend trip, meaning I read them on flights and shuttles. Working in a residence hall, it was nice to have a character I could identify with in that capacity (hey, sometimes you want to know that someone in the world understands your job, especially when it's as off the wall as running residence halls).
I listened to the audio book for Size 12 is Not Fat almost a year ago, but with the release of the 4th installment in this series (Size 12 and Ready to Rock) I thought I would go ahead and do a quick book review.
The initial thing that drew me to this book was the title. I have had weight issues my whole life, and was a size 12/14 when I first heard about this series. I wanted to read it because I wanted to read a book about a protagonist that looked like me and dealt with the same issues I deal with.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved listening to Heather's inner monologue (it's so like my own lol) and I loved reading about the antics that all of the college kids get up to. The murder mystery is also really well done, I had NO idea who the killer was and was thoroughly surprised as the different twists were revealed. I also really liked the commentary on weight in the media and how gaining weight doesn't reduce your value as a person.
Honestly, I can't pinpoint the exact thing that made this book so enjoyable for me, it really was everything. Size 12 is Not Fat is a cute and fun story that is a perfect summer read.
The initial thing that drew me to this book was the title. I have had weight issues my whole life, and was a size 12/14 when I first heard about this series. I wanted to read it because I wanted to read a book about a protagonist that looked like me and dealt with the same issues I deal with.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved listening to Heather's inner monologue (it's so like my own lol) and I loved reading about the antics that all of the college kids get up to. The murder mystery is also really well done, I had NO idea who the killer was and was thoroughly surprised as the different twists were revealed. I also really liked the commentary on weight in the media and how gaining weight doesn't reduce your value as a person.
Honestly, I can't pinpoint the exact thing that made this book so enjoyable for me, it really was everything. Size 12 is Not Fat is a cute and fun story that is a perfect summer read.
As much as I enjoy Meg Cabot books, I find that when she writes a series of books, quality varies between installments. I read Size 14 first and enjoyed it much more. (Not sure what would have happened if I had read them in the same order). Part of the problem is that the books repeat each other quite a bit.
Our heroine Heather Wells is a former teen pop start now trying to put herself through college by working in a residence hall. Shortly after the semester begins, young girls start plunging to their death in the elevate. Heather can't help herself and starts investigating and then finds herself the target of a murderer.
The mystery was fun and well plotted. My bigger issue with the book is how certain phrases or scenarios get beaten to death. For example, it's a "residence hall" not a dorm. We get it. Don't repeat it every other freaking page. Heather's history as a rock star also lends itself to some annoying repeats - everyone seems to recognize her vaguely. It gets old after a while.
It's a decent read, but not putting a strong recommendation on it. I think you can read size 14 without reading this one.
Our heroine Heather Wells is a former teen pop start now trying to put herself through college by working in a residence hall. Shortly after the semester begins, young girls start plunging to their death in the elevate. Heather can't help herself and starts investigating and then finds herself the target of a murderer.
The mystery was fun and well plotted. My bigger issue with the book is how certain phrases or scenarios get beaten to death. For example, it's a "residence hall" not a dorm. We get it. Don't repeat it every other freaking page. Heather's history as a rock star also lends itself to some annoying repeats - everyone seems to recognize her vaguely. It gets old after a while.
It's a decent read, but not putting a strong recommendation on it. I think you can read size 14 without reading this one.
I was annoyed by multiple things in this book, but overall, I found it fun, if super fluffy and really enjoyed the narrator past chapter 2 (her college character voice is grating, but none of the main characters are college kids). It was annoying enough and fluffy enough to be the perfect listen for during this past election when I had no focus for anything substantial and needed just a bit of annoyance.
The Heather Wells books are are quite fun reads. They're fluffy but the murder-mystery side gives them a bit more depth. I do have to admit that Heather's character behaves far too young for her age - she spends a lot of time pining over her landlord and not actually doing anything about her feelings. I think Cabot needs to work on creating realistic adult characters. I prefer the second book to this one but it's still an enjoyable read. 7/10
For starters, I think that the title of this book really detracts from the book itself. Okay, there was some angst over people being thin or not (and we're talking American sizes, so I don't even know what a size 12 is, but I'm CERTAIN it's not fat), but actually this book was a murder mystery. It was an embarrassment if anyone saw me reading this book, whereas if I'd been reading some random chic mystery book then it wouldn't have mattered.
Anyway, the book. So: it was a cute 'chick-lit' murder mystery story. It was pretty fun, and not completely predictable from the start, so it was just a fun and easy read, which it seems is all I can cope with at the moment.
The main reason I picked it up was because I loved 'The Princess Diaries' when I was younger (although I don't think I ever read the last one - number 10 - shock! Horror! Should I go back and read it just for completion? Maybe not - my physical TBR list is just too big). Turns out, she writes in a very similar way for adults and children. Heather (the main character is only 28) could have been Mia or one of her friends from The Princess Diaries.
Yeah, there were some BIG cliches, and a few predictable bits (but that's quite nice sometimes because it makes the reader feel clever), but it was an okay read. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars, not for any kind of art of writing, just for the ease of reading a book that you can get through even when your brain is scrambled.
(And it's still embarrassing to have read a book with that title - sort it out!)
Anyway, the book. So: it was a cute 'chick-lit' murder mystery story. It was pretty fun, and not completely predictable from the start, so it was just a fun and easy read, which it seems is all I can cope with at the moment.
The main reason I picked it up was because I loved 'The Princess Diaries' when I was younger (although I don't think I ever read the last one - number 10 - shock! Horror! Should I go back and read it just for completion? Maybe not - my physical TBR list is just too big). Turns out, she writes in a very similar way for adults and children. Heather (the main character is only 28) could have been Mia or one of her friends from The Princess Diaries.
Yeah, there were some BIG cliches, and a few predictable bits (but that's quite nice sometimes because it makes the reader feel clever), but it was an okay read. I'd give it 2 1/2 stars, not for any kind of art of writing, just for the ease of reading a book that you can get through even when your brain is scrambled.
(And it's still embarrassing to have read a book with that title - sort it out!)
I have loved Meg Cabot since I read the Princess Diaries books when I was in middle school.
This book is no exception and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
This book is no exception and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.