Book Review: Size Doesn't Matter by Meg Cabot

Size Doesn’t Matter - Meg Cabot

Synopsis:
Heather Wells is finally living the life she’s been dreaming about for so long. She has a steady boyfriend- who also happens to be her remedial math assistant professor- and although he isn’t Cooper Cartwright (AKA the love of her life) the relationship is going perfectly. That is, of course, except for the 5 kilometre morning runs and vegan lifestyle, which Heather feels she could do without. But for her boyfriend Tad, it may be going too perfectly, especially when Tad tells Heather that he has a question he needs to ask her.
Suddenly for Heather, the ‘rebound’ guy is starting to get a little too serious.
But all thoughts of what the question could be are dismissed when Heather discovers the dead body of her latest boss, Dr Veatch, slumped over his desk with a bullet in his head.
Despite promising numerous people that she’ll stay out of this one, Heather can’t help but investigate the mysterious reason behind her boss’ demise. Could the culprit really be one of the graduate students, who are striking for better work conditions? Or could boring, rule-abiding Dr Veatch have had ties with the mob? After all, it was a clean and professional-looking shooting, and they are in New York.
Whatever the case, Heather is determined to solve the murder, finish studying, end the graduate student strike and convince Cooper he really loves her (despite being with Tad), all while keeping on a low-calorie diet that may or may not be solely made up of junk food.

What I gained from reading this book:
In this novel, Heather finds herself putting on an act for her boyfriend. She pretends that running 5km every morning with him is not a chore, and that she is happy to eat three-bean salad for lunch over the less-healthy option of a bowl of chili covered with melted cheese.
Although she does her best to hide it from him, you can’t help but feel sorry for Heather as she covers her true feelings about different situations regarding Tad. For example, while on their run early in the morning, she pretends to be cheerful because ‘I’m very careful not to let Tad see my real morning persona. Because he’s not ready for it. Yet.’ She also dislikes the fact that Tad doesn’t own a television, yet doesn’t fully voice her opinion about it.
Even though she has been going out with him for about three months, she is still hesitant to let him see what she is really like, and this is something that I think is quite prevalent in today’s society- some people don’t allow their partners to see their true personality because they are worried about what their partner will ultimately think.
Cabot highlights this problem through Heather, showing readers that the inability to properly communicate with a partner can only cause problems further on in the relationship.

Positives:
Cabot introduces a few new characters in this novel, including outrageous Southern PR woman Muffy Fowler, who is on a quest to find a husband, and Reverend Mark Halstead, the handsome but slightly suspicious new youth minister. Most of the characters from the previous novels also make appearances in this book, which will keep fans of this miniseries amused.

Negatives:
The reason for Dr. Veatch’s death, which is revealed at the end of the novel, is a bit of a letdown. But I know that people have killed for stranger things than that in real life, so I can’t really make a comment. Also, anything more brutal would have taken the humorous edge away from the novel and its subsequent happy ending, so I suppose Cabot had fewer choices available to her when it came to removing Dr Veatch from the scene.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Comedy/ Crime

Recommended for: People who enjoy both Cabot’s writing, and the witty characters she creates.

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Book Review: Size 14 Is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot

Size 14 Is Not Fat Either - Meg Cabot

Synopsis:
Heather Wells is about to embark on her first semester of classes- while simultaneously working as the assistant dorm director at Fischer Hall- and she couldn’t be more excited. Even though she will have to take remedial maths classes because her SAT scores are so low, Heather hopes that the free classes following her work probation will help her to forget the horrors that befell her the year before.
The promise of earning a BA, coupled with the fact that she has a cool new boss who isn’t hell-bent on killing her, convinces Heather that this year will be one to remember.
But unfortunately for Heather, her plans for a stress-free year don’t include finding the decapitated head of a popular cheerleader in a pot in the cafeteria.
With everybody warning her not to get involved in this particular murder mystery, Heather is more than happy to comply. But then her sense of intuition and justice comes into play and she finds herself asking questions about certain suspicious characters. Before she knows it, Heather is in over her head (no pun intended), trying to inconspicuously solve the case.
With the investigation taking up her time, her ex-fiancé Jordan getting married, her ex-con father showing up on her doorstep and her housemate still oblivious to her love for him, it seems that Heather will be doing more than just studying this semester…

What I gained from reading this book:
This book shows that sometimes there is more to some people than meet the eye. The dead cheerleader, Lindsay, is well liked and popular with her peers and the staff at New York College, but she also has a darker side that she keeps hidden. Likewise, another character in the novel is not as he appears, and it isn’t until towards the end of the story when the reader discovers exactly who he is.
These characters act as reminders that even if you think you know somebody really well, you are probably only seeing the surface of the person that they are trying to portray. People often hide secret parts of themselves from others and it isn’t until something happens that the truth comes out.

Positives:
Once again, the character of Heather is charming and utterly relatable to anyone who has ever suffered from their own insecurities. Her little conversations with the local drug dealer Reggie, as well as student Gavin and the staff at the dorm are also very entertaining, written with classic Cabot wit.

Negatives:
As much as I enjoyed this story, I just didn’t think I could give it any more or fewer stars, considering some of the other novels I have read and reviewed over the last year or so.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Comedy/ Crime

Recommended for: People who enjoyed reading Size 12 Is Not Fat.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Size 12 Is Not Fat - Meg Cabot

Synopsis:
The life of Heather Wells has been far from ordinary. Once the darling of the teen pop world, and engaged to famous singer Jordan Cartwright, Heather was at the top of the entertainment game. That was, of course, until she rebelled against singing the sugary pop songs that were written for her, witnessed Jordan in a compromising situation with fellow singer Tania Trace, was abandoned and robbed by her mother and saw her dad end up in jail.
Now she works at a New York College dorm as the assistant resident hall director- a job that will guarantee her free university tuition if she passes probation- and boards with sexy private investigator, and Jordan’s older brother, Cooper, in his nearby brownstone apartment.
But Heather’s life is about to change a whole lot more, and not for the better.
When some of the female residents of the dorm fall to their deaths from the building elevators, Heather suspects that foul play is involved. She doesn’t believe the university administrations’ views that the girls were involved in elevator surfing, a predominantly male ‘sport’.
Enlisting Cooper’s help, and relying on a whole lot of junk-food to get her through, Heather’s on a mission to track down the killer of Fischer Hall and put an end to the student deaths…

What I gained from reading this book:
The opening chapter of this novel touches on the sensitive issue of weight, clothing sizes, and what is considered the norm for women’s body shapes. Heather is in a change room trying on pairs of jeans when she overhears the woman in the next stall complaining that the jeans she’s trying on are too big, despite the label saying that they are her size. This prompts the salesman at the store to mention that their clothes use the ‘vanity-sizing’ system, designed to make larger women feel better about wearing a ‘smaller’ size even though they’re still wearing exactly the same size, with only the number on the label reduced.
As a size 12- the size of the average American woman- Heather is outraged by the insinuation that size 12 is fat, and so the title of the novel is born.
Vanity sizing, although common with some clothing companies, is luckily starting to get phased out as more and more women become comfortable with their bodies and the image they want to project. For some readers, Heather’s sizing experiences may be a comfort, especially since she is portraying the image of a normal-sized girl, rather than a stick-thin heroine.

Positives:
Heather, while she has her quirks, is a somewhat relatable character. She is a fairly normal girl who loves to eat junk food, lusts after her housemate Cooper with an almost obsessive tenacity, and would rather have a bath than a shower because she’s too lazy to wash while standing. Although these aren’t behaviours that most people indulge in, readers are still able to relate with her character and see parts of their personality within her.

Negatives:
The character of Heather can be a little irritating, especially in the first few chapters where she continually calls her workplace a dorm, only to correct herself and call it a residence hall- every single time! But luckily this annoying affliction does ease up as you get further into the story.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Comedy/ Crime

Recommended for: People who enjoy reading stories about former pop stars who’ve reconstructed their lives.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad

L.A. Candy - Lauren Conrad

Synopsis:
Jane Roberts and her best friend Scarlett Harp have just moved from Santa Barbara to L.A. hoping to pursue their dreams. But unlike most people, who move to Hollywood hoping for a career in the film and music industries, the girls have different aspirations- sweet Jane is interning for renowned event planner Fiona Chen, while exceptionally smart Scarlett is attending classes at the University of Southern California (U.S.C.).
The girls make many new friends as they socialise in the city, including the eccentric D, and the sweet but romantically unavailable Braden, but it isn’t until they meet television producer Trevor Lord that things in L.A. really start to get interesting. Trevor offers the girls the chance to star in a ‘reality-style version of Sex and the City’, where they, and two others, will be followed around day and night by cameras.
The girls are soon the hottest stars on television and they find themselves facing more opportunities and open doors than they imagined possible. But there is also a downside to their sudden fame, and it’s not long before Jane and Scarlett start to discover who their real friends are, and just what fame can do to a person’s principles.

What I gained from reading this book:
This novel mainly focuses on Scarlett and Jane’s unwavering friendship, but it also highlights the cutthroat entertainment industry in Hollywood. The girls have to deal with intense public scrutiny and adoring fans, much as any star would have to. Scarlett also has problems with the ‘unreality’ of the show- especially the way that she is obliged to repeat words that weren’t caught by the microphones, or when she has to stage pleasant interactions with people whose presence she can’t stand. This is a reminder that a lot of the time, reality-style shows are not as they appear and are often elaborately staged to suit what the producers want, not necessarily representing what is true to life.

Positives:
Conrad’s debut novel is fun and generally light-hearted. The characters are likeable, and it’s obvious that the author has used some of her own television experiences to add credibility to the story.

Negatives:
The ending of the novel may leave some readers a little disappointed. While I don’t usually mind cliffhanger type endings, I really wanted to see what happens to the girls, and so the lack of a resolution was a bit of a let-down. Guess we'll have to wait for the next one to see what happens.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Teenage Fiction

Recommended for: People after a little bit of light-hearted fun, or alternatively, people who love reality-style programs and would like to see an ‘insiders’ view of the filming process.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: The Murderer's Club by PD Martin

The Murderer’s Club - PD Martin

Synopsis:
It’s been six months since Agent Sophie Anderson, a criminal profiler with the FBI Behavioural Analysis Unit, encountered an evil serial killer known as the Slasher.
But even though half a year has passed, she still feels the effects of her horrifying encounter, and in an effort to ease her vulnerability, trains her body to withstand brute physical force and exertion. As part of her recovery, she also decides to take a week off and spend time with her Arizona-based friend, Detective Darren Carter from Tucson Homicide.
However, on her first day in Tucson a body appears on a university campus, and Sophie puts her holiday on hold as she gets drawn into the case. When a second body appears, also strangled and inscribed with a love heart on the victim’s chest, Sophie begins to wonder if there’s a new serial killer out there- one not recognised by the FBI databases. To make matters worse, as the body count grows, so do the psychic visions that plague Sophie about the victims’ dying moments, which she sees from the perspective of the killer.
Unbeknownst to the FBI and Homicide squads, there are a group of killers who are using a website to communicate and broadcast to each other their murderous intentions. The Murderer’s Club, as they call themselves, is led and controlled by the club president, AmericanPsycho, who has personally chosen all of the victims and organised the set-up of their murders.
With her frightening visions aiding her, and with the FBI’s computer guys working around the clock to track the murderers’ whereabouts, Sophie and Darren have to uncover the identities of the members of the Murderer’s Club and save their still-living victims before it’s too late.

What I gained from reading this book:
Sophie Anderson is an Australian, whose dual-citizenship allows her to live and work as an FBI agent in America. This allows the author to draw comparisons between the Australian criminal system and the American one, and highlight the severity of the murderer problem in the US. In chapter sixteen, a detective quizzes Sophie about how many serial killers have been discovered in Australia, to which she replies several- in comparison to the two thousand serial killers estimated to be still at large in the US. These statistics are chilling, especially considering the sadistic techniques that these killers often use to torture their victims before death.
This novel, although fictional, can help to make readers aware that there are evil predators out there who will go to any length to find themselves a victim. This novel also highlights the often difficult, yet exceptional work, that law enforcement agencies face everyday in their fight against some of the eviler characters of society.

Positives:
This story is easy to follow- without being too simple- and allows readers to see the predatory natures of the members of the Murderer’s Club, as well as the untiring efforts of Sophie and the rest of her team, who are trying to solve the mystery and save the potential victims.
The references to Sophie’s Australian background are also good to see, especially considering the author is an Aussie- Sophie reads the online version of Melbourne newspaper, The Age, and calls her mother mum. This helps to soften the overall Americanisation of the story.

Negatives:
Throughout the novel, Sophie experiences psychic visions that assist her in solving the murders. This cannot really be classed as a negative as it does offer an interesting take on the average murder mystery, however, in including her unusual abilities in the story, it also removes a certain sense of credibility.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Crime/ Thriller

Recommended for: People who are fascinated with the FBI, and the processes they undertake in tracking down serial killers.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: Shopgirl by Steve Martin

Shopgirl - Steve Martin

Synopsis:
Mirabelle works at the glove counter of department store Neiman Marcus, ‘selling things that nobody buys anymore’. Attractive in an unconventional sort of way, Mirabelle manages to avoid the attention of most of the people she works with, and attempts to isolate herself from those she believes to be all beauty and no brains, especially those behind the perfume counters, despite her loneliness.
Her life consists of spending the day at work, bored out of her brains, going home to her two cats and occasionally going out with her friends Loki and Del Rey, if they remember to include her. She also draws and sells her artwork to galleries.
But then two men come into her life- younger Jeremy, who she meets at the Laundromat and who spray-paints logos onto amplifiers, and the older Ray Porter, a wealthy businessman who is nearly twice her age, but willing to spend any amount of money on her. Embarking on relationships with the two men at different points in her life, emotionally fragile Mirabelle struggles to discover what love really is, and through a series of events, attempts to find her place in this often confusing world.

What I gained from reading this book:
Mirabelle is a bit of a recluse- a loner whose depressive state is often hidden behind the façade of aloofness or daydreaming, and whose dark feelings are pushed back by various medications. At times however, such as when her medications fail, she falls into a state of lethargy and is unable to find the willpower to do even the simplest thing. There are probably many people like this in the world, yet most authors do not attempt to make them the protagonists of their novels. Therefore, a whole new world of people struggling with mental illnesses is hidden from readers. Perhaps if more novels were written that feature characters like this, there would be a greater public awareness, and acceptance of, mental illnesses and their affects on people.

Positives:
This novella is well written and often witty. Readers are able to relate to Mirabelle as she struggles with the tediousness of her job, and can sympathise with her as she realises that she’s wasting her life behind the glove counter at Neiman’s.

Negatives:
Some people may not appreciate the quirkiness of this novella, and may wonder what the point of the story is. The truth is, this is basically a story about a young woman’s struggle to accept herself and her uninspiring life, and her effort to understand what love is and how it will affect her. These are lessons everybody can learn, and so even if you don’t like the way that the story is written or set out, Shopgirl should hold some meaning.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Romance/ Relationships

Recommended for: Fans of Steve Martin, or people who enjoyed the film.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: Fatal Burn by Lisa Jackson

Fatal Burn - Lisa Jackson

Synopsis:
Three years ago, Shannon Flannery was accused of murdering her wife-beater husband Ryan Carlyle, who was found burnt beyond recognition after a forest fire. At the time, many people believed that Ryan was the Stealth Torcher, a serial arsonist who lit many fires in the area, and suspected that Shannon had gotten back at her husband by beating fire with fire. The suspicions about Ryan’s ‘occupation’ seemed confirmed when the fires stopped following his death. However, although Shannon was acquitted for the murder, she still faced much public speculation over the case, especially from those who believed that she had gotten away with murder.
Now, believing that the worst is finally behind her, Shannon is attempting to get on with life. She has just bought a new property, where she hopes to expand her search-dog training facility.
But then strange things start to happen that make her question her safety, as well as the safety of those that she loves. Fragments of her past come back to haunt her, and mysterious fires begin to crop up, leading Shannon to suspect that somebody is out to get her. Then Travis Settler, an ex-Special Forces agent, arrives on the scene. His teenage daughter Dani has been kidnapped, and he believes that Shannon’s dark past has something to do with her abduction.
With the body count slowly rising, Shannon and Travis have to learn to trust one another, and uncover the dark secrets of the fire-loving serial killer before he seeks his ultimate revenge.

What I gained from reading this book:
This novel takes readers into the often-unexplored world of arsonists, and the emotions that they feel when lighting or witnessing a fire. While many people, myself included, cannot fathom the reasons that some people may have for lighting fires that do nothing but cause destruction and chaos, this novel allows readers to view just how some people respond to flames, and makes readers aware of the power that many arsonists experience when dealing with this deadly element.
I am in no way suggesting that all arsonists are murderers, as many do not think of the consequences of their actions. I am simply saying that this novel is a good study of the way that firebugs may react to flames.

Positives:
The author keeps readers guessing, as she continually introduces new plot twists and scenarios. Travis Settler’s relationship with Shannon adds a bit of spark to the story, and Dani Settler’s determination to survive at the hands of her kidnapper is inspiring, especially considering her age.

Negatives:
Sometimes the story can seem a little slow, with not much happening besides a reiteration of past scenarios or the same questions being asked again and again, but this is more than likely just a technique that the author is using to draw out natural suspense.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Crime/ Thriller

Recommended for: People looking for a crime thriller novel with a murderer not averse to using flames to destroy his victims.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below: