Book Review: Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot

Size 12 and Ready to Rock
Heather Wells #4
Author: Meg Cabot
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Chick Lit
Released: July 10th 2012
Review Source: Harper Collins
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Summer break . . . and the livin' ain't easy!

Just because the students at New York College have flown the coop doesn't mean assistant residence hall director Heather Wells can relax. Fischer Hall is busier than ever, filled with squealing thirteen- and fourteen-year-old girls attending the first ever Tania Trace Teen Rock Camp, hosted by pop sensation Tania Trace herself—who just happens to be newly married to Heather's ex-boyfriend, heartthrob Jordan Cartwright. But the real headache begins when the producer of a reality TV show starring Tania winds up dead . . . and it's clear that the star was the intended victim.

Grant Cartwright, head of Cartwright Records, wants to keep his daughter-in-law (and his highest-earning performer) alive. So he hires his oldest son, black sheep of the family and private investigator Cooper Cartwright—who just happens to be Heather's new fiance. Heather should leave the detecting to Cooper. But with a dorm full of hysterical mini-divas-in-training, she can't help but get involved. And after Tania shares a really shocking secret with her, this reality suddenly becomes more dangerously real than anyone ever anticipated.

I really didn't know what to expect when I first started reading this book. The title sounded really funny and the cover looked really pretty, so I was eager to read it.

Heather Wells is a former teen pop star who now works at New York college as an assistant residence hall director of Fischer Hall. Her character is pretty funny and spunky and always ready to solve a great mystery. Tania Trace, the new teen pop sensation and also Heather's ex-boyfriend's new wife, is hosting a reality show at Fischer Hall and is driving poor Heather insane, but who wouldn’t be – with a bunch of 13 and 14 teenage girls all wanting to be the next pop star. Things start to get bad when one of the produces ends up dying after eating a cupcake that was meant for Tania Trace. Now, everyone is thinking that Tania is next. So now of course, Heather has taken it upon herself to solve the murder and wants to find out who is after Tania and why do they want her dead.

Size 12 and ready to Rock was nothing what I really expected. Although I really liked Heather's character, I felt like the story line feel a little flat. It just seemed too predictable to me. Maybe if I would have read the previous books, I would have a different feel for the book. But don’t let my review discourage you. I have seen many positive reviews for it. In my opinion, you should read the previous books before reading Size 12 and ready to Rock. Just so you can get a better feel on the characters. I might go and pick up the first one, Size 12 Is Not Fat.

Book Review Underworld by Meg Cabot

Underworld
Abandon #2
Author: Meg Cabot
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Fantasy/Mythology
Release Date: May 8th 2012
Review Source: Point
Available: Amazon
Review: Abandon

Summary: (from goodreads) From #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, the dark reimagining of the Persephone myth begun in ABANDON continues ... into the Underworld.

Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn't dead.

Not this time.

But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey.

Her captor, John Hayden, claims it's for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they've come back as Furies, intent on vengeance . . . on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves.

But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there . . . and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies.

And unless Pierce is careful, this time there'll be no escape.

I think Underworld might be a place where you might want to go live or at least visit. I blame Meg Cabot of course, she created such a place that at times sounds not a bad place to be in. Of course if you died and were a bad person, then you want to avoid it completely. The caretaker is not one you want to come across, if you weren't decent in your living days.

Pierce and John are back and Pierce is not to happy with her current situation. John has taken her back to the Underworld. If you haven't read Abandon, then I warn you about spoilers from first book. The Furies were after Pierce in Abandon, how cruel was it to posses the poor grandmother. So John's reaction is take Pierce were he can protect her at all times, POOF!! The Underworld. This is were Underworld begins. Pierce remembers last time she was there, she escaped by throwing hot tea in John's face. Well this time, John is a little prepared. Certain doors are closed and she can't get out. John even gifts her with a dove, Pierce ends up naming "Hope" in hope that she will consider staying and being happy. This is until Pierce begins snooping around and uncovers her cellphone, she see a video recording of her cousin Alex. He looks to be struggling inside a coffin. So Pierce is set on getting John to get her back, so she can save Alex and possibly her mother. She feels that the furies will hurt her family, since she has gone missing. John of course at first is completely against this notion, but Pierce has her ways of convincing John. So they embark back up to Isla Huesos and are in search of her cousin. What truths will Pierce uncover this time and what will she have to sacrifice to save those she loves? Will John admit what he has been keeping to himself to her? 

Quite a few things will be discovered while Pierce is in the Underworld and back in Isla Huesos. Question is will she be mature enough to processes it all. New characters are introduced and old ones make appearances again. I think one of my new favorites was "Hope" the dove. She always seems to pop up at the right time. Underworld starts off a tad slow and builds to a fast page turner. Pierce and John's relationship lack a little for me, I think its just Pierce's attitude that is holding them back sometimes. How can you not want to live with John forever in the Underworld. I'm definitely curious for the next book since they now know something very important and something very drastic happened at the end of this book. Fun little sneak peek into Awaken at the end of Underworld. 

Book Review: Abandon by Meg Cabot

Abandon
Abandon #1
Author: Meg Cabot
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Paranormal/Mythology
Released: January 2012 (Paperback)
Review Source: Scholastic
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) New from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a dark, fantastical story about this world . . . and the underworld.

Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back.

But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid.

Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most.

But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld.

Not sure why it took me almost a full year to finally read Abandon. Thank goodness I did and before Underworld comes out too. Being a junkie for Greek Mythology, this series is right down my ally. Meg really does a super job at retelling the Persephone tale we all know. What really makes it great is that Abandon is its on entity, its not the story of Persephone with different character names told. Everything you read in Abandon is fresh and exciting. This Underworld at times sounds pretty cool actually, thanks to Meg's writing. 

In Abandon you meet Pierce, poor Pierce has been through a lot in her young life. How many teenagers can say they have died and come back to tell the tale. Of course coming back from the dead doesn't mean your going to shoot to the top and become super popular in school. In fact, Pierce has been kick-out of her old school. Her mother had to move back to Isla Huesos in FL from CT. So Pierce could have another shot at school. Thing is Pierce gets visited several times by the very mysterious John. These visit are very sporadic and he tends to pop up when she is in trouble. I also didn't mention that she met him when she was very young at her grandfather's funeral and John hasn't aged a day. John has his plans and well Peirce needs to come up with some kind of solid plan, before she either gets kicked out of school again, arrested or killed. Sounds easy right? Pierce will discover who and what she is now and who John really is or they might just be blown away by a hurricane or some Furies. 

Meg's characters are intense. From the way she describes their look to how they act. This was my first book from Meg and I'm already reading the sequel to Abandon now, that comes out next week - Underworld. Meg is definitely a author I will be reading for a long time. Her writing style is very entertaining, she know when to drop the OMG moment and when to take it slow.