Coconut Library

Big Boned :: Review

 
Big Boned by Meg Cabot
 paperback 384 pages
published 2007 by Avon Trade
 $7.00 at Powell's Books

Type of Book: {Beach Read: fluffy, mindless, easy to read}
Rating: {Eh: not my favorite, but fine enough to finish the book}

Why You're Reading This Book: 

•  You want a bit of mystery
• A tiny hint of thriller (the tiniest bit)
• A sassy, funny chick-lit heroine
• You enjoyed Book 1 and Book 2 in the series so you want to finish off with a bang

What I Thought:
This is the culmination of Meg Cabot's Heather Wells Mystery series. I listened to this last one on audio... don't do that. I enjoyed making up Heather's voice and style in my head and when I heard the actresses voice who read the book, it felt off to me. Heather was sly, sarcastic, a little out of the norm and the reader's voice sounded a bit like a Disney princess (audio publisher's do this often and I just cannot figure out why... I think it can destroy a book).

Though this was my least favorite (possibly because I didn't like the reader's voice) about Heather Wells, I still liked it well enough. Somewhat formulaic by this point, but at least you know what to expect and loose ends are tied up in this finale. 

Conclusion:
The search for Unputdownables continues!

Buy it from Powell's Books for $7.00 (and CL earns commission!)

Big Boned (Heather Wells Mysteries )
by Meg Cabot

The Shadow of the Wind :: June Book Club {Week Four - Final Review}

The Shadow of the Wind

By Carlos Ruiz Zafon

paperback, 487 pages. Penguin. $10.88

published 2005

I was initially attracted to this book because I heard from so many people that it was fabulous. That it was an unputdownable. While I can see the attraction (the story is unique and beautifully written) the pace of this book did not keep me wanting more. It is a strange, sad story with a very disturbing revelation towards the end. What this novel really got me thinking about was language vs. plot, and which was more important to me. This was brought up in a writing course I took, and, at the time, I didn't have strong opinions. Now I think I do.  

In conclusion I give this book 2.5 stars. For me it was somewhere in between "good enough to finish" and "enjoyable". 

:: see post for week one here ::

:: see post for week two here ::  

:: see post for week three here ::

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo :: review

 
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

By Stieg Larsson

paperback, 590 pages. Vintage. $14.95

published 2005

 

I don't like scary, I don't like creepy, and I hate anything related to sexual abuse... but, strange enough, I liked this book. In all fairness, I didn't think it was actually very scary though I can see how others might. It was definitely creepy with a capital C. In fact certain parts were cover-your-face-I-can't-believe-I'm-reading-this creepy. Don't let that deter you from reading the book, however, just be warned. In fact, I highly recommend this book. The mere fact that this is not my typical cup of tea but I gulped it down in almost one day is witness enough to its level of entertainment factor. 

Though others have remarked on the bad translation or Larsson's lack of writing skills, I have to wonder: how many people pick up a crime mystery expecting Hemingway? If you are one of them, might I warn you not to do that? Perhaps because of translation there are words that I haven't seen since Shakespeare, such as anon which is used frequently throughout the book. And it helps to know that this was translated into British English instead of American English. Did that interfere with the plot? Not at all. I was too busy trying to figure out the mystery to worry about the wording. And I venture to say that you will be too as I have not met a single person who figured out the details of this book before it was told to them in the pages. Honestly, if someone had, I would be worried about them because figuring out who is behind the main mystery is not as difficult as figuring out why it happened (which is the crux of the story anyway). Along with the engaging story (which others have said takes a good 100 pages to get into, but which only took me about a chapter) I enjoyed the characters. Lisbeth and Erica were two of the most interesting women I've read about in awhile and I actually found myself liking Mikael. 

Take note that there are a lot of characters (I read this on my Kindle so wasn't able to flip back to the family tree very easily). Also, there have been discussions about who was supposed to be the protagonist (being that it was named after Lisbeth but seems to follow Mikael more closely), so that could have been clearer (maybe just with the title, which they ended up changing from Men who Hate Women to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). And the fact that Lisbeth is supposed to have Asperger's Syndrome is farfetched -- and also seems to be an irrelevant point -- unless they bring it out more poignantly in one of the following novels . But I'll forgive that considering I haven't read the rest of the series and I have to factor in translation. 

I'm absolutely looking forward to reading the next book and have already bought my copy. An absolute page turner that I recommend for anyone who enjoys a riveting tale!

Sunday Salon {The Wordy Shipmates :: review}

 

(pictured: audio CD version)

The Wordy Shipmates

By Sarah Vowell

paperback, 256 pages. Riverhead. $10.88

published 2008

 

For those of us who love U.S. History, this is like getting extra cupcakes at a birthday party. If Sarah Vowell had been your teacher in school, she would have been the cool one. The one whose class you couldn't wait to get to because she was smart (and by smart I mean seriously intelligent) and funny and dorky/hip and you actually remembered what she was teaching because it didn't feel like history. 

In The Wordy Shipmates, Vowell takes us through the colonization of the Massachusetts Bay Colony (which, in case you aren't familiar, is basically the beginning of the United States of America). By the end of the book the reader feels like John Winthrop, Roger Williams, and Anne Hutchinson are as familiar as people who live down the street. She mixes current day musings with links to our past and often shines a humorous light on some of the antiquated trends in our current society by explicitly revealing where they came from. 

Note to reader, you must be interested in this topic already, or else, I fear you will not enjoy it as much as I did; laughing out loud to myself in the car and rolling up my windows at stoplights so people didn't think I was jarringly quirky (do you realize how weird our history sounds when it's blaring out one's windows?). While I would give this book four stars if every reader were interested in what I am, I have to take into account that this book is not only in a particular genre, but also of a certain political view, which is not even close to being neutral. That said, I can think of several of my right leaning friends who, even if they loved history, would not love Sarah Vowell. But for the rest of us, she is a sweet treat and I can't wait to read more of her work!

*** Per recommendation of the friend who introduced me to Vowell, I listened to this book instead of reading it (it is read by the author) and I can't emphasize enough how much that added to the experience. Vowell's unique voice and inflection are priceless. 

Rating: Three Stars

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Sarah Vowell
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Sunday Salon {The Map of True Places :: review}

 

The Map of True Places

By Brunonia Barry

407 pages. William Morrow. $25.99

published May 1, 2010

Fans of Brunonia Barry will enjoy her second novel, The Map of True Places. Set in Massachusetts and continuing with the theme of motherless daughters with tragic yet magical and mysterious pasts that play heavily into who they are as adults, Barry's protagonists in both of her books have more in common than the fact that they call everyone in their families by their first names instead of the usual familiar monikers. An enchanting tale though not written in the tightest prose; with an irksome habit of repeating the same information in the span of a couple of paragraphs (among others throughout the book, the line: "The dory was later discovered on the  Miseries, oarlocks worn down to bare bone" was repeated almost verbatim from three paragraphs before), and spots at the beginning where the reader is left so in the dark about what is going on that it's tempting to skip paragraphs. While sometimes dumbing down the reader with unnecessary plot or character reminders, the author contrasts that by giving those who know their history (i.e. The Troubles in Northern Ireland, Hawthorne history, etc.) subtle lines and interwoven plot details that perhaps allow them to enjoy the book that much more than their counterparts. Though nothing is lost if one does not catch these historical nuances because, as always, Barry manages to use the more pivotal details teach us all some nuggets about the past that are both interesting and intelligent. Among other things, Barry has an uncanny ability to write stories that balance on the threshold of reality and fantasy, while mixing together a delightful amount of history and profound musings that keep the reader wanting more. 

When we meet Zee Finch she is working as a psychotherapist in a prominent office in Boston. Lilly Braedon enters her life and won't let go, not even after she has committed suicide on a day that changes Zee's life forever. Lilly is a catalyst for many turning points throughout this novel, and she perhaps sums up the theme of this work in a statement on page 49, "We think we're free... but we're not. We're the product of every association we've ever made, and sometimes of ones we inherited from people we never even knew." Barry continues to prove this statement in her work as Zee returns to Salem, her home town, after Lilly's funeral to care for her ailing father. It is here that the story really begins to take flight as Zee is confronted with her ghosts and battles them. Characters from The Lace Reader (Barry's debut novel) reprise their roles as Barry fleshes out the story by building the plot and working the town into the tale in the way that is becoming her trademark. Another signature Barry move, interweaving a story within the story, creates more tension and mystery. In this novel, the inner story is as much of a treat as the main plot. It is also a delicious means of foreshadowing towards the end, answering questions that linger throughout the novel. Love, acceptance, tragedy, and renewal all abound in this story that will keep you turning pages until the very end. 

Rating: Three and a Half Stars

 

The Bedwetter :: review & giveaway

 

The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee

By Sarah Silverman

240 pages. Harper Collins. $25.99

published April 20, 2010

On the front flap of comedienne Sarah Silverman's humorous memoir, The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee, there is a warning from the publisher. It is a silly three question multiple answer quiz asking, in various forms, what limits can be pushed before you are offended. Though an original way to announce what is to come if you read the book, the quiz is quite an accurate barometer. If you can't make it through the short questionnaire without a red face, then you should not open to the first page. However, if you do decide to read the book, make sure you do so in places where it is appropriate to audibly laugh and gasp... often. 

Silverman keeps the pace going as she jumps from anecdote to anecdote. This memoir is not set in chronological order, but rather by topic. Often ones which you wouldn't talk about in front of your grandmother. That is unless you are Silverman herself, who learned at a very young age that saying shocking statements in inappropriate places gave her much desired attention. She is still continuing in that vein of attempts for laughs today. 

Though Silverman's book has a funny title, not all of her stories are light or ridiculous. Though she can turn most things into a joke, she does also share some of her vulnerable and insecure side. An admitted bedwetter until well into her teens, Silverman credits the humiliation that she experienced because of this to her success at stand up comedy. "But  maybe my lack of stage fright was the upside of years of bedwetting. Maybe that daily shame had ground away at my psyche... I understood that bombing on stage could never be as humiliating," she states on page 74, while explaining her lack of fear at jumping into life of public comedy. She also shares her battle with depression, and the fact that she felt like an outsider as a young Jewish girl in her home state of New Hampshire. It's what propelled her to New York, and ultimately her career in show business. 

Silverman divulges some behind the scenes from her short stint at Saturday Night Live, and does her fair share of name dropping, but isn't that what we are hoping for when we read the memoirs of famous people? What we are also sure to get, and no disappointment here, is a platform for the writer to voice their opinion on people and situations that have been critical of them. Silverman does this not only with situations that made it to the news but also down through the line to middle school bullies. At a certain point this insecurity detracts from the book as a whole, but Silverman redeems herself by keeping those diatribes short and changing the subject often. 

With fair warning that the crudeness of this book may shock you, it will also make you laugh quite out loud and will keep you up at night wanting to read just a few more pages. Sarah Silverman has not become one of America's top comedians for nothing and she proves that with her writing. She is surprisingly articulate with an impressively wise perspective. Besides, for those of us who grew up in her era, it's hard not to feel somewhat of a kinship for another kid who owned (and wore) her rainbow Mork-from-Ork suspenders with pride; even if her style choice wasn't as big of a hit with her ten year old peers as it was with this reviewer's two year old ones. 

Rating: Three Stars

Giveaway:

Those of you who would like to win my copy, leave a comment below and I will put you in the drawing. Submission for winning will end at 11:59 p.m. on May 25. A winner will be chosen by random.org on Wednesday, May 26, 2010.

 

Letters to Juliet :: review

 

Letters to Juliet: Celebrating Shakespeare's Greatest Heroine, the magical City of Verona, and the Power of Love

By Lise Friedman & Cecil Friedman

176 pages. Stewart, Tabori, & Chang. $14.95

published November 2006

 

Out this month is Letters to Juliet starring Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave. The movie itself is charming in a sweet-romantic way, but did you know it was based off of a book? And though the story itself isn't taken from any actual account, the theme is very much true...

In Verona, Italy there is a monument dedicated to Juliet Capulet, its most famous resident, where thousands have flocked for over a century to pray to, talk to, touch the gravestone of, and leave letters for the iconic lady of love. But how can that be? Juliet is a character, a figment of William Shakespeare's imagination. Well, there you are wrong. Though we don't know that Juliet ever existed, her legend reaches back much farther than Shakespeare, who wasn't as original as you might think. He took his story from other writers (primarily Arthur Brooks's Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet and Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde), who had taken their stories from others before them. And Juliet's (as well as Romeo's) existence depends entirely on whom you are asking. She is a legend, and many believe that legends start somewhere. 

Regardless of Juliet's actual existence, the lovelorn have been visiting this site in Verona for centuries; speaking to Juliet and tacking up notes begging her for help or just a  listening ear.  In the 1930's someone started answering them. Ettore Solimani was given the job of caretaker to Juliet's tomb in April of 1937. As someone who deeply respected the legend of the arguably greatest heroine of love, he wanted to do something more than just clean the grounds and admit people into the memorial. He recognized that what these women (and often men as well) wanted was to be part of the legend -- to hear from Juliet as though she was a divine presence who could solve their love woes. So he began to write back and became the first of Juliet's Secretaries; a line of people (often more than just one person now-a-days) now known as Club di Giulietta, who respond to each letter written to Juliet that includes a return address. To this day not only do people post hundreds of thousands of letters along the wall at Juliet's tomb, but they also send their letters to Verona from across the world. 

In Letters to Juliet: Celebrating Shakespeare's Greatest Heroine, the Magical City of Verona, and the Power of Love the history of this magically romantic story, as well as the town of Verona and it's devotion to their sacred resident is told through photographs, facts, and samples of letters written to Giulietta. It's almost enough to make you believe she's still there... and write your own letter. 

Rating: Three Stars

Needles and Pearls :: review

 

Needles and Pearls

By Gil McNeil

415 pages. Hyperion/Voice. $14.99

published May 11, 2010

(read an excerpt from the book here)

In The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club, Gil McNeil introduced us to Jo Mackenzie. Having learned that her husband was cheating on her and was leaving her and their two sons, Jack and Archie, for his mistress was the first crushing blow of the night. The  other? Having her husband die in a car accident within an hour after breaking the news and walking out on her. (We learn all of that on the back flap, so no need to throw rotten tomatoes at me for ruining the book.) What happens next is the heartwarming and surprisingly funny story that McNeil weaves for us throughout the rest of this alluring tale about a mother's love and the power of her relationship with her children. We meet back up with Jo, Jack, and Archie along with the other flavorful characters in Broadgate (a small seaside town in rural England) in Needles and Pearls. 

McKnits, the yarn store that Jo has been given by her lovable and spunky grandmother, is starting to grow with the help of sweet local carpenter, Martin and the publicity given to it (and Jo) through a friendship started with top actress Grace Harrison, who has commissioned Jo to be her personal knit instructor. Jo and her boys are settling in well to their new community as they near their one year anniversary of moving there, when life sends them some unexpected surprises. In true McNeil fashion, these bumps in the road are quickly made into endearing episodes and plot twists that make her characters more real and layered. She takes the chance to explore some topics that are not traditionally found in the lighter side of literature; pregnancy, divorce, death, dysfunctional families. Yet she is able to come at the subject with the warmth and hindsight of someone who convinces the reader she knows what she's writing about. 

Though this heartwarmer doesn't  keep us at the edge of our seats and can sometimes be a bit hard to follow as to who is speaking (it is strongly dialogue driven without always noting who the speaker is), we can count on McNeil to make us laugh while wrapping up loose ends somewhat tidily. While the adults are the crux of the novel, McNeil writes children in a vividly accurate portrayal adding extra charm and humor to her work. 

Though knitting is certainly a presence in these novels, it is mostly because these books are set partly in Jo's yarn shop. McNeil herself comes from a line of champion knitters, and is able to seamlessly interweave this passion into a much bigger story. Those looking for a novel about knitting might be disappointed when they find that these stories have about as much to do with the actual practice of knitting as the movie Beaches did with the beach. It's more of a catapult for story lines rather than the overall theme of the book. 

Enjoy this book over a lazy weekend when you could use a good laugh and a bit of relaxation. 

Rating: Three Stars
 (please note the new rating system for reviews below)

Rating Guide for Coconut Library:
***** Classic : A timeless book to be read by all
**** Excellent: One of the best of its genre
*** Good: Enjoyable, particularly for fans of the genre
** Fair: Some problems, approach with caution
* Poor: Not worth your time

Disclosure: This book was sent to me by the publisher. The review is my honest opinion and I was given no compensation to 
write about this book. 

Size 14 is Not Fat Either

 

 

Heather Wells is back at it again. In Size 14 is Not Fat Either (the sequel to Size 12 is Not Fat) It is now the second semester of her first year of being a residence hall assistant director. Only now the dorm has been labeled Death Dorm because yet another murder has occurred. This addition to the series features a bit more love and the end is slightly less cheesy than the first one. I highly recommend this series to people who love chick-lit and all of the goodies that it brings, yet also enjoy a good mystery. Meg Cabot has the ability to make something that could be scary into a lighter more funny story. I think this series is highly entertaining and very easy to read. What I particularly like is that they are definitely light, chick-lit books but have the twist of the mystery mixed in. And while the mysteries wrap up neatly by the end of each book, the love story keeps us guessing. Still after two books, I don't know who she will end up with, and this book leaves us with a cliffhanger in that department. The next book, Big Boned is the last in the series, so I imagine the romance will heat up that story as it comes to its conclusion.

Really, the only negative to these books is the annoying way the author continues to write "... blah, blah, blah dorm, I mean residence hall..." throughout both books. It's just not funny and we get the picture. I've read some complaints about that -- and I agree -- she can stop doing that now. But other than that (well that and the titles, which really don't have much to do with the plot), these are delightful books for the beach, the bath, or just a weekend of light, frivolous reading!

Enjoy, and don't forget about your chance to win all three of these books this month!
Four Coconuts

xo,
The Coconut Librarian

Sunday Salon -- Size 12 is Not Fat

 

I was at the book store, the other day, buying a gift for a friend when I came across Meg Cabot's book, Size 12 is Not Fat. Did I need this book? No. Did I want to take that title to the cash register for the clerk to see? No. {Keep in mind that I'm the girl who has a hard time even buying tampons. At 30 years-old}. Did I need a break from the very entertaining, but incredibly long The Crimson Petal and the White? Yes.

{I am really liking Crimson, by the way, but honestly-- it would be a miracle for a book that is almost a thousand pages to hold my attention {non-stop} the entire way through. So, I've read a few books while reading Crimson, and now I've decided to read a few books instead of reading Crimson... then I'll be ready to head back into it full force.} 

Okay, back to my story. So I was perusing the aisles at the book store when the title {Size 12, in case you forgot} caught my eye. I tried to put it back, but just couldn't. I really wanted something pretty brainless to veg out to. It's been awhile since I've read one of those easy, lose yourself in them, better-than-fries-and-with-a-milkshake books. Well, maybe not better than, but just as good as. So, I walked confidently up to the cash register {really, who cares what that I'm buying a book that's title is embarrassing, right? I'm 30 years old.. time to grow up}, placed the gift books on the counter as well as Size 12, and told the man behind the counter that I would indeed need gift receipts for all the books please. OK, so I'll never buy embarrassing books without either ordering them from Amazon or buying them "for a friend" and getting a gift receipt. Kuddos to you brave souls who can. 

So, I opened Size 12 yesterday and have not stopped reading since - unless I need to be doing something else. Like going to the bathroom, for example. Which I've taken to holding for as long as I can so I don't have to put the book down. Or even leaving the house for plans I have, and {seriously} considering whether I should bring the book along just in case I have a chance to read a few pages {I was heading out for a party, by the way... no instances of book reading would have been appropriate - even for me}.

What is the premise of this book? Good question. Heather Wells, residence hall assistant director, gets involved in solving the mystery of the murders of two freshman girls in the residence hall she works at in New York City. While I am THE world's most ridiculous scaredy-cat, this book has not frightened me in the least. Which is weird, because the murders are kind of creepy... but the author writes in such a light, funny way that it doesn't bother me at all. And, in fact, I am really into the mystery. Which, with only about 50 pages {ok maybe a little  more than 50 pages} left, I think I have it figured out... but I'm not positive. Which is funny because I'm usually the person who reads the book {or watches the movie} and has it figured out about half way in. Not to say that this book is going to win any crazy awards for writing and mystery plot, but it should. It should win the So-Damn-Entertaining-That-I-Hold-My-Pee-Because-I-Don't-Want-to-Stop-Reading Award. And that's an award an author can be proud of. So, it's a treat to read something fun like this that has me wondering if I should go buy the sequel before I'm finished with the first so I don't get have an {in my head, of course, not out loud} tantrum that I can't finish the series until the book store opens. Unless, of course, it is on my Kindle {note to self: check on that immediately after finishing this post}.

To end, this heroine is a likeable, not entirely ridiculous character, which is something I look for in chick-lit because I'm over the protagonists who make me want to slap them silly. The plot moves along at a brisk pace and the reader is not bogged down with heady or boring back story. It is the perfect book for a long plane ride or a day at the beach {or a night when the only break you'll have to take is to get up to go to the bathroom, assuming you'll allow yourself ;)}. 
Four Coconuts *** I changed this from 5 to 4 after reading the ending {a bit cheesy} but still kept my attention to the last page!

xo,
The Coconut Librarian

P.S. I've included this book in my shop, in the right hand column of this page, for those of you who prefer to order your embarrassing titles from Amazon. :)

P.P.S. Need I remind you that this is chick-lit, not Hemingway? I've seen some reviews of this book that are pretty intense, which makes me wonder if people were confused, or somehow missed the title, when buying the book. This is definitely a gold star, unputdownable chick-lit novel... enjoy accordingly. {And remember it has been rated accordingly, as well -- against other books in its own genre}.