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 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.

 

Brava, Valentine

 Brava, Valentine is the sequel to a book that I really enjoyed, Very Valentine. The title, Very Valentine, is perhaps an off-putting one. I know I thought it was going to be cheesy when it was suggested to me, but decided to forge ahead because the recommendation came from someone who was not prone to reading sappy novels. I assure you, Very Valentine is not corny but rather a sweet, good story with an original, while still familiar, tone and a satisfying plot. Although it has  nothing to do with Valentine's Day, it is about a woman who is named Valentine, it involves love of all sorts. 

I suggest that you read Very Valentine before you attempt the sequel, as I imagine you will get lost if you don't. 

At the time of this post, my local library is just receiving this book and has three holds on it already. When it comes up for availability I will be checking it out to review it for you. If you happen to read it first, don't be shy to put up a note about what you thought!

xo,
The Coconut Librarian

P.S. Kindle owners, both of these books are available on your Kindles for less than $10. 

Committed

 Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, brings us its sequel (if you will) in Committed. Though she does not explicitly write about what happened in her previous book, this new account does, for the most part, pick up where she left us. 

After having both been through horrible divorces neither Gilbert nor her beau, Felipe, ever want to be married again. Live together, be together, commit to each other, and love each other; yes. Marry each other; no. Frankly, they not only don't see the point, they see a strong disadvantage to being legally married. However, when the United Stated Homeland Security gives them the ultimatum of "get married or get out... forever" they must come to terms with marriage and what it means for them (or what it doesn't mean, in this case). 

Gilbert's research on the institution of marriage over the course of history is incredibly interesting (if you are interested in that type of thing, which I am). Will sociologists and others have information to add to, and probably refute, some of what Gilbert says? Of course. This is not the unabridged version of marital history -- it is the incredibly abridged, tailored for Gilbert, with emotional elements tagged on version. However, I thoroughly enjoyed her refreshing take on women and marriage. I admire that she is not ashamed to also reveal that she does not want children; a topic that still, even in 2010, is more taboo than it ought to be. Though her vision of not wanting to be married is even more taboo, because she is, after all, a woman. All women want to be married. Right? All little girls plan out their weddings their entire lives. Don't they? It's up to us, the women of the world, to convince the men that they want to be married. Isn't it? Gilbert says no. And she has statistics to back her up for why we should agree with her (though she is careful not to alienate those who don't). I devoured this book, because Gilbert was speaking my language, and I do (for a large part) agree with her. 

The subtitle of this book is: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage. I would venture to say that it's not that Gilbert so much makes peace with marriage in the end, but rather -- when forced to -- realizes that she can recreate marriage to fit her and Felipe, and finds peace in that.  

Women of all ages, who want love but are not willing to sacrifice themselves (or the ones they love) in the process, will enjoy this book. And wise women of all ages who already have in one form or another done the sacrificing and lived to see the other side, will cheer Gilbert on in her exploration to find more balance and autonomy while also having love. And those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about -- you must be from Denmark; a country noted to be statistically in the bottom ten of the world's marriage rates*, as well as being that which studies by Forbes, The Independent, Oprah, and Businessweek (as well as others) find to be the top happiest country in the world. Coincidence? Elizabeth Gilbert would probably say not.
Five Coconuts

xo,
The Coconut Librarian

P.S. If you are a non-married man, please disregard all this talk about not getting married as it doesn't apply to you. While non-married women are considered to be the most productive (and happiest) of all human beings, non-married men are considered to be the least happy as well as least productive, members of society.** So, for goodness sake -- go find yourself a wife! 

* Compared to the USA, which is on the top of that list for the most amount of people who get married.

** According to Elizabeth Gilbert's research in Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage. 

Dracula... or Not

The October Book Club Selection was Dracula. Might I say that I started this book, got one fourth of the way in, and haven't been able to finish. It is not, I repeat not, because the book isn't interesting. It is. In fact, it is well written and quite easy to read. Although it was written over 110 years ago, it feels quite modern. It is a great mix of creepy and intelligent. In the part that I read, alone, I realized that this is the book where our modern writers have looked to for vampire knowledge. Stoker was the one who came up with vampires as we know them, and I recognized traits from other (modern) loved characters that came, apparently, from Count Dracula himself. Having never read this novel, this was news to me.

No, my inability to read it had nothing to do with the book, but rather with the fact that I have read a few heavy books leading up to it and really just needed a break with a light book. Also, this classic is dark, and I tend to not want to spend too much time in books like that. I need breaks otherwise I get too disturbed. Of what I read, Dracula reads very much how a nightmare would play out. I do plan to finish this book, just not by Saturday the 31st. 

I do highly recommend reading this novel. I will direct you to the reviews on goodreads and ask you to pay particular attention to the review by Jason Pettus (second one from the top as of today). His review is what, initially, sold me on reading this book. 

If any of you do read it and finish it, let us know what you think. I will, too, when I finally finish it. 

xo,
The Coconut Librarian

Stay Tuned: Coming Up Next Week...
* Spooning (review)
* Oprah's Book Club
* Top of my To-Read List

Awakenings

I like being inspired. 

Every day. 

I've had my fair share of books filled with daily readings, meditations, encouragements, and the like. Though I have had a few which I've kept up with for months at a time, most I find tedious. I would read them every morning because I felt like I had to, like I was waiting for the profound to jump off the page at me. Even if it was boring, I kept reading with the hope that the importance of the paragraph would hit me later in the day. 

Shakti Gawain has provided us, inspiration hunters, with Awakening: A Daily Guide for Conscious Living. Each day's reading is less than a paragraph, and offers up encouragement, ideas, and inspiration in simple yet deep prose. So far in my daily reading of this book, I have found her guidance to subscribe to no particular religion, but rather to personal growth. Because of that, this book could be given as a gift to most anybody; however, I highly recommend buying a copy for yourself. Like everyone else at this time, I am watching what I spend and where I spend it, but this is a book that can be used everyday year in and year out; making it well worth the $14.00. 

Who couldn't use a bit more inspiration these days?
Five Coconuts

xo,
The Coconut Librarian

A Study in Scarlet

I listened to the audio version of this Sherlock Holmes mystery by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle the other week. I borrowed the BBC radio version from the library and was delighted! What fun... who needs TV when you have the BBC radio version of a book. Has anyone else listened to one of these (or actually remembers when there wasn't television readily available, and people relied on the radio for their entertainment)? It is very different than a regular audiobook. The radio version actually has  sound effects, musical accompaniment, a cast with different actors playing the parts, and more. Fantastic. 

The story was short and entertaining. It was the first Sherlock Holmes mystery that I have actually ever read, and I believe it was the first one ever published. I enjoyed it, and was surprised at the personality of Holmes. I had it in my head that he was a silly character, one that almost pretended to be a sleuth, but really was not one (no doubt thanks to the 1980's movie starring Michael Caine). Holmes is anything but bumbling, and actually a likeable, impressive character. The story has none of the thrill or suspense that today's mysteries contain, but that's to be expected... times change and people need more now to thrill them. 

All in all, I found it an enjoyable introduction to the famous protagonist and look forward to visiting him again in the future. 
Three Coconuts

xo,
The Coconut Librarian

Best Friends Forever

This weekend I listened to the audiobook rendition of Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner. I have heard such wonderful things about Jennifer Weiner's books, and know that she has a lot of fans. I have often been tempted to pick up her novels because they have such catchy names; though this one did not actually catch me by the title (and now that I've read it, I wish they would have changed it before publication... really, what 30-something calls someone their BFF?). The beginning of the book was promising and engaging. The female characters, especially the protagonist, Addie, were well fleshed out. The writing of her perspective seemed effortless, and flowed well. She was a believable and pretty likable character, in most ways. 

The second half of the book is a let-down. It's almost as if Weiner reached her deadline and needed to finish the story, or as if her editor said, "it's too long," and then promptly cut out all of the details and inserted, "then this and this and this happened. The End." It made the story quite unrealistic and detached me from caring about the characters. The writing about the male perspectives was like hearing men's thoughts the way a woman would think, but in a man's voice. So, not very much like a man at all. Romantic, yes. What we sometimes wish a man would think like, yes. But a plausible flesh-and-blood man, no. 

The relationship between Addie and Val (the two 'best friends forever') was doubtful as well. I think I can see what the author was going for here, but she didn't make it. And it seems that she didn't succeed (in my opinion) because it's so far-fetched. It's one thing to have a book that the reader opens knowing it is going to be unrealistic, but the author was going for a more relatable tone with this novel. 

I almost wonder if Weiner had been given more time, and perhaps a different editor, if this story would be something quite good. Frankly, I love the movie version of In Her Shoes, and though I know they adapted the story for screen, I haven't heard that they changed it beyond recognition. What I'm saying is that Weiner has the potential, and so does this story. So, I'm wondering how it went so wrong. 

Ok, I'm done now. The legions of Weiner fans can commence the skewering. 
Two Coconuts

I will, however, be recommending this to a friend or two, because the beauty of books (like I've said before) is that there is something for everyone. Writing is an art form, and reading is the patrons way of viewing and interpreting the art. Although not every book fits my taste, it will fit another's. And above all, that is what's important. I am here, writing this blog, not to try to get you all to read exactly what I'm reading, but rather to have a forum in which to appreciate the art of reading, and storytelling in general. Whether it's the fluffiest piece of junk (ahem, my beloved Dead and Unwed series), or a more poignant story (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan), it's all art. Really, it is. Because the difference between some of the graffiti in our cities and a Jackson Pollack is really in the eye of the beholder, and the opinion of those who speak the loudest. 

xo,
The Coconut Librarian

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

This past week, I read Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler. I am a Jane Austen fan, so perhaps that’s why I enjoyed this book so much, though I think there is enough plot in it to engage a reader who is not a Janeite as well. Passages like this one, 

        “That’s when I decided to order myself a large clam and garlic pizza and reread Pride and Prejudice. I would self-medicate with fat, carbohydrates, and Jane Austen, my number one drug of choice, my constant companion through every breakup, every disappointment, every crisis,” 

got me connected to the story, and I believe that even if it is not Jane  Austen who does the trick for you, we all have our books/movies/music that we could insert into that sentence. It was a clever read, and I enjoyed the historical aspects as the author got me settled into the story before she sucked me into the plot about a third of the way through.

 

Towards the end, there were a few parts that were a little confusing. Those couple of parts are so miniscule that I hesitate mentioning them since the rest of the book (including the ending) is very satisfying. Viera has a way of writing characters so that you feel as if you know them, even the supporting characters who don’t have much page time. I am looking forward to getting to know those characters better (one in particular) in the sequel (Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict) which is going to be released in several days (June 25th), and think that some of the confusion in the last pages of Confessions might be unraveled in the next book.

 

Although this story is, undoubtedly, considered chick-lit, I would also categorize it as historical fiction.  Since it is a hybrid of historical and contemporary fiction, the author takes the opportunity to show us how some things never change… 

"And I resent it being a truth universally acknowledged, no matter what era I find myself in, that a single woman of thirty must be in want of a husband. I particularly resent (a wife's) holy-grail view of marriage when she can barely be civil to her own husband…”. 

It’s gems and insights like that, and like this, 

“stop struggling to be somewhere else…fulfill your destiny…just be where you are. That is the only way to get where you are supposed to go,” 

that make this book not only a fun read, but also thoughtful. Viera has many nuggets in the pages of this story that caused me to fold back the top of the page so I can go back and look at a paragraph or two when I am in need of a little dao of chick-lit.

Four Coconuts

 

On the what-would-it-be-like-to-live-in-a-Jane-Austen-novel front, I advise you to read Austenland by Shannon Hale.  I enjoyed it so much awhile back, and read it in almost one sitting. I also have another book on my Wishlist, Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo, that I will be reading and reviewing in the future (along with others in that genre). I am, after all, a fan of all things Jane, and have been known to self medicate using her and Pinkberry more times than I care to recall (or admit).

 

Xo,

The Coconut Librarian