Tag Archives: Meg Cabot

Audiobook Review: Jinx

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Cover of "Jinx"

Image via Amazon

Rating: 2 out of 5

If you’ve been reading Book Club Babe, you already know that I’m a devoted Meg Cabot fan. I may have a whole shelf of her work, but this was the first time that I bought one of her books in audio.

I’m still waiting for Awaken, Cabot’s sequel to Underworld, which will be released this July. So I decided to check out Jinx (2007), one of her few stand-alone novels. Unfortunately, it was aptly named, but it was one big ball of bad luck.

Jinx is titled after the protagonist Jean Honeychurch’s nickname. Terrible things seem to keep happening to this 16-year-old, so she runs away from her home in rural Iowa to live with her aunt, uncle, and three cousins in New York City.

One of those cousins, Tory, immediately becomes Jean’s rival when Jean catches the eye of her crush, Zack. But what happens when this competition between cousins takes a paranormal turn for the worse?

I could go into more detail, and honestly, I wouldn’t spoil much. What’s the point of keeping part of the plot a secret for the whole first third of the novel, if you already know about it from reading the summary? Talk about anti-climactic!

I also already knew that Cabot has a tendency to be melodramatic, but I figured what should I expect when she’s writing about teenagers? Well, even young adult fiction has to have standards.

I kept getting horrible vibes a la Fifty Shades of Grey: whether it’s E.L. James droning on about her “inner goddess” or Meg Cabot harping about “the knot in my stomach,” authors need to tone down the obnoxious metaphors!

You know why the green light is such a powerful symbol in The Great Gatsby? Because Fitzgerald doesn’t talk about it every five sentences! I understand that Jean is a nervous outcast, but I wanted to drive into oncoming traffic every time she described her stomach knot. I get it, you’re scared! Stop wasting my time with over-used clichés and move on!

I empathized most with Zack, who seemed completely fed up with all this petty cat-fighting. Although cat-fighting might be inaccurate, since Jean is the typical girl oblivious that her love is actually not unrequited after all. Yawn.

Maybe I’m just too old for high school drama. It’s easy to tell a fictional character to snap out of it and get some confidence, but I know that it’s easier said than done in real life. I wish that I could go back and tell my 16-year-old self to stop worrying what the “popular” kids think about you, because those bullies weren’t worth the brain space anyway.

I’m just going to chalk Jinx up to being an older novel that’s not representative of Cabot’s level of work. I’m also skeptical of trying audio versions of her books in the future, since I may be more accepting of teenage immaturity in print. Hopefully, Awaken will redeem my previously high opinion of this queen of teen fiction! Fingers crossed!

‘Tis the Season! My 3 Favorite Books About Weddings

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I just got back from a bridal shower of a friend who’s practically family. I’m one of her bridesmaids, and it was great to spend such a special day with her…which, of course, got me thinking about literary weddings. I decided to make a list of my three favorite books which deal with the chaos, stress, but also fun of planning a wedding:

Queen of Babble Gets Hitched by Meg Cabot (2009). This finale of the Queen of Babble trilogy follows Lizzie Nichols as she makes the difficult decision between Luke, the man to whom she’s engaged, or Chaz, Luke’s best friend, with whom she’s also in love. The twist here is that Lizzie happens to work in wedding gown restoration, so how does a woman who’s already knee deep in bridal manage to get to the altar? If you’ve read the series up until now, you’ll know who Lizzie ultimately chooses, but this book’s so entertaining that you won’t care. Another gem by Cabot!

The Little Lady Agency and the Prince by Hester Browne (2008). Another end to another great trilogy, this novel tells the tale of Melissa Romney-Jones, a curvy bombshell who dons a blonde wig and calls herself “Honey”–all for the sake of turning fixer-upper men into marriage material. Her current project is prince Nicolas von Helsing-Alexandros, who can’t seem to blind his wandering eye. And what happens when her fiance Jonathan Riley starts acting controlling? Can they work it out, or will she fall for her best friend Nelson? Clearly, there’s no shortage of love triangles in chick-lit!

I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella (2012). This book published on Valentine’s Day of this year has got to be one of the cutest stories I’ve ever read. Poppy Wyatt has just lost her engagement ring, an antique that’s been in her fiance Magnus’ family for three generations. So when she comes along a lost cell phone, what better thing to do than to enlist the phone owner’s employer to help find the ring? But when that boss turns out to be a sexy businessman named Sam Roxton, Poppy’s happily ever after just got way more complicated. The perfect book for the 21st-century reader, full of text talk, emails, and footnotes! Check out my full review here!

So there you have it! Three adorable stories if you can’t get enough of dresses, rings, cakes, and true love! I’m currently reading Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon, about a woman decades into her marriage, but it’s always nice to remind yourself of the newlywed stage! And for any of my readers attending weddings left and right, please share your own wedding reads!

Book Review: Underworld

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Rating: 4 out of 5

Ok, guys, I have a confession to make: I cheated. Cheated on I, Claudius, that is. I’m usually not someone who juggles multiple books at a time, but I fully support book-sluttiness (it’s the best kind!). It’s not that I, Claudius is not a good book, because I have every intention on finishing it. But I’m sure you all have that author who when he/she publishes something new, you drop whatever you’re doing to read it.

That’s how I am with Meg Cabot, queen of teen fiction. After a quick calculation, I’ve found that I have read almost half of her entire bibliography, which currently clocks in at over 70 books! I don’t think I’ve ever read 34 novels of any other authors–I mean, I have a whole shelf dedicated to Cabot!

Why do I love her so much? Cabot’s like cotton candy to me: She’s not a writer of heavy substance, but she’s light and sweet, and her words just melt in your mouth. I can’t ignore cotton candy when the Fresno Fair rolls around every October, and I can’t help but cheat on books when a new Cabot novel is released.

Underworld is Cabot’s second work in her Abandon trilogy. (You can find my review of Abandon here). The book starts off with Pierce Oliviera waking up from a nightmare, only to find herself in the Underworld with death deity John Hayden. In this modern adaptation of the Persephone and Hades myth, Pierce must save her cousin Alex from the Furies, who can inhabit the living earth by possessing weak-willed people–such as Pierce’s own grandmother, who as a Fury, has been secretly trying to kill her ever since she was a young child.

Along the way, Pierce learns about John’s dark past and meets his crew-mates who assist him in sorting the dead and battling the Furies. She also struggles with her own teenage hormones, dealing with the temptation of cohabiting with her boyfriend, who just so happens to be Lord of the Underworld.

I absolutely love this ancient Greek myth, and this version balances new and old pretty well. Pierce and John have great sexual chemistry, and the story-line was intriguing and suspenseful enough for me to finish this book in three days. True to form, Cabot produces another sugary read, and fans of light-hearted romantic reads will enjoy this sequel.

I also appreciate Cabot for addressing sex in a way that is not condescending to teens, and is also smart and safe. One of the first things Pierce asked was whether she could get pregnant by a death god–oh, how I wish Bella Swan could have been that thoughtful before she got knocked up with a vampire baby! Cabot is highly aware of the faults of other young adult bestsellers, like Twilight, and ensures that her readers are aware of the consequences of their decisions.

However, Cabot is not without faults. People who need heartier reads might find Underworld formulaic and cheesy at times. Also, although Cabot takes a more liberal stance when it comes to sexuality, I found the descriptions of her gay characters stereotypical. I knew that the cemetery sexton Mr. Smith was homosexual without him having to wear pink all the time! I’m sure the gay male community would appreciate representations in media that don’t have to do with pastel colors, flamboyant speech patterns, or cliche occupations like interior designers or hairdressers.

Other than that, I would recommend Cabot’s Abandon trilogy, and I’m looking forward to the last sequel Awaken next year. And I promise to return to I, Claudius–no more cheating!

So are you monogamous or polygamous when it comes to reading? What books are your cotton candy? Send me your comments!

2011 Book Review Catch-Up: Part 3

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The time’s come to review my final two books of 2011, which I read this past summer. Both books are young-adult fiction, Abandon by Meg Cabot and Matched by Ally Condie.

Abandon by Meg Cabot (Rating: 4 out of 5)

One of the first books I reviewed on this blog was Cabot’s vampire sequel Overbite, which I would not recommend unless you absolutely cannot get enough of anything vampire-related. However, I have read almost every single one of Cabot’s novels, and for the most part I love them to bits. Her most famous series, The Princess Diaries, is excellent, and I also love her Runaway and Queen of Babble trilogies. So naturally, when I heard that she’d be releasing a novel during the spring based on the ancient Greek myth of Persephone and Hades, I was excited. I wrote my 20-page senior project on two poems about Persephone (Tennyson’s “Demeter and Persephone” and Swinburne’s “Hymn to Proserpine,” which I’ll probably discuss in a Masterpiece Monday sometime). As a Classics minor, I was ready to get my nerd on with this modern adaptation.

Persephone and Hades are reincarnated in this story as 17-year-old Pierce Oliviera and her love interest John Hayden. After a near-death experience a couple years earlier, John is determined to bring Pierce back to the Underworld. The novel suffers from weaknesses seen in other Cabot works, namely predictability and cheesy dialogue. However, she nicely infuses folk tales from Florida’s history and incorporates other mythical elements like the Furies. While many might find Pierce annoying and John more of a kidnapper than boyfriend material, I didn’t mind it because their relationship should be more like Phantom of the Opera at first, because what girl with any brains would willingly choose death over her loved ones? (*cough*Bella Swan*cough*). I could be wrong, but I trust that Cabot will have their relationship grow some more before Pierce makes her decision. Can’t wait for the sequel Underworld to come out in May 2012!

Matched by Ally Condie (Rating: 4 out of 5)

This dystopian novel which was published last year ponders the idea of having the government choose your significant other. At her Match Ceremony, 17-year-old Cassia Reyes is partnered with childhood friend Xander Carrow, which proves to be a rare match since they live in the same borough. All the teenagers receive a microchip with their match’s personal information, but when Cassia insert hers in her home port, another boy named Ky Markham pops up on the screen. Unfortunately, because Ky is known as an Aberration for a crime his father committed, he’s not supposed to be matched with anybody. So what explains this anomaly?

In this world, people survive on soma-esque pills to cure anxiety and erase memories, all their time is scheduled, and they are euthanized on their 80th birthdays. Only 100 poems and 100 songs have been approved to exist, but Cassia comes across a forbidden copy of Dylan Thomas’ “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night,” which sparks her need to rebel against the system. While some may call this yet another love triangle tale like Twilight, I enjoyed the mystery–and of course the literary references. I’m looking forward to its sequel Crossed, which I received for Christmas. Keep an eye out on this trilogy, because Disney bought the film rights before the book was even released! What’s up with Mormon authors like Ally Condie and Stephenie Meyer making major bank on their young-adult novels? Coincidence? Or should I seriously think of converting to board this success train? Well, either way, Matched was worth its hype, and I hope Crossed doesn’t disappoint!

Now that I’ve caught up, I’ll be posting my master list of 20 books, from best to worst, by Thursday. Hope you enjoy it!

30-Day Book Challenge (Condensed to fit my life)

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Cover of "WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS"

Spoiler: The dogs died, and I cried...a lot. (Image via Amazon)

I’ve been racking my brain about what to blog…I already feel guilty about not blogging as frequently as I did during the summer–alas! the demands of grad school!–but since I’m not done with Madame Bovary yet (about 150 pages to go!), I thought I’d borrow a list from my book club friend Bridget at http://bridgetsbooks.wordpress.com/.

It’s a 30-Day Book Challenge to discuss the books in your life. I’m not as dedicated as Bridget to do one day per day, but why not check in with the list every now and then? Since it’s Sept. 8, I’ll do the first 8 days:

Day 1: Favorite book = His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman

Day 2: Least favorite book = Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Day 3: Book that makes you laugh out loud = Bartimaeus: The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

Day 4: Book that makes you cry = Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Day 5: Book you wish you could live in = The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

Day 6: Favorite young adult book = Any book written by Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries series

Day 7: Book that you can quote/recite = Hamlet by William Shakespeare (and LOTR of course!)

Day 8: Book that scares you = Down a Dark Hall by Lois Duncan

I won’t go into more detail, unless you’d like to know the reasons behind a certain choice of mine! (But I’m sure I’ll discuss these books frequently on this blog). I’d love you all to comment with your own entries, and I’ll be sure to finish the list when I can!

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Book Review: Overbite

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Rating: 2 out of 5

I just finished Overbite, Meg Cabot’s sequel to Insatiable, in which she attempts to bring originality to the vampire romance world. I always imagine the two books as a direct response to the Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer, but both suffer from weak female protagonists emotionally chained to their overly-possessive vampire lovers.

The plot of Overbite is pretty simple: Meena Harper knows when people are going to die and has fallen in love with Lucien Antonescu, the vampire son of Dracula. However, in order to save her fellow New Yorkers, she’s teamed up with the demon-hunting Palatine Guard and her other love interest, vampire hunter Alaric Wulf. She’s torn in this triangle as tourists are mysteriously going missing and an old ex-boyfriend-turned vampire-attacks her. The Palatine suspect that Lucien’s behind these events, but if it’s not him, who is it?

I’ve read almost every single one of Cabot’s books, both adult and YA, and although Insatiable contained some sex, this one didn’t and seemed no different from her YA series. Cabot fans will complain that Overbite does not have enough romance and drags on to get to the action. The so-called plot twists were predictable, but usually I forgive Cabot for that because her writing is so entertaining. However, Overbite felt stale and melodramatic: how many times did I need to be reminded that Lucien–Lucien Antonescu–was a vampire, the prince of darkness, and the most powerful demon in the whole wide world?

We get it, he’s strong…but that doesn’t make the guy impressive. Unlike Twilight, in which you forgive Edward for being such a jealous, stubborn boyfriend, Lucien is petty and cruel. If you weren’t rooting for Alaric before, you definitely will now. The ending of Overbite almost makes up for a lackluster beginning and middle, as well as gives the impression that there won’t be other sequels–the first time I thought, “Good, because I really wouldn’t want this to continue.”

Overall, I absolutely love Cabot’s other work (including The Princess Diaries, Queen of Babble series, Runaway series, and her newest YA novel Abandon). I know that she can do better than Insatiable, and much, much better than Overbite, so I’ll keep buying her stuff. I recommend Cabot, but unless you’re obsessed with vampires, try something else of hers.