Review - How I Paid For College by Marc Acito

How I Paid For College: a Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship and Musical Theater by Marc Acito
Read by Jeff Woodman
Publisher: Recorded Books 2004
10 CDs 11 hours



Well the title of this young adult novel says it all: it's about sex, theft, musical theater, but most of all it's about finding oneself and the meaning of friendship. It's that classic teenage story of learning to accept that life isn't necessarily fair, but can still be faced with, if not grace, then a perfectly choreographed dance number. The audio book version of this was entertaining, and Jeff Woodman displays real creativity in his character voices... even going as far to mimic a mysterious female, think Lauren Bacall but Middle Eastern, type.

Review - Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You by Peter Cameron

Someday This Pain Will Be Useful To You by Peter Cameron
Read by Lincoln Hoppe
Publisher: Listening Library 2008
6 CDs

My current practice of listening to Young Adult novels on audio book has not only allowed me to hone my YA reader's advisory skills, it has also produced the interesting side effect of now I seem to "read" more YA than anything else. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it isn't like my brain has an finite amount of room for storing things that I have read, but it does mean that if I keep true to my mission of blogging about every book I read, then the vast majority of my posts will be about YA literature. But is that really such a bad thing?

Take this subtly well crafted story of a young man who shuns the world; yet at the same time he feels alienated from those around him, still manages to make remarkably clear connections to the people around him. I say that this story is subtle, because for a YA novel it is. Compared with most of the modern coming of age novels I have read recently, this story stands out for its realism. The protagonist lives in a world at odds with itself. One of privilege (his father is some high powered attorney and his mother owns an art gallery that she never works at) yet at the same time we can see his quiet desperation to find normalcy amongst this failing world.

Review - Size 14 is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot

Size 14 is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot
Publisher: HarperCollins 2006
Paperback 344 pages


I know, I know... another Meg Cabot book. I swear this it my last one. I never thought that I would be the type of reader that would get hooked on chick lit. But even those of us with the most discerning of literary tastes like to let loose for a time and chow down on what is the literary equivalent of fast food.

So I'll say one thing for Cabot, she is consistent if she is nothing else. Her character, Heather Mills, is a sharp, funny heroine that has enough flaws mixed with just the right amount of heart that we can't help but to root her on. In this latest novel, Heather is once again at the center of a murder mystery as a cheerleader living in her dorm (oops I mean residence hall) is found decapitated and boiling in a pot of water on the cafeteria stove. Ewww. Much to the chagrin of all of her friends and the detective assigned to the case, Heather finds herself caught up in trying to clear the dead girls reputation and bring the killer to justice. With plenty of great one-liners and a mystery that is easy, but not too easy, to solve this is just one more good read to take to the beach.

Review - Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot
Publisher: HarperCollins 2006
Paperback 345 pages



Pretty blond girl gets a singing gig, does a "Malls across America" tour, lands a boy band boyfriend and is on top of the world until her singing career hits its peak at the ripe old age of 18. Soon girl loses recording deal, her label drops her and she walks in on her boyfriend cheating on her with an up-and-coming pop sensation. This is the life of Heather Mills. You may remember that just a few days ago I wrote a review for another Heather Mills book; Big Boned. Well, I couldn't resist starting at the beginning and I have to say that Cabot can write chick lit like nobody's business. Now this isn't literature that is going to be winning a Pulitzer Prize, but it is entertaining, light and just the write amount of romance, death and adventure to be a thrilling read on a weekend night in front of the fire with some cocoa or on the beach with a dove bar... I'm sure Heather would agree.