Fat Cat by Robin Brande

Title: Fat Cat

Author: Robin Brande

Target Audience: Teen girls over twelve

Pages: Hardcover - 336 pages

Cat is smart, sassy, and funny—but thin, she’s not. Until her class science project. That’s when she winds up doing an experiment—on herself. Before she knows it, Cat is living—and eating—like the hominids, our earliest human ancestors. True, no chips or TV is a bummer and no car is a pain, but healthful eating and walking everywhere do have their benefits.

As the pounds drop off, the guys pile on. All this newfound male attention is enough to drive a girl crazy! If only she weren’t too busy hating Matt McKinney to notice. . . .

This funny and thoughtful novel explores how girls feel about their bodies, and the ways they can best take care of their most precious resource: themselves. - summary from Goodreads

After seeing the five gleaming golden stars that Fat Cat has on Amazon, I knew this book was a must read. Yet upon finishing Fat Cat, mixed feelings for this novel raced through my mind. This book is like a chunk of granite, embedded with both pretty and ugly flakes of other rock. Overall, its good qualities marginally dominate the poor ones, making this novel a sweet, light read that managed to alter my own lifestyle.

I was not sure what to make of Cat's personality; There were times when I wanted to scream at her in frustration and times when her decisions confused me. Cat is overweight, siphoning immense quantities of soda and other junk food into her body. When a school project inspires her to change her lifestyle and become healthy, I was surprised by her sudden enthusiasm to undertake it. Before, Cat seemed content with her weight, and her abrupt desire to change seemed strange, especially since this project would be very hard on her body. Though her underlying re­asons do appear later in the novel, the author could have let them flash a little bit in the beginning to let the reader know Cat's motivations.


Later, when Cat refuses to talk to boys, frustration welled up inside of me, because the author presents no reason for her stubborn rudeness towards males. During the majority of the novel, Cat is a complete meanie toward Matt, and the fact how she seems to have no vindication irritates me. When she does reveal the reason much later in the book, it's too late for me to forgive her, even if it justifies her cruel actions. The author tries to make the reason for Cat's hatred a mystery, but she ultimately fails by unnecessarily dragging out the feud until the very end, which achieves nothing other than irking me. Cat fostering such a strong grudge makes me dislike her, especially since the incident that triggered the enmity happened many, many years ago. Matt, on the other hand, is consistently sweet and caring, and Cat's aggressiveness causes me to pity him. 

Besides for Cat, The other characters are three dimensional, well drawn, and brimming with personality. From talented Amanda to jerky Greg, sweet and confused Matt to slimy Nick, the author magically writes an ensemble of characters to life. I found myself either liking or vehemently disliking each character, and feeling immensely protective over Cat's little brother, who is bullied at school.

This book has wholesome morals of intelligence over appearance and being healthy. In fact, Fat Cat inspired me to eat healthy foods, and soon, I found myself avoiding sugary sodas and processed munchies. I read this book a few hours after consuming about ten of my friend's Twixes (at least they were mini), and guiltily thought back to these unhealthy packages of caramel and chocolate while I watched Cat successfully avoid such items. Now, I'm able to always order water at restaurants opposed to sodas, politely decline desert when I'm merely greedy opposed to actually hungry, and limit the amount of candy I consume. Despite Cat's other flaws, she is a good role model, who helped me realize that eating healthy is vital to living a happy and energetic life. She also brought to light my relationship with junky foods. 

"The fact is that candy bars taste great. As do chips and pizza and ice cream and everything else that makes up a modern diet. 

It wasn't just the caffeine and artificial sweeteners that were hard to come off. I swear I had just as bad withdrawals from giving up everything else. Sugar feels very, very good. Some days it seems like it's the only thing that can make you happy.

It's just that sometimes having a few carrots doesn't quite do it for me the way the bag of Doritos or a dozen Oreos used to. I think part of it is psychological - eating real food seems so serious, whereas junk food felt fun.  

But it's not fun how it looks on your afterward. I guess that's the point I need to focus on. And the fact that I definitely do have a lot more energy now than I ever used to. 

But no wonder all does other scientists have had a hard time convincing us to stop eating all the goodies. Nothing says love like a cookie." - page 89

I really enjoyed reading the addicting, cheery novel of Fat Cat, and will probably reread it sometime in the future. This is the type of book I wish I could read again for the first time, since I found much joy while voyaging amidst its pages. While an overweight's person's revelations and emotional journey may sound dull, Cat is an interesting narrator who managed to keep my attention for the whole book.  Fat Cat reminded me of the reason I love reading: I learned so many interesting tidbits without trudging through non fiction text. The author integrates scientific facts and theories throughout the story. Whenever the author inserted an Einestein quote, thrills surged through me, and I appreciated Cat's love of science.

Toward the end of this book, the focus completely shifts to Cat's personal life, and I wished to see more of a conclusion on her project. While I see that the author wants to make a point of how the book is about the effects the project opposed the project itself, I became annoyed, since Cat never says what grade she earns, and if her teacher, who plays a critical roll in the shaping of her project, is satisfied by her efforts, or if she snags the much desired college recommendation letter. I would have rated this book much higher on the hoot scale if the project had more closure.

Cover: 3.5/5 – The bulging book is cute, and I love the rich, velvety purple of the cover. Not many books are purple these days. Other than that, this mediocre cover captures nothing special.

Rating:

3.5 hoots

Books like this:
Artichoke's Heart by Suzanne Supplee

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Wake Series by Lisa McMann - Mini Reviews

Series: Wake Trilogy
Author: Lisa McMann
Genre: Paranormal

Target Audience: Teen Girls (For mature readers - books contain adult themes and coarse language)

Number of Pages: Hardcover- each around 240-270 pages

Book 1 - Wake

For seventeen-year-old Janie, getting sucked into other people's dreams is getting old. Especially the falling dreams, the naked-but-nobody-notices dreams, and the sex-crazed dreams. Janie's seen enough fantasy booty to last her a lifetime.

She can't tell anybody about what she does -- they'd never believe her, or worse, they'd think she's a freak. So Janie lives on the fringe, cursed with an ability she doesn't want and can't control.

Then she falls into a gruesome nightmare, one that chills her to the bone. For the first time, Janie is more than a witness to someone else's twisted psyche. She is a participant....

Wake is an exhilarating, quick read . Though the beginning is kind of slow, the suspense soon gains momentum. Told in minimalistic, short sequences, Wake is a short novel that took me less than a seating to finish. At first, I really disliked Wake because the choppy writing style irritated me. However, as the book progressed, the style became one of my favorite aspects. McMann is one of the first authors I have seen that uses jerky prose; full of fragments, it's clean and concise. Though it takes some time getting used to, Her abrupt writing gives Wake a surreal, almost dreamlike tone. 

The main character Janie is overall, very likable. She's flawed and human, though her values could be developed a little more, and the relationship with her mother a little more stressed upon. The dreams in Wake are not very realistic, even for dreams. Dreams are usually nonsensical, musings of one's subconscious, but the dreams in Wake always have a certain logic to them. The random aspect of dreams is completely shrouded by frank scenes that completely reveal the dreamer's character.

This otherwise swell story is mediocrely executed, since at the times, the pacing of the plot is off. After a slow beginning, Wake quickly gains momentum, then drives over the speed limit to form a slightly shabby ending. McMann introduces the main conflict too late, and the climax failed to excite me, since the plot lacked mounting suspense.

Despite the plot pacing problems, McMann wrote an addicting novel that promises outstanding sequels. I was torn between awarding it four hoots and three and a half hoots.

Rating:

3.5 hoots

 

Book 2 - Fade

For Janie and Cabel, real life is getting tougher than the dreams. They're just trying to carve out a little (secret) time together, but no such luck. Disturbing things are happening at Fieldridge High, yet nobody's talking. When Janie taps into a classmate's violent nightmares, the case finally breaks open--but nothing goes as planned. Not even close. Janie's in way over her head, and Cabe's shocking behavior has grave consequences for them both.

Worse yet, Janie learns the truth about herself and her ability. And it's bleak. Seriously, brutally bleak. Not only is her fate as a Dream Catcher sealed, but what's to come is way darker than she'd even feared...

Dark and raw, Fade is a lot more suspenseful, intense, and scary than Wake. Fans of the previous book may be disturbed by sequel. The horrific nightmares in Fade will linger with readers long after they turn the last page, especially since these menaces exist in the real world. The police department assigns Janie and Cabel a mission: to uncover the twisted, sick sexual predators who are hunting at the local high school. Infused with creepiness and perverted teachers, this book sheds the dreamlike, teen angsty qualities of Wake and morphs into a dark thriller.

Fade is more plot driven than character driven, and sometimes I missed the character interaction I saw in Wake. The character of Shay, a girl who claims to still like Cabel, has been completely obliterated, and I was looking forward to seeing her; Carrie, Janie's alleged best friend, is absent throughout the majority of this novel. However, Janie and Cable's relationship continues to unfold, and readers will get a deeper look into Janie's personality.

Like it's predecessor, Fade's fragmented writing cleanly captures action and emotions without the stuffy details. McMann's writing continues to improve, and she's well on her way to developing a potentially beautiful style. Fade contains mounting suspense, and near the climax, I perched upon the edge of my seat, nearly hyperventilating as I rooted and feared for Janie. When Janie's dreamcatcher fate was finally revealed, my jaw dropped in horror, and I found myself yearning for the next book.

Rating:
4 hoots

Book 3 - Gone 

Janie thought she knew what her future held. And she thought she'd made her peace with it. But she can't handle dragging Cabel down with her.

She knows he will stay with her, despite what she sees in his dreams. He's amazing. And she's a train wreck. Janie sees only one way to give him the life he deserves--she has to disappear. And it's going to kill them both.

Then a stranger enters her life--and everything unravels. The future Janie once faced now has an ominous twist, and her choices are more dire than she'd ever thought possible. She alone must decide between the lesser of two evils. And time is running out...


After the success of its predecessors, including the unbearable suspense in Fade, I expected a thrilling novel that brilliantly concludes the Wake series, something that could maybe top 4 hoots. Alas, Gone is a giant letdown that fills me with disappointment.

The entire book involves Janie debating her life, and her thoughts get repetitive very quickly. I'm not a fan of her fights with Cabel, since his absences began to increase, and their interesting relationship is part of what makes the series compelling. Without Cabel, the novel's barely sufficient plot failed to seize my attention, and I barely endured a trudge through Janie's endless monologues about the sinking ship of her life. Her sparse interaction with other characters left me bored and wanting more. One good thing about all her thinking is that Janie develops as a person, becoming a lot more likable at the end.

The strong morals, messages, and Janie's decisions hold immense meaning, though they are not effective, since I found myself not caring about the book anymore after I discovered the lack of plot. This book involves Janie sorting out her life and lacks the action and suspense I found in Fade. While this is not a bad thing, Gone is an overload of musings, and it could have been seamlessly incorporated into Wake and Fade, turning the trilogy into only two books and making the series a much more engrossing experience.

Rating:

2 hoots

Covers: 3/5 - My favorite is the cover for Wake; it's simple, haunting, and relevant to the story. The covers for Fade and Gone are average and not my favorites. Overall, I enjoy the theme of a dark background and a lighted up object, since it captures the overall, mysterious essence of the story. The placement of the title is very bold, and I love how it looks as though it's evaporating in Fade and Gone.

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Title: The Dark Divine

Author: Bree Despain

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Target Audience: Teen Girls

Number of Pages: Hardcover- 372 pages

Grace Divine-daughter of the local pastor-always knew something terrible had happened the night Daniel Kalbi disapeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood. Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother. As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul. - Summary from Goodreads

I had wanted to read this book purely out of the fact that everyone was obsessing over it. I had known it was a paranormal romance novel, but any further knowledge was cut short there. I had never really bothered to read the synopsis and so for this first time, I had to dive in without any faint idea on what I'm about to get myself into. But no worries. The plot was so indefinitely obvious, that I assumed the big "mysterious" truth about Daniel from page 65, and to further clarify, reaching 65 is a matter of minutes. The font is obnoxiously bolded and therefore, each page only consists of a handful of words.

Grace Divine, narrator of the story, is flavored more on the blander side. She's just one of those typical girls abundant in those typical paranormal romance novels. I couldn't help but roll my eyes on a few occasions as I lived through her point of view and read her thoughts. As in all romance books, Grace would sigh at Daniel's sinewy bicepes or marvel at his scuplted abs. This was expected, and I am thankful that Despain didn't go overboard on the swooning like Meyer did in the Twilight novels, which every few paragraphs a sentence like "Edward smelled good" just had to snake their way in. What really got me to utter a sarcastic "wow",was the goody-two-shoes-ness of Grace. I realize that she is the pastor's daughter and therefore must be a model citizen, but her immeasurable integrity was basically a slap in the face. I honestly doubt pastor's kids in the real world are this angelic, and so, I'd say that her character was borderline unrealistic.

The overly simplistic and undescriptive writing was hard to miss, as if a blinking sign blaring the words"slightly amateur" hung over head. The voice was ordinary and unmemorable. Not once did any of her sentences strike me and make me feel envious for not being able to construct a sentence quite like that. In addition, historical facts were skewed to fit Despain's fantasy, leaving me more than unsatisfied with the explanations for Daniel's "issues". The novel is also brimming with religious, "do the right thing" types of messages, which although add an element to the book, I find unecessary. Though nothing great, her flow of words wasn't completely unbearable. The writing is never really the most important part of a novel, and even though it might not be anything congratulatory, if aided with a solid plot and wonderous characters, the reader could still carry on forth.

This book was like a narcotic; simple and addictive. Despite its flaws, I could not put it down. Why? Because of Daniel Kalbi. He is soley the reason why I'm giving this book a 3.5 instead of a 2. Daniel is like the glue that binds the whole book together. Daniel was thrust into the beginning of this novel as a "bad boy" being, but throughout story, readers grow to like him and see that he's not really a bad boy at all. He is merely a boy who was rejected too many times and is desperate to be loved and wanted. His past of being abused by his father had scarred and marred him forcing him to be closed off from the world. And ever since a fateful, tragic, night with Jude, Daniel had fled and left everything behind, including Grace. Now that he's returned, Grace often has flashbacks involving him, and it is semi-sweet to experience them. Though they are saddening, it is truly rewarding to watch Daniel grow as a man and face up to his curse. It was refreshing to read about a character like Daniel, one that is actually likeable and not so overprotective of his lover that it crosses the line and just steps into annoying. Through their past memories, it seems as if Grace and Daniel were destined to be with each other.

Overall, Despain failed with her bland, unrealistic narrator, predictable plot, and juvenille writing, but achieved greatness in her story of Daniel as a problem-proned teen. The side story of his past is intriguing, captivating, and beautiful. It's what makes the book. Personally, I think the book would have been more successful if Daniel just remained a mortal with Grace and the two fight their way through the paranormal together without all the religious aspects. I believe the story would be more unique than the other paranormal romances on the shelves these days. This novel is not for those who long to pick up a Twilight-ish book, but for those who want to read about a strong, individual character's journey through troubled times. And even though I ranted about all of its flaw's, I'm still eager to read book two, The Lost Saint.

Cover: 3.5/5 - I really like the cover. It's mysterious (a lot more mysterious than the book itself) and alluring. The colors contrast fabulously from the snowy, marble white, the dark ominous black, and the eye-catching, vibrant violet. However, the pair of legs don't really have anything to do with the book. Though they might be pretty, I don't even know why they're there. It makes sense that the sash is violet (as you will see when you read the book), but the legs don't correspond with anything in the story. Also, I'll be sure to pick up that color nail polish next time I visit the local drugstore. And as for the cover of The Lost Saint, I really wish the publishers stuck with the brilliant violet theme as opposed for the leg theme.

Rating:

3.5 Hoots

Source: Won from a contest on Squeaky Books. Thanks a ton!

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Title: Living Dead Girl

Author: Elizabeth Scott

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Older Teens-Adults. NOT recommended for the younger crowd.

Number of Pages: Hardcover- 170 pages

"Once upon a time I was a little girl who disappeared.

Once upon a time my name was not Alice.

Once upon a time I didn't know how lucky I was."

When Alice was ten, Ray took her away from her family, her friends- her life. She learned to give up all power, to endure all pain. She waited for the nightmare to be over. Now Alice is fifteen and Ray still has her, but he speaks more and more of her death. He does not know it is what she longs for. She does not know he has something more terrifying than death in mind for her. This is lice's story. It is one you have never heard, and one you will never, ever forget.

- Summary from Goodreads

It was Alice's story. It was one I have never heard. And yes, it is one that I will never ever forget...Hauntingly captivating, this book continuously left me shivering, even when beams of light slipped through the blinds masking my window. I only read this book during the daytime.

Elizabeth Scott writes in the perspective of “Alice”, an emaciated 15-year-old whose life took an unthinkable turn for the worse at age ten. Her monstrous captor, a middle-aged man by the name of Ray, forcibly changes her, physically and emotionally, to meet his needs. Everyday since the day she was abducted, Alice lives in worry that she would have to “make up” for her mistakes to Ray. Everyday, Alice gets a little taller and Ray punishes her for growing up and not being his little girl anymore. Everyday, she is starved to keep her weight under a hundred pounds; just the way Ray likes it. Worst of all, suicide is not an option, for it would result in the murder of her parents. Alice is bound to a life of abuse and she can do nothing about it. She is a living dead girl.

As I read on, hatred for Ray bubbles inside me, until I feel like tearing up the pages to bits, hoping that would somehow prevent him from hurting Alice even more than he already has. I believe what makes the book so chilling, is that fact that there are twisted people like Ray out there in the real world, and that the events taken place in the book are entirely possible. It pains me to think that many girls have probably suffered the same torment as Alice has.

This book was a new experience to me. At many points, I had to just slap the book shut, close my eyes, regain myself, then finally open the book again and continue reading. I have the tendency to always picture the scenes as I read them, and because of that, I had to just hide the text under the book cover for a moment and try to put the images aside. It felt too disturbing to continue, but then I was so engrossed in Alice’s character, that I just had to read on to learn about her fate and make sure she was okay.

Apart from the intriguing characters and scenarios, what really moved the plot forward was her writing. Dark and humorless, her writing is what made this book so gripping. Her chapters are short. In fact, the whole book is pretty short. But that makes it all the more powerful. Her words are not sugarcoated, and so fewer words make a bigger impact. Adding unnecessary words would strip away the haunting feel of the book. Elizabeth’s writing is very descriptive (sometimes too descriptive) forcing readers to paint pictures in their minds and in this case, I’m not sure if that is a good thing.

It’s hard for me to say whether I really enjoyed this novel or not. While the writing is superb and compelling, the disturbance is quite overwhelming. This is not a book that I would re-read over and over, but that does not change the fact that it is good. It contains all the aspects of a great novel: elegantly crafted characters, intriguing plot, and powerful voice. And yet I’m not sure if I really enjoyed the experience. I recommend this book, for it was and unique ride. I give this a rating of 3.5 hoots, but this is one of those books that you have to judge for yourself.

Cover: 4/5 – The innocent orange bow gives the book a sweet feel, but against the hard black back, it looks as though there is something sinister lurking behind the seemingly ordinary front. The cover is artsy and simple, but looking deeper, it gives the reader a little knowledge on what to expect. Just judging the cover, it would spark an interest in me at the bookstore.

Rating:

3.5 Hoots

Source: My lovely local library that I rely on oh-so-much.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Title: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Author: Douglas Adams

Genre: YA Science-fiction

Target Audience: Teens - Adults

Number of Pages: Paperback - 216 pages

Just yesterday, I had concluded my adventure throughout the galaxy with Zaphod Beeblebrox- the president of the galaxy; Trillian- Zaphod’s girlfriend; Arthur Dent- your average earthling; Ford- a hitchhiker who came down to earth from his small home planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse; and Marvin- a highly intelligent yet clinically depressed robot. In a universe where bath towels are the most important aid one can own, you can expect many other crazy things in this book. The story begins with Arthur Dent and his little house in England, which is about to be demolished to make way for a new bypass. Abruptly and out of nowhere, Arthur’s friend Ford proclaims the end of the world. He is right. Right then, aliens blow up the Earth in to millions of pieces and disintegrate all its inhabitants. Fortunately since Ford knows about the demolition of the Earth in advance, he and Arthur are able to hitch a ride on the alien ship. Through a series of very improbable events, Arthur and Ford make their way into Zaphod and Trillian’s newly stolen ship, thus beginning their epic quest to the forgotten planet of Magrathea to find the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

First of all, let us not deceive you with misconceptions and false assumptions. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is not a so-called “guy book.” This is a whimsical novel for all to enjoy: boys, girls, and Magratheans alike.

Carrying on, I must say that I cannot give a solid confirmation on whether I like this book or not. We share a bit of a love-hate relationship.

An aspect that I truly marvel about in this novel is the real originality the story possesses. I honestly can’t name another title where you can find aliens who can’t read poetry, a pitiful sperm whale, a friendly and over-enthusiastic computer, and a crew of planet builders all jam-packed into this short, comical novel This leads us into another honorable aspect of the book.

The humor in which Adams presents actually made me chuckle, which is an accomplishment. I’m not saying that I rarely laugh, but merely noting how hard it is to try to crack successful jokes. Adams’ kind of humor is more suitable for more mature readers, for the large words that he tends to use might cause younger readers to get a little confused. The irony and randomness in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is what makes the book entertaining.

However, I feel like the author goes out of his way to try to make things funny and that causes him to get sidetracked. A lot of the times, he adds unnecessary segments that stir up confusion. In my perspective, the lengthy paragraphs he writes to make things funny causes the plot to become unorganized and sloppy and loses the reader’s focus. The book lacked a plot and combined with those excess portions, it became a bit difficult to read. Several times throughout my journey with the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, I found myself slumping more and slipping off into my own reveries.

Though the book is quite funny at some parts, and the ideas displayed are original, a real plot was absent and the book was story-deprived. I give this novel a 3.5/5 for originality and creativity, but I felt it could have been better. From seeing the film first, I expected the book to be quite funny. And yes, it did deliver that aspect yet the book was sloppily assembled. This is a light read for anyone who has an appetite for entertainment.

Cover: 3/5 - I quite like the cover. I think it's cute and I would probably pick it up if i saw it in the bookstore. However, I'm not really sure what that green thing is on it. Is it a pea or what because I'm really not sure. It looks sort of like a vacationer with the whole camera and suitcase get-up so perhaps it is a hitchhiker? So basically, 3/5 for the attractive design, but I don't see how that pea thing connects to the story. I assure you that the book did not mention any peas.

On the contrary, the cover of the copy that I picked up from my local book sale was completely different. It was published by Ballatine Books and I give it 1.5 /5. The cover art is irrelevant, and frankly, it's just sort of ugly. The only reason I even picked it up was because I knew of the title from the movie. I know that you should never judge a book by its cover, but its just quite unappealing in my opinion. Have a look for yourself, to the right.

Rating:

3.5 Hoots

Source: A small book sale held at my local library.

-Reviewed by Rica Eat World