Book Nerds Across America: Meg Cabot

Showing posts with label Meg Cabot. Show all posts

Monday, September 2, 2019

Book review: No Judgments by Meg Cabot

Book Summary
When a massive hurricane severs all power and cell service to Little Bridge Island—as well as its connection to the mainland—twenty-five-year-old Bree Beckham isn’t worried . . . at first. She’s already escaped one storm—her emotionally abusive ex—so a hurricane seems like it will be a piece of cake.

But animal-loving Bree does become alarmed when she realizes how many islanders have been cut off from their beloved pets. Now it’s up to her to save as many of Little Bridge’s cats and dogs as she can . . . but to do so, she’s going to need help—help she has no choice but to accept from her boss’s sexy nephew, Drew Hartwell, the Mermaid Café’s most notorious heartbreaker.

But when Bree starts falling for Drew, just as Little Bridge’s power is restored and her penitent ex shows up, she has to ask herself if her island fling was only a result of the stormy weather, or if it could last during clear skies too.

Flo's Review
Well I'm here in South Florida hanging out in the "calm before the storm" as I wait to see what Hurricane Dorian will do. Seemed like a perfect time to read this new book from Meg Cabot. I've been looking forward to it ever since I was lucky enough to snag an ARC at BookCon.

No Judgments did end up being the perfect hurricane watch read. Not only because I felt I could completely relate to everything going on weather-wise, but because it was a quick and cute story. Meg did a good job of writing the attraction between Bree and Drew. You could just feel the romantic tension rising off the pages as you read. I also really enjoyed the storyline about Bree and Drew helping look after people's animals -- taking care of your pets is an important part of hurricane prep that doesn't always get talked about as much as it should.

Just as important is Lucy Hartwell's hurricane dip. That sounds amazing! I wish I had some of that as I wait for Dorian.

I feel like the book summary could have done without the last paragraph. First of all, that happens very close to the end of the book -- I think it would have been a nice surprise in the story. (Actually, it probably was meant to be.) Secondly, that whole scene was just...I don't know...it kind of fit with the story but was also a little too... I don't know. Not my favorite.

I'm seeing that Meg Cabot is going to keep writing in this Little Bridge Island universe? That's great! I enjoyed meeting all the characters. There's already a novella out that I may read next. I hope she focuses a story on Bree's roomie Daniella -- I feel like her story would be a lot of fun!

No Judgments comes out September 24th, and if you love hot men who are hot because they love animals then this is the story for you! (I'm talking, like, those calendars of hot men holding kittens, ya know?!? ;-p)

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Pants on Fire by Meg Cabot

Katie Ellison is not a liar. But she can't exactly tell the truth, either—not when she's juggling two boyfriends, secretly hating the high school football team everyone else worships, and trying to have the best summer ever. At least Katie has it all under control (sort of). Her biggest secret, what really happened the night Tommy Sullivan is a freak was spray-painted on the junior high gymnasium wall, is safe. That is, until Tommy comes back to town. Katie is sure he's going to ruin all her plans, and she'll do anything to hang on to her perfect existence. Even if it means telling more lies. Even if, now that Tommy's around, she's actually—truthfully—having the time of her life. (from Goodreads)

Flo's Review

Ok, I think I've figured out my relationship with Meg Cabot. I either love her books, or I'm really not a fan. I am pretty sure it was just earlier this month that I was raving over Teen Idol. I also loved All-American Girl. But I really did not like, and couldn't even finish, the sequel Ready or Not. And while I also could not make it through Abandon, I own the sequel Underworld and am excited to give it a read.

Pants on Fire has been on my radar for awhile, as it is always in the bargain book sale bin at the library. So one day, I caved and bought it. Then, last time I was at the library, fresh off of finishing Teen Idol, I saw that the Pants on Fire audiobook was available and decided to give it a try. My main problem was the Katie Ellison. I just didn't like her. I think what I love about Meg Cabot's characters (the ones I do like) are that they are just your typical teenagers -- yes, they can be petty and flighty, and thus hard to read -- but that's what makes them teenagers. At the end of the day, you are rooting for them because they are basically good girls who are just reacting to and navigating their situations. Katie Ellison is a dishonest and way too boy crazy. Even though she kept explaining to us how everyone in the town generally liked her, and she was top of her class and friendly to everyone and so forth -- I didn't. I didn't like her. So, in order to redeem the book, I would have need to find another character to like or relate to on some level. Nope. The elusive Tommy Sullivan was just too elusive. Katie's best friend didn't have a distinct personalities. Katie's boyfriend was vanilla. And the other boyfriend, even though he was supposed to be swoonworthy, was just, "Eh" to me. In the end, I just decided to move on. No hard feelings. I know I'll pick up another Meg Cabot book in the future -- and then it will be another 50/50 gamble on whether I like it or not.

Do you have any authors you do this with? Love some of their stuff, but dislike a lot of their other stuff?

Monday, July 9, 2012

Teen Idol by Meg Cabot

Me and Meg Cabot last year. Aren't we adorable?!

"High school junior Jenny Greenley is so good at keeping secrets that she's the school newspaper's anonymous advice columnist. She's so good at it that, when hotter-than-hot Hollywood star Luke Striker comes to her small town to research a role, Jenny is the one in charge of keeping his identity under wraps. But Luke doesn't make it easy, and soon everyone—the town, the paparazzi, and the tabloids alike—know his secret...and Jenny is caught right in the middle of all the chaos." (from Goodreads)

Flo's Summary:
This book was so adorable! Really, that is the best way I can describe it. I know I'm late to the party, but I really love these types of stories from Meg Cabot. (Another example is All-American Girl which I also just loved to bits.) Seriously, it's like chick lit at its best. I loved the idea of Jenny sitting on the porch just chatting away with a big movie star. I loved all the scenes about the Troubadours and poor Jenny's uncoordinated dancing. And really -- what's not to love about Scott Bennett? He's a writer AND he cooks?! I'm in! Not to mention the idea of affecting social change at your high school? Win.

Short summary -- Craving a light, fun read? Pick up Teen Idol.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

The Dig (Zoe and Zeus #1) by Audrey Hart

Audrey was nice enough to send the BookNerds an ARC of The Dig. I (Flo) jumped right on it, since you all KNOW I love books based on Greek mythology. (I even sponsored Greek Week here on a blog. It's that deep.)

In The Dig, a girl named Zoe is at her aunt and uncle's archaeological dig site in Greece when she gets transported back in time to ancient Greece. Once she is there, she discovers that she has certain power over the earth. She gets mistaken for a god (rough, right?! Happens to me all the time!) and has to head up to Olympus for answers -- and hopefully, a way home.

Unfortunately, when Zoe gets to Olympus, she finds that all the gods are not open, inviting and friendly. In fact, they are rather like a high school clique -- with all the gossip and melodrama included. This is a strength and weakness of the book for me. Audrey does a great job of portraying the environment up on Olympus like it's a high school. Too good. I don't want to relive that aspect of high school. I don't want to be reminded of the trauma of not being cool enough, feeling different and every little thing taking on way more meaning than it should. I left all that messiness back in high school because it's not fun. There are other fun aspects of high school -- dances, sports, crushes -- this is the stuff that I enjoy experiencing again through my high school narrators in YA.

Also, Zoe has a voice similar to Pierce in Meg Cabot's Abandon -- I felt Pierce was too stream of consciousness in that she kept hinting at some big event but never telling us about it straight up. I similarly felt Zoe went off on too many tangents as she was connecting things in her head.

The coolest thing about this book is ZEUS. Yes, the Zeus. Leader of the gods. Lightning. That guy. In this book he is portrayed as a YA hottie and I love that. What a great way to put ancient Greek mythology and the modern YA reader on the same level. It's no secret that I -- and all the BookNerds -- love to swoon over crush-worthy YA boys. Audrey's Zeus easily makes the list: he's cute, attentive, and willing to help Zoe no matter what. I love the relationship between the Zoe and Zeus -- if I can't have him, then I guess I'm happy to see him with Zoe!

~Flo~

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Greek Week: Abandon by Meg Cabot (with a GIVEAWAY!)

"Though she tries returning to the life she knew before the accident, Pierce can't help but feel at once a part of this world, and apart from it. Yet she's never alone . . . because someone is always watching her. Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back. But now she's moved to a new town. Maybe at her new school, she can start fresh. Maybe she can stop feeling so afraid. Only she can't. Because even here, he finds her. That's how desperately he wants her back. She knows he's no guardian angel, and his dark world isn't exactly heaven, yet she can't stay away . . . especially since he always appears when she least expects it, but exactly when she needs him most. But if she lets herself fall any further, she may just find herself back in the one place she most fears: the Underworld." (from Goodreads)

I'd heard a lot about Abandon before it came ou,t so I was really excited to read it. (Plus, I obviously like books based on Greek myths, seeing as how I am sponsoring a Greek Week and all...)

Unfortunately, I really struggled with this book, and in the end I had to abandon it without finishing. (Bonus points for my clever pun?? No??) It just jumped around way to much for me. One minute we are reading about Pierce's present. Then the next paragraph will allude to the past. But it won't give a clear narrative of an event. It will just give hints about the event. So then I was confused, and the next paragraph would jump back to the present time.

In my opinion, Pierce was too stream of consciousness to tell a straight story. I found myself getting frustrated with her and the fact that she kept giving us tidbits about some big event that changed her life; but never telling us the full story. It didn't create curiosity for me; instead she would jump back to the modern day and then allude to another Big Life-Changing Event That The Reader Doesn't Know What It Is.

And the dark, mysterious John? He was so dark and mysterious that I didn't feel he was developed as a character at all.

All that being said, I may check out the sequel, Underworld. The Greek myth loving part of me is intrigued and thinks that maybe Pierce won't jump around so much in the realm of the dead.

~Flo~

GIVEAWAY TIME!!
The last time I tried to give away a book I didn't like, it failed miserably. So this time I'm sweetening the pot. I will have Meg Cabot PERSONALIZE Abandon for whoever wins it! Want it? Let us know in the comments. Don't forget to include a way to contact you. Contest ends July 18th.

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