Size 12 Is Not Fat with Bonus Material by Meg Cabot Series: Heather Wells #1
Also by this author: Abandon, Insatiable
Published by Harper Collins on June 12, 2012
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary Women
Pages: 345
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
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Now includes a bonus excerpt from Meg Cabot's new Heather Wells novel, Size 12 and Ready to Rock, available wherever books are sold July 10.
Heather Wells Rocks!
Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two—and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12 shape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft.
The cops and the college president are ready to chalk the death off as an accident, the result of reckless youthful mischief. But Heather knows teenage girls . . . and girls do not elevator surf. Yet no one wants to listen—not the police, her colleagues, or the P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives—even when more students start turning up dead in equally ordinary and subtly sinister ways. So Heather makes the decision to take on yet another new career: as spunky girl detective!
But her new job comes with few benefits, no cheering crowds, and lots of liabilities, some of them potentially fatal. And nothing ticks off a killer more than a portly ex-pop star who's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong . . .
I had no intention of ever reading Size 12 Is Not Fat, even though I love Meg Cabot. My mind did not change until book four, Size 12 And Ready To Rock came unexpectedly in the mail and the general consensus among my friends who read the series is that it is great and worth reading. Of course, my peeps were right.
Bro, I need to venture outside of YA more often, because there were SO many elements that I love in Size 12 Is Not Fat: college, mysteries, washed up pop stars, and humor of course. So, Heather Wells is kind of a down on her luck former teen pop star. Yet, this luck changes when she is hired as an assistant resident director at New York College. The job is actually pretty great until girls in Fischer Hall start dying. Heather is suspicious that foul play is involved.
I pretty much loved every single character in this book. Heather could have been wicked annoying, you know like one of those people who is like ‘oh I hate them skinny bitches’ like in other books I’ve read with plus sized heroines which totally turns me off. I don’t like being made to feel bad because I’m a size 4. Anyways, instead, Heather is charming, has great taste in food, and shows solidarity with other women regardless of size. Plus, her instincts are dead on. And her friends are great too — like Magda who works in the cafeteria and has the most ridiculous nails, she is a hoot!
You all know how one of Meg Cabot’s trademarks is her ability to always bring some swooning — let’s just say the swoons were brought out full force in Size 12 Is Not Fat. See, Heather lives rent-free in exchange for doing Private Investigator Cooper Cartwright’s books/accounting. Heather wants to do more than his books. There are definitely sparks there. And even though it’s more like a crush – I could see some sizzle. Cooper isn’t a douchebag, but he genuinely cares about Heather, which is the kind of male I like to read about.
Plus? The mystery? I thought I had it solved, but I was TOTALLY wrong and honestly, I don’t mind that. I like not being able to guess the killer in the first 50 pages.
Look, it is pretty much summer, so if you aren’t sure what to throw in your beach bag or what to load on your kindle –Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot is a great entertainment investment. Plus if you are a YA fan curious about adult books, this one isn’t too far out of the comfort zone.
Disclosure: Borrowed from the library.
Other reviews of Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot:
- Fyrefly’s Book Blog – “I am of two minds about this book“
- Write Meg! – “Campy, light, over-the-top and entertaining“
- The Book Scoop – “This book makes me laugh“
Purchase or Preview:
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Thanks for reminding me that I need to read this! I usually enjoy Meg Cabot’s books for adults but I haven’t read all of them (like this series). I love mysteries where it is hard to guess who the killer is so I will definitely be picking up a copy.
I think I like mysteries either way, whether I can guess the killer or not. 🙂
I read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it. It’s a great series when you aren’t looking for something so heavy.
Definitely, it’s a great light read.
Thanks for the review. This has been on my TBR list for a while. Maybe I’ll grab this on audio so I can squeeze it in sooner.
I love that audiobooks can afford us the opportunity to squeeze more books in. Hope you enjoy Size 12 Is Not Fat!
I remember reading this title in college, living in an all-girl dorm, and my friends would come by and laugh at the title. But then they’d come back and ask to borrow the book… so I think I win. *grin* I haven’t gotten past book two, but I remember really enjoying this one. For that matter, I pretty much love all of Meg Cabot’s adult books!
That really is winning, ha ha.
I can’t wait for the fourth book! The third book did not provide sufficient resolution in the romance department for my taste so I want more of that in the new book. Hope you like the second and third just as much as this first!
I’m optimistic about the second and the third. 🙂
I definitely need to read outside of YA more often as well. And what better way to do it than with Meg Cabot?! I need to look this one up ASAP.
For sure! I feel like I don’t read outside of YA enough, and why not slowly leave the comfort zone by reading an author you know.
I have heard some good things about this series and I have been wanting to read it for a while. Great review. 😀
It’s a fun series, Ashley. Definitely worth trying out.
I read this a few years back, it’s a great, fun story. I met Meg Cabot last year at a signing and although I don’t tend to say much to authors I told her how much I liked the part where Heather knew a student wasn’t responsible for anything sinister because she had a Ziggy notebook (or somethign w/ Ziggy on it) and that just cracked me up. She told me she was working on a new installation of the series, so now I need to catch up! I think I missed the third book.
YES! That was so funny. Her fourth in the series is coming out I think in July.
Yay yay yay yay!! This is one of my favorite series. So glad you loved it!!
Whoo-hoo! I can’t wait to read more in the series!
So glad you enjoyed this one! You’re making me want to reread it now, since I’ve forgotten how the mystery turns out…Great review 🙂
Haha well the mystery is totally a surprise. You should re-read it. 🙂
Hadn’t ever heard of this one but it sounds good. Glad to see you’re branching out in genre. There are some fantastic adult books out there!
Yes! I like to read all over the place because sometimes YA gets a little tired and reading other genres keeps my brain fresh, ya know?
I adore this series! Can’t wait to read the latest installment!
<3
Oooh, I had no idea this series was New Adult, I’m suddenly much more interested! I’ve never read any Meg Cabot, but I’ve heard such great things I really ought to. Thanks for the review!
Sort of it is. Like, it takes place in a college and Heather wants to take college classes. It’s super good.
I’ve read a lot of Meg Cabot, but I have to admit that for some reason I’ve shied away from this particular book. I didn’t even realize that it was a series. I might have to give it a shot now though.
Yeah, I would have shied away based on the title if book 4 didn’t come in the mail, but it turned out to surprise me in a great way.
This is the second good review I’ve seen of this book this week! I will most definitely pick them up soon. The series sounds like a fun one! 🙂
IT IS SOOOOO MUCH FUN!
I got a random copy of Ready to Rock, too, and haven’t read the rest of the series. I’m hoping I can just jump in at book 4, though, because it sounds hilarious and I want to read it.
I think because it’s Meg Cabot, you should be fine jumping in the middle of the series.
I read this one a while back and loved it. Heather’s sense of humor and her sleuthing abilities definitely caught my attention, and I really enjoyed it 🙂
YES! Her humor is one of the best parts. Plus, I just love a good detective book.
I love Meg Cabot’s “adult” books because like you said they’re not too far out of the YA genre. Plus, I just really enjoy Meg Cabot.
I think that’s a good reason to love her books, because it’s a baby steps way of leaving the comfort zone.
I haven’t read many reviews of this, but it does sound like a super interesting book. Must look into it more, especially if it’s a series. Lately I’m having a hard time keeping up with series. What is wrong with me?!