Size 12 and Ready to Rock by Meg Cabot (Heather Wells #4) 
Chick-Lit
July 10, 2012
William Morrow

Reviewed by May

Favorite Quote:  I’ve come to the conclusion that, aside from Nazis, the Taliban, and possibly the honey badger, there is no one on the planet more merciless than a teenage girl once she’s decided she dislikes you.

Heather Wells was a teenage pop star – playing malls and opening for the biggest boy band around starring her then boyfriend Jordan. That is, until she wanted to write her own music and the label shut her down. With her dad in jail and her mom having run off to parts unknown with all of the money she made, Heather had to start from scratch. Now she can be found living in Manhattan and working (and going to school) at New York College.

Unfortunately for Heather, she’s also become a bit of an amateur sleuth as murder mysteries have a bad habit of happening in the dorm she works in. When she isn’t getting into trouble or battling her weight, she’s lusting after her roommate – who is also her ex-boyfriend’s brother.  Oh, and those Cartwright brothers Jordan and Cooper are indeed part of the family who own the record label she once sang for.

Got all that?

The Heather Wells series is a very light mystery series, with romantic sub-plots. Heather is working on her happily ever after with long time crush (and roommate) Cooper, while dealing with summer at the college, her future in-laws, and a reality show featuring a bunch of teenage girls in singing camp being taped in her dorm starring her former boyfriend Jordan and his pop star wife. There is also a creepy guy trying to hurt people lurking around, as well as struggles with some of Heather’s staff.

And did you get all that?

It is kind of a lot, my problem reading this book was that it felt like a lot going on but actually not much happened with all that set up. I felt like instead of giving us more development to Heather’s relationship and her character, or giving us a more complicated mystery, Cabot just threw a whole lot of random stuff at us but it never really all came together in a satisfying way.

I do have to say – I can’t help but enjoy almost any Meg Cabot book. She never fails to make me laugh.

“I think Steve meant about Cooper’s brother’s show being shot at your place of work,” Tom says, his eyebrows raised. “But if you’d prefer to give us an update on the status of your vagina, by all means, go ahead.”

Silly as Heather Wells can be, I think she’s starting to get old. Oh I get it she’s going to school, rebuilding her life… but with any series that focuses on one main character I expect a lot of change, growth, and otherwise keeping the character fresh and interesting to follow. Heather gave me no real reason to follow her into a future book, where previous ones had me anxious for more. I was also disappointed that despite being set in Manhattan, we never get out in the city either – all scenes are pretty much in the dorm or in a house/apartment.

Despite this being a weak read for me, it was fun to check in with Heather and her gang, I did not find it satisfying as a stand-alone read and would not suggest it if you’ve not read the series. If you like Cabot’s writing and have read the previous novels, I think you’ll find this one fun and enjoy seeing Cooper and Heather (together at last). There are enough funny moments to make it a summer read “yes” for series fans.

Grade: C

Recent Reviews:
The Book Pushers – B
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The Book Scoop – C
ThrouTheHaze Reads – 3/5 
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