2008 Woodie Awards
Book review on "Size 14 is not fat either"
Alsion Heims
Issue date: 4/12/07 Section: A&E
Ex-pop star turned college residence hall advisor, Heather Wells, gets herself in some pretty unexpected places in "Size 14 is Not Fat Either." Written by Meg Cabot, this Heather Wells mystery follows "Size 12 is Not Fat," which if you haven't read, you might be lost in this novel.
The novel is fast paced, starting with a murder in the residence hall - they are never called dorms in the book - where Heather works as an assistant director. The head of one of the most popular cheerleaders on campus was found in a pot boiling on a stove in the residence hall cafeteria. As the police get more involved in the murder case, Heather does, too. She begins questioning students, faculty and drug dealers, until she witnesses a stabbing of a janitor. Even though Heather has no official college training Heather can't seem to keep her nose out of the investigation.
Her investigating leads her into many different situations where an assistant residence hall director should never be, including a frat party with drugs, "size 2" girls and a run in with two students whose rich father practically owns the college. The climatic ending leads Heather to a murderous frat hazing meeting, when she undercovers a giant drug trafficking ring on campus which leads to a trip to the hospital.
All of this happens when Heather's personal life is on the downfall. Her ex-boyfriend is about to get married to a music artist and everyone think Heather still has feelings for him. She actually is in love with his brother, Cooper, who happens to be her roommate and landlord. While trying to express her feelings for Cooper, she is also trying to prove she is no longer in love with his brother. Heather also has to deal with another unexpected man showing up in her life, her father, who has been in prison for the last 20 years on tax evasion. These three men each help Heather grow in a different way by the end of the novel.
The book is geared toward women, as the cover and the title suggest. One thing that I was confused about during the book, was why the title refers her weight when the plot is about solving the murder case. Some dialogue is included about food and her weight but this book should not be judged by its cover. Instead of being all about love and feelings, this novel has action, murder and mystery, with only a little romance mixed in.
The novel is fast paced, starting with a murder in the residence hall - they are never called dorms in the book - where Heather works as an assistant director. The head of one of the most popular cheerleaders on campus was found in a pot boiling on a stove in the residence hall cafeteria. As the police get more involved in the murder case, Heather does, too. She begins questioning students, faculty and drug dealers, until she witnesses a stabbing of a janitor. Even though Heather has no official college training Heather can't seem to keep her nose out of the investigation.
Her investigating leads her into many different situations where an assistant residence hall director should never be, including a frat party with drugs, "size 2" girls and a run in with two students whose rich father practically owns the college. The climatic ending leads Heather to a murderous frat hazing meeting, when she undercovers a giant drug trafficking ring on campus which leads to a trip to the hospital.
All of this happens when Heather's personal life is on the downfall. Her ex-boyfriend is about to get married to a music artist and everyone think Heather still has feelings for him. She actually is in love with his brother, Cooper, who happens to be her roommate and landlord. While trying to express her feelings for Cooper, she is also trying to prove she is no longer in love with his brother. Heather also has to deal with another unexpected man showing up in her life, her father, who has been in prison for the last 20 years on tax evasion. These three men each help Heather grow in a different way by the end of the novel.
The book is geared toward women, as the cover and the title suggest. One thing that I was confused about during the book, was why the title refers her weight when the plot is about solving the murder case. Some dialogue is included about food and her weight but this book should not be judged by its cover. Instead of being all about love and feelings, this novel has action, murder and mystery, with only a little romance mixed in.
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