12. Size 12 is not Fat (Meg Cabot)

I mostly read this book while at the gym, and it didn't even require that much concentration. After Queen of Babble, I needed to restore my faith in Meg Cabot. This did it, although I found it hard to believe this is an "adult" book. Besides references to sex and cussing, it seemed more like a YA book (or maybe it was, maybe things have gotten racier since my day.)

It's a mystery, which is something new from Meg Cabot. The story is pretty far-fetched, full of the requisite guy-pining, but overall it was what I expected, just some mindless reading. It was entertaining, which is good enough for me.

11. The Namesake (Jhumpa Lahiri)

Wow. After my failed attempt to read The Memory Keeper's Daughter, I was in need of a really good book. As luck would have it, this was it.

It's hard to identify what exactly made this book so good. One of the reviews on the cover said something like, "It will make you forget that you're reading," and I found that to be true. I felt like someone was telling me a story. I can't tell if the writing is simple, or just so brilliant that it seems simple - like professional ice skaters.

The book is about the life of Gogol, American-born to Indian parents. I guess there is stuff to say about "the immigrant experience," but that seems to pigeonhole it too much. It's just a good book. Read it.

Unfinished: The Memory Keeper's Daughter (Kim Edwards)

Blegh. I've been wanting to read this book for a long time, since it was wildly popular and everyone I knew who read it seemed to love it. After 100 pages, I decided to give up and move on to something that wasn't boring me to death. There's a lot of description in this book, and although it had an interesting plot basis, that was it. Basically, a woman has twins in 1964, and one of them is mentally retarded. Her husband gives the baby to a nurse and tells his wife that the child died. The nurse moves to another town and raises the baby on her own. After 1/3 of the book, this is all that happened! The dialogue is completely unrealistic, going something like, "Norah, what are your dreams?" I hate crap like that. Anyway, I'm returning this unfinished and moving on to something better.

10. The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing (Melissa Bank)

This book has nothing to do with hunting and/or fishing. It also does not take place anywhere that necessitates wearing a plaid coat and snow boots. Misleading title and cover art aside, I enjoyed this book. Its the story of Jane, told through a series of short stories taking place throughout her life. The writing is great - I particularly liked Jane's witty sense of humor.

Bank focuses on Jane's relationships, all of which are very different and entertaining. The one confusion I had with the book was one story that has nothing to do with Jane, or any of the other main characters. It took me a while to figure out what was going on - it was a scene in another apartment in Jane's building - and the characters never re-emerged into the main story. Other than that, I recommend the book. It's like pumped-up chick lit.

9. The Dive From Clausen's Pier (Ann Packer)

Carrie is only 23 when her fiance breaks his neck and is paralyzed after one fateful dive. Although Carrie and Mike have been together for 8 years, their relationship had recently become strained, as Carrie starts to question the life ahead of her. What should she do? This book tackles the difficult question of loyalty, and ultimately makes you question what you would do in such a complicated situation.

I would classify this book as a coming-of-age story, which generally is not my favorite. But for some reason, I really like this one. I think I related to Carrie and her decisions - so I can see how some people won't like this story if they are too far removed from the characters. Also, Carrie is a seamstress, so I particularly enjoyed the passages where she sews and shops for fabric.

Ann Packer is a good writer, and I felt that her story never got off track and was well structured. The book is never "exciting," but rather more of an impetus for thought. You might like it, you might not, but its worth giving a chance.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

8. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (Christopher Moore)

I picked up this book after seeing it reviewed by another book blogger, who really liked it. I'm glad I did! It was hilarious. The story is Jesus' life told from the point of view of his fictional best friend, Biff. Biff is a little crazy (but basically a typical teenager), and has a great sense of humor. The book fills in (not in a serious way whatsoever) the missing years of Christ's life, from when he was a teenager to the time of his death. As Moore sees it, Jesus and Biff travel the world learning various faiths, like Buddhism and Hinduism. Jesus, apparently, was also a master of Kung-Fu.

My only complaint about this book was that it was too long. Biff's jokes got to be repetitive, and after almost 450 pages, the gimmick lost its novelty. Despite that, I was entertained at the gym as I peddled along.

Rating: 4 of 5

7. Queen of Babble (Meg Cabot)

At some point during the semester, my ability to read anything over the level of a soap opera breaks down. After reading 50 pages on Renaissance architecture, I need some brain candy, usually in the form of chick lit.

I really like Meg Cabot - her adult books are usually very funny and quick to read. This one though, was babble. There was only one main character, Lizzie, who narrated the entire book in a constant stream-of-consciousness sorority girl style. The story seemed ripped off of Bridget Jones, as in Lizzie was bumbling and always said the wrong thing, but ultimately came off as endearing and got the guy in the end.

Chick lit is by nature mindless, but I like it to have some substance. This book really had none.

Rating: 2 of 5