Gut-busting Laughs

First, just take a look at the book cover. The lady is chilling on a floating device in all her ample proportioned glory. That is all.


In her latest collection of essays, Celia Rivenbark tells it like it is, with her trademark funny southern snark. I've read a couple of her other works (Stop Dressing Your Six-Year-Old Like a Skank: A Slightly Tarnished Southern Belle's Words of Wisdom and Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny with a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits). It is my opinion that You Don't Sweat Much for a Fat Girl is the funniest. Her southern sass and snark had me holding my stomach chuckling. Gut-busting laughs, I tell you!


Without spoiling the content, she writes about everything from bomb-in-underwear terrorists to adopting a really big kid to mall food courts where "you can eat at 75 places within 50 feet, then collapse into a chair and rock your fat ass right into sleepy land." And these essay topics are just the first four chapters! I do think the placement of essays could have been better. The really funny ones are in the beginning, then it seemed to taper off. Nevertheless, I seriously haven't laughed this hard out loud from a book in a while. I warn you will get the side-eye and questions of "What are you reading?" if read in public.


The chapters are about 8-10 pages in length allowing for an enjoyable quick read. Whether you are skinny or fat, the essays will have you nodding in agreement. Celia Rivenbark is a humorist, so her pop-culture humor may go over some readers' heads. For instance, she refers to her daughter as "Princess" and her husband as "Duh." She mentions reality television shows like The Real Housewives of New Jersey. But that's what Google is for, right? Pick this book up and enjoy it as much as I did. Or comment on this post to be entered into a GIVEAWAY.


Disclosure: 80% of the time spent reading this book was eating a southern style pecan pie. How's that for a fat girl?


Title: You Don't Sweat Much for a Fat Girl: Observations on Life from the Shallow End of the Pool
Author: Celia Rivenbark
Published: August 2011
Pages: 242
Edition: ARC
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Travel Routine & Suggestions

In celebration of my XXX, I am traveling for most of September. My NOOKcolor is loaded with issues of Rolling Stone, eBooks, apps and games. It will save me so much space instead of toting along physical books. Plus I have a variety of reading material to choose from.

What is your travel routine? Do you take along hardcovers, magazines, eReaders, or paperbacks? Or do you take a break from reading altogether?

Sister, Sister

Camille is perfect. Smart, had good grades, popular, has a loving husband and two beautiful children, and parents who adore her. But there is one person who can barely stand the sight of Camille -- her own sister, Paige. She grew up criticized by parents, looked down upon, and treated like the sister that should have never been. After so many years of built up envy, Paige decides to flip the script and take what is rightfully hers: Pierce Montgomery. Only problem is Pierce is already married...to Camille!


Paige develops a sneaky, calculated plan to steal her brother-in-law. As all schemes do, it falls apart and unfolds before the reader's eyes.


I was first introduced to Roby with the Curtis Black series. Those books have me on the edge of my reading chair, flipping the pages so fast that the page numbers blur. With its predictable plot, Secret Obsession was not as enticing. It held my interest, but I could easily tell what Paige's next delusional step would be. It was just a matter of how and when she'd get caught ruining her sister's life. There were no twists or surprises, just plenty of nod heads and "I knew it!" exclamations.


Also unlike the Curtis Black series, Roby touched on the root of Paige's problem, which was revealed to be a delusional disorder. Mental illnesses are often ignored in the black communities. I appreciate the author including it in her book. It would have been nice if Roby went into more detail and explored this more. Despite this, Secret Obsession was an enjoyable read. A good stand-alone book to tide you over until the next Roby release. 


You may pre-order a copy today, or purchase when it releases on September 6, 2011.



Title: Secret Obsession
Author: Kimberla Lawson Roby 
Published: September 2011
Pages: 156
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Tumblr Style Tuesday

Imagine finding books behind a wall in your home.

Series Sunday: Holly's Inbox Scandal in the City

Series Sunday is a new bookish meme hosted by yours truly, Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along. 

• Read an installment of a series.
• Post a review/recommendation on your blog, FB, Twitter, Goodreads, or Shelfari pages.
• Share your review/recommendation by posting the link in the comments section below.
• Include the title, author, and name of the series so that other Series Sunday participants can add the book to their TBR Lists.

My Series Sunday pick is Holly's Inbox: Scandal in the City, the sequel in the Holly Denham series. Holly has just been promoted to manager of the reception area at DK Huerst, a large British corporate investment bank. In this follow-up, Holly shows her intelligence and ability to manage a team. The lobby area is constantly busy, so it is hard to chit chat with co-workers around the water cooler. E-mail is still the next best thing!

She's now living with boyfriend Toby. Although most of Toby's time is spent working or making mysterious trips to France. Just like the first book, Holly seems to have made another enemy. This time it is the Catering Manager, Tanya Mason. To top the drama off, Holly has a stalker sending anonymous e-mails. And despite office gossip, Holly manages to keep a secret of her own.

I enjoyed the sequel just as much as the first one. However, I don't think the subtitle is accurate. There really wasn't a big scandal in the city. If anything, the first book had more scandal. Me thinks the author just wanted a title to grab readers attention. Either way, it is still an entertaining read. Plus the e-mail format is very addicting. New York Post calls Holly the "e-Bridget Jones." 

Check out the trailer below. (P.S. I favour the UK cover shown in the trailer.)

Title: Holly's Inbox: Scandal in the City
Author: Holly Denham 
Published: June 2009
Pages: 525
Edition: Paperback
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a new bookish meme hosted by yours truly, Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along. 

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author so that other FLF participants can add the book to their TBR Lists.

"I'd just caught my breath after the shock of my husband's sudden passing when his last legacy showed up on my front porch."

~ Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind: A Novel by Ann B. Ross


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Happy, happy, joy joy! There is staggeringly good news on the health-and-fitness front at last." 

~ You Don't Sweat Much for a Fat Girl: Observations on Life from the Shallow End of the Pool by Celia Rivenbark

Tumblr Style Tuesday

Remember Legos? This is too cute.

I need a bath tray like this. Reading in a bubble bath is relaxing, but I'm always afraid the pages or my NOOKcolor will get wet.

How cool is this bathtub/bookshelf? 

Here's another bathtub/bookshelf combo.