From Vixen to Victim

I rarely am without a book, and consider myself to be approaching the title of Maven-in-Training, when it comes to literature knowledge and choices. People often ask for book suggestions, and I always have a telltale list of books ready to fire off : Geek Love (Come on, it involves a family breeding their own sideshow and begins with an Albino Dwarf), Lady Chatterly's Lover (Notates person is somewhat cultured and can relay the story of how this novel's debaucherous content caused societal upheaval), Speak Memory by Nabokov (I seriously don't know how that man wrote a single line so impeccably. He renders me speechless, a heart feat).

There are a plethora of other suggestions I may throw out, BUT stop right there. I think a true literary connoisseur reads a fine balance of new/old classics, preferred genres and Young Adult fiction. During my time working as an Assistance Manager of Books of Wonder, I had the luck and good fortune of meeting and networking with many of the top teen and children's writers in the country. Mainly of whom are insanely good looking.

So when I was flipping through my copy of Entertainment Weekly and saw that Libba Bray's new novel, "Beauty Queens," was listed in the top ten things this week, I had to buy it. Unsure of what to expect (EW just gives a four word description of why their top ten items are so fantastic), I ran to Barnes and Noble and purchased it. About 1/3 of the way in, I can tell you, this book does not disappoint.

Chronicling the beyond absurd tale of a group of teen beauty queens struggling to survive after being stranded on a tropical island due to a plane crash, this book makes fun of all that has been done before. No matter how niave, religious or just plain stupid the characters are, you become emotionally invested in their rescue and well being. Along the way, several noteworthy secrets are revealed (Transgendered beauty queens, maybe-lesbians and a whole slew of Pageant no-nos are brought into play by the surviving girls).

So grab a copy and read the tale of how these Virginal and Voluptuous queens go from Vixens to Victims.