Book Review: Beauty Queens by Libba Bray

Title: Beauty Queens
Author: Libba Bray
Series: None
Publisher: Scholastic
Released: May 24, 2011
Website: http://libbabray.com/

Book Summary

The fifty contestants in the Miss Teen Dream pageant thought this was going to be a fun trip to the beach, where they could parade in their state-appropriate costumes and compete in front of the cameras. But sadly, their airplane had another idea, crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.

What's a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program - or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan - or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy pirates show up?

Welcome to the heart of non-exfoliated darkness. Your tour guide? None other than Libba Bray, the hilarious, sensational, Printz Award-winning author of A Great and Terrible Beauty and Going Bovine. The result is a novel that will make you laugh, make you think, and make you never see beauty the same way again.

First off this is only a partial review because I didn't finish this book. I only made it through the first 7 chapters of Beauty Queens.

This book is irreverent, sarcastic and laugh out-loud funny. It was great fun for an hour or two as the narrator of the audio version gives an amazing preformance.

Unfortunately I don't think I can make it through 400 pages (14 hours) of mockery, shallowness and sheer stupidity. By chapter seven the language that up until then had been bleeped out (Beauty Queens don't swear) was no longer being bleeped and it seemed like the subject matter was taking a turn. What had been funny was starting to get old and instead of laughing I was rolling my eyes.

Beauty Queens was a Best of 2011 pick by one of the Best I've Read Blogs so I gave it a try.  There are many people who love this book and I totally understand the mixed reviews. There is no denying that Libba Bray is a great writer. I really enjoyed her Gemma Doyle trilogy but 400 pages of Beauty Queens was just too much for me.

Rating: 2.5 Stars - Take it or Leave it

Content: language, lesbianism, innuendo, crude humor (after reading a few reviews my understanding is there is a lot more content in later chapters)

Source: Library

Also by Libba Bray

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

I've thought a lot about starting a book review blog but here's the problem... I am not a writer. I love, love, love to read and I can edit and critique other people's work. But when it comes to coming up with something original on my own I fall flat.

I have a personal blog where I post about my day to day life and I use goodreads to keep track of books I have read and books want to read. But I thought I'd create a separate blog for things I'm reading and as a place to share a few of my thoughts, likes, dislikes, etc.

I consider myself an avid reader. I've read 126 books so far this year the year isn't even half over yet. I try to read clean, uplifting books. Here are the kinds of books I like & dislike:

I couldn't finish The Time Traveler's Wife - Loved the concept and story line but it just had too much sex and language in it for me.

I read the first of The Outlander series but quit part way into book 2. I enjoyed Outlander but it was a little too much for me.

I loved Poison Study, Magic Study & Fire Study. I am a little more liberal when it comes to an "adult" book having sexual content than I am when sex is part of a young adult book. As long as it isn't too graphic or steamy I will read a book that has immoral content as long as that isn't the focus of the book. It sickens me when young adult books are filled with language and immoral content.

For about 18 months I was obsessed with The Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. Still one of my favorite series of books. I also loved The Host.

I love a good clean romance! Currently my absolute favorite author is Marcia Lynn McClure. Why? Her books are clean but oh so romantic. I rarely buy books but I've bought dozens of her books because I adore them (and her). I also enjoy romance novels like the ones written by Nicholas Sparks.

I love fairytale and fairytale retellings done by authors like Shannon Hale, Robin McKinley, Gail Carson Levine & Jessica Day George. I love classics like Jane Eyre and all of Jane Austen's books. I love young adult books that have crossover appeal to adults, books like Harry Potter, the Hunger Games, Artemis Fowl & The Mortal Instruments.

I am LDS and enjoy many LDS books. When the Deseret Book catalog comes I add dozens of new books to my list. Whether it's doctrinal or a good sappy LDS romance novel I usually enjoy it.

I enjoy reading great picture books to my children. I love great audio books. It's amazing how a book comes to life when read by the likes of Jim Dale.

So that's a starting place. If your taste in books is like mine then you might find some great recommendations or warnings as far as content from the books I'm reading. I follow about a dozen books blogs where I find recommendations for books to read. I wish more of those sites had content rating for books. I also look at all the 4 & 5 star rated books my friends read on goodreads.

If you've read any great clean reads, uplifting reads or just great books let me know!

So many books, so little time!