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mishale1's review
3.0
Solidly 3.5 stars.
I love how the author devoted time to really letting the reader get to know the characters. The storyline switched between the stories of Alice and Daphne. When the story began, the first several chapters are Alice’s, then the next few are Daphne’s. I really appreciated this writing tactic. I felt like I truly got to know each character before moving on to the next. Also, both Alice and Daphne were given very clear, individual voices.
This is a thought provoking story. If you read it within a book club, expect the topic of food issues to arise.
I think it really promotes an honest discussion.
The ladies in this book have major, major food issues. I can’t claim to relate to that but we’ve all got our own food issues and I think we’ll all recognize someone we know in these characters.
Alice’s food issue can be connected to her husband.
Alice grew up with supportive parents.
She had a bad breakup in her twenties and met her husband Clancy on a rebound. When she met her husband, she was at her lowest and that had resulted in her not eating right and being at her skinniest. So, while Alice’s image of herself wasn’t wrapped up in being skinny, Alice’s husband fell in love with her when she was skinny.
She quickly got pregnant, gained weight and never lost it.
Her husband had made no attempt to hide the fact that her current weight is an issue for him. He doesn’t find as attractive anymore. It’s hurting her. It’s causing her issues. And she is secretly eating behind his back and then throwing up to undo her binges.
Daphne has a wonderful husband and a couple kids. She grew up with a weight obsessed mother. Daphne had a lot of traumatic incidents both at home and at school growing up and she’s still struggling with them.
Both are at their lowest points when they learn about a tv program to help them lose weight. It is promoted as a very inspirational program. It implies that the goal is to help them get past their food and weight issues.
But when they get on the show, they found something completely different than what they are promised.
From day one, they are belittled.
They are humiliated and shamed.
They are all but starved and forced into extreme exercise routines.
They are expected to lose a completely unhealthy 10 pounds a week.
Needless to say, this is far from an ethical situation and it only serves to make the weight obsession more severe.
It also should raise some questions about why society places so much emphasis on being overweight when there’s people starving in the world.
Honestly, I think these characters would have needed therapy after their time on the weight loss program. I think the ending was possibly too smooth. It’s not that I ever want an unhappy ending in a book but after causing so much thought on food and weight issues, I think it would have been a longer path to the resolution.
I was given an early copy of this book to read and review with my book club.
I love how the author devoted time to really letting the reader get to know the characters. The storyline switched between the stories of Alice and Daphne. When the story began, the first several chapters are Alice’s, then the next few are Daphne’s. I really appreciated this writing tactic. I felt like I truly got to know each character before moving on to the next. Also, both Alice and Daphne were given very clear, individual voices.
This is a thought provoking story. If you read it within a book club, expect the topic of food issues to arise.
I think it really promotes an honest discussion.
The ladies in this book have major, major food issues. I can’t claim to relate to that but we’ve all got our own food issues and I think we’ll all recognize someone we know in these characters.
Alice’s food issue can be connected to her husband.
Alice grew up with supportive parents.
She had a bad breakup in her twenties and met her husband Clancy on a rebound. When she met her husband, she was at her lowest and that had resulted in her not eating right and being at her skinniest. So, while Alice’s image of herself wasn’t wrapped up in being skinny, Alice’s husband fell in love with her when she was skinny.
She quickly got pregnant, gained weight and never lost it.
Her husband had made no attempt to hide the fact that her current weight is an issue for him. He doesn’t find as attractive anymore. It’s hurting her. It’s causing her issues. And she is secretly eating behind his back and then throwing up to undo her binges.
Daphne has a wonderful husband and a couple kids. She grew up with a weight obsessed mother. Daphne had a lot of traumatic incidents both at home and at school growing up and she’s still struggling with them.
Both are at their lowest points when they learn about a tv program to help them lose weight. It is promoted as a very inspirational program. It implies that the goal is to help them get past their food and weight issues.
But when they get on the show, they found something completely different than what they are promised.
From day one, they are belittled.
They are humiliated and shamed.
They are all but starved and forced into extreme exercise routines.
They are expected to lose a completely unhealthy 10 pounds a week.
Needless to say, this is far from an ethical situation and it only serves to make the weight obsession more severe.
It also should raise some questions about why society places so much emphasis on being overweight when there’s people starving in the world.
Honestly, I think these characters would have needed therapy after their time on the weight loss program. I think the ending was possibly too smooth. It’s not that I ever want an unhappy ending in a book but after causing so much thought on food and weight issues, I think it would have been a longer path to the resolution.
I was given an early copy of this book to read and review with my book club.
exlibrislynne's review
4.0
Waisted poses an intriguing question: How far will women go to loose weight? This fictional tale tackles the popular conundrum of America society. When 7 women are chosen to attend a weight-loss retreat for an entire month, they will have to face their fears, aspirations, and even a potential conspiracy. Bodies are tested, friendships are forged, and families are changed in ways no one would have expected. Reminiscent of Running in Heels by Anna Maxted, fans of Jennifer Weiner novels may enjoy this captivating book.
I was fortunate to receive a free ARC of this book from Netgalley. The above thoughts, insights, or recommendations are my own meek musings.
I was fortunate to receive a free ARC of this book from Netgalley. The above thoughts, insights, or recommendations are my own meek musings.
shelleyann01's review against another edition
4.0
Think fat, be fat. Eat fat, be fat.
This book took my breath away. I cried, cringed and shook my head all through it. I know it was about weight but to me it was also about dealing with self esteem and self love. I felt so sad that Alice, Daphne and Hania had to go through all this, I saw so much of myself in them. These characters joked a lot to keep the sadness at bay and to hide a lot of angst. They all had pain they'd hidden from each other (and themselves) but through the tough time they were going through they each learned to share. I think when they finally realized they are not perfect, and that's ok, they begin to enjoy the body and life they were given. This book not only lifted me up, but made me reevaluate myself and my life. I can only hope this book will enlighten everyone as it did me.
The numbers on the scale tumbled; her spirits soared.
As I read, I was invested in the lives of these women, their struggles, their emotions, and their growth. The fat-shaming, the discrimination, and the lack of self-confidence was heartbreaking and difficult to read. It was hard to read the thoughts of women who have a negative self-talk tape running constantly in their minds, but more importantly, it made me think about how I actually live this way every single day of my life. But the friendship between the women was heartwarming and the message of self-love and self-acceptance is one women of any weight can identify with.
Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books and Randy Susan Meyers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.
#Waisted #NetGalley
All my reviews can be found on my blog: https://shelleyann01.blogspot.com/
This book took my breath away. I cried, cringed and shook my head all through it. I know it was about weight but to me it was also about dealing with self esteem and self love. I felt so sad that Alice, Daphne and Hania had to go through all this, I saw so much of myself in them. These characters joked a lot to keep the sadness at bay and to hide a lot of angst. They all had pain they'd hidden from each other (and themselves) but through the tough time they were going through they each learned to share. I think when they finally realized they are not perfect, and that's ok, they begin to enjoy the body and life they were given. This book not only lifted me up, but made me reevaluate myself and my life. I can only hope this book will enlighten everyone as it did me.
The numbers on the scale tumbled; her spirits soared.
As I read, I was invested in the lives of these women, their struggles, their emotions, and their growth. The fat-shaming, the discrimination, and the lack of self-confidence was heartbreaking and difficult to read. It was hard to read the thoughts of women who have a negative self-talk tape running constantly in their minds, but more importantly, it made me think about how I actually live this way every single day of my life. But the friendship between the women was heartwarming and the message of self-love and self-acceptance is one women of any weight can identify with.
Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books and Randy Susan Meyers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.
#Waisted #NetGalley
All my reviews can be found on my blog: https://shelleyann01.blogspot.com/
nickikendall's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
5.0
After reading so many mixed reviews about this book I was pleasantly surprised at just how much I loved it. I don't let reviews I read determine my reading, if a synopsis or even dare I say A title or a cover grab my attention I will add a book to my TBR. This was a thoroughly relatable on some levels and enjoyable read for me about women tricked into joining a health retreat only to discover they are being secretly filmed and exploited in a weightloss reality style show. I related so much to the characters and their struggles and how they feel about their bodies and themselves. Told with some realism, it describes how we sometimes privately binge with the intention of soothing ourselves only to end up feeling much worse. I loved the commaraderie between the women and the overall message of acceptance and loving ourselves and appreciating the body we are in. It was an engaging read that I couldn't put down, maybe because these ladies resonated so much with me.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ #waisted #randysusanmeyers #tea_sipping_bookworm #goodreads #amazonkindle #litsy #thestorygraph #bookqueen #bookstagram #chicklit
emmas_bookshelf's review
5.0
The thing I loved most about this book is the acknowledgement that the experience of being a fat woman in the U.S. is not monolithic. While parts of the book were hard to imagine other parts resonated deeply and it was wonderful to follow the multiple narrators and characters as they came to terms with how others treat their bodies and how others treat their bodies. It also showcases the power of female friendship, and that was lovely. [An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.]
pleasureinatrocities's review
3.0
The summary leads you to believe that it's going to be primarily about the documentary they film but the part where they are actually in the mansion isn't really that long. The best part of the book by far was how it looked at the lives of the two women and their relationship with food. Their thought processes and the reactions and comments from their family members were incredibly realistic and well-done.
kaleenazag's review
3.0
Waisted follows two women, Alice and Daphne, who have an obsession with their weight, and have struggled with eating disorders and obesity most of their lives. The women meet at Waisted, a program that promises weight loss to it's participants; however, when they get there, the experience is far from an enlightening weight loss journey.
There is a strong underlying message about weight loss in this book, and how not to let it ruin your life. Although, I thought it was hidden under an interesting plot, maybe a bit overdone. Both of the main characters in this book come from plenty of money, which is mentioned multiple times. Many women who struggle with their weight loss, do so because fast and unhealthy food is more affordable and convenient than healthy food.
There is a strong underlying message about weight loss in this book, and how not to let it ruin your life. Although, I thought it was hidden under an interesting plot, maybe a bit overdone. Both of the main characters in this book come from plenty of money, which is mentioned multiple times. Many women who struggle with their weight loss, do so because fast and unhealthy food is more affordable and convenient than healthy food.
crystals_library's review
4.0
Seven women sign up to go to a retreat to assist them in their weight loss journey. They are aware that they will be filmed for training and educational purposes, but they don't realize that they are really signing up to be filmed for a documentary that borders on being a reality show. The women are stripped of their phones and clothing and then humiliated to see how far they will go.
The narration switches back and forth between two of the women, Daphne and Alice. You learn who they were before going to "Waisted" and why they chose to go. And then their time during and after the retreat.
I enjoyed and related to several of the characters. It is interesting to see how far you might go for to lose weight. There were some moments that were meant to be self-deprecating and funny, but that isn't my type of humor.
*Please note trigger warnings for all types of eating disorders.
The narration switches back and forth between two of the women, Daphne and Alice. You learn who they were before going to "Waisted" and why they chose to go. And then their time during and after the retreat.
I enjoyed and related to several of the characters. It is interesting to see how far you might go for to lose weight. There were some moments that were meant to be self-deprecating and funny, but that isn't my type of humor.
*Please note trigger warnings for all types of eating disorders.
thebookrepository's review
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of Waisted in exchange for an honest review.
Waisted is feel-good book that centers around two women, Alice and Daphne, who find themselves enrolling in a "fat camp" in a last-ditch effort to shed some weight. The camp ends up being unlike anything they could have imagined and NOT in a positive way. They then deal with not only the repercussions of the camp itself, but it also forces them to reflect on their personal and family lives in a way they had been actively avoiding all this time.
This was a good read. I liked both Alice and Daphne as characters and found them relatable. After all, I, like Daphne, am a lover of a black-clothed wardrobe. The first half of the book that takes places leading up to and through the "fat camp" was very interesting and exciting to read. The second half of the book (post-"fat camp") slowed down considerably and was a bit more of a push to get through. I do believe the portion of the book about accepting yourself and learning to cope with these negative views is important and well written, but I don't think it needed to take almost half of the book to develop. I was a bit disappointed that there weren't any real ramifications to the "discovery" of what was taking place at "fat camp". Everything seemed a bit too easily solved and neatly taken care of.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to any woman (or anyone, really!) who has ever struggled with their self-worth due to their weight or appearance.
Waisted is feel-good book that centers around two women, Alice and Daphne, who find themselves enrolling in a "fat camp" in a last-ditch effort to shed some weight. The camp ends up being unlike anything they could have imagined and NOT in a positive way. They then deal with not only the repercussions of the camp itself, but it also forces them to reflect on their personal and family lives in a way they had been actively avoiding all this time.
This was a good read. I liked both Alice and Daphne as characters and found them relatable. After all, I, like Daphne, am a lover of a black-clothed wardrobe. The first half of the book that takes places leading up to and through the "fat camp" was very interesting and exciting to read. The second half of the book (post-"fat camp") slowed down considerably and was a bit more of a push to get through. I do believe the portion of the book about accepting yourself and learning to cope with these negative views is important and well written, but I don't think it needed to take almost half of the book to develop. I was a bit disappointed that there weren't any real ramifications to the "discovery" of what was taking place at "fat camp". Everything seemed a bit too easily solved and neatly taken care of.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to any woman (or anyone, really!) who has ever struggled with their self-worth due to their weight or appearance.
alsoannabanana's review
4.0
I used to get hungry when I watched episodes of Biggest Loser. I felt the same reading Waisted. The premise and storyline kept my attention but I kept confusing the characters so I didn’t connect to them really. I did want them to all have a happy ending so I was invested but not overly so.