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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Fatphobia
when i picked up a mid book expecting it to be mid and it was mid. good stuff. and then i cried. this was NOT a laughing matter. deeply serious to me
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really wanted to love this book. But sadly, I didn’t. There are definitely great aspects - the body positivity, the happy romance, the strong friendships, and the overall message. But then there are parts that completely missed the mark.
After my own PCOS diagnosis, I was excited to read about a fellow cyster. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was looking for, but I know it wasn’t this. It’s not just the way birth control is presented (which, let’s be honest, only masks the symptoms rather than addressing the root cause), but even more so Rory’s complete disregard for her own health.
We need books that truly support and empower us on this complicated journey - not ones that seem like they will, only to fall short in the end.
After my own PCOS diagnosis, I was excited to read about a fellow cyster. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was looking for, but I know it wasn’t this. It’s not just the way birth control is presented (which, let’s be honest, only masks the symptoms rather than addressing the root cause), but even more so Rory’s complete disregard for her own health.
We need books that truly support and empower us on this complicated journey - not ones that seem like they will, only to fall short in the end.
This book was so of a time, and not necessarily a good time, which makes it wild that it was written in 2020 and not like in 2005.
Me describing the plot will tell you all you need to know.
Rory, is plus-size. She's not comfortable with this because her helicopter mother (who is also a health teacher at her high school no less) is constantly on her to lose weight for her health. Icing on the cake is finding out she has PCOS. Needless to say that Rory feels diminished in life.
Everything comes to a head, when Rory is facing some classic bullying. She tries something new and sticks up for herself. Things escalates and Rory's solution to being criticised for her weight (her outward appearance) is to agree to a bet. That she can get the quarterback to ask her to the homecoming dance. For freedom! Let that awful irony sink in. Rory, feeling awful for being valued based on her outward appearance, decides to drag an innocent party into a bet, based on his outward appearance. Mmhmm. And she doesn't even realise this is like a big no go zone until (full spoilers) she's in a relationship with him down the home stretch of the book.
She's supported in her quest by other curvy girls who feel that this is an important goal to go after. That for all curvy girls out there, they have to stalk, violate privacy laws, and manipulate this innocent (I'll keep saying it) party. Because. This is where I was immediately off side. Because your issues are not more important than other people. And going through things does not give you the right to do whatever you want to other people.
Beckett (the said innocent party) falls for Rory, Rory falls in love with him (I haven't even mentioned how cringey this book was) and realises she's messed up. It all comes to a light and things work out (I guess). And even though lessons were learned, I still couldn't get over the core premise of this book.
Cringeyness aside, the irony of making a bet around someone else's life based on purely superficial reasons as a response to someone judging you on appearances only is just an extra level of absurdness. While there were some strong and powerful notes on friendship and self esteem and parenting, the tone always skewed on jusst the wrong side of immature for me to be a big fan. I did finish it though, and I will try more in the series (hopefully we have some different notes) so it wasn't bad bad just not my preference.
Me describing the plot will tell you all you need to know.
Rory, is plus-size. She's not comfortable with this because her helicopter mother (who is also a health teacher at her high school no less) is constantly on her to lose weight for her health. Icing on the cake is finding out she has PCOS. Needless to say that Rory feels diminished in life.
Everything comes to a head, when Rory is facing some classic bullying. She tries something new and sticks up for herself. Things escalates and Rory's solution to being criticised for her weight (her outward appearance) is to agree to a bet. That she can get the quarterback to ask her to the homecoming dance. For freedom! Let that awful irony sink in. Rory, feeling awful for being valued based on her outward appearance, decides to drag an innocent party into a bet, based on his outward appearance. Mmhmm. And she doesn't even realise this is like a big no go zone until (full spoilers) she's in a relationship with him down the home stretch of the book.
She's supported in her quest by other curvy girls who feel that this is an important goal to go after. That for all curvy girls out there, they have to stalk, violate privacy laws, and manipulate this innocent (I'll keep saying it) party. Because. This is where I was immediately off side. Because your issues are not more important than other people. And going through things does not give you the right to do whatever you want to other people.
Beckett (the said innocent party) falls for Rory, Rory falls in love with him (I haven't even mentioned how cringey this book was) and realises she's messed up. It all comes to a light and things work out (I guess). And even though lessons were learned, I still couldn't get over the core premise of this book.
Cringeyness aside, the irony of making a bet around someone else's life based on purely superficial reasons as a response to someone judging you on appearances only is just an extra level of absurdness. While there were some strong and powerful notes on friendship and self esteem and parenting, the tone always skewed on jusst the wrong side of immature for me to be a big fan. I did finish it though, and I will try more in the series (hopefully we have some different notes) so it wasn't bad bad just not my preference.
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
To say this book destroyed me would be an understatement! I totally cried my eyes out relating to the MC. I know this is geared towards a younger audience, but this 41 year old has purchased the whole series.