A review by bookishballard
Unashamed: Musings of a Fat, Black Muslim by Leah Vernon

emotional funny inspiring fast-paced

5.0

 When I say I devoured this book, I mean I finished it in like..three hours. I've followed @lvernon2000 for awhile because of her ferocious fat acceptance stance, as well as her being a proud Muslim woman (I'm constantly learning about other religions and/or cultures- especially ones I'm lacking exposure to). Vernon has written something so crushingly vulnerable and beautiful that I was legitimately stunned after a few of the essays. This is one of those collections that makes you fully aware of how much work the individual put into themselves, and how beautifully the outcome has been. Not that there's any saccharine sweetness or unrealistic happy endings here, Vernon is brutally honest about the challenges she's still having to navigate, but overall, I get the vibe that she is a much stronger woman than her previous selves.
I guess it mainly felt like a lil piece of proof that alllll the hard work you put in on making yourself your best self, and saying fuck off to all those who would hold you down, DOES pay off.
[Picture ID: the cover of Leah Vernon's book "Unashamed: Musings of a Fat, Black Muslim" is laying on a background of green fuzzy blanket]