Search This Blog
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (11)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (2)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (3)
- Georgia (3)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (4)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (9)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (4)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (2)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Argentina (1)
- Australia (3)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (2)
- England (25)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (2)
- Russia (2)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Thursday, December 09, 2021
Body-Positive YA Horror Novel Hilarious and Powerful
7:24 AM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Vivian Ellenshaw knows she's overweight. She also knows it doesn't matter. The teen is comfortable with who she is—a smart, funny, athletic soccer star—and with how she looks (even if her plus-size body bothers her mother and her new stepdad). Vee is not exactly thrilled, then, when her parents decide she needs to spend her winter break at a weight-loss camp. She's even less enthusiastic when she realizes who's going to be accompanying her on the van ride to Flagstaff: Allison DuMonde, her former BFF. Although the camp van driver is a hot college student, a definite plus, Vee is not happy about the situation, which seems to be getting worse by the second.
Things get sketchier the closer they get to Camp Featherlite. Not only is a severe storm warning in place for northern Arizona, but also the campers are forced to give up their phones and computers. Then, they're pushed to eat disgusting diet bars that are supposed to be a miracle cure for obesity and they're put into lockdown immediately upon arrival because someone got lost in the forest. Speaking of the woods, there's something out there and it is most certainly not a bear. When Vee realizes what it is—thin, athletic camper-zombies—she's horrified. Suddenly, fat camp survival has taken on a whole new meaning. Can Vee, Allison, and their motley crew of new friends take on a horde of skinny, slavering zombies, despite their weighty limitations? Chances of getting out of Camp Featherlite alive may be slim, but Vee knows she and her squad are much more—stronger, smarter, abler—than they seem. It will take all that and more to defeat the monsters that prey on them, both inside and outside of camp.
I've been looking forward to reading Eat Your Heart Out, the newest YA novel from local Arizona author Kelly deVos, ever since I heard about it. It's got a fun premise (with a hard-core message behind it) that just makes me laugh. The set-up is unique, the characters are likable, and the action is pretty much non-stop from the get-go. Although the book is gory and sad (in places), it's also surprisingly upbeat and funny. Most of all, it's an empowering, body-positive novel that smashes stereotypes and reminds us all that everyone is more than what their outward appearances might suggest. I could have done without the constant F-bombs blasting all over the place, but otherwise, I enjoyed this entertaining read and its many powerful messages.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of Starfish by Lisa Fipps [sans zombies])
Grade:
4 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
-
Stacking The Shelves4 hours ago
-
-
Secrets of Swanfield House by Elayne Grimes6 hours ago
-
There There by Tommy Orange7 hours ago
-
-
Book Deals for a Weekend in November16 hours ago
-
-
-
Beach or mountains?22 hours ago
-
Sunday Post 5571 day ago
-
96. Out of My Dreams1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
The Listeners2 days ago
-
A Couple of short(ish) reviews2 days ago
-
-
-
-
A Quiet Teacher by Adam Oyebanji3 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Open for Murder by Mary Angela2 weeks ago
-
-
-
Reading Recap September 20241 month ago
-
Ten Characters Who Redeemed Themselves2 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I3 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus4 months ago
-
-
The Music of 2024: Q24 months ago
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ▼ 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
Zombies at a weight loss camp sounds like it could be a fun read! I do like that there are body-positive messages since this is a topic that feels like of the shamings that still needs to be tackled in literature.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun book, so glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI recently finished Starfish and loved it. I am a big zombie fan, so I this is right up my alley. Loved this review!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a fun concept!
ReplyDelete