Spoilers Ahead: 

A lovely Young Adult book, one that I would definitely recommend to everyone I know. 

We follow Lily as she’s being bullied because of her weight. She’s fat-shamed, and the bullying is physical as well as mental. Her dad wants to help her stand up for herself, so takes her boxing. She pushes herself to do better and better. Aidan Vain, the main bully, is the one who attacks her, but she finally hits him, and stands up for herself. She gets better and better, and even goes to tournaments. She meets a girl called Rosie, and they fall in love. Things start to get a little more bearable, and she starts to enjoy life a little more. 

There was so much in this book that I loved. The representation of mental health, body shaming, LGBTQ+ (imagine my surprise when she kissed Rosie?!? I had an inkling, but I was so excited!!!!) and also bullying. I think it was a beautiful book to read, perfect for anyone going through high school. Some parts are awful to read in this book - not the writing itself, but the content, because it hit very close to home. It felt like I was reading an extract from my childhood, I understood every word. I wasn’t that badly bullied for my weight, but I still get the comments, the looks when you start eating, the constant dieting and trying to hide yourself in long cardigans… it’s sad to read about, but also quite refreshing to know that other people go through it too, and you’re not alone. It’s a real reality check, also. To sum it up, it’s a short and simple read, it’s in a verse novel so it’s oddly poetic, it’s a moving story about a girl working on herself and her confidence and becoming the person she wants to be, and I would definitely recommend! 

First off, I want you to pay attention to my trigger warnings. This book was amazing but it is a hard read, my lovelies. Please take care of yourselves.

Second, wow this book was a surprise. I didn't know it was written in verse and is basically narrative poetry. I listened to it on audiobook and was initially confused by the structure but I quickly got swept up in the story. It really hits the ground running with the story and Lily's struggles. I also adore that Reid never really describes what the characters look like but describes how they make Lily (And us) feel. Because of that, when Lily gets attacked, bullied, and hurt, we hurt along with her. We get paranoid, angry, and bitter along with her and when she gets up, you cheer with her.

I also love how it switches between Lily and her mom, Bernadette, an obese woman with her own trauma and pain. It shows the different ways people hide in a fatphobic world and the different types of strength. Despite how much they want to give up on themselves, they refuse to give up on each other

I also appreciated the different forms of harm. Aidan and Stacie are the very obvious abuse, the words, the jeering, the violence but Molly made me see red. The complacency, the victim blaming and how she talked to Lily but only if no one saw them. Even the little "jokes" from neighbors and strangers.

5 stars but I'm reluctant to recommend it due to how heavy it is. That said, do you want a book about a fat person building their confidence from the bottom without the problematic diet messages, toxic positivity, or stereotypical physical transformation? This is it. 

TW: Blood, violence, bullying, body shaming and fatphobia, medical trauma, physical and emotional abuse, toxic friendship, Homophobia (Particularly against WLW), panic disorders and brief mentions of sexual coercion and suicidal thoughts.