#Fat book reviews

[fatphobiabusters]

Brooms by Jasmine Walls and Teo DuVall

[PHOTO ID: The title Brooms is in white all capital letters set against a night scene with a full moon. The cover features two shoulder up illustrations: one is a biracial woman looking away with long black hair and a large earing, one is a Black woman looking forward with a blue collared shirt and a purple biller har, one smaller shoulder up illustration of a Black man with a white collared shirt.

Two full body illustrations on brooms. One of a Chinese woman riding the broom like a surf board wearing a blue handkerchief, white t shirt and blue skirt the other is a Black woman in a yellow dress with one leg up in a stirrup and one arm out with a glow.

And two waist up illustrations of biracial sisters one in pink with glasses and braids and one in purple with her hair up.

Next to the girl in pink and the woman in yellow are the author, illustrator, letter setter and colorist names, in large text: Jasmine Walls, Teo DuVall then in smaller text: Bex Glendining & Ariana Maher. END ID]

Image from Goodreads

Overall rating: 10/10

I can't do a traditional pro cons list because I can't think of a thing I would have wanted different, outside of topics I cant "review" of course (more on this later). However before we get too far I need to lay out the setting so you know what you are getting into! This is a graphic novel about magic realism set in 1930s Mississippi. It follows women (and two girls) of color and their attempt to make cash doing illegal broom racing to make their lives, well easier for one, but also safer.

This isnt a utopia, magic is woven into the racism of the era. No slurs are used but subtle racism is depicted. There is a hierarchy of legality of who can use magic and what kind. It's a underdog story of solidarity and love, it has that "one last job and we retire" energy. While the young girls learn to harness their magic the police patrol, they are supported by a type of found family along side their blood family.

There is a happy ending I will at least spoil that much.

The blending of era and magic is lovingly crafted. For instance one character, Loretta, works as a laundress, she, like a lot of women in the time and place struggle with money and finds work where she can. Magic here isn't like the cheat code for easy living, she cant just magic the cloths clean and mended. It's a muscle to train and partner with not a deus ex eject button for every little thing. Each character reveals so much yet so little of themselves to us and there is an epiloge of sorts that delights the mind to want more of these characters. So I guess my point is, yes magic but also hardships and I've never seen it done like this before.

So all that said let me pull back on all the other things about this story and answer the question...

Hows the fat rep?: The characters come in many sizes, Loretta seems to be the biggest of her friend group. Her weight is never mentioned, no jokes about how a fat person could ride a broom! She's got a loving husband (no jokes about the size difference!) Billie Mae is the second biggest of the main cast perhaps more musclar than fat but is distinct imo in body shape and build and its my review so...she's different from Loretta, Lor is femme leaning and Billie is butch and here too there are no jokes it's simply a part of her design, shes the only woman on the team to wear pants. There are background and unnamed fat characters! You'd be suprised how hard that is to find.

This is very much a situation where weight is not brought up, it exists as a thing and thats it. And I appreciate that because fat peoples lives shouldn't be all about our weight, we deserve to exist with hobbies and interests and jobs.

Additionally: You might have seen that trend where people list off rep of a book and don't even mention the plot? Well I hope my introduction was enough to cover story and such because this comic has: visible and invisible disability rep, sapphics, a trans main character, and remember how I gushed about unnamed characters? There's also physical disabilities. The attention to detail while designing otherwise nameless characters is appreciated.

My limits as a reviewer:

I can't say if there good enough representation for Black women btw. For me this was obvious but I'm adding it just in case.

A main character is Deaf and due to the limitations of the medium the artist and writer had to imply signs. Consideration for the eye line of this character is given, she will bump and nudge people to turn towards her so she can read lips. I cannot say if this is a good compromise or not.

The issue of cultural appropriation could be had. It is mentioned that the author worked with the language experts from the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and in story residential schools are mentioned and briefly depicted. Was this respectful or enough research I cannot say.

You mighy find additional concern with the trans rep, it is mentioned that an outside source was consulted to bring authenticity. Related, a person was consulted about the Cantonese depicted. Was this enough I cannot say.

Individuals will each have their own feelings about own voices vs researched stories. There's no one perfect answer but I can only provide the info that's in the book to help you make informed decisions.

On Goodreads

[whilereadingandwalking]

What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon is a must-read. For everyone. It reframes our conversations about weight stigma, fatness, and the lies we've been told about weight.

Fat people's very existence is seen as damaging. Our fatness is on us, and so it's not society's problem when we are harassed, uncomfortable, insulted. This is despite scientific evidence that people are not in control of their body weight, that diets do not work and can actually damage metabolism permanently, and that the fight against childhood obesity does little except increase weight stigma. In this book, Gordon unpacks the myths, how they set up a hierarchy of bodies, and how these things might be able to change with concerted effort by both fat and "straight-size" people.

I have so much to say about this brilliantly written book, but mostly, I just feel less alone after reading this book. I am "small/mid-fat," still able to find my size at least in some stores, experiencing discomfort and prejudice but not outright barred from access or subjected to straight abuse. I experience a small thrill every time my blood pressure is perfect, because 9 out of 10 nurses give me a look of surprise when it is. I have been told that "it wouldn't hurt to eat better and exercise often" about a sinus infection. I have had flight attendants argue with me when I tell them I need a seatbelt extender because they find it hard to believe I'm "that big." I have been crammed into dresses that are too small for me and reassured that I am not "big enough to need an 18," even as I insist that's my size. I have watched loved ones laugh at fat suit jokes or movies where the joke is that a fat person thinks she's deserving of desire. And I'm a size 18–20. I have only scratched the surface of what fat people face.

This book is full of things that I didn't know about the depth and complexity and realities of weight stigma in this country. It made me feel furious, validated, and seen. I think everyone should read this book and hope Gordon's work helps us progress forward in the fight for true body justice.

Content warnings for weight stigma, sexual assault/harassment.

[blackxlesbianxstanacc]

I’m late to the party but there’s finallyyyyyy a book for the fat Black Lesbians 🥹💜 As a Lesbian Muslimah, Kris has my entire freaking heart. I hate that I’m almost at the end of the story. If anyone knows more Black lesbian literature please let me know! I’ll love you forever <3

p.s. I’m thinking about uploading a little book review…we’ll see 🦑 ~

[franticvampirereads]

This was such a lovely read. I love both Lauren and Alex to the moon and back. They met each other on some of their worst days and helped build each other back up through banter and flirting and simply getting to know who the other was. I really appreciated that we had the representation of Lauren being burnt out from a job that she loved and the dread of trying to figure out what’s next. I also really appreciated the ADHD rep we got in Alex. It was just so nice to see them dealing with their issues together and finding solutions that worked for them. I think this is one of those books that will stick with me for a while. It’s getting a solid five stars and it might be my favorite of the series so far.

[biandlesbianliterature]

For Nerdy Queer Teens Past and Present

Cass is a fat, nerdy queer teenager who is obsessed with a book series and roleplays as one of the characters in an online community. I was a fat nerdy queer teen who was obsessed with a book series and roleplayed in an online community! She’s a chronic overthinker, I’m a chronic overthinker. Needless to say, I cared a lot about Cass and felt protective of her while reading.

The chapters are interspersed with roleplay scenes, which might not work for everyone, but was very nostalgic for me, and they nicely complemented what was happening in Cass’s AFK world.

It was also nice to read about a main character who is so confident both in being fat and being a lesbian, especially as a teenager. There still aren’t many examples of that in media.

While there are a lot of elements to this story, including family as well as romance, it was the friendships that stood out to me, and how seriously they’re taken. They’re often messy and imperfect, but they’re also so important to Cass, and they can be unexpected and beautiful even when they’re messy.

I highly recommend this for nerdy queer teens and those who once were nerdy queer teens—though I’m sure lots of other readers would enjoy it, too.

Out of Character by Jenna Miller was reviewed at the Lesbrary

[mermaidsirennikita]

Fat Heroines in M/F Romance: Quick Recs

For no particular reason, a few books I love where the heroine is described as fat/plus-sized/whatever, may or may not experience weight-related insecurities, but never loses weight and is always seen as super hot, not the girl who just escaped his notice until she glowed up, by the hero.

(I will add that I've definitely read many more books with this kind of rep, but it isn't always as explicit, and I wanted it to be super clear. And I'll probably add on to this later.)

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean. Callie is very clearly fat, and she does long for Ralston from afar... but largely because she was a literal teenager when she first noticed him, and he doing grown man shit with grown women. Once she's in his notice, he is obsessed, and is super worshipful of her body. Never has a man been more upset that a woman bound her breasts; he is PERSONALLY offended. He must heal them! With his mouth!

Brazen and the Beast by Sarah MacLean. Noteworthy for featuring a plus size model on the cover and stepback. Hattie is a total babe, Whit is absolutely about it from the moment he wakes tied up in her carriage, and she ties him up some more after that! I also really love the degree to which Hattie is embraced as a beautiful, vivacious woman who throws this man for a loop.

The Brown Sisters Trilogy by Talia Hibbert. All the Brown sisters are plus size, it's on the cover, and they fall into their own unique love stories. Personally, Act Your Age, Eve Brown is my favorite, but they're all very good.

*Get a Life, Chloe Brown features a heroine who has suffered from chronic pain all her life (and as a TW, the hero is coming off a relationship with an abusive ex-girlfriend) trying to get the most out of life after sitting on the sidelines for years

*Take A Hint, Dani Brown features a queer, witchy heroine and a hero who suffers from anxiety (plus the rare interracial romance with no white people) embarking on a fake relationship after being caught in a compromising situation

*Act Your Age, Eve Brown features two leads who are both on the spectrum as our heroine attempts to "grow up" and ends up ruffling allll the hero's feathers (also, a purply sparkly dildo is utilized super effectively)

All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne. Unfortunately not reflected super well on the cover (though it is a beautiful cover otherwise) this book has a heroine who is fat, loves food, and is loved by a giant Scottish motherfucker who watches her eat chocolate and is like "this is the greatest trial God has ever bestowed upon me".

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone. Heroine is a fat porn star with what is essentially an OnlyFans; she wants to break into vanilla cinema, and gets cast in a Hallmark-style Christmas movie opposite a formerly famous boy bander... who of course, is a BIIIIIG fan of her work. Also, bisexuality galore!

The Truth About Cads and Dukes by Elisa Braden. Our heroine considers herself plain, as does much of society; the hero is NEVER about that life. Before they're even engaged, she goes on a spiel about how he wouldn't understand her inner thoughts unless he's been inside her, and he does have a sadly aroused coughing fit.

Possession by Adriana Anders. Heroine and hero are actors in a PR marriage of convenience, with the specific stipulation that they won't have sex; and then he gets caught fucking a woman on camera, who looks just! Like! Her! Heroine's size is very clear; she's also Latina, and the hero is pansexual. She follows him to ~kink camp~ and they discover that they're actually quite! Compatible! One of the hottest books I've ever read, so body-affirming.

[lightthewaybackhome]

Nourishing Fats: Why We Need Animal Fats for Health and Happiness by Sally Fallon Morell My rating: 5 of 5 stars I have been working towards incorporating good fats back into our diet for several years now, but it's always been lower on the totem pole due to symptoms of my chronic health issues taking the spotlight. Without realizing it, I accidentally put my family on a low-fat, high-carb diet. I was seeing improvement in some areas of my health, but I was still having issues, while my husband was getting worse and worse. I don't remember exactly when I decided to get this book. My dad switched up his eating habits and we started talking about fats. It was also being discussed in my broader homemaker community. Either way, I decided to move fats higher up in priority and this book was part of that. I knew in my gut that something wasn’t right with our eating, and I had an intuitive sense that I wanted to incorporate tallow and such into our diet. I started reading this book and it was like looking in a mirror at many of the health issues I and my husband have been struggling with. We long ago gave up margarine because it always kinda freaked me out, but while I had ejected the bad fats, we weren’t eating enough of the good stuff. This book helped me see that we need more animal fats in our diet and why. I started upping our butter, tallow, and bacon grease. Guess what? My husband’s irritating little health issues started to fade, and my chronic health issues started to ease off drastically. We’ve both lost weight, and my husband kicked his sugar addiction without any side effects. I haven’t felt this physically solid since my chronic health issues started almost 10 years ago. I truly wish I had focused on fats in my early twenties. I probably wouldn’t have developed chronic health issues at all or I would have recovered faster. So, if you need some help on why you and your family may be struggling with your health, if you would like to eat more butter, if you would like to understand why it seems that the diet trends wobble back and forth every few years, if you would like to distrust every piece of low-fat propaganda, the government, and the medical systems, and if you would like to improve the life of those you love read this book. It will show you the lies we’ve been fed, explain the rise of mental health issues, chronic health issues, and infertility, and help you get back on the right path. View all my reviews

[youbutstupid]

Hi and I’m bored so here are 5 books that honestly changed me

1. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi: this story follows the lineage of 2 sisters as they are separated at birth. It goes through the family tree from how they went from the tribes in Africa over a century ago to modern day America. My favourite book ever and it’s written so gorgeously

2. Olive by Emma Gannon: it follows a woman and her friend group from University; as everyone in her group is going their separate ways and living their adult lives, Olive feels as though she isn’t catching up. It’s a really empowering read as it goes through her journey of trying to navigate adulthood

3. Rosewater by Liv Little: this was only published in 2023 and it reads so gorgeously. In this story we follow Elsie, a poet who is estranged from her family in London. It’s a very sex positive book that also allows us to have an insight into Elsie’s journey of navigating her late 20s as a gay, black woman trying to not give up on her dreams

4. The Fat Lady Sings by Jacqueline Roy: this was the book that got me back into reading when I was 19 and it is such a stunning book. The story follows two different perspectives of two women in a psychiatric hospital in the UK; first we have Gloria, a middle aged black, gay woman trying to live her life as a free spirit, but she keeps being let down by the system, and Merle, a young woman having to face her trauma. Together they discover that the faults lie within the system and they can’t let their spirits be crushed

5. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo: I’m not an easy crier, but this book made me sob. Set in Chinatown in San Francisco during the Red Scare, a teenage girl called Lily attempts to explore her sexuality whilst attempting to hide it from her family. This book is so gorgeously written and honestly left me thinking about it for days after I had read it

[quirkycatsfatstacks]

Blog Tour & Review: Beginning of Arrogance

Book Summary: Paladins are known for causing problems – at least, that is true in this realm. Their stories reach far and wide, which shakes up the normal balance of power and worship. This is great news for the average person but a growing concern for the novels. Enter Krell. He’s been called to serve on ReckNor, and those already in power aren’t too thrilled about this decision. They know the…

[whilereadingandwalking]

Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia by Kate Manne is an excellent book about fatphobia and all the ways it has us in a stranglehold. Manne pulls apart philosophical and moral arguments that being fat is intrinsically wrong or something that society has the right to condemn, all in an accessible, readable way. She proposes body reflexivity, an alternative to body positivity/neutrality that allows us to feel good and bad about our bodies at our own discretion without judgment.

Her philosophical arguments were powerful (and dare I say, healing). There are many arguments that there is something unhealthy and immoral about being fat, and that as such, society has a right if not a duty to help. She proves that this is not the case. A crucial part of her argument: there is no morally acceptable, safe, reliable way to get fat people thin. Because of this, society cannot demand change from fat people. She also argues that even if fat was bad for our health, society allows and accommodates plenty of mediated risks that people take despite it being bad for their health, from drinking to skydiving to motorcycles.

In addition, she shows that science has no definitive proof that being fat itself is bad for your health, showing that the causation links between weight and diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and much more are currently being debated. She shows that dieting and the weight cycling that comes with it, has been proven to be more unhealthy than simply being fat. She pulls apart related issues like what made our culture so disdainful of fatness, its intersections with rape culture, racism, and homophobia, and the horrid ways our culture discriminates against fat people, especially fat girls.

Unshrinking is a powerful and necessary book, and I recommend it to anyone who's felt uncomfortable about fatphobia but didn't know how to put it into words. It also gives helpful insights into how to raise children without them internalizing fatphobia, how to pull apart your own internalized fatphobia, and how to move forward.

Content warnings for discussions of suicidal ideation, fatphobia, racism, anti-Semitism, misogyny, sexual assault.

[franticvampirereads]

Spoiler Alert was an absolute delight to read!It’s a love letter to fat girls and fandom. I loved it so, so much. This is one of those books that I wish I could just curl up between the pages and never leave. It was filled with so love for fandom and fanfic culture that I felt right at home. It was also one of those books were I actually felt seen. As someone who is fat, I loved getting to see April, a fat girl, find love and be accepted for who she is and not have someone try to change the way she looks. It was just so nice. And Marcus was an absolute sweetheart! He was so understanding and protective of April. It was just swoon-worthy! 😊

I think I might have found a new auto-buy author. This book had me feeling all the feels, and I honestly can’t wait to pick up the next book. Spoiler Alert is getting five out of five stars!

[oracleofmania]

Manhunt

Content warning because this book has transphobia, TERFS, the apocalypse, death, and so much more

So I've been reading more for fun and I just finished Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin. And ooh boy it's a fantastic doozy.

There are these echoes of Margret Atwoods Oryx and Crake throughout the novel, Robbie wearing a Red Sox hat, Pigs at the Screw, and the question that T-day occurred on purpose. It acts as a queer re-imagining of Atwoods world or perhaps ideas in that way: a society confined by the illusion and pastiche of the simulacra. This is especially highlighted in the TERF society as they cannot imagine a world where there is no hierarchy of privilege.

I also enjoyed the characters. Robbie was my favorite surprisingly: his self-imposed isolation and poorer background struck a chord with me, and the line "Lord make me a man" is a haunting echo that replays in my head. The other characters are delightful as well and FAT REP!!! INDI IS FAT AND SHE DOESN'T LOSE THE WEIGHT! I have never been so happy for this even if it is a deeply dark novel.

Spoilers:

A few major character death hurt or hit me in some way.

Feather saying "I want my Daddy" before getting shot. They were trying to survive only to be fucking dehumanized, and unable to be saved because Ramona (a member of the TERF army) is too cowardly to do so.

Sophie despite being a terrible person still had this sting of pain. She falls from her own twisted ideals of family and love because she kept her man alive despite the fact that he's turned into a beast. I'm not saying I truly sympathize with her or like her, I detested her throughout the novel, but in this moment I was reminded of how desperate she was to try and create a family.

Fran dying destroyed me and I still haven't gotten over it. I cried terribly because she didn't deserve it at fucking all. Yet her death shows the true power of the existence of being queer: our deaths consolidate our identity and our remberence of our impacts on the world. It was beautiful that it ends on Beth laying next to her corpse before burial remembering that Fran was the one that helped her realize that she was trans. That their love was Sapphos ideal.

I'm telling you to please read this book. It's disgusting and very explicit but that's what makes it so fucking good.

[themslash]

ok. my longer thought. ive been on a kick of acquiring but never reading (my ongoing months long reading draught...) oldhead sci fi books. for the back half of the year. and with the alex ries artbook kickstarter out, and me looking into older works in the genre, and generally floating around in an environment where i read or listen to others' reviews of books i'll never read, good or bad, there's this sense of vague joy i feel for the versatility of art. even within seeminfly restricted parameters of a defined genre, there are so many ways to take it. people care about different things. 2 people building their seemingly similar spec evo projects skewing towards high scientific accuracy show their hand and their heart in what they choose to focus on. there's this guy i follow who does a spec evo youtube project with no interest in creating sapients for that project. smth a lot of people in the space gravitate towards. an imaginary planet with a meticulous biosphere without sophonts. the oldhead books ive been looking to crack into with all their heavy space politics focus. everything to do with the three body problem. my beloved robot mental illness books. the books my friends love but drove me insane. everything compelling i still think about all the time nestled in books i didnt care for or straight up hated. idk. people's fingerprints are all over the stuff fhey create. its preddy cool.

[atthequillsmercy]

Lenni Reviews: "Shrink: Story of a Fat Girl", by Rachel M. Thomas

(Image Source) *This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Rachael Thomas tells the story of how it has felt to live in a fat body through her young life and her weight loss journey. I love how the art works with the words. This is what makes graphic novel biographies so interesting to me. The medium really lends itself to evoking emotions that perhaps wouldn’t have come through…

[realpleasantavenue]

Rao's Restaurant in the 1930's on Pleasant Avenue in Italian harlem

Rao's Restaurant today on Pleasant Avenue in Italian harlem

Excerpt from "Pleasant Avenue: The Way It Was" by Daniel Golio

I would often see big black cars lined up on the street with drivers waiting outside. The restaurant had only 10 or so tables, so the drivers would get “Takeout” Sometimes they would give the street kids like me a dollar to get the food for them. I mean it was difficult for even some of the wise guys to get a table. I remember this one time when the restaurant was turned upside down. Wise guys would come to the restaurant and leave without eating.

Apparently, Fat Tony Salerno was tired of not getting a table on a daily basis so he decided to kidnap Rao’s chef so he could enjoy his favorite Italian dishes daily, but after a sit down with the five families, Fat Tony returned the chef to Rao’s …

Check out “Pleasant Avenue: The Way It Was” by Daniel Golio. Known as Italian Harlem the real little Italy was on Pleasant Avenue. The origins of the Mafia, fat Tony Salerno and the beginnings of Italian immigration in New York . - Click Here

or get the KINDLE EDITION FREE - CLICK HERE

[willmarstudios]

Bookworm Will Review 2024 (#22 )

Title: 'Fat and Queer'

Author: Bruce Owens Grimm, Miguel M. Morales and Tiff Joshua TJ Ferentini

Rating: 4 / 5

Review: (MILD SPOILERS)

It would be redundant to say that every story written was poetry (because some of them were actually poems), but everyone's story hit me like a truck. I ate these stories up and felt so many emotional aspects of myself be triggered (that usually only happens during my therapy sessions), at first a bit too hard, however the more you read the more heartwarming these aspects became. These were raw and real relationships shared between the authors and their bodies.

These voices spanned a variety of subject matters showing the readers that acceptance doesn't have one look. Its in the way we wear clothing, seek out physical pleasure (both vanilla and kinky), overcoming hardships and so many additional ways that we can appreciate our true authentic selves. Reading them brought me back to my own struggles with body image and acceptance where I wanted to sit and reflect. It was uncomfortable, but necessary. Necessary to reflect and re-establish the love and support that a lot of use have chosen to neglect and forego just to "fit in".

Overall a truly emotional read!