Fat Girl on a Plane by Kelly deVos (ARC review)

TITLE: Fat Girl on a Plane

AUTHOR: Kelly deVos

RELEASED: June 5th 2018 by Harlequin Teen

GENRE: YA

“Yeah. There’s fat-shaming everywhere. But it’s up to us what we do with it. I mean come on, Cookie.”

MY THOUGHTS: This is one of the most unique reads ever – taking a look at fat-shaming and other related issues. I loved the side by side telling of the Fat timeline and the Skinny timeline – very original. Cookie is a wonderful, empowering character who is following her dreams and screw anyone who stands in her way! I felt as if I stood next to Cookie throughout the whole novel due to the delightfully quippy narration. This is essentially the story of my life. The struggles Cookie faces are similar to those each of us Roundish creatures face daily. I thoroughly enjoyed her personality and her ability to face the adversity. She does have flaws, of course (this IS a YA novel), but they are totally relatable and realistic.

“Some things just aren’t for sale, Cookie”

When Cookie finally meets one of her biggest idols, she’s unimpressed and, it seems, nearly repulsed by his manner. So, I’m not sure how she winds up caught up with him the way she does. Yes, I read the book and followed her journey…but something was missing for me in the build-up. I just don’t see how she feel into the role so easily. Reminds me a little of Ana and Christian, just less emphasis on their personal life (and no BDSM, that we can tell). I was a little worried about the whole 19 year old in relationship with established businessman to be entirely honest. I’m still not a fan of GM, but it does move the story along and help Cookie develop into who she needs to be, even if I don’t really like it.

“What does it say about life that the gods considered hope a misery?”

Cookie is all of us who have tried yoyo dieting and lifestyle changes that don’t stick, eliminating favourite food items from our menus in favour of losing weight. The whole story is hilariously funny, captivating, and emotional.

“Lydia Moreno is not only the kind of woman I want to be, she’s the kind of woman who makes me want to make clothes.”

AMAZON * GOODREADS * BOOKDEPOSITORY

“I will always be that same fat girl on the plane. The one who knows what it’s like to have people refuse to look you in the face…Well, I’m taking a stand.”

BLURB: From debut author Kelly deVos comes an unforgettable novel, told in dual Fat and Skinny perspectives, about smart fashion, pursuing your dreams, and loving yourself.

High school senior Cookie Vonn’s post-graduation dreams include getting out of Phoenix, attending Parsons and becoming the next great fashion designer. But in the world of fashion, being fat is a cardinal sin. It doesn’t help that she’s constantly compared to her supermodel mother—and named after a dessert.

Thanks to her job at a fashion blog, Cookie scores a trip to New York to pitch her portfolio and appeal for a scholarship, but her plans are put on standby when she’s declared too fat too fly. Forced to turn to her BFF for cash, Cookie buys a second seat on the plane. She arrives in the city to find that she’s been replaced by the boss’s daughter, a girl who’s everything she’s not—ultrathin and superrich. Bowing to society’s pressure, she vows to lose weight, get out of the friend zone with her crush, and put her life on track.

Cookie expected sunshine and rainbows, but nothing about her new life is turning out like she planned. When the fashion designer of the moment offers her what she’s always wanted—an opportunity to live and study in New York—she finds herself in a world full of people more interested in putting women down than dressing them up. Her designs make waves, but her real dream of creating great clothes for people of all sizes seems to grow more distant by the day.

Will she realize that she’s always had the power to make her own dreams come true?