School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up-Colby is fat, and her family never lets her forget it. Her family appears perfect on the outside-politician father, beauty-queen mother, two perfect sisters. Her father is in the midst of an important campaign when Colby accidentally discovers a photograph of him with another woman. Once her father's affair and misuse of campaign money are exposed to the media, the image her family has tried to maintain is destroyed. After her father abandons them, Colby, her sisters, and their mother have no choice but to move into a trailer behind her estranged aunt's house in Texas, and the family blames her for their misfortune. The teen must now struggle to survive in a community in which everyone hates her not only for her appearance or for what her father did, but for her very existence. Fehlbaum focuses on many of the issues that teenagers deal with today: body-image shaming, eating disorders, domestic violence, bullying, rape, depression, victim blaming, and suicide. Colby's story can be emotionally upsetting and frustrating; at times it seems as if she cannot catch a break. This book is best suited for mature readers.-Annalise Ammer, City of Rochester Public Libraries, NY (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Colby has always struggled with being overweight, but when she accidentally sabotages her father's political career, she succumbs to binge eating in earnest. Her mother's disdain for her grows along with her pants size until (horrifying) internet bullying pushes her to the brink of suicide. Readers will celebrate as Colby bravely confronts her emotions and considers new choices in this touching, believable story. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Colby's life as the heavy daughter of a disapproving former Miss Texas beauty queen is difficult enough, but it gets worse very quickly once she discovers a photo of her politician father kissing another woman. She and her mother and little sister move to a trailer in a tiny Texas community. She has an agonizing first day of school crammed into blue jeans so tight that she needs a coat hanger to pull the zipper upand then she discovers that her cousin made a video of her trying to get into her jeans, which gets posted to Facebook. Colby copes with each terrible event the way she always has, with huge amounts of sweets followed by shame, and spirals ever deeper into depression. Readers experience the events through Colby's present-tense narration, hearing her perceptive take on people: "Mom does that: She nods and smiles even when she thinks the person speaking is full of shit." Fehlbaum draws a razor-sharp picture of Colby's judgmental grandparents, her quirky teachers and, most of all, Colby herself and her terrifying mother, who can't empathize at all. When Colby finally gets help at the end from a therapist and others, Fehlbaum makes it clear that her road ahead will be long and hard. Colby's experiences, while extreme, ring true, and the fast pace, lively and profane dialogue, and timely topic make it a quick and enjoyable read. (Fiction. 12-16)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
