3.75-4 stars

I liked but didn’t love this fun, magical, witchy road trip adventure. It was full of a mix of characters/identities and settings and explored some relevant issues, such as body/image issues, social/peer conflicts, and difficult relationships with parents. The overall plot lost me once or twice, but that was my issue more than the book’s, I think. It was a good story that I mostly enjoyed, and I wish I would have explored it sooner.

This a cute little summer read! If you love witchy banter, and friendships, this is the book for you!

I really enjoyed the found family aspect and the setting in summer worked really well.
the complicated relationship with the mother is a feeling I think most teenage girls will understand and relate to.
Honestly a really fun book and I can not wait to see what else Ives brings out.

Imagine being born with a Gift that is unlike the rest. As a 16 year old witch, Thrash and her friends are nearly to the age of adulthood and feel the pressure of their parents wants for them. They decide to “break the rules” and go on one big adventure. Who knew what kind of adventure they would get into.

This book is a YA fantasy full of heart and a bit of romance, friendship, and growing up sprinkled within..

I LOVE this cover, and the story didn’t disappoint. This story was cute and the magic system was fun. It’s a great coming-of-age story with lots of shenanigans. My fav!

I really couldn't connect with this book. I love the cover. I thought it would be a fun light Hearted book for me, but I really couldn't stand the main characters mom. 2 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely beautiful cover. Thrash was relatable but I couldn't really connect wither her as much as I have with MCs in other books. There were a lot of unanswered questions but it was a really fun story overall.

Summer road trips, magic and a heist to boot? Sign me up! This was such a cute, fun book, full of body positivity and light. Highly recommend.

This was an interesting tale of body positivity, slight critique on colonization and cultural appropriation, sisterhood, and familial ties. Thrash is a 16 year old witch who has just discovered her knack. As a result, she will be given one of three gifts, but mothers choose your gift and she suspects Osmarra won't grant her the gift of sight over that of glamour. While working through this, she befriends a group of witches that are known as the Lunes and they embark on a journey to get what they want and find themselves.

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

Such a cute fun summer read filled with body positivity, female friendships and best of all a dash of magic.

A fun, lighthearted Young Adult read with themes of body positivity, friendship, mother/daughter relationships, and sibling relationships. A whimsical blend of common teenage concerns and magical realism.

I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. The downfall was that I requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before the book was archived. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it!

I can't stop thinking about this book. SO fun, SO summer, from a small publisher. I've told everyone I know about this book. I hope this is the first in a series.

I enjoyed this book so much more than I was anticipating. A lighthearted take that'll make you reflect on real world issues.

Well written and easy to follow along.

A body positive witch? Finally! This magical road trip adventure is the stuff of dreams. Us readers obsessed with witchy novels have everything that we could wish for in this one: a supportive female friend group, magic lore, relatable plotlines (acne and a disapproving parent? peak relatability!), and queer rep. This is the kind of book I would've loved to have available when I was an insecure teen. Thrash's adventure is cozy, comforting and full of magic!

Fat Witch Summer is a body positive and witchy lighthearted summer read, which was great! but I failed to understand the magic system and failed to connect with any of the characters. I really wanted to love this!

Thrash thought getting her magical Gift was the biggest deal of the summer. Then her hopes are dashed when her mother chooses the Gift of Glamour, a bad fit for the confident, plus-sized Thrash. When she ends up on an impromptu road trip with the coolest group of witches. They are on a quest to assign themselves Gifts of their own choosing! But on a journey filled with mishaps and mayhem, the witchy quartet learn that the Gifts are not all they thought they were, and exposing this truth might bring on a whole host of enemies they aren't equipped to deal with. A fun read for the summer!

This is such a sweet and inventive coming-of-age story! I can't wait to read future installments of the series--I'm a sucker for stories where the MC unwittingly uncovers a conspiracy. Ives's world building, both in terms of geography and in terms of history/culture, is so creative and bright. Ives also addresses the difficulties of being a teenage girl with such grace and care, and this is incorporated really well into the characterization of each girl and her own backstory. The mother-daughter relationship at the heart of this story (as well as the storyline about grief) is the strongest character arc, in my opinion! I gave this 4/5 stars because I felt the pacing was off--slowwww at first and then so much going on at the end, particularly with big reveals--and because of the dialogue, which didn't always feel natural to me.

This was not the book I expected it to be, but I still had a great time. I expected this book to be a bit cozier and slower, white it was actually more of a high-speed cross country car chase, which I appreciate. While it was a cute, quick story, it also touched on really important themes of friendship and vulnerability. Each of the characters in this book has their own doubts and fears to deal with, and I think this book did a good job of expressing those fears.