I expected To Be Honest to be just easy summer contemporary read, but it is so much more. It very sweet story of falling in love, finding yourself and independence, but it deal with heavier issues, like body image, eating disorder and mental health. I especially like the the way eating disorder was portrayed, the way it slowly comes into your life and takes over and how it doesn't affect just the person suffering, but also the people who love him/her.

To Be Honest is a story of Savannah's last year in high school. She lives with her mother and sister (her parents divorced). After her sister leaves for collage, she is left alone with mom, but they don’t get along. Those issued get worse with time. After losing weight on show, her mom is determined to keep of weight and that include unwelcome advice to Savannah - All the time. It seems like all conversation between them is about food and it’s extremely relatable. She is trying not to let it get to her. On one of her best-friends family events she meet George, but they don’t get along at first. When she start to tutor him, they get to each other and develop friendship. The romance is slow but incredibly cute. :)

The best thing about the book is watching Savannah's character development, she is pretty amazing. :))

Noteworthy experiences while reading this book:  I have to say that I have mixed feelings about this one.  On one hand I really liked it but on another I kind of thought it was kind of on the boring side.  I guess this one is a take it or leave it book that will have you thinking about it long after you have read it. 







Do I Recommend this book? Yes, I would recommend this one!  If you are looking for something to end out the summer with I would say this would be a good book to check out.  

Notes and Opinions:  This one started really well but after getting into the actual story I thought it was kind of boring. But it covered so much stuff I felt that we didn't get enough of a story about any one issue she was dealing with. I really liked the main character but as I said before I just think that with this book being so short that the author should have chosen one or two things for the character to work on and ran with those vs. the amount that we got.  Becuase it was just an overload and we don't really get to examine anything in any real depth. 

The good things about this little book are the positive body images which this world so needs today.  So many kids and adults are being body shamed and all they have to look to as a role model are tv shows like Insatiable that give a very unrealistic view point to losing weight. 

For this one I really enjoyed what the author was trying to do but the doing just fell flat. 

Go Into This One Knowing: Good Characters, Jumbled Story

I absolutely adored To Be Honest. This YA book has so much REALNESS to it! The characters are immediately lovable and the drama is realistic. It shines a light on body image in teen girls that isn't always talked about. I absolutely adored Maggie Ann Martin's writing and will be looking forward to much more from her in the future! 

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I thought this was going to be one of those oh a boy loves me, I love my figure now. But NOPE! I loved the representation of a girl who is comfortable in her body from the very beginning and didn’t feel the need to have everyone make her feel good. Her mom’s obsession with weight an being “healthy” shows just how all consuming body image can be.

Savannah was a very complex character, and I fell in love with her immediately! I love that she is her own person and has her own beliefs that she doesn’t waver for anyone. She was extremely relatable to me because she suffers from panic attacks as I do. I thought the depiction of her attacks were spot on. I know everyone has different reactions and feelings during them, but I really felt connected to her. I also loved her relationship with her sister, who was more of the peace keeper, while Savannah would try she wasn’t the best at keeping her mouth closed.

I thought this book was just great! There were so many aspects that added to the story. Such as Savvy being on the newspaper, and Goerge playing instruments. I was kept interested the whole book and was kind of sad when it was over, I want more of Savvy and her story.

This book started off strong. I loved the unique storyline going on with the mother and daughters. It was cute and I was really interested but the ending left me feeling let down. I expected more for such a great start and it just didn't hold up. 

That cover though is AMAZING!

What’s nice about To be Honest is that it touches upon so many different themes, while still allowing for a normal contemporary plot. I wanted to read this book because of the weight rep, so let’s start there. One thing I really liked is that To Be Honest addresses different perspectives surrounding weight. It mentions themes like being fat and body positive, fighting haters and body insecurities, and seeing the toxic side of a weight-loss media. I’m all for showing different effects associated with weight in society, both good and bad.  Love yourselves, readers!

I would quickly say that there was so many different topics included that probably could have been explored in more detail, particularly surrounding the consequences of a weight loss obsession. For example, part of me felt that the situation with Savvy’s mum was downplayed slightly towards the end. It was a huge deal yet when I read the ending it gave a vibe that it could all be brushed away and everything is now magically better? I dunno… BUT it was a refreshing experience all the same and this book definitely has some important themes and talking points for the YA audience.

I do love reading about weight in a novel, but there was also loads more going on in To Be Honest. I mean, there’s a strained family relationship, a journalism project subplot, a coming of age and the all important romance. There’s a lot to unpack and, while there could have been more development in a longer book, I think there’s something for most in this contemporary 

Although weight issues can be considered the central theme in this one, I really enjoyed the fact that the main character, Savannah, did a great job at not letting it ‘form’ her. She was much more developed and her life was so much more than the number on the scales. Savannah tried so hard to be body positive in herself and it was even nicer to see that, despite other issues going on in the background, there is still that lovely YA romance at heart  Actually I have to admit, the romance in To Be Honest had to be my favourite part of this book. Also, although her anger/opinionated personality clashed with mine, I did enjoy Savannah as a character!


Speaking of characters, there were some real winners in To Be Honest. Firstly Maggie Ann Martin has included a fair bit of diversity in her novel. Savvy is fat and suffers with anxiety/panic attacks, her sister Ashley is queer and both Grace and George are Colombian. I can’t say for sure about the anxiety rep (although other reviews have said how good this was), but it is so nice to see the other elements inserted into the story so naturally. It was normal didn’t feel forced, which is exactly how all YA should be.

I wont talk about Savvy’s mum as she does have a key plot role and I don’t want to give anything away to you lovely readers. But sister Ashley was a lovely character. You can see she is really caring and helpful whenever she can, and I completely understand Savvy’s concerns about having her best friend and older sister leave the nest to go to college.

Grace was such a good, wholesome friend and it was so nice to have this in a YA contemporary! I can’t get over how wonderful she was; her personality was amazing and I love how she was so considerate to Savannah. She was so genuine and thoughtful, definite friend goals 

And George- oh my gosh! He is such a sweetie, and I love how he and Savannah interacted!  There were so many cliché blunders, but I adored their friendship/relationship. It felt natural (no clear insta-love here) and I was rooting for them all the way. I was so happy when things started to look up for them both~ SO CUTE!


In general I think To Be Honest is a lovely read. I am slightly biased as I do like reading weight-related stories, but I think my favourite part of this story is that the good and bad weight issues are woven into a more general romance contemporary, with some family drama mixed in. The romance was super cute, and I loved seeing its progression. I think some parts could have done with a bit more development to give it more clout, but all in all this was a great read with some important messages. I hope I haven’t rambled too much, but To Be Honest is definitely worth giving it a try yourself~

This book is another testament that sometimes you can indeed judge a book by its cover. When I saw the cover of this one, I just KNEW I would love it. And of course I did. From the characters to the romance, this was just my type of book.
     Savannah has just dropped off her big sister in college and is starting a life with just her weight loss addicted mother, all in time for her senior year. But then she meets her best friend's cousin, George, and things instantly get more interesting. As they grow closer, both Savannah learns more about herself and what makes her happy.
     One of my favorite things about this book was Savannah. She had such a great attitude towards everything that was happening and I was impressed. At 17 I don't think I would have been able to handle all of that happening while still juggling school, my sister leaving, and everything else. This book solidifies my thoughts that teens are some of the strongest people because they deal with so much more than what people think.
     I also liked the way the author handled the fat and anxiety rep. The anxiety attack depicted was enough for me to put the book down for a bit because I felt the realness and rawness of it. I was not expecting have that much of a connection with Savannah and her character. And the fat rep was definitely something I felt. Not really as a teen, but those ideas are still valid now that I'm an adult. It was also interesting to finally see a book that showed a parent with the eating disorder and how being your true self and being who you are is so much more healthy than not. I'm not sure I've read anything like that yet and it was definitely a nice surprise. 
     The one thing I didn't care for, was the story. I loved that Savannah was a  journalist and I loved that she found her own way instead of following Ashley throughout the story. I would've liked to see what college she picked and more about her journalism career depicted. I also would have loved to see more of the things that happened with her mom afterwards. Had that been more shown in the book I think I would have given this a full five stars. 
    This book was on my radar as soon ass I found out about it. And the cover made me love it more. I can't wait for more body positivity books to come out. This one is definitely one of my favorites now. You can be sure this is one I will pass along to others.

Title:   To Be Honest
Author:   Maggie Ann Martin
Genre:   YA
Rating:   4.5 out of 5

Savannah’s sister is her best friend, but she’s going away to college and leaving Savannah alone with their mom, who’s become overbearing and food-and-exercise-obsessed since her stint on an extreme weight-loss reality show. She’s especially obsessed with Savannah’s food choices and weight, but Savannah just wants to get through her senior year and join her sister at college.

Savvy isn’t worried about her weight. She’s worried about her classes, the journalistic expose she’s working on about some questionable athletic recruiting practices at school, and George.

George is the cute new guy who has some problems of his own. As Savvy tries to help him, they grow closer, and George stands by her even when her mom’s helicoptering gets out of control. But more than their families stand in the way of George and Savvy, and they’ll have to figure things out on their own if they stand a chance together.

I enjoyed the body positivity message of To Be Honest. It’s great that Savvy is happy in her own skin and sees the dangers in her mom’s “health” obsession. George’s cute-but-dorky persona is charming and lovable, but the misunderstandings these two go through! Really enjoyed reading this.

Maggie Ann Martin is from Iowa but lives in New York. To Be Honest is her new book.

(Galley provided by Macmillan/Swoon Reads in exchange for an honest review.)

Flips the eating disorder trope a bit - youngest daughter Savannah is comfortable in her own skin, but Mom has lost a ton of weight post-divorce while taking part in a weight loss show similar to Biggest Loser. She can’t stop trying to lose more weight and continually criticizes Savannah about her appearance in the hopes that Savannah will change her ways. Her older sister Ashley has just gone away to college and is trying to live her own life now, so she isn’t offering the same support she has previously. Meanwhile, Savannah has struck up a wonderful friendship with her best friend’s cousin and longs for more. 

Savannah learns some important lessons while staying true to herself, which is a great message for anyone who might be struggling with body image.

This is my first Maggie Ann Martin’s novel and I am excited to dive in because it is about self-worth, self-love and body positivity. 

To Be Honest is charming and engaging with lovable characters. It start with Savannah’s sister moving to college and she’s left living with her mother (because her parents are divorced). Savannah is smart who enjoys math and journalism, is a strong and confident woman. Her mother is a very effective antagonist here. She literally boils me and made me mad with her “advises” about dieting. It is frustrating and brings back memories because I received same words from my husband before and it really hurt me. 

Savannah’s story is a lived experience of anyone who is experiencing fat shaming and that people around them thinks that being skinny is healthy. It gives me confidence about my body, to accept and love it more.

I enjoyed this book because of the positive outlook of Savannah and her good relationship with her sister and her best friend, Grace. Okay. Grace is very supportive best friend that you would want to steal her. Also, lovely and entertaining. Further, Savannah’s name is my niece’s name, who is also bright and adorable like Savannah in the book.

George and Savannah’s chemistry, on the other hand, is fascinating. They are actually cute together and I like that George like Savannah in every way.

To Be Honest is fast read with good character development and definitely your summer read!

“News flash: fat isn't a bad word, Mom.”

When Savannah’s sister went off to college, she experienced a life-changing moment of her own. Having only Fiyero the monster poodle and her mom around, Savannah had to deal with her emotions and anxiety that was filled by her mom’s one-track mind to count calories and food restriction.

From her parents’ divorce to her mom joining a weight-loss reality TV show, Savannah felt her insecurities skyrocketed but I love how well she handle everything that has happened in her life. She’s funny, understanding and most of all accepts who she is—what body she has. Even if her mom says her otherwise, Savannah is confident enough and believes that beauty is not define by weight or size but rather comes from loving herself first.

Having said that, Kim, Savannah’s mom, for me was the complete opposite. She chose to go through an unhealthy transformation, and who am I to judge? The very person, who should have been there for her, broke not only her heart but also her trust. But her lack of confidence was not mainly rooted with her ex-husband cheating on her but with how she was raised to hate herself. So, Kim tried to earned her validity by being something she was not and living a fake reality brought by the media. 

On a positive note, I adore the relationship between Savannah and Ashley. They accept each other’s quirks and queer, and always have each other’s back no matter what. That same goes with Savannah’s friendship with Grace. I love the humor they brought in to the story because they totally complement each other.

And let’s not forget how Savannah meeting George, her best friend’s cousin and an absolutely talented saxophonist, gave a light and fuzzy spin in to the story. The chemistry between them was 100% delightful. I love how they started off as friends like how real romance sparks and thankfully that family’s summer cookout with the Morenos happened. It was dreamy, sweet and feels like it’s truly meant to be for both of them.

Moreover, I love George’s character not because he’s nice, charming and kind but because he likes Savannah by simply being her true self without pretenses. This gives us the realization on how we could easily like a person base on their outward appearances but what’s far greater than that was how we truly knows them and falling in love with someone for all the right reasons.

Unmistakably, this story brought a powerful and positive fat representation in YA that every one of us deserves to have. In an interview I did with Maggie Ann Martin, where she talks about body positivity and how this book hit very close to home for her, she clearly pointed out the issues we have today about perceived beauty and body image.

Sadly, this fat stigma often begins during our childhood where parents project their own insecurities on their children. As a result, they were the ones who threw the first negative impression that being fat is ugly.

The author significantly highlighted this and the effects of media through Kim’s experience and gave emphasis on how we could change the culture towards size diversity the way Savannah did.

To Be Honest is a fun, breezy and affirming story about how you #LoveYourBody because #AllBodiesAreGoodBodies. From being fat to openly and happily living as gay, the story immensely surrounds itself with an attitude of acceptance and gave readers a strong message on self-love and importance.

“There’s no expiration date on acceptance.”

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillian Children’s Publishing Group – Swoon Reads, Xpresso Book Tours and Maggie Ann Martin for providing me an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

A honest look at teens facing weigh acceptance in high school in a sassy way. Thank you Maggie Ann Martin!

I loved reading To Be Honest! Here are some things that you might watch out for:

(1) There was a strong display of family dynamics: among Savvy’s mom, dad, and sister. Her mom had gone distant after she joined the television show and gone divorce from her dad. Her dad whom now lives away from them. And Savy’s sister Ashley who just left too because of college. Savy’s relationship with them was rocky and unsteady. It was an adjustment for all of them. It can be tough but Savy was trying to be strong for everyone. Honesty, there were two scenes from these that made me tear up. I felt it. I connected with Savy.

(2) It was narrated through Savy’s most personal thoughts. She has insecurities and she did not sugarcoat it for the people around her. And her experiences with her panic attacks were shown. How she deals with it in her life, and her development throughout the end.

She’s strong, stubborn, and smart! I really like the idea that the young adult who’ll be having this book in their hand inspired by this image of embracing yourself and being comfortable with your own skin.

(3) Fluffy romance, and seekers of slow burn romance out there? You may want to see this one. It was so adorable. Bumps along the road, of course. And how it winds up to where it is now, seeing views of both parties come down to that decision was really beautiful and touching. All the blushing made me blush too.

Related image

(4) Positive body image~

Today we’re are now being offered more representations in books and I love it.

“News flash: fat isn’t a bad word, Mom. It’s the twenty-first century. I have blue eyes. I have blond hair. I’m fat. Literally, nothing about my life is changed because that word is associated with my physical appearance. I’m sorry that someone taught you to hate yourself because of your body somewhere along the way, but I’m not going to let you pull me down with you.”

“There is no expiration date on acceptance.”

I love how Savy’s being positive and accepting of herself and trying to put some sense into her mom too. We all deal differently with our insecurities. Basically on everything. The way Savy did with hers empowers the reader too, or just me. Pretty sure not only me though.

(5) In the book, there is an intense passion shown over, writing, learning, teaching, and playing a musical instrument. Savy’s love for writing. And George’s intense music love over clarinet and saxophone.

(6) It really was a diverse set of characters, all shapes, color, and sexual orientation. I hope to see this couple, maybe in another book?

(7) Kick-ass supporting bestie, Grace. Okay, another maybe? I love her already. She’s been supportive and had displayed a hell-lot of enthusiasm over writing too. I’d love to see more in the same literary universe, something.

(8) Plot. It was a short read. A bit baffled that I was already reading last bit of it. But it did flow on satisfactory for me.

(9) Concluding the issue of fatphobia. It was addressed and wrapped splendidly.

(10) I am repeating myself over but, I really love the idea of young adult understanding and feeling represented by a book. I hope they’ll connect with the MC and themes of the book.

(11) There is also this adorable poodle named Fiyero!

To Be Honest has to be one of the most honest read out there today!

Savannah Alverson is about to start her senior year without her best friend and sister, Ashley. Ashley is starting her first year of college leaving Savannah alone for the first time in seventeen years. Ashley is the voice of reason and always kept their family in check and now Savvy doesn’t know how she will get through the year without Ashley as a buffer between her and their mother. Ever since the divorce, Savannah’s mother, Kim, has made a lifestyle change since being a contestant on a weight loss reality show. Since then, Savannah’s mom has been fixated on eating healthy and monitoring Savannah and her eating habits. Savannah, on the other hand, is all about body positivity and doesn’t understand or agree with what her mother is doing to herself. Can Savannah and her mother ever find a happy medium and restore their fractured mother/daughter relationship?

I absolutely loved Savannah. Savvy is not ashamed of her body. She knows she is chubby and embraces her body in ways that many people in today’s society can’t. She wears bright colored clothes, she doesn’t try to hide behind black clothing to appear slimmer. She is fat and not afraid to say it either. It was really interesting to see the differences between Savannah and her mother who is obsessed with being skinny and eating healthy. Savannah believes you should be happy with the way you look and that alone prevents her and her mother from seeing eye to eye.

Not only is Savannah going through a rough patch with her mother, she still hasn’t totally forgiven her father after the divorce from her mother. Savannah is just feeling so alone until she meets George, her best friend, Gracie’s cousin. For the first time she is actually interested in a boy that might even like her back. I have to say that the author, Maggie Ann Martin, really did a great job at making Savannah not only relatable, but also showing her fears as well. Just because Savannah was okay in her body, doesn’t mean that she still did not have the same fears of being accepted or of having a boy actually be interested in her in more than a friendly way.

The plot really had me hooked right from the beginning and while I love the whole body positivity vibe, it was only one aspect of this story. There is so much more to this book from family relationships and family dynamics to eating disorders, and navigating high school and all the trials and tribulations that go right along with it. I also loved how we see Savvy grow as a person and change for the better. She does a lot of growing up in this story and I never felt and was glad for the fact that there was no body shaming. Sure, there were parts of insecurities peeking through on Savvy’s end, but It was very realistically done. Regardless if you are a size two or a size twenty-two, everyone has fears or something they do not like about their body. So Kudos to the author for keeping the story real and relatable.

To Be Honest is a heartfelt and authentic story that shows the struggles we all go through with daily. But, it also shows the positivity in accepting yourself for who you are and being comfortable in your own skin. This story is well worthy of Five stars especially for the message it sends out to young girls on both sides of the skinny/fat scale. It is real and honest and a story that every woman young and old should read.

I really enjoyed reading Maggie Ann Martin’s debut novel, The Big F, last year so I was excited to read To Be Honest!

Savannah is getting ready to start her senior year of high school and all she wants is for it to hurry up so she can join her older sister at college and get away from her mother’s constant body shaming. Ever since her mother competed on a reality show to lose weight, she’s been trying to change Savannah. Savannah is not here for that one bit, but it still makes living with it difficult. One unexpected bright spot is her best friend’s cousin, George, who Savannah befriends and tutors in math.

I really enjoyed Savannah’s voice—Maggie Ann Martin tackles some difficult topics, but she incorporates it in such a way that it seems effortless due in part to the narration. Personality wise, I loved how bold and stubborn Savannah was! I also appreciated her struggling with anxiety and panic attacks. Even with these struggles, she still put herself out there, whether that was letting George know she liked him or investigating the school’s baseball coach for some shady recruiting schemes. Her character was strong and developed and I loved seeing this in a fat main character, something that was not her only defining characteristic. I need more contemporaries like this! I wish I could have read this when I was in high school—I would have loved to see a fat girl fall in love with a guy who doesn’t even bat an eye about how she looks.

The cast of characters was also developed well. I loved her relationships with her sister Ashley and her best friend Grace and would have loved to have more page time with them. Savannah’s mom had an interesting arc, but I wish a few more questions had been answered about her health before the book ended. Savannah’s relationship with George was very sweet, but towards the end they go about three weeks without talking which didn’t make sense to me. While I loved that Savannah found passion in journalism, I was a little bummed that she changed her mind about pursuing engineering.

Overall, To Be Honest was such an enjoyable read and I wish I could have read something like this when I was in high school!

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

CW: fat shaming, disordered eating, panic attacks

Hello. This here is a book about a beautiful, intelligent high school senior who must deal with the opposing forces that are the Body Positivity movement and Diet Culture that has possessed her mother's body. Oh, and she does this while also kinda sorta falling in love with an adorable saxophone prodigy who is supportive and perfect and did I say adorable? Despite my little content warning up there, this book was emotional at times but ultimately delightful to read.

Have I convinced you to read this book yet, or do I need to keep going?

I think the first thing to talk about in a book with a fat protagonist, regardless of age or genre, is how her fatness is portrayed. And I say fatness as an adjective that she herself uses, not as a judgemental term. As a fat person myself, including when I was a teenager, it's super amazing to see protagonists like myself on the page. But it's important that their weight is not The Problem, and that the message of the book isn't that their size and worth go hand in hand.

What To Be Honest does really well for me is portray Savannah as a fat girl who strives to enjoy her life and her body, but has to do this while coping with the messages she's receiving at home from her mother that aren't so positive. It's incredibly relatable, as I'm sure many other curvy people will attest to. Many of us have "concerned family" who weigh in on our food choices (ha, see what I did there) and try to drop hints about our lifestyles. For Savannah, that's her mom, who went into a spiral of her own after Savannah's dad had an affair and divorced her mom. Ending up on one of those atrocious weightloss reality TV programmes, Savannah's mom comes home a changed woman, and not for the better.

What's so amazing about how Savannah is portrayed is just how aware she is of the damaging nature of the reality TV show and the messages her mother tries to impress upon her. I think this is the biggest win for the Body Positivity movement: giving teens the awareness and tools to recognise and cope with other people's negativity.

For a long time, I hated Savannah's mom. Well, it started with shock, moved on to hatred, and then mellowed out into just an overwhelming sense of sadness for her. Because what Savannah's mom exhibited quickly unveiled itself as disordered eating tied with depression.

I cried hardcore during any scenes with Savannah's dad. Your mileage may vary, but this book was incredibly relatable on this front, too, as what happened to Savannah's family happened to mine, albeit when I was 24 and not 17. Her relationship with her dad was strained, and she missed what they used to have before he revealed himself to be a human who made mistakes. Wow. I'm crying just reliving that because I still haven't accepted the woman my dad cheated on my mom with, and he's been with this woman for 5 years (3 openly). Adultery can really screw up a family, so just don't cheat, especially if you have kids, ok?

All this talk about food and body issues and cheating makes this book sound like a real downer, but actually, it was funny and uplifting and cute enough to bring the whole tone up. Savannah is clearly a smart 17-year-old with a lot going for not, not least of which is her ability to love her friends and family. She's also awkward and hilarious at times, and I could follow her trains of thought so easily, especially since I recognised my own teenage thoughts in hers.

Savannah also happens to have the world's coolest big sister (aside from me, of course). I loved her relationship with Ashley, and it broke my heart to recognise the signs of Ashley becoming an adult with her own new life at college. It made me want to go back in time to when I first left for university so that I could remember to call my brother every day and let him know he is the most important person in my life.

And finally, George. Oh my. He slowly snuck into my heart with all his gawkiness and heart. Where others would have backed away slowly, he was there for Savannah through some tough situations, including panic attacks and parental meltdowns. Honestly, that boy was awkward gold. But then he also had his own issues, and he acted like such a boy sometimes! Ugh.

So do I recommend To Be Honest? To be sure.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Let's have a round of applause for a book that features a main character who already knows that diet culture and food restriction is not the way to go, and for featuring someone who is comfortable being who they are while still having the occasional flare up of doubt. 

I loved that Savannah was aware of not only the physical damage her mother might be doing to her body while on the weight-loss show, but the long term emotional damage as well. I wish I had been even half as aware of those ramifications when I was her age. Maggie Ann Martin does a great job of addressing the diet culture mindset where women in particular are taught that when they're in a smaller body they will finally be their "true self," while then showing that this is a dangerous mindset. Seeing Sav's mom's relationship with food could definitely be triggering for some readers, but the book does address the importance of treatment in the long run. 

I also enjoyed that the book included a little bit of feminism in Sav's feelings on the male coach's pay compared to the female coach, and her reaction to his sexist ways. And I loved her friendship with Grace and the sweet and awkward romance she had with George. Overall, this is exactly the kind of book I wish I could have handed fifteen or sixteen year-old me. As it is, adult me liked it a lot too. I read it in one afternoon and felt warm and fuzzy as I finished the final page.

My only complaint about this book is how quickly it ended! All the threads of the story came together in such a neat and tidy way at the end that I was surprised to find that it was over. In this regard I have to remind myself that this style might be exactly what a younger audience needs.

To Be Honest in Three Words: Adorable. Strong. Honest.

Okay, I freaking adore this book! To Be Honest is the most honest young adult contemporary novel I have read in a while.

Savannah is bold. Savannah is amazing. Savannah is stubborn. Savannah is strong. Savannah is real. I wish I would have been as awesome as Savannah when I was a teenager. She is much more confident in her own skin than I was at her age, and that was a nice message to read.

Not only did I very much love Savannah, but I enjoyed reading about Savannah's relationships with her mom, sister, dad, her crush George, and best friend Grace. Her mom is struggling with her own body image, her sister is reliable and kind, Grace is sweet and fun, and George is nerdy and adorable. Each character impacts Savannah's life in a different way, and I loved reading about all of these different relationship dynamics.

I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read. However, I do wish the book would have been a little longer so we could have had more focus on some of the interesting and fun subplots that were going on. That is my only complaint.

The Bottom Line: To be honest, this book is worth every penny. Get yourself a copy sooner rather than later.

There are so few books out there with fat protagonists that I jump on the chance to read any book that I see has fat representation (bonus: fat rep on the cover!) But make no mistake: while the protagonist is fat, she is not just that. Which, you know, is something that should be the norm but surprisingly from the books I’ve read with fat protagonists, their characters are always pushed to the back while their fatness takes the steering wheel. This book does the opposite, which I really appreciated. Savannah was an extremely well-rounded, lovable protagonist. She had her qualities and her vices (I’ll get to these later). She had ambition and drive. She’s sensitive but feisty. She’s polite but can stand up for herself when need be. Reading a book where you like the main character so much, and root for her through thick and thin was really refreshing. Because as a fat reader, seeing myself root for someone who looks like me despite the likeness being from something society tells me to hate? That was a big deal.

This aspect of Savannah’s character’s was dealt with deftly, in my opinion. So often do authors step around fatness, using euphemisms to describe a fat character’s body, but Martin does not do this. Savannah is fat, but that has never and will never define her. Her self-confidence in her body was a breath of fresh air in the YA roster of books filled with fat characters despising themselves (I’m looking at you, Jennifer Niven). And Savvy’s being comfortable in her own body did not mean that she didn’t have moments of insecurity because of the societal pressure pushed upon her. One of Savannah’s flaws is that she viciously pushes people away when they get close to her. This is a reflection on society’s (and her mother’s) expectations of what a beautiful person is, and this insecurity is subliminal within Savvy because otherwise she’s confident and proud of herself. Just goes to show that no matter how self-assured you are, when society ostracizes a part of your identity, the insecurities can seep in. It’s a sad reality, but one that I could relate to a lot.

Along the same vein, I’ve come to realize how much I hate the term “cliché” when it comes to talking about books with diverse representation. I know some scenes in this book are reminiscent of a lot of scenes found in rom-coms and feel-good YA contemporaries. This will raise eyebrows and people will say that these are tired clichés but… they’re not, because none of those books and none of those movies have ever had a fat character as the center of affection. That’s important. It’s an important way to validate the feelings, experiences and desires of a significant portion of the population, and I don’t feel tired reading these seen-before scenes, but rather, I feel immensely happy. Because it’s progress. Until we see so many fat characters or characters of color or LGBTQIAP+ characters or disabled characters or any intersections of these in these scenes, they’re not truly cliché.

Moving on: To Be Honest is well-rounded in the way that it deals with multiple aspects of Savannah’s life at this tumultuous moment in time, some better than others. Her own struggles with societal pressure and her feelings about her body were handled wonderfully, of course. But what struck out most to me was her relationship with her mother. It didn’t feel melodramatic because Martin added such nuance to their dynamic. You can tell they both love each other dearly, but Savvy’s mother’s feelings about her own weight puts immense pressure on the two’s relationship. The reality show angle was also a great addition. There’s a boy in the picture, and I enjoyed how Savvy and George’s relationship played out. Two things that I felt could have benefitted the novel had they been expanded on were the siblinghood angle, as well as Savannah’s career aspirations. Both were discussed, but I felt they both needed to be given more weight, especially since they were issues weighing heavily on Savvy’s mind. Ultimately, it felt as if they had been brushed under the rug.

Another major complaint I had was that there was so much potential in the female friendships in the novel, but this potential was wasted. Savvy’s best friend Grace was a positive, strong figure in Savvy’s life and I would have loved to see their dynamic play out more. I felt that Grace was only in the novel to be Savvy’s personal hype-woman; look back at the novel and you rarely see them talk about anything except for Grace urging Savvy to do one thing or another. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing (and it’s a GREAT quality to have in a friend!) but in terms of a novel, Grace’s character had little dimensionality to her. I would have really enjoyed a more nuanced relationship.

Ultimately, To Be Honest was a wonderful story with heart, laughs and some truly emotional moments. It’s feel-good, sure, but it also deals with some intense topics. Its handling of a fat protagonist meant a lot to me, and Savannah has become a character that I will think about for a long time. I’m looking forward to what else Maggie Ann Martin writes in the future.

I started To Be honest on the train ride to work and when I had to get off the train, I was already halfway thourgh the book. I think that's a pretty good sign when reading a book! I read the other half on my way home and loved this book.

Savannah is used to having her sister around to be a buffer between Savannah and their mother. Ever since her parents divorced and her mother went on a weight loss show, things have changed. When Savannah is around her mother all she gets are remarks about her weight or what she's eating. This makes her upset and uncomfortable.

Savannah is trying to be happy with her body, but her mother isn't helping. With her sister being off to college, a lot has changed. They're not far apart in age, so they've always been close. Savannah has to do senior year on her own and that isn't easy. Her best friend Gtrace is a big help though.

When school starts, a new kid comes to the school and Savannah tutors him. George is such a fun character. To Be Honest is amazing when it comes to characters. The love interest isn't a jock for once, but a shy guy who plays the saxophone. This was really refreshing. I love how they flirt/tease each other and really become close. Savannah and George help each other more than they know.

On top of everything Savannah is dealing with, she takes on an investigative artile for the school newspaper that could turn everything upside down.Savannah is a smart girl and is starting to realize following her sister to the same college, may not be the dream she want s to chase after anymore.

To Be Honest had me laughing and I even she a few tears. Savannah is such a smart and strong character who is doing her best to lover her body. Her mother makes this really hard and the relationship with her father is strained. Certain events make things difficult, but wakes her up as well. She needs to be happy with herself and her mother needs to deal with her own problems.

What I also loved about this story is the fact that Savannah tells us about her journey of learning to love her body and even that she is still insecure. Savannah is a real person who even has anxiety attacks. She is nowhere near perfect and accepts that. To Be honest is a wonderful book because of that. A lot of books have characters who are obsessed with losing weight to be "perfect", but To Be Honest shows us that it's okay to be happy with who you are. Instead of the obsessive dieting and exercise routines her mother throws herself into. Savannah becomes so strong in this book and starts figuring out what she wants in life.

The romance in this book was adorable as well. George isn't the typical male character in a contemporary, as I said before. He's insecure and trying to find his way in a new school as well. Dealing with his feelings for Savannah, he makes some mistakes, but takes responsibility for them. He accepts Savannah for who she is and that's so nice to see. Savannah and George are so cute together and I loved watching them get closer.

I could talk about this book all day! I really secretly hope we get another book about Savannah in college. I would love to know how she is doing. If you're a contemporary lover who wants a book about accepting who you are and a cute romance, To Be Honest is for you!