This book is a solid 3.5 stars. I loved Savannah - her voice was clear, she's smart, driven, sassy, and relatable. But I didn't find the story in general to be the most compelling. I couldn't tell what the story was supposed to be about...there was a small romance plot, family drama, and school drama. And while it's fine to have offshoots of the plot, it was hard to focus on which was the most important. And while that's kind of how life goes, it doesn't make for the most readable story.

I think this is a great read for teenage girls who are having trouble with self-acceptance, or body image, or who struggle to relate to the rest of their family, but I might have been just a little too old to fully relate! Or maybe it's just the problems I already mentioned - I need a more fleshed out plot. I would love to read more about Savannah and George. This might be a book that needs a sequel...

When Savvy’s sister Ashley leaves for college, she’s not just worried about losing her best friend. She’s also worried she’s going to lose the only buffer between herself and her newly diet-obsessed mom. Ever since her parents got divorced and her mom went on Shake the Weight, a weight loss reality show, she’s been like an entirely new person… and not really for the better. Her obsession with weight and healthy living extends to Savvy, who isn’t ashamed of her body and is all about body-positivity. Even so, some of her mom’s comments really hurt. As Savvy grows increasingly worried about her mom’s behavior and growing apart from her sister, she also faces a new crush at school that might just return her feelings. If they could just accept their feelings for each other, that is.
This book deals with some tough issues: namely, eating disorders (important to note, the character dealing with this is not Savvy), living with anxiety, complicated family dynamics, and following your passions. Despite that, the book manages to be fairly light and uplifting. It think that mostly comes down to Savvy’s voice which is fun and sassy. She definitely doesn’t ignore life’s problems, but she’s bold and instead of shying away, faces them head on. I really loved the relationship she has with her sister (I’m a sucker for a good literary sister relationship) and how it grows and changes as Ashley leaves for college and they learn to live apart from each other for the first time. I also loved the budding relationship between Savvy and George and Savvy’s foray into investigative journalism with her best friend.
It think it’s important to note—since this is a book with a fat-positive protagonist—that this book does deal pretty heavily with body image issues and disordered eating. Again, those things aren’t happening from Savvy’s perspective, but her mother’s issues with body image are projected onto her and there are a number of body shaming moments that are uncomfortable to read. It’s all handled really well, but I would be lying if I said that that kind of thing wasn’t hard for me to read and some of those scenes definitely got to me. While the book is very positive from Savvy’s perspective about body image and embracing the body you have, if you are worried about reading a book that deals with fat shaming or eating disorders, it’s possible this one might not be the book for you.
That said, I really, really enjoyed this book! It’s a very cute and sweet YA novel about friendship and family relationships and falling in like and getting through high school. I would recommend To Be Honest to fans of Dumplin’ and The Upside of Unrequited, both of which also feature sassy, fat, body-positive girls dealing with life and high school crushes.

Content Warning: Eating Disorder w/ Hospital Stay (this is NOT the protagonist but her mom), Emotional & Psychological Child Abuse/Neglect

>>Fat girl on the cover!!!!!
>>Savannah is great. She's withstood her mother's bullshit and is firmly body positive, but does come with insecurities and defense mechanisms. I love how she put herself out there and did the work of progress. She's forced to live and deal with an unhealthy mom that's honestly cruel to her and struggling with mental health issues.
>>Great fat & anxiety rep
>>I love how the shallow, competitive "health" bullshit is put on blast where it belongs.
>>The eating disorder is handled well. I haven't had the same type tho so YMMV.
>>I think her mom was crafted and portrayed well. She's got a tragic event in the past and damage from growing up fat. She does love her daughters but clearly plays favorites and tries to "fix" Savannah. She's very relatable and understandable but not clean and easily forgiven to me. She's a victim of the TV show praying on people, but she's also emotionally and verbally abusive and neglectful. She does have a mental illness but she has to own to her actions and their effect.
>>Grace is a GREAT friend. I adore her.
>>George is a sweet, shy, musical nerd that likes to eat his foot every now and again. It's nice to see a guy that isn't the typical sex crazed, emotionally stunted posturing fool.
>>The dress shopping worried me, but it was a dream of a scene. Love loved it.
>>I was totally with Savannah the whole way through. From her reactions to George, her dad, the journalism story, Grace, etc.
>>I love how she's good at math, but it's not the end all be all. She chooses and excels at her passion which happens to be humanities, not STEM.
>> I love the journalism investigation, interviews, and turn out. It's really cute and heartening.
>>Dad was a let down at first and I really didn't think I'd change my mind about him, but I did.
>>Totally would read more of Savannah, prequels, sequels, short stories, w/e. And her sister and Yael too! I'm really curious what would happen next. This book is wrapped up nicely and it's great, but there's threads to follow for more content that's worthwhile IMHonestO. (<---That abbreviation would be a great next title maybe?!?)

Not So Great Things:
>>I do wish there was more therapy and apology shown from her mom. More acknowledgement on how badly her mom (and her enabling sister) treated her, making her cave and hide when her mom was in the wrong the whole time. I hope Savannah would get therapy too. She's fine on the page, but living through that causes real deep scars and shit. Making it so easy for her mom feels like a cave in to the fatphobic society because "it's about health, she's wasn't that bad!". Yes, yes she was. It has nothing to do with health. Stop excusing abusive harmful shit. Her mom has to confront, cope, and change to properly deal with her mental illness. Letting her off the hook doesn't help anyone.
>>I feel bad the second place people did a story on immigration and the winning story was about sexism, money and abuse of power. Totally realistic, but given the current events with Trump Camps, bans, ICE, and white feminism...I just feel uncomfortable with it. Kinda wish the immigrant story had won or more about it was included, like having Savannah and Grace talking to the other students at least instead of a one line throwaway.
>>Ugh, Eminem. Look, I loved him growing up a loooong time ago but I've gotten better. Savannah is a huge fan and there's not a single moment of acknowledging how problematic and offensive the he is. Even when I was a die hard fan that defended him, I felt like shit with his fatphobic and sexist lyrics. I find it hard to believe she'd be that ignorant and not have any qualms or second thoughts about it. I'm surprised there was no angsty blasting of his music. But maybe that last part is me projecting.


Quotes:

She thought Yael was cute - Sister is gay, have w/w relationship

"Has anyone told you you'd make the perfect Miss Frizzle in a Magic School Bus reboot?" he asked, smirking a tiny bit.

"Very few people get to witness Savannah Shady. You should feel honored."

"I know that parents shouldn't be allowed to make their kids feel like shit unless they buy into their culty dogma"

"Like I'd known him for years, like we'd put a bookmark in our friendship and we were picking up where we left off.

"They should put a warning on all clarinet cases: May Cause Sexual Tension."

"She'd even called ahead to make sure that the stores we ended up going to carried my size of dresses, which took off another level of stress from my plated."

"My goal today was to find a short dress that looked as if it was made for a fun-size, five-foot-tall human."

**Thanks for the ARC Netgalley!**

Savannah is feeling left behind. Her best friend/almost twin sister has gone off to college. Her mother has become a completely different person, literally and figuratively, after appearing on a Biggest Loser style weight loss/makeover show. Her father has left the family for another woman. And her other best friend is dating a jock...which Savanna is really not sure about. All she wants to do is finish high school and join her sister at college.

There is first love...maybe, a journalism investigation, and trying to figure out if her mother will be okay.

Martin’s To Be Honest was a good book. I loved that Savannah was unapologetic about who she was and what she looked like. There could have been a “fat to fit” makeover montage where Savannah takes up running and eating rice, but that never happens-thankfully. The thing that kept this story from being a great book for me was the fact that several plot points that COULD have been really interesting and exciting to dig into (like the investigative journalism) seemed very superficial...like it was just an afterthought and it never really wraps up and lets you know what exactly happens and how things end up going down.

I would have also loved further insight into George (the love interest) and why he was the way he was. The answers given in the book seemed like a bit of a cop-out. And while I was rooting for them, I was also a little frustrated that Savvy was willing to just forgive so easily.

All in all, this was a good book. The body positivity was AMAZING and I really liked Savannah (enough to hope that she gets another story...like her college adventures or something.)

I had a chance to read this book and I really enjoyed the romance. I loved the friendship between the girls and slow romance that happened over the book. I enjoyed seeing the effects of the being on a game show and the family. I loved her sister and that there was someone she talk to , and I loved that she was trying to solve a mystery at the school. Overall a great story.

After reading and LOVING The Big F last year, I was so excited to get an ARC of To Be Honest as its been on my most anticipated list for a while! I happy to say it did not disappoint. Maggie Ann Martin's writing style is great, everything flows so well. The characters are always realistic and charming. I really loved Savannah in this book. She was so down to earth and strong. I will say this book was a little slow to start but after a few chapters I was so deeply engrossed I couldn't put it down! After I finished I went an pre-ordered a physical copy! I love this book so much!

What an empowering read! I truly loved this book! This book follows Savannah, a very strong female. In this book Savannah battle many people inner demons but still sticks fierce in her own beliefs. Savannah is okay with her size and even with her helicoptering mother pushing diets on her she stays who she is, firm in her own beliefs.

I loved the romance side to this as it was so cute and awkward. Like any teenage romance love is awkward. Its not cut and dry its full of ups and downs as people figure themselves out and what they want.

This YA was perfect for how it dealt with all the issues that come with being a teenager. It was sweet, funny, and a bit sad at times (but in a good way). The overall plot kept me intrigued and hanging on to every word. The writing style was smart and charismatic. I suggest this as the summer book you never knew you needed.

5/5 stars.

 
***I received and e-arc of this book from NetGalley via the publisher in exchange for an honest review***

I liked this way more than Maureen Goo's first book. This felt way more real and less YA romcom-y than her first, which I really liked about it.

Savvy is a smart, funny, talented protagonist, dealing with multiple issues in her life. She's just said goodbye to her sister, who she has an amazingly close relationship with, and who also often acted as a buffer between her and her mother. Savvy's relationship with her mother is strained, mostly due to the hangups that her mother has about weight and body image. I love that Savvy has a positive image of herself and her body, and that she acknowledges that it can be hard to maintain that positivity when constantly confronted with the negativity of others. I adore her relationship with her friend Grace, and the way her relationship with George slowly evolves.

I only wish that this book were longer. Martin tackles a lot of big issues, from eating disorders, parental relationships, romance, school scandals, and Savvy and her sister's need to have space from each other in order to grow. I felt that the book rushed to a conclusion, and I would have enjoyed a more in depth look at some of the other plot elements.

Overall, an enjoyable read with wonderful characters, layered relationships, and a heroine who is sassy, smart and strong.

Savannah is a great character, comfortable with herself and dealing with her teenage years with dignity. After her mother returns home from a weight loss reality show, Savannah is facing a "new" mom who isn't happy with Savannah's size or confidence. As she attempts to find a new relationship with her mother, Savannah has to come to terms that things in her life are changing. Her sister is off to college and she has been the peacemaker between them until this point. Savannah also meets George, cousin to her friend and the boy she never knew she needed in her life. This is a sweet young adult novel and Savannah is a great character!

I absolutely loved this book and I know others will too. Savannah is a character people will fall in love with and root for till the very end. A must read book for all!!!!

I remember when this book first came onto my radar. It was during one of the Swoon Reads cover votings and this premise just sounded so interesting to me. It promised body positivity in a big way and It definitely delivered. But, what I was more surprised about was just how much heart was in this book. Martin hit a home run with this story, crafting a compelling and emotional character with Savvy. She's insecure, but not because she's an insecure person but because of the world she lives in. Martin did a great job at showing how constant pressures from family/friends/society work to create insecurities and uncertainties even when you yourself don't have them. Savvy's emotional journey was beautiful because I really did feel for her. She wanted people to be happy with her, but just couldn't seem to figure out why people couldn't just like her body for the way it was. I also appreciated the inclusion of George, exploring his own insecurities as well. A lot of times in books like these, the male main character is annoyingly perfect or saintly without any real flaws or issues. George wasn't like that and I'm glad Martin showed that even guys can have insecurities as well.

This is a lovely book with a lovely message and lovely characters within a story that was not only hopeful, but heartfelt.

Savannah AKA Savvy (how adorable is that nickname?) is one of my favorite kinds of leading lady.

Savvy is smart (YES!), snarky, driven, and curvy. I like seeing a female, teen protagonist who can get sh*t done instead of needing someone else to lead her around. Savvy is a senior in high school, thinking about college plans and how she'll survive the school year without her older sister, the buffer between Savvy and their weight-obsessed mother.

Despite her mother's questionable intentions, and much to her mother's dismay, Savvy is happy with her body. She's short, she's curvy, and she's unapologetic about it. She still wears cute dresses, knows how to do a smokey eye (I cannot master that), and can do killer fishtail braids. Martin creates a leading lady who doesn't hide behind giant baggy sweatshirts just because she's heavier than the average.

Even though Savvy has a healthy image of her body, the important question comes up- How do you reconcile what you see when you look in the mirror with what others push upon you? Savvy has to battle other people's demons in order to keep her own positivity strong. Like Savvy's sister tells her, Savvy is stronger than she thinks.

I think we need a lot more Savvy's out there. Girls, no matter their size, need role models that teach them that beauty has no size, and everyone is allowed (and encouraged) to find the beauty in themselves.

Along with Savvy and her family, we meet George and Grace. Grace is Savvy's longtime (and seemingly only) close friend, and George is Grace's cousin. Despite Savvy's insistence that boys are never interested in the girls "like her", George comes onto the scene as a potential love interest. Savvy and George's relationship is a little awkward, but their mutual enthusiasm (I totally want my own hype man, too) and lovable dork moments make them a cute match.

If there's one thing I wish about To Be Honest, it's that it came in an extended edition. Martin gives us a lot of big issues: Savvy's relationship with both her mother and father (divorced), her mother's faltering parenting abilities and obsession with weight-loss, Savvy learning how to live without her sister, George & Savvy's relationship (will they? won't they?), and the school sports scandal that Savvy and Grace are investigating for their school's newspaper.

Despite all of these plot-lines (and god help me, they're ALL interesting) the book goes by way too fast. I wish there were another 100 pages, so each of them could get more page time and detail. I was particularly intrigued by the school sports scandal, but it took a backseat to all of the personal issues in Savvy's life; honestly, if something had to go, that would be a prime target. Although it's really cool to see that aspect of Savvy's interests and skills, I'd gladly read a version where that page time was donated to one of the other conflicts.

Overall, To Be Honest reminded me of Julie Murphy's Dumplin' (for once, the ads are right). Even though I think Dumplin' was more focused, stronger, To Be Honest was a fun read with some heartwarming moments between Savvy, her family, and friends. Yes, body positivity. Yes, sassy women. Yes, intelligent, strong, brave girls.

I'd totally dig into more of Martin's books, any day.

Savannah is having a hard time; her best friend (and older sister) is leaving the house to head to college, her father and mother divorced not that long ago and her mother is still dealing with it..mainly dealing with by watching everything she (and Savannah) eat because of her stint on a weight loss show. Savannah just wants to get through the school year without any drama and with her family (and her self confidence) intact. When Savannah meets George, her best friend's cousin, she thinks that maybe he can really see her and not just what she looks like.
This book was a fun, cute story that dealt with body issues of image and self worth in a completely realistic way.