I was on the exact opposite spectrum of this novel, and yet I still related to Greer's feelings of shame in the boob department. Her character was so relatable. I really enjoyed this story about being comfortable in the skin you're in. It was witty and had great characters.

My Eyes Are Up Here by Laura Zimmermann, 352 pages. Dutton (Penguin), 2020.

Language: R (62 swears, 9 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

10th grader Greer knows that her breasts are large – like cup-size J large. She and her best friend, Maggie are excited for the new year – supporting each other as they choose different extracurriculars. And Jackson, the new cute boy, seems to like Greer as much as she likes him. When her P.E. class does a volleyball unit, Greer finds that she has some natural talent and delight in the game. But if she is going to join the team, her “girls” need better support.

I was delighted to read Zimmermann’s look at Greer’s life. She manages to be realistic about Greer’s body challenges, without being scatological. There is a story thread about some harassment that Greer receives, but I love that the heart of the novel is a girl trying to be her best self. Greer does look at her breasts and describes them, but everything is tastefully done and integral to the theme of the book.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

DNF - I read 10% of this book, but Greer was just a character that I struggled to care for, so I stopped reading. The premise of this book sounds great and covers an important topic, but it was not presented in a way that held my interest.

This book was interesting for a few different reasons. I've read quite a few books that focus specifically on body positivity; however, I haven't read one that focused specifically on the size of breasts and how it could impact teens. There are a few elements about this that I really enjoyed and others that needed more development and exploration. 3.5 Stars.

My Eyes Are Up Here specifically focuses on a sophomore by the name of Greer as she describes her experience of having big boobs. Greer develops in ways unlike her peers which causes her to attempt to wear clothes that hide the size of her boobs. These clothes are often baggy, shapeless and a few sizes too large. Even amongst her friends, Greer refrains from talking about her boobs. She has athletic abilities; however, she doesn't want to try out for any sports because she doesn't have the right bras to support her boobs. She is often bullied and when a potential relationship arises, she feels insecure about her appearance.

There were several things that I enjoyed about this novel including the idea that it illustrates how fixated people can be with their bodies especially teen girls. It's quite difficult developing at faster rates and in more pronounced ways than your peers. While I didn't have this issue in terms of my boobs, I felt this way about my butt and hips. I was shaped differently than a lot of other girls and it brought a lot of unwanted attention. Because of this experience, I definitely resonated with Greer as a character. There were also some great side characters such as Jessa. Jessa proved to be a force to be reckoned with and I absolutely adored her as a support for Greer. This was also a book that focused on not allowing lack of body positivity to determine whether someone should or should not continue to live their life and reach their goals. There was a lot that Greer pushed past in order to be able to fulfill some of her dreams and goals.

While there were a few things that I did like, there were quite a few things that I did not like. Quite a few reviewers have stated this before me, but I also did not like that Greer's boobs were personified. By doing this, Greer was diminished as a character. She was never anyone outside of her boobs and that bothered me as a reader. I also had personal issues with Greer's mother. As a parent, she did and said some things that bothered me to a certain extent. She did try to appease to Greer's needs at some point, but in other ways she pissed me off. I also did not like the fact that the author seemingly omitted resources for Greer. She made it seem as though a size H bra does not exist and that’s not necessarily true. I think that any discussion about the cost of bras especially great bras is valid, but painting a picture where it seems as though there is nothing out there isn't quite true. This doesn't negate Greer's experience; however, I think that readers deserve a little bit more of a well-rounded story.

This was a solid read. I enjoyed the writing and I think that there were genuinely some really strong moments in the book. It was great that the romance was not necessarily the center of the book. I know some people feel as though Greer centered how she felt about herself based on the relationship; however, I don't necessarily agree and in some ways it's important to remember that the main character is around 15/16. It is likely that a teen would center how they feel about their body in comparison to their peers and also in perspective of romantic relationships. Of course, conversations should occur to deter this behavior, but I did anticipate that happening. If you're looking for an interesting YA book I would recommend giving this a try.

3/5 ⭐️

TW: body shaming, talks of anorexia and bullying.

Thank you @penguinrandomhouse for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book is enjoyable, hilarious and thought provoking! I loved Greers journey into loving herself more and realizing she’s more than her large chest and letting others into her life more. Her friends encouraged and challenged her and I liked her ability to push herself especially in volleyball!

I did think this book could’ve been a bit shorter since it did drag on at parts! I also didn’t love her parents involvement in her life, especially with her body image. I would’ve liked them to encourage her and support her mentally more!

If you’re looking for a YA book with a strong female character, a book about body image and hilarious side characters, this book is for you!

So relatable, loving the depiction of a very.. what can be considered cliche, environment which we as girls go thru in school. The relatable scenarios and the female character dynamic is lovely. Having self esteem issues for most of my life, this book totally reached my heart in that sense. The growth and development of the main character was so relatable and very inviting. This is definitely a book for kids struggling with self identity and self acceptance. High School is hard! I loved how the romance was incorporated into the book, Greer never lost herself for a boy which is a great example to set for young kids now a days! Very very relatable, looking forward to read more by this author!

I DNFed this books about 50% of the way through. Unfortunately, I think I am just too far out of the age range of the target audience. Yes, this book is written for teens and I am an adult, but some YA coming of age stories can really transcend age. This felt very much written for the teen who is a teen going through these events in real time. For that reason, I found this very hard to connect with. That is no fault of the book though.

I do not rate books that I do not finish, so please take the rating with a grain of salt.

This was such a great coming-into-yourself story! Laura Zimmermann's debut novel really let the reader experience the discomfort that the main character, Greer Walsh, has with her own body. Slowly, Greer learns that her discomfort with her body, specifically her breast size, isn't something that separates her from others-everyone has something that they're uncomfortable with, even if it's not a physical attribute.

My Eyes Are Up Here
BY Laura Zimmermann

My Eyes Are Up Here is a wonderful debut that is a great take on a 15 year old girl named Greer Walsh and how her body changes everything from how she sees herself and how others see her. It truly is a great story, funny banter and the teenage angst were all written very well. Underneath it all is how a young woman deals with her own body image and accepting herself and loving herself first and foremost. I loved and enjoyed that she found a community of friends in her volleyball team that supports her for who she is. This is an endearing story that will resonate with a lot of readers who went through changes if not the breasts, it's acne, height, weight, and a lot of other things that may seem trivial but really quite emotionally draining and taxing as you just want to fit in just like all the rest.

This is a book I will recommend to all readers for the fun and light read with a beautiful layer of friendship and acceptance theme that I really enjoyed reading about.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Right off the bat, I have to admit that I was about to DNF this book. I started it months ago and put it down for a solid month because I was bored from it. For some reason, I decided to pick it back up and keep going and try. And, I did finish. So, with all that said... the beginning of this book bored me, I guess.

This book follows Greer and her boobs. Literally. That's about 75% of the book. With the rest being volleyball, making a friendship and a little romance in the mix.

Greer is in high school and has really big boobs. She feels every person sees them as who she is, it's the first thing they see and she hates them. Bras are ugly and uncomfortable, nothing fits her, the straps dig in her shoulders and she hides behind really large sweatshirts. I think one of the reasons I put this book down at first was because I was incredibly annoyed that the entire book was her boobs. It was literally ALL Greer focused on. I picked it BACK up after realizing this was written for young adults and I was 16 once, too. I had the same big boobs. And felt the same way (my, how we forget....). I hid behind jackets in class. I hated gym class. I hated bras. I understood Greer.

My issue with this book is the pacing. And that's the reason for my 3 stars (which doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it, I still did). For 98% of the book she had no self confidence and then BOOM. She looked in a mirror naked with her boobs *right there* and all of a sudden she accepted them and had all the confidence in the world to do all the things. Go to the dance, wear a dress, confess feelings to a boy. In the span of one last chapter she became a new person. I would have liked to see the body positivity come a bit sooner in the book - even 75% through.

Overall, it was okay! It's a good book for young girls that have low self esteem with their bodies. A good book to let them know they aren't alone.

I loved this book!
Five things I loved:
-big boobie representation
-volleyball in a book *thought I wish we would've gotten more
-mental health representation in young adults
-supportive people
-dad being a good dad

I would've liked a more fleshed out ending, aside from something put into a quirky teen movie, but I still loved it.
I also loved Greer!

I have mixed feelings on this books.
I liked Greer for the most part. At times she got on my nerves because her whole life revolved around her breasts.
And I mean like 95% of the time she would make something about her breasts.

I did not care for the romance at all.
Jackson was the worst.
I’m still irritated with the way he showed his true feelings. I understand these teenagers are in high school but seriously? A lot of them acted a lot younger than sophomores.

It took me a while to get into this novel and I skimmed a lot to be honest. It was an okay book.

I would like to thank Penguin Teen for giving me a e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Heyyyyyy. Okay so this is like REALLY good. I'm actually wanting to buy the physical copy to add it on my shelf. Also, I looooove this cover. Not only is it pretty, but it's also powerful.

So, where should I start? Let's start with Greer. I am in love with this character. I love how she handled some of the situations she was put through. Sure, she has her moments where I'm like, "girly, just say somethin'". But, I understand why she acted that way, it also suits her character a lot. So overall, Greer is quite the amazingly powerful character.

The storyline of this was incredible. I loved following along! For my fellow audiobookers, this book is perfect to listen to while you do your stuff, I listened to this entire book while I cleaned out my closet, it was a very enjoyable experience!

So If you haven't added this to your tbr yet, what are you waiting for? Go for it! It's most definitely worth the read!

Greer is in high school and nothing fits her correctly. She finds herself hiding in oversized sweatshirts and hunching over so people don't see her size 30H chest. But people do see more than her body when they see her and she joins the volleyball team and becomes friends with Jackson, who may actually like her for her. ⁣
⁣
I saw a review on Goodreads that said it's not that hard to find bras and clothing for a 30H chest size but I know for a fact that's not true. Bras come in a standard set of proportions and if you happen to have a larger cup size and a smaller band size, you need a specialty store. Even a more common 34DD isn't easy to find. However, I did wish Greer's mom was more able to help her and she didn't have to sneak around in order to buy bras that fit. ⁣
⁣
This body positive book was a great novel to go along with Body Talk, which I reviewed last month. Greer was a great character to cheer for and I loved the way she grew to appreciate her body through volleyball and some great supportive friends and teachers. ⁣

<b>Thanks to Netgalley for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.</b>

Greer is a 15-year-old girl, sarcastic, funny, loyal, and a fabulous character. I love the way this book captured the feelings of insecurity that plague all teenage girls. I was once a teenage girl, and I remember feeling like every flaw (or everything that made me not fit in) was overwhelming and it was all people saw. Greer's insecurity is about her huge boobs (her bra size is a 30H), she even named them Maude & Mavis. She feels that everyone who looks at her only sees them. Greer wears XXL mens sweatshirts to conceal her boobs, slouches, and avoids any attention. Every activity Greer does or is asked to do requires she considers Mavis & Maude. She can't swim because of the lack of coverage, athletics hurt, and she can never find a bra that fits properly.
When Greer discovers her talent for volleyball and makes the team, she fears she will never be able to play without being a laughing stock. She finds a teacher to alter her uniform so it fits better and finally discovers a bra that can control Mavis & Maude. This allows her to move toward acceptance of herself. Greer has some amazing friends and teammates, and a cute boy who really is as nice as he seems.
Greer is so relatable and so real that every teenage girl should read this book. Society constantly tells us what makes a person beautiful and filters make everyone look perfect. It's so hard to grow up and to understand that you aren't the only one who doesn't have it all together. This book helps.

3.5/5 Stars

15-year-old Greer is a sophomore, just trying to find her way through high school. Unfortunately, she is self-conscious about her size 30H boobs. Then a boy named Jackson steps into her life and she needs to navigate her growing feelings for him as well as her insecurities with her body and the way people view her.

I really liked Greer as the main character, I thought she was a huge dork and definitely relatable for those her age. I think her humour was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed watching Greer develop and become more confident as the story went on. I loved the female friendships in this! Maggie and Jessa were great additions to the story, and I loved how they always had each others backs. I also really liked how the romance was not the MAIN focus of Greer's story. I also really liked how volleyball and team dynamics was a big focus in the book too, as I spent most of my teenage years in team sports which definitely developed me into the person I am today.

I loved this book! Laura Zimmerman is my new favorite author. Witty and clever without getting cloying.

I DNF'd this book 30% of the way in. I just couldn't get behind the whole idea of the book. Im rating it a neutral three out of five stars cause the writing is great!

I just enjoyed reading this coming of age book that we saw through the eyes of Greer who's starting high school with what she thinks her body is betraying her. (so she thinks). But we really get to see the insecurities, the rollercoaster of emotions trying to not only balance her changing body and trying to come to terms with herself, but she also see the rollercoaster of feelings as girls/women that should be validated and the terms we have to come to. It's that familiar feeling of realizing that yeah, this is my body and it is how it is and I need to be proud of my body, because if no one takes care of it, but me, who will?

I related to this book on so many levels. I too have been the girl that feels out of place because of the attributes that has been given to her. That has felt as if the only reason guys show interest in her is because of those attributes. I feel like Greer's story is one that so many girls can relate to because of the sad reality that is society today. Girls are shamed for their bodies, noticed for only their bodies, and it's long past time for that to change.

Greer's story is one that I needed when I was younger and just getting used to what being a girl meant in terms of how people will look at me. I have seen some backlash to this book, saying that too much of it was focused on how Greer saw her body and that she was overreacting about the size of her attributes, but isn't that exactly the reason the book was written? Most people have one part about themselves that they wish they could change. Their thoughts are not kind to that part. They will think about it often, and usually their thoughts blow it out of proportion. I saw Greer's thoughts as realistic to a teenage girl that just wants to look like everyone else.

The thing I most loved about this book is that the romance, while there, wasn't the main storyline. The story was more focused on Greer learning to love her body through her other relationships. I did have some issues with the writing style, but that's a personal preference more than anything else. I think this book is much needed for many girls in today's world.