
Member Reviews

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. |

I really enjoyed this book, it would be perfect for late September early October reading, when it’s still warm, but you want to get into the fall season. It was cozy and cute, funny and an easy read. I will be checking out more books by this author! |

I'm sorry but the writing style just wasn't for me and I couldnt finish the book. The book cover is so cute and the description was very exciting. The book just didn't capture me sadly. I do know people who would enjoy this book though. |

This was very cute and entertaining, but I struggled to connect with the characters and I don't know if I just missed something but I didn't understand the magic system at all. I liked the development of the friendships throughout this book, and there was some body positivity, however there were some pacing issues around the middle of the story where it felt quite dragged out, in comparison to a pretty fast-paced beginning. I do think that a lot of people would enjoy this though, as it was lighthearted and fun! |

Body positivity, cozy, witchy and summery? Sign me up! This was everything that the blurb promised and more. It was so fun and heartwarming! |

#FatWitchSummer is a fantastic feel good coming of age story with magic, friendship, and a road-trip that can’t be beat. |

Not what I expected based on the title, but a bit deeper than anticipated as well. A fun adventure full of intriguing twists and turns that leads to a more complex coming of age than your average roadtrip novel. |

I did not end up finishing this title. I found the writing hard to connect with, and I was expecting so much more. |

I loved this! Thank you NetGalley for the arc. I really didn't know what it was going to be about (and read it on my Kindle so had really no good grasp of how long it would be) and it was fun to just watch the story unfold. I think one of the things I liked the very best about this was that it felt like a unique story. The setting is here-but not really here. Magic exists and the country's history vaguely mirrors our own, but all based on magic. I thought the author did such a good job with that-providing enough details to create this time and place, but it was not at all bogged down with exposition. I also enjoyed the changing points of view (the occasional interludes from the p.o.v. of the horse familiar were a hoot) which let you see how each of the girls was handling this wild road trip on the run. Plenty of teen-parent relationship things. I loved the story, the magic, and the action. I wasn't sure how everything would be resolved and was beyond thrilled to find out it wasn't just a setup for a sequel. (That said, I liked this world so much I'd be happy to visit it again. Plenty more characters and places to explore and get to know.) Just terrific. |

Fat Witch Summer by Lizzy Ives is a funny, fabulous witchy read that really drives home the idea of coming into your own power and strength. Thrash is the lovable, plus size main character and I could see myself being friends with a witch like her! She's more powerful than she knows and when she joins up with a group of 3 popular witches for an impromptu road trip she has no idea what's in store for her. The friendships that the girls develop through the road trip and the whacky situations they get themselves into are all heartwarming and so much fun. The story is fast paced and keeps up the adventure while also allowing for small, more poignant moments. The witchy political systems have a Salem or Scythe feel with an undercurrent of witch trial style repercussions for stepping out of line. I thought the relationship between Thrash and her mom was interesting and I think the resolution to their conflicts was very satisfying. If you are looking for a lighthearted witchy fantasy with found family vibes this coming of age tale is perfect for you. |

Plus size and a witchy book sign me up! I enjoyed this book and it’s fun references to Sabrina just an over all fun summer read |

What a wonderful, summer read about the pressures of normalcy in ever direction. Add magic to the mix and you’ve got a wonderful universe where you see bonds grow in captivating ways. I would love to see more from this universe and can’t wait to see what else this author has in store! |

Fat Witch Summer is a fun, quick YA read about teens developing friendships and mother-daughter relationships. Toss in some magic, and there's fun to be had. The mother-daughter conflict rooted in Osmarra's expectations and hopes for Thrash ring true; parents often seem, from a teen's point of view, to ignore their wishes in favor of what the parent thinks is best. In this case, Thrash's mom thinks that of the three possible magic gifts, Thrash should be given Glamour, rather than the Sight Thrash covets. When Thrash's knack- the first sign of magical ability- manifests, Osmarra rushes forward to impart Glamour as quickly as possible. Instead, Thrash takes off across the country with three of her school's cool girls on adventure, during which they all learn and grow. That said, there are several things that didn't work for me. The title implies that there are problems between the girls: Thrash-our heroine, Em, Saki, and Cresca-the theoretical lead mean girl. However, from the time we first see the girls interacting, Cresca isn't mean; she's trying to persuade Thrash to join the adventure. There's a little hostility from the other girls, but that quickly fades as trust grows. Most of the issues with Thrash's body are internal, brought on my her mother's example of beauty and poise. Still, this is a fun adventure with humor, kindness, and growth on the part of all the characters. |