This was the perfect summer read! A road trip, a magical reimagining of the US, and strong themes of friendship and mother-daughter relationships. I will say that it was a bit slow in some parts, but I enjoyed the time getting to know Thrash and the other girls and watching them become friends. The away was definitely a flawed character and I found myself annoyed with her at some points— but seeing her growth and how much she changed by the end was so rewarding and satisfying. I did feel like the ending was resolved a bit to quickly and easily. I would be interested in a sequel for this book! Give me a fun, travel book about the girls during their gap year! Overall, highly recommend this book!

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. The writing style was not for me, I’m also not a big fan of the third person POV. The writing just didn’t capture me, and I found myself not wanting to reach for it when I was in a reading mood. Thank you NetGalley for the E-Arc.

✨ 3.5 STARS ✨

the first half of this book was incredibly difficult for me to get through but the second half was a lot more enjoyable. though i almost marked this as dnf, i am glad i powered through and finished this book.

the story follows thrash, a plus sized teen witch, as she joins another trio of teen witches on a chaotic roadtrip to try and steal their magical gifts.

i loove a book with a detailed background, so i really appreciated the map and the history of the thirteen states and how they related to the history of the united states. i also really enjoyed the characters and their stories and individualism, and how they all meshed together. i thought it was an interesting story of teen girls just having a fun time and finding themselves.

[read through an arc from netgalley]

Thank you, Net Gallery, for the advanced copy of this book. This was a fun summer road trip book about teen witches picking their own paths and their own gifts. I was pleasantly surprised, and I would definitely recommend it. I appreciated the body positive message of the book.

Now this is a summer read I was waiting for and am so glad I got the chance to read! Definitely buying a physical copy for my home library. Fat Witch Summer by Lizzy Ives is as amazing and cute as the cover. It’s a body-positive story about witches on a road trip, can you blame me for not being able to pass on this read?!

Meet Thrash. She’s just coming into her magic, rejecting the status quo, and heading out on a road trip that is sure to change her life… right?
I found this to be an incredible journey through an extremely creative and original world that I’m excited to return to. I read this in one sitting because I just could not get enough of these witches, and I’m praying for a second installment.

I also loved how the characters have insecurities alongside their body positivity, as this make them relatable and helps people feel seen. Representation in stories is one of the most important things, which is why I highly recommend diving into this YA paranormal read. I promise you, it’s a cozy story you’ll return to again and again.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sword & Rose Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It’s usually a moment of excitement when someone first shows signs of possessing magic. For 16-year-old Thrash, it’s just another stressor in her life. She’s always dreamed about receiving the Gift of Sight, but she knows her mom, Osmarra, is obsessed with giving her the Gift of Glamour. It wouldn’t be that big of a deal if people could choose their own Gift, but everyone’s parents choose their Gift, and Osmarra is completely against Sight. Just as Thrash thinks she can live with being stuck with the Gift of Glamour, she’s offered the chance of a lifetime: run away with three witches from school with plans to steal their Gifts. Thrash thinks it’s a crazy idea, but when faced with Glamour, she’d rather take her chances than get stuck in a life she never asked for.

The title and cover of this book drew me in and I’m sure glad it did! We follow a group of teenage girls who are determined to take their lives into their own hands: Thrash, Em, Cresca, and Saki. Together, the three of them plan to break in and steal the Gifts they aren’t legally allowed to choose for themselves. Along the way, we see what each of them struggle with, their secrets, and how this crazy plan that has them flying by the seat of their pants teaches them to appreciate their abilities somewhere along the way.

One of the things I like about this book is that Thrash, the main character, is plus size and proud. Books primarily following plus size characters who aren’t an insulting depiction are hard to come by, and we’ve got Thrash, who is very proud of her appearance. If anything, she resents how her mom is so focused on appearances and how the Gift of Glamour will help her fit in… by appearing smaller than she is. We also have a well rounded cast of interesting and amazing characters with a few “bad guys” thrown into the mix. It really makes every character wonderful to follow!

I found this book to be funny and heartwarming. Sure, there’s some sad moments that tug on the heartstrings and are relatable at times, but it was fun and really supports the fact that believing in oneself makes a difference. There’s a nice cast of characters outside of the four we follow, and I do wish we saw a little more of some of those characters. For example, there’s a lot more to Osmarra’s familiar but we never get to see it.

My only complaint is that the book doesn’t seem to finish up some of the storylines. The main one being the plot about magic and what the Gifts can do. We’re supposed to believe that it’s a huge deal for Thrash to steal Glamour when there’s, ultimately, nothing to support that in the long run. It fizzles out by the end and it’s almost like the ending was to a different book. It’s so light and carefree when the entire magic system as the characters know it is being challenged and changed. I just wish this major plotline was better planned and executed because we get to the end and it’s almost like the high stakes were fake all along. I think that this will make much more sense if it turns out this is really a series opener. Otherwise, I’m just disappointed about that particular plotline nearly evaporating by the end.

Fat Witch Summer really hit the spot for me! Thrash and her relationship with her mother was highly relatable. I had fun the entire time reading! Like I was reliving my own road-trip memories within the world of Thrash and the Lunes! The conflict of Thrash find her authentic truth while her controlling mother only cares about appearance is a big theme many can relate to. I loved this cozy book and bet many other witches will, too!

Fat Witch Summer takes the quintessential "find your self" road trip story and brightens it up with magic and and strong female characters. Main character Thrash is navigating the grief of losing a parent and deciding on her future while balancing a rocky relationship with her Mom. Trash and her Mom disagree on the path Thrash should take for her future, leaving Thrash to grapple between trusting her Mom or trusting her own intuition. While the road trip story isn't new, the unique magic system and characters make this an engaging and endearing summer read. Perfect for readers looking for a relatively low stakes story about growth, friendship, and finding your own identity. This book might be a skip if you're looking for high stakes excitement or a large element of body positivity. I felt the story fell short of true body positivity beyond the main character being plus size.

Big girls are having a moment and this story is part of that…but it’s more than that. It’s giving “The Craft” and “The Breakfast Club” vibes with much healthier and enviable friendships. Main character Thrash struggles with her identity and making friends and finds the perfect group of girls to runaway with to escape being labeled and confined for the rest of your life. Loved the world building and everyone’s story. Super fun adventure road trip that’s suspenseful and funny enough to keep you interested. Love that the story is about the ladies and finding themselves instead of a random love story thrown in just to check a box. It’s also giving body positivity and realness without getting lost. It’s super cute and perfect for a vacay or stayvaction read.

Special thanks to author #LizzyIves, Sword & Rose Press and #netgalley for the ARC.

this book was very whitty and charming. i really appreciate the body positivity that this book brings. i didn’t really connect with the characters but i did like them. i do wish the book was a little longer though. a great coming of age book.

My Rating: 3.5
A plus-sized witch escapes the demands of her intense mother, taking a road trip to discover self-acceptance and where her true magic lies.
Thank you Sword and Rose Press for providing an e-book copy through NetGalley.

Synopsis:
When sixteen-year-old Thrash accidentally breaks a mirror with her mind, unleashing her knack for magic, she is hesitant about her future. On the one hand, being a witch is awesome in the Thirteen Magical States of America. Thrash can’t wait to receive one of the three sacred Gifts - Growth, Sight, or Glamour - and become an official witch. On the other hand, mothers choose the Gifts, and her mother has strong opinions about Thrash’s life. Osmarra, a Glamour witch, is obsessed with appearances, enchanting her skin, her house, and all her surroundings to be the most appealing to all. And her daughter Thrash is, well, the opposite. She is plus-sized and refuses to hide any imperfections, causing her and her mother to constantly clash. So when Osmarra presents Thrash the Gift of Glamour despite her protests, she decides to escape instead. The Lunes, a trio of cool witches, offer to drive Thrash across the country to New Salem University where they will steal their Gifts instead of conforming. As the four speed across freeways and escape bounty hunters and Osmarra, the girls discover a secret about the Gifts that can change the world forever. Thrash has to decide how to handle her mother and the world’s expectations of her through new bonds, understanding, and self-acceptance.

What I Liked:
This was a fun road trip story featuring body positivity, new friendships, and fighting for your own type of magic. The world of the Thirteen States of America is intriguing and a fun spin on the alternative-world trope. It’s fun to watch the four witches learn about each other and themselves as they encounter magical haunts and bewitched tourist traps, and also how each deals with complicated family issues. The antagonistic dynamic between Osmarra and Thrash drives the plot forward, creating natural inner turmoil in our main character and struggles that many children of “perfect” parents can understand. Overall, Fat Witch Summer is a light-hearted and enjoyable summer read, perfect for beaches, vacations, and, of course, road trips.

What I Didn’t Like:
Some parts in the middle could get boring at times, either because the scenes were too drawn out or I wasn’t connecting with any of the characters (this latter issue is more of a personal bias than a critique. I still like the characters as a whole). This made the book hard to get through sometimes.

Who Would I Recommend This To:
Teens who like body positivity, road trips, witches, mother-daughter drama, and fighting to be yourself.

Review Date: July 18, 2023

oh, what a fun read! I was excited to read a body-positive book, and the fact that it was an adventurous road trip with four young witches was a true bonus.
Theodora, better known as Thrash, is our Main Character. She is a plus-size teen who has just found out that she has magic (not everyone does), and will be given her Gift and go to a maglgical university. The hitch? Her mother will choose which of the three gifts she receives, and Thrash is convinced she will get the Gift of Glamour from her mother, who has the same. Thrash can't help but feel that her mother , Osmarra, wants her to have this particular gift so she can hide her size. but Thrash would prefer to receive the Gift of Sight, like her other mother Duna (who has passed on).
Thrash and some of her peers get together and plan to run off and steal the Gifts they choose for themselves, and this is the beginning of their road trip adventure.
How will Thrash manage with the popular girls in close proximity, with a shared goal?
this book is a great example of friendship, acceptance, and believing in yourself. I hope there are more adventures in store for this quartet.

Ever since I was little, I’ve been obsessed with witches. I’m now 33 and nothing has changed, except that I’m finally finding books with representation that fits me a fat girl. The book start off a little slow, but it definitely picked up. This book was the perfect balance of coming of age and self love. One of the reviewers called it across between Dumplin, the movie and the craft and they are definitely right.

I am definitely interested to see if there will be a follow up to this book. Thank you to net galley for the e-ARC.

Thrash is a plus-size teen who longs to be a witch with the gift of Sight, like her brilliant, eccentric mother who passed away. But her still-living mother, Osmarra, wants her to be like her with the gift of Glamour: beautiful, calm, controlled, elegant, complacently playing her role in the current world order. When Thrash accidentally breaks a mirror, it shows she is now ready for her gift to be chosen for her…
There’s a trio of three other witches in school, the most beautiful and popular, who each have their own problems too. They all decide to help each other by taking a road trip to the famous New Salem University, where they’re hoping to each decide their own fate and gifts. But their parents aren’t thrilled when the girls slip off into the night, and want to hunt them down and bring them back. Then a strange encounter with one girl’s sister who has rejected a life of magic and witches leaves them questioning everything they’ve been taught and thought they knew about the world of magic and witches, wands and powers. Unsure what to do, they’ll meet a crossroads that could change everything.
An interesting teen fantasy fiction about questioning the rules that govern, choosing what’s best for yourself, independence, and celebrating what makes a person unique.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from Thomas Nelson and Net Galley. All opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect those of the publisher or its affiliates or the author.

What a magical story! I loved following these characters as they journeyed toward their futures, fighting against the system and finding themselves along the way. A true found family adventure!

This was a quick and fun summer read. I enjoyed the world building and how magic worked in it. It’s a decent YA novel that does give body acceptance to plus size people.

This was a perfect summer witch story! I loved everything about this book-humor, friendship, discovery, magic-all of it!

This little book made my heart happy. It was lovely to see so much solid, positive representation. As a self described fat woman it is genuinely refreshing to see fatness portrayed in a healthy, positive way. Additionally, the characters are delightful and the world which Lizzy Ives built is alive and enjoyable to read about.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest, fair review.

Going into this book, I was excited to read about an unabashedly body positive fat witch and the fun adventures of her summer. I can connect to Thrash in some of those ways—I was a plus size teenager that just wanted to feel comfortable in her body. And so, I was excited to read it.

As for things it did well: I loved the friendship dynamics and the progression of Trash’s relationship with her mother, especially at the end. It was rather believable how they worked together and I can really resonate with how their friendship formed. When I was in high school, I was somewhat lonely until my little coven (the choir kids) scooped me up and claimed me as their own. I know this could be relatable to a lot of high schoolers.

I was also interested in the magic system. At first, I wondered why there were only three types of magic and why those specifically, but as the story unfurled, it made more sense.

As for things it didn’t do so well: the story definitely did deliver on a fun summer trip (though definitely written for young adults), I think it absolutely did not as a happy-go-lucky fat witch story. While, yes, Trash did stand up for herself and often question people who were cruel and looked down on her because of her size, she frequently did the same thing to herself. To me, there was a lot of internalized fatphobia that kind of made the title moot.

Also, and I know this is nit-picky, but the -rix at the end of every single job title made it hard to read, and at times, understand. I get it. I do. But it annoyed me.

Is it a cute story? Yes. Will it be something I recommend? Yes. But I don’t think the title really sums up what the story’s actually about: friendship and breaking through barriers that hold you back.

Thank you to Sword Rose Press and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book did not disappoint! I’ve heard it described as Dumplin meets The Craft and I’d say that’s an accurate assessment.

In Fat Witch Summer, our main character, Thrash dreads reaching the age where she will receive her witchy Gift: her mother Osmarra is a powerful Glamour witch who expects Thrash to embrace the same gift as her, but Thrash is happy and proud being her plus-sized, dyed-hair, rebellious self and would rather have a more useful Gift. An accidental mishap reveals that Thrash has a powerful natural magic, but instead of going through the Gift ceremony, she decides to join the Lunes, a trio of "cool" girls, on their road trip to claim their own Gifts instead.

This adventurous road trip/coming-of-age story offers a different take on witchcraft, with a tradition that focuses on three critical Gifts (Glamour, Growth, and Sight) as opposed to the natural witchy gifts. This book is able to blend a fun adventure and vibrant, diverse characters with more serious issues. I appreciated that the book didn't focus solely on Thrash: each of her friends (Cresca, Saki, and Emerald) had backgrounds and personalities, and goals. That made them a more believable team.

I was also impressed with the plus-sized representation. The plus-sized character was body positive but still had some insecurities which made them that much more relatable because I feel that is a universal struggle. I’m happy to live in a world where books like this are available. I wish I would have had such a book in my teen years.