Jemima J

I absolutely enjoyed this book without a question. I found it hard to put down. The more I read the more I wanted to know who JJ would end up with. It was exciting to experience her suddent change in life. As I read it I felt motivated myself to want to excercise more, maybe not as much as she did, but it is possibly to make yourself better. Right from the beginning of the book when she talks about dieting I loved the honesty. The dialogue is exactly how we all feel about diets. The phrase, " And diets don't work, how can they? It's a multi-million dollar industry, and if any of the diets actually worked the whole caboodle would go down the toilet." (p. 3) Again when she talks herself into eating the cookies she found in the drawer even though she had started her diet she thought she better just eat them at once instead of throughout the week. (p.13) We've all experienced this and it's just how our society works. The latest diet on the news, we all have to try even if it doesn't work or is dangerous. When you read you laugh inside realizing just how crazy we really are in this world!

The book has so many themes; love, appearance/looks, discovery of one self, and denial. I think one of the most important themes of the book is that everything happens for a reason. JJ was overweight for a reason. She was able to experience life as a person carrying extra weight and feeling a sense of lonliness because of her looks. When she began going online it allowed her to be someone she really isn't and for a moment in time she felt happy. Which isn't that what we all want? Although to her having a hot body, a boyfriend, and lots of friends is what she thought would make her happy. Once she saw the picture Geraldine had done of her it was all the motivation she needed to truly change herself. I loved that she did it for herself and was able to allow others to show all that she had to offer. I think this book could really help people of all sizes understand what one experiences simply because of their weight, big or small. Which is why I thought having JJ fall in love with Brad which turned out to be a bad thing was a great way to signify that life is more than just looks and sometimes things are too good to be true. Whether you wear a size 0 or size 10 you can still get hurt but by those you love or think you love.

It was great how Jane Green intertwined Bed's life with JJ's. At the end where they kept seeing each other but not really seeing each was fun to read. I found myself saying come on all ready just see each other face to face! This is why the book was so wonderful because it brings out feelings that most of us have felt at one time. You want to laugh, cheer and cry all at the same time. Most of all it was wonderful watching JJ come full circle with herself-weight, love and all!