150 Pounds

Feb 24, 2012 Jean rated it 2 of 5 stars

I like the idea; wish I could like the book. Where was the editor? Ideas were raised and then dropped, never to be seen again. The book contained several internal contradictions, often within the same paragraph. (One example: We are told that if Alexis finds a leopard print or soft pink feather in her closet, she can't tell if it's hers or her roommate's. On the very next page, though, we are told that Alexis never wears anything at all feminine. So, clearly, the pink feather and the leopard pri...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Stacy/GirlsInTheStacks.com rated it 3 of 5 stars

When I picked up this book I was expecting a fun, but very predictable read. Fortunately, this one had a few unexpected surprising elements that were smart and utterly charming.

The book is written in third person, with alternating perspectives from Shoshana and Alexis. Rockland did a great job giving each girl an engaging storyline. It’s funny, I would get so engrossed reading one girls section and then moan when it changed, but yet would groan again when perspectives changed again.

Shoshana and...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Mathilde rated it 1 of 5 stars

I was not a satisfied reader. The idea had potential, but there were just so many things that I didn't like about this book...

The characters were stereotypes and I didn't really like either one. There was Shoshana the jolly fat girl and Alexis the witchy skinny girl. Shoshana really thinks she exercises (but doesn't)and has a family history of obesity, loses 30 pounds in 12 weeks without really trying. Alexis meets man who wants more curves(don't understand his attraction to someone he thinks is...more

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Nov 10, 2012 Susan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-new-author-challenge, 2012-reading-challenge-addict, 2012-support-your-local-library-cha

150 Pounds by Kate Rockland tells the story of a year in the lives of two women with opposite viewpoints on weight and fitness.

Shoshana is a plus-size woman (5' 7", 215 pounds, EE cup, size 5 shoe, age 26) who fervently believes that a woman should love her body at any size, eat and drink whatever comforts or pleases her, and not punish herself with dieting or exercise. Shoshana's younger sister Emily, 315 pounds, experiences so much rejection in her life due to her large size, that Shoshana au...more 150 Pounds by Kate Rockland tells the story of a year in the lives of two women with opposite viewpoints on weight and fitness.

Shoshana is a plus-size woman (5' 7", 215 pounds, EE cup, size 5 shoe, age 26) who fervently believes that a woman should love her body at any size, eat and drink whatever comforts or pleases her, and not punish herself with dieting or exercise. Shoshana's younger sister Emily, 315 pounds, experiences so much rejection in her life due to her large size, that Shoshana authors the blog Fat and Fabulous to celebrate large women.

Alexis is a rail-thin (5' 2" 100 pounds) fitness fanatic, who follows a strict diet and exercise regimen. She is so concerned about the nation's epidemic of disease and death due to obesity, that she authors the blog Skinny Chick to promote fitness and healthy lifestyle and eating habits.

The story opens with both women as guests on the Oprah television show, due to their successful blogs. Shoshana's message to love one's body and enjoy eating cookies and comfort food is much more welcome to the audience than Alexis' statistics on how obesity causes disease and death. When Alexis reveals that Shoshana's father dropped dead at age 39 weighing 350 pounds, a preventable death, Oprah quickly cuts to commercial.

The book's chapters chart the following year month-by-month, detailing what each woman weighs, posts on her blog and events in her life. Both women live alternative lifestyles: neither works in an office nor has a boss. The book mentions that each woman earns her living from her blog (but doesn't explain how).

Shoshana lives with a pet dachshund in an apartment in downtown Hoboken NJ with 4 women roommates, all Princeton graduates looking for work. Shoshana enjoys a comfortable personal schedule: her alarm wakes her in the early afternoon, groggy from the previous nights' partying. While still in bed, she catches up on gossip from her roommates, calls an ex-high-school-boyfriend to talk about the food he ate on his latest date, and updates her pedicure. She walks with a friend to go enjoy a glass of wine and gossip. After she returns home, she climbs back into bed to check the feedback on her blog and write her daily post. She visits her mother and sister every day, and goes out each night for drinking parties with her friends. She's tried Internet dating without success; prefers her current lifestyle with blog, family and roommates to the suburban family life she imagines married couples live.

Alexis lives with a pet cat on Nineteenth Street in New York City with roommate Billy, her best friend from Columbia University who works as a bartender, and Vanya, the roommate they needed to meet expenses, after Alexis quit law school to start her blog. Although Alexis can barely afford the fees, workouts at the gym with a personal trainer are important in her life. Each morning Alexis wakes at 4:30 AM, straps on ankle weights, eats a precisely measured breakfast of banana and milk, and heads to the gym for her workout. When her personal trainer becomes pregnant and changes the exercise schedule, Alexis' routine is upset; when Alexis takes a cooking class at the gym and meets Noah, her life changes completely.

Shoshana unexpectedly inherits a 15-acre farm from her great-aunt Mimi. Shoshana loved Mimi and had happy childhood memories of visiting the farm, but stopped visiting years ago due to Mimi's Alzheimer's. She meets Joe Murphy, owner of the neighboring farm, his dog Patrick O'Leary, and his housekeeper Greta. She visits the farm regularly by train, and with tremendous help from Joe and Greta, restores the farmhouse and saves the apple orchard. She is surprised to find herself steadily losing weight due to all the hard manual labor, and she keeps the change a secret from her blog readers. Reading about Joe and Greta, and how they restore the farm, is the most interesting and pleasurable part of the book. Shoshana comes to realize that Mimi left her the farm so she could effectively deal with her suppressed grief over her father's death.

Meanwhile Alexis falls in love with Noah and becomes pregnant. But what changes her entire world even more drastically is Billy's cancer diagnosis. Alexis attempts to reconcile with her parents, in order to get financial assistance for Billy's treatments.

Each woman's weight gradually changes, until after one year they both weigh 150 pounds. They meet again and acknowledge the changes in each other's life and perspective. They return to Oprah, where they make a surprising joint announcement.

This "meet at 150 pounds" is a false premise - my primary objection to the book, and reason for only 2 stars. Pregnancy is a temporary condition, for gosh sakes! Let's continue the story: After giving birth, instead of a daily session with a personal trainer, Alexis now jogs with her infant in a jogger-stroller. She quickly returns to a lean, fit figure. Meanwhile, with the financial success of Shoshana's apple orchard and pie business, and following the completion of her farmhouse restoration, Shoshana no longer has any daily hard physical labor. She continues to entertain friends lavishly at her farm. All her former weight comes back. With the women back as they started, what happens to their collaboration? Disease and death due to obesity has not gone away.

The author shares that she weighs 150 and was motivated by Lessons from the Fat-o-Sphere blog. I object to the portrayal of Alexis recording calories on her iPhone as an obsession; it's fun to use an app to set personal goals and to track exercise and meals. I get great satisfaction from a vigorous workout, which lowers stress and improves health.(less)

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Aug 18, 2012 Elle rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, weight-as-a-plot-point, meh

Synopsis: Two semi-successful weight/lifestyle bloggers (Shoshana and Alexis) at opposite ends of the weight spectrum (size 16 and 0, respectively) meet on Oprah for a weight debate, then go off to live their separate lives. Along the way they learn some life lessons (boring ones) and ultimately come to meet in the middle (in both actual weight and life).

I really wanted to like this. Really. The title, the blurb -- it all called to me, begging for a read. But this is poorly written. It's trite,...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Gayle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 17, 2012 Lydia Laceby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-women-s-fiction, 5-star-must-read

Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes

150 Pounds is just as delectable as the cupcakes on the cover. It's an easy read with a weighty punch and all women will be able to relate to the issues in this novel, regardless of where on they fall on weight spectrum. I loved 150 Pounds and devoured it as quickly as I would those cupcakes.

At first I was drawn to Shoshana's exuberant personality, loving that her extra pounds didn't get her down. But Alexis quickly took over and I rooted, almost screaming at...more Originally reviewed at Novel Escapes

150 Pounds is just as delectable as the cupcakes on the cover. It's an easy read with a weighty punch and all women will be able to relate to the issues in this novel, regardless of where on they fall on weight spectrum. I loved 150 Pounds and devoured it as quickly as I would those cupcakes.

At first I was drawn to Shoshana's exuberant personality, loving that her extra pounds didn't get her down. But Alexis quickly took over and I rooted, almost screaming at times, for her to get her head out of her ass. There were several unexpected turns with Alexis's story which really took me by surprise, one of which I usually see coming, but I had no clue. I loved her love interest. He was patient and kind and ridiculously dreamy and I really enjoyed watching Alexis under his spell.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy Shoshana's storyline though. Because I did. Lots. I loved the relationship she had with her family and that her purpose in life didn't seem to be finding a man, although if Prince Charming showed up, she'd definitely be game. Her date stories were hilarious and I loved that one of her best friends was an ex-boyfriend and their banter back and forth was refreshing. Her storyline provided much comic relief as her character was more bubbly, friendly and funny than Alexis who was cold, withdrawn and serious.

Each time the story flipped from one characters viewpoint to another, I barely flinched because I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen with each one. These women were as different as the cities they lived in and I loved the juxtaposition of New York City and New Jersey and thought each location suited each character perfectly. There are things in this novel that should be cliche or too 'perfect', like the gay best friend and Alexis's love interest's profession, but it never came across as such for me. Everything in 150 Pounds seemed like a natural fit.

If you're looking for a fun read that tackles serious issues with heart, pick up 150 Pounds today. I can't wait to read more from Kate Rockland!(less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Rachel rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. After a stressful work week, I headed to my local public library to find some light-hearted fiction to unwind over the weekend. That is how I discovered Rockland's novel 150 Pounds. I was drawn to read the book because of its unique premise: Two popular bloggers, known for writing about self-appreciation, health, and fitness, wrote from drastically different viewpoints. One was a huge health nut and weighed under 120 pounds, and the other loved food and embraced her plus-size figure at over 200...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Tammy rated it 2 of 5 stars

As soon as I became aware of the premise for this book, I saw red flags. I should have paid attention to them. Two bloggers - one a fat activist of sorts and one a judgmental self-proclaimed skinny chick - meet on Oprah as enemies, live their separate lives, learn their separate lessons, and come to the same conclusion. It was very much a Goldilocks story - in the beginning, Shoshana is toooooo fat; Alexis is toooooo skinny - but in the end, they're both juuuuuust right. (face - palm)

Everything...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Sandra rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I don't even know where to start. Firstly, the writing in this was terrible. Different viewpoints all over the place. Also, both Alexis and Shoshana could see through walls and curtains. For example, Alexis was at the ER and closes the curtain around her, but somehow sees the couple across the hallway--behind their own curtain. Ugh. Someone needs to fire their editor.

And the last four books I've read have had the proverbial gay best friend. Is this the must-have accessory for 2012? If I don't wr...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Jocelyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

The journey of self-acceptance and comfort in your own skin is a life long one for many. Weight plays a key role in this journey and it can sometimes make the road ahead of you seem long, winding and filled with potholes. No matter how fit, confident and put together a woman appears, everyone has insecurities. Kate Rockland does something extraordinary with her novel 150 Pounds, she realistically gives readers hope. Hope that they can make their journey easier and more enjoyable by accepting the...more The journey of self-acceptance and comfort in your own skin is a life long one for many. Weight plays a key role in this journey and it can sometimes make the road ahead of you seem long, winding and filled with potholes. No matter how fit, confident and put together a woman appears, everyone has insecurities. Kate Rockland does something extraordinary with her novel 150 Pounds, she realistically gives readers hope. Hope that they can make their journey easier and more enjoyable by accepting themselves. Hope that one day they can stop caring about the extra pounds they’re caring around. Hope that they can appreciate themselves as is and love themselves, extra baggage and all.

Shoshana Weiner is a plus size writer for the blog Fat and Fabulous. Alexis Allbright is skinny, obsessed with working out and runs the site, Skinny Chick. Both girls meet at the start of the novel as guests on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Immediately pitted against each other, hurling insults and accusations, the girls are enemies out to prove that their lifestyle is the “right” way to live. But fate steps in and mixes things up.

Each chapter is told from either Shoshana or Alexis’s perspective and opens by documenting their current weight. Immediately I liked Shoshana better than Alexis. Alexis is uptight, self-obsessed and consumed with fat-burning and fitness. Her life is structured, scheduled and strict and no one is going to mess with the order she has created. Of course, life has other plans and soon a wrench is thrown in Alexis’s seemingly perfect life. We also discover some darkness in her past that has influenced her need for structure, perfection and control.

Shoshana, on the other hand, is leading a life filled with love and happiness. She has great friends, a great family and a confidence that you will find yourself envying. But even people who seem to have figured out the “big” issues in life still have lots to learn and discover. Shoshana has her own insecurities and her path is not an easy one either.

Rockland reminds me of Jennifer Weiner in her ability to accurately portray the plight of women and the emotional landscape we all face. There are similarities in all of our stories and struggles and Rockland perfectly captures that in 150 Pounds. Her writing is enjoyable, her plot is compelling and her novel is a must-read for women everywhere.
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Feb 13, 2012 Katherine Coble rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of Jenny Colgan, Jane Green, Jennifer Weiner

I struggled with my opinion on this book and with what kind of review to give it.

As chick lit goes, this is a very good example of the types of books I've previously enjoyed in that category. It reminded me very much of early Jennifer Weiner (the heroine's name I took to be an homage of sorts to her), Jane Green (who blurbed the book) and Jenny Colgan. It has that sort of We Is Kwirky Girlz vibe that makes for a good experience. You read Chick Lit to hang out with the girls, and so the type of...more I struggled with my opinion on this book and with what kind of review to give it.

As chick lit goes, this is a very good example of the types of books I've previously enjoyed in that category. It reminded me very much of early Jennifer Weiner (the heroine's name I took to be an homage of sorts to her), Jane Green (who blurbed the book) and Jenny Colgan. It has that sort of We Is Kwirky Girlz vibe that makes for a good experience. You read Chick Lit to hang out with the girls, and so the type of girls who are the book's characters are fundamental to the experience. Rockland did a very good job of peopling the book with interesting people in interesting places.

As a Health at Every Size Advocate I hit a few sour notes during the reading experience.

It seemed obvious that Shoshana Weiner was based largely on Kate Harding of the now-defunct Shapely Prose blog, a fact confirmed by the Acknowledgements at the book's end. Unfortunately much of the scientific arguments about obesity-positivity are either downplayed or ignored in favour of the book's overall theme--love yourself at any size, but if you can lose some weight you'd be better off. The book opens with the hero and anti-hero together on a show that is supposed to be Oprah (but sounds nothing like the all-too-familiar real-life Oprah, which is distracting). In this chapter they each present their side of the argument. Unfortunately the Fat side either doesn't make its points or lets erroneous information from the Skinny Side slide by unchecked. For instance, the Skinny character makes a point of saying that Obesity rates have doubled. It is widely known that the cause for this doubling was the redefinition of "obese" in the medical community. When they decided to change to BMI, weights that were "normal" were suddenly reclassified as "overweight" and in turn "overweight" became obese. People didn't get fatter. Numbers got lower. This goes unaddressed, as do a few other key points. The biggest flaw, however, was a section mentioning that obesity causes cancer. Correlation is not causation. There are reams of scientific studies disputing this rumour, but the book passes it off as fact. Granted, people don't generally go to Chick Lit for fact, but I do find that entertainment sticks in the mind longer than education in many respects and I think it was horribly irresponsible of Rockland to fail to present a better case. If she was going to bring the argument into the book at all I would have preferred that she bring the facts along with the hyperbole and keep misinformation out of it.

If you set aside the Great Weight Debate the book is a passable way to spend an afternoon and I enjoyed it once I decided to let the FA/HAES stuff go. But the book centers around weight issues and so I am not sure that's really a fair burden to place on the reader. Hence the lowered grade. I'd say by and large that it's a 3.5 star book. (less)

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Jan 17, 2012 Andrea Guy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, chicklit, netgalley, ebook

This is an absolutely fantastic book that every woman should read. I mean it! Every woman should pick up this book. It is woman's fiction at its finest and funniest. But most of all it is a book that most women can relate too.

Raise your hand if you've had some kind of weight or body image issue?

I bet there are a lot of hands in the air. Mine's up.

This book shows the world from one super skinny woman and one not so skinny woman.

Here's why the book is so great.

1. You get to see two women on a jour...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Maureen Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. It was an honest look at how circumstances make you the person you are and how even one small, simple change in those circumstances can have far reaching implications.

The characters felt real, in that they were sometimes likable, sometimes detestable, but never one dimensional. Each character held the capacity for change, including the less important storylines. There were unexpected moments, surprises throughout and a somewhat predictable, yet still satisfying endin...more

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Apr 20, 2012 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars

This could have been so much better. The main characters were caricatures. And to make sure we understood the extent of their caricature-ness, the author kept repeating herself. While Shoshona's weight loss *could* be realistic (that's still A LOT of weight to lose without even trying, especially for someone described to be genetically overweight rather than due to lack of exercise or overeating), it doesn't happen often in real life. I thought Alexis was going to take a different journey, but I...more

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Jan 28, 2012 Colleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

In 150 Pounds, two successful bloggers on opposite ends of the scale face off. Alexis Allbright blogs at "Skinny Chick" and lives by a strict regimen of healthy food and workouts while Shoshana Weiner blogs at "Fat and Fabulous" where she encourages women to be happy at any size. They each personify what the other hates and there seems to be no common ground between them. As they each face major life changes, the beliefs to which they have clung do desperately are challenged and their eyes are o...more In 150 Pounds, two successful bloggers on opposite ends of the scale face off. Alexis Allbright blogs at "Skinny Chick" and lives by a strict regimen of healthy food and workouts while Shoshana Weiner blogs at "Fat and Fabulous" where she encourages women to be happy at any size. They each personify what the other hates and there seems to be no common ground between them. As they each face major life changes, the beliefs to which they have clung do desperately are challenged and their eyes are opened to the other side of the argument.

Alexis Allbright is a size zero health fanatic who works out diligently at the crack of dawn and carefully monitors her intake by logging each morsel on her iPhone. She writes at her blog "Skinny Chick" about healthy eating and maintaining your physique. She is righteous in her vilification of all things fat and has thousands of loyal followers. Shoshana has battled weight most of her life as has all members of her family. Although she is thinner than her highest weight, she is still overweight and blogs at "Fat and Fabulous". She encourages her followers to love themselves at any size and eschews any mentions of diets. When Oprah invites the two successful bloggers onto her show, they face off and do battle over their opposing ideologies. Alexis lobs facts and figures about the dangers of poor eating and excess body fat while Shoshana argues for "fit at any size" and against the unattainable standards of size imposed on women by media.

This topic is all over the media today. There is increasing evidence that the food we eat and lifestyle we lead are at the root of many illnesses - this makes a compelling case for clean eating and maintaining an ideal weight. But at the same time holding up unrealistic body images as ideal and shaming the overweight causes it's own problems ; the "fat and fit" movement asserts that people can be healthy at any size. By putting Alexis and Shoshana at either side of this argument, Rockland brings the issue to life.

Rockland has created two very real characters in Alexis and Shoshana. In 150 Pounds, Alexis definitely seems the less sympathetic character mostly because she has such a sharp edge; Shoshana is warm, collects friends easily and gladly takes on those that demonize overweight women. Of course, neither is as one dimensional as their side of the argument or their blog would make it seem. The story in this novel is learning what makes each of these women tick, what drove them to the positions they hold so strongly and whether they have the capacity to change.

The topic of body image certainly hit home for me and was part of the reason I enjoyed this story so much. In addition, it is set in NYC so many places were familiar and it was interesting to read about two successful bloggers. Beyond all that, it is a fun, light read befitting of its lovely cover! (less)

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Apr 19, 2012 Andrea rated it 1 of 5 stars

I wish there was a choice other than "read, to read, and currently reading". Something like "couldn't make it through" would work for me.

Did someone edit this book? Is there a reason that on page 22 Shoshana's father's name was Bill, and then on page 26, his name was Bob?

Pg 22: "She had been in the middle of baking a cherry pie and had flour on her hands and an apron which scattered like confetti as she ran toward her husband and daughter "Oh Bill!" she'd screamed."

Pg 26: "Bob used to tease her...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Kimberly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This book was about Alexis and Shoshana--two women with major preoccupations with weight.

The stereotypes in this book are many. Alexis is the "skinny bitch," who counts calories with a vengeance, turns up her nose at food and those who enjoy it, and whose only friend is her gay roommate. Shoshana is "fat and fun," has dozens of friends, and enjoys having her nails done (this is a stereotype, trust me). Both come from families with money but live the poor life (convenient), both have suffered a t...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Brandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and I was very excited to be able to read a book so new on the market.

The book is about two different women who begin as complete opposites and their journey to reaching common ground.

Shoshana began as an overweight woman who happily blogs about being comfortable in your own skin regardless of your size. She promotes happiness through experiences rather than appearances and has an upbeat personality that immediately makes you wish you were one of her room...more I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway and I was very excited to be able to read a book so new on the market.

The book is about two different women who begin as complete opposites and their journey to reaching common ground.

Shoshana began as an overweight woman who happily blogs about being comfortable in your own skin regardless of your size. She promotes happiness through experiences rather than appearances and has an upbeat personality that immediately makes you wish you were one of her roommates and could personally enjoy her friendship.

Alexis is an extremely thin woman who begins as being very bitter and judgmental towards anyone who can pinch an inch. Her ice cold personality makes you feel sorry for her and her exhausting schedule of diet and exercise is enough to wear a person out by simply reading about it. Alexis runs a blog geared towards being uber thin in order to be considered healthy.

The two women lead completely different lifestyles and share the details with their millions of daily readers on their blogs. The story spans over the time frame of about a year and goes into the details of the life changing events each experience that changes their viewpoints on weight issues, happiness and life in general.

I won't indulge in details that will spoil the story but ultimately, each woman goes through their own trials and tribulations until they realize that they are not as different from each other as they originally thought.

This is a wonderful story of woman empowerment and how to gain self-confidence through what makes you happy and being comfortable with just being you!

A light, quick read that keeps you turning page after page. I will admit there was even a part in the ending that brought a tear to my eye which proves that the author spends enough time developing the characters so the readers become emotionally involved in their story.

I believe every woman has a time in her life, some longer than others, where weight is an issue that ultimately affects our personalities and outlook on life. The author inspires you to be you regardless of size and stereotypes and just enjoy what life has thrown at you!

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Jul 21, 2012 Mary Elizabeth Morton rated it 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this story more than I did. First of all, it's hard for me to read swearing when it's a part of a person's everyday language...not just when they are mad. I especially don't care for the overuse of the 'f-word'. The premise is sweet, a chubby girl & a skinny girl both thinking the other is crazy & basically becoming each other & feeling what it's like to be 'in each other's shoes'. Some moments in the book were great, but other times the author just seemed to go on &...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shoshana--size 16. Alexis--size 0. Both of the women are bloggers, Fat and Fabulous (Shoshana) and Skinny Chick (Alexis). I can certainly relate much more to Shoshana's size, but the thoughts going through Alexis' head were all mine--counting every single calorie, working out diligently, making sure I stayed at my current weight and never an ounce more or hell would pay. But through the whole book, I envied Shoshana. She was happy, no matter what weight she was at.

This was a book about realizin...more

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Nov 24, 2012 C rated it 2 of 5 stars

I liked the idea of it and I certainly liked some parts of the book. That said, I felt like it was chick lit trying too hard, so it drags out in some places. I found myself skimming through pages not really caring for the details of Shoshana's shabby chic decor, etc. I related to some of the points about weight loss - particularly feeling strange in your own skin and still thinking in "fat" terms when you're not, in fact, fat at all.

That said, Alexis's story was the more compelling story, though...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Laura Pepper rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to read an advance review copy of 150 pounds. I love a book that comes full circle and this one certainly did - it is an incredibly satisfying read with delightful characters that are very well fleshed out and entertaining. The topic is a sensitive one, but Kate handles it gracefully with some wry wit thrown in for good measure.
One of the things I liked most was that it includes blog post entries by the two main characters to keep the story moving forward. This is a very clev...more

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Mar 09, 2012 Melinda Dunne rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit this book was a little out of my genre but I am always willing to read new and different books. At first I thought "oh boy" here is another book focusing on weight issues and the elements of woman who obsess about their weight in one form or another. In some aspects that was true but there was much more to the book than weight. The story does evaluate the role the main characters families have impacted their lives, as well as, offers insight as to why they both have issues with w...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Lynda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-recommend

Kate Rockland's first novel, "150 Pounds: A Novel of Waists and Measures" called to me from the New Fiction shelf at my local library. It called to me several times. I skimmed the book cover and put back, on one, two, three separate visits. Then it got me. The plot of two very different women, blogging about their weight issues: one "Skinny Bitch" and one "Fat and Fabulous" to use the titles of their blogs are both guests on Oprah at pivotal times in their lives. The novel follows the action of...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

There were many things about both main characters that I could relate to. The other characters were entertaining. The story following how different the main characters were in the beginning to how similar they became in the end was good but predictable. There weren't any real surprises in this book. I was particularly happy when I saw that Shoshana inherits her Aunt Mimi's farm in Chester NJ since I grew up in Chester. I was disappointed though because there is definitely not a train from Cheste...more

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Jan 31, 2012 Victoria rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: thinking-womans-chick-lit, on-my-kindle

One thing's for sure -- this ain't your Mama's chick lit. The cupcakes on the cover may scream a frothy, lacking-in-substance storyline, but this novel is anything but.

Let's face it; the struggle with one's weight is universal. Especially for women, especially in this day and age. What makes this book so immediate and so gosh darn readable is that it attacks the weight issue from both sides of the scale. Alexis represents those in the lightweight division and Shoshana represents those in the hea...more

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May 09, 2012 Lthelibrarylover rated it 3 of 5 stars

Alexis and Shoshana are both blog writers that focus on the appearance of women and social stereotypes. Alexis is a size zero while Shoshana is a plus sized girl. After appearing together on Oprah their lives start to change and as with it their weights.

Good story that focuses on different stereotypes associated with women of different figures. An honest look at how society judges people and the consequences of those judgements. This story also highlights how wrong people can be making a split...more

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Feb 06, 2012 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-read

Read for Fun!
Challenges: Read for Fun, Read-a-Thon
Overall Rating 4.25
Story Rating 4.00
Character Rating 4.50

First Thought when finished: I am so glad I picked up this book!

What a fun read! This book is for anyone that has ever dieted, worried about weight, judged people walking down the street, or thought horrid thoughts about themselves. There will be someone in this book that you identify with and go "a-ha"! Seriously, I laughed, cried, and cringed right along with the characters. In the end, I...more

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May 11, 2013 Aimee rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book more than I thought I would. I love the two diverse characters in this book. IN the beginning I really loved one character over the other but by the end I loved them both. I really enjoyed how they take two totally opposite characters and changed where they stand in life and then bring them together in the end where they have a common ground. if that makes sense. Either way, I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a light fun read. The characters are f...more

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title link	preview: 150 Pounds: A Novel of Waists and Measures
avg rating	preview: 150 Pounds: A Novel of Waists and Measures Goodreads rating: 3.25 (554 ratings)
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12091789-150-pounds?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1321798054l/12091789.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12091789-150-pounds?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]150 Pounds: A Novel of Waists and Measures by Kate Rockland[/url]

150 Pounds: A Novel of Waists and Measures

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