This Book Isn't Fat, It's Fabulous

by Nina Beck

This hilarious novel, starring an unforgettable queen-sized queen bee, will have readers in stitches-- AND swooning over the love story.

Manhattan It Girl Riley Swain is no pudgy wallflower. She's brash, bold, fashionable, and yes, fabulous. Riley has no qualms about kissing her best friend's crush, or bribing her dad's lawyer. But this spring break, Riley's dad and wicked stepmother are shipping her off to New Horizons, a two-week fat camp in upstate New York. And it's like military school without carbs. But then Riley gets to know adorable Eric, who sees beyond Riley's tough exterior. Soon, Riley might just realize that maybe it's not her shape that will change at New Horizons. . . but her heart.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Teen, Fiction, Chick Lit

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

NINA BECK likes peppermint tea, movies with lots of synchronized dance sequences, boys with curly hair, and living in Brooklyn, New York. She also likes writing characters that make her laugh and make other people ask, "Um. . . is this autobiographical?"

Reviews

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book in two hours! It was THAT good. So many times I found myself literally laughing out loud. Ms. Beck is either a plus-sized fabulous diva herself, or she surely knows how to get into our heads because Miss Riley Swain was awesome-sauce.

A classic tale of misdirected young love, slipped effortlessly into the frenemy drama we've all grown accustomed to. What I loved about the sub-plot of this book, was that Riley was content and happy with her body. Even while being at "fat camp", she never once let on that she hated her body, and actually spoke more of being quite aware of her shape and size. Her being aware never came off as being ashamed, just aware.

There were some deliciously vile portions where the girls were positively vicious to one-another, but the author found a way to tie up all these ends in a style that wasn't forced or phony. Each person in this fairly quick novel had some variance of personality and depth, and some hidden redeeming quality. While the male characters were few, and somewhat clueless, they were also generally likeable. If there was one thing that I did NOT like, it was the ease with which the author allowed Riley to become "okay" with the idea of mile Myspace and Internet stalking. Not sure that's the right message for girls in this intended age audience.

Other than that, this book was hilarious and sweet, in that "You're my best frenemy and I want your boyfriend", kind of way. ;)

I'm also PSYCHED to see that there is a spin-off featuring the characters in this book with a focus on one of Riley's friends, Samantha. Can't wait.

[Gabrielle Prendergast]

So far I have a few problems with it. Very unlikable characters. Some logical stuff. A lot of implausibility. Meh.

Now finished. Major problems with this one, as stated above but also could have done with significant editing. It was very wordy and the dialog scenes went on and on for no reason. There were also many logical problems where a character stands-up without having sat down etc. Almost like it had barely been proofread.

The characters were weak and 2D. Riley, the main character was very unlikable, a spoiled brat and a bitch. Once again we had "insta-love" between her and Eric, for no discernible reason. Her rivals, Marley and Jenny were cartoonishly awful and not funny at all.

Finally, the whole device of Riley being "fat" and going to "fat camp" had no real bearing on the plot. She didn't have body issues at all, so why bother mentioning it as a plot element? It's great that she's a bigger girl but it's either an issue for the book or it isn't. This seemed like it was supposed to be an issue but the author was afraid to really examine it. There are many ways to tell a story about a fat girl who feel fabulous and given the title this should have been one of them. INstead it was a story of a bitchy spoiled girl who seems to think everyone should love her (and mostly they do) despite her awful personality. Oh she happens to be a real size.

Meh.

[Liralen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Augh. Okay. There were things about this that I really loved—Riley's overall attitude towards her weight, for example, which is basically screw the haters I'm fabulous. She isn't immune to other people's views (at one point she talks about having changing-fast-under-a-towel down to an art), but she's absolutely not going to let anyone else tell her what her body should or shouldn't look like or what she should or shouldn't do to get that way.

Riley herself is a bit...exhausting...but for the most part I can get behind that confidence. But the romance: good grief. She's known this guy for less than a week, she's decided that she's in love with him, he sneaks into her tent and wants sex, she seriously considers it, they don't even know if they'll see each other again after this whole camp ordeal. Umm. What? Look, if you're going to sleep with somebody after a week (she doesn't, but she should hear this anyway), you should either a) have an expectation that the person will be sticking around or b) be in a place emotionally to be okay with it as a potentially one-night-stand sort of thing. (And any hankypank should be done with adequate protection, which does not mean a condom that's been bashed around in one's purse since freshman year.) Which clearly Riley isn't—in the right emotional place, I mean—since she's convinced that she's in love with this creepy-ass kid who's been cyberstalking her and has done nothing to suggest reliability.

(What's with this place, anyway? A boarding school that specialises in 'education and lifestyle maintenance for young ladies with body image issues or eating disorders' that also runs a spring-break 'fat camp'? This sounds like a terrible idea all round.)

Erm. Right. There's more to the book than that. It just didn't work as well for me as I'd hoped. I appreciate the fabulosity but find myself tired by the rest of it.

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Try your hardest to not judge this book too much by its title and cover, otherwise you’ll miss out on one of the most winning protagonists I’ve ever come across. Riley carries the rest of the wonderful “cast” of characters in a book that’s hilarious, inspiring, and totally swoon-worthy.

I wish we could have more characters like Riley in YA lit. This girl knows what she wants, and she doesn’t wait for others to give it to her: she goes for it herself. Riley’s confidence makes her a wonderful role model, while her insecurities—most of them having to do with her family and a little bit with her reputation—make her realistic so that she is easy to relate to.

It wouldn’t be right if I don’t mention that this is one of those rare books with a heavy protagonist that isn’t about having low self-esteem or trying to lose weight. Instead, Riley is comfortable with her body, making this book as the title suggests it is. Much like how I want more books featuring Asians that are not about the struggles of being Asian, so I think many readers will adore this book for giving them a fabulous plus-sized heroine to root for.

Riley and Eric’s romance is so adorable it would be a sin for me not to talk about it. Again, Eric is quirky, confident, stereotype-breaking, and so dedicated to Riley it’s hard not to be jealous of her. Theirs is a head-over-heels flirtation that will likely make the most hard-hearted of us squeal with pleasure and want to form an Eric Hotra fan club.

The bottom line? Don’t misjudge this gem of a novel. It’s got a little bit of something for readers of all ages, sizes, backgrounds, and story preferences. As far as contemporary YA fiction goes, this book is one of the strongest out there. I highly suggest you find a copy and check out this fun and touching story for yourself!

[Emily Rozmus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. There is something inherently wrong with a book that allows its main character to go to fat camp and meet a boy and have all her problems be solved. It is wrong for the girl to finally face her dad and talk about what she has done and who she is and start off the conversation with "I met a boy." What?!?! As a mother of a girl, this is certainly not the message I want to send to her or any other adolescent girl. Entertainment should be one factor of any book and YA girls love romance, but there comes a certain amount of responsibility with the writing of these books as well. It doesn't help that Riley is an unlikable character, that the boys she likes (loves? - come on!) are unimpressionable or that the plot draaaags. Don't buy this book or put it in a library. Some teen girl may read it and decide it is truth. Ugh.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

FYI, size 12 isn't plus size, in my opinion.

[Katelyn Dobbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay this was such a cute quick read. It definitely takes me back to high school. Riley is witty, fabulous.

[Theresa Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

It felt like someone wrote this long book, then decided to edit out too much of it, thinking the story could still be told without all those extra pages. And it can, but it feels short, it feels too edited. I wanted more about every character, not because I was very attached to them, but because they felt too abbreviated and cliched. It's either a poorly written story, with flat characters, or way too edited, which makes the characters flat. The IMing story line was super transparent, as well as a smidgen creepy. And also, I just don't think that a size 12 warrants a visit to "fat camp." And the girl on the cover certainly doesn't look like she's even a size 12- she looks like a very averaged-sized person. So the premise of the book doesn't even fit. I mean, the book was entertaining for a couple light rail rides, but nothing I'd ever suggest to someone else to read- just not really worth the time.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Book Isn't Fat, It's Fabulous
by Nina Beck
I was attracted to this book because I am always interested in reading books in which the main character is not a perfect size 8 (remember, Sweet Valley Twins? "Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield were a perfect size 8") and feisty. Of course, she's rich. No one wants to read a book about a poor, boring fat girl, right? A bit far-fetched and formulaic, it had a good message and an interesting premise.

[Ifwhennotthen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Despite an intriguing premise, this one is little more than a tired teen romance riddled with outdated pop culture references. I'll be directing patrons who ask for this toward Artichoke's Heart instead.

[Julianna · Rating 1 out of 5]

First of all the girl in this book thinks she's fat because she's a size 12. And she really over uses the word fabulous (which reminds me of someone who equally annoys me). which I'm sure the author thought might be cute but doesn't work for me.

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nina Beck has written a great book. Our heroine is Riley Swain who comes from money, has a best enemy not a best friend, and a guy who is her best friend but whom she has loved for a long time. Riley is content to play the New York Socialite and her manners and behavior would be fit for the tabloids if she were a Spears or a Swank. But since she just goes to an expensive high school, and hangs out with well-to-do friends, she is just the center of attention. But all of that is about to change.

It's her senior year and she has coordinated and planned the senior trip to Mexico for the second week of spring break. But now her Father and soon-to-be step-mom have registered her to go to a Fat Camp at the New Horizons School for Young Ladies. While there, things in her life turn topsy-turvy; she starts falling for a boy who isn't her type and she needs to plan an escape so she can go on the trip and fool her parents. She starts examining her motives and behaviors in a real and profound way. Yet how can it all work out?

She has lied to her best friend the day before leaving New York and she kissed him for the first time and it was not what she expected. She has booked a fake spa week to fool her friends about where she is. She now has a new man in her life, but is not sure what she feels about the old one, and her whole world is crashing down around her.

Riley Swain who says that she is fabulous, and does not care what anybody else says, is now having feelings and is caring for people in ways she never knew she could. Can she untangle her feelings and save her social life that seems destined to crash and burn on Saturday? Read and find out.

This book really is fabulous. I enjoyed it a lot, and lent it to a friend - she was laughing out loud on the first page. This book is not about a fat girl becoming skinny, it is about an unhealthy girl becoming healthy, and that starts on the inside with the emotions. This is one of the best books for young people I have read since Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and like that book, this has a lot to offer to the younger generation, and maybe even something for us older folks.

(First published in Imprint 2008-09-12.)

[Neha Regi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly wasn't expecting much from this book but it was actually really good. The main character is really funny and you really get taken through her life and get an understanding of what she is going through. Well written, interesting, and kept me on the edge of my seat. I feel like the mature themes in this book make it seem like it's for an older audience but it is also very simple and short like it's directed towards a younger audience. Overall good read!

[Donna Gower · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story and Beck's writing style. It could have been so much better if it had been edited well. I few scenes had inconsistencies and jumps in thought in the middle of a paragraph. Made me feel like sentences were cut/pasted in the wrong places. Frustrating.

[Strawberry Witch · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only good thing about this book was that I bought it used and there was a bookmark inside with a picture of a little Yorkie dog wearing a bow that said “just smile and look cute.” So, hey. Basically just paid a quarter for a cute little bookmark I can use to read a book that’s not asinine.

[Shelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was silly, HiLo for older teens. I think it missed it's market from the mature content. I did laugh a couple of times.

[Briana Yanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't a very good book for me, but it was a good book in general. The theme was: Hate

[Liv · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will always love this.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com

Riley Swain thinks she's in love with her best friend, D. It's the night before their spring break, and she confronts D with her feelings. She manages a real kiss with D, and then leaves him hanging. For Riley is going to fat camp for the two-week break. She knows this is just another maneuver by Elizabeth, her future stepmother, to get her out of the apartment.

Of course, Riley can't tell her friends that she's off to New Horizons in upstate New York. Instead, she lies and tells them she's off on a spa holiday with her father and Elizabeth. To cover her tracks, she has to actually make a reservation ($3000, will her father notice it on the credit card?) at the spa in case her nosey friends check up on her.

So Riley arrives at the train station a few hours late. Can they fault her for leaving her cell phone back in the limo and having to fetch it before getting on the train? While waiting at the train station for someone from New Horizons to pick her up, a strange boy (with nail polish, no less!) starts talking to her. He seems harmless enough, and she's surprised when she finds out Eric is actually there to pick her up.

Arriving late at New Horizons does not endear Riley to the headmistress. Riley starts off her two-week "holiday" with one demerit to her name. She learns that three demerits sends her packing home.

Riley is not fat. She's comfortable in her size-12 body, and easily gets along with boys. But Elizabeth chose New Horizons and her father seldom sticks up for her these days. So Riley is torn about staying at New Horizons or trying to get kicked out.

It's only when D calls to tell her he's coming to pick her up at the spa to bring her home on her last day, that she hatches a crazy plot to get kicked out of New Horizons so she can return to the city before D can come get her. Afraid that her friends back home would ridicule her for being at a fat camp, she does everything she can to avoid telling the truth. She enlists the aid of Eric, whom she's become friendly with during her week at New Horizons. Little does she know that Eric's feelings are much deeper than she would ever have realized.

This is Ms. Beck's first novel. Riley is a confident girl that knows what she wants. But hidden behind the confidence is indecision and confusion. Riley doesn't want to like New Horizons, but the new friends she has made and the connection with Eric cause her a moment's hesitation. She is afraid to come clean with her friends back home and the help she seeks from her new friends may be pushing her luck.

I enjoyed the quick pace of Riley's life, and Eric's quirky personality was very endearing. I'll definitely keep my eyes open for more by Ms. Beck. This story was fun and amusing with Riley's adventures.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being fabulous was easy for the main character of the story Riley Swain. I thought this book had a great moral behind it such as it being no matter what size, shape or figure you have you should always love your body. I relate to Riley in many ways because she is a very out going girl, she is very social, loves meeting new people, and isn't afraid to put people in their places. Relating to Riley really helped me better understand the book and what she struggled through because I was able to relate which intrigued me even more. My favorite part of the book is when Riley goes to a place basically for fat people in which her dad and her soon to be stepmother (who she doesn't like) makes her go. This camp helps girls loose weight and feel better about themselves, but Riley feels there is nothing wrong with her body and she thinks this place is all wrong for her so for the 2 weeks she was staying there she caused a havoc throughout the campus. My least favorite part of the book was how in the beginning it didn't make much sense, it was a little difficult to understand at first, but reading on got me to realize what was going on. The author Nina Beck had a unique way of writing the book which I thought was cool. Once in a while when she would use the word Fabulous or Fat she would write the word like a definition in a dictionary. She would write the number one in the corner and then at the bottom of the page write Riley's definition of the word which I thought was very cool! The book was always intriguing after every chapter, and always had a twist to it, towards the middle is when the book got very interesting, and even at the end Nina kept you intrigued. I recommend this book for girls who are very out going and girly because that's how the main character Riley is. The book was overall great and I really enjoyed it and cant wait to read the sequel!

[Hallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by Kathryn Nolfi in YA Fatphobia and seconded by Rebecca Rabinowitz.

It's fun, it's fluffy, and I probably wouldn't have given it a second thought if it hadn't been so completely and utterly fat-friendly. It was such a delight to go along on the wacky ride with Riley and know that her growing up, learning some stuff about herself and about a few important realities of life (like the fact that it IS legal for your credit card to be stopped when your father pays for it and you charge thousands of dollars on it!) was NOT going to be tied to her losing weight. Not even incidentally, as she found out she enjoyed wearing four sports bras so she could jump around in the gym. (She doesn't find that out, BTW.) She's perfectly happy with her weight and her body shape, and certainly nobody in the fat camp she's sent off to is going to make her feel differently. She does show the *occasional* lack of clear, logical thinking, but it's all so much fun it hardly matters.

Really don't like the title, and as Rebecca points out elsewhere, it sets up an opposition between fat and fabulous that's the opposite of the fat acceptance you find in the book. But infinitely better to have it that way than a fantastic title's being the only fat acceptance thing about a book.

[Margaryta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woow....this book was HILARIOUS! Way to go Nina Beck - it's been such a long time since I've found a new chapter book that has made me wanna read it non-stop, flipping madly through the pages.

Riley is your typically spoiled American girl (sorry to all Americans out there!) that is filty rich but has an ego that is way larger than her brain. So she starts making out with guys who don't even have anything to do with her and talkes back to her future stepmom, like all typical girls like her do. Then she realizes all her special feeling for her friend D but sadly gets sent off to Fat Camp before she could realize what to do next.

What happens when a spoiled-brat girl meets a stalker and in love guy that knows everything about her? They obviously start having something going on.

The rest of the book is also basically a page-flipper that has you sitting o the edge of your seat, just waiting there to see if Riley's snobby spoiled attitude will be changed, which, in fact, it does.

The book leaves you wanting for more, and I'm proud to admit that I'm waiting for another novel from Nina Beck that will be just as good with a similiar plot like, because this has just become another one of my proud favourite chapter books I've ever read

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Book Isn't Fat, It's Fabulous
by Nina Beck
Cindy Xu

Whoever is a teenage girl looking for love, then this book is wisely recommended. THis novel is all about friendships going into the wrong direction. Young Riley is going to a fat camp, but she isn't really that fat known to her friends. Whatever happens to her is deep inside the book. She is trying to find her true love but doesn't know for sure if her best friend is really the one that she loves. Then she meets Eric... he is a special kind of boy who wears nail polish, but i guess that is how he express his emotions. Riley doesn't know if she is in love with him either.
For anyone who wants a twist in their reading, then this book is what you need. It has all the drama and excitment that is known to get you off your seat.The building on love is buidling up on your bookshelf so you better go pick it up. Many people are wondering why is the title the way it is, i guess it kind of has to relate to the story. Throughout all that has happened in Riley's life, this by far is the most exciting. So what are you waiting for, this book is great!

[Lenore Appelhans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riley Swain is a Manhattan rich kid full of self confidence and snark. But while her friends spend break on the senior trip to Mexico, Riley’s being sent by her father and step-monster to an upstate fat camp. Obviously she doesn’t want to go – if she’s comfortable with her full-bodied curves, then why can’t everyone else be?

Before you dismiss this as yet another novel preaching the old mantra of loving yourself the way you are – too thin, too fat, too whatever – consider that Riley is one of the coolest characters I’ve come across in YA lit AND she has a romance at camp (with the headmistress’ son Eric no less) that is so authentically sweet it made me positively giddy (and trust me, that doesn’t happen often).

Riley is a bit self-involved and queen bee bitchy at the start of the novel and her Manhattan frenemies are varying degrees of annoying, but while camp may or may not slim her waistline, it certainly does give her time to develop real relationships with her mousy roommate Samantha and the aforementioned Eric as well as a big heart.

Not only did I have fun reading this book, I had a big old goofy smile on my face at the end. Go Riley!

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cut above the Gossip Girls and Clique books, both in terms of its characters having more in the way of heart and mind than Daddy's credit card, the latest fashions, and the hotspot du jour. That said, the fabulousity of the title does delve into some of the same world of frenemies and teens acting way too adult. On the plus side, there's an issue here, actually a plus-SIZED issue. Can Riley Swain be zaftig and fabulous? She says, "Hells, yes!" Her dad's girlfriend begs to differ and signs her up for a spring break visit to a fat-camp sytled boarding school. Here, she puts her top-dog skills to good use to shake up the status quo, and that includes captivating Eric, the director's son, and stirring up some of the meek and not so sleek girls at the school. Michael D. Hammond, her best friend and partner in NYC fabulous pursuits, has also starred as her crush for years. Will there time apart ultimately bring them together? Will juggling two guys and trying to keep her city pals from learning of her exile to weight loss vacation be too much for Riley? Just how fabulous can she be when the pressure is on?

[Just a person]

Okay, so very different cover and title- and very different YA inside. PICK IT UP. It really is fabulous. Riley, the main character is funny, authentic, snarky, and has some important (and not so, lol) things to say. I love that she knows what she wants, and if she doesn't she figures it out and goes after it.
This book deals with the issue of not being 'perfect' size, but being okay with it. It has an important message and more people should listen!
The side characters are rich and have personality. They all have a purpose and something definite to bring to this book. From her frenemy, to her roomate at camp.
I also like D, the best friend. It is fun to go on that journey with her and discover things about friendship and love.
Eric is amazing- he is funny, easy to like, and has some amazing lines. I'd love to have him as a book boyfriend.
This book made me smile and I totally recommend it.

[Ayda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this and I've to say that I've enjoyed every minute of reading this book. It's hilarious and I really love Riley's character a lot. I think she's a real character (as in you don't necessarily have to be a size 2 and blonde to be a heroine) What I love about this book is that the sense of realism of how the main character is being potrayed. (I'm not sure if that even sound right.) And she loves hereself despite being overweight and have that much of a confidence her.

And another thing is that I'm officially in love with Eric!! (Fangirl screaming**) He's so cute especially towards the end. Aww.. He's jealous and sulking, how cute!! I also loves D because he always call Riley 'Sweetheart" and "Darling' and stuff. I think it's cute. And he wears kimono!! How cool is that!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt that this book had a promising beginning, but fizzled out toward the end. I liked the idea that the protagonist was a bigger girl, and yet was still considered pretty, popular, and well-liked by guys. I haven't seen that in a book before, and it's a good message for the YA readers. The characters were amusing and interesting (I liked the vivid description of her love interest, comparing him to Pete Wentz), and the first part of the story was intriguing. But by the last 50 or so pages, I felt the story had become somewhat convoluted, I wasn't understanding Riley's motivations anymore, and I wasn't enjoying the book nearly as much. Still, a cute story and fluffy read that I would recommend to anyone with body issues, as it has a good theme of learning to be happy with yourself.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I swung back and forth about liking and disliking Riley. In some things she seemed so worldly and in others, so naïve.

I like the writing style and there are some seriously funny moments, the first time she is working out and they want her to skip is absolutely hilarious!

Eric was wonderfully weird - the 3 questions in the car on the way from the train to New Horizons was quite funny as well. I liked his look as well but could not picture him as being similar to Pete Wentz... that's just wrong!

There is also a good lesson in this... sadly, I don't think everyone will get it. Sometimes you need to take they journey yourself.

[Cory · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I was going to hate this book, but I'm glad I gave it a chance as it turned out to be pretty decent. Is the main character a little too Gossip-Girl-wenchy for my taste? Yes. Was it annoying that she was only a size 12, didn't face any of the common "fat girl" problems, and was told by other characters that she wasn't actually obese? Yes. Was it total escapist fun? Yes!!! And do I want to meet and date a guy like Eric? Yes!!!!