Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme)'s Reviews > Bodies to Die For

Popular fitness influencer Gemma has transformed herself from a Before into an After, complete with washboard abs, thriving business, and gorgeous husband. But social media can be deceiving. Offline, the cutthroat world of bikini bodybuilding may just eat her alive. That’s if she’s not first devoured by the secret nemesis that lurks beneath her polished surface, waiting to destroy her.

Software engineer Ashley is fat and frustrated. Frustrated with failed diets. With a world that wants her to shrink. With biased doctors, online trolls, and even her own mother. Until Ashley falls in with a mysterious and radical sect of Fat Activists who are fighting back … by any means necessary. She’s never felt so alive, so full of purpose. She’ll do whatever it takes to ride this high, destroy Diet Culture, and win the approval of her charismatic leader.

Gemma and Ashley are on a collision course headed for the Olympia, the bodybuilding competition where futures are made. And lost. When Gemma’s toughest rival turns up dead, and more fitness girls fall like dominoes, it’s beginning to look like the body image war has gone too far.

Bodies to Die For was somewhat of a departure from what typically read. Don’t get me wrong, there was plenty of suspense as well as a healthy dose of thrills, but alongside it was a thought-provoking social commentary concerning weight and self-worth. From the quirky storyline to the catty competitors, I got sucked into the plot as the satirical tale firmly took hold.

Speaking of those characters, the multiple POVs included a variety of individuals. Between the few I loved to hate and the two central narrators who I found myself rallying behind, they ran the gamut from merely unlikeable to compelling home runs. But it was Gemma and Ashley who got my ardent admiration. Complete with stunning character arcs, their story was the clinch hit in this impressive debut.

The best piece to this psychological thriller, however, was easily the insight shared concerning how women and society in general both push and internalize ideals about appearance. Often toxic, it can lead to the devastating repercussions. Instead, women should work together—not in opposition—to support one another. All in all, Brand did a marvelous job imparting this message.

Done and dusted, I found this book to be a quick, easy read that I inhaled in just a single sitting. With short chapters, off-the-chart scenes, and plenty of underlying humor, even the slow burn start didn’t ruin it for me. Just be aware that you will have to suspend all disbelief before diving headlong into this thoroughly enticing tale. Take it from me, this wild ride will keep you guessing throughout as you race through the pages. Rating of 4 stars.

Thank you to Lori Brand, Blackstone Publishing, and Thriller Book Lovers: The Pulse for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: June 11, 2024

Trigger warning: sizism, fat shaming, infidelity, eating disorders