I had high hopes for this story but I was let down. I was expecting a story about not letting men affect a woman's body. And I got some of that in the end, but a majority of the story was just severe body dysmorphia that was "fixed" by some nice words. As a big chested woman myself, I was really looking forward to seeing how breasts could be more than sex objects on a woman, and I did not see that. Greer basically learns that her breasts are a part of her and she should learn to live with it. There were moments where I thought we were going to really dive deep into body positivity, but it was just so shallow. Greer whined the entire story about her body, and no one did anything to stop it until something in the novel causes her to confront it. She doesn't even realize that she had an issue, because no one helped her. Her mother and friend knew she was struggling and chose to let her continue being destructive and not use any real motivation to help Greer accept her body. The attempt at body positivity falls short, just like the rest of the story. It felt like nothing happened until the last thirty pages, and even then it felt lack-luster. Greer was very unlikeable, in my opinion. She made herself the victim of her body. She never even attempted to like her body until she was forced to make changes to her uniform. It also did not have the best view on breast reduction, which for lots of women is a totally valid option, that in this novel felt as if it was wrong. This story had a lot of potential, but was really just a superficial attempt at body positivity. The whole story, regardless of body positivity fell short in all aspects.

I really enjoyed this. I could relate a lot to Greer and understand her ways of coping, ie: wearing super baggy clothes to hide her breasts, slouching, keeping her arms crossed over her chest, never hugging anyone and never talking about it. I know how hard it is to deal with a body that's doing things that you don't want it to as a young adult, trying to hide and always being scared people will acknowledge the things that make you different. I enjoyed watching her eventually be a little more okay with her situation and hiding a little bit less and standing up for herself a little bit more. I know some reviewers are upset that she didn't get to a place of fully loving herself, but I think a lot of progress was made and it was realistic. I think it was more than self consciousness and really more of an ongoing trauma that she was going through, and we can have compassion for her and applaud her for the steps she took to move forward! I also loved how all of her friends were such good people and so supportive, particularly Maggie, Jessa (the real MVP!! I want to be her when I grow up), the volleyball team as a whole, and of course Jackson.

Speaking of Jackson!!! The one thing that really drove me off the deep end was how she kept sabotaging herself and not letting a relationship happen (because if they got close, he would of course discover her breasts), which in turn repeatedly hurt his feelings because she wasn't telling him the truth of why she was pushing him away and he thought she just didn't like him. Understandable (I have to remember that she is only 15), but not okay and upsetting for me personally!!!!!! Tbh.

The other thing I realized after the fact, was that if you look up pictures of women wearing Greer's bra size, 30H, their chests really don't look that startlingly large. I know that it's all from Greer's perspective and maybe her breasts just feel huge to HER. But if that was the case, we wouldn't have these situations where people do double takes when they see her chest, or where she can't get her volleyball uniform down over her chest, or where she can't find any kind of dress that fits when she's shopping for the dance, and the kids in her math class probably wouldn't make her the butt of their jokes etc etc etc. I also realize that for the most part, Greer wasn't wearing a bra that fit right and that could make her chest look larger than if she was properly fitted, and also that it might be more unusual to see breasts of this size on a young teen than it would be on a grown woman. Basically I feel like the story works better if she's got REALLY QUITE LARGE BOOBS which is how I was picturing it, and I don't know that the bra size matches up.

This book was really amazing! It had everything that a body positive YA book needs and an amazing cast of characters to support it.

Oh I just loved this! I can't believe Zimmermann is a debut author! Everything about it is so effortless: the voice (very authentic), the dialogue, the supporting characters, Greer, the main character, the thought processes of a teenage girl self-conscious about her body, the humor. As I read, I wondered, what teenager isn't self-conscious or was it just me?

A few quibbles I had. Ok, I get it; your breasts are really big. They're embarrassing. How much do we have to be hit on the head with this fact? Just shy of the middle of the book I was growing tired of the self-hating, inner monologue. Her mother's cluelessness about Greer's body dysmorphia seemed odd in this day and age of parents overparenting. Maybe her mother didn't want to make her more self-conscious? Still, at least get her better-fitting bras.

More that I loved. I loved best-friend Maggie and her militancy, I loved the names Greer had for her breasts, Mavis and Maude - perfect! I loved the inner butterfly monologues. I loved Jessa's influence on Greer in body positivity. It was really a multi-dimensional novel tackling sexism, bullying, loneliness, binary choices girls are still forced to make, and more without seeming overloaded or preachy.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3441036831

Thank you to PenguinTeen for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
A teen girl who feels self conscious and dislikes her body. How many of us have been there? I'm not ashamed to say it I have. Sometimes I still do.🤷‍♀️
Greer struggles with dealing with the size and attention her breast get. Feeling uncomfortable in one's body makes it hard to be oneself. This book is about Greer coming to like and accept her body, i do wish she'd come to that earlier in the book. I still rooted for Greer to find that confidence she was missing. She's a funny character her sarcasm had me laughing out loud at times.
Now the romance I didn't enjoy like I wanted to. It seemed forced.. I can't say more without giving it away. But besides that I enjoyed this book. I recommend it for a quick read.

Initial Thoughts

I saw this was a title available for request in the Spring 2020 Penguin Teen titles and I was excited to apply. I’ve been in Greer’s shoes. Not quite to the same extreme, but her feelings and concerns are ones that I knew well in high school.

Some Things I Liked

A realistic and comedic approach to a topic that nobody ever talks about. Like Greer, and me, and pretty much everyone, being self-conscious about your body isn’t something people talk openly about. I thought Laura Zimmerman handled the struggle with a perfect balance between comedy and realism.
Greer’s wit and sarcasm. She was a great character. I loved her thoughts and reactions to the things around her.
Body positivity. I loved that the central theme of this book was Greer learning to see herself in a more positive light. We need more books with positive body image messages as well as books where the characters don’t change themselves to feel better. Greer found herself. She didn’t change herself and I loved that.

Series Value

Greer’s story feels complete. But, I think the author introduced some interesting side characters as well as an interesting concept through Greer’s mom’s job that could yield interesting spin-off or sequel stories.

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. I wish it was written ten years ago so high school me could have read it. I could have really used a message like this back then. I spent a lot of time in oversized sweatshirts hoping my peers wouldn’t notice me. I loved the positive message in this book and I would recommend it to any young people who have struggled with their image.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

By the Book by Amanda Sellet – if you liked the idea of a stubborn and sassy main character (who refuses to admit she likes her love interest), give this standalone a try.
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon – if you liked the theme of a self-conscious main character who learns to be more confident, try this standalone July 2020 release.

I'll start with what I liked: I really liked Greer's crowd of friends. Especially the volleyball team, and the fact that she really came into her own and gained confidence through trying sports and finding friendships through that. I like that Jackson wasn't the be-all and end-all romantic savior, but it was more that friendship and sports made things better for Greer.

And then we come to the things that didn't work:
Most of Greer's misery and feeling like a misfit would have been solved with: Better communication with her mother. That's on her mother, as the grownup. She should have done something to keep Greer from stewing in all that misery, and doesn't she have eyes???
Also: my goodness, does the Internet not function? If Greer's on there looking up breast reduction surgery, how is she missing all the bra fit options and even stores, where a fuller figured girl might get a better bra? The stealth shopping on Zappo's was just silly and unrealistic. She's in a Chicago suburb for godsakes. If there's coffee shops that serve chai, there's lingerie stores. But again, probably this goes back to her mother being a failure at communication. Both of those things were constructs for the sake of the plot, I get it... but... it was unrealistic.

This is a YA that addresses body image. Loved the short chapters, inner dialogue and main characters. What makes this a 4 and not a 5 star is that some of it felt a little repetitive. The ending was so good!

I really wanted to enjoy this book, and I'm sad that I didn't. Although I did love the idea of it, My Eyes Are Up Here failed to hold my attention which ultimately led to me putting it down.

In the beginning I was into it, but eventually as the story went on the plot just got slow and I couldn't read for more than a few minutes without losing focus. I wasn't engaged in the story and I stopped connecting with the characters. 

And, I am so so sad about this. The idea of this story is important and I was excited to read a book featuring a character dealing with these body issues since I haven't read one before. I loved the concept and I feel that this idea had so much potential, but the drag of the plot had me falling out of love with the story, and I set it aside. 

So, overall, this isn't a bad book... it really isn't. The concept is great but as I said, I just couldn't stay engaged with the story. I reached a point where I wasn't enjoying it and decided that continuing to read a book I wasn't engaging with would be a waste of time for me.

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen, for providing me with an E-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are all my own.

Greer's mother has a relocation help business, so she is always being dragged off to meet the children of clients. Kids her age generally don't want to talk to her, but when she meets Jackson Oates and his mom at the habitual coffee shop, he's different. Friendly, smart, helpful, funny-- Greer instantly likes him. The problem? Greer is so uncomfortable about her large breasts that she retreats from a lot of social connections, and figures that Jackson will immediately make new friends and ignore her. He does make friends, including her best friend Maggie's brother and a lot of other baseball players, but he still continues to talk to her. Usually more concerned with advanced academics than other activities (which can often involve people looking at her), Greer becomes interested in volleyball and tries out for the team. It's difficult to play with a sports bra squeezed over her regular, but the coach sends her a link to a garment called "the Stabilizer" that works wonders. Greer makes the teams, but another hurdle is getting a uniform to fit her 30H figure. Greer and Jackson' families spend some tiem together, and his problematic younger sister takes to Greer. At the same time, Maggie is involved with the school production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and is being her usual outspoken self when questioning the wisdom of doing such an outdated play. Greer is hopeful about volleyball and Jackson until events complicate matters and she almost disengages, retreating into her XXL sweatshirts instead of confronting her problems. Will she ever be able to make peace with herself?

Strengths: I loved this one SO much. Greer was smart and funny, and I think that so many of us can commiserate with wanting to hide behind clothes. Jackson was absolutely crush worthy, and treated Greer really well even when her actions were confusing. In fact, all of the characters were well drawn; the pushy, uncommunicative mother, the squirrel younger brother, Maggie, the phenomenal home ec teacher-- whew. Smart, smart writing, and such a vivid description of what Greer felt like living in her body. After I finishes this, I couldn't pick up any other books because I knew I wouldn't like anything I read half as well. Greer, with all of her humor, insecurity, and misguided attempts to get through high school, reminded me a lot of myself, and of my daughter who probably wore an oversized hoodie to high school 90% of the time.
Weaknesses: Some reviewers have mentioned that this isn't quite in line with "body positivity" and that there would be more resources for Greer for bras, because her size was not unusual. I didn't immediately think about the "body positivity" aspect; as someone who is absolutely average sized and still wants to live in obscuring clothes, I just saw this as how one girl who was a little different than her classmates took that difference to heart in wanting to hide from the world. More "effenheimers" that I like for middle grade readers, and once scene between Jackson and Greer that was delicately done, circumspect, and probably not instructional to younger readers but which about melted my socks off. Also, I think I learned some things about personal hygiene I didn't know.
What I really think: Do we need books about this for middle school readers? Yes. Is this the book they need? I am really debating because I loved Greer and Jackson so much.

Review on Goodreads (June 30, 2020)
Review linked below.

3/5 stars!

A huge thank you to Dutton Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for sending me an E-ARC for an honest review!


I really wanted to love this book, but in the end, I just ended up liking it. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the writing and the romance. One thing that I also didn't like about this book was the main character's arc. I felt like I wanted a more gradual character arc where we were watching the main character gradually come to love her body more, which didn't happen. Instead the change of heart came super suddenly at the end of the book. I also never really connected with the romance until the last two chapters of the book.

In the end, my main issue is I didn't connect with the writing style of this book, and that made me have a hard time deeply connecting with the story and the romance which really is disappointing because I had such high expectations for this book! I still recommend picking this one up because others might connect better with the writing style and the story, and I do think that this book does an amazing job of talking about the discovery of self love and body positivity.

Thanks for reading!
Caden

I really enjoyed this book! I absolutely adored the self love message it conveys! Greer is a self conscious teenager with a bigger than average chest. Through this novel you see her struggle with self shaming and immature jokes from others, but you also see friends who don’t judge and a boy who notices other things besides her chest. I really enjoyed the friends to lovers aspect and the sibling rivalry! The volleyball aspect was really fun too! This is a great book and I highly recommend it!

My Eyes Are Up Here is a refreshing take on body image issues and the impact they have on a girl’s self-esteem. Fifteen-year-old Greer Walsh has always felt defined and limited by her large breasts. She hides behind oversized sweatshirts and does everything she can to avoid physical contact and attention. But between joining the volleyball team and finding a new community there, and befriending Jackson Oates, the new guy in school, Greer starts to come to terms with her sense of self and starts to see herself as more than just the size of her chest.

This is really a story about friendship and a girl learning to love herself for all her qualities. There is a bit of a love story, but I wouldn’t consider it to be the main plot of the story. I adored this story. It was so light and witty, yet incredibly powerful. I personally connected with this story, but for me, it was ballet instead of volleyball.

I highly recommend My Eyes Are Up Here! It was such an endearing story but was overall very light. I wouldn’t consider it highly mature YA and would be appropriate for younger YA readers, however, I don’t feel as though you have to be a younger reader to enjoy it, given that I’m an adult and I loved it!

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for the review copy! All opinions are my own.

I was instantly intrigued by the synopsis of this novel and I really enjoyed Greer's story. Greer is a high school sophmore that's trying to find love for a body she feels betrayed by. Zimmerman wrote an extremely captivating story that most women will find highly relatable.

What I loved about this book:

1. Greer is a witty and intelligent character that I found quite relatable. While her insecurities and self-consciousness is related to her above average breast size, many teenagers will be able to relate to her feelings and struggles.

2. I loved the positive female relationships in this book and how they all lifted each other up. High school girls are often portrayed quite differently in books so this was a nice change.

3. While the romance isn't the main focus of this book, I still found it to be enjoyable. Greer and Jackson's banter was amazing and they were so cute together. When Greer found the word searched altered I may have swooned a bit for Jackson because it was such a sweet gesture.

4. I loved how even though Greer was struggling to love her body, she stood up to the bullies and put them in their place. I was cheering for her the whole time.

This uplifting coming age of story of self acceptance that celebrates every body type is the kind of book I wish was available as a teenager. Y'all should definitely check out this amazing debut novel!

Thank you for my gifted copy ❤

A book that every girl needs to read at some point in their life.

“Ever since everything changed the summer before ninth grade, Greer has felt out of control. She can't control her first impressions, the whispers that follow, or the stares that linger after. The best she can do is put on her faithful XXL sweatshirt and let her posture - and her expectations for other people - slump.

But people - strangers and friends - seem strangely determined to remind her that life is not supposed to be this way. Despite carefully avoiding physical contact and anything tighter than a puffy coat, Greer finds an unexpected community on the volleyball squad, the team that hugs between every point and wears a uniform ‘so tight it can squeeze out tears.’ And then there's Jackson Oates, newly arrived at her school and maybe actually more interested in her banter than her breasts.”

I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book that I lost count. Zimmerman’s writing is frank, heartfelt, and hilarious. The honesty in this book is infused with hope and warmth, as lonely as Greer is. I ached for her so much in this story!

“I am ashamed of being ashamed of being ashamed. And that is the part that no one else understands.”

I was lucky enough to be around women in my early adolescence who celebrated their different body types. Growing up, I had always been curvier and stronger than my friends; my boobs, hips, butt, and thighs had always been bigger than theirs, no question. And I was definitely harassed for it. But I never took shame in my appearance (though it’s still hard), because I had an amazing mother and sister whose bodies were - are - strong too.

“Voluptuous Abbie” was one of the nicknames I had in school. Whether the intention was meant to flatter or not, I wore that title like a crown regardless. Just as Greer learns to do in this beautiful book.

“...I went to a lot of trouble to learn how to wear it. To wear this patchwork of parts. To wear this girl that is twirly and smart and funny and strong all at the same time. To wear this body.”

It’s still very hard sometimes, especially when the media is constantly telling you what beauty is. But it’s books like these that remind me that beauty comes in all colors, shapes, and sizes. And I’m not so ashamed anymore.

P.S. Also: JACKSON. WHAT A CINNAMON ROLL. The romance was SO freaking sweet. I can’t stop thinking about this adorable human.

A big thank you to Penguin Teen for gifting me with this ARC!

I really enjoyed this book and the message within it. The writing was done really well and I love how the author was able to capture the struggles and emotional and physical pain that Greer went through. Greer is witty and sarcastic and I just loved how she dealt with her body image issues. There was a realistic voice to Greer that made her very relatable, even if you haven’t experienced the struggles she's going though.

The short burst of chapters made this a fast read for me. I enjoyed this book a lot but as it progressed, it seemed to be a bit repetitive and monotonous. There were many times throughout this story where I felt Greer would take a step forward to only take 3 steps back. I hated how much she let this define who she is because I saw her as this strong amazing young lady and I just wanted so badly for that to outshine her self demise.

I did appreciate how this book covered the struggles young women experience about their own body image and the constant comparing with other girls. I think it’s so important that young women realize there is no perfect image. I also loved her support system. Her friends were there to uplift here when she was knocked down and defended her when others were rude. There was a wonderful sisterhood and camaraderie with her group and it was refreshing to see

In Laura Zimmermann’s debut novel, My Eyes Are Up Here, one girl struggles with her body image and being seen for who she is and not what she looks like. Laced with bluntness and wittiness, this YA novel, out June 23rd, is hopeful, funny, and a little bit heartbreaking.
The way Greer grapples with her body image and constantly compares herself to others is something that so many teenagers do. However, she doesn’t realize that every person she encounters is different in their own way: whether they don’t feel skinny enough, feel too tall, wear a headscarf, or have neon green hair! The way all of these different body types and looks are seen as normal or praised in Greer’s mind contrast the way she views herself. Meanwhile, she lacks the confidence to view herself in the same light that she views others: beautiful in their own way.
Greer gets really into her head and it’s so all encompassing of a self conscious teenager that it makes this book super relatable. The issues Greer deals with, like finding a “normal-size” dress that fits or coming home and lying on her back because her chest feels so heavy, are simple, everyday concepts that shouldn’t be concerns for a fifteen year old girl; but they are. The way that Zimmermann focuses on the mundane moments of teenhood that make this book such an engaging and relatable book.
This novel isn’t just about being insecure; it’s about being a teenager and dealing with both the pressures of society and school while trying to come out of your shell. If you’re looking for a quick and funny book with underlying important issues, then My Eyes Are Up Here is the book for you!

*I received an ARC from PenguinTeen in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Im going to start with... I probably just read the word Boob more times then I ever have in my life. Haha
With that being said let’s introduce you to Greer... she is a sophomore in High School who’s body is changing... and in one area In particular. This is her story of overcoming/dealing with life changes. Her character is beyond relatable and the issue at hand is a fresh perspective that I have not read about before. With her body image on her mind in walks Jackson the new boy in town... I think my favorite part of this book was the interactions between Jackson and Greer which is not the main part of this book but added a great element to the story!
If your a lover of YA, body positivity and a cute new boy in town definitely check this one out!

This book is a humorous contemporary about a teenage girl learning to feel at home in her body, and especially with the size of her breasts (30H).
I enjoyed this book because it was funny, and had a very cute romance. The characters were also really enjoyable, I especially loved to see Jessa, a girl on Greer's volleyball team, who is always so supportive and caring of the other girls on the team. We need more Jessas in the world. I also thought the love interest was sweet and wholesome, and I was rooting for him and Greer the whole book.
On the note of body positivity and the topic of larger breasts, I felt that this book had some issues. For the entire first half of the book, it seemed like Greer had no personality BESIDES being a girl with big boobs. We were told that she liked math, and that she had friends, but every other sentence was about her boobs. While this did help put the reader in the perspective of the constant insecurity and fixation that many teen girls feel about their bodies, it also, I believe, took away from the idea that Greer's breasts are not and should not be her defining feature. Her journey to accepting her body felt less like self-love and more like "well I can't do anything about it".
However, I did still love the message that even if you ARE insecure about your body, you don't have to let it stop you from living your life and having fun/being happy. It also had a lot of insightful moments that felt so true and relatable to my experience as a woman. Overall, I thought this book was funny, engaging, and a cute read.

I'm a big fan of this cute novel, not only because of how relatable the core issue is, but also the fact that Greer is just such a realistic teen protagonist, standing apart from others purely because she is so believable.