I wanted to like this book but I just couldn’t get into it. I tried but it just wasn’t for me. Hopefully someone else enjoyed it more than me.

4.5 stars
Couldn't put this one down - it was like a guilty pleasure every night when I was able to settle down to read a bit. This book reads very hard - so candid, so raw, it is really jarring and oft-upsetting. It is also often hard to fathom how someone so young could have survived all she did, everything she put herself through and all that life put her through. Compelling doesn't even start to cover it!
The reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is because I felt it delved far too much into her childhood and youth - we still hadn't caught up to the prologue by almost 70% in the book...and then the part about Muay Thai and how she comes into herself felt rushed, with none of the sparkling detail with which she weaves the earlier parts. I suppose this could be because she is still living this phase of her life - not enough hindsight from it. But it just felt a little like a let down to rush through this last part of her memoir and just be 'told' things were this or that when we'd been exposed to such vivid scenes and such incredible detail thus far.
The book did make me a huge fan of Mia Kang, though, and I cannot commend this person enough for how she rose from her ashes and came into her own.

This was such a beautiful memoir to read! It talks about her life with family and friends and her modeling career. It did leave a few stories with no satisfying conclusion. But overall, it was wonderful!

Like so many women, Mia Kang had to navigate her own self-doubts to learn how to love herself, her body and her accomplishments.

Her story of changing how she perceived her body image to learning how to stand up for herself is an honest, raw, and heartbreaking tale, but it will inspire and empower anyone going through the same difficulties.

Although we all (rationally) know we aren't the only ones going through tough situations, emotions can get the better of us. It's simply nice to read of a woman who empowered herself and is willing to share her journey with others in hopes that it will help them succeed.

Strong work, Mia.

I received an ARC for an honest review.

Mia Kang is many things: a sought-after model, an immigrant, an eating disorder survivor, and a Muay Thai fighter.

I was drawn to Knockout as Mia sounded a brilliant and interesting person, and as an introduction to her, it proved exactly true. Unflinching as it deals with difficult topics, it was an interesting read, and she's someone I will be interested to follow.

I volunteered to read this book, through netgalley in exchange, for an honest review. This book is well written. TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️ ALCOHOL ABUSE. This book talks about Mia Kang before she became a model. The pacing of this book is good. I hope she writes more books because they keep your attention from the first page. This book is in stores now for $26.00 (USD). I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone. It is a good memoir. You guys should read this book.

At 31 it feels insane that Mia Kang could write a whole book about her life but she is admirably candid here. She could have possibly benefited from a bit more time between the events of the book and her writing the book to allow for more reflection but as a first memoir its a great attempy. I read an advanced readers copy via NetGalley so could have benefited from trigger warnings on sexual abuse of minors, eating disorders, drug abuse, gaslighting amongst others.
Good on Mia for her honesty and for highlighting the difficulties of living with eating disorders and seemingly neglectful parents- hopefully her story will inspire others to face these challenges feeling a bit less alone.

Mia King has written a raw honest open memoir. A story where she shares all parts of her life her pain her self loathing.She overcomes an eating disorder she sails forward to become a true role model a brave inspiring revealing read.#netgalley#avramsbooks

Mia Kang is such an inspiration! I follow her on social media and am familiar with her passion for Muay Thai and was eager to read her full story of empowerment. It was incredible to see the power of martial arts on one's mindset, body image, and self-esteem, as she was able to use Muay Thai training to overcome an eating disorder, poor sense of self-worth, and learn to love herself and her body. Mia learns the lessons of strength through endurance, hard work, and perseverance, which she then used to take her modeling career to new heights of success.