A seemingly calm novel at first whose action creeps up at you at intervals. Everything is up in the air with the main characters like a telenovela with the main character being an anorexic fortune teller. I loved reading every minute of Future Skinny, and an unconventional yet entertaining short novel.

I do enjoy my horror books, and was glad to get this arc from Netgalley.
The plot was interesting, the execution gruesome. The sequences of binge eating and purging were gory to say the least, definitely not for the faint hearted, but there's much interested in these horrors amongst hardened horror readers.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley and didn't get around to it until long after it had been published. So I was reading the e-arc and completely engrossed because the idea of someone who can tell the future when he binge eats is such an interesting and unique plot. When I became aware of the up to 85% off everything Audible sale, naturally I looked for this book and bought it.

I'm a terrible reviewer, I know. But in my defense, I try to write honest and thoughtful reviews and I end up buying the audio companions to the ones I loved. This is one such book.

As I often do, I listened to the audiobook as I read along. Quick note about the audiobook, this is my first experience with the narrator T.W. Robbert. His reading is crisp and clear and while not overly emotive, it is just enough to accentuate this story perfectly. His vocal shifts between characters is enough to differentiate them but not so dramatic that it's annoying. I know a lot of readers love full cast audiobooks or those whose narrators do elaborate voices, but I just find that distracting. T.W. Robbert has a talent that I can appreciate.

This is the story of an anorexic man who discovers future seeing abilities aided by bulimia, binge eating and purging. Eat to see, see to live. The story is told from the points of view of alternating narrators, one in the moment and one as an interview at an institution. We meet Casey and Lylian in the middle of a reading. Casey is stuffing his face with fervor, trying to cram more and more because he believes that the more he eats, the more he will see. We learn that Casey and Lylian do readings from time to time to make money. Eventually, the criminal element (who happens to be Lyl's ex) gets word of his ability and compels him to work for them, to read for them. As expected, things get complicated and weird and I'm here for it.

If descriptions of body dysmorphia and eating disorders are triggers for you, maybe skip this one. I have no experience with either and can't say if the descriptions are super realistic, but I found this book to be overall well written. The imagery is top notch. I read a lot of extreme horror. Descriptions of blood and gore barely phase me but some of the descriptions of eating and purging scenes are both beautiful and disgusting. As I read, I found myself appreciating the interview sections more and more. I loved getting to dig in Casey's head. And this is a minor thing, but I appreciate the little Texas references scattered throughout. A quick look at Peter Rosch's Goodreads profile shows that this is his first novel in a while. I hope it won't be his last.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star read for me. The story is original and engaging and layered with surprising depth. There are twists and turns throughout that make this one difficult to put down. If you can stomach the eating scenes, you should read this book.

Big thanks to Peter Rosch, Art Cult Books, and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. You can buy Future Skinny, by Peter Rosch on Amazon or read it as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription. Go on now, read it!

This metaphysical form of fiction was bizarre and intriguing but felt like a journey of ups and downs. The story follows Casey, a young man with an eating disorder who can predict the future through binge eating. The narrative is multidimensional and amalgamates this suspenseful cinematic of a psychic’s visions, the darkness and repercussions from this ability, suspenseful plot twists and some disturbing inner workings of a man and his eating disorder. Definitely unique insights into people’s motives and the human condition. Though, I did find parts rather confusing and it kind of took me on a rollercoaster of, love and hate throughout.
I am curious to know anyone else thoughts… very difficult to put a rating on this one!!!

Read a couple of chapters and I couldn't get into it. Unfortunately I'm not that target audience for it!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I requested this arc because the premise sounded so bizarre! The binge-eating psychic element to this story was my favorite thing about it.. Unfortunately, the neo noir thriller story and the non-linear jumping around didn't work for me. This did remind me of a creative retelling of The Big Sleep 😂 so if you're a Ryan Chandler fan this one may be for you! 2.5/5
Thanks netgalley!

I think that trigger warnings are a helpful tool for some readers, but personally I find them to sometimes spoil elements of the story for me. That doesn’t mean I don’t think they should exist, but maybe in a spot that is accessible for people who need it, and easy to skip past for those who don’t.

If you read the synopsis you’ll immediately find out this novella is about an eating disorder that leads to future visions. That is either going to fascinate you or horrify you.

I worried reading it that the novella wasn’t going to be able to sustain the premise, but it’s told through multiple timelines, and interjects some interview style chapters. There is a lot of gross out binge eating and purging sequences that are vividly told.

The highlight though is the twist at the end, which is truly mind blowing and expertly done.

So while I don’t think I can recommend this one to most people, I haven’t read anything else like this.

Thank you NetGalley and Art Cult Books

Trigger Warnings: Eating disorders, body image, Anorexia and Bulimia.

“Future Skinny”, by Peter Rosch, is a unique story about Casey who has Anorexia and Bulimia. What makes Casey so special? He tells the future when he binge eats. “Future Skinny” is about a man who embraces his eating disorder. and uses it to save his wife and child.

The book is setup differently. The first half of each story was a narrative. Then the second half was an interview between Casey and his therapist. The interviews were a great addition to the book. They gave the reader back story into Casey’s psyche.

The writing on this book was highly descriptive. Even when the reader stumbles along gruesome scenes, It is hard to stop reading. Rosch was able to keep the plot moving at a considerable pace. The ending brought the whole story full circle. I had one of those jaw dropping “Aha” moments which really sealed the story

Not a 100% sure what I read, but I loved it in all its grossness! Other reviews I read compare this writing style to Chuck Palahniuk and I am going to have to agree 100%
I will say that the plot of the book was completely unique – not often you get someone binge eating and seeing the future. I can’t think of another story like it!
Also I do like the cover that is what initially made me request the book (thanks NetGalley! My ideas and opinions are my own though!) I would recommend this quick, quirky, gross read. Sold 4 stars!

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

the concept was interesting, but i found it to be pretty half-baked and meandering, and the depictions of eating disorders were nauseating and frankly very inaccurate. wish it was better.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of Future Skinny by Peter Rosch.

This book is about Casey, who is an anorexic and has discovered that by eating huge amounts of food he is able to tell peoples futures. He and his girlfriend are being pursued by two different men and trying me make enough money to start a new life.

This book is set up as a chapter of story and then an interview and then back to the story so it does take a bit of getting used to. For me, personally the interview bits were easier to read because the descriptions of the food and the way he ate made me feel sick lol. If you’re not squeamish about food this is a great book with a unique story!

This was a unique story…. It is the story of Casey, an anorexic, bulimic who can tell the future only when he binge eats. A wonderful and incredibly rich novel . . . Powerful writing and a wonderful premise make this a novel you’ll simultaneously want to savour and race through.

Inhale like you mean it and you can smell the sin.
Author Peter Rosch will make you feel sick.
This has a really unique set up:
Caught between a pair of powerful crime families is Casey, a rail thin young man with a gift. He has discovered that binge eating and purging gives him the ability to see into the future. With Lylian, the woman he loves, Casey is going to exploit this gift to get as much cash as he can. They’re on the run from David, her dangerous ex, and tangled up in an impending war between crime families.
In greasy motels, Casey is doing readings for the cash that will get them their fairy tale ending.
Unfortunately for them some people have heard of his gift and they want to use it for their own gain.
If you’re anything like me your stomach will turn reading this book. The sights, sounds and smells are expertly delivered. The plot is twisty and moves fairly quickly, perhaps slowed down by the interviews. Casey and then Lylian are interviewed in what I had assumed was some sort of clandestine government facility determined to find out the “how’s” of Casey’s gift.
But nothing in this book is what it seems.
It’s a David Fincher meets John Waters story of how far love can take you, but it’s also the story of what people will do for power.
Now if you’ll excuse me. I’ve gotta throw up.

Ugh, the descriptors. Rosch is stark, repugnant and ****ing beautiful with his words while still maintaining a casually modern tone. His diction does all the right things for me. I feel like I want to be best friends with the narrator – I feel like we could discover a murder scene together, and he’d slump down into a cheap chair with a fortified beer and make sardonic comments about it all while pulling a face at the stench.

This story wasn't just written, it was crafted.

QUOTES:
- It has never mattered how the pig is slaughtered so long as the bacon tastes good.
- Inhale like you mean it and you can smell the sin.
- If she’s at all bothered by Casey’s latest reinvention, it is chillingly unobvious.
- It turns out humanity has done a bang-up job of keeping most of itself on a pretty predictable hamster wheel.

 

(I received a free copy of this through NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review)
 
(Trigger Warnings:
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eating disorders, mention of past child abuse / sexual abuse)

a wild ride from start to finish, i enjoyed this book. at times it didn't quite grab me but the deeper you go, the better and more bizarre it got

I was provided a copy of this eBook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story starts out with an unusual premise. Casey has an eating disorder (or two) and can see the future. Casey is being pursued by two very different men for very different reasons, Connor and David. With Casey is Lylian, his girlfriend.

Every time I thought I knew what was going on, I ended up lost again and not at all sure what was happening. I'm relatively certain that David is a completely unreliable narrator, but what parts of this story are true and what are delusions was never clear to me. The story itself moved quickly and was compelling enough to keep me reading to the end, but (pun intended), this one left me hungry for answers.

If I had been better able to understand this better, I think I would have rated it higher. I did enjoy the writing style, so I would be amendable to trying this author again the future.

Casey Banks can glimpse the future whenever he binge-eats. It’s an unusual, occasionally revolting ability that proves both lucrative and very dangerous when the wrong kind of people seek out his divinatory gifts. I loved the weird premise and the ensuing intrigue as Casey and his partner Lylian attempt to negotiate two rival factions, but one of the book’s central themes, the exploration of fate vs. free will, rang hollow for me. There’s some discussion about destiny and the ability to change one’s future, yet there are several instances where information gleaned from Casey is used to forestall betrayals by killing individuals before they have a chance to act. I’d argue that effectively puts the debate to rest but the book, at least in its surface discussions, leaves the question unanswered. Having said that, this argument pays off nicely in one of the better twist endings I have read.

A nice new idea for a change! Very creative and entertaining.
This is the story of Casey, an anorexic, bulimic who can tell the future only when he binge eats. That is the hook, but the story is more about greed, love and family. From the first page to the twisty ending, this thriller held my attention in a tight grip!

Future Skinny is the story of Casey, an anorexic/bulimic man who can read the future by binge eating. He sees a vision of his girlfriend committing a crime, and sets off on a path to keep her safe. The plot of this book is so unique! I couldn't wait to read it, and binged (pun intended) it in one night! I was hooked by the imagery and disgust from the opening scene. The ending was my favorite kind; it left me thinking long after I put it down. I thought the cover and dedication were perfect. I would recommend this book (check trigger warnings).