I believe I speak for almost all women when I say that since puberty, there has not been a single day in my life when I liked my body. Even the days when the number on the scale was relatively low, I still had body parts that were too big or floppy. These days, supposedly we’re in a body positivity moment, but with Ozempic advertisements all over my news feeds, along with ads for gastric bypass, plastic surgery, and fat freezing, it still seems like the only bodies that should feel positive are the ones that wear a size four or lower. And while Ozempic appears to be a miracle drug that cures all kinds of cravings, the side effects can be painful, or even deadly. But wouldn’t you risk death to have a body you loved?

In Lori Brand’s debut novel, Bodies to Die For, two women embody body type extremes. Gemma is a fitness influencer and body builder who’s haunted by the woman she used to be—Fat Gemma, who weighed 100 pounds more. Ashley is a morbidly obese software engineer who is sick and tired of being judged for her weight. When Ashley attends a session to learn about gastric bypass surgery, she’s thwarted by Lydia, who wants Ashley to embrace her body and fight for fat acceptance. But when Lydia’s plans start to become dangerous, and women in the body building influencer community start to turn up dead, Gemma could be the next victim.

Bodies to Die For starts with a huge bang. We’re in Gemma’s head, and while she seems to have it all—hot body, hot husband, millions of followers—Fat Gemma still torments her, and all she thinks about is the food she can’t have. Then we meet Ashley and see the abuse she gets just from living in her body, and the abuse she gives herself. These first few chapters are real and hard to read and should have a trigger warning for anyone who’s ever berated themselves for eating a piece of cake—in other words, all of us.

As the book develops, another woman on the circuit—Bianca—is murdered, strangled by one of the waist cinchers she’s been promoting. Genna worries that she could be next, as she seems to be surrounded by suspects—her shifty husband, another rival, an incel fan, an obsessive client, her coach, etc. She doesn’t even know about Lydia, whose schemes get more outlandish, and who has a tendency to show up at Ashley’s covered in smoke and soot. Another woman in the industry dies. Then another.

I wanted to love Bodies to Die For, and the first few chapters broke my heart. There’s so much good here, but I think first-time author Brand could have used a stronger editor. With Bianca’s death by waist cincher, the tone became uneven, and there were scenes with the fat activists that also bordered on funny. Since the book is being promoted as a psychological thriller, I found the humor distracting and sometimes borderline cruel to the characters. Further, there are so many different characters and different points-of-view, I had trouble keeping track of all of them. The inclusion of the incel character (who sometimes served as comic relief as well) felt like Brand was attempting to include issues broader than diet culture, and that was distracting.

Still, I really liked Gemma and Ashley. I rooted for both of them to stop obsessing over their bodies, develop healthy habits, and get on with their lives. A twist near the end of the book is nicely foreshadowed and adds to the satisfying ending.

Author Brand comes from the fitness industry, where she’s been a Playboy model, body builder, and group fitness instructor, among other careers. Her insider knowledge is obvious on every page, and her talent as a writer is undeniable. Still, I feel her natural voice is better suited to humor than thrillers.

When confronting an athletic wear manufacturer who doesn’t make clothes in larger sizes, Ashley notes that 68% of women are considered plus size. The majority of women aren’t size four, but they also aren’t morbidly obese. I wished there had been another character in addition to Gemma and Ashley, who wasn’t a suspect, who could stand in for those of us who want to lose 10-15 pounds, and who are haunted by all the Ozempic ads on their news feeds.

I really liked this, thank you! An upcoming blog post on Bookish Girl Fit and accompanying post on @just.text.sets (IG) is imminent.

Fun read with a couple twists I didn’t see coming. Appreciate that it hints at some larger themes/issues for women and body image.

I’ve been finding it increasingly difficult to just get lost in books lately. Always thinking about getting through my ARCs, always having something else I need to read. .
Not here.
I completely lost myself in this book. I barely looked at the percentage on my kindle, so absorbed was I in this story.
Following two main characters; Gemma who is a fit girl influencer and competes in bikini contests and Ashley; who is just trying to live her life in a bigger body despite societies best efforts to shame her at every turn. The entire time reading this I kept trying to figure out whose ‘side’ author Lori Beand was on- so distinct are these two characters.
If you are looking for likable relateable people to follow, then step away because no one in this book is likeable. Everyone is flawed and selfish and feels so real.
This is my favorite type of thriller to read - let the reader uncover something or put things together and then reveal them 2 or 3 sentences later. I get the satisfaction of not being told what was happening while also not having to wait for the characters to catch up.

This is a murder mystery that involves the diet and fitness world. The possible suspects range from deranged cult like personalities to jealous romantic partners. There is quite a bit going on in this book. Readers have to hang in for the ride to get to the conclusion. Luckily, the book is fast paced so the novel does not drag. The author keeps the reader engaged until the end.

I am leaning 3.5 stars, I think.

Interesting and unique premise. A bit chaotic and I feel like I need to Re read the ending to fully grasp what happened.

The premise of this book drew me in, and I was hooked on the first page. I liked the mystery element and multiple POVs, but there were a lot of characters to keep track of. The male POV wasn't really necessary IMO. The twists and the ending were well done, and I liked the message at the end about loving yourself no matter how you look.

However, the more I read, the more I felt annoyed(?) by all of the alternating fat/skinny shaming. I understand what the author was trying to convey, but as a person who has been on every part of the weight spectrum, it just came across as gross.

This was an anticipated read. I really wanted to enjoy the story. Ashley was just too unlikeable for me to take in the story. Gemma wasn't the best either. But Ashley was meant for us to root for and I just couldn't do it. I understood her anger and frustration, but she was just written in a way that I could care less about her journey. Maybe the next book will be better.

#BODIESTODIEFOR. #LORIBRAND. #NETGALLEY

Lori Brand not only TRANSFORMS the cast of characters in her debut thriller, but also RESHAPES the classic whodunnit murder mystery…

“As long as I don’t do anything stupid, like let Fat Gemma out of her cage or let a serial killer into my room, tonight is looking promising.”

This is an excellent, quick read. Despite the first body turning up in the earlier chapters, it is somewhat of a slow-burn… then again, in a book centered around the fitness world shouldn’t we expect to “get out what we put in”?

Either way, it pays off in a grand way by the end of the book. I was left with no looming questions… I was satisfied with the ending. The story had twists I didn’t expect. I enjoyed the fun & exciting content related to social media influencers being coupled with competitive bodybuilding & their haters... Though it wasn’t overly dark, I would definitely recommend to a friend!!!

#BodiesToDieFor #debutthriller #debutauthor #dietculturedropout #strongnotskinny #thickthighssavelives #womensfiction #crimereads @blackstonepublishing @netgalley @loribrandwritesandlifts @bookshell_f

I enjoy this book! It’s refreshing to read a story centered around female bodybuilders. The drama alone kept me thoroughly entertained, especially with the tension among characters who didn’t quite get along. When you add murder, mystery, and suspense into the mix, things become even more crazy. I particularly appreciated the multiple points of view, which made the story easy to follow. It’s a quick and engaging read, filled with humor and unexpected twists that kept me guessing right up until the very end. I recommend this if you like fitness competitions, twists, and unbearable characters!

This mystery thriller grabs you from the get go with its quirky characters. You wont want to put this down. Definitely a read in one go kind of novel.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

I have read many books and I think Bodies to Die For Me is a story I have never read before. It's unique in its characters and storyline (at least to me) and I love that.

It helps that the story is well-written and interesting throughout.

Thank you to Netgalley, Lori Brand, and Blackstone Publishing for an advance copy of Bodies To Die For in exchange for an honest review. This was a new and refreshing whodunit story that was set in the competitive fitness world. We meet Gemma, who turned herself into a competitive fitness model/competitor who desperately wants to win an upcoming contest. At the same time, we meet Ashley who is overweight and sick & tired of the diet industry and what it stands for. Throughout the story, we meet many other characters who cross paths with our two main characters and somehow may be part of a series of murders that is happening to other fitness models. This one had me questioning every character until the end and I as happy with how the story wrapped up. This quote is from the goodreads synopsis but it really hits to the core of what this book represented to me so I had to share it. "Bodies to Die For takes a hard look at social media, the $70 billion diet industry, and the war on women's bodies--the wars we wage with each other, and with ourselves." I hope you take a chance on this book and give it a go because it was so so good! This is out now!

Welcome to the fit-scene where competitors are killing themselves in the gym and the kitchen to be seen while also mysteriously being killed as the Olympia competition approaches!

I applaud Lori Brand for a fantastic, unique and relevant debut thriller. Readers are dropped into the contrasting lives and minds of fit-fluencer Gemma and not-so-fit-tech-girl Ashley. We are introduced to quite a few different characters in each of their lives but Lori's management of the supporting cast was easy to keep straight and worked well with the story.

This book was an interesting and thought-provoking read; it moved with a fast pace that kept the pages turning easily. Lori kept me guessing and questioning "whodunnit" as I had to keep coming back for more.

The subplots are believable and balanced the book well.

I appreciated that the author included a trigger warning at the beginning for those who have any history with eating disorders. For that reason, I cannot recommend this book to everyone but, if you enjoy whodunnits and have a healthy relationship with fitness competitions, the gym and macros, I feel you may find this book enjoyable, too.

Hats off to Lori Brand, Blackstone Publishing, and Netgalley!!

I loved this book. It’s a Thriller set in the world of Professional Bodybuilding and it was fascinating! People are dying around them and everyone is wondering who is next! Definitely recommend!

Lori Brand's debut novel is a wild and thought-provoking ride that dives deep into body image and societal expectations, told from multiple POVs. The story brings together Gemma and Ashley, two women at opposite ends of the body spectrum. Gemma, who dropped 100 pounds, is living her best life as a fit girl, complete with a hot husband, a bodybuilding career, and a top athletic brand sponsorship. But as she preps for the Olympia, she's constantly worried about gaining the weight back. On the flip side, Ashley, who's 100 pounds overweight, finds empowerment with a group of passionate Fat Activists.

As they deal with their personal struggles, a series of murders targeting fit girls adds a page turning layer of suspense. Gemma fears she might be next, while Ashley finds herself caught in the danger. Their stories collide in an explosive ending you won’t want to miss. Brand does a fantastic job balancing intense, fast-paced action with meaningful commentary on beauty standards, keeping a neutral and compassionate tone throughout. She mixes snarky humor with deep empathy, making the book a really engaging read.

Brand's novel is a unique mix of who-done-it thriller and empowering social critique, delivering a powerful message about body image without shaming anyone. It's a must-read for anyone looking for an exciting plot and an enlightening take on body wars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone, and Lori Brand for this ARC!

If you are looking for your next unputdownable page-turner, look no further! I don’t know how Lori Brand managed to create a story that is both a great mind escape AND still gives you food for thought with its thoughtful exploration of complexity of women’s relationships with our bodies and diet culture!

Murders connected to the world of competitive body building and weight loss/fitness coaches. Are the murders related? Bodies to Die for gives us points of view of a few different characters and offers such great red herrings that at one point or another you can’t help but suspect everyone!

I highly recommend you grab this one ASAP and stuff in your beach/pool/regular bag cause this is such a great summer read! Definitely one of my favorite thrillers, one that I won’t stop recommending.

@thrillerbookloversthepulse crew is all over this one and for a good reason! I want to thank @blackstone and @netgalley for my ARC!

As a gym girlie, I was super excited about this book and I can't say I've ever picked up a book that really focused on this gym and body building world! This book did such a great job of capturing the dynamics of fitness influencers and body builders. I was engaged in the overarching mystery of the fitness influencers getting killed one by one, and while some of the bad actors were obvious, the connections and motivations came as a surprise. I loved the writing style and narrative structure (including the macros and weight updates for each chapter). I think people who are in the fitness world will really enjoy this story.

Thank you to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bodies to Die For by Lori Brand is a multi-POV story which follows bodybuilder/fitness competitor Gemma in the run up to a national competition and overweight tech-whiz Ashley as she finds herself embroiled in the war against Diet Culture.

While the title does involve a lot of body-shaming, and shows both sides of the toxic ‘body positivity’ culture, this was actually a lot of fun to read.

If there was a way to describe it, it would be ‘straight out of an episode of CSI’ and that is meant in the best way possible. The pacing, the red herrings, the industry specific killings based on each girl’s ‘tag line’ was so well done and each twist pulled the reader further into the world of female bodybuilding.

Yes, it may not set the world alight, but this is a well written murder mystery/thriller that ticks every box while filling in a niche. No less than 5/5.

I've never read a thriller centered around bodybuilding so I was quite intrigued with it! Lori perfectly executed the atmosphere and pulled me into this murderous mystery. Written in dual POVs, Gemma and Ashley were like night and day. Each character had their stand-out qualities even if they came off as unlikable. This was a fun whodunnit story, but at times I did find the pace a bit slow. Other than that, Lori's writing is superb and I liked how she brought awareness to how destructive body culture is.