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.

I love the premise of Bodies to Die For by Lori Brand. We have two main characters: a weight loss influencer named Gemma who has a thriving fitness business and Ashley, an overweight engineer who joins a Fat Activist group.

These two are on course to collide at Olympia, a fitness competition.

Short chapters and multiple POVs make this a quick and fun read.

Perfect for fans of You Shouldn’t Have Come Here and None of This Is True, Bodies to Die For is a brilliant psychological thriller that will have readers wondering whether the perfect body really is worth dying 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.

But 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.

With breakneck pace and keen insights, 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.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC!
Fitness 🤝 Thriller!!!
^ All I needed to know to immediately add Bodies to Die For to the very tip-top of my TBR! My two favorite hobbies combined 😍😍
Unlike anything I’ve ever read, Bodies to Die For, is a “whodunit” murder thriller that dives into the fitness world and societies beauty standards. Addicting from the first page and I couldn’t turn away (like the way Gemma felt about 🍰🤭🤣). If you enjoy books where everyone has a secret motive and the suspect list is a mile long - this one delivers! Lori writes on some touchy subjects brilliantly and brought a refreshing perspective about body acceptance that we don’t see often in today’s culture through the character ARCs. The two main characters, Gemma and Ashley, couldn’t be more different but I honestly enjoyed both POV’s equally and I loved how they both had growth in their own ways.
Keep in mind, this book won’t be for everyone! Lot’s of specifics (in numbers) pertaining to dieting and weight but if this isn’t triggering to you - give it a go!! It hooked me from the first to last page. This is a debut author that I’ll have my eye on from here on out! Congrats Lori👏🏻

Given some of the insanity running rampant in today’s culture wars across all fronts, it’s so refreshing to find a novel like Bodies To Die For, that appeals to reason and actual health instead of succumbing to either Diet Culture or to the reactionary movements that have understandably sprung up against it. Author Lori Brand believes in strength instead of shrinking: the point of exercise, she believes, is to help you feel stronger and more capable of tackling everyday physical challenges, not to fit into a smaller dress size or to please someone else’s aesthetic sensibilities. She channels this sensible perspective into the telling of a raucous murder mystery that feels incredibly accomplished for being a debut novel.

The events depicted in these pages revolve around the Olympia Bodybuilding Competition and the chaos that erupts on a Show Day filled with murder and violence. Two months earlier at a fitness expo, model and entrepreneur Bianca was strangled to death with one of her own waist trainers. Her friend and fellow fitness model Gemma was devastated. While Bianca had been her biggest competitor – and there’s no denying that waist trainers are vile – Bianca was also one of the few people in the industry who was genuinely kind to her.

When other prominent women involved in the fitness industry start turning up dead, Gemma can’t help but wonder whether someone is actively targeting people like herself. Gemma has already begun to feel ambivalent about her line of work, and especially about the image of perfection that she constantly has to portray while lying about what she really feels and does (and, unsurprisingly, eats) in her everyday life. Nowhere is this more apparent than in her personal life, as her husband continually disappoints her, most recently with his lack of interest in her wellbeing. A not small part of her wishes he would express concern over her safety, given the recent string of killings:

QUOTE
But that would take responsibility and consideration. Characteristics that Steve, I failed to realize when we were dating, has in limited supply. Instead, I chose to focus on how handsome he was, with his broad shoulders and strong jaw. How fun he was to hang out with. How great we looked as a couple. When I started posting pictures of us doing couple things, like going for walks at sunset, lolling about on blankets at picnics, and laughing while picking apples at the local orchard–this last one took a lot of cajoling and a blow job–both my likes and followers noticeably went up. The post where I announced we were engaged generated, according to Instagram analytics, the most engagement with my account that year.

I was so busy living a life in pictures, that I failed to notice all the things I left out of them.
END QUOTE

Meanwhile, computer programmer Ashley is sick to death of being told that she needs to lose weight, primarily by her neurotic mother, but also by abusive strangers. A chance meeting with Lydia, a woman who wants to take the fight right back to Diet Culture, soon has her embroiled in the cause of fat activism. At first, it’s just about being body positive and debunking myths on the Internet, primarily via social media. But Ashley soon finds her tone getting as nasty as that of the people she’s arguing with, even before Lydia entices her into performing concrete – and soon enough borderline criminal – acts against those who instill low self-esteem in others in order to profit off of it themselves.

Ashley is all about protests and raising awareness, but as Lydia seduces her into more and more behavior that’s for the benefit of the cause instead of for actual people, she can't help but reevaluate her actions:

QUOTE
Alone in the bathroom, I look at myself in the mirror. How did I get here? I think back to what inspired me to ditch Diet Culture. I simply wanted to accept myself the way that I am. To be happy, despite what others may think or say. How did that morph into a hatred for those who are living their lives differently than I am? All this hatred is making me tired. Is this really the way I want to live my life?
END QUOTE

The two women’s trajectories converge as they head to the Olympia Bodybuilding Competition for very different reasons. Surrounded by saboteurs, fake friends and creepers, will Gemma and Ashley be able to find common ground and make it out alive? Or will a killer keep extracting a deadly toll, claiming both their lives in the process?

Filled with murder and mayhem, this wildly entertaining novel obscures its healthy core – being both a cautionary tale and an extended metaphor for female solidarity – with its deliciously hilarious observations of modern society. But it’s not just a wicked satire of the image-obsessed, or even a guide to embracing good health divorced from weight or appearance. This is a book that truly cares about its characters, that extends grace to the awkward and insecure and desperately unhappy, even as it doesn’t paint over their flaws. It’s okay to be human, this book tells us, and best to be kind, both to others and just as importantly to ourselves. The way you look should never be a reason to deliberately harm anyone, yourself included. Ms Brand’s wisdom and empathy shine warmly through the pages of this remarkable debut.

the book was for sure different than anything I read before. I enjoyed it because it was a thriller. It had 2 sides that made it fun to read. Was hooked from the beginning.

Initially I wasn’t sure if Bodies to Die For would be my kind of book. I’ve never been interested in body building and I use thrillers to escape my day-to-day stressors which includes body image. I’m glad I was given the push to read it by my friends @thrillerbookloversthepulse because the book is so much more than what I assumed based on the description.

As someone who grew up in the peak “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” era, I connected with the toxic diet culture Brand portrays in the book. I think many of us are still dealing with the effects of this lovely time to grow up. Brand’s use of satire and winks to real life (hi Chip oops *cough* Craig) really worked for me. The book also has some very creative m*urder weapons!

I look forward to seeing what Lori Brand does next!

Thank you @blackstonepublishing @netgalley for the gifted copy to read and review.

This book checked all my boxes!!! Multiple POVs ✅ Drama ✅ Mystery ✅ A fresh plot ✅ So you know I had to pick this one up! This book focuses on not only social media but also the diet culture. It takes a hard look at how women are expected to be. Hard to believe this is a debut!!

Bodies To Die For by Lori Brand is a fun and intriguing thriller/mystery!
This murder mystery hooked me immediately. And kept me glued to my Kindle.
This book will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first page trying to figure out what happened. It is so good. It has all the twists a great thriller needs.

Thank You NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

"𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆."

Special thanks to @thrillerbookloversthepulse @loribrandwritesandlifts @blackstonepublishing and @netgalley for the #gifted eARC.

👉🏼 swipe for synopsis ➡️

I think this is a really interesting storyline for a thriller. I know weight is always a hot topic no matter which side of it you're on. I personally, really resonated with Ashley's character and loved Lydia and her cancel diet culture.....up until a certain point 🤣. I liked seeing the good and the bad which each character. I also wish there was a bit more murder and suspense for me, but I did think that at many different points, everyone was a suspect.

This one is told in multiple POVs, which makes for great, engaging reading. I will say - I did fly through this. This would definitely be a great one to throw in your bag as you head to the beach!

This is definitely one that's been making waves over at The Pulse, so make sure you pre-order this one ASAP!

PUB DAY:
June 11, 2024 [TOMORROW]

QOTD ❓️⁉️❓️ Let's you choose::
Beach or pool
Flip flops or bare feet
Ice cream cone or popsicle
Audiobook or ebook
Lake or ocean

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillerbooklovers #thepulse #pulsepoint #loribrand #bodiestodiefor #upcomingthriller #bookbuzz #thrillerlover #thrilleraddict
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Thank you NetGalley and Lori Brand, for a digital copy of this book. The opinions are my own and freely given.

Gemma is a self-made fitness guru. She used to be overweight and realized that she could no longer maintain her lifestyle. So, she lost weight, and teaches others how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. She has also entered and won competitions at Ms. Olympia. The year's competition is her redemption year, but fellow competitors end up dead.

There is a woman, Lydia, who heads up an organization to "take down" these women who she deems as pushing the "diet culture". Lydia, meets Ashley, and convinces her to join her group to take these women down.

It all comes to a head at the competition. Ashley organizes a peaceful protest, but Lydia has other things in mind.

I really enjoyed this book and was pleasantly surprised. From the premise of the book, I wasn't sure how much would be about the weightlifting and how much would be about murders. There was plenty! I highly recommend this book.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would! The narrative was well done and easy to get lost in. Brand did a great job with the inner voice here. I did have a few eye-roll-inducing moments, but overall, an enjoyable read from start to finish! 3.5 stars rounded up! Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the digital copy to read and review!

Note: This one has some content warnings, so be sure to read up on those before diving in.

I’ve been looking for a thriller to really suck me in for a while now. While this one wasn’t as “unputdownable” as I was hoping, there were some things I really enjoyed about it.
•
First, I loved the focus on female fitness and the underlying message that strength > shrinking. While a thriller at its core, this book explores the big question of what it really means to be healthy and strong while highlighting some of the major problems with the fitness industry and diet culture. I also like that how this story demonstrates the issue with social media and the distortion between Instagram vs reality in all of the characters’ lives.
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This book has short chapters (a plus for me) and is written from multiple perspectives which really adds to the mystery/suspense. I did not know “who did it” until the very end, and I thought there were many possibilities since characters all have their own unique motives.
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I typically find I enjoy thrillers more when they are realistic. This one seemed a little far fetched for me, and it has a fair amount of drama. There were also some parts that felt flat and/or unnecessary to me.

After hearing so many of my Pulse Pals raving about this one in our thrillerbookloverspromo chat, I had to have it! I’m so happy I picked it up! It’s such a fun read that I really enjoyed and didn’t want to end! I wasn’t sure I would be into this story with its emphasis on body building, but it is so much more than that! It’s about body positivity, body shaming, online bullying, influencers, and a possible serial killer?! Sign me up! And everyone is a likely suspect! The ending was so perfect for me, and I can’t wait for this one to be out, I have already been recommending it to everyone!

Gemma is a successful bikini bodybuilder who lost a lot of weight and has become a very popular fitness competitor. Ashley is an obese “fat activist” who is willing to do whatever is needed to shut down the “fit girl” industry, even if it means teaming with radical activists to complete the mission and destroy “diet culture”! Andrew is a cyber stalker who is obsessed with Gemma and is determined to meet her. Meanwhile, worlds begin to collide when fit girls begin turning up dead and it looks like the war on body image has gone too far…Someone wants these women gone and is willing to resort to murder to get the job done!

This is not your typical thriller! I thought it was so clever to center a psychological thriller around the cut throat world of female bikini fitness competitions and shed some light on the struggles that not just fitness models but women face about their weight every day! This book has the suspense of a thriller but also addresses the harsh realities of body shaming, obesity, and the toxicity that can occur in the fitness industry and makes clear the importance of promoting body positivity instead!

I absolutely loved this book. The plot is unique and meticulously crafted! I found myself constantly trying to guess what happens next, but Lori took me by surprise every time!

Not only is this book captivating, but it also delves into real-world issues that we face today, making it a refreshing and thought-provoking read.

If you’re into:
- sabotage
- espionage
- multiple POVs
- mystery
- fitness
- competitions

This may be the book for you.

I won’t spoil any more details—you’ll have to read it yourself. I highly recommend it! This book reinforced my belief that “Your body is a temple. But it’s yours, so own it. Whatever hate people give you over it, disregard. Love it. Take care of it.”

Gemma is a popular before and after fitness influencer in the cutthroat world of bodybuilding. When Gemma’s competitor turns up dead, someone may be taking out the fitness gals.

If you love influencer fiction, here’s the latest hot one in the moment! This one was fun because it took on the fitness and health influencer industry. We’ve all seen those “before and after” accounts. Despite ones personal feelings on them, there is drama abound through this fiction. I loved how there were so many possible suspects presented. It definitely kept the suspense high throughout the story.

“You don’t fight because you’re strong. You’re strong because you fight.”

Bodies to Die For comes out 6/11.

A cool and intriguing psychological thriller. I liked the commentary on society and bodies and body modification as well. This is quick, short chapters, and satirical.

This book was a psychological thriller mystery. 2 rivals competing at a body building competition and another one turns up dead. This was entertaining, but fell a little flat for me. I didn’t really enjoy the body imaging in this, but the story line was okay. I rated it a 3 stars.

I absolutely loved this book. The twists were insane. I was worried that this book would focus too much on working out, having the perfect body etc. But, it didn’t! It showed that being strong is the most important part. If you love your body and feel good that is what matters.

I LOVED this murder mystery thriller! This book was better than I expected! Perfect ending and awesome TWIST!

Someone is killing fitness influencers… and everyone is scared that they could be next. It’s fat versus fit in this dramatic thriller!

Perfect for fans of Megan Miranda! You will NOT regret checking this book out!