3.5 rounded up to a 4. I really liked the premise of this book-- I thought that it was a very original plot, and liked how the multi-POV worked out. I think I would've liked it a little bit more if it had just stuck with the Ashley/Gemma POVs, which were the most engaging and felt like they were giving me the most throughout the whole book. I thought I had an idea of what the ending would be when I started it, but there were way more layers than I thought there would be, which was a pleasant surprise. I've read a couple thrillers recently that didn't really do it for me, but felt like this one kept me engaged the whole time, and I was very invested to see who the killer was.

My only complaints were that sometimes the writing was a tad too choppy, and I felt like the extra POVs didn't always contribute much.

I definitely would recommend this book to others!

Wow. This was an insightful, twisty, addicting ride! The author showed the dangerous sides of being obsessed with weight and the mental gymnastics you endure when you aren't satisfied with the way the world views your body. I really loved this! I will be buying the physical copy for my bookshelf when this comes out!

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

Gemma is a before and after success story. Once morbidly obese, she is now a bikini fitness competitor at the top of her game with a huge social media following and paid sponsorships. Gemma still has a relentless voice inside her she refers to as Fat Gemma, who is ALWAYS hungry and looking for excuses to eat, eat, eat. Gemma’s biggest rival in her upcoming competition turns up dead, and more strange deaths soon follow. Is someone killing off “fit girls”? Is Gemma next?

Ashley is fat and frustrated with her attempts to lose weight. She’s tried everything and just when she is considering bariatric surgery, she meets a charismatic woman (Lydia) who is happy just as she is and recruits Ashley into the world of Fat Activism railing against Diet Culture. Ashley finds herself empowered, even as she’s dragged into dangerous situations by Lydia. Remember Big Bob drinking the Tyler Durden kool-aid? I was gettin Fight Club vibes y’all!

Lori Brand shines a bright light on the diet and fitness industries, and the war of body acceptance in this insightful satire. She perfectly nails the internal voice most of us have that whispers self sabotaging lies. I felt like simultaneously eating a cake and doing a workout! Both Gemma and Ashley are relatable and have a refreshingly honest vulnerability while fighting to find their inner strength.

Bodies to Die For is so wonderfully deranged, you want to be ON the CrAzY train even as it plummets toward wreckage! The pure I n S a N i T y is as addictive as a sugar high. I’ve never met such a huge cast of people OFF. THEIR. ROCKERS! Multiple POVs all over the place and just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, POV shifted to an even more delusional and obsessive mind. I loved every unhinged and humorous minute of Bodies to Die for and inhaled it faster than a protein shake! Lori absolutely crushed her debut thriller!

Thank you Lori Brand, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

Scroll down for potential spoiler trigger warnings.






























⚠️Trigger Warnings: body shaming, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, sexual situations, language, violence, death, mention of: affairs, drug use, anorexia, binging and purging, stalking

Set in the world of professional bodybuilding and fitness influencing, this book has more twists than a Thighmaster! When fit-fluencers start dropping, we learn that everyone in this purportedly healthy world is hiding dark and dirty secrets. The story is told in multiple POVs, including those of a fitness influencer convinced she's living a lie, a stalkerish fan, a radical body positivity activist, and an insecure wannabe fit-girl. It's an over-the-top tale that totally WORKS thanks to Lori Brandt's propulsive writing and humor. BODIES TO DIE FOR is a super fun and original read that had me sprinting toward the finish. I'll be lunging for her next book!

I enjoyed this one. It had a bit of everything - drama, suspense, passion and crime. The book centres around Gemma, a fitness focused woman involved in a bikini bodybuilding competition. What follows is jealousy, murder, cover ups and lies. Overall, a great read that will keep you guessing. I love that the book touched on the theme of women and the body issues we all face.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. ,

In her thought-provoking novel, "Bodies to Die For," Lori Brand delves into the dark side of the fitness industry, exploring the dangerous obsession with body image and the devastating consequences it can have. The story revolves around two compelling characters: Gemma, a successful fitness influencer, and Ashley, a software engineer struggling with obesity. Gemma's seemingly perfect life is a carefully crafted illusion, hiding the cutthroat competition and body dysmorphia that plague her. Ashley, on the other hand, finds solace and empowerment in a radical Fat Activist group, but their extreme methods push her to question her own beliefs. As tragedy strikes the fitness community, it becomes apparent that the body image war has spiraled out of control. Brand's powerful storytelling and exploration of complex themes make "Bodies to Die For" a gripping and thought-provoking read, challenging societal norms and exposing the dangers of both excessive dieting and body positivity taken to its extreme.

This was unique, I feel like we rarely see novels written about female bodybuilders. For that matter, they’re often not as in the spotlight as male ones, unfortunately. So this was a fun little read.

A page-turning murder mystery that takes place during a bikini bodybuilding competition. Gemma desperately needs to defend her social media influencer status and her place in the cutthroat bikini bodybuilding world, but her progress is hampered when fellow contestants turn up murdered. Fun to read and fast paced!

In an excellent debut novel, Lori Brand manages to deftly juggle a multi-layered whodunit set inside the world of competitive bodybuilding, while sending up the excesses of the exercise and fitness industries. Understand that on their own, the mystery or the parody/expose would be fine in her hands as main story for this book. In "Bodies to Die For" she blends the two perfectly, taking the reader on a tense but rollicking journey through a potentially murderous weekend competition in no less than Orlando, Florida. The pacing was really great here, and while I'm not a fan of such succinct chapters, she manages to make it work here. Bouncing between fantastic characters with competing interests, Brand keeps you guessing and I was totally there for it. Loved this one, a lot.

Very very well done book that keeps you entertained the whole way through. The author weaves a great storyline that keeps you engaged and not wanting to put the book down,

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!
Popular fitness influencer Gamma has transformed herself from heavy, frumpy, lazy, into washboard abs , thriving business, gorgeous hubby, you name it she's got it! But its not all beautiful people and beautiful world! She's in the cutthroat world of bikini bodybuilding! She's got a stalker, A nemesis, and some truly crazy fans! On the other side we have Ashley who's fat and frustrated! (her words) with her life! Until she falls in with a radical sect of fat activists! She thinks she met her people! This book was definitely worth reading it was different from what I normally read but I definitely enjoyed reading this one! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

"Bodies to Die For" is a wild, wild romp through the world of competitive bodybuilding as told from multiple perspectives. The "Fit Girl Killer" is taking out competitors one by one, and everyone is a suspect. Who is targeting these women, and what is the motive?

Find out for yourself and pick this book up. It is an over-the-top ride that is hard to put down and easy to get sucked into. Lori Brand has a winner here. I can't wait for what's next! (and I DO hope there's a next).