I found this to be a quick and easy listen that had quite a bit more to offer than the regular mystery/thriller due to its biting social commentary on our societies views on bodies and weight.
The two main characters Gemma and Ashley underwent an incredible transformation in this book and I was rooting for them the whole way.

In terms of the murder mysteries, thsi one was so well plotted I kept guessing all along the way! I loved all the clues, suspects, potential motives and red herrings... and was there for the revelation.

Exploring themes of diet culture and fatphobia worked really well for this thriller, exploring it in the context of a fitness influencer and body building competition bubble was so convincing and interesting even though i have to admit it is a world i don't know much about but i was definitelay along for the ride.

The audiobook features a three narrator telling of this story which enforces the different POVs and made everything come alive in my head. It is so good.

Interesting plot that’s relevant to society’s current views and tends but I just couldn’t connect with the characters.

Bodies To Die For by Lori Brand and narrated by Jennifer Aquino, Chelsea Stephens, Joe Hempel is absolutely fantastic! Accurate to the trend of fitness influencers and the lengths some go to to achieve their goals and those who resent them. However, not many will go so far to demonstrate their ire!

What a cast! Whoever chose these incredible narrators deserves a pat on the back because the narrators did an incredible job and matched their characters well. The interplay was on point and the flow consistent.

Gemma is the epitome of a before/after glow up fitness influencer who has gone to the next level and created a whole range of fitness wear. Ashley is on the other side of the coin. Overweight, unhappy and consistently berated by her mother and online trolls. That is until she meets a mysterious, charismatic, chaotic woman in the cosmetic clinic she has visited to remove her excess weight. Ashley is dragged inot a group of activists hell-bent on destroying fitness culture and they have a huge event in their sights to make their point. The same event where Gemma will be launching her latest line

Lori Brand is going straight on my favourites list. The flow was on point, the character development perfect and the storyline was all flow and well paced. I absolutely loved this audiobook and cannot recommend it enough

Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks, Lori Brand and the narrators for this awesome ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Thank you for the audiobook of Bodies to die for. It was such an interesting story following a fitness influencer that used to live a very different lifestyle. I enjoyed how relatable the characters were and the real-life situations they were put in. I would recommend this to friends and family

I was intrigued by the premise but unfortunately this book just was not for me. I found all the characters to be extremely insufferable which made it an unenjoyable read. The narrators did a fine job, my complaint is mostly with the characters themselves.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks for the ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I listened to Bodies To Die For on audio, and finished it in just a few days, and already recommended it to a few friends!

Bodies to Die For is told through multiple perspectives. Gemma is a fitness influencer and one of our main characters. Our other main character is Ashley, an overweight girl who gets caught up in a battle over sizes. Then we have Anita who is another fitness influencer and insanely jealous of Gemma. And Andrew who lies about who he is on social media and is pretty creepy.

The story starts with a death in the shower at a fitness completion, and then we rewind several months and start the story. This is my favorite way to read a story, because then I get to guess the whole time!

Bodies to Die For is a clever who-done-it, with lots of likely suspects.

I have a big thing about body positively and just not bashing on bodies in books, the worse offenders seem to be in the cozy mystery genre. I was hoping this book, especially with how it's about bodybuilders, wouldn't be bashing, and I'm glad to say it didn't. I really like the multiple timelines and POVs you get in the story. Starring at the crime and working backwards always has me on high alert trying to solve it before the author tells me. I'd read more from this author for sure

I had seen great reviews for this debut thriller and requested the audio because of them. This was an interesting thriller set against the backdrop of bodybuilding and covered topics such as body image, fitness, and having the perfect ‘body’. Oh, and fitness gals are dropping like flies so it seems there is a murderer on the loose that has a target audience, and no one knows who will be next. I really enjoyed this one, I thought all the topics were covered well and loved how the murderer was revealed and it wrapped up so well. The audio was great too, I thought the narrators did a wonderful job with this story, I’m so glad I read it.

I'll admit being a little hesitant about this book. As a (fairly happily) fat person, I'm often annoyed by fat representation in books. Either they're evil (think Dursleys) or stupid (think Miggery Sow) or the internal self-flagellation is exhausting to read.

I needn't have worried. Characters were drawn with care and dignity, and personal growth/acceptance was almost its own personality.

I fell in love with both Ashley and Gemma and wanted to give the latter's alter ego a hug.

The light shone on the toxicity of both beauty culture and extreme activism could not be more well-timed, and, while the Pheonix' turned out to be pretty sketchy, the thought of a secret society where Fat People come together for societal change makes my heart happy.

I can't believe this was a debut novel. I cannot wait to see what this author creates next.

This book definitely had a lot to say. And I enjoyed it. It was my first time reading from a bodybuilder/ competition MC.
It was a little wacky at times but I stuck with it and enjoyed all the kills. Honestly a lot of times when books have things to say, it goes over my head. As someone who is always really thin in high school, and has put on some weight since then, it's been my goal for the last 15 years to try to get back down to that size. I don't know how I'd feel if I were morbidly obese like our characters, but I personally didn't feel offended or took issue with it.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This was a really great read. As someone who used to have a eating disorder i found this book not only interesting and different but still super creepy!! would buy and recommend for sure!!

Lori Brand’s "Bodies to Die For" delivers a familiar cozy mystery experience with some charming elements, but it ultimately falls short of standout status. The novel centers on a small-town protagonist who becomes involved in solving a local murder, blending humor with suspense in a classic cozy mystery format.

The plot is engaging enough to keep readers interested, with a few twists and turns that add intrigue. However, the storyline feels somewhat predictable, and the resolution lacks the punch that could have made it truly memorable. The characters, while likable, follow conventional archetypes and don’t develop beyond their initial impressions.

The pacing is uneven, with some sections dragging while others rush through important details. The small-town setting is quaint but not particularly original, and the overall narrative doesn’t offer many fresh or surprising elements for seasoned cozy mystery fans.

In summary, "Bodies to Die For" is a pleasant, if unremarkable, read. It provides some enjoyment for fans of the genre but may not leave a lasting impression. It’s a decent choice for a light, entertaining read but doesn’t quite rise above the average cozy mystery fare.

I flew through this thriller which follows Gemma, a bikini competitor, as she gets ready for her biggest competition yet. Told from multiple POV with clear chapter labels this had me hooked from chapter 1 and guessing until the end. Some aspects of this novel were a little over my head not being part of the "fitness/bikini competition" world but I didn't feel that it took away from this novel. I've seen this novel all over bookstagram and it did not disappoint.

Thank you Blackstone Publishing audiobooks and netgalley for the ALC.

This was just ok for me. I liked the beginning and first half but the second half fell flat for me. I needed a bigger final twist! More of a “cozy mystery” than thriller i guess.

Thank you for this ARC!

I found this to be a quick and easy read due to its thought-provoking social commentary, satirical humor, multiple POV (with a 3-person audiobook narrating cast!), and fast-moving plot. I never got bored, and I was invested in the two main characters, Gemma and Ashley. They had incredible character arcs throughout this book!

In terms of the murder mysteries, I really had no clue what was the truth until it was revealed to me! There were so many moving parts, possible suspects (catty competitors, creepy Instagram stalkers, secret relationships), and motives that I couldn’t guess whodunnit.

I also appreciated the overarching message from the author. There were many themes, but what I personally took away from it is that diet culture and fatphobia don’t just hurt fat people - the harmful beliefs hurt everyone, from people so focused on looks and their disordered eating, to people facing medical discrimination and dismissal, and the perpetuation of toxic masculinity and upholding the patriarchy. In a time where we have been bombarded with thin ideals and ways to lose weight (diets, medications, surgeries, etc) since we were young, and all of the emotional baggage this has caused many of us to carry with us throughout our lives, it was a refreshing read. I’ve never seen these themes explored so well in a book, and definitely not in a thriller.

My only critiques? There was obviously body diversity in this book, but as far as I could tell, everyone was white. And the one character that didn’t turn out to be straight, it only seemed to be used a plot twist. So I would have appreciated some more intersectionality in this book, since body size affects marginalized communities in different ways than straight, cis, white people.

I think that people who loved Lisa Jewell’s “None of This is True” or Amy Tintera’s “Listen for the Lie” will eat up this clever book!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my advanced listening copy! The audiobook was wonderful. This book is OUT NOW!

⚠️ Be aware of these sensitive topics/possible triggers (may consider some of these spoilers but important to include):
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Fatphobia, disordered eating, pregnancy, death/murder, physical assault, mentions of blood/strangling/explosions

This one was started out pretty slow for me and I was beginning to think maybe it wasnt for me but it did pick up a bit. The topic could definitely have triggers for people trigged by weight loss topics. The mystery part on who was killing these fitness girls got to be pretty fun by the end. The narrator was ok for me.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

Publish date: 06/11/2024

Great audiobook. I enjoyed the different narrators. This was a fun thriller and I enjoyed the peek into the world of body building. I appreciate listening to this fun thriller.

Diet culture and murder!

Very much entertaining with the varying perspectives of body image, health trends and public perception! Fast paced and different POVs!

This was an interesting spin on the online fitness influencer industry and how toxic it can be. It gave me more cozy mystery than thriller vibes. There was a lot of craziness and commentary around diet culture that made this a good read!

I enjoyed this and think this would be a great book club selection to dive into!!

This was an intriguing thriller, involving a wide cast of women. Gemma is a bodybuilder and personal trainer, preparing for a bikini competition; Ashley is a software developer who gets involved with a group of vigilantes promoting a “fat and fabulous” message. The story provides an informed look at the female body from many perspectives, incorporating body shaming and the influence of social media on fitness, diet culture, and self-confidence. But, it is also an interesting thriller, told from multiple viewpoints and revolving around a cast of characters who all possess motives to kill. I enjoyed this on audiobook and felt that the cast of narrators did a fantastic job of telling this story. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

I really liked this book because it not only has the thriller element but it also immerses the reader into the debate of diet culture vs body positivity.

The book is told in dual points of view. Gemma is a fitness influencer. Ashley owns her own company but deals with being morbidly obese. Both of these women’s points of view are drama filled.

The book begins with a murder. After more deaths, in addition to the drama there is the mystery of who is the “Fit Girl Killer”.

Both Gemma and Ashley suffer from extremes. I think this leads into an excellent book for a group discussion about moderation.

There were some nice twists in this one and the book does a great job of giving multiple legit suspects for the Fit Girl Killer.