Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing Dafina for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. This book was such a delight to read, women's friendships/relationships with each other and their own bodies, body conscious women who have been previously fat shamed into wanting to be unseen by society now being empowered to overcome their self doubts and self body shaming and learning to embrace the body they are currently in and all the ways that it can move and bring them joy. Not to be forgotten also the bonds that these women forge over their time dancing together and how they lift each other up with nothing but love and support whilst also undergoing changes to how they see themselves and how they will not allow themselves to be marginalised or body shamed any longer was so inspirational and made this book such a joy to read. This book shows as what happens when three plus size talented women get fed up with body shaming and missing out on jobs because of their size band together at dance class and although they aren't all as driven they do realize that it is people's perception of them that is holding them back. They decide to tape a new dance every week and put it on the internet where they become a sensation but much more awaits. This was a read overflowing with life, vibrancy, love, creativity, raw realness, resilience and friendships. Such a great read I didn't want it to end. #fatgirlsdance #cathleenmeredith #netgalley #kensingtonpublishinggdafina #tea_sipping_bookworm #goodreads #getlitsy #fable #thestorygraph #bookqueen #bookstagram #contemporary

This book was a case of cool/cute concept, so-so execution for me. I found the language off-putting at times. I liked the body positivity angle though and the friendships were also a highlight.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

This is an inspiring read, lots of inspirational and motivating conversations and actions focusing on a group of amateur fat girls posting a choreographed dance each week, growing from the camaraderie, and learning and revealing new sides and feelings and ideas of themselves. It did seem to me to be somewhat overly zealous at times but the general feel of change and self love dominated.

Oh wow, this book was a breath of fresh air! Five women, all of them bigger than what society thinks they should be and all dancers. Was this book written for my demographic? Not really, since I am older, white and can't dance (other than "mum dancing" in my lounge room!) but I AM fat. Have been all my life, and I understand the frustrations of being invisible - for jobs, for relationships, even when you are in a queue in a shop. I admire people who can dance :) My equivalent, the place where I can just be me and let go is when I am singing, so I do get it. And I am using the word "fat" deliberately, just like I do in my real life. Sick to death of people like me being described with all these euphemisms. I am not even slightly offended if someone calls me fat, because I am.

Liv, Paige, Faith, Avery, Reese........loved all of these characters, so, so much!! All these women were brought together by the relentless energy and drive of Liv, who started the Fat Girls Dance movement. A difficult choreography every week, for a year. To be put on social media. Yikes!

As you can imagine, the fact that these women, all very diverse, get together and rehearse and produce incredible dances every week, is something that the average person should get behind and I was cheering them all on. Behind the scenes, they all have a lot going on, and it is these layers that makes this book such an interesting read, for me.

The dancers become family to each other and there are highs and lows with that, just like in any family.

Loved it!!

The only thing that brought my rating down was my inability to read any of the interviews because they were formatted in a strange way. All of them were a series of letters down the page, in single file, completely impossible to read without wanting to throw something across the room! Hopefully, in the final version of the Kindle book, that issue got resolved.

4.5, rounded up to 5 because it was just such a great read! You GO, fat women who want to achieve something, just go for it :) Don't let the extra layers on your body hold you back. Why on EARTH does society think it is OK to fat-shame people?? The size of one's body is none of anyone else's business!

I was very sad to realise that the author had passed away :( I can imagine a sequel of this book being very successful! RIP Cathleen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing.

4 ⭐️

Fat Girls Dance focused on a group of women who wanted to dance. Each woman has a different "why" and story that they bring to the table. This book really highlights the importance of self discovery, love, and having your own individual journey, while honoring your community.

I really enjoyed the book and getting bits from each woman's journey. I will say, some parts did feel a little repetitive and the chapters could be a little long. Overall, a good read and great way to send off the year.

I Loooooooovvvvvveeeeeddddd this book 😍
It left me totally speechless! Each page was perfection!
The epitome of female empowerment 👊🏾

Based on the true story of the Author's (Cathleen Meredith) @fatgirlsdancemovement. Body positive Liv really wants to start up a dance group for plus size women. Liv starts by proposing her idea to her bestie, Reese. A year long challenge to learn new choreography each week and post it online for all the world to see. Reese is very reluctant to participate, but not as reluctant as Liv is determined and persistent. The story is all about self love, social acceptance, and relationships in a fat girls world.

Day One of FGD (FatGirlsDance), Liv and Reese sit alone in the studio disappointed because despite their efforts in spreading the word, no-one else has turned up.

As a small group forms the girls are pushed to their limits in and outside of the studio. Can they push through to the Capezio Hip Hop contest?

I loved how the characters evolved throughout the book and became improved versions of themselves. In addition, the squad created friendships that will last their lifetime.

I really enjoyed Fat Girls Dance. While reading the book I was either laughing, giggling or shocked by the girls antics.

Cathleen Meredith was an amazing women's advocate and playwright (among many more things). It was sad to find out that she passed away while this book was being published. She was an inspirational, life-loving, body positive lady.

Thankyou to #kensingtonpublishing and #netgalley for the free copy of #fatgirlsdance in exchange for an honest review.

Cathleen Meredith’s Fat Girls Dance is a vibrant and empowering exploration of self-love, confidence, and the joy of movement. With its heartfelt narrative and unapologetic celebration of body positivity, the book serves as an inspiring manifesto for readers of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds.

At its core, Fat Girls Dance is about more than just dance—it’s about breaking barriers, redefining beauty standards, and embracing one’s true self. Meredith’s voice is engaging and authentic, weaving her personal experiences with universal themes of acceptance and resilience. The book radiates positivity while also addressing societal pressures and the challenges of navigating a world often obsessed with appearance.

The true strength of the book lies in its inclusivity and relatability. Meredith’s stories inspire readers to let go of self-doubt and step boldly into spaces where they may have felt unwelcome. Her journey reminds us that joy and self-expression are not reserved for a select few but are accessible to everyone willing to claim them.

Fat Girls Dance is a must-read for anyone seeking a reminder of the power of confidence and community. Its uplifting message will resonate long after the final page, encouraging readers to embrace their individuality and move through life with courage and grace.

Fat Girls Dance was such a fun read, a solid 4 star read for me. Although each and every one of these women drove me absolutely crazy where I had to catch myself from talking to the book, I enjoyed each journey each character took. Liv was full of body positivity & created FGD to spread her love of dance & how it looks on fat bodies. I loved her optimism but hated the way she treated her bff Reese at times. Yet even that whole situation came full circle also by the end of the book. Reese had no backbone & had so much negative self talk I was actually dreading when her POV came up until I seen how beautiful her story was going forward & how so many people in society are fighting to become better versions of themselves. Even though she drove me crazy at times it was actually very real & inspiring that she fought thru her self doubt. Omg I had a love hate relationship for Faith the most. I loved that she breathed dance no matter what and that she was no nonsense but she was so hard on the girls sometimes! That’s what I loved about this story tho, everyone had faults but FGD taught them how to win at each of their own journey and in their own way. So grateful for this complimentary copy for exchange of my honest review.

I loved this book. I think it was written as inspiration to plus-sized women all over the world. This is the type of book that I would recommend all women to read even if you are not a plus-sized woman because the messages that I took away from the book were for all women. Highly recommended.

Loved that in this one we get to see a group of friends as they attempt to navigate their lives that had this dance club for plus sized women in common. The confidence in these women is inspiring and they way they advocated for themselves in some subjects where it can very easily be a situation where others my not want to listen!

This title was granted to me as an ARC and these are my thoughts. Apologies in the delay of reviewing this title. Thank you to Cathleen Meredith, Kensington, and NetGalley for this opportunity.

Unfortunately I didn't care for this book nearly as much as I had hoped that I would. I found two of the characters to be downright unbearable to the point I couldn't wait for their chapters to end and felt that the overall character growth for everyone was very slow.

There are a few semi descriptive sexual scenes.

It took me a while to finish this book because I had a feeling I wouldn't like it, but I ended up loving it. This was a great book that expressed body positivity. Lovely read. .

Three strong, bold, independently amazing women let us see a glimpse of what it is like to be a fat girl different areas, spaces and situations. As a fat girl myself, I thoroughly enjoyed what they were serving and they served. I laughed out loud and really empathized with each of their stories. Their situations and problems are relatable even if you aren’t their body type. Enjoyable from beginning to end!

Liv. Reese. Faith- three women who embrace and celebrate body positivity. They've got a dance thing going despite what some have said about them and they're living the dream although not without some angst and a lot of hard work. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Wow! This was an amazing story and I was very sad to see that the author won't get to see it published since she recently passed away.

It's an important book for all women, especially fat women, queer women, women of color, neurodiverse women, and those who hold any or all of those identities. I loved all of the characters, how they grew to understand themselves and learn that they could do hard things, physical things, things that they never imagined that they could do. It's inspiring for all of us, and a reminder that if we love something, we should just do it!

Full review coming on publication day on readingwhilefat.com .

I enjoyed this body positively book! This book addressed some hard topics about women's body's and how we are viewed, especially plus size women. This book handled hard topics with grace while infusing laughter and representation!
I enjoyed the details added to characters and enjoyed getting to know them and see their journey.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a copy for an honest review

I absolutely loved this! First I must say as a fat girl living in America, this hit all the feelings I've experienced around my body, how the world views me, rejection and self love. I will also add the representation in both race and within the queer community is astounding and very timely! I couldn't get enough of this. I fell in love with Reese and really connected with her moments talking to "Amber". It brought me back to my inner mean girl who would always critique me the hardest growing up. I think this book is a wonderful addition to anyones TBR, especially if they like to uplift and support authors who are conscious on representing different groups of people. Very fun, inspiring and unique take on a dance book. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

Fat Girls Dance is the body positive, BIPOC, queer version of Bring it On! that we all need in our lives! A five-star read for me! This memorable, joyful, painfully true story will resonate with any woman who's ever felt too large by society's standards, both in physical size, talent, or emotionality. Meredith does a phenomenal job bringing her diverse multidimensional characters to life swiftly and realistically. It's easy to picture and connect with these women because we've either known them or been them. This book is about so many things all at once: learning to love (or at minimum, be comfortable in) your physical body, jumping into and maintaining new creative endeavors in adulthood, navigating romantic relationships and friendships, and challenging old ideas about what it means to be "healthy." This was a phenomenal read and I can't wait for it's debut! Thank you thank you thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. This story was beautiful and powerful and so important and the fact that it is based on a TRUE story makes it that much better. Be sure to look for this in October!