Kelly deVos

Six disgruntled teens are forced to spend their winter break at fat camp during Flagstaff, Arizona's worst blizzard in a century, only to find that Camp Featherlite is even worse than expected because it is crawling with genetically-modified monsters.

Eat Your Heart Out

Petaco

I enjoyed it enough, but had a few issues.

Though there are a lot of zombies, most of the zombie mauling happens off screen. No brains! I need details! 

These are strong and fast zombies, the worst kind.

I liked that the book was not preachy and I was able to read and enjoy it without feeling like I was getting beat over the head with info or telling me how I should feel. 

I thought the ending was super abrupt.

Lastly, despite the fun cover, this book actually is more on the serious side. It's not a lighthearted zombie comedy, it's more like a zombie drama. Depressing zombie drama.

Is their town really that small????

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Eat Your Heart Out

Author: Kelly deVos

Book Series: Standalone for now

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: horror, young adults, zombies

Genre: YA Horror

Publication Date: June 29, 2021

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 352

Recommended Age: 14+ (Fat phobia and fat remarks, Language, Teen pregnancy, Weight discussed, Violence, Gore, Death)

Explanation of CWs: Fatphobic remarks made by a main character to another main character and remarks remembered by a stepfather. Some cursing. A main character experiences teen pregnancy and birth. Weight is discussed, so please be safe if that's a trigger. 

Synopsis: In the next few hours, one of three things will happen.

1--We'll be rescued (unlikely)

2--We'll freeze to death (maybe)

3--We'll be eaten by thin and athletic zombies (odds: excellent) 

Vivian Ellenshaw is fat, but she knows she doesn't need to lose weight, so she's none too happy to find herself forced into a weight-loss camp's van with her ex-best friend, Allie, a meathead jock who can barely drive, and the camp owner's snobby son. And when they arrive at Camp Featherlite at the start of the worst blizzard in the history of Flagstaff, Arizona, it's clear that something isn't right.

Vee barely has a chance to meet the other members of her pod, all who seem as unhappy to be at Featherlite as she does, when a camper goes missing down by the lake. Then she spots something horrifying outside in the snow. Something...that isn't human. Plus, the camp's supposed "miracle cure" for obesity just seems fishy, and Vee and her fellow campers know they don't need to be cured. Of anything.

Even worse, it's not long before Camp Featherlite's luxurious bungalows are totally overrun with zombies. What starts out as a mission to unravel the camp's secrets turns into a desperate fight for survival--and not all of the Featherlite campers will make it out alive. 

Review: I really loved this book! I felt very connected with Vivian because we're both fat females and I loved how badass she was and how well developed she became. I loved the horror inspo of this book and I loved the writing. I also loved the way the book used multiple POVs.

However, I do feel like that the book left a lot of room for a second book and I BETTER GET ONE BECAUSE I REFUSE TO BELIEVE that two characters who I can't name ARE DEAD. RULE NUMBER 3 OF THE HORROR FILMS: IF THEY DO NOT APPEAR DEAD AND DISMEMBERED IN ONE SHOT THEN THEY AIN'T DEAD. NOT DEAD! Need book 2. On a serious note I also thought the world building could have been better and the multiple povs, while great, was confusing a lot of the time. There also was some body positive messages in the beginning and a little at the end, but for the most part it was non-existent in the middle.

Verdict: It was great!

Trigger warnings: (view spoiler)[fatmisia, toxic dieting, body shaming, ableism, teenage pregnancy, discussion of child abandonment, religious bigotry, dead bodies and body parts, death of a friend, gun violence, blood and gore depiction, murder, fire (hide spoiler)]

If you want a fun and thrilling horror story, Eat Your Heart Out a fantastic addition to your shelves!

The book features an incredible range of fat characters, both confident in their bodies and struggling with their self-image and the treatment from society. And every single one is bad-ass in their own fantastic way. Each character is quick to love and root for, with fleshed out backgrounds and thought-out relationship arcs. 

The story is action-packed from start to finish, but it not just a great slasher-style book. A really interesting scientific concept is threaded throughout the story, zombies don't appear out of just anywhere. While chock full of fun satire Eat Your Heart out also stands easily on its own with a great cast and storyline.

I absolutely recommend this fun-filled, fast-paced and greatly woven story. 


  Note: Review copy received from NetGalley. This does not impact opinions within this review.


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Happy reading! ❤

Heather Killeen

⭐️3.5/5⭐️
Thank you @tbrbeyondtours & the author for sending me this ebook in exchange for an honest review!

This was a delight to read. This book is pitched as Shaun of the Dead meets Dumplin’ and it delivers! The premise is that our rag-tag crew of characters are all shipped off to Featherlite Weight loss camp, but what unfolds when they get there is something none of them expected (aka zombies!). Trapped at the camp without power after an unprecedented snowstorm rolls in, this story is told from multiple POVs (including most of the familiar characters above) where each character will have a part to play in how this story unfolds. Who will survive? Who will get eaten? And who cares about losing weight when you’re running for your life?

This story is full of action, body positivity, and humor. If you love a good zombie action flick then I highly recommend you check this out! Some of the choices made by the characters felt a little unrealistic to me, and at a few points I felt pulled out of the story (the characters knew things that I thought no high schooler would know lol) but overall I enjoyed this!

Jessica Nottingham

Wow, this book! I’m not even sure I have the right words to describe how much of a fun read this was. If you, like me, appreciate horror movie tropes but need to be invested in the characters? You’re going to absolutely love this book.

Kelly deVos has taken the standard horror movie characters and turned them into people that the reader can completely understand. Each one of them is a vividly written person, who has their own stake in the madness that is happening at Camp Featherlight. I was truly impressed with their ingenuity and teamwork, but most of all I was blown away how each person in this book fits absolutely perfectly where they are. I would be lying if I said I didn’t tear up a few times.

Oh, and the pacing in this book is absolutely on point. There’s a mystery, with a nefarious plot of course. There are terrifying moments, and sweet ones. Best of all, the climax of this book is absolutely perfect. You might not love the ending, but I promise you that you won’t be able to deny that it fits excellently with this story. This was honestly one of the most satisfying things I’ve read in a long time.

In short? Pick this up! Kelly deVos has written a gem, and it is well worth your attention!

Kate

fast paced, action packed and a whole lot of fun.

a body positive take down of the crap the diet industry pulls + zombies = everything i didn’t know I needed but clearly did. this was a riot and kelly devos’ authors note made it that must better.

TW: fatphobia/body shaming (both internal and external)

Eat Your Heart Out

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