Review: 45 Pounds by K.A. Barson

Title: 45 Pounds (more or less)
Author: K.A. Barson
Publisher: Viking Juvenile 

Publication date: July 11, 2013

Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)

Source: NetGalley 

Format: Digital ARC

Pages: 272

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indigo

Here are the numbers of Ann Galardi’s life:

She is 16.
And a size 17.
Her perfect mother is a size 6.
Her Aunt Jackie is getting married in 10 weeks, and wants Ann to be her bridesmaid.
So Ann makes up her mind: Time to lose 45 pounds (more or less) in 2 1/2 months.

Welcome to the world of infomercial diet plans, wedding dance lessons, embarrassing run-ins with the cutest guy Ann’s ever seen—-and some surprises about her NOT-so-perfect mother.

And there’s one more thing. It’s all about feeling comfortable in your own skin-—no matter how you add it up!

If you have been following our blog for a while, you would have remembered this book from our previous Waiting on Wednesday pick. All over the world, teens are having problems with weight. The media puts a lot of pressure on teens, and how the "perfect" image is to have the "perfect" body and the "perfect" face. That's where a lot of girls either starve themselves or go on extreme diets, but they never really think about their health. I come from an extremely healthy family, and reading books that help teens understand the importance of health makes me happy. Ann is a size 17. Ann's mother is a perfect size 6. Ann's parents are divorced, and she lives with her mother and her stepfather. Ann also has two step siblings. Being the only one who is overweight, Ann struggles to really be able to feel comfortable. Her mother constantly talks about weight. She talks about weight in front of her, when they're eating, and even when they're shopping. Escaping her mother's drama once in a while, Ann goes to hang out at her grandmother's house. There, she watches an infomercial about weight loss, and Ann decides to buy the package that includes frozen meals and exercise CD's. I really liked that Ann really did want to lose weight not only for her mother, but for herself. What really gives Ann a push is that her Aunt's wedding is in 10 weeks, and her aunt wants her to be her bridesmaid. 

After receiving the S2S weight loss packages, Ann really starts setting her goals. I like how determined Ann was, and I was thrilled that she was doing it without anyone knowing. I felt really happy when Ann started to actually lose the weight. She tried to change her whole lifestyle step by step. Ann got a new job, and even got new friends. I just loved how a simple change can really change you into a positive person. All that aside, there is that cute guy Ann met on her day working. I loved the romance that was included in this book, and I have to say, it was one of the cutest, most adorable romances I have read in a while. 45 Pounds really talked about all sorts of things, but there was a very important thing as well. K.A. Barson didn't just want Ann to "lose" weight, she also wanted her to change her lifestyle. Ann decided to be a role model to those around her, and start eating in a healthy way. I hope I didn't give much away, but I just had to say how much of a good message this would be to a lot of teenagers out there.

Overall, 45 Pounds was a fantastic read. It was full of friendship, hardships, family, love, and daily struggles. It wasn't just a read you fly through, but a read that actually teaches you a thing or two about life. I really would love to see more teenagers out there picking this one up, because I know a lot of girls would be able to relate to Ann and her struggles. This book really is beautiful. I may have expected a chill, funny read, but I'm glad I was able to get more than just that. I will definitely be looking forward to future books by K.A. Barson.