Take a Load Off, Mona Jamborski by Joanna Franklin Bell
The beginning of the book, where Mona is explaining she just decided three years ago not to leave her house anymore because of her extremely high weight, is pretty heartbreaking, especially since there are people out there in her very situation. The development of her relationship with Moises and then with Hallie is fun and unique, particularly due to the wide age gap between them. While the book did address some of the mental health and self-esteem issues Mona experienced, I don’t think it went into them enough as it seemed like Mona had her breakthrough and healing way too easily. Pointing out that she knew the “rules” of eating healthy already and knew that she was morbidly obese because she disregarded those rules is pretty spot on, however. I liked the conversational (and sometimes a little bit combative which seemed just right for the character) tone. The book is written by Mona to the reader. I recommend this book to people who enjoy women’s fiction, especially those who have struggled with their weight.
4 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2022: 2
Pages Read in 2022: 493
Mama Reader 