#VERYFAT #VERYBRAVE

June 1, 2020
Byer, comedian and host of the bad-baking Netflix show Nailed It, is a self-described fat lady (not curvy, plus-sized, or other polite euphemism) whose public bikini-wearing journey began on her Instagram, where she would post pictures captioned #veryfat #verybrave. In this coffee table-style book, she advises readers embarking on their own journeys; namely, that they shouldn't change anything except self-perception and that "something new takes a hot-ass minute to get used to." In lists of delightful non-sequiturs, she explains the steps to bikini shopping (final step: live) and how to deal with those affronted by your #bravery. She talks a little bit about her childhood as a fat kid with undiagnosed ADHD and how that contributed to her feeling wrong in her body, but the main draw are the photos of Byer in over 100 different bikinis, portraits in which photographer Kim Newmoney captures the author's frenetic spirit and winking self-help message. Fans of Byer's over-the-top energy and raunchy sense of humor will smile as she laughs in the face of haters who are insulted at her very (fat, brave) existence.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)