Reread: Mini Audiobook review - This was my first reread of 2024 and I was hoping I would get all those nostalgic feelings again and sure enough I did! This time instead of reading with my eyes, I read with my ears. The author did a great job narrating and I think it only made sense for her to narrate since she based the book off her own diaries. I thought doing the audio told the full story but I think have the physical text with the drawings added to it.

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Thank you so much to TBR and Beyond Tours & Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for an advance copy of this book!

This book will be published on September 5th.

I am so happy that I got chosen to be apart of a book tour for this book! I had not heard of this author or knew this book existed if it weren't for the tour. This book just took me back to my high school days!!! 

"I dreamed I was overwhelmingly happy. I want to be overwhelmingly happy."

I am a few years older than Phoebe in the book but the feelings of being a plus size teen was all still there. I will say I am quite jealous of Phoebe because she was able to accomplish something I did not - having a HS boyfriend (at least one that was in the same school). I know that author Phoebe took inspiration from her real life diary and the teenage voice came through!   

I also love that even though Wahl acknowledges Phoebe's size and the comments her family would make, it was not a main focal point nor was it drawn out to be a huge plot point. I really appreciated that! Especially with the romance part as a fat teen (and adults) as they are stereotyped as being unlovable.

I kept a journal for many years starting in 1997 until about 2009/2010. I was pretty diligent with keeping up with writing inside but in the later years once technology came into my life and I just stopped writing. I love that I have those stories of good thing and pain from such a formative time for anyone. The way Wahl wrote about Phoebe and her crushes and wondering if boys liked her made me cackle because I know I definitely have journal entries that questioned the same thing. And I can recall conversations with friends of them questioning similar things.

"The life I lead is in my head. The witty conversations I have, the first kiss and dates and losing of virginity, the hookups, breakups, children, husbands, outfits, they're all in my head. "

The format. I had known that this book was graphic novel but when the book arrived & when I downloaded the book on the app I was shocked to see that it was a mixed of drawings and text. The drawings were SO BEAUTIFUL! I absolutely love that we got to see Phoebe's curves and her in vulnerable states.  I would've love the story without the images but the images just added an extra element to the story. I also love when we met all the characters they each got their own littler character drawing. It definitely help to keep everyone straight.

I did love Phoebe as a character and her friend group and how it was co-ed. They always were doing stuff together. And I love the internal monologue of Phoebe regarding her relationship with her friends.  Sam was an interesting character. I kind of understood why Phoebe would spiral (been there many times) at his lack of communication but then he would say something or do something to redeem himself.  And towards the end when he was jealous (rightfully so) of Asher - "I felt bad that I was too out of it and couldn't be the one to drive you home last night" & "I just get afraid that you want to be with someone you know..cooler than me."

I also love how Wahl included signs of the time with the talk of Myspace, mix cds and just teenagers living in the moment with minimal cell phones.  I also love her choice of music that she used. It was not what was deemed "popular" during that time but instead was the indie alt side of music that I know I didn't listen to them but I definitely listen to now. 

I really hope we get a follow up to this diary because I really want to know what is next for Phoebe! 

Bravo! Bravo!