Fat Cat by Robin Brande

Title: Fat Cat	Loved it	Graded
Author: Robin Brande
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Knopf Books
Elements: Social Issues, Weight
Series: Stand alone

Cat is smart, sassy, and funny—but thin, she’s not. Until her class science project. That’s when she winds up doing an experiment—on herself. Before she knows it, Cat is living—and eating—like the hominids, our earliest human ancestors. True, no chips or TV is a bummer and no car is a pain, but healthful eating and walking everywhere do have their benefits.

As the pounds drop off, the guys pile on. All this newfound male attention is enough to drive a girl crazy! If only she weren’t too busy hating Matt McKinney to notice. . . .

This funny and thoughtful novel explores how girls feel about their bodies, and the ways they can best take care of their most precious resource: themselves.

Fat Cat has some elements that attract me horribly to romance books.

1) The main protagonist and love interest has a PAST
Something bad happened last time to Cat, that caused her to cease any and all forms of communication with Matt. Really, even eye contact! Okay, maybe I exaggerate. Whatever it is probably has something to do with Cat's issues.

2)...and when they have a past, there will be an INSANE amount of groveling.
Hah! I definitely cannot wait to see Matt grovel. He seems like a decent sort, so he will grovel, though I don't know how much he will. Will Cat grovel too? That's what you have to find out.

Here are some factors that I just like overall, and think should have more of in YA.

1) Homework
Come on. You have time for an epic adventure or two, so why don't you have time for homework? Fat Cat is essentially about Cat's project, and her journey to achieving its objective. The fat part is definitely part of the project.

2) Feasibility
The science project is actually quite feasible. It seems like something that my lecturer would assign to us. It has layers and actual analysis and research! I know that Fat Cat is just a STORYBOOK *rolls eyes* and it doesn't need to explain these things to us because after all we're just interested in the ROMANCE aspect of it all, and the science project is just a prop so Robin Brande doesn't have to do all of that.

Wrong. I appreciate that she's done a lot of research into the science aspect. As the story progresses and the project is underway, Cat discovers several obstacles that cause her to redefine the objective and the methods used to obtain data.
It's hard for her to stick to the project but she knows what's at stake. Her didcation is amazing, and it justifies This is a welcome change from the 'plot twist' that stories usually employ: where the main protagonist has to change one aspect (the main un) in order for him/her to get the love interest.

3) Cat has ambitions! (As a subplot, not a plot.)
I'm tired of this: one of the character has a hobby or interest that is pretty useless, but is referred to several times in the story. Oh, and guess what? It actually helps in the big plot, in the grand big finale! I AM SO SURPRISED BY THIS TURN OF EVENTS!

No, I'm not. That's not to say that I don't enjoy it. I do, but its a tired trope/cliche/whatever you call it. Cat has skillz in the cooking and baking department. Yes, this helps in the overall picture, but it's not the one factor that turns thing in her favour. It's nice to see a girl protagonist whose main purpose seems to be falling in love with the love interest.

Kudos, Robin Brande! I loved this book.