Adult Review: FAT GIRL

Fat Girl: April Flores by Carlos Batts  (Really: By April Flores, Photos by Carlos Batts)

Genre: Adult

My Rating: 4 of 5 Stars

Goodreads Says: His most personal work to date, award-winning photographer Carlos Batts explores the stigmatized world of the "fat girl" in his fourth collection of photographs with wife, adult film actress, and plus-size model, April Flores. Featuring new and intimate photographs of their life and world together, Fat Girl captures an exquisite beauty too often misrepresented.

Fat Girl

There is no doubt that those two words carry power. It doesn’t matter who thinks or says the two words or in what context they are saying it, those two words carry power.  So naturally it caught my attention while on Netgalley and so I downloaded it. 

April Flores struggled with her self-image for a very long time. She was never comfortable being in her own skin because she was constantly aware that society wouldn’t allow her to be. That was until one day she decided enough was enough and made discovering that comfort her main priority.  We join her on her journey via intimate thoughts and photos.

The writing was good. You really did get the feeling that you were walking down memory lane. An ambiance was created which was a bit dark, sultry and sad. At least it was for me and it was only for the first half of the book.

The photos were impressive and diverse. There is no doubt that April Flores is beautiful. You got to see her at different locations with different outfits rocking different hairstyles and hair color.  What remained constant was the show of confidence that radiated off of April.  Confidence was sexy as hell. 

Copyrights Carlos Batts

Copyrights Carlos Batts

Copyrights Carlos Batts

The second half of the book does take on a turn which I sure as heck wasn’t expecting. I was reading this book in my car, which was parked right outside of my son’s school, as I was waiting for him to get out. Imagine my freak out moment when I turn the page on my reader and it has naked people staring back at me. Doing the deed. Ooo wee! I sure did turn off the screen at master speed and had a quick look-see around. Yep, laugh it up. Ha Ha!

Part of April’s journey leads her to find empowerment via the adult industry. In this half of the book you really get a sense of how excited she is of her accomplishments and of the changes she has been able to influence. She’s proud and happy because even within the adult industry you can find prejudices and she was fully embraced within that culture.

Overall, I liked this book.  I think everyone can relate to the pressures of society in general and almost everyone can relate to feeling insecure about their looks and weight. I applaud April for finding peace within. Not many people do and not many people know how to.  

**I know that people who keep an open mind will be able to find art and love within this book and more importantly, inspiration. **

An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley. 

All photos belong to Carlos Batts, the author. Please do not take these pictures unless you have expressed permission from the author or publisher.