While a good, easy read, I found myself enjoying the side characters more than the main character. I understand that being heavy takes a mental toll as well as a physical one but I was turned off by the way her weight was driven into me throughout the entire book. The blurb for the book states that she's popular, funny and a talented photographer but it never really seemed to dwell on those positive characteristics nor did it really feel as if she was actually making "the most of senior year." I continued to feel as if she was merely content to feel sorry for herself while everyone around her tried to help her accept herself. In fact, Kimberlee, the character considered Perfect, was actually more of a like able character to me. Whatever the case, the book was fine but not great. If you're looking for a quick read, this is probably for you. ( )

Ryan has always been a "big girl". When she was ten she was called out by an instructor at cheer camp as fat. Everything has been downhill since. Ryan's one claim to fame is that her highschool ex-boyfriend Noah has recently graced the cover of Rolling Stones magazine. Other than that her life pretty much sucks according to her. She has her mom who doesn't need a man (that's what sperm banks are for), her brother who had leukemia and is now a pot head, two best friends (one is a "big girl" like Ryan and the other is a gorgeous skinny girl who is kind of a ho), then she has her photography. Ryan believes that her weight has held her back in almost every aspect of her life... her relationships with her family and friends, her romantic relationships, even the college she will choose. Will Ryan be able to come to terms with her weight problem or will she become the ideal girl she has always wanted to be?
This book was absolutely amazing!(and on a personal level I found it to be somewhat true). I loved the characters Ryan especially. The unexpected way everything turns out made this book that much more special. I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever had a body image issue or to anyone who has ever picked on someone about their body. ( )

Reviewed by coollibrarianchick for TeensReadToo.com

Sometimes we need to read chick lit. Chick lit books are so much fun to read. Especially the ones where the girl goes from ugly duckling to swan metaphorically or meets Prince Charming after round after round of bad luck with other men. Pair a read like that with a lounge chair and a pool and your day is made. If you are looking for good chick lit, you should try Jo Edwards. She writes chick lit for both teens and adults.

I just finished her newest book for teens, GO FIGURE. It was easy to read - I finished it in just a couple of hours. It was an entertaining romp about a fat girl named Ryan Burke who, despite the extra baggage she carries, is a great girl who deserves to have everything that “skinny” girls get. Jo Edwards shows us through Ryan's voice what it means it to be overweight in the world today.

In 6th grade she weighed 128 pounds - not the ideal weight for being a cheerleader. She was constantly teased, which really made her self-esteem plummet. Instead of doing something positive about her weight, nipping it in the bud, she let it spiral upward and out of control. It is so easy to hide behind the fat, which Ryan does throughout high school. Insecurities can do you in. Yet she still sits at the popular table at lunch. This just goes to show that fat girls can be popular; fat girls can have lots of friends.

It is the boyfriend area that Ryan doesn't excel in. Most of the relationships that she has been in, not that there were that many, the fat issue hindered things from progressing. Unfortunately, fat girls don't get the hot guys. Maybe in a fairy tale it does but not in real life. The longest relationship she had was with a guy who is now a big shot celebrity. He went from geek to sheik. He's been on the cover of Rolling Stone and you can read about him in the celebrity gossip columns.

Whether fat or thin, Ryan is going to make the most of her senior year. She has a lot going for her; besides being funny, smart, and popular, Ryan just got accepted into a prestigious photography class with a famous photographer. Interestingly, the “boy next door” turned “hunk when he got to high school” is in the same class. Eons ago, they used to be best friends but now move in different circles.

Can this class turn two old friends into something more? Can she make peace with her size and live her life to the fullest? You will have to read the book to find out. ( )

It's like the author, Jo Edwards, lived inside my head during my high school years. The main character, Ryan, is so believable and authentic. As a person who had to deal with not being the thinnest person in her circle of friends, I can say that the thoughts and emotions of Ryan were right on.Ryan Burke is overweight. She completely understands that she is too heavy, but like so many other "chubby" people out there, it is very difficult for her to do anything about it. Diets never last, exercise isn't a pleasant experience, and it is too easy to fall into the trap of food when she gets stressed or depressed. Ryan has a best friend that seems to be pulling away from her for no reason (although it will seem obvious to the reader why), she is on medication for depression, and has a weekly visit with a psychologist/psychiatrist.Ryan isn't an unpopular girl; in fact, she has been extremely popular ever since her ex-boyfriend hit it big in the music business. Noah is on the cover of the most recent issue of Rolling Stone and awaiting the release of a new album and word has it, he has written a song inspired by her. Everyone wants to know what it was like being Noah's girlfriend and she is sick of that monopolizing every conversation see has.The one thing she feels good about is her photography and she has been chosen for a special, weekend course with a well-known photographer. Her next-door neighbor and ex-best friend, Josh, was also accepted for this class which allowes her to reconnect with him.One scene in the book that rings completely true is when Ryan attends a party with her friend Kimberlee. She meets Jared, a super hot college guy that seems to be interested in her. She doesn't feel secure, but after drinking a few beers she loosens up enough to agree to go outside with Jared. After some spectacular kissing she begins to really enjoy herself - until Jared's phone rings - AND he answers it. Ashley is on the phone, the girl he has a total crush on, and he agrees to pick her up to bring her back to the party. Ryan knows the reason Jared left the party to go get another girl is because of her weight. She thinks that if she'd been skinny he would have stayed with her.This book had me in tears several times. I sympathized with Ryan when she had to deal with her changing friendship with her best friend, watched others enjoy relationships when she had none, and feared she made a fool out of herself with Josh. Even though it ends with pretty much a fairy-tale ending, it still is a great novel for anyone to read, especially girls that have issues with food. ( )

This was probably the second best book I read in 2007. I got this one because it was YA chick lit featuring a plus-sized heroine with body image issues, and I was curious to see how the body image issues and weight were handled in YA. I was very pleasantly surprised with this book. The voice was great. The narrative snappy and witty. Ryan was a very likeable heroine and one I could relate to (even as someone in her late 20s). Most importantly though, I loved the fact that Ryan didn't have to undergo a makeover or lose weight in order to be happy and get the guy. It's a great message for teen girls everywhere, without the message being blatantly obvious. ( )