Rebel with a Cupcake

By Anna Mainwaring

Jesobel Jones is bold and beautiful. The daughter of a hand model and a washed-up rock star, she sees no need to apologise for her rambling house, her imperfect family, her single status ... or her weight. Jess makes her own cupcakes and she eats them, too. That is, until Own Clothes Day when a wardrobe malfunction leaves Jess exposed, and a mean girl calling her the one thing that’s never bothered her before: fat.

From the author of Tulip Taylor with cover artwork from Niki Pilkington.

'A beautiful and funny tale of friendship, lust, hunger and satisfaction.' Matt Killeen

'Anna Mainwaring writes with brilliant humour and has created, in my opinion, a younger Bridget Jones in Jess.' Chelley Toy

• Language: English
• Publisher: Firefly Press Ltd
• Release date: Sep 11, 2019
• ISBN: 9781913102289

Anna Mainwaring

Anna Mainwaring read The Lord of the Rings when she was seven and hasn’t stopped reading since. After studying English Literature she spent a brief time as a banker before becoming an English teacher. She lives in Stockport with her family and a very dangerous goldfish.

Reviews for Rebel with a Cupcake

[bookslesstravelled · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

*I received an eCopy from the publisher through NetGalley. This does not affect my review. *

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. While I'll admit I enjoyed reading it, and do recommend it, I spent much of the story either rolling my eyes or shaking my head at Jesobel's choices. Why? Because much of the events in the story were easy to guess, and yet she would walk blindly into situations that could have been avoided. Yes, I know this is a YA book about a teen girl, and they don't always make the best choices, adults don't either for that matter. But the part I loved about Jesobel's character was the very thing she spends most of the book trying to change. No, not her looks, but her sense of self-worth and take charge attitude. When she starts listening to everyone else, I feel that for a while, she looses an important part of herself, trying to change for someone other than herself. Plus, changing yourself to gain someone else's approval is not likely to get you the result and happiness you crave. Be true to yourself, and attract the people who will accept you for you!

That said, there were things I enjoyed about this book. For one I loved Jesobel's personality when she isn't trying to change herself. She is comfortable in her own skin, and is okay with being different if it means she gets to be herself. She has supportive friends who like her for her! Hannah and Izzy of course, but also Alex, Fred, and Dom. While the guys might not be her best friends, they accept her, and that's a big part of this story. So many voices telling her to change who she is, and yet here is the group of people who don't care that she enjoys eating and doesn't have as slim a figure as the more popular girls.

The hardest part about reading this book, is that it seemed to stigmatize eating and being fat. I know people who hardly eat, and are over weight, while others eat all the time, and are still super thin. No one should feel that they need to starve, or work out until they pass out, just to stay thin and popular. It's not natural to eat only things that are good for you, but that lack all flavor. Yes, healthy is good, but food is meant to be enjoyed, even in small portions. To think that flavor equals fat, is an unhealthy way of thinking, and just because someone starves doesn't mean they are happy by the results.