A sweet little novella for young people who don't feel like they fit in. Nothing really much to say than that!

2.5 stars, I received an arc copy in exchange for my honest review. For most this book it was kinda meh, I felt the mc was too judgemental but hated to be judged and in my head I was like grow up. But the thing is she’s a teen who just hit puberty it’s not a fun time, you tend to hate everyone and yourself so you judge anyone and anything. I feel like something I forgot while reading this is her age, yes was she childish, judgmental and stand-offish yeah but most teens are at that age and that’s a part of life that I feel we forget as adults. As the story progresses she starts to mature and see that others no matter age, gender, looks etc can feel like they don’t belong or that somethings wrong with them etc which was nice to see in her development. I definitely wasn’t the target audience for this book but I thing teens her age would really find this interesting and learn how to view the world in a new way. So yes this was an okay read that I starting like to the end but again it’s not for me. So you teen out there that hates their body, or life etc read this book and hopefully it helps you realise that many people feel the exact same and that judgement is everything and the book cover isn’t always as it seems.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

3.5 stars
What a great read. It was a very acurate depiction of the main character´s situation, her feelings and worries.
I thought it was very well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barrington Stoke for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Short version of my review: I was really looking forward to reading this book and it was cute, but not for me. I think because this was a book that was intentionally brief and aimed at a young demographic I needed to read it with a different mindset, and unfortunately I had a hard time staying in the appropriate mindset to read it. This is not the fault of the book/author/publisher, but because I kept being annoyed with the kids being kids, it made it hard for me to enjoy this book. While I really enjoy reading YA, I find myself reading YA where the main characters are 16+, and so I think reading a middle-grade book where the characters are 12-14 means I needed to put myself in their shoes a bit more, think how they would think, and remember how I would respond to situations at that age. I struggled with that and that unfortunately bled into my enjoyment of the book. This was a nice book about figuring out friendships, finding out how to be more true to yourself, and learning to love yourself when life is hard at a tough age. I definitely think kids at the appropriate age should read it, but alas, not my jam.

Cute book written in fun and engaging way, read pretty quickly, easy for younger YA audience.

I really like Miri as a character, she was very relatable and would be good for teenagers of today. I love a good wedding story so i was automatically interested but it was fun reading different wedding and family traditions!

I wished it would have been longer to go into the story more but i did enjoy it.

This book tells the story of a girl who is suddenly a bridesmaid in both of her siblings' weddings, in the same summer! Miri is going through those awkward teen years where nothing fits right and her body doesn't look the way she wants it to, she also really feels like dresses are not her style and will never feel comfortable and look right on her - this is a major problem for a bridesmaid! She's also not so sure about the partners her siblings have chosen to suddenly have shot gun weddings with int he coming months, especially because her brother's fiancee is the sister of one of the meanest girls in school! Through the course of the novel, Miri learns that it is ok to love your body for what it is, that there are different styles and clothes out there for all body types, that you don't need to go to bootcamp three times a week or starve yourself to feel good about your body and that you really can't let anyone else treat you in ways that make you feel bad about your appearance. She also learns that true love and weddings do not require perfect appearances and rushing something as importance as a wedding isn't healthy for a relationship. In general I think that the messages in this novel are ones that pre-teen and teen girls need to hear! I also love that there are a variety of blended families and relationships represented to give readers a chance to see what a healthy relationship/family may or may not look like.

I was confused when I saw the age rating for this one, so I thought it might be helpful to share my thoughts on that. This book would definitely appeal to the young adult/teen crowd. There is talk about high school drama, siblings getting married, fashion and diet culture, things that would feel relevant for teens. That being said, the content is totally appropriate, and would be something that preteens could read, if they were interested. As a grade 3 teacher, I think my students are a bit young, but in the past I have definitely had grade 4s and 5s who are ready for something a bit more "high school" without all of the content that YA books can have. I think that more mature preteens who are interested in the themes in this book would really enjoy reading it and I would have no problem recommending it to them. So my age range recommendation would probably be 10+ or so.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!

This is a brilliant and funny story about a teenager who has some self confidence issues and really doesn’t want to be a bridesmaid. Fourteen year old Miri used to be a gymnast and was fit and skinny, but after puberty and a long illness she’s now ballooned in size and doesn’t like wearing any dresses as they make her look fat. But soon she’s asked to be a bridesmaid at her sister’s wedding, and not long after that she’s asked to do the same for a brother’s wedding too, which means she’ll have to wear a dress for both events, in the summer, and be seen by everyone, what could go wrong?

This is a great book which I really enjoyed and related to straight away. Miri’s a typical teenager although her weight is certainly something that has caused her to lose confidence in how she looks. Miri hates to be in the spotlight, and so when both her brother and sister ask her to be a bridesmaid for their weddings, it’s a nightmare for Miri. I have to admit to also ballooning around the time of puberty due to some health issues myself, so I instantly connected with Miri’s character as she struggles to find any clothes that fit and look good on her.

Miri’s family is a complex one, with both her sister and brother being half-siblings to her, but I like how lovely her whole family is and how funny the story gets, especially when we find out who her sister and brother are marrying. The story is funny throughout with lots of silly things happening with the wedding planning. I like how Miri grows in confidence over time and how she ends up saving the day more than once. There are some interesting things about Jewish weddings that I didn’t know about which take place in this book, and I like how some things are explained from Miri’s point of view and how things go for all of the characters.

This book has a lot of funny moments which get more funny towards the end of the book with even a disaster happening that I wasn’t expecting during a wedding. This novel is a great story where Miri grows, becoming more confident in herself and I love how she’s changed by the end, but still so relatable and likeable too. Her relationship with family and friends is good too and I like how things go between her and Tiffany especially.

The book is a special dyslexia friendly book which means there are thick pages of larger than usual text which has a special font and separated paragraphs. The book is also printed on pages which are yellower in colour making it an easier read on the eyes for dyslexics and anyone with visual difficulties who can benefit from this. The story is also quite short, the book being only around 130 pages long which makes it great for reluctant readers too.

This tale is quite a simple one but I like how honest it is about the things that can affect teenagers and I wish I had read this when I was a young teen as none of the books I read back then ever featured a teen who was overweight or had spots and other teen problems. I would recommend this book to any teens who want a funny read with some great characters, and especially for anyone who has confidence or weight issues (or both) as Miri is a great character and I couldn’t help but love her and the situation she ends up in.

Wasn't my style, the characters had no way to keep me stuck and interested throughout the novel If you enjoy slowly written books, then this is good for you, but I don't enjoy books with a slow plot, so this isn't it for me.

What are your thoughts on being chosen as a bridesmaid/part of the wedding party?

I feel like it’s a huge responsibility. Sometimes weddings can be fun… other times.. it can be quite stressful.

In one summer, 13 year-old Mia is invited as a junior bridesmaid to two weddings and learns the responsibilities that comes along with the positions.

This is a great story for readers on a middle grade and lower level. Every word that may seem unfamiliar to the audience is quickly defined.

I highly recommend this quick, cute book if you enjoy novellas on a middle grade level. I also love that TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress and 90-day Fiancé are referenced.

TW: Body image issues

Thank you to Netgalley, Barrington Stoke, and Barrington Stoke Teen for a copy of this book for review.

I tend to gravitate towards YA stories featuring plus-sized protagonists and lots of fun, which is exactly what this cover promised me. I could easily have done with a few more pages of this fun, relatable read.

Miri is 14 and recently, her body has been ravaged by both COVID and puberty. Just as she is starting to get used to her bigger body, both of her half siblings announce their engagements. Miri will be a bridesmaid at both weddings, so her life is now all about dresses and preparations. What could be worse?

Miri feels incredibly uncomfortable in her own skin and I can’t think of many things that are more authentic for a typical 14-year-old. She is very aware of being much bigger she is than everyone else and that’s exactly how I felt at her age. There is nothing worse than drawing attention to yourself with your body and Miri’s feelings about that are very real.

It’s less than 200 pages long but I laughed a few times. The humour is very relatable and on a level with the reader. I could definitely have done with more of it because there were so many opportunities for heartwarming comedy.

There was a point where Miri muses on the idea of soulmates and worries that she won’t find hers. I think this is definitely a very real concern that many young girls have at some point and I wanted more development of this. I’m not saying that I wanted Miri to find her true love by the end of the book (she is only 14 after all) but perhaps I did want her to experience first love at least.

Miri does grow a little bit by the end of the book. She loses some of her self-obsession, which is great but I really wanted more pages. While I know that this book was written for Barrington Stoke, who publish books with dyslexic young readers in mind, there was so much potential for deeper character development, so I was left just wanting so much more.

Say No To The Dress has a lot of promise and I really enjoyed it. However, it went far too quickly! I felt like I’d barely got to know Miri before I was suddenly leaving her. It’s a fun, quirky story about acceptance, friendship and body issues that many YA contemporary readers will love but it definitely feels like a sketch of a book rather than a whole one.

Thanks @netgalley for the arc!

Miri is fourteen and in the last year she’s been mugged by puberty. She’s grown several inches, expanded in all directions, her breasts are out of control, and she’s prone to random eruptions of spots. Life already feels like a nightmare and now she’s been asked to act as a bridesmaid for two of her siblings.

Two weddings and two bridesmaid dresses – could things get any worse?

This book was a nice and short read. Miri has been through a lot. She got covid and then went through puberty. Her body has changed completely and she feels insecure about it. This book follows Miri's journey of embracing her true self and body positivity while dealing with the stress and chaos that is wedding planning. I enjoyed Miri's fun chaotic family and her friends. The only thing I didn't like was how Miri was too quick to judge her friend's other friend Tiffany. They did clear the air afterwards and were able to become friends, which was nice. I also felt the book was a bit rushed.

Overall, this is a great read for young readers to learn about body positivity that I think they would enjoy.

This is an appealing Barrington Stoke read about a reluctant teenage bridesmaid. It includes various family dramas, teenage angst, different body shapes/sizes & the judgements these bring, long Covid (and its impact) and heartwarming developments. It will definitely appeal to students from Year 7 and up, especially for those who have not always enjoyed reading. Recommended.

The writing in the book skews towards the younger end of YA and at times felt closer to middle grade. I found the plot to be a little thin and wish the book had been a bit longer particularly to showcase more of Miri's friendships and her interest in boxing. The events of the wedding planning were also kind of a whirl wind so spacing them out with a little more of Miri's everyday life would have rounded out her character better and slowed the pace of the book a little. That said I found Miri's experience with learning to appreciate her bigger body and adjust to the annoyances of puberty very relatable. I also thought her big chaotic family was well done and added a lot of heart to the story.

Thank you so much to the author, Barrington Stoke, and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC!
This review contains my honest and unbiased thoughts and opinions. 🌸

Say No to the Dress was a quick, easy read that explores themes such as body image, acceptance, puberty, family, friendships, pretty much everything tween/teen girls (and guys!) deal with every day. I do feel the writing is more towards younger readers (tween/early teen) than the typical young adult books but I actually appreciate the author targeting the younger teens with these important topics. Tweens/Teens need more books that really explore these topics in such a relatable way. The main character, Miri, is fourteen and she is a fourteen year old that others in that age range can actually relate to.
Miri has quite a bit to deal with! She's suddenly hit puberty and is dealing with all the fun body changes that come along with it. She's trying to deal with and accept how these changes impact areas of her life such as sports and of course the big struggle, clothing. Oh how we all can relate to the clothing struggles! Miri is trying to deal with her best friend being friends with her "archnemesis" as well as another nemesis during all the wedding chaos.  
The book is short and I did feel it was a little rushed. I feel things could have been developed and explored a little more, add a little more to it to round it out and help it flow just a little better. I will note though, trying to "read" the book from my daughter's perspective, while I still think things are a little rushed and not explored quite enough, I also feel the book as is works best for her. Easy to read, short, important topics that are covered just not dived deeply into, a great MC to relate to, an overall enjoyable read for someone my daughter's age (and especially for someone who struggles with reading, short and to the point is always best). 
Definitely an interesting book and one that I'll add to my daughter's bookshelf because I do feel she would like Miri quite a bit.

I adored this wholesome book! It addressed and highlighted so many important issues all through an engaging story that many will be able to resonate with. The representation is wonderful; a plus-sized protagonist, mixed ethnics marriage, Jewish customs and more.

I love how this book discusses and challenges social norms such as the traditional family unit and conventional beauty standards. It also explores body image issues and shows how insecurities exist not only in adolescent girls but even among adult men with successful careers.

The backdrop of wedding-planning chaos made this an even more appealing read. Showy affairs, traditional ceremonies, no weddings — there's no right or wrong decision and what matters is that you are happy. Now, that's my kind of book!

I would have loved to hear more about/from some characters e.g. Predatory Librarian but overall, this is a really enjoyable YA novella that's so worth picking up!

This was a great read that I truly enjoyed. A relatable protagonist, hilarious writing and feminist themes- what's not to love? The writing really did make me laugh out loud at places! The themes were inspiring and I would definitely recommend this book to YA readers! I would really like to read more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

Thank you to Netgalley and Barrington Stoke Teen for providing this free eARC.

Summary: Miri is fourteen and in the last year she’s been mugged by puberty. She’s grown several inches, expanded in all directions, her breasts are out of control, and she’s prone to random eruptions of spots. Life already feels like a nightmare and now she’s been asked to act as a bridesmaid for two of her siblings. Two weddings and two bridesmaid dresses – could things get any worse?

This hi-lo (high interest, low ability) book is perfect for young readers who want to enjoy a great story at a lower reading level.
The story is fast paced and easy to follow. It’s short enough to be accessible to slower readers, while still being packed with a great story, humour and relatable characters. Miri, the main character, is especially relatable and, as a plus sized gal myself, I could empathize with many of her struggles.
Girls of all ages will be able to relate to Miri’s struggles with her body image in a world that expects all women to conform to a specific type of body shape. At the same time, the story also shows how important it is not to judge people based on their looks - just because someone does seem to fit society’s mold, doesn’t mean they don’t have any problems.
I also loved the weddingy theme of the story, which accurately shows the stress and pressure it puts everyone under.
Ultimately, this is a beautiful story about confidence, getting to know the person behind their appearance, and finding your place in this world.

I loved Keren David's The Disconnect, so I was looking forward to this one.
As someone who has been a bridesmaid 5 times, I can feel Mira's pain. Admittedly I was older than 14, all 5 times, but I still understand what it feels like to have to 'be' someone else for the day. It's uncomfortable to not be who you are, and especially so when you're 14 and your body is changing and you're not feeling that comfortable in it in general.
It's also about how we make judgement about people, before taking the time to actually get to know them. I think it shows how sometimes our own insecurities can project back on us, negative vibes from others, that aren't even there.
Once again Keren David (and Barrington Stoke) have produced a short novel (128 pages) that isn't short on appeal and substance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Miri is a 14 year old who has found herself in a really difficult place. She's grown a ton in the past year, now towering over her mom and with curves for days-- not exactly the body you hope for as a 14 year old in today's culture of stick-skinny models. Her much older step-brother and step-sister each announce impending nuptials in the same summer, and both want Miri to be a bridesmaid. Just perfect for a kid dealing with body issues and things not fitting how you want them to!

Adding to the stress, her step-brother's fiancee is the older sister of Miri's nemesis, Toxic Tiffany. Now on top of trying to be a bridesmaid in 2 weddings in 2 horrible dresses, she also has to make nice with her least favorite person-- the perfect, blonde, skinny, Tiffany.

This was a sweet story about growing up, learning to love yourself, making new friends, and finding your voice even when it isn't necessarily what your friends and family think you should be saying. I enjoyed watching Miri grow throughout the story with her new friendship with Tiff and her acceptance of both her siblings' fiancees.

I did feel like this book had quite a bit of fatphobia in it that wasn't challenged enough. Miri is struggling with her body being a new size and shape and people continue to talk to her about diets and exercising for the purpose of losing weight. They also buy her clothes in sizes that are both too big and too small. This is SO not okay, and I'm really disappointed to see this in a book targeted to middle grade readers. This knocked off a full star for me.

I would cautiously recommend this book to middle grade readers, but only if it were paired with parental/guidance discussion about what is and isn't okay to say about people's bodies and how we should treat others.