The cover is a major turn off from this book--a chocolate cake with little horns drawn on it--but I urge every woman who struggles with her self-esteem, her past, her body image, her eating, or her own inner world to read this book. AJ Rochester's journey recorded in this diary-style narrative is NOT a diet book. And going from 240 to 152 pounds is not the major thrust of the tale; rather, AJ's learning to deal with all the things that have happened to her and her own resulting self-loathing is the main message. Every fat girl who has ever bit into a slice of pizza while thinking two simultaneous thoughts--"I am a horrible person for eating this, I deserve to be miserable" and "I don't care what anyone thinks, I'll show them, just watch how wide this butt can get!"--should read this book. AJ has been right there with you, and she fought her way out, and she is telling us all that we can do it, too.