The Body Institute

The Body Institute #1

by Carol Riggs

Meet Morgan Dey, one of the top teen Reducers at The Body Institute.

Thanks to cutting-edge technology, Morgan can temporarily take over another girl’s body, get her in shape, and then return to her own body—leaving her client slimmer, more toned, and feeling great. Only there are a few catches…

For one, Morgan won’t remember what happens in her “Loaner” body. Once she’s done, she won’t recall walks with her new friend Matt, conversations with the super-cute Reducer she’s been text-flirting with, or the uneasy feeling she has that the director of The Body Institute is hiding something. Still, it’s all worth it in the name of science. Until the glitches start…

Suddenly, residual memories from her Loaner are cropping up in Morgan’s mind. She’s feeling less like herself and more like someone else. And when protests from an anti-Body Institute organization threaten her safety, she’ll have to decide if being a Reducer is worth the cost of her body and soul…

~The sequel to this book is entitled SPARES, the finale of this tale.~

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Science Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Fantasy, Audiobook

368 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

Body-swapping and genies and portals--oh my! I'm a writer of clean-read Young Adult fiction who lives in northern California, USA. My sci-fi debut, THE BODY INSTITUTE, explores themes of body image and identity. Its sequel, SPARES, completes the tale.

I have a Studio Arts degree and a dragon collection. I love reading--mostly young adult novels--as well as embroidering, drawing, and enjoying all kinds of music and dance.

I am no longer on Facebook or Twitter ("X"), but you can email me! carolriggsauthor [at] gmail [dot] com

BOOK TRAILER: http://www.entangledteen.com/the-body...

Reviews

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley.)

“Your assignment is complete. Restoration is scheduled for oh-nine-forty-five today in the administrative building.”



This was an interesting sci-fi story about a girl who switched into other people’s bodies to help them lose weight, and there were some shocking moments!

I felt quite sorry for Morgan in this story, as what happened wasn’t her fault, but left her in a really difficult position. I don’t want to say too much, but things just went from bad to worse for this poor girl!

The storyline in this had a few surprises, and there were a couple of things that I didn’t see coming! The pace was a little slow, and the romance was a little complicated, but overall this was an enjoyable read. It actually kind of reminded me a bit of the TV show ‘Dollhouse’!

The ending to this was as good as it could get given the circumstances, but this wasn’t really a happily ever after sort of situation!



6.5 out of 10

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morgan Dey was concentrating on earning maximum credits to help pay her Grandad’s debts as well as help her parents, plus have enough for college. The opening at the Body Institute for Reducers – inhabiting the body of a Loaner while the Reducer loses weight for her – had the type of credits she was after. Much against the wishes of her Grandad, but with her parent’s approval, Morgan did her first job. The success was exciting and Morgan, although not remembering any of the past three months, decided to do it again; this time for longer, therefore more credits.

But slowly, little things began to go wrong. Morgan had flashes of memory that weren’t her own. The protesters outside the Body Institute became violent and the Enforcers had to act. Why was Morgan feeling uneasy about the whole situation? Why did she have the feeling she couldn’t trust the one person she’d felt aligned with – the Director of the Body Institute?

The Body Institute by Carol Riggs was an amazingly imaginative, intriguing young adult/speculative fiction novel which I devoured. The teenage Morgan was a well-rounded character who was determined, stubborn and knew right from wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel – I’ve loved all this author’s work – and have no hesitation in recommending The Body Institute highly.

[Carol Riggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book and it's my "baby," so how can I give it any less than 5 stars? I've had awesome fun writing it, along with some hair-pulling and tooth-gnashing moments. It has evolved from more contemporary beginnings into science fiction, had the ending majorly changed at least 3 times, and taken a long and winding road to its birth. I'm proud of finishing and publishing this as my debut novel.

Many heartfelt thanks to my agent, critique partners, and the team at Entangled Teen for helping me make this into a book for others to read.

[Lyn *GLITTER VIKING* · Rating 1 out of 5]

Update 5/26/2016

I'm not sure why people are getting so pissy over this review, but I'm more than happy to block nasty little trolls and be done with it. I don't have time to sit here and babysit this review. Not every book is going to be liked by everyone. Grow up and get over it. I'm already pissed off that there was an author on this thread trying to tell me that I'm wrong.

DNF: 10%

I was enjoying this one a bit. But the more I read, the angrier I was becoming.

This is a LOT of fat shaming in the disguise as a sci-fi novel. The MC goes on how much overweight people costs the government in healthcare, and things are just so much simpler if they just got rid of all the fat. Exercise and diet are brought in to fix this.
The book does NOT acknowledge other medical factors can cause obesity, such as hormone imbalance or other bodily conditions. No, everyone who is fat just should work out. And Paintball is SO MUCH MORE FUN that plain ole jogging.

What about poverty? Morgan's family faces debt issues, but this issue is not even linked with poverty. Are bad foods now illegal? Can impoverished people receive healthy food on a tight budget?

The thing that really pushed me over the edge was the hypocrisy. Fat people are such a BURDEN, but when someone lights up a cigarette, no one blinks an eye. How come there is not a program to stop all of the smokers? Why are only FAT PEOPLE targeted in this novel?

Then the romance. We meet the cute, totally awesome LI in the first 10%. After one meeting, the MC is already wondering if he can become her boyfriend. After a few words and a touch. BAM. Boyfriend material. Gag me.

The idea was a good starting point, but the execution is terrible. The writing was bland and often seemed to aim at an MG group instead of a YA audience.

I tried. And I was looking forward to it, but I can't swallow a whole book of fat people propaganda. I'll end up bleeding out after my head explodes.

[Elana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to read this book a bit early, and I absolutely loved it. From relatable characters, to delectable writing, to a stellar plot, THE BODY INSTITUTE has it all. If you like smart YA with the perfect touch of romance, you'll love this book!

[Martina Boone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is wonderful and scary and beautiful and thought-provoking. LOVED it!

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I have to say that I would love to be in another body and change it. I would love to be someone else who does not have a busy life. I would love to lose all the weight and be toner than I am but I am not sure I would want to pay the price for having all those changes.

Morgan Dey is one of the top ten Reducers at The Body Institute. She takes over another girls body and changes her body by getting it in shape and then she returns to her own body where she resumes her reducer life. This seems like the life right? well here are the downs to doing this. She will not remember her loaner body. She won't remember the Reducer she met and flirt with and she won't remember the new friend she made Matt.

To make matters worst she is starting to get some weird feelings about the Director of The Body Institute. The glitches are appearing more frequently and she can't make heads or tails of what is going on. She sees her loaner bodies and what she has done for them. Then if things couldn't get worse protesters from an anti-body institute threaten her safety.

What is morgan to do? Run or fight the anti-body institute?

[puppitypup · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA Suspense I'm impressed!

Okay, first off, full disclosure. The author is a friend of mine in real life, although, I did meet her on GR first. It's funny, I've had many people confuse me with my identical twin over the years, but that usually happens in person. Carol met my twin, then, one day, saw my pic in GR and figured out who I was. First time that's ever happened :)

You, my friends, know that I am not here for the benefit of the authors. If a book is subpar, I'll tell you. If I was a professor, I'd be the one everyone avoids, for fear I'll ruin their GPA. Knowing this, I've been avoiding Carol's book. I was dreading having to write a poor review. Thank goodness, I needn't have worried!

What a fascinating book. I found the plot to be completely original, and, even more exciting, there were twists and turns I never anticipated. I was immediately drawn into the story, not just the characters, but the myriad of deep philosophical issues touched upon. And yet, the story is so captivating, I don't think teen readers will stumble at all.

Perhaps the most important issue addressed in this novel is the question of self worth, and even beyond that, what makes me me? How much does physical appearance count? Or is inner beauty sufficient? From that perspective, this could be considered a coming of age story, and I loved that aspect of it.

But then, at just over half way, this turns into a heart pounding suspense/thriller that I couldn't put down. I liked the last half even more than the first.

Highly recommended, for high school and above. Based on my rating system, this one gets 4 stars because I will not soon forget it. It even made me cry, something not many books can do.

The only thing holding me back from a full five stars is that the story seemed to drag just a bit at the half way mark, just before all the excitement begins.

The book is clean in terms of language and intimacy, only a few kisses.

[Kimber Wheaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Unique urban sci-fi with a very intriguing premise.

I was hooked the moment I read the blurb. The idea of uploading someone's mind into another's body is fascinating... it also has the implications for so much abuse. For main character Morgan, what she originally saw as a dream job turned into something all together different.

I liked Morgan. She was opinionated, and her opinions about weight and body image were made known throughout the story, especially at the beginning. As she experienced life through her obese loaner body, she began to realize how awful being overweight in a weight obsessed society could be. She stepped up when it mattered and did what she thought was right, and I admired her for it.

I could see this book really bothering some people-- even acting as a potential trigger. Those of us who have never really dealt with obesity or body image issues may not understand. But as someone who has counseled some with eating issues, I worry that Morgan's attitude might hurt. It wasn't just Morgan either. Jodine's (the loaner body) mother was a tad on the crazy side. So if weight/body issue is a potential trigger for you, I recommend staying away from this one.

The premise was fascinating-- I really wish the author had gone a bit more in depth into the science of the procedure, but that's the geek in me. While the second half of the book was fast-paced and hard to put down, I felt the first half moved a tad slow for my taste. I didn't really feel the romance at all so that was a miss for me. While I loved the fact that everything wrapped up in one book, it ended so quickly and rather conveniently as well. Given the moral and legal implications, I just wanted more.

Overall: intriguing premise, interesting main character, unique concept all wrapped up in one book. If you like urban sci-f with a bit of romance, this one is definitely different.

[Rezeda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars, really. I am just mean today)))
And it's captivating: I've read it in two evenings, which is unusual for me, as I am a slow reader.
What I did not like: it has an uneven pace - sometimes rushes, sometimes drags, - and a bit too-direct message. With the last bit, I am not sure if it's just my perception, because I've found that some folks managed to misread that message (ok, they dnf, but! For me it was pretty obvious at 2% into the novel, I think... ) and even post a rant-review here.
But for me, it felt like the author had an agenda in mind ("we have the right to decide how we want to look/to live/to die") and spent too much effort on pushing it. And while I 100% agree with the idea, it gets a little tedious.
What I did like: writing, aka "Morgan's voice" - she indeed felt as a smart, opinionated, passionate teen. Sometimes it was as if listening to my own daughter.
And, well, it may seem contradictory, but I really liked the message ))) While I am a law-abiding citizen, I hate the idea of total government control and I like diversity.
Also, as I've already mentioned, it reads quickly and, despite some predictability, holds your attention.

Долго колебалась между тремя и четырьмя звёздочками, но пусть будет три. Потому ��то кое-что очень понравилось, а кое-что - так себе.
Что понравилось:
- простой, но не примитивный язык; попытка показать, к чему может привести постоянное усиление контроля/наблюдения за всеми и государство-нянька в крайней степени.
Что не понравилось:
- то, насколько в лоб изложены идеи автора (хотя, может, для среднего американца это и вовсе "не в лоб" - есть рецензия, где человек возмущается отношением автора к толстым - прочитанным прямо противоположно идее книги). И вообще в каком-то смысле отсутствие оттенков (хотя, конечно, юности это свойственно, возможно, это скорее плюс... но не для меня как читателя).
- слишком поверхностно, имхо, рассмотрены последствия "переноса в другое тело". И то, что потеря месяцев и даже года жизни вообще как проблема не рассматривается (ну, с одной стороны, в восемнадцать лет-то оно, может, большинству так и кажется... Но всё равно странно. Мне в своё время месяца, проведённого в больнице, и то было жаль).
И ещё лёгкий налёт религиозности мне тоже не понравился, хотя формально в книге ни слова про религию нет. Однако рассуждения про то, куда же девается душа, таки отдают религиозной пропагандой)))

[winterthekatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of The Body Institute sounded very interesting to me, similar to Starters (which was a great book) but with the weight loss twist. Unfortunately it didn't live up to its potential. It was a good book but with such an interesting subject, it could've been much better.

I had trouble connecting with the main character, Morgan. For some reason I just couldn't relate to her and the way she spoke. When a book is written in first person, I feel like I really need to like that character's "voice" because that's our narrator for the whole story. And when I don't, it becomes a problem for me and it hinders my enjoyment of the book. Nevertheless, I kept on reading in order to find out what the big conspiracy was, because in this kind of setting you KNOW there is some kind of conspiracy behind the body swapping. However, this also felt quite anticlimactic. Even the romance which is usually my favorite part of any book had not effect on me whatsoever. It's such a shame because I love Entangled Teen and I have adored so many of their books, but I guess you can't like them all. The Body Institute just wasn't one of my favorites.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my full review KissinBlueKaren

The Body Institute has a really interesting book about a society so focused on weight it goes to extreme measures. This is a fun YA science fiction read.

I found this a pretty interesting read. It kept my attention. I loved that it was a stand alone, although if it had a follow up I would probably read it. There were a few issues that were too coincidental to be plausible, mostly the love interest’s identity. I liked the slow reveal of “like” in this romance though. I also enjoyed the fact that the romance in this book wasn’t just about exterior appearances. This book isn’t all about the romance until about half way through the story. This book is more about being who you really are, no matter what you look like. I think science fiction fans will find this book a fun read.

[Jess at Such a Novel Idea · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was science fiction terrifying at its finest. While it is a similar idea as the Starters duology, it takes a very different execution. Some of the lessons were a bit heavy handed, but it brought up a lot of ethical issues.

I could absolutely see this happening and it scared the crap out of me! I was glad the book was able wrap itself up as a stand alone. Worth the investment!

[Nicole M. Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

The Body Institute is a really unique sci fi dystopian YA novel. I loved the concept behind it and thought it was executed really well. This is one of those books that really makes you think – and you know how I love that! I’m not going to bother summarizing this one (you can read the blurb for that). Instead I’ll move right on to my review.

What I loved:

The unique concept.
As soon as I read the blurb for this book, I was hooked and I was really hoping that it would live up to my expectations. Well, I’m happy to say that the concept was every bit as intriguing and unique as it sounds. Imagine if the government got so serious about healthcare that they started dictating how much you could weigh and if you went over that weight you were taxed heavily. In this dystopian world that’s exactly what’s happened. It’s not that crazy of an idea, really. And honestly, it made me think. Morgan was very behind the idea because she had been told her whole life that being overweight was dangerous and costly. She saw only the good in the plan – and especially in The Body Institute’s solution. If someone else could do your exercise for you, you could lose weight even though you might not have the willpower to do it on your own. Sounds perfect, right? The whole concept is crazy but also really interesting – it could definitely work, and is it really any crazier than cosmetic surgery or some of the weight loss programs out there? The taxation pressures people to take part in the program, though. And the idea of the government regulating things having to do with health isn’t that outrageous. Morgan brought up the comparison to cigarettes and I also thought about artificial ingredients in foods (which I really wish our government would regulate more like they are in Europe – whole other conversation here). Honestly, I’m not all that opposed to the government making it harder for us to put harmful things into our bodies, so is regulating weight that huge of a jump. It really made me think about the slippery slope you could go down. It’s kind of like the old seat belt debate – do we force people to be safe and healthy or do we let them make their own (sometimes bad) choices? The book presents the questions, but it doesn’t give cut and dry answers, which I kind of loved. Like I said, this book made me think!

The fine print.
So, even if you could get behind the mission of The Body Institute, then there’s the details – these are way harder to swallow. Anyone who signs on to be a Reducer agrees to have their memory wiped at the end of the program, supposedly for privacy reasons. I actually had a little bit of a hard time believing that people would agree to this, but I suppose there are people who will do just about anything for money – and you find out later that the Institute is actually pulling some strings and manipulating people a bit. I won’t go into details about that, but there are definitely some shady things going on! Morgan slowly starts to learn that there is more to the Institute than she first thought – and not all of it is good!

Family.
I loved Morgan’s family and how involved they were in the story. Morgan’s job affected not just her but her family as well. I especially loved her grandpa!!

The romance.
My favorite thing about the romance in this book is that it wasn’t based on physical appearance alone – so often in YA books, we get the hot teenage kid with washboard abs (because we all knew so many of those, right?) and the girl who is drop dead gorgeous without really even knowing it. In this case, Morgan and Matt fall in love in their Loaner bodies – even though they both feel that they are doing a good thing for their Loaners by losing the weight, they don’t find these bodies unattractive (as Morgan fears she might). Morgan learns a lot about seeing beneath the skin and finding love that isn’t based on appearances alone – and she also learns to appreciate and accept other body types besides the one she’s been taught to believe is “perfect.”

The negatives:

Mixed messages?
As I was reading, I found myself wondering if some people might feel like there are some mixed messages in this book about body image, though I don’t think that’s at all what the author intended. I think that the overall message was supposed to be clear – that the government’s control over people’s weight was wrong and that people should be able to make their own choices about their health. But, at the same time, since we were reading the book from Morgan’s POV and she truly believed in the government’s messages about living a healthy life and staying thin, it was hard to hear some of her thoughts about people who were overweight – while she condemned the people who hurt her Loaner, she also had plenty of ungenerous thoughts of her own about her Loaner’s body and her willpower. Morgan did eventually grow to realize that it wasn’t as cut and dry as she imagined it to be, but it took a while for her to get there, and some people reading might find her initial thoughts and feelings hurtful, which might make it harder for them to get to the part where Morgan comes to some realizations. The book did advocate a healthy lifestyle, which I think is a really good thing – even in the end, Morgan never really felt like The Body Institute’s stated mission was bad – she just didn’t like the other shady things that were going along with it. I liked that this book made me think hard about these issues, but I did occasionally wonder which message would stick in the end. This could be a totally unfounded fear, but it definitely crossed my mind more than once. I think this is the type of book that merits lots of great discussion!

If you’re looking for a unique dystopian, I highly recommend this one! Riggs definitely left the ending open for a sequel, so I’m eager to see where she goes with the story next! I give it 4/5 stars.

***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

[Stephanie (Reading is Better With Cupcakes) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Body Institute contains the type of story that is frightening to think about because it could possibly happen one day. One day science could advance to a point where it is possible for people to switch bodies and that the government can control more things - such as a persons weight.

We all ready live in a world where how much we weigh matters, but not to the extreme that it does in The Body Institute. In this world, the government will tax you if you weigh more than 20 pounds over what they think you should way. The longer you are overweight and the more overweight you are, the higher the tax. Even if you are over your ideal weight, but within that 20 pound range for too long you will get taxed. The government also offers a lot of incentives to the people to exercise. The more exercising you do, the more points you get. You can then turn the points in for a reward.

Naturally an Institute was created to help people with their weight loss. However, it isn't as simple as joining a gym and working out with a personal trainer. The person actually has to give up their body. Their psyche is downloaded and put into a computer some where while someone else is loaded into their body to do all the hard work for them.

Morgan is one of those that they put into another body to do the hard work of losing the weight. The story starts up with her completing a job that she was on to lose 50 pounds for her loaner (the body that needs to lose the weight) and not wanting to do it ever again. Unfortunately for her, when she is returned to her own body, her memories are reset back to before she started the job. She loses 3 months of her life. No memories whatsoever.

Morgan is then offered to do another job. This time it will be 6 months long and her Loaner needs to lose 100 pounds. However, she will be living off site with her Reducers family this time, not at the Body Institute. She will also be given a large amount of credits (money) to complete this job. Enough to settle her families huge debt and still put some away for tech school. Since she doesn't remember that she doesn't want to ever do the job again and because her family could really use the money she agrees.

What happens after Morgan starts this job is a total whirlwind. She starts experiencing memories that don't belong to her, they belong to the Loaner and they shouldn't be happening. There is a boy she is interested in, but he never responds to anything of any importance that she asks him about. And protesters keep attacking The Body Institute and Reducers.

The Body Institute is a fantastic read. Not only does it tell a wonderful story and tells it well, this story makes you think at the same time. It is easy to find nuggets of our world in Morgans. These nuggets really help make the story something the reader can relate to and really draws you in.

There are also a lot of tough topics brought up that require the reader to think. I love when a book makes this happen. First, there is the issue on government control with the government trying to control how much a person weighs with extra taxes. Then there is the topic of bullying. The Loaner that Morgan is helping to lose weight has been the victim of quite a bit. Also, body image is touched upon. If you are a larger person, are you worth less to society, to your family, to yourself? And finally, if you occupy a body that is not your own, are you still you?

The character development is well done. I really enjoyed Morgan. She was a great narrator for this story. I enjoyed watching her evolve and change. I do wish that Vonn had been developed a little bit better. He felt a bit flat to me at times. I never really felt as though I was getting a good read on his emotions.

The Body Institute is a fantastic read. It will make you think. It will get you involved and suck you in.

My Rating
5 out of 5 stars

This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

Find more of my reviews here:
http://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com/

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

E-copy received courtesy of NetGalley.

Every time I read a dystopian novel I tend to feel grateful for the world I live in, despite all the horrible things going on, because the world I just finished reading about is usually a whole lot worse off. It also tends to frighten me a bit because the future is unknown and I do not want to live in a world that has annual events that pit children against one another to fight to the death, or a world where I am trapped in a god awful maze or have a disease that turns people into zombies that chase me down the street trying to eat my brain.

Despite how frightening it is to picture any of those scenarios, the scene this novel sets is perhaps the most frightening because I personally feel it is not something completely unbelievable. The Body Institute is science fiction and dystopia at its finest. A world were people are taxed for being overweight and shamed for their appearance because of being overweight is not that hard to imagine. In real society today people are made to feel bad about how they look. The media portrays beauty as being model thin, or having fair skin, etc. This portrayal makes everyone who does not look like the women they call beautiful to feel self conscious, to hate their bodies, and some go to extreme measures to live up to what they believe are the world's expectations of themselves. The extreme measure in this novel was going to the Body Institute to become a Loaner.

A Loaner allows another person, a Reducer, to pretty much take over their body through mind-swapping technology. The Reducer's body lies in suspended animation while they inhabit the Loaner's body and their job is to get the Loaner into shape. It is kind of a freaky concept really. While it seems like its for the betterment of humans, getting into shape means living a healthy life, it also brings about some ethical issues which brings us to those who oppose the Body Institute. Just like those who would go to extreme measures to meet society's standards, those opposed to the institute also go to extremes.

Our protagonist Morgan is very fit and in shape. However, because her grandfather has collected quite a hefty amount of debt, her family is struggling financially. This financial struggle is what leads Morgan to enroll in the Reducer program as credits are rewarded to those who help the cause. After her first assignment, Morgan is given another which could eliminate her family's debt completely, so naturally she finds it impossible to turn down. Well, a TON of stuff goes down once she takes her second assignment. Protesters go too far, lines between who is wrong and right become blurred, and we see how awful Morgan's Loaner body was treated by others because of her heaviness.

This book had me hooked. It was amazing in every way. The writing was wonderful, the characters relatable and the romance just right. There were so many times I was caught off guard by what was happening which is exactly why I loved it.

The Body Institute was more than just a novel. It showed a harsh reality as well. People are treated differently because of how they look and it is very unfair. If we continue on our judgmental path, a future like the one in this novel, where people are cruelly treated and cast out of society for being overweight, may not be too far away. Appearances are only part of who we are, we are much more than what we look like and that is what I believe was the moral of this novel and why I would recommend it to everyone.

[Anjie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot/Concept: The Body Institute is definitely a whole new concept, one that I have yet to come across. I think that it was a great choice, given how prominent weight is discussed in our world today. Coming from a nutrition background, I know that every 2 out of 3 Americans are either overweight or obese and these numbers are projected to increase. So it was really interesting to see these numbers and how social media interpret and treat that population nowadays paralleled into the book. The plot was just surreal, a lot of it took me by surprised. Riggs took me into this journey that I just didn't see coming. Each plot twist just kept surprising me and it made me want to keep reading.

Writing: Riggs' writing was very likable and there wasn't anything too negative that stood out to me. My only complaint was that I felt like the first half of the book was paced a little slower than the second half. I thought that there was more of an extended introduction and I wish that cut a little shorter so that there was more room for the ending. The ending wrapped up really quickly and I wish there was more to it. While she hasn't indicated a sequel, the ending is set up in a way that in can have a sequel. It's also obvious that she did her research, there was a lot of science and technological information involved when explaining the Electromagnetic Resonance Transfer (ERT) process. Along with that, there was physics involved since it was a part of Morgan's passion. Everything surrounding the government and the Body Institute really connected and was thoroughly explained.

Characters: Morgan was a really great dynamic character. Her development in the novel is wonderful and you start to see it unravel as she starts to learn more of the truth about the institute. Her entire life people and social media have drilled into her about the importance of fitness. I mean, living a healthy lifestyle is indeed important but it's not something that should be controlled by government. So it's reasonable to see how she acts towards the overweight population. I didn't relate too much to her but she can be very relatable. She's very smart and strong-willed. The secondary characters weren't as memorable as Morgan. The only ones that stood out for me were her grandfather, Vonn, and Leo.

Memorable Moments: My favorite parts started coming halfway through the book. That was when the plot twists started popping up and taking me by surprise. I also love how the romance in the novel wasn't the main focus. I love how the romance unravels, too. I really enjoyed the ending, even though it was bittersweet. I wish that we did have more but I like how realistic it was.

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[Shannon Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book!! This one just grabbed me by the hair and yanked me right along for a thrill ride. I absolutely loved it! Morgan lives in a dystopian world where people are fined for being overweight beyond an acceptable range. A special institute was created where people who are good at exercise and losing weight can be hired to swap bodies and lose the weight for you. Sounds outlandish at first, but let me tell you, the author did an amazing job with both her worldbuilding, and with the scientific aspect that allowed me to suspend disbelief.

Morgan is a Reducer. This means, the institute can take a "brain map" of her brain, basically downloading a perfect copy of her brain and who she is, and place it into the mind of someone who needs to lose weight. That person's brain map is stored elsewhere while the Reducer is busy losing their weight for them. The scientific explanations were fascinating, but not overwhelming. The reader was given just enough to understand and find it plausible, and then the rest was just fantastic storytelling.

With any type of thing like this, however, you'll find protesters who don't think it's right, find fault with it, think it's too dangerous, too invasive, too high-handed of their government to try to enforce a weight-loss of its citizens. I was able to truly understand and empathize with this, as I truly believe that we could end up with a society like this where you're fined for being overweight.

I loved Morgan from the very start. She truly believes in what she's doing, believes that she's helping people, and doesn't want to think there might be something wrong with it. But on her latest assignment, a few too many things begin to go wrong, not least of which is the fact that she's experiencing memories from the loaner body she's currently residing within.

This story was smart, unique, and fascinating. The author managed to put in a pretty awesome romance too, while not detracting from the story. In fact, I found the romance particularly gratifying because Morgan and her love interest are both reducers who aren't actually seeing each others' true physical bodies but are actually getting to know and admire each other's personalities alone. I loved this aspect very much.

Everything just worked perfectly together. All the story elements were perfectly played out and balanced. I flew through the pages and just couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. There were some significant surprises near the end that shocked me and had me on the edge of my seat. This was definitely one that I won't soon forget. Amazing book!

[Trish at Between My Lines · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on [Between My Lines]This book had such an interesting premise as you can see from the synopsis.  I’m all about books that tackle body image and the surrounding issues and I had a lot of expectations for this book.  Were they met?  Kinda!

Balancing the books is a quick fire review where I list the assets and liabilities of a book (as I see them) and leave you decide if you think this book is worth investing in.

 

The Assets of The Body Institute by Carol Riggs:

Interesting science.  Is it realistic? Not a clue!  I’m no science buff but it was understandable and certainly made the premise of the book seem feasible to a non-science person like me.


Well developed main character:  I loved that Morgan was figuring out issues and grew during the book.  She had some pre-conceived ideas and being in a different person’s body opened her world.  She took on board that new perspective and learned from it.  I also appreciated that she was both smart and thoughtful.


Scary world: The thought of a totalitarian world where the government determines what an acceptable weight is and imposes penalties if you exceed that is horrific.  And the level of acceptance of society for those rules even more so.


Twists and Turns: I loved the unpredictability of the book and it did shake me a few times!  At the same time, some reveals were very obvious.  Overall though it kept me guessing and wanting to know what would happen next.

 
The Liabilities of The Body Institute by Carol Riggs

Lacking depth:  I thought the book could have dug deeper in to the issues and made a more powerful statement.  It was a good read but I felt like it remained at surface level instead of shovelling into the depths and unearthing a great book with a forceful message.


So So Romance: It wasn’t awful, I just didn’t feel very invested in it.  I got more into it as the book progressed but it never gave me butterflies that way an epic romance can.

 
Investment potential:
It’s worth the read if you want a fast paced book that is entertaining and engrossing while you are reading it and that deals with body image.  I don’t think it will be one you will remember for long afterwards or want to reread so maybe consider borrowing it if possible.  Or if you see it on special offer, then yes I’d grab it!

 



 

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

 

 

 

[Alyssa Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you very much to Net Galley and the Publisher for my copy of this book!*

The Body Institute by Carol Riggs is a Young Adult book in the Science Fiction genre. It is a story with such a unique concept, one I have never read anything like before. Morgan’s job is being a reducer – where she takes over another girl’s body for a period of time. While she is in their body, she loses weight for them and helps them get fit and healthy. Reducers turn back into their regular lives and own bodies once the job is done. Even though reducers spend a significant amount of time in these other bodies, when they turn back to themselves, they can’t remember the things they did in the loaner body.

I’ve never read anything with a plot quite like this and it was definitely a fresh and interesting idea. Personally, I don’t think I would be able to be a reducer – from the beginning, I knew for me it would be so strange to leave your life in control and in the hands of The Body Institute! It truly feels like a terrifying idea to be in someone else’s body, which is why the story was so interesting! The concept definitely made me think about what it would be like to be Morgan. The writer’s flow and excellent voice made it very easy to imagine yourself in Morgan’s shoes. Even though this was science fiction, the story felt very real in many ways as you read.

As well as this job works for a science loving Morgan, she begins to have strange feelings about The Body Institute and being a Reducer. It isn’t as smooth and as perfectly scientific of a job that she imagined. There are surprising glitches that start interfering with her work as a Reducer. What I liked about this book were the many elements and issues brought up: the science fiction of it, the idea of government control, and technologies. I can truly say I was never bored while reading The Body Institute. There were lots of twists and surprises that kept me up late reading! Telling myself “just one more chapter” was a lie. I also really enjoyed Morgan’s perspective and her as a character. She is smart, has goals for herself, and would do absolutely anything to protect and help the people she cares about. Along the way, Morgan meets another reducer named Matt. I liked the relationship growth between them as the story went on.

Overall, The Body Institute is a well-written story with a unique concept. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA Science Fiction stories. There plenty of twists and turns along the way!

[Diana-christie Biancardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so cool. I would love to see Carol Riggs write movie scripts! I'm in love with her ideas. This was wonderful. I was giddy when I was ready to buy this as a credit on Audible.com. Pretty awesome and original! It reminded me of Richard Laymon's book Body Rides where a guy would invade bodies and do whatever he wanted to them. I also thought of Westworld, one of my fave shows, when I finished this. I think it would be fun if people took over our bodies to get them into shape. Sometimes I used to think like that but only when my body is in pain. It's like oh I wish I could get a new arm because my shoulder has tendonitis, or if I could get brand new feet without bunions, or new skin without acne scars, or new stomach so I can have abs. Like rotate our body parts out like if we were androids. That would be great!

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a unique and exciting premise! The technology focus in The Body Institute isn't so inconceivable to our modern society, and Riggs paints a compelling picture of the dystopian possibilities that come with unregulated expansion. I'm so excited to read more by Riggs!

[Rute Gaspar]

I haven't read it yet..but it seems a bit like #starters by lissa price...

[Kristin]

DNF. Didn’t care for the writing style and the story was shaping up to be so-so. I got other shit to read.

[Alicia Huxtable · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting but daunting stuff

The stuff authors think up astounds me. This book wouldn't let me let the story go and it was a Great story too.

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Body Institute envisions a future in which the US government has taken to levying heavy fines on anyone who doesn't meet their health criteria. Smoke? You'll be fined. Eat 'junk' food? Pay a steep tax. Fail to lose 'extra weight'? Fines that grow more and more expensive. Meeting government-set health and exercise goals, by contrast, earns you points that can be spent on things like prize draws.

Morgan has drunk the sugar-free Kool-Aid. She's thin and fit and eager to go to tech school...but her family doesn't have the money to send her (not least because they're still paying off her grandmother's medical bills and her grandfather continues to rack up fines for smoking). So Morgan signs up to be a Reducer—to temporarily take control of another girl's body, diet and exercise until that girl's body fits societal norms, and to make $$$$$ while she does it.

It's sort of hard to imagine. Morgan's first assignment (which the book shows only the tail end of) takes her out of her own body, her own life, for three months. Her second assignment (by which point her first assignment has somehow made her a 'top Reducer') is meant to last six months. It's a long time to put your life so deeply on hold—not only is Morgan's own body literally suspended in gel for the duration, but she won't be allowed to retain any of the memories she makes while in somebody else's body. She thinks it's worth it. Even as protesters with a bone to pick with the Body Institute get more and more violent, she thinks it's worth it. Even when her life is at risk, she thinks it's worth it. Even when she starts to realise that the protesters might be telling the truth, she thinks it's worth it. Even when she pays an ultimate price...she's not sure it's not worth it.

Morgan learns, but it's slow growth. There's a lot of fat-shaming early on in the book—on Morgan's end it's relatively benign, insofar as it can be, but it's still there—and it takes a long time for Morgan to understand that weight does not dictate whether somebody is a good person, or a smart person, or any of that. Even when shit hits the fan and Morgan's own body is destroyed, leaving her stuck in the client's body, one of Morgan's biggest concerns is that the body she's in is still big. I don't think there's ever any acknowledgement that losing weight isn't necessarily just a matter of exercise and self-control—it might have been interesting to see more of that, honestly; to see Morgan doing everything 'right' on her diet/exercise plan and to still not be meeting her goals. Also no acknowledgement that someone can be 'overweight' and healthy, or a 'healthy' weight and not healthy; no mention whatsoever of eating disorders, which I'd imagine would be rampant in this society.

But it's interesting, and there are some good points in there about the power the government should and shouldn't have. If you can make it past Morgan's initial (intentional!) judgement and shaming, it has its moments.

[Sandra "Jeanz" · Rating 4 out of 5]

INITIAL THOUGHTS
So I discovered this one in an email from Entangled Teen, and read the description and was immediately intrigued with the whole brain map/body swap element of the book. So I was looking forward to reading and reviewing this book for my blog.

MY REVIEW
I requested and received an e-copy of this book from Entangled Teen via Netgalley. The main feature of the cover is a female and the reader has a view through the outer body into the brain inside. The very cryptic byline of "are we our minds . . .or our bodies" fits the dilemma that the main character Morgan Dey has in this book. The cover also features a skyline in the background, representing the cities featured in the book. The dark raining weather is quite fitting to the feel of the book in certain parts.
So would I pick this book up in a bookstore purely on the cover? Yes the cover would attract my eyes enough for me to pick it up and want to learn more about it.
The Body Institute is based in the crimson zone of the city. They are partially funded by the government as the institute's work is lightening the strain on the NHS. The Body Institute's marketing slogan is "Taking The Work Out Of Your Weightless". The Body Institute employ people who are called "Reducers". These Reducers have their bodies put into some sort of sleep state, there's a much more technical explanation given in the book including something called ERT. Basically the Reducer's "brain map" is put into the brain/body of the "Loaner" (Loaner = the person who wishes to lose weight), the Loaner's "brain map" is stored on a computer until the Reducer has lost the necessary weight and toned up etc and then they both have their brain maps put back into their own bodies. The Body Institute is now trialing and marketing this way of losing weight to teenagers. This is how we meet the central character in the book, Morgan Dey. Her family which consists of her mum (Valena), dad (Greg) and Grand-dad (Bob) live in an acceptable area of the city but their rent and expenses are always being increased and with the left over debt from her Grandmother's medical bills they desperately need to find a way to earn more credits. This is why Morgan initially takes a job at the Body Institute as a reducer. The money from the job will pay some off the amount owed on the medical bill's as well as start a fund for Morgan to go to Tech School which is her dream.In fact she does so well in her first job as a reducer that the teen she loses weight for becomes the poster girl for The Body Institutes Teen Program. Doing so well at her first job at the Institute is also one of the reason's she is asked back, this time the job will take 6 months and she will get to live off site of the Institute and live in the Loaner's home that has a private gym and other luxury facilities to help her with the weight loss. This means leaving her family and two best friends Krista & Blair for six whole months. That will mean not being able to celebrate either her eighteenth or Christmas with them. Taking everything into consideration and the fact that her parents are being hassled for the payment of her Grandmothers medical bill, having extra taxes and interest put on it too, Morgan feel's there is only on option and that is for her to do the job. The money she would get for the job would settle all debts and leave her a good amount to help get her through Tech School too. Though her parents are reluctant for Morgan to do the job of a reducer again, they know that if they do not give permission that she will just wait until she is 18 yrs old and rejoin the program then, so they sign the necessary documents to allow her to become a reducer again. It is Morgan's grandfather that hates the Body Institute and all it stands for. I personally think Morgan's mum Valena, is somewhat blinded to the risks of being a reducer and thinks more of the credits the family will get, whereas Morgan's father Greg, seems more worried about how negatively the Body Institute could affect his daughter.
It also soon becomes apparent that the whole procedure that the Body Institute and the government are pushing is not as simple nor as safe as they are saying. There's the strange memories that Morgan keeps having that she knows are not her own. There's the fact that she has never been a nail biter but in Jodine's body she can't help but succumb to the habit. Morgan is also struggling with Jodine's hunger and binge eating patterns too.
The activists of the WHA are becoming more and more violent in their protests, Morgan ends up being attacked prior to her second "body jump".
Whilst in Jodine's body Morgan meets up with a guy exercising in a park and sets up regular running with him. It proves it's quite "a small world" when it is later reveal that he is also a Reducer in a loaners body. They continue to meet up even though they know the Body Institute would not approve of their budding friendship/relationship. They compare what Morgan refers to as "flashbacks" with each other comparing their Reducer experiences.
Then there's the real life changing event when the WHA attack the Head Quarters where Morgan's body is lying in stasis. The building is destroyed! I can't really say anymore or anything in more detail as it would reveal major, major spoilers.
I found the pace of the book varied quite a bit, some parts felt really slow and you felt like shouting"get on with it" and then other smaller parts felt like they could have been told in perhaps more details and had more time taken over them. The plot is quite complex but I found it really enjoyable and quite addictive reading. The book is one of those that stays with you well after finishing reading it! You do really ask yourself the question that forms the byline "are we our minds. . . or our bodies". I think I would have said "we are our minds" without any hesitation prior to reading the book, but I found myself wavering in my thoughts as I read more of the book. I'd be interested in what other readers would answer to the byline question both before reading the book, during and after.
So did I enjoy the book? Yes, I found it a captivating read. I mean what a concept, having someone "jump into" your body and lose your excess weight.
Would I recommend the book? Yes, it's a thought provoking read.
Would I want to read another book in this series (If it is a series)? If there was more to Morgan's story, or even another book from Leo's point of view and that of the Body Institute I would certainly be eager to read the blurb and then more than likely read the book too.
Would I want to read other titles by this author? I did enjoy the complex plot and the writing style of this book so I would take a look at any book written by this author.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A quite sad but beautiful and promising ending! I would like more from the Body Institute and the WHA too!

[Jessica Buzzard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and the message it was trying to send. I think the themes of fat-shaming and body-shaming are really important to talk and think about. These are topics that usually make people uncomfortable and I think that's why a lot of people disliked this book.

The ending WAS cliche, as some have said, but I didn't mind that. It was sad and fitting. Not every story needs to have a happy ending, especially a story like this one.

This story really made me think about the scary things that may be possible in the future. What lengths would people go to earn money or cure their obesity?

[Aleya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to receive this book from Entangled (through Netgalley) a few days back (that does, in no way, affect my review). Once I started the book I wasn’t able to put it down—luckily enough, I was in the car for 4 hours so I had plenty of time to read. I had heard about this book back in June through a Meet the Newbies Twitter chat. During this chat I found many new authors and books. The author I talked to the most that day (and over the past month) was Carol Riggs, the wonderful author who gave us this fantastic book. I’m so glad I was able to talk to her and get this book on my to-read list. And I’m also very glad I was approved for the ARC. Now, onto the review!

You should be able to guess what I rated this one. That’s right: 5 stars.

I was just so pulled into the story. I was almost finished reading it at lunch time and we had stopped at a Friendly’s. I opened the menu and saw ice cream and I had to flip away from it. I couldn’t even stand to look at ice cream after reading that book. That just got me to thinking about some of the big things in this book with switching bodies and the whole residual memories. Being a reader is a little like being a reducer who suffers through the residual memories, in a sense. If you get so engrossed in a story then sometimes you start to think and act like the character. As readers are we not a compilation of all that we’ve read? How much of the characters do we pick up and keep for ourselves without even realizing it? Rest assured, I was able to eat ice cream later that day, so I didn’t keep that piece.

The plot was well crafted. Between the personal crisis of Morgan dealing with the residual memories and the issues with The Body Institute, it’s a wonderfully layered story. I was never bored. The action of the story was layered really well with Morgan’s internal strife. There was always something in the background, something that she wasn’t noticing that I would notice and be aware of, thus upping the tension for the plot. It was paced well enough to keep me on my toes.

I really enjoyed the big issues that this book brought to light. The world Morgan is in really brings up how controlling society can be and whether it should be the guiding force in people’s personal choices. It really makes the reader aware of the pressures of society and shows that you don’t have to conform to be happy. Body image is a huge part of this, obviously. I really loved the message it sends with body image by the end of the book. It’s a journey to tell society to stuff it, basically. I also loved how the body and soul were brought into question. That’s such a huge topic that many authors try to tackle. This book tackles that huge issue and I was pretty happy with the conclusion Morgan came to with it. It was a whirlwind of big time issues that people are often scared to discuss. I loved it.

I didn’t think I’d like Morgan at first because she was so gung-ho about working out, but I was changed my way of thought real quick. She was such a dynamic character. I loved how she was passionate about science. All too often in YA characters love books and English but rarely do the main characters branch out to the sciences, or math. I also loved her dedication to her family. She reminded me of myself a little with how family driven she was. I loved her relationship with her grandfather especially. He reminded me of my grandmother a lot. I just loved her drive to help people. I think that was the feature I identified most with. She was a strong character who was just doing what she thought was best for herself and everyone else.

I really liked Morgan’s interactions with Matt in the novel. Mostly because Matt is adorable but also because I loved how genuine she was with him. That little bit of socializing goes a long way. This novel really shows how important a social life is to the psyche of a person. While I knew that already, it was nice seeing how being in person with people is so important. Friendships, and relationships, need something tangible to hold onto.

What I loved most about this book was the fact that it was wrapped up in one novel. All too often authors stretch things out unnecessarily to make a second or third book and this one didn’t do that. I loved the ending because it felt so real and effortless (Great job Carol! I know you said you had a tough time with that, but you nailed it).

This novel comes out September 1st. If you want a story that will leave you questioning these big issues then pick it up. Or just pick it up because it’s a great bit of science fiction that will leave you creeped out by how well it was done.

Thanks for reading! I hope you guys liked the review!

[Dana Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for anyone who likes angsty teen reads. If you enjoyed Unwind then you will like this one.