What do you think?
Rate this book
Full
To her followers, she advocates for an authentic and transparent life. In reality, she’s living a perfect lie.
Wellness influencer Ava Maloney’s enormous success is based on total transparency, extolling the well-documented virtues of her full, balanced life.
But the truth is, Ava’s social media platform is built on a lie. And her double life is beginning to take its toll.
Escaping Los Angeles for a luxury wellness retreat on Martha’s Vineyard, Ava believes she can get everything back on track. No fans will be the wiser to the real reason for her visit. With the help of the other guests, staff, and a supportive local, Ava begins regaining control of her body, her mind, and her life. Except someone is onto her, threatening to expose the secret she’s hidden for so long. Ava was prepared to face her demons, but not publicly. Not yet.
The fallout might also force Ava to finally reconcile who she’s been pretending to be with who she actually is—a woman discovering the real meaning of a full and balanced life.
Wellness influencer Ava Maloney’s enormous success is based on total transparency, extolling the well-documented virtues of her full, balanced life.
But the truth is, Ava’s social media platform is built on a lie. And her double life is beginning to take its toll.
Escaping Los Angeles for a luxury wellness retreat on Martha’s Vineyard, Ava believes she can get everything back on track. No fans will be the wiser to the real reason for her visit. With the help of the other guests, staff, and a supportive local, Ava begins regaining control of her body, her mind, and her life. Except someone is onto her, threatening to expose the secret she’s hidden for so long. Ava was prepared to face her demons, but not publicly. Not yet.
The fallout might also force Ava to finally reconcile who she’s been pretending to be with who she actually is—a woman discovering the real meaning of a full and balanced life.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2022
1647 people are currently reading
4829 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 325 reviews
March 3, 2022
Quick read, interesting, not for everyone: 4.5 stars
When none of the First Reads options sound appealing, I usually get the children's book. This time, the least off-putting for my mood was Full, though I had wished to read a preview. I ended with this choice because, having only high ranking reviews, I wanted to be able to give a different POV.
How surprised I was that I enjoyed this women's fiction - very rare for me. I'm looking at 60, and the journey & reflections of the late-20s protagonist were extremely well-written. The six reviews available referred to Honesty; I read with the idea of looking for other words, but that is the best description. The topic may not be every reader's jar of jam, but the flow and handling of the involvement and struggles of a person's life are spot on.
I am stingy with 5 stars, and this one lost a half for being verbose in a few places. Certain types and amounts of redundancy belong in the tale of someone seeking betterment and understanding. I'm knit-picking about several wordy tracts.
Reading of the author's experience while writing the book brought me to even more compassion for the story she's written. Ms Spiro has keen insight and a gift for story-telling.
When none of the First Reads options sound appealing, I usually get the children's book. This time, the least off-putting for my mood was Full, though I had wished to read a preview. I ended with this choice because, having only high ranking reviews, I wanted to be able to give a different POV.
How surprised I was that I enjoyed this women's fiction - very rare for me. I'm looking at 60, and the journey & reflections of the late-20s protagonist were extremely well-written. The six reviews available referred to Honesty; I read with the idea of looking for other words, but that is the best description. The topic may not be every reader's jar of jam, but the flow and handling of the involvement and struggles of a person's life are spot on.
I am stingy with 5 stars, and this one lost a half for being verbose in a few places. Certain types and amounts of redundancy belong in the tale of someone seeking betterment and understanding. I'm knit-picking about several wordy tracts.
Reading of the author's experience while writing the book brought me to even more compassion for the story she's written. Ms Spiro has keen insight and a gift for story-telling.
March 6, 2022
A good book, but be warned...
This book was a trigger. If you have body issues, you might want to steer clear. I had to skip most of the middle and just go to the end. It was a good story, well written, but not a book for me unfortunately. 5 star writing with 2 stars for ⚠️ warning. Step back of you aren't healed.
This book was a trigger. If you have body issues, you might want to steer clear. I had to skip most of the middle and just go to the end. It was a good story, well written, but not a book for me unfortunately. 5 star writing with 2 stars for ⚠️ warning. Step back of you aren't healed.
April 2, 2022
I actually enjoyed this book. It was well written with likeable characters.
* Please be warned though it describes an eating disorder in a lot of detail *
* Please be warned though it describes an eating disorder in a lot of detail *
March 12, 2022
Full by Julia Spiro. Thanks to #anazonfirstreads for the gifted e-Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After a horrible night, Ava drunkenly signs herself up for a wellness retreat. The next day she finds out she is committed to going; no refunds. How will she manager her influencer career from the retreat? How will she continue to hide her secret?
I will always read a fiction that deals with eating disorders and I will always read books about influencers. This has both so I knew I was going to love it. It ended up being a very entertaining story, but also sentimental and emotional. I really felt for the main character and her struggle. While I’ve never had an eating disorder, I have suffered from addiction and the impulses and compulsions are similar. While the ending was likely too hopeful and quickly clean for real life, my heart loved it.
“The purge is my drug. The purge is what gives me that unparalleled high, that liberating wave of freedom, that immediate as consuming euphoria.”
Full comes out 4/1.
After a horrible night, Ava drunkenly signs herself up for a wellness retreat. The next day she finds out she is committed to going; no refunds. How will she manager her influencer career from the retreat? How will she continue to hide her secret?
I will always read a fiction that deals with eating disorders and I will always read books about influencers. This has both so I knew I was going to love it. It ended up being a very entertaining story, but also sentimental and emotional. I really felt for the main character and her struggle. While I’ve never had an eating disorder, I have suffered from addiction and the impulses and compulsions are similar. While the ending was likely too hopeful and quickly clean for real life, my heart loved it.
“The purge is my drug. The purge is what gives me that unparalleled high, that liberating wave of freedom, that immediate as consuming euphoria.”
Full comes out 4/1.
March 2, 2022
Predictable...and just plain unappealing
I received a digital version of this for free from Amazon Prime, so I gave it a shot. However, I quickly realized the protagonist...a social media wellness influencer who is hiding her eating disorder...is terribly uninteresting. It quickly grew tedious reading about her bulimia episodes and worries about maintaining her Instagram account. Just not my type of read...
However, if this sort of thing interests you, you might find this to be a quick, easy read.
I received a digital version of this for free from Amazon Prime, so I gave it a shot. However, I quickly realized the protagonist...a social media wellness influencer who is hiding her eating disorder...is terribly uninteresting. It quickly grew tedious reading about her bulimia episodes and worries about maintaining her Instagram account. Just not my type of read...
However, if this sort of thing interests you, you might find this to be a quick, easy read.
March 1, 2022
Such a critical read, especially for the digital age and/or anyone who has ever struggled with an ED. Julia Spiro is a vivid, empathetic and deeply tuned in writer. I loved this book!
March 17, 2022
Oof. This book was…heavy. First, there should probably be a warning to readers that the content is heavily focused on ED, bulimia specifically, and goes into a lot of descriptions of events surrounding this. It’s the main plot of the book and I can see how that could be triggering to someone suffering or recovering from this or any other ED.
I could not STAND the main character, Ava. Her ED stemmed from her childhood and relationship with her now-deceased mother. She makes a living as an Instagram influencer who documents her “healthy” life as a recovered bulimic but in reality hasn’t recovered at all.
My biggest issue is I basically didn’t get the idea that Ava wanted to be better at all. She talks frequently about how much she enjoys purging and the feeling it gives her. I’ve never suffered from bulimia specifically, so maybe this is normal from those who suffer, but she’s at a retreat meant for recovery but doesn’t seem to try very hard to do so. Not only that, but she only goes to the retreat because they wouldn’t give her a refund. Im shocked that the staff of a retreat (basically a rehab) would allow their essentially patients to come and go as they please with no checks on what they are bringing back into the facility, which is how Ava got SO much contraband to her cabin to continue her behaviors.
Eventually, Ava does want to get better. But, to me, it came off as only wanting to get better when she realized her “show” was over. She knew she was being outed and whether she relaxed for 2 weeks and though maybe it was a hoax or not, she had a heads up. Seems like great timing that when her name is about to be publicly smeared she suddenly wants to be better and redeem herself. I just wish she had taken the opportunity of the retreat sooner than that to get help. Then again, maybe that is the entire point of the book and how social media is.
Finally, Naomi. How in the world can Naomi commit a federal crime as big as she does by outing Ava’s location, disease, etc AND posting copies of her medical records (hello…HIPAA!!) and all that happens is she gets fired and Ava says I forgive you? No matter how badly I wanted to change, and was changing, I would demand legal ramifications. I find it incredibly unrealistic that everyone would just says “hey that’s not cool, bad job Naomi” and she moves on and that’s the end of it. Sure she made a mistake, but some mistakes you still have to pay for.
Overall, I wish the character arc had been more dramatic.
I could not STAND the main character, Ava. Her ED stemmed from her childhood and relationship with her now-deceased mother. She makes a living as an Instagram influencer who documents her “healthy” life as a recovered bulimic but in reality hasn’t recovered at all.
My biggest issue is I basically didn’t get the idea that Ava wanted to be better at all. She talks frequently about how much she enjoys purging and the feeling it gives her. I’ve never suffered from bulimia specifically, so maybe this is normal from those who suffer, but she’s at a retreat meant for recovery but doesn’t seem to try very hard to do so. Not only that, but she only goes to the retreat because they wouldn’t give her a refund. Im shocked that the staff of a retreat (basically a rehab) would allow their essentially patients to come and go as they please with no checks on what they are bringing back into the facility, which is how Ava got SO much contraband to her cabin to continue her behaviors.
Eventually, Ava does want to get better. But, to me, it came off as only wanting to get better when she realized her “show” was over. She knew she was being outed and whether she relaxed for 2 weeks and though maybe it was a hoax or not, she had a heads up. Seems like great timing that when her name is about to be publicly smeared she suddenly wants to be better and redeem herself. I just wish she had taken the opportunity of the retreat sooner than that to get help. Then again, maybe that is the entire point of the book and how social media is.
Finally, Naomi. How in the world can Naomi commit a federal crime as big as she does by outing Ava’s location, disease, etc AND posting copies of her medical records (hello…HIPAA!!) and all that happens is she gets fired and Ava says I forgive you? No matter how badly I wanted to change, and was changing, I would demand legal ramifications. I find it incredibly unrealistic that everyone would just says “hey that’s not cool, bad job Naomi” and she moves on and that’s the end of it. Sure she made a mistake, but some mistakes you still have to pay for.
Overall, I wish the character arc had been more dramatic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2022
4.5 stars
This was an Amazon First Reads pick of the month and the social media aspect is what grabbed my attention. While I don't have firsthand experience with bulimia, the author did an amazing job at providing insight into the disorder. I loved watching Ava’s character growth throughout the novel. The secondary characters were great as well, each dealing with their own struggles. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book this author writes!
This was an Amazon First Reads pick of the month and the social media aspect is what grabbed my attention. While I don't have firsthand experience with bulimia, the author did an amazing job at providing insight into the disorder. I loved watching Ava’s character growth throughout the novel. The secondary characters were great as well, each dealing with their own struggles. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book this author writes!
June 8, 2024
Note: Content warning for those suffering from an eating disorder.
Full left me reeling with the profoundest sense of emotion. It was as gut-wrenching and messy as it was hopeful. Ava is a wellness influencer who couldn’t be further from well in reality. She claims that she has recovered from bulimia but her behind-the-scenes is starkly different as she goes through chronic struggle to feel beautiful and worthy. It has been drilled into her from a young age that she has to be skinny in order to reach an impossibly unrealistic, self-created and implemented standard.
Yet an anonymous Instagram user knows her dark and dirty secret all the same and spares no punches in letting her know that they will out her. This is all while she has opted on a whim to attend a wellness retreat in hopes of sorting through deep-seated trauma with the hope of getting well. At first she is resistant but little by little comes to be more rawly honest as time goes on. From here, Ava goes on a journey of palpable self-discovery and awareness only to realize that only she, in the company of a trusted therapist, has the toolkit to work through her innermost demons that assail her at each new fork in the road. It is only up to her to choose who she lets into her life as she has to build trust while in a fragile, tenuous place. However, everyone around her becomes a suspect and I loved this read immeasurably as Ava picks apart her surroundings and the people in them. This story was layered and sharply reflective and just goes to show that suffering doesn’t have to be silent.
Full left me reeling with the profoundest sense of emotion. It was as gut-wrenching and messy as it was hopeful. Ava is a wellness influencer who couldn’t be further from well in reality. She claims that she has recovered from bulimia but her behind-the-scenes is starkly different as she goes through chronic struggle to feel beautiful and worthy. It has been drilled into her from a young age that she has to be skinny in order to reach an impossibly unrealistic, self-created and implemented standard.
Yet an anonymous Instagram user knows her dark and dirty secret all the same and spares no punches in letting her know that they will out her. This is all while she has opted on a whim to attend a wellness retreat in hopes of sorting through deep-seated trauma with the hope of getting well. At first she is resistant but little by little comes to be more rawly honest as time goes on. From here, Ava goes on a journey of palpable self-discovery and awareness only to realize that only she, in the company of a trusted therapist, has the toolkit to work through her innermost demons that assail her at each new fork in the road. It is only up to her to choose who she lets into her life as she has to build trust while in a fragile, tenuous place. However, everyone around her becomes a suspect and I loved this read immeasurably as Ava picks apart her surroundings and the people in them. This story was layered and sharply reflective and just goes to show that suffering doesn’t have to be silent.
March 17, 2022
Just a warning- this should have ALL the trigger warnings! Was not ready for so much of it to be around eating disorders and was VERY graphic in descriptions of bingeing and purging (not really a spoiler since this is all revealed in the second chapter).
This really fell flat to me...I didn't find anything likable about Ava. She seemed like a caricature of a social media celebrity, and while a lot of what she was doing is probably very common in that space she didn't have any real depth to me, and the changes she went through didn't seem believable. This almost read as a first draft of a book that needs more added. Only good part was that it was a quick read and I loved all the descriptions of where she was staying and the food sounded amazing (even if she described them all in such a hateful, fearful way).
This really fell flat to me...I didn't find anything likable about Ava. She seemed like a caricature of a social media celebrity, and while a lot of what she was doing is probably very common in that space she didn't have any real depth to me, and the changes she went through didn't seem believable. This almost read as a first draft of a book that needs more added. Only good part was that it was a quick read and I loved all the descriptions of where she was staying and the food sounded amazing (even if she described them all in such a hateful, fearful way).
August 28, 2022
Ava builds her social media empire on having recovered from bulimia. Her image is a lie. It’s not a lie because she’s in denial. Ava is fully aware of her duplicity and takes pleasure in it. After she unknowingly books herself on a recovery retreat on Martha’s Vineyard, I stopped listening.
Want to read
March 1, 2022Kindle First Reads - March 2022
March 3, 2022
quick easy read
This was a really easy quick read. Nothing earth shattering and I felt like it was a little bit too much like life time, but it did keep me entertained and busy for the day. Something about it… can’t put my finger on it. It wasn’t bad.. but it was just too neat and easy at the end.
This was a really easy quick read. Nothing earth shattering and I felt like it was a little bit too much like life time, but it did keep me entertained and busy for the day. Something about it… can’t put my finger on it. It wasn’t bad.. but it was just too neat and easy at the end.
March 28, 2022
I didn't particularly care for this book. I really didn't like Ava. It felt like she thought she was above everything the retreat was trying to do. She was very fake (which is a theme in the book), but never really seemed like she even wanted to be authentic. She didn't even try to get better until 90 percent through the book, and then it was so sudden that it didn't really make sense. This book goes into a lot of detail about her bulimia but not about her therapy and getting better. She only comes clean to her followers after being called out and then instantly forgives the person that outed her. I'm just not a fan of this one.
*I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
*I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
April 4, 2022
I cannot stress enough that this book should come with a trigger warning for graphic eating disorder-related content. That’s barely a spoiler: the second chapter is practically a how-to manual for bulimia. That’s the “double life”, “living a lie” that Ava, our influencer main character, is billed as experiencing. It’s just a couple of extra words, lads. Why isn’t it right there in the blurb?
This is a really moreish read though: so much so that, were it not for the lack of warning, I might have been tempted to give it four stars… although, I suppose, dark side of influencing stories that lack nuance are pretty much a trope at this point, and I say that as someone who chucked it myself. The ending is as heavily telegraphed as it gets, but it will leave you contentedly sated.
This is a really moreish read though: so much so that, were it not for the lack of warning, I might have been tempted to give it four stars… although, I suppose, dark side of influencing stories that lack nuance are pretty much a trope at this point, and I say that as someone who chucked it myself. The ending is as heavily telegraphed as it gets, but it will leave you contentedly sated.
March 28, 2023
Adding this one to my “social work” bookshelf because it discusses eating disorder struggles so thoroughly.
March 24, 2022
I received a PRC of Full from Amazon First Reads.
I wasn't sure I wanted to read this but was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the pages turned! This is the story of a social media influencer who has a big secret--she is bulimic. When she attends a 6 week wellness retreat, her illness spirals out of control. Even worse, she has a troll who has figured out that she isn't being truthful to her followers. This is such a timely book--with an uptick in eating disorders, the author gives this illness the full treatment. She also exposes the deception of so many social media influencers and the impact they have on vulnerable followers. Amazing how well she balanced both topics and made this a really engaging read! I would warn anyone who has an eating disorder that this may trigger symptoms.
I wasn't sure I wanted to read this but was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the pages turned! This is the story of a social media influencer who has a big secret--she is bulimic. When she attends a 6 week wellness retreat, her illness spirals out of control. Even worse, she has a troll who has figured out that she isn't being truthful to her followers. This is such a timely book--with an uptick in eating disorders, the author gives this illness the full treatment. She also exposes the deception of so many social media influencers and the impact they have on vulnerable followers. Amazing how well she balanced both topics and made this a really engaging read! I would warn anyone who has an eating disorder that this may trigger symptoms.
October 7, 2023
I related to Full by Julia Spiro more than I thought I would. It's gritty, real, honest, sad, and lovely. In doing reviews, I always try to mention the good and the bad for balance and honesty, but I am having a hard time coming up with anything negative to say. Maybe I'm too close to the story. Regardless, it deserves my 5 star rating.
Brittany Pressley is in my top 3 list of favorite narrators, and she did not disappoint. I love how she seems to completely embody the main character of whatever book she is reading. It's enthralling, listening to her.
Brittany Pressley is in my top 3 list of favorite narrators, and she did not disappoint. I love how she seems to completely embody the main character of whatever book she is reading. It's enthralling, listening to her.
March 11, 2022
This book was a freebie for me this month so I didn’t have any expectations. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the author’s writing style and the story moved along pretty quickly. Readers that suffer from an eating disorder should be warned that this book can be triggering but I thought the author did a good job describing what goes through the mind of a bulimic when she/he is in the throes of an episode. The author also did a nice job describing Martha’s Vineyard and the beauty of that island. The story was predictable in parts but I think it will be a good summertime read for many.
September 24, 2022
Ok I have a weird love of books that accurately and rawly describe mental illness (see turtles all the way down). It is so enthralling to be inside the brain of a character who struggling with a disease that you can’t “think your way out of to overcome”. The ability to understand and empathize with a situation you would otherwise never even begin to understand… ugh this is why I love books. Overall, the book is a bit of a troupe commentary about social media and the rise of influencers and the impact that has had on authenticity and body image. HOWEVER, the in depth detail of Ava’s bulimia *chef kiss* 🤌🏾 it is both horrifying and tender. 4/5 stars.
August 19, 2023
Parts of this book I really enjoyed - the descriptions of the scenery and the food were fantastic. Other parts, such as Ava's recovery, I wasn't as convinced by, but I did like the idea of the retreat and the supportive friendship she found with her cabin-mates.
As a tourist advert for Martha's Vineyard, this book definitely works, I found myself looking up each location Ava visited and adding it to a travel wishlist!
As a tourist advert for Martha's Vineyard, this book definitely works, I found myself looking up each location Ava visited and adding it to a travel wishlist!
January 9, 2023
F&FBC 2023 Reading Challenge
January: Book with a One-Word Title
An Amazon First Reads choice that has been sitting in my Kindle Library for some time.
I was drawn in to Ava’s story and her battle with bulimia and her struggle to find herself.
The setting on Martha’s Vineyard was spectacular.
January: Book with a One-Word Title
An Amazon First Reads choice that has been sitting in my Kindle Library for some time.
I was drawn in to Ava’s story and her battle with bulimia and her struggle to find herself.
The setting on Martha’s Vineyard was spectacular.
May 2, 2022
3.5 stars
April 11, 2023
Trigger warning** graphic descriptions eating disorder. I have lots of feelings about this book, none of which I will write about in this space other than I felt it was accurate.
January 28, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and there was a lot more depth to it than I was expecting when I first picked it up. I will say though that it is in dire need of trigger warnings.
February 6, 2024
This novel about a wellness influencer with a secret eating disorder was very good. The characters were well developed and the reasons and consequences of the disorder were fully explored.
July 31, 2022
Quick read, kept me interested and entertained. Might not be right for you if you have an eating disorder!
September 3, 2022
Went into this book without reading the synopsis. It was an audible daily deal and the cover looked interesting. It wasn’t at all what I expected but was an interesting read. Definitely not for everyone though. 3.5 stars.
Trigger warning for body image, bulimia
Trigger warning for body image, bulimia
December 14, 2022
Bingeable read about life at a wellness retreat. Ava goes to Martha’s Vineyard to recover and find herself. I recommend this read.
August 30, 2023
Really enjoyed this! It reminded me of Nine Perfect Strangers a little bit.
Ava annoyed me at times, she was so self-centred - but that’s the point
The ending felt a little rushed, I’d have loved to see a little more of the main timeline before we flicked ahead.
Content Warning: Eating disorder, vomit
Ava annoyed me at times, she was so self-centred - but that’s the point
The ending felt a little rushed, I’d have loved to see a little more of the main timeline before we flicked ahead.
Content Warning: Eating disorder, vomit
Displaying 1 - 30 of 325 reviews