Customer Reviews

Something's Wrong with your Scale

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Loved this book. LOVED IT! I see that Mr. Whitfield is now writing for a TV show (Grown Ups with Jaleel "Urkel" White) and that show is on par with his book. I can't wait for the movie. Queen Latifah would make a great Kayla!

As a full figured woman struggling with my own weight issues and the prejudice that goes along with it, I thoroughly enjoyed this book that caught my eye and attention from the first paragraph. The scene in Leon's, the relationship with KJ and the mail box scam were my favorites. I was reading on the train when KJ's character was introduced. I unsuccessfully tried to contain the laughter while tears were running down my face and eventually gave up. I laughed so loud and hard that people around me started laughing and in turn wanted to know what I was reading!!! I have then passed the book around and told everyone I know to read it. I respect the way Van took a sensitive subject that needed to be addressed and presented it in a way that all can emphathize with. I also enjoyed the way Van developed Kayla and Sonny's relationship. The way the relationship grew and evolved was very realistic. I also wanted to note that there are many "Kayla's" out there - Beautiful full figured women who are together and have it "going on". I can't wait to read "Beeperless" and look forward to more of Van's books. (P.S. - I really feel a movie should be made from this book).

...you get a romantic comedy written by Van Whitfield. From page one, you don't know whether to cry or laugh so be prepared to laugh until you cry.

Mr. Whitfield takes a subject that many people are very sensitive about and sheds new light on it. We can either change or accept ourselves the way we are.

Hopefully, others will learn an important lesson from this book also, which is let's not judge from the outside, but from the inside. For many tried to judge Kayla (strong female character), but they misjudged her, with all her confidence and strength.

A good read

You know you have a weight problem when you work in a sporting goods store and your boss asks you to stand where the new jumbo-sized tent display is going to go, just so he can get an idea of how much space he'll need.

Van Whitfield's Something's Wrong with Your Scale provides a comical look at the journey of a man struggling with his weight. Through the course of the novel, Whitfield points out what's wrong with the numbers people see when they look at a scale.

Sonny, the main character, finds himself morphing from a trim man with a hard body to an obese, sweat-suit-wearing quasi-blimp after just one year dating Marsha, a woman who knows how to cook. The added 75 pounds in Sonny's life get him dumped by the woman he loves and dogged by the men who are supposedly his friends.

It is under these circumstances that Sonny finds himself in the meeting room of the FutraSystem Weight Loss Center. Here, he meets people who really understand how it feels to remember significant life events by recalling what he was eating at the time. He also meets Kayla, who admonishes Sonny for crying over a woman who would dump him over a few pounds.

Soon, Sonny finds that Marsha isn't the woman he's crying about anymore.

Dining on FutraSystem food packaged in yellow boxes with red labels, Sonny decides to get serious about his weight. He calls his friends and asks them for support, which they provide in the form of lots of workout equipment and an exercise routine.

Through Kayla, Sonny begins to question why he is losing weight. He realizes that he needs to lose weight for himself - not for Marsha.

In showing Sonny's struggle with weight loss, Whitfield presents his readers with a realistic story. Not so believable, however, is the relationship that forms between Kayla and Sonny.

The two lovers share much in common with regards to obesity. However, just as Sonny starts to lose weight and seems to be winning his battle, Kayla, who is quickly losing her battle, makes him a huge dinner of fried chicken. Sonny does not seem to mind that the person he loves is actually impeding his efforts.

Sonny's relationship with his friends also rings false. One night, over two beers, Sonny gets very drunk and yells at his friends, hurling insults that would be enough to break up any friendship. Though the men don't talk for a year after that, Whitfield works everything out in the last chapter with a sugary, sweet ending. Too sugary, actually.

Everything works out in the last chapter. And that is the something that is wrong with Something's Wrong with Your Scale.

I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't the best thing I've ever read, however, it did hold my attention and it got quite a few chuckles out of me. I haven't read "Beeperless.." yet, so I can't compare "Something's Wrong..." with that particular piece, but my first impression of Mr. Whitfield's work is definitely positive

This book was awsome! I actually read it 1 day. I couldn't put it down. I was upset when I finished it. I laughed until I cried. I can't wait to read more of his material. I loved Kayla she loved herself and in turn she found true love. Oh and you have to love the bird K.J. Van does an awsome job with this book and I can't wait to read more of his material. A movie should be made from this book. Too funny!

This is one funny book. I laughed from the beginning to the end. There were some poignant points in the plot, but they weren't so heavy as to ruin the book. I'm now looking forward to reading more from Van Whitfield.

The book was moderate, somewhat entertaining. Sonny weakness displayed low-self esteem and self pity. It was like reading a book about an over-weight man with romance problems.

I found it hard to get into this book. There was poor character development, and the message was entirely lots because of it. It appears that he hurriedly wrote the book to capitalize on the popularity of his first book, which I enjoyed. The attempts at humor were very poor. I struggled through this book, and I was glad when it was over!

I am an overweight,educated,black male. I can truely identify with Sonny. The situations he presented in the book were extreme, yet funny. Reminded me of times being on a plane or working with children and the things some of them say about overweight people. You really can't and shouldn't get to upset.

The book strongly suggest that there are others that are battling to lose weight and keep it off and that gives one the encourgement to again strive for a better lifestyle.

The humor with the other charaters was also really enjoyed and appreciated.