You know that feeling when you finish a book and you need to talk about it? Like, immediately? You’re texting people who haven’t read it, calling your friend who might be three chapters behind, and honestly just spiraling a little because you have thoughts and nowhere to put them?
Yeah. That’s exactly what we’re fixing.
Last year, we introduced books into The Curvy Fashionista in a way that felt both natural and necessary. We started highlighting titles, sharing recommendations, and carving out space for stories that reflected our community. It was a first step, and it made one thing very clear. The interest was there. The need was there. And the conversation was only just getting started.
Now, we are building on that foundation in a much bigger way. What started as discovery is evolving into connection. What started as content is becoming community. With the relaunch of our TCF Book Club, we are creating a space that goes beyond the page. A space where we can gather, react, question, celebrate, and push the conversation forward together.
Because finding the book is only half the story. Talking about it is where the magic happens.
And this time, we are doing both.
Meet Taylor Corrien, Our Chief Story Stylist!
Every good book club needs someone who knows how to read between the lines and read the room.
Enter Taylor Corrien.
Taylor is a plus size creator, stylist, influencer, and a self-proclaimed lover of books that center plus size characters. She has built her platform on showing up fully and encouraging others to do the same, whether that is through personal style or the stories we choose to engage with.
“When Marie let me know that she wanted to relaunch the TCF book club with me as the Chief Story Stylist, to say I was overjoyed would be an understatement! Reading Romance Fiction has become one of my favorite parts of my life and the chance to be in community with other plus size women who love it is a dream come true.”
She reads with intention! She notices the details. She will absolutely call out a tired trope and then turn around and celebrate a character that feels real, nuanced, and worthy of the spotlight.
“I don’t just want the book club to be a book club though; I want it to be a community that can bring plus size people into friendship with one another. Sharing space with others that understand your walk in life is so important and not only will we be doing that, but we’ll also be reading about characters that live our walk through fiction, in romance, in fantasy and all of the real world circumstances we face!”
Around here, she is setting the tone. Think equal parts style eye, cultural critic, and your friend who always has a critique after chapter three.
April Book of the Month
We wanted our first book back to say something.
Not just be a good read but set the standard.
Our April Book of the Month is one we debated, went back and forth on, and ultimately chose because it reflects exactly what we want more of. A plus size character at the center. A story that does not shrink her. A narrative that lets her exist fully.
Our April Book of the Month is: Only for the Week by Natasha Bishop
Our Chief Story Stylist, Taylor is here to tell you exactly why this one rose to the top:
“When Marie let me know that she wanted to relaunch the TCF book club with me as the Chief Story Stylist, I knew immediately that “Only for the week” by Natasha Bishop was the first book I would read with the book club!
It already being at the top of my personal TBR and me not being able to scroll through socials without constantly hearing the title! The main character Janelle sounds like the perfect Plus sized FMC to kick off the first month of book club with!
Experiencing a character that finds the courage to live their life unapologetically despite their circumstances like Janelle, is influential in all the best ways for curvy women trying to find that courage in the real world!
We’ll be reading “Only for the Week” for the first month, to kick off this Romance fiction filled year and I’m sure it’s a story that’ll stick with us forever.”
Taylor Corrien
Consider this your official notice. You are going to want to read this one with us.
What This Looks Like Month to Month
This is not a passive book club.
You are not just reading along and liking a post.
You are in it.
Twice a month, we are meeting live on Zoom to talk through the book. The good parts. The complicated parts. The moments that made you pause and reread a paragraph just to make sure you caught it right.
In between, the conversation keeps going inside our Style Society. This is your space to drop your takes, react in real time, and connect with other readers who are picking up on the same things you are.
And because one book is never enough, we are building out monthly editorial that helps you keep discovering. More authors. More stories. More main characters who look like us.
Why We Are Still Having This Conversation
Here is the part we cannot ignore.
Publishing is a multibillion-dollar industry. And yet, plus size characters are still rarely positioned as fully developed leads with rich, layered lives. Too often, they are written as supporting characters, punchlines, or projects.
Even now, stories centered on larger bodies are frequently tied to transformation narratives instead of allowing space for joy, desire, adventure, and complexity.
That gap is exactly why this book club exists.
“Romance and Fantasy stories are for everyone, especially plus sized women and we deserve a space where books center us! My main goal as a leader is to foster an environment where we all feel included, heard, and at home in each other’s company.”
The Curvy Fashionista Book Club exists to close the discovery gap through intentional curation, community conversation, and consistent visibility. We are making it easier to find the stories that already exist and harder to ignore the ones that are still missing.
And when these books hit, they do not stay on the page. They open doors into film, television, and broader culture. That is how representation grows.
April 11. Be There.
This is your invitation.
Our first meeting is happening on April 11 and we expect opinions.
RSVP for the first book club meeting!
Join the TCF Style Society to access our TCF Book Club space!
Come ready to talk. Come ready to listen. Come ready to see yourself a little more clearly in the stories we are choosing.
We are not just turning the page.
We are finally getting the conversation we have been waiting for.
This article, The Plot Thickens: The Curvy Fashionista Book Club Is HERE first appeared on The Curvy Fashionista and is written by Marie Denee.
Never miss the latest in plus size fashion news, trends, and conversations! Sign up for Curvy Fashionista Newsletter!
from The Curvy Fashionista https://ift.tt/3z7oHnL