Review: Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Title: Dumplin’

Author: Julie Murphy

Publication Date: 9.15.2015

Series: N/A

Source:  ARC from publisher

Amazon

Rating: 5 Stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

Review:

Willowdean is my soul sister.

I'm not even kidding.

I loved every single word, sentence, paragraph, and chapter of this book. It breathes life into the way a lot of women (myself included) often feel. It's positive and celebrates all forms of beauty.

Every person - teen, adult, male, female - needs to read this. I wanted to run out and press this book into the hands of everyone I know. Do you want to know how my brain works? This is how.

Willowdean is such a strong but exposed character. She has a snarky wit that comes from years of perfecting self-deprecation and deflection. It’s a defense mechanism that helps her be a little less vulnerable from the world, but watching her break through these defensive walls is inspiring.

If you want a book about self-discovery, here you go. If you want a book with some kissin’ and hot guys? This book right here. If you want a book to make you laugh out loud? I got you covered. This book has something for everyone to love.