Release Date: May 8th, 2018
Finished Date: April 25th, 2018
Publishers: Harper 360
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Source: For Review
Format: ARC
Pages: 448Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Source: For Review
Format: ARC
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo
It is a companion novel to Dumplin', which follows supporting characters from the first book in the months after Willowdean's star turn in the Clover City pageant.
Millie Michalchuk has gone to fat camp every year since she was a girl. Not this year. This year she has new plans to chase her secret dream—and to kiss her crush. Callie Reyes is the pretty girl who is next in line for dance team captain and has the popular boyfriend. But when it comes to other girls, she’s more frenemy than friend. When circumstances bring the girls together over the course of a semester, they will surprise everyone (especially themselves) by realizing they might have more in common than they ever imagined.
Millie Michalchuk has gone to fat camp every year since she was a girl. Not this year. This year she has new plans to chase her secret dream—and to kiss her crush. Callie Reyes is the pretty girl who is next in line for dance team captain and has the popular boyfriend. But when it comes to other girls, she’s more frenemy than friend. When circumstances bring the girls together over the course of a semester, they will surprise everyone (especially themselves) by realizing they might have more in common than they ever imagined.
The Review: Dumplin’ was such a refreshing and fun YA contemporary read that I couldn’t help fall in love with when I read it a few years ago. And now with the movie that will be releasing soon, I definitely felt this was the right time for Julie Murphy to write a companion novel. As you can imagine I had really high hopes for Puddin’ but this one fell a little short for me which I’m really sad about.
Puddin’ is told from alternative points of view about two girls who couldn’t be more opposite. Every summer Millie has gone to fat camp while Callie is on the dance team. It’s when a prank goes wrong that these two girls come together.
Even weeks after reading this book I’m still contemplating why I couldn’t connect to it as much as I was hoping to and I think my main reason was the alternative points of view. Although both of the girls from the story are complete opposites, I sometimes found getting lost in their points of view and forgetting who was who. I wasn’t a big fan of Callie – I found her the hardest character to like and I felt like maybe I would have enjoyed this book if it had been in Millie's point of view. I was already familiar with Millie from Dumplin’ but I honestly don’t remember meeting Callie before or if she was a completely new character.
I was definitely hoping for more Willowdean since she is the reason I loved the first book so much but, she didn’t get much time in this book which, I kind of understand but definitely felt like she could have been around more. I also felt the story was slow at times with not much happening along the way until the end,which was a little underwhelming. And the book was way too long for the amount that happens in the story.
The book wasn’t all bad there was so good moments – the romance – not only one but two different romances which I loved and I enjoyed seeing each girl’s relationship develop. And also the friendship that forms between the two main characters. The solidary that develops between them is fierce and something we should all want from our own friendships.
Julie Murphy’s books no matter what are always enjoyable reads. I’ve enjoyed all her books and even though Puddin’ wasn’t as good as I was expecting, I still think everyone should read them because her writing reflects the perfect example of staying true to yourself, no matter how you look, no matter what colour skin you are, and to accept who you are and I love that this message is loud and clear from the very first page. This is the real beauty of Julie's books.
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