Expected
Publication: September 15, 2015
Publisher:
Balzer+Bray
Format:
via Edelweiss
Challenges:
2015 NG/ED
Rating:
5/5
Synopsis
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.
With
starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly
unforgettable heroine— Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.
My
Thoughts
Oh
the feels! I loved everything about this book! Willowdean has a special place in my
heart because I can so identify with her. Like her I was “bigger” growing up
and although I acted like certain things didn’t bother me when it came to guys I
was self-conscious. However what I loved the most was how this wasn’t just a
book about a big girl and her problems this book was about a girl who had
problems just like any other teenage girl would.
We
met Willowdean who is trying to cope with the aftermath of the death of her aunt. Her
aunt was everything to her; she took care of her and was her second mom. She lives
in a small town that is obsessed with pageants and pretty skinny girls and she
feels like she doesn’t fit into that world but one day she decides to make it
her mission to show everyone that it shouldn’t matter what’s on the outside but what's in the inside that matters most. It doesn’t help that she has a skinny best
friend whom until recently were thicker than thieves but are now at odds. Willowdean and Ellen are pulling apart and after one awful fight don’t know if their
friendship will survive this storm.
We
see Willowdean fall in love with her long time crush/coworker Bo and when he
returns her affections I couldn’t help but fall in love with him also. And while
Willowdean is confident at times when it comes to love she doesn’t think she
deserves it. She can’t understand why Bo would love and want her and I loved
how Bo didn’t back down he pursued her and wanted to show her why he did and
most importantly that she deserves love like everyone else. He lets her know
that he’s the one that’s lucky that she loves him not the other way around. This
book is one those that I instantly loved. I felt a connection and those are the
ones that will always have my heart. I want everyone to read this and I dare
you not to feel something. Do yourself a favor and read Dumplin’ it’s the best
thing you could do.
I love how much positive reviews this book is gathering! I read this in the spring and have been in love with it ever since. Willowdean is such a special character for me, mostly because I was (and still am) a "bigger" girl and often found it weird that there were no stories about big girls who are okay with themselves as they are.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review! :)
This book is everything. I mean, I really loved EVERYTHING about it and Willowdean is one of my most favorite characters ever!
ReplyDeleteKate @ Ex Libris