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Book Review: Puddin' by Julie Murphy

* I am reviewing this book that I received from the author but this in no way affects my review *


Title: Puddin'
Authors: Julie Murphy
Source: From the publisher (Harper360)
Publisher: Balzer & Bray
Rating: 4/5 stars





Book Summary:

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. 

Book Review:

I read Dumplin' when it first came out and really loved it. It was a great read and was one of the first books that I read about a plus-size protagonist. I was, therefore, super excited to read Puddin' which is the sequel/prequel to Dumplin'. I really enjoyed Puddin' with its strong focus on female friendship.

Although I really did like the story when I started it, I read it around exam time so this impacted how I first saw the story. I felt like the beginning was a bit slow and I didn't really get what I needed from it. I know that had I read it at a different time, I could have loved this much more than I did but the end. It is a great heartwarming story that I devoured once I got into it. 
 As mentioned this book focuses on the friendship of Callie and Millie after they are kind of forced into each other's lives. It is definitely an enemy to friends type deal and what Callie does to Millie and makes them closer is quite bad but I think that from this their friendship is just a lot purer and realistic. I think that by the end of the book it is clear how great their friendship is and the lengths that they would go to each other which I loved. 

Like with Dumplin', Puddin' does deal with being plus-sized and dreams. This was a part that I loved and I think as a person who is plus-sized themselves, I felt like Puddin' was deeply personal to me and I learnt so much about my body from reading it and have wanted to change how I see my own body since reading the book. I love Julie Murphy for including this as part of the story and for continuing to include fat characters in the story as this is the only time where I see myself on the page. She does it well and I love it! 

The Verdict:

Puddin' is a prequel that will please Dumplin' fans but should be pushed into the hands that need it. Julie Murphy is a great writer and this book proves it.

Have you read Puddin'? Did you like it? Do you want to read it? Let me know in the comments!

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