Reviews

Puddin' by Julie Murphy

bettielovesbooks's review against another edition

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4.0

I think this one has a depth that Dumplin’ didn’t have. Callie grew up so much, I really disliked her at the beginning, but she really learned from her mistakes and became a better person.
I loved Millie and I identify with her and her relationship with her mother and I was really proud of how she finally stand up to her and asked to see her for what she was and no the skinny girl she could be.
The romance was super cute too! I loved both Mitch and Malik.
My only complaint would be that Callie sounded a little robotic in the audiobook.

shaynalambert's review against another edition

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5.0

I had a hard time believing that I’d love a protagonist more than Willowdean, but Millie Michalchuck stole my heart. She was just so delightful to spend a book with, and I rooted for her with all my heart. I also loved seeing the development of her relationship with Callie. I wasn’t sure I was going to like Callie at first, because Murphy did a great job of capturing the mindset of the sort of girls who used to make fun of me in high school. Lol. But I really enjoyed her journey toward becoming a kinder, more empathetic person, and I did find myself getting really sympathetic for what she was going through. This was a delightful book, and I love its marvelous, body positive message! The world needs more Millies!

Edit to add: I also squeed at the asexual rep in this book! There are not enough ace characters!

baoluong's review against another edition

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3.0

Puddin' is the follow up to Dumplin' and features the same cast of characters that were first introduced as minor roles. This time around, Millie and Callie find themselves at the epicenter of a town scandal and through extenuating circumstances, the both of them learn from one another. The story is adequate and there's a tension that makes the dynamic between the two complex. I really like how Callie talks about her Latina physical features being justification for others to discriminate her. So it's curious how Callie uses that mistreatment as a justification of mistreating Millie.

Is Callie the most likable character? Well, it's a slow process but she begins to resemble a decent human by the end. That's more than I can say about the abhorred Willow Dean who manages to needle her judgmental self into this redemption story. Geez, that's the only reason I was able to tolerate Callie because she is far from being the worst. In turn, I can't extend the same curtesy to the Shamrocks, Callie's high school dance team, who engage in come casual destruction of property.

Although, what really brings impact is understanding the overarching structures that manage to oppress us. In Puddin', themes surround isolation and an inability to unite for a single cause. While, the potential exists, the writing and plot fail to properly execute it. There's this misunderstanding conflict that only exacerbates a lack of communication which could have easily been solved. In truth, the way the story plays out is pretty much predictable in that we know Callie must fall from grace and Millie is the savior to show her the error of her ways. I think we could have done without the fan fare and focused on Millie's journey to self-discovery. However, I reckon it's important to demonstrate that anyone can change their ways especially when their backs are finally up against the wall. The lesson? Humans consider changing only when they have to in order to survive.

C O V E R   R E V I E W :


I like the color scheme which is triggering me. I ventilate every time I think about Swiss modernism. The vector illustration is cute and activates the cover. I'm not too into the centered text but I like the kerning that gives breathing room to letters. I still don't get the star motif and seems superfluous. Otherwise, I think it's solid.

B L O G 🐶

abbyl819's review against another edition

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3.0

This book was overall good because it was entertaining, although there really wasn’t much of a plot. I would say that it is definitely not necessary to read it after you read Dumplin’ because it doesn’t add anything to that story really. If you love Millie and Callie and want something more from their stories, then this would be a good one for you since it is from their two perspectives.

kaylawtzl22's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

i enjoyed this book and thought it was a perfect sequel to dumplin. i really didn’t think i’d like these characters or connect to them as much as willowdean, but i ended up being pleasantly surprised. even though the character are younger than me, i heavily related to the pressure they were feeling to already have their lives and next steps figured out. it’s cute! onto pumpkin🙂‍↕️

kholtfit's review against another edition

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adventurous inspiring reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

ireadbooks_10's review against another edition

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I couldn’t get excited to read the book, and didn’t find something to look forward to when I picked it up.

keahreads's review against another edition

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funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

chantalwiegand's review against another edition

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4.0

I really enjoy the writing style of the dumplin’ series so far. The character in this book are just as enjoyable as in dumplin’. I also love that you see the ‘bad’ sides of the characters it makes it feel more real imo.

ruth24's review against another edition

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4.0

I listened to this on audiobook during my commute. Like [b:Dumplin'|18304322|Dumplin' (Dumplin' #1)|Julie Murphy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1424189465l/18304322._SY75_.jpg|25795642], the story line is classic YA goodness with an overall message of self-love. An unlikely friendship grows between total opposites Millie and Callie. While Millie learns to stand up for herself to get what she wants (and deserves), Callie digs deep to shake off her defensiveness and reveal her soft and squishy insides. What makes this book great is the fat girl empowerment (riots not diets!), which is a welcome change. In Murphy's books, girls in all forms and varieties are lovable just as they are!