Dumplin' by Julie Murphy - review + GIVEAWAY -

Hello everyone!
How's it going on this wonderful Monday? Great I hope! For my part, I just had an awesome Thanks Giving dinner with my family yesterday and I ate SO much!

Anyways, I am here today to review a book that has got everyone raving; yes, I'm talking about Dumplin', by Julie Murphy!

If for some reason you haven't heard anything about this book, let me do a little recap for you:

Willowdean Dickson, AKA Dumplin' when it comes to her mother, is fat and proud of it. She never had a problem walking with her head held high, even when she had to wear her ridiculous work uniform during her shifts at Harpy's. That is, until Bo, her nice looking co-worker, started taking interest in her.

When she should feel empowered and beautiful, Will is ashamed and disgusted with herself. The only solution to this problem? To enter the annual beauty pageant hosted by none other than her mother.

What started out as a personal project might end up being show that will surprise the heck out of everyone, herself not excluded.

I went into  this book not really knowing what it was about. I hadn't read the synopsis, only the front cover which said ''Go big or go home'', which is one of my favorite quote, so it couldn't go wrong, could it?

I was very surprised by the plot.
In YA books, the MC either starts with a love interest or ends up with one at the end. But in Dumplin'? Willowdean's love journey is really different. And I liked it. A lot! It wasn't anything I had read before and I enjoyed the originality of it quite a bit!


Moving on to the characters... Some I loved, others I loved-not-so-much.

Willowdean is part of the first category; I really liked reading her story! I admired her confidence so much and could relate to her personality in a way that I do with my best friends! Her struggles seemed legit; every one of her problems were obstacles that I could see myself going through, not the superficial shit that MC's need to ''overcome'' sometimes in YA literature...

Boo is part of the second category. I didn't like him on a personal level. I know my fair share of people who can't make up their minds and I hate it so much! The way he acted with Will was not right and I didn't particularly root for him.


I enjoyed the story line a lot, but I was never fully involved in it. How that could be, I do not know.
I think I was expecting that little something that would blow me away, but it didn't happen and that's what left me with this weird feeling. Also, I thought the concept of body empowerment was going to be more present in the book. Maybe it's just me who had this pre-made idea of the story... Probably...

Regardless of all of this, I have to say that the ending was on point! It wasn't picture perfect, which actually ended up making it perfect!

Because of the weird feelings that I can't really explain, I can't bring myself to give this book four stars.

Regardless, it was really good and I highly encourage you to read it if you haven't already. And if that is the case you are lucky because...
You have the chance to win a copy!

I had promised you guys that I would do a giveaway every time I met one of my blogging goals (you can see my bucket list here) and I always keep my promises, so here it is!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


The winner will be announced on Twitter and contacted personally through either Twitter, Bloglovin, or e-mail.

For those of you who have read the book, I'm asking you this question: 

What would be on your mum?

Good luck and take care guys!

Sophie