My Thoughts: If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy

If the Shoe Fits
(Meant to Be #1)
by Julie Murphy

Publication Date: August 3rd 2021
Publisher: Hyperion Avenue
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9781368050388
Genre: Adult Fiction / Contemporary / Romance
Source: Netgalley Review Copy

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After having just graduated with a degree in shoe design, and trying to get her feet on the ground, Cindy is working for her stepmother, who happens to be the executive producer of America's favorite reality show, Before Midnight. When a spot on the show needs filling ASAP, Cindy volunteers, hoping it might help jump-start her fashion career, or at least give her something to do while her peers land jobs in the world of high fashion.

Turns out being the only plus size woman on a reality dating competition makes a splash, and soon Cindy becomes a body positivity icon for women everywhere. What she doesn't expect? That she may just find inspiration-and love-in the process. Ultimately, Cindy learns that if the shoe doesn't fit, maybe it's time to design your own. (Goodreads)

If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy is the very first book in a brand new series by Disney Publishing titled Meant to Be! From what I have read about this series, the books are modern retellings of our favorite fairytales, written for adults, and each book will be by a different author. Sound exciting? It definitely does to me!

I am a big fan of fairytale retellings! I love when someone takes one of my favorite stories and puts their own spin on it. It’s familiar, yet all new at the same time. Cinderella is not my most favorite fairytale, but I do always appreciate a good spin on the original.

There was SO much to love about If the Shoe Fits! The one thing that I loved the MOST was that there was no evil stepmom/stepsisters in this story. I want to get this out there because that’s probably my least favorite part of the original story. I LOVED that this story was different! The stepmom and stepsisters were great!

Also another thing I loved about this book were the characters. There were so many character in the book to love! From the main character, Cindy, to the secondary characters, they were really all great. (Ok, except for the one. Read the book and you’ll see.) I also really enjoyed the storyline for the book! The modern take on the original story, with the reality show twist, was fantastic. I devoured this book in no time, I was so hooked.

Overall; If you can’t already tell, I really, really enjoyed If the Shoe Fits! I am very excited to read more books in this series. There is very little information so far on the second book, but I did manage to find that the next book is titled By the Book, written by Jasmine Guillory, and is a BEAUTY AND THE BEAST retelling! (Beauty and the Beast is my Favorite fairytale!) I am definitely excited to get my hands on that book, and the rest of the series, as soon as possible!

Waiting on Wednesday: Pumpkin & Meet Cute Diary

Pumpkin
(Dumplin' #3)
by Julie Murphy

Expected publication: May 25th 2021
by Balzer + Bray

Waylon Russell Brewer is a fat, openly gay boy stuck in the small West Texas town of Clover City. His plan is to bide his time until he can graduate, move to Austin with his twin sister, Clementine, and finally go Full Waylon, so that he can live his Julie-the-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-of-music-Andrews truth.

So when Clementine deviates from their master plan right after Waylon gets dumped, he throws caution to the wind and creates an audition tape for his favorite TV drag show, Fiercest of Them All. What he doesn’t count on is the tape accidentally getting shared with the entire school. . . . As a result, Waylon is nominated for prom queen as a joke. Clem’s girlfriend, Hannah Perez, also receives a joke nomination for prom king.

Waylon and Hannah decide there’s only one thing to do: run—and leave high school with a bang. A very glittery bang. Along the way, Waylon discovers that there is a lot more to running for prom court than campaign posters and plastic crowns, especially when he has to spend so much time with the very cute and infuriating prom king nominee Tucker Watson.

Waylon will need to learn that the best plan for tomorrow is living for today . . . especially with the help of some fellow queens. . . .


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Meet Cute Diary
by Emery Lee

Expected publication: May 4th 2021
by Quill Tree Books

Felix Ever After meets Becky Albertalli in this swoon-worthy, heartfelt rom-com about how a transgender teen’s first love challenges his ideas about perfect relationships.

Noah Ramirez thinks he’s an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. There’s just one problem—all the stories are fake. What started as the fantasies of a trans boy afraid to step out of the closet has grown into a beacon of hope for trans readers across the globe.

When a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world unravels. The only way to save the Diary is to convince everyone that the stories are true, but he doesn’t have any proof. Then Drew walks into Noah’s life, and the pieces fall into place: Drew is willing to fake-date Noah to save the Diary. But when Noah’s feelings grow beyond their staged romance, he realizes that dating in real life isn’t quite the same as finding love on the page.

In this charming novel by Emery Lee, Noah will have to choose between following his own rules for love or discovering that the most romantic endings are the ones that go off script.


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•     •     •

Do both of these books sound SO good, or what?
I am very excited to check them both out.

AND they are both PINK! I definitely need more pink books in my collection.

:)

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy

Dear Sweet Pea
by Julie Murphy
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Publication Date: October 1st 2019
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 288
ISBN: 9780062473073
Genre: Middle Grade | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss Review Copy

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The first middle grade novel from Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’ (now a popular Netflix film), is a funny, heartwarming story perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead, Ali Benjamin, and Holly Goldberg Sloan.

Patricia “Sweet Pea” DiMarco wasn’t sure what to expect when her parents announced they were getting a divorce. She never could have imagined that they would have the “brilliant” idea of living in nearly identical houses on the same street. In the one house between them lives their eccentric neighbor Miss Flora Mae, the famed local advice columnist behind “Miss Flora Mae I?”

Dividing her time between two homes is not easy. And it doesn’t help that at school, Sweet Pea is now sitting right next to her ex–best friend, Kiera, a daily reminder of the friendship that once was. Things might be unbearable if Sweet Pea didn’t have Oscar—her new best friend—and her fifteen-pound cat, Cheese.

Then one day Flora leaves for a trip and asks Sweet Pea to forward her the letters for the column. And Sweet Pea happens to recognize the handwriting on one of the envelopes.

What she decides to do with that letter sets off a chain of events that will forever change the lives of Sweet Pea DiMarco, her family, and many of the readers of “Miss Flora Mae I?” (Goodreads)

Julie Murphy has quickly become one of those authors whose books I will pick up without even reading the summary, because I know it will be a good read no matter what the book is about. I have read and enjoyed all of Julie’s books so far, so of course I added Dear Sweet Pea to my to-read list as soon as I discovered it!

Dear Sweet Pea is the very first middle grade book that Julie has out so far, and while I don’t read that genre very often, it didn’t stop me in the least from wanting to check out this book. I was curious and the book was so good, and I have no regrets about reading it!

One of the things that I liked the most about this book were the characters. The book is full of well written characters that you will grow to love over the course of the book. The main character, Sweet Pea, is 13 years old and in 7th grade, and while I am SO far from that her age now, I still managed to relate to some of the things she went through in the story. I love it when that happens, and I know so many are going to be able to relate to her as well. Sweet Pea also has so pretty great parents, and a really awesome best friend who I adored as well.

The storyline for this book is a lot of fun, but also touches on things younger teenagers will be able to relate to. The book has a very positive feel to it, which I loved. And this book is definitely not just for the younger crowd, I think any age can read the story and appreciate it. I know I did!

Overall; Julie Murphy definitely has another great book on her hands with Dear Sweet Pea! The book has a great story and awesome characters, and I’m really glad that I read the book. Now I must wait for Julie’s next book to release, and I will definitely have that on my TBR as well!

My Thoughts: Puddin' by Julie Murphy

Puddin'
(Dumplin' #2)
by Julie Murphy
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Publication Date: May 8th 2018
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 448
ISBN: 9780062418388
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss / Own

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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. (Goodreads)

Puddin’ by Julie Murphy was one of my most anticipated reads for May, and I’m thrilled that I had the opportunity to read this book! I recently re-read Dumplin’ before starting Puddin’, and I am really glad I decided to do so, as it gave me a bit of a refresher about the characters and their stories. Not only did I enjoy reading Puddin’, but I also enjoyed re-reading Dumplin’ as well!

Puddin’ is a companion novel to Dumplin’, but this book is Millie’s story. Actually it’s Millie and Callie’s story, and we get their alternate viewpoints throughout the book. I love Millie, and I have since the very first book. Her enthusiasm and positive outlook toward life are infectious, and she just makes you want to hug her. Her determination throughout the book is inspiring as well. Callie, on the other hand, took a while to grow on me. She wasn’t my favorite character when we first met her in Dumplin’, but she had some pretty nice character growth over the course of this story, thanks mostly to Millie’s influence, and I definitely warmed up to her, and found many things about her relatable, once I started reading her story as well. I really enjoyed watching the relationship between these two girls grow over the course of the book. And I also love that we get to catch up with some of our favorite characters from the previous book in this story as well. I especially enjoyed seeing what Willowdean, Ellen, Amanda, and Hannah have been up to since the last book, and I would LOVE for any of these girls to get their own stories as well. I’d totally read them!

I adore a good contemporary novel, and I have enjoyed ALL of the contemporary stories that I have read of Julie’s so far. This book is no exception; the storyline was fun and engrossing, which made it a really quick read. Puddin’ is one of those books you could totally read in one sitting, which is what I wish I could have done, but alas, life got in the way. When I wasn’t reading this book, I was pining away until I could get back to it. The book has it all; it made me laugh and smile like a fool, it made me angry at how mean people can be, and it even made me tear up a few times. All the awesome qualities of a really great book, and I loved it.

Overall; I never doubted for a second that I would love Puddin’ by Julie Murphy, but I think I enjoyed it even more than I expected to! I love when that happens! This book has great characters, and an engrossing storyline, and I devoured the book as quickly as I could. If you’re a fan of sweet contemporary novels, do check out Puddin’, and if you have the opportunity, check out Dumplin’ beforehand as well! I hope you enjoy both books just as much as I do!

Waiting on Wednesday #311 - Puddin' by Julie Murphy & 9 Days & 9 Nights by Katie Cotugno

Puddin'
(Dumplin' #1)
by Julie Murphy
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Publication Date: May 8th 2018
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
ISBN: 9780062418388

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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. (Goodreads)

You guys! I am SOOOOO excited for this book! I loved Dumplin' when I first read it, and I plan to re-read it again next month before I start Puddin', and I can't wait to read both of them! If you've not yet read Dumplin', read it! Then check out Puddin' as well!

9 Days & 9 Nights
by Katie Cotugno
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Publication Date: May 1st 2018
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
ISBN: 9780062674111

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The irresistible sequel to the bestselling 99 Days.

Molly Barlow isn’t that girl anymore. A business major at her college in Boston, she’s reinvented herself after everything that went down a year ago . . . after all the people she hurt and the family she tore apart.

Slowly, life is getting back to normal. Molly has just said “I love you” to her new boyfriend, Ian, and they are off on a romantic European vacation together, starting with scenic London. But there on a Tube platform, the past catches up to her in the form of Gabe, her ex, traveling on his own parallel vacation with new girlfriend Sadie.

After comparing itineraries, Ian ends up extending an invite for Gabe and Sadie to join them on the next leg of their trip, to Ireland. Sadie, who’s dying to go there, jumps at the prospect. And Molly and Gabe can’t bring themselves to tell the truth about who they once were to each other to their new significant others.

Now Molly has to spend nine days and nine nights with the boy she once loved, the boy whose heart she shredded, without Ian knowing. Will she make it through as new, improved Molly, or will everything that happened between her and Gabe come rushing back? (Goodreads)

Ahhhh, I am SO curious about this sequel to 99 Days! I read that book a few years ago, and I'm really curious to see what's up for Molly in this story. I think I may have to re-read the first book before starting this, so that should be fun as well!

Those are my picks for this week!!
What books are you excited to get your hands on??

**"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine,
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.**

My Thoughts: Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

Ramona Blue
by Julie Murphy
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Publication Date:
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 432
ISBN: 9780062418357
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary | LGBT
Source: Edelweiss

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Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool. But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem. (Goodreads)

My Thoughts...
I was really looking forward to reading Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy, as I had read her two previous books, Side Effects May Vary and Dumplin', and really enjoyed them both. I knew I would end up loving Ramona Blue as well, and I totally did.

This book is full of wonderful characters. The main character, Ramona, is pretty great. She's definitely not had the easiest childhoods, and has lost more than any person should have to, but she makes the most of what little she has. I love how fiercely she loves her family, and is willing to do just about anything for them, including give up her own future to help her sister. Her mom is a flake, but she has a really great dad, who is loving and supportive and works hard to take care of his family. Ramona also has some pretty great friends as well, including Freddie, who reappears back in her life after years of being away.

The storyline for this book has so much to it. Not only is it about life and family, it's also about losing everything you have, and managing to survive. Hurricane Katrina took everything from Ramona and her family, and while life is far from perfect for them, they are getting by together. Of course she wants more from her life, but she will always put her family first. The story is also about discovering things about yourself, even when you thought you already knew exactly who you were. Ramona likes girls, but when her girlfriend breaks her heart, it's Freddie, also fresh from a breakup, who helps her through it. Ramona doesn't know what to think when she starts having feelings for Freddie. She knows that she still likes girls, but could she like Freddie as well?  Ramona also discovers a love for swimming along the way, and how it could possibly be a start to a new future for her, a future she never thought that she'd have. As I said, there is SO much in this book, and I don't feel like I'm doing the book justice at all. Check it out and see for yourself!

Overall; Ramona Blue was a really great read, and I'm so glad that I had it on my TBR this month! Julie Murphy's books just get better and better, and she's definitely on my list of authors to keep my eye on. I'm super excited to check out ALL the new books that she has coming out in the future, (and if you haven't checked, there are a LOT of them!).

Review: Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Dumplin'
by Julie Murphy
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Publication Date: September 15th 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 384
ISBN: 9780062327185
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss

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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. (Goodreads)

I have to admit, I was pretty curious to see if Dumplin' by Julie Murphy would live up to all the hype that it has received so far. Seriously, I've heard nothing but great things about this book, and I was a little concerned that I wouldn't love it as much as everyone else seems to. I'm beyond thrilled to tell you that I was worried for nothing. This book was all kinds of awesome, and it definitely lives up to the hype!

Willowdean Dickson, also known as Dumplin' by her mother, is a self-proclaimed fat girl. She's never been one to let her weight bother her, not until Bo, her co-worker and former basketball jock, starts to show interest in her. Instead of being flattered by Bo's attention, Will is instead starts to doubt herself, and Bo as well. In attempt to earn back her confidence, Will does something that no one expects, with the help of a few friends, and enters Miss Clover City beauty pageant. There she discovers things she never knew about herself.

One of the things that I really loved about this book was how much I was able to relate to Willowdean. While I didn't have the issues she has while I was in high school, I have them now, and I have to say that most days I feel exactly the same way she felt when she starts having doubts about herself. But I absolutely love her confidence, and I wish I could have just an ounce of it for myself. I loved her will to overcome. She's seriously such an awesome character; she's definitely one of my new idols!

I devoured this book in just a few hours time. I seriously did not want to put it down, and when I had to, I couldn't wait to get back to it. The storyline was addictive and kept me entertained throughout. I loved everything from the Dolly Parton addiction, to the beauty pageant escapades, and especially the romance and red suckers. This book has it all!

Overall; Dumplin' is the second book by Julie Murphy that I've devoured and completely adored. I loved the storyline and the characters and every other single thing about this book. I really can't wait to see what Murphy comes up with in her next book, due out next year!

Review: Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Side Effects May Vary
by Julie Murphy
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Publication Date: March 18th 2014
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780062245359
Genre: Young Adult | Contemporary
Source: Edelweiss

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What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you?

When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission.

Now Alice is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?

Julie Murphy’s SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY is a fearless and moving tour de force about love, life, and facing your own mortality. (Goodreads)

I was super excited to get my hands on Side Effects May Vary, as I had seen people talking about the book, and I was super curious to see what it was all about. I went into this book expecting something like John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, or Melissa Kantor’s Maybe One Day.  While the book had some similarities to these, mostly the dealings with cancer, that’s basically where the similarities end.

The main character in this novel, Alice, was not a nice girl. It took me to almost the end of the book to actually start caring for her. I hesitate to say that I couldn’t connect  with Alice,—in some introverted way I kind of understood her, and even her reasoning’s—but I didn’t care for the way she acted and treated people, so I had a hard time connecting.  I do understand how she felt. She was scared of living life. Death was something that she could face; it was something that she had come to expect. Living her life after thinking that she was going to die, it’s something she just couldn’t handle. And because of that, she pushed everyone away. Thankfully she does have a bit of a ‘wake-up’ moment towards the end of the book, and we finally get to see a different side of dear Alice. This is when I really start to like her.

Harvey, Alice’s best friend, was definitely the best part of this book. Oh, how he loved Alice. I hated the way that she treated him in return, and that she wouldn’t share how she truly felt about him. There was so much back and forth between these two, I really just wanted to smack them in the head and tell them to get their act together. But they had their moments, and those moments were very sweet.

I was a little worried about the storyline for this book when I first started reading it. I’m seeing books about terminal illness pop up a lot lately, and I’m worried that it’s a subject that is going to be overused. This book was definitely able to hold its own against other stories with that involves illness. I didn’t include a whole lot of cancer terminology, and for that, I was kind of thankful. The storyline flowed really well, and I was able to read this book really quickly.

Overall; despite it taking a long while for me to warm up to the main character, I found this to be a very enjoyable read. I’m really glad to have discovered this author; she has a way with words. I’m really looking forward to reading more from her in the future.