Dumplin'

By: Julie Murphy

Narrated by: Eileen Stevens

Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

For fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell comes this powerful novel with the most fearless heroine - self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson - from Julie Murphy, the acclaimed author of Side Effects May Vary. With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine, Dumplin' is guaranteed to steal your heart.

Dubbed "Dumplin'" by her former beauty queen mom, Willowdean 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 Teen Blue Bonnet 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.

©2015 Julie Murphy (P)2015 HarperCollins Publishers

Enjoyable heartwarming story

Weight is not a number on a scale but what you hold inside you. Until you learn how to accept it no one else can either. This book is a coming of age story of a young women who thought she was strong until she faced a true test.

Dumplin is a heartwarming story about beautiful strong characters and what they are made up on the inside. It breaks stereo types and shows you never know someone until you walk in their shoes.

This book is not just about the main character its also about all the people around her how much a positive influence can help someone else. Its a story about a young women who is willing to give up some of her social currency to help another.

LOVED IT!

Dumplin' is the kind of audiobook that makes you linger in your car long after your home because you don't want to stop listening to it. I LOVE the characters and the story, it had me both laughing and crying. Amazing author, excited to hear her other book.

Narrator was awesome! Will be looking for more books read by her.

Good story, bad performance

I actually really enjoyed the story, but the performance of this audiobook drove me insane. I wish I would have just bought the actual book. I get that it's set in Texas and different voices help differentiate characters, but all the guys sounded alike, in this weird breathy voice. The intonations and pauses were off and during the more serious dramatic parts, the performer got all breathy, almost making every character sound like a porn star at one point or another. Just buy the book and read it.

not what I was hoping for

God I wanted this to be good or at least inspiring. Instead ir was cheesey and cliche. If I were 16 maybe...it felt like it was written by a middle schooler who is bullied and daydreams of how it all could be.
Doesnt help that the narrators "male voice" sounds like an impression of rain man.

I could read it again and again

Dumplin was such a wonderful story about self love and self acceptance. From the first sentence willow dean Dixon had me captivated by her wonderful personality. Being a bigger woman myself, this novel touched my heart and soul. The storyline was perfect, the narration was impeccable and this book had me laughing and crying and jumping for joy.

FABULOUS. ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS

loved the characters. Loved the story. Loved the message. Loved the performance. Love love love

Great book for teen girls.

Boys should also read it to see the struggle of young girls in this society.

Wanted to Like it, but

it was childishly written and saccharin. The message of being confident regardless of your appearance is a needed and positive one, but the story is conflicted at several points, sending mixed, unrealistic signals. There's no development between the main love interests and you're left scratching your head as to why these people got together; seemed forced. The narrator plucks the nerves and this book is just an over-hyped mess. Julie Murphy seems like a lovely person, but that's not reason enough to make the purchase. Wow, can social media pump up the volume on an otherwise tiresome book.

Wow

Willow-dean's thoughts and are so true and honest that they it it needs to be heard. Every insecurity I ever felt as a plus-sized girl was laid out in this great book and I loved knowing that I'm not just being over sensitive, and I loved it. Amazing characters that I do not want to part with.

Feel good book

Wish I had books like these when I was a teenager, this was such a sweet coming of age story. I loved it and the narrator did it justice.