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Review: Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

Release date: April 10, 2018 Author info: Website | Twitter Publisher: Harlequin Teen Pages: 416 Format: Egalley Source: Publisher provided for review through Netgalley Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets… and secrets hide in every shadow. Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted. Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensatio...
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The Secret

The Secret

Review: Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

Release date: September 15, 2015
Author info: Website | Twitter
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Pages: 384
Format: Egalley
Source: Publisher provided for review through Edelweiss
Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository
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.
I feel like it should come as no surprise that Dumplin' is delightful. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be.

Willowdean is such a wonderfully strong protagonist, yet she's real in that most of the time she knows there's nothing wrong with her size, but there are moment she forgets it. Straight up, she's too awesome. But she's not so awesome that she doesn't make mistakes, doesn't say the wrong thing, doesn't reach out to those she should read out to.

If you're not totally sold on Willlowdean, which is awfully silly of you, read Dumplin' for the friendships. Yes there's Willow and Ellen, her very best friend of years and years, but it's when the two are estranged that Willowdean branches out and makes some new friends--albeit reluctantly. These friendships are what shine, though. They pull Willow out of her comfort zone, and while the girls sometimes refer to Willow as an inspiration for entering the pageant, they do so much more for her than she does for them.

While I rated Julie Murphy's last book, Side Effects May Vary, highly, it wasn't quite a joy to read--cancer, and the main character is very unlikable--but Dumplin' is far and away a delight, all the way through. You'll giggle, you'll smile, and you'll be so happy when you finish.


About the author:

Julie Murphy is a potty-mouthed Southern belle who was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, but found her home in Fort Worth, Texas. She's never seen Star Wars, but has yet to meet a made for TV movie she didn't love. When she's not writing, Julie can be found cruising Costco for free samples, watching Sister Act 2, stalking drag queens on instagram, obsessing over the logistics of Mars One, and forever searching for the perfect slice of cheese pizza. She lives with her bearded husband, two vicious cats, and one pomeranian that can pass as a bear cub. DUMPLIN' is her second young adult novel.

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