Puddin'

By: Julie Murphy

4/5 💄

A sequel to Dumplin', Puddin' follows two characters from the first novel: Millie and the briefly mentioned Callie. A prominent, but not necessarily main, character, Millie is the star of this book, and she shines! Determined to live as a girl and not just a fat girl, Millie is doing whatever she can to prove herself as a person. The briefly mentioned Callie, whom "stole" Ellen from Will for a short time in Dumplin', is given the second spotlight in this novel. Callie's whole identity revolves around her dance team and popular status. She feels that her popularity is the only way to drag attention away from the fact that she's a Latina in a small Texas town. A night of bad decisions causes Callie and Millie's worlds to collide. As Callie's world comes crumbling down, she feels she has no one to rely on. Millie has a group of friends to rely on, but knows she needs to find her own voice. Will the two girls with a mountain of differences find common ground or will the year end in chaos?

I have to say, I actually liked this book much more than Dumplin'! Don't get me wrong, I loved Dumplin', but I find Millie so much more likable than Willowdean. Honestly, I even enjoyed Callie's portions. She definitely grew on me as a character, but truly, Millie takes the spotlight. I'm not exactly sure what it is about her, but I love her essence and her growth. Especially seeing Millie in the previous book, her growth is more evident. I will also never not fall for the mean girl turned personable trope.

Moving away from pageants, Puddin' is actually more relatable and realistic in certain aspects. Not to mention, love is much more evident and plentiful: friend love, romantic love, and self-love. Previous characters make an appearance and receive the love and story they deserve (I won't name names in order to avoid spoilers). The girl power is strong in this story, as well. If you loved Dumplin'. I absolutely recommend this sequel!