Aesthetic Addict: 'Dumplin'

My group (Team Teal) decided to do aesthetic posts for different books based on a theme. This month's theme was: contemporary. My chosen book was Dumplin' by Julie Murphy. 

Here's a little about the book.

Dumplin'

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This book is pretty amazing. I gave it a 5/5. It was so body positive, and I really loved that. 

Here's a little snippet of my review!

"Something that definitely resonated with me was Will's insecurities. She wasn't perfect. She didn't adore her body. She felt self-conscious when Bo touched her. 

With that, I have to say that she felt real. Normal people have insecurities. They hate their eyebrows or lips or nose or whatever. It makes them human. 

I felt like anyone could have her body and insecurities. As I said, she felt real.

And, on top of that, I have my own insecurities. Here's a little story to put things into perspective. I was working on some short answers in English. My teacher is the teacher who constantly barrages you with positive attitude stuff, as if telling you these would change your attitude around. When she came by my table and whispered, "Hey, Wren," I looked up. She pointed at a written sign on a legal pad that said simply 'awesome=you :)'. And it felt like the most positive thing someone said to me in a while. I know that sounds like I'm fishing for compliments. I'm not. That's just how my life has been, how it always has been. Those who love themselves more than I do might be wondering how this possible. I think the recipe involves the hope for all As, the need to get into the best programs, a lot of pressure, and a lack of praise. "

If you want to check out the rest of my review, look no further! Here you go!

And...now...onto my aesthetic! 

Let's go through all the pictures and explain why I used what I did. 

The top left picture is of Dolly Parton. She's one of the main forces that drives Willowdean. She's an inspiration for Willowdean.

Next to that is a picture of a fancy-looking fast food place. Bo and Willowdean meet at a fast food place. And that is obviously the best place to meet a cute boy.

Below Dolly is a picture of a girl in a swimsuit. A well-known quote by Willowdean is as follows:

It's a different mindset about swimsuits and swimsuit bodies.

Next to that is a picture of holding hands. I think it really summarizes Willowdean and Bo's slow and sweet relationship. Plus, I love silhouette photos.

Under the swimsuit is a picture of a crown. This book is about a pageant and Willowdean entering it even though it seems against tradition for a bigger girl to do so. And a crown is kinda important to the pageant world. 

Next to that is a red dress. Not the same one Willowdean wore, but it was the best I could find! For the pageant, Willowdean wears a red dress, and I think it shows that you don't have to be skinny to rock a nice dress.

I hope that explains my decisions for the photos! 

I don't own any of these pictures. The rights go to their owners.

And here are my team mates! 

Jamie from Books and Ladders

Mariam from Flying Through Fiction

Charley from A Writer Named Charley

Sabrina from Beyond the Book Reviews

Nori from ReadWriteLove28

I hope you enjoyed this aesthetic. Come back next month for a new aesthetic from a new theme! Ciao!

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What in the World Just Happened? Aka My Thoughts During the Entire 'Wink Poppy Midnight'

Wink Poppy Midnight

Author: April Genevieve Tucholke

Goodreads / Amazon

Every story needs a hero.
Every story needs a villain.
Every story needs a secret.

Wink is the odd, mysterious neighbor girl, wild red hair and freckles. Poppy is the blond bully and the beautiful, manipulative high school queen bee. Midnight is the sweet, uncertain boy caught between them. Wink. Poppy. Midnight. Two girls. One boy. Three voices that burst onto the page in short, sharp, bewitching chapters, and spiral swiftly and inexorably toward something terrible or tricky or tremendous.

What really happened?
Someone knows.
Someone is lying.

This is not the book that pulled me out of my reading slump. But I still loved it. It was complex and confusing. It didn't make any sense. I did love part of it, though.

Likes:

• The toxic relationships intertwined. And I loved them. I'm not condemning toxic relationships, but I loved the way the three teens interacted. Poppy's domineering push towards Midnight. Midnight's shyness and submission towards Poppy. Poppy's confusing relationship with Wink. Wink and Midnight's love story. There was a web of tangled relations. I had to sort through the complicatedness of it all. And the toxicity of the relationships was awful. Truly. You couldn't help but feel for Midnight. But things weren't simple. There were so many sides to each relationship. It was super interesting to see how things played.

• I typically don't like artistic-y stories. They confuse me. I'm left behind. But the way the story was told was understandable for me. I write in the same manner. Repeating words. All that sort of thing. I understood this story much better.

Dislikes:

• The plot wasn't the type of plot I liked. It was kinda dull. There wasn't much pizazz. I wanted more scenes of Poppy in the Roman Luck house. I wanted more conflict. There was conflict, but it wasn't interesting. I wanted more Poppy on Wink. I wanted more of their story. Even if it's not action-y at all. I wanted more Hero and Villain action. There wasn't enough for me.
• The ending was super confusing. What happened? How did Poppy prove it? I wanted more information. Would Midnight go home? Where was home? What was his motivation? I had too many questions and no answers.

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Genius Kids Make Me Jelly: 'Genius the Game' Review

Genius the Game

By Leopoldo Gout

Trust no one. Every camera is an eye. Every microphone an ear. Find me and we can stop him together.

The Game: Get ready for Zero Hour as 200 geniuses from around the world go head to head in a competition hand-devised by India's youngest CEO and visionary.

The Players:

Rex- One of the best programmers/hackers in the world, this 16-year-old Mexican-American is determined to find his missing brother.

Tunde-This14-year-old self-taught engineering genius has drawn the attention of a ruthless military warlord by single-handedly bringing electricity and internet to his small Nigerian village.

Painted Wolf-One of China's most respected activist bloggers, this mysterious 16-year-old is being pulled into the spotlight by her father's new deal with a corrupt Chinese official.

The Stakes: Are higher than you can imagine. Like life and death. Welcome to the revolution. And get ready to run.

Likes:

• Wow. The characters were downright amazing. I fell in love with Cai's sassy personality, Rex's devotion, and Tunde's enthusiasm. They problem solved differently than everyone else. I loved that. I could ignore the fact that they were geniuses. Their characters were so amazing. I wanted to be friends with all of them.
• The tension was palpable! I rarely say that, but, with this book, it's true. I was always on the edge of my seat. Would they fail? Would they win? What would happen? I had to know. The author was very skilled in writing the tension. I was so nervous during the competition!
• And the ending was so full of tension. I was freaking the flip out. What would happen? What is Terminal? What is Kiran's plan? I gots to know! (And I slyly inserted a How I Met Your Mother reference. Self five!)

Dislikes:

• The story didn't have a lot of time for the Game. Which sucked. I wanted more of the Game. Maybe more levels? Something! It was an interesting concept. Young geniuses battling it out? Intriguing. Give me more. I was a bit disappointed by the lack of information about the Game. To me, it passed by too fast. Slow down, bro.
• I didn't understand some of the Nigerian words Tunde used. Okay...I didn't know any of them. There was a lack of knowledge about Tunde's words, and I couldn't really discern what he meant. Was omo a friend? A partner? What did it mean? Typically, books add in a section for definitions. But this one had nothing. I was super confused about this, and I, admittedly, wanted to know more. Sorry for being curious and inquisitive.
• I hate genius kids. I hate them so much. They might be amazing people. I admit that. But I hate their genius-ness. This is mostly because I'm not a genius or even a prodigy. I'm normal. In the most abnormal way. I admit, begrudgingly, that these little geniuses were fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

About the Author:

Leopoldo Gout is the producer behind many films including Days of Grace, which A.O. Scott of the New York Times called "a potent and vigorous film." He is also a writer, artist, and filmmaker. Leopoldo is currently involved in various film and television projects including major adaptations of the Alex Cross series, with the author James Patterson and the upcoming film adaption of Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life.

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Quote Time!

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___. Then, looking___ ___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___, "___ ___ ___ ___, ___ ___. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___."

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Being Human Sucks: 'Symptoms of Being Human'

Symptoms of Being Human

Author: Jeff Garvin

Goodreads / Amazon

The first thing you’re going to want to know about me is: Am I a boy, or am I a girl?

Riley Cavanaugh is many things: Punk rock. Snarky. Rebellious. And gender fluid. Some days Riley identifies as a boy, and others as a girl. The thing is…Riley isn’t exactly out yet. And between starting a new school and having a congressman father running for reelection in uber-conservative Orange County, the pressure—media and otherwise—is building up in Riley’s so-called “normal” life.

On the advice of a therapist, Riley starts an anonymous blog to vent those pent-up feelings and tell the truth of what it’s REALLY like to be a gender fluid teenager. But just as Riley’s starting to settle in at school—even developing feelings for a mysterious outcast—the blog goes viral, and an unnamed commenter discovers Riley’s real identity, threatening exposure. Riley must make a choice: walk away from what the blog has created—a lifeline, new friends, a cause to believe in—or stand up, come out, and risk everything.

My emotions when I saw this book were as follows:
Shock, disbelief
Excitement
Fear
Dread
Though not in that order. People were hesitant with this book since the last genderqueer book didn't accomplish a lot.

Likes:

• This book had real emotions and realistic portrayal. The story of Riley and Riley's troubles could be somebody else's. People get bullied over this. It's somebody's reality. I'm happy that the author wrote about this. He didn't hold back. He didn't hide the truth. He wrote about the bullying. And he went one step farther by showing the cyber bullying. In this day and age, people use social media to lash out at others. Cyber bullying is, sadly, something that happens. We can't prevent it really, unless you never use the Internet ever again. But then you'd be faced with real life bullying. And I'm not sure which is worse.
• The blogging aspect was amazing. A lot of people turn to social media to vent and figure things out. I mean, I do. Even now. Blogs are great outlets, for the writer and reader. I remember that Instagram let me vent and helped me figure out a lot of things. In middle school, I learned more about the world via Instagram. Social media can teach you, but it can also be destructive. I'm happy that this book also had the social media focus. Social media is amazing but also a little detrimental. Also, bloglr just makes me laugh. Bloglr? Haha. Perfect.
• The LGBT community was strong in this story. There was the Q. And the people who read Riley's blog. The sense of family was strong. I wanted more of that. It was intriguing to read. People who are outcasts band together. Even if they have nothing else in common. We're all different. But the same in a way. And we come together to form a community.

Dislikes:

• The lack of plot really annoyed me. It seemed to just go with the flow. There wasn't an overarching story. To put things bluntly, Riley moved to a new school, Riley met new people, Riley was bullied, Riley came out, and Riley dealt with the aftermath. That is putting things in the most simplistic manner, but the story didn't continue past that. I wanted more of Trans Health Con and the coming out, but the story was too focused on the beginning (with the blog and the bullying.) The thing is Riley didn't do much in the beginning. It was a lot about the dysphoria. And not much else. I wanted more of the story. More of the after-coming-out.
• Bec was just tiresome. Her mood swings and her appearances and disappearances were annoying me. I was sick of her. She was so rude to Riley, and she didn't deserve Riley. I just wanted to shake some sense into her. If I was given more about her life, I'd probably be more sympathetic. But this isn't Bec's story. It's Riley's.

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Don't Have an 'Identity Crisis': Blog Tour

Identity Crisis

Author: Melissa Schoor

Goodreads / Amazon

When curvaceous Annalise Bradley’s scandalous freshman year hookup sparks the anger of her female classmates, three of them decide to get her back by "catfishing" her, creating a fake online profile of the perfect boy to toy with her affections.

Against her better nature, introverted Noelle Spiers, goes along with her friends’ plan, hoping to distract Annalise from dreamy Cooper Franklin, her lifelong crush who has fallen for Annalise instead.

As Annalise discovers she is being played and seeks revenge, Noelle increasingly regrets her role in the cruel hoax and tries to salvage their relationship.

Told in alternative perspectives, IDENTITY CRISIS covers romance, betrayal, and timeless friendship in the age of modern technology.

BOOK LINKS:

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25877205-identity-crisis

Amazon paperback: http://amzn.to/1SdGGfq

Barnes & Noble (B&N):  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/identity-crisis-melissa-schorr/1121690253?ean=9781440590146

Bookdepository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Identity-Crisis-Meliss-Schorr/9781440590139

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/es-es/ebook/identity-crisis-32

City of Identity

Who are you? That's the slogan for this town. It's a town of mystery and fake love. The people in the town lie, but they have good reasons to. At least that's what they tell themselves. There are music festivals often, and people compete to get the singer's attention.

But underneath it all, there is revenge.

"I gobbled this book up. It was an interesting book. I couldn't put it down. I had to keep reading. Why? I'll tell you.

"The characters were fascinating. Especially the character development. Annalise had a troubled past. Thing is none of it was her fault. It's not like she could control her dad cheating or people assuming she was itching to jump into Amos's pants. Everything with her Freshmam Fling incident was a misunderstanding. Two things. One, she was only a freshman. That's insanely young for all of this to happen. Two. These things don't typically happen in teenage life. I haven't heard of these things before, but I'm not a typical teenager. And Noelle was so unassuming. You wouldn't think she'd do any of this. I honestly think she did care for Annalise. She started to stand up for herself, and I really liked that. People shouldn't let themselves be walked over. Her change was invigorating. It made me want to change. Just a little. But I'm a stickler for consistency.

"I loved the emphasis on friendship. Maeve's friendship with Annalise was subtle, but Maeve cared for Annalise and didn't want her (Annalise) hurt. It was sweet that Maeve cared so much for her friend. Their friendship reminded me of my best friend and I. They stuck together. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Eva's gang. Poor Noelle was roped into that mess. I despised, and still do, people like Eva. She wasn't a good friend. She dragged Noelle into catfishing Annalise. For what? Revenge? That's extremely rude no matter now you look at it. I would hate to be in a friendship like Noelle and Eva's. I'd be so submissive like Noelle, though. That's the sad thing. Maybe I would end up fighting. But things would be like they were for Noelle in the beginning.

"The ending was satisfying. The epilogue really tidied things up. I loved how Annalise and Noelle ended up. And Cooper. Him too. That little rascal got it good. I felt like there wasn't anything more. Nothing to add. Sure, the Brass Knuckles scandal was a tad annoying and a tad rushed, but I didn't particularly mind. The friendships built were great. I really liked it. And Noelle standing up for herself and publicly apologizing? Perfect. Not that it'd happen in real life, though.

"Plot wise, this book was a little lacking. It wasn't that the plot was slow or anything. It was a little rushed if you ask me. Things happened too fast. They met. They flirted. They discovered the truth. I wanted things to slow down. Life doesn't happen that fast. Relationships don't happen that fast. If things were slower, that would have been better."

IDENTITY CRISIS has part of a song’s lyrics in it. Come up with a SECOND VERSE for the rest of the song in order to enter the giveaway! (Song on the rafflecopter entry) Leave your answer in the rafflecopter and in the comments section!

SONG: “INNER BEAUTY”

(FIRST VERSE) 

You sparkle

You shine

Your cheekbones

Sublime

But a pretty face does not mean a pretty heart.

(CHORUS)

There’s just no inner beauty

Where is your inner beauty?

Without some inner beauty

You’re a perfect waste of time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melissa Schorr is the YA author of GOY CRAZY (Hyperion 2006) and IDENTITY CRISIS (forthcoming, Merit Press 2016), and a contributor to the YA anthology DEAR BULLY.

She is currently a contributing writer/editor to the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. Her freelance work has appeared in numerous publications, including GQ, People, Self, San Francisco magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. 

Melissa currently lives in Boston with her husband, her daughters, and her dog, Bailey.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: http://www.melissaschorr.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/321338.Melissa_Schorr

Twitter: https://twitter.com/melissaschorr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Melissa-Schorr-1420293581623246/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissarschorr/

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Beautiful Books: In Which I Ramble About 'Trixie's To-Do-Before-You-Drop-Dead List'

Did you know that Cait is doing this awesome NaNo blogger thing? (With someone else I don't know. Sorry...) So I decided to do this! Even though my story is an unofficial NaNo. (I can't do NaNo officially since I'll be using my iPad to write. Haha. Bus rides are good for writing. You get my meaning?)

How did you come up with the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea? 
My beauty idea is called Trixie's To-Do-Before-You-Drop-Dead List. It's about a girl who will die and her completion of her bucket list. Including kissing a girl and getting married. (And she's a teenager. Woohoo!) I personally wanted to make a bucket list, but I'm so lazy. So I thought of this girl who would complete her bucket list. And I also like the name Trixie. Heh heh. It's a brand new idea. (I have this one idea called Ravensoul which has been my baby since two years ago or so. So yeaaah. It'll be written. One day.)

Why are you excited to write this novel? 
Because I'm a better writer than you, Cait. Oh wait what? I also like writing dark contemporaries. I really like the idea of a bucket list. (As I said.) I also ADORE unnamed narrators. For some reason. I think it's because anyone can relate to the character without any defining features. So the other character McLaughan is named but not really described. You'll be surprised who McLaughan turns out to be.

What is your novel about, and what is the title? 

Oh. I already kinda answered this. It's called Trixie's To-Do-Before-You-Drop-Dead List. It's about Trixie who has a disease that might kill her one day. She starts a bucket list and starts to complete them. It's about love and death and poetry and books and writing and road trips and freedom and disobeying and life and grades and school and LGBT and I should stop now.

Sum up your characters in one word each. (Feel free to add pictures!)
Trixie: brave-fantastic-funny-fabulous. The hyphen makes it one word. (Wink wink.)
McLaughan: cautious-but-also-a-little-risky-since-oppressive-parents (Pronounced mick-la-h-an. A little weird throat thing on the laugh part. It's not la-ff but la-h. Yeah...)
Faith: adorable-in-the-bubbly-way
Ardor: let's-teenagers-get-tattoos-without-permission
And there are many more.
And I don't have pictures. Yet. Pinterest sucks me in and wears me out. So I waste hours liking photos.

Which character(s) do you think will be your favourite to write? Tell us about them! 
First. Favourite. Haha.
Second. I think I'll like writing Trixie. She's flirty and fun and out-there. But she's also a reader and a writer. She knows she's going to die, so she's a little negative. But she always tries to be happy. I'm as shy as can be. (It took me forever to try out my new TKD place. I kept procrastinating.) My imagination makes me worry so much about how people will react. In the end, I miss the chance to say things. Which sucks. Trixie is very in the moment, my polar opposite. I write characters who are like me, so it'll be different. For sure. And I get to use sarcasm! Yay!

What is your protagonist’s goal, and what stands in the way?
Will I sound weird if I say not dying? Maybe? She wants to truly live her life. She knows she doesn't have time. She knows her life could send soon. Many are killed by her disease. Not telling which, though! And, duh, her disease stands in the way. Also school and family. And money and time and whatnots.
And my other leading roll McLaughan just wants to get out of Texas. McLaughan wants to be free from the parents and his/her life. (Can't reveal anything about our darling McL, can I?)

Where is your novel set? (Show us pictures if you have them!)
Where? It's in Texas. They also spend time on the Loneliest Road in America and in Vegas. Yaay. You wanted a cooler answer? Sucks. It's a contemporary fiction story.
Again, no pictures. Sorry...

What is the most important relationship your character has?
Most important relationship. Hm. A toughie. I want to say something like McLaughan and Trixie.
But I'll be cheesy and say Trixie and Books. Because books are life, bro. Haha. Kidding.
If I'm being a little more serious, Trixie and her disease is important. It's seeped into her life and spreads harm and hate. She is seriously affected by this. It does change her life entirely.
But. Completely serious mode activated. (Haha. As if.) It's Trixie and McLaughan. These two are polar opposites. One bubbly and fun and crazy and brave. The other more of a stick in the mud. And McLaughan changes because of Trixie. For better or worse, I can't say.How does your protagonist change by the end of the novel?
How does she change? Well, the answer you're hoping for is if she dies or not, am I right? And I can't tell you that you I'd have to kill you. Haha.
Honestly, Trixie doesn't change too much. That sounds so bad, but it's kinda true. Something she does realize is that
And if we're gonna talk about McLaughan, that's a different story. McLaughan completely changes. The character starts out as a reluctant friend. Someone who doesn't take a walk on the wild side a lot. Then, McLaughan is someone else.

What themes are in your book? How do you want your readers to feel when the story is over?
Holy pizzacake I feel like I'm in English. Geez, Cait. Why do you have to do this to me?
I'm just going to answer that second question here.
I want my readers to feel a little warm and fuzzy. I want them to feel like you can change. I want them to feel as if life is worth living and that friends are there for you. I want people to feel as if anything is possible and that there is always a helping hand.
Wow. That's so serious yet cheesy.

BONUS! Tell us your 3 best pieces of advice for others trying to write a book in a month.
As someone who has done and won NaNo twice (in years gone by), I have to say just keep writing. Honestly. It seems so stupid, but you gotta just keep writing. This year, this is an informal NaNo for me, unofficial. I can't write a lot except during bus rides and after studying, and that's mostly on my iPad. This year, I have no goals except for writing. I had a year-long break that left me drained and exhausted. I only read and went to school. It wasn't a fun year. Then, I got back into writing this year. So TTDBYDDL this year! And then, maybe in the future, Ravensoul. And maybe my gender bent Sleeping Beauty and fangirl story.
Another piece of advice: you're not alone. People all over are doing NaNo as well. Internationally even. (For example, Cait who started this feature. She's in Australia.) You can find a NaNo chapter near you. And you can meet other local NaNo-ers. Don't feel discouraged. There is a built-in support group for you. You just gotta meet them. Don't matter your age. It truly doesn't. Writing is writing. The struggles are real.
And more advice: the worst critic of your story is yourself. It's cheesy, I know, but it's true. You will slam down your story, but you gotta let it grow and cultivate. It's your child. Would you call your child disgraceful? If yes, well den. If no, you get my point.
My last piece of advice: your characters will take control of the story. They have their own personalities and backstories. Let them take control. It's their story to tell not yours. Technically, it's yours. But that's semantics. 

So to simplify: (cue Don't Stop Believing)
Keep writing. You're not alone. The worst critic of your story is yourself. Your character will take control of the story.

Good luck, NaNoers!

(Sassy Beckett. Love it!)

1

What's Underneath the Lies? 'Underneath Everything' Blog Tour

Underneath Everything
by  Marcy Beller Paul
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: October 27th 2015

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, GLBT, Realistic Fiction
Rate: 3.5/5

Synopsis:

Mattie shouldn’t be at the bonfire. She should be finding new maps for her collection, hanging out with Kris, and steering clear of almost everyone else, especially Jolene. After all, Mattie and Kris dropped off the social scene the summer after sophomore year for a reason. But now Mattie is a senior, and she’s sick of missing things. So here she is. And there’s Jolene: Beautiful. Captivating. Just like the stories she wove. Mattie would know; she used to star in them. She and Jolene were best friends. Mattie has the scar on her palm to prove it, and Jolene has everything else, including Hudson. But when Mattie runs into Hudson and gets a glimpse of what could have been, she decides to take it all back: the boyfriend, the friends, the life she was supposed to live. Problem is, Mattie can’t figure out where Jolene ends and she begins. Because there’s something Mattie hasn’t told anyone—she walked away from Jolene over a year ago, but she never really left. Poignant and provocative, Marcy Beller Paul’s debut novel tells the story of an intoxicating—and toxic—relationship that blurs the boundary between reality and fantasy, love and loyalty, friendship and obsession.

Let's play a game. You know the rules, right?

I never liked books. 

I never wrote stories. 

I never took karate.

I never almost killed my best friend 

This book was supposed to be about a toxic friendship, and I sure got that. I was continually stunned by what Jolene did. She went too far. She always went too far. I don't care if she said she wouldn't hurt Mattie. It's wrong. I don't care if Mattie got a rush from it. Suffocating someone is not a good way to show love. What Jolene did was dangerous, risky. I'm a normally cautious person, so what she did really freaked me out. 

Admittedly, reading the things Jolene did gave me a little bit of a rush. Not that I'd ever do those things to any of my friends. I consider my friends my family. But I felt like I was experiencing those things. The author made me feel Mattie's fear and panic. But don't think I want to be suffocated or tied up. I'll stick to my books and whatnots. Thanks but no thanks. 

I actually felt like Jolene had some sort of mental disorder. I'm not trying to categorize her; I'm trying to understand her. I'm not sure which mental disorder, though. 

Jolene always pushed things too far. She coated Mattie in stories and drowned her in fantasy. I feel like it's actually Jolene that is drowning in fantasy. She acted as if she was superior, but it was all an act. For this, I started to hate Jolene. I truly, vehemently hated her. She was putting people in danger. All for the thrills. All for Mattie. That's not right. 

Mattie felt so boring. I know that's probably really vague. I wanted Mattie to change. I wanted her to become someone else or at least experience a final conclusion. She really ended up at the same place as in the start of the book. She didn't learn much. She didn't realize things. I was disappointed in her. You didn't learn anything from your experiences? Seriously? 

Now, I want to take a moment to talk about Hudson. He's truly a nice guy. Truly. I don't think he'd hurt a fly. But he was pushed around and hurt. I would love to make him a match. I think he doesn't deserve any of the things that both Mattie and Jolene put through. He deserves happiness. 

Does this mean I approve of the romance? Nope. Do I still want happiness for Hudson? Yes. Does that mean his happiness will come from being with Mattie? Nope.

BOOK LINKS:

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18336982-underneath-everything

Amazon paperback: http://amzn.to/1LKQkCH

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Marcy Beller Paul is a young adult author, former editor, and full-time mom who still has all the notes she passed in seventh grade (and knows how to fold them)

She graduated from Harvard University and lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children. Underneath Everything will be published by Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins, in Fall 2015. It is her first novel.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: http://marcybellerpaul.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7224014.Marcy_Beller_Paul

Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealmbeller

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcybellerpaul

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Dolly Parton, Pageantry, and Pretty Boys aka 'Dumplin'

Dumplin'
Julie Murphy  

Goodreads / Amazon

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.

If you were expecting a sob story about my fat-to-thin change, you won't find it here. I am within a normal range for my age range and height. Of course, no tubbiness is my goal. And I do have some tub on my stomach.
But there's one thing. One thing I hate the most.
My thighs. 
I know it sounds so stereotypical. Once, my thighs would touch the ends of my seat in the car. I have stretch marks. My thighs jiggle when I walk. I think I've made it worse by wearing leggings, but I don't fit any other pants otherwise. 
So there. My sob story. 
I know what age to blame it on. I curse you, fifth grade Wren. You didn't have to watch YouTube and eat snacks all day, but you did. Curse you! 
Enough about me. More about Willowdean.

I just loved Willowdean. She was flashy and bright. She was brave and defiant. I adored her character. She was amazing. I admired her as well. I wouldn't be brave enough to enter a pageant as well known as Miss Blue Bonnet. And I'm of average everything. That takes guts. It really does. 

Something that definitely resonated with me was Will's insecurities. She wasn't perfect. She didn't adore her body. She felt self-conscious when Bo touched her. 
With that, I have to say that she felt real. Normal people have insecurities. They hate their eyebrows or lips or nose or whatever. It makes them human. 
I felt like anyone could have her body and insecurities. As I said, she felt real.
And, on top of that, I have my own insecurities. Here's a little story to put things into perspective. I was working on some short answers in English. My teacher is the teacher who constantly barrages you with positive attitude stuff, as if telling you these would change your attitude around. When she came by my table and whispered, "Hey, Wren," I looked up. She pointed at a written sign on a legal pad that said simply 'awesome=you :)'. And it felt like the most positive thing someone said to me in a while. I know that sounds like I'm fishing for compliments. I'm not. That's just how my life has been, how it always has been. Those who love themselves more than I do might be wondering how this possible. I think the recipe involves the hope for all As, the need to get into the best programs, a lot of pressure, and a lack of praise. 

The cast of characters was amazing. You had Hannah and Millie. You had Bo. Will herself. These people were diverse. The 'fat girl'. The lesbian. The tall, hunky, basketball player. You had a lot of different representation. You had the beauty queens and the drag queens. The perfect, little winners of the beauty pageants and the cheerleaders. You had everyone. 

Sadly...the romance was a problem. Albeit, a minor one. I disliked the rushed, instalove part. They barely knew each other. They met. They talked. And boom! Kissing everywhere. Why did he like her? Why did she care? Why were they drawn together? Give me answers or give me death. Or you know...not death.
But I ship Bo and Will so hard that I forgive the instalove. (Somehow.) They were so cute. While Bo made Will uncomfortable at times, he truly seemed to care for her. He tried his best to make her feel loved. And that might be all you can do sometimes.

And something else I didn't like was the plot. For a majority of the plot, I was a little bored. I adored the story because of the characters. The plot was a little dull. Not much happened. Drag queen show. Momma drama. Pageant prep. Distance between you and your best friend. Sorta typical really. The characters really made this book enjoyable for me.

Rating:

5/5

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