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dermkat 's review for:

Pumpkin by Julie Murphy
5.0

I've been so excited for this book and was surprised that I got my hold right away on the release date! Well done, library! Anyways, this is the third and final story in the Clover City series that Julie Murphy introduced to us with Dumplin' and then Puddin' and I think it was my favorite of the three. All three protagonists are fat and dealing with their own teenage lives in the Texas town. Waylon Brewer is what his fabulous grandma calls"flamboyant" and has never really tried to hide that he is gay, but also hasn't gone full Waylon. That changes when he finds out his twin sister is going to a different college than him and tries drag for the first time after watching his fave show (clearly based on RuPaul's Drag Race) and wanting to feel better and show that fat queens are awesome. The audition video he makes for fun gets released throughout town and he is nominated for Prom Queen. As part of the court, he gets paired up with Tucker, one of the King nominees. In the weeks leading up to prom, they learn more about each other and Waylon learns more about himself, who he is as both Waylon and Miss Pumpkin Patch. I loved this book, partly because I am obsessed with drag race and know that Murphy knows Ginger Minj from the Dumplin' movie and that this story was encouraged by her, and partly just because Murphy's writing drags me into the story every time (pun intended).