Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

Ramona Blue

by Julie Murphy

From Julie Murphy, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’ and Side Effects May Vary, comes another fearless heroine, Ramona Blue, in a gorgeously evocative novel about family, friendship, and how sometimes love can be more fluid than you first think. Perfect for fans of Rainbow Rowell and Morgan Matson.

Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi.

But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool.

But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke.

Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem.

Reviewed by layawaydragon on

5 of 5 stars

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Love. Love. Love. Love.

Notes from Listening:
-->Awww yes, straight to the f/f
-->Yes the shaving hate.
-->Oh, I get the feet self-hate.
-->Adorbs.
-->Blue hair!
-->Oh. "Olive juice" = "I love you" didn't know that.
--> Awww dad!
-->Yep, got trailer parks right.
-->Wow, 6'3
-->Hmmm, Saul.
-->Gay, Cajun, & white
-->Ewww religious conversion shit.
-->Awww her family. But fuck her mom.
-->Damn Katrina stories. =(
-->Her sister is a hot mess.
-->Heteronormative BS.
-->Fuck Tyler.
-->"He's even cuter when I'm sober." lol
-->The movie theater awkwardness! lol
-->You go girl! "How many boys did you kiss before deciding you were straight?"
-->I love Ruth
--> "What point does someone's extraordinary become your ordinary?"
-->Oh no. That party...Viv.
-->Lisa Frank pencil bag!!
-->Yep, get that abortion stuff. Good reality check depiction.
-->Ugh her mom.
-->Saul reminds me of the main dude from S-town the podcast.
-->Good point about "that's how black kids get shot"
-->So true about the lunch breaks and pay!
-->Tyler is a jerk. ugh.
-->"Bring the straight one" LOL. Still true in the end too.
-->Oil rig lover boy.
-->Ya, fuck thanksgiving.
-->I REMEMBER MASH! OMFG SO LONG AGO.
-->Awwww Freddy!
-->Omfg the ass woman part, yesssss.
-->Omfg, picking Ruth & Ramona for MASH, Freddy lol
-->Omfg, that's so adorable!!!!
-->Omfg, Tyler on that conspiracy theory shit.
-->Demi rep!!
-->He has two Moms! And one is black!
-->First time Adam's brought girls home and they're both gay! 3
-->Good point about SW whiteness.
-->The random WW in Speedo, lol. "didn't look like a mess out there"
-->Wow that locker room scene. *whew*
-->Ewww Tyler creep. "almost like look at a boy" FU
-->Ah, gender bending Peter Pan references.
-->Oh no, asked about the gender. At least no gender reveal shit, I guess?
-->Yep the biphobia sucks.
-->Karma sucks, huh?
-->Omg the gift! 3
-->Oh Reggie, adorbs 3
-->That intro from Ruth! oh oh ohhhhhhhhhhhh
-->Aw Reggie
-->Ahh New Years
-->In text make outs, off scene sex.
-->AWWWW
-->Okay, the shoe thing is adorbs.
-->Smelly feet! Acne scars! Weird to be excited about, but teens always perfect in novels so yeah, it's important.
-->Yay Agnes.
-->Mardi gras baby shower.
-->Poor naive Freddy. No cops in the trailer park. Go home foundation boy.
-->FUCK HIM UP!
-->Homophobic fuckface.
-->Oh the pain.
-->Woot! Go girl!
-->I getchu.
-->Healthcare is fucked here.
-->Hahaha Saul.
-->Racist POS @ the baby shower. Slutshaming assholes
-->haha "pizza rolls not gender roles"
-->Ugh the mom
-->omg grace!
-->Still 2 hours, why do audiobooks feel so long?!?
-->Oh god, Hattie please!
-->Okay this prom I can get behind.
-->"It's not that I'm gay, but that I'm gay in Eulogy, MS." This whole passage is fantastic.
-->Yay Ruthie!!
-->Woooo librarian!
-->Totally cheesy and amazing ending.

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  • 1 December, 2016: Reviewed