Ramona Blue audiobook

Actual rating: 4/5 starsTHIS BOOK. Pay absolutely no attention to the low rating on Goodreads. It's because a large amount of biphobic people were misled by the synopsis and rated it 1 star without listening to reviews of people who ACTUALLY read the book. This book deserves so many more stars than that. It's about a girl who is discovering her sexuality. She thinks she's lesbian, but then starts to question. Sexuality is fluid, and we need more YA books that explore it. RAMONA BLUE does exactly that, and does it perfectly. It is NOT a book about a guy who turns a lesbian straight. It is a book about a lesbian who realizes she's not as sure about her sexuality as she used to be. It's about family. Ramona, the main character, has very different relationships with her mom, sister, and dad, and each is explored in the book. It's about swimming. We rarely see YA books in which the mc does a sport where it's mentioned more than once, and swimming is a big part of Ramona's life in this book. As a swimmer, I adored it. It's about friendship. Ramona has a unique, real group of friends, and I loved it. It's about growing up poor, and how that affects your entire life. And yes, it's about romance. There IS a boy. That's not all the story is about. It's so much more than that. Give RAMONA BLUE a chance. If you do, you'll read a book you'll absolutely fall in love with.

4.5 starsI'm really, really, really upset I didn't read this sooner and even more upset that I considered unhauling it. It breaks my heart to know I almost didn't give this a chance, because it's everything I love and more.The main character is 6'3. She's attracted to girls and guys. She's from a low-income family in a small town. She's from the south. She's in an interracial relationship. All of these things and more coming together made me fall in love with it. The writing was gorgeous (SO many tabs). Ramona was human and realistic and emotionally mature. I really don't have any deep analysis of this other than it was really, really worth my time and I encourage you to reach for it as well because it's heartwarming while also providing smart, nuanced conversations about several relevant topics. The reason it's not a full 5 stars is because the ending action kind of came out of nowhere, but I still loved the characters so much and I really vibed with this entire thing.

Full disclosure: I have not read this book, but I'm preemptively rating it five stars merely to combat the slate of negative ratings based off a synopsis the author didn't even write. Certainly, the trope of a lesbian being "fixed" by the "right man" is an extremely dangerous trope. I'm in no way invalidating how harmful and offensive that mindset is. I do not believe that a lesbian can be "turned" straight or is "just going through a phase". But I also don't believe that a queer girl who has not solely been attracted to others girls is any way less valid than a "gold star lesbian" (UGH, is that offensive). I'm willing to guess, based on what I know of the author (who is self-identified bisexual), that this book does not feature that "fixed lesbian" trope, and instead explores how labels and sexuality can shift. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD.Also, we don't KNOW if her label shifts. Sexuality is black and white for some and a million shades of gray for others. Some people have fluid sexualities. Some people don't get their label right on the first try. Some people identify as lesbian but have been in love with men before. Point is, sexuality is an individual thing, especially when it comes to labels. All queer stories are worth telling, including this one. There are very YA few books about bisexual identity, and this one is needed.Bisexuality is not lesbophobic.The synopsis has a level of ambiguity that clearly offended a lot of lesbian readers. The publisher is rewriting it with the input of the author, so I urge people to wait and see if this is actually a book that deserves the kind of criticism it gets. For now, maybe just assume that it's a portrayal of an individual teen trying to figure herself out in a world that makes it pretty damn hard (proven by how overtly biphobic a lot of the negative reviews have been), which is pretty much Julie Murphy's forte.

I haven't read this yet, but neither have you.Cut it out.

I genuinely really loved this book. It was such a different story, a different cast of characters, and it was unlike anything that I've ever read before. It's hard to describe my thoughts on this novel because I have so much that I enjoyed about it. First, I will mention the life/background of the main character. I find that I rarely read of a main character that is realistically struggling with their families, finances, and basic necessities in order to survive. I'm not saying that there isn't novels out there that include and address those issues but...it isn't a common theme in YA novels. However, unfortunately, I think it can be a reality for many young adults living in this society whether it be an "atypical family" (what's typical nowadays anyway), financial distress, or housing concerns. It was just an interesting concept because it felt that this character's background was more realistic to many than the average contemporary young adult novel would be. Also, along with the above, the characters in this novel. Each of them (especially the main characters) were incredible. It was easy to become invested in each of their stories. As well, each of them came from such different backgrounds and lived such different lifestyles. Again, that makes it incredibly realistic and the story becomes that much more real. I know there is criticism and controversy regarding this novel and I understand where those opinions are coming from. I think those concerns are subjective and I can't invalidate a person's feelings by saying they are wrong. I will say though that personally, I thought the messages were more positive than not. I think it promoted the message of fluidity instead of sticking to a societal label. Either way, I think this novel is an important one and it has definitely become a favourite of mine. Actually, Julie Murphy has become a new favourite author of mine as a whole. Her writing style is incredible and she includes and promotes very important themes in her novels that need to be discussed. I have so much respect for her and I cannot wait to read more written by her in the future!

4 stars! “I hate this idea that boys are thinking about sex nonstop and girls are thinking about - what? Stationery and garden gnomes? No.” I attended Apollycon this year and had the pleasure of meeting Julie Murphy and listening to her talk on a YA panel. She had talked about Ramona Blue and after hearing what she had to say, I was intrigued and decided to check it out from my local library. Julie had said this book was her own personal screw you to the movie Chasing Amy (which I haven't seen but have heard of).Ramona Blue is about a very tall teenage girl with blue hair who has always known she was a lesbian. After a summer romance with a girl named Grace that doesn't end well, she finds herself resigned to the fact that she will never leave her small town. Starting her senior year, a childhood friend Freddie moves back to her town and the two reconnect. Their friendship is effortless, until Ramona realizes she has feeling for him, that combined with issues at home throws her into an identity crisis. “You've never dated any guys?'I shrug. 'Haven't even kissed one.' And then I add, 'Well, in recent years.''Then how do you know you don't like guys?''I don't know, Freddie,' I say, trying to hide my irritation. 'How many boys did you kiss before you realized you were straight?” I really enjoyed reading this book. Sexuality is fluid, and I think this book did a good job of portraying that. I think it also covers how difficult it can be to be bisexual and all of the stigmas and judgments that come at it from both sides, straight or gay. I think Julie covered this topic really well and at no point did anything personally offend me.Julie Murphy has a writing style I connect with very well, and I am excited to read more by her in the future!Follow me on ♥ Facebook ♥ Blog ♥ Instagram ♥ Twitter ♥

I have officially given one of Julie Murphy's books 5 stars! I'm so happy. I'd read her two previous books and they were not for me, but I had a feeling that this one would tick all my boxes and it SO did. I adored this. While I recognize that some of the things she did or said along the way were not necessarily done in the best way (i.e.: trying to force someone into labeling themselves when they weren't ready), I loved the way that Ramona grew during her journey and realized that she was in the wrong. This book was all about learning to be unapologetically yourself and I fucking loved it. Swoon.

3.5 stars Like many other YA contemporaries, the main girl in the story is on her way to discovering her identity except Ramona Blue thought she had it all figured out. She was sure she liked girls, only girls. She was pretty much sure she had no life outside of her small town and her meager savings were only meant for her sister’s soon to be born baby and was definite that her home will always be the too small trailer house. She has almost resigned and sealed her fate to this life when things start turning the way they weren’t supposed to, the catalyst of which seems to be Freddie, a childhood friend and shockingly a boy! The story was written very well in the narrative voice of Ramona, a girl who is confused of so many things including her sexuality which she soon learns is something fluid. Her voice is very genuine, honest and her many struggles are relatable. She’s one of those teenagers who feels like she has no luxury of becoming a teenager but also learns that she can’t always be completely responsible for another person even if she wanted to. At times, the narrative got tedious and that's probably the only reason I didn't give this more stars but the plot and the themes are very well explored and the story deliberately tells significant aspects of a teenager’s life that you don’t usually see in other YA books. In the end, Ramona still isn’t sure of anything, not even her sexuality because labels are just labels but to her, what matters is her freedom to choose. My favorite line from the book: “Emotions are gross!” Lol.

“Sometimes catastrophes split you in half and even if all the pieces are there, they might not ever fit back together.”Roman Blue was my first book by Julie Murphy and it sure as heck won't be my last. It exceeded all the expectations. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the voice actor. She added to Ramona's very distinct voice and granted me so much insight into Ramona's mind.I picked up this book because of two reasons. 1. Because a trusted friend of mine who has excellent taste in books told me that it was amazing and 2. because a blogger that I'm really not a fan of trashed this book because he claimed the character calling herself a lesbian even though she ends up dating a boy is manipulative, wrong and tricks readers. The said blogger then gave it a super crappy rating. Listening to the audiobook made me fall in love with Ramona and her world and left me awestruck by how skillfully Julie Murphy stricks words together. I felt so much for these characters. It was a lighthearted book that had its quiet and emotional moments. The author talked about poverty, family, friendship and sexuality in such an honest and understanding way that I couldn't help but love this book. Additionally, it has a great cast of diverse and queer characters. It's a wonderful YA novel, one that I will definitely revisit.Find more of my books on Instagram

Okay, so now that I have read this book, I can say that my initial impression of it was not 100% accurate. . . but it was also much, much better than I was expecting. This is more of a 4.5, but I'm keeping my 5 stars to balance out the ratings. The romance is a much smaller part of the book than the blurb might indicate. Ramona makes it very clear throughout the book that she is still very much into girls, but she's into Freddie too and Ramona is very much finding herself. By the end of the book, Ramona hasn't decided on a new label yet, but to me, personally, this book read very much like the story of someone who is still exploring their sexuality and within a few years will feel much more sure of themselves, and I think it's fairly heavily indicated through the text that Ramona will probably ID as bi or queer one day. Ramona Blue is about growing up in a small town, expectations, poverty, and finding yourself. I think an excellent comp title for this book is Just Visiting by Dahlia Adler, and if you like one you'll probably like the other.

I loved this book. I loved it so very, very much. From the first page onwards, I instantly warmed to each and every character. Ramona was wonderful and I've totally fallen for Freddie. There wasn't a character in this book that now doesn't have a little piece of my heart, they were all so gorgeously written and so human. I also very much appreciated that Ramona was so tall, I was extremely tall for my age at one point (although I'm a total shortie now 😅) and I know I would have appreciated this aspect of her character hugely then, as I don't think it's something I've ever really come across before in YA. I loved the representation in this, not only with Ramona's coming to terms with her sexuality but also the representation multiple sexualities and races of each of the characters and growing up poor. It was so refreshing to read and I thought the fact that there was no ambiguity surrounding race, due to everyone's race is stated the moment we're introduced to them, was brilliantly refreshing. I especially appreciated a conversation between Freddie and Ramona, on race on page 155, in which Freddie explains to Ramona why he can't afford to risk breaking the law.I know a lot of people were initially worried about the representation of Ramona's sexuality before this was released. I can't personally say whether or not it was harmful but after reading multiple #ownvoices reviews, I was relieved to see how much it has meant to and been praised by so many #ownvoices bi reviewers, so I would definitely recommend searching for and giving those a read! The other aspect of this I utterly adored was Julie Murphy's writing style. After having read and being a little disappointed by 'Dumplin' earlier this year, I was a little apprehensive going into this. I was worried that I wouldn't get on with Murphy's writing style again but I couldn't have been more wrong. It was easy to read, flowed beautifully and pulled at all of my heart strings. I just wanted more and more. I could have easily read on for another 100 pages (and that's not just because I want more Ramona and Freddie.... although I totally want more Ramona and Freddie please.) Honestly, there wasn't a single aspect of this book I didn't adore. I flew through it and had my heart pumped full of love and heartbreak throughout. Ramona Blue was honest, emotional, brilliantly diverse and an absolute joy to read and one I'd recommend to anyone. One of my favourite contemporary reads of 2017.

Oh man, I cannot believe I slept on this book for so long. I cried tears, ya'll. This poor sweet girl and all the weight she was carrying on her shoulders. Such a beautiful story about self-discovery, a friend group that I LOVED, real talk and problems within the group that required talking through and such fantastic discussions being had. I loved every single thing about this story.

So so wonderful. My expectation was a light read; instead, I listened to a book that I really resonated with, and, maybe, helped me discover a piece of me. I'm in my mid-20's; to find such is really a gift.- First, the audiobook for this is bloody fantastic. The narrator was incredible, and I adored the accents and the Southern charm. The different voices she gave to different characters was incredible. - This book is messy, but... that's why I really liked it. I think something we rarely see in YA is when a character is in the process of learning, particularly about other people's identities and how to be respectful of those identities. Sometimes ignorance leads us to say things that are hurtful to people, even though we don't realize it. It's no excuse, but seeing some of the characters make mistakes, negotiate their identities, and just be in that process of trying to better was... very very refreshing and raw. I liked it a lot.- I really loved Ramona. Yes, she's messy as heck, but I really related with her uncertainty, her hesitations, and her doubts. Her conflict, her thoughts, and her narrative were wonderful.- The writing (paired with the narration) was such a dream. I really felt how Ramona saw the world, felt about the people she loved and her home. - Poor rep. Classism is something we don't talk about enough in discussions about YA books. - Freddie. Gosh, I adore Freddie so darn much. I appreciated that he was ignorant but trying. I appreciated this nuance in his character, that there was a distinction made about being a willful bigot and someone who was ignorant but trying.

Omg! This book! Julie Murphy never disappoints! Check out my full review on my booktube channel http://www.youtube.com/peterlikesbooks

Actual rating: 4.5 You know, we used to be stuck writing letters to each other and waiting weeks or even months to hear back. The phone is a modern miracle, and now all of a sudden we're too cool for it? Please don't let the very low rating on goodreads fool you about this book because i managed to finish this book in 6 hours because i ate up every word on the page and ended up really loving this book. Contemporary books are usually a hit and miss with me but for me this one was one of the best contemporary novels i have read for 2017 and ever. Give this story a go because it really is so honest, raw and a very well written story. Plot: This book centres around Ramona Blue a lesbian teenager living in a small town with her father and sister. Ramona blue is dealing with discovering who she really is and how sexuality effects her all throughout the book. I liked the journey Ramona went through during the book because we first see her with a girl on a summer romance and dealing with the girl she is seeing being in the closet still which makes things difficult between the two. Then Freddie a childhood friend returns to town that soon becomes a distraction for Ramona, however this soon leads the two to start a relationship. I like how it's addressed in the book how conflicted Ramona is with her sexuality because she doesn't know where she fits, she has trouble deciding wether or not she's gay, bi, pansexual this leads Ramona on a journey of self discovery. Family is another huge aspect of this book and plays a huge role in the plot of the story, Ramona's home life isn't most ideal life as her mother has left, her father is working two jobs just to make ends meat and her older sister Hattie is pregnant. Even though this is an issue for the family they all still remain close as they can be, the sisters have a close bond that last all throughout the novel and there dad is always trying to do whats best for his daughters. Even though this family is the most ideal family that you'd want to be apart of the closeness of how they are and how they will always have each others backs is what makes this family special. It’s sad that sometimes we let ourselves believe that if it’s not bad, it must be good.” I carve out a corner of my memory for his words, because it’s a sentiment I don’t want to forget. It’s an idea that feels dangerous, because it makes me want more, Characters: Ramona Blue: the main protagonist of this story and of course it's the title of this book, Ramona Blue is a girl who is a lesbian but is also very confused about what her true identity really is. The journey that this character goes on in this story is just amazing, we see her do things but also take a step back to see if what she did was right. Ramona throughout the whole story questions her sexuality because she came out as a lesbian before the story kicks off but when she gets into a relationship with Freddie she becomes instantly confused about it all. One thing i loved about this character is that when she screwed up she pointed it out to herself and realised in fact made the wrong choice which i absolutely freaking love about her. To me Ramona's journey all throughout the book was self discovery and realisation. Freddie I liked this character, he was so opened minded and so easy going towards everyone which made me want to be friends with this bloke. Freddie was a little to nice at times with so many of the characters when he really shouldn't have been and i wish he realised this but when he did it was already to late he got himself hurt. His and Ramona's relationship was a complicated one because he knew that Ramona was a lesbian before they every did anything, but he understands that she is confused when they start dating each other. I can say this he knows that she's confused and he tries to help in Freddie fashion. Hattie: Ramona's older sister who happens to be pregnant, Hettie was one of the characters that i enjoyed seeing in this book. Her and Ramona are extremely close with each other and i like how Hettie calls her on all the stuff she does all throughout the book, from her summer romance, to ramona's relationship to Freddie. All the decisions Ramona made her sister was always there to make sure she was doing the right thing and to make sure that no body was hurt in the process. Alright so i've read a couple of low rated reviews on goodreads for this group, because of the synopsis of the book. Let me get one thing straight right away The main character of this book is a lesbian yes, she does get into a relationship with a GUY and no she isn't magically turned back to a straight girl, she becomes confused with her sexuality because she doesn't know where she fits. This is addressed all throughout the book and even the main character calls herself out on it. Soo before you get in a huge rant or sook over this book and decide to rate it a 1 or 2 because of the synopsis PLEASE read the ENTIRE book before making a review instead of just leaving a hateful review on goodreads Please give Ramona Blue a chance because you will just love this story because its so funny, raw and a well written story!

I have not ready this book, but since it's being bombed with 1 star reviews and Julie Murphy is getting death threats, I wanted to send it some love. I'm ALL ABOUT a book where a girl realizes she's not a lesbian, she's bisexual, because labels change!ETA: Honestly, I worried a bit when this book's premise was announced. But then I remember that I trusted Julie to handle this respectfully! And I remember that I thought I was straight for 20 years and so, so many other people thought they were straight or gay or lesbian for years and years and years because those are the only identities we really talk about. Pan, bi, ace, trans, intersex, and so many other queer people are excluded from conversations about queer identity, and so is the process of realizing how they identify. If we can have stories about characters discovering they're gay or lesbian, why can't we have books where they discover they're actually bi or pan? And maybe consider it's not in the blurb because the blurb is a few paragraphs and the book is several hundred pages so it's not super easy to cover everything.

"I've embraced another facet of myself. Life isn't always written in the stars. Fate is mine to pen. I choose guys. I choose girls. I choose people. But most of all; I choose." Ramona Blue. A catchy title, catchy cover art, catchy blurb, catchy author. MMMYASSS. I never thought I could zoom in through a book and feel it slowly settle permanently within the folds of my heart. In short, I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS.Ramona Blue is 6'3, has blue hair and is gay. Not until ex-beach playmate, 18-year-old and hydrophobic cry baby turned legit swimmer Freddie comes back in the picture of the dreary, sun-drenched town of Eulogy, Mississippi and tips the scales. Now Ramona is just plain confused.Ever since she and her family have been wrecked by the hurricane Katrina, their mom slowly faded out of the picture and left them with their father to pick up the remnants of their life. But Hattie, her older sister is now pregnant and their father's work is barely holding them up while their cramped trailer truck seemed to progressively cave in and fall into decrepitude matching the somber soundtrack of their life. Ramona sees no other choice but to take up the mantel and erase any glimmer of the future because for her, fate is already locked in position and there's nothing left to do but think about future bills for her sister's unborn child and the amount of work she has to carry.But Ramona still got 12 months to prepare before the last puzzle piece clicks right in place of her future. Two S's remain. Summer and her Senior year. And with this entails the return of her childhood friend Freddie after 8 years. Sooner than expected Ramona suddenly caught herself eating Egg's Benedict with Freddie and his grandma Agnes in their cozy bungalow, swimming in YMCA with the two every Mondays, watching gore movies in their cramped trailer with Freddie in Halloween, crying over separate LDR's that never worked, and swearing off to not date girls for the remainder of the year. Although Ramona had clearly stated that she is into girls and will always be, it is undeniable that the two are an endearing pair. And while Ramona keeps denying this fact to herself, Freddie makes the first move and completely tips the established balance of their friendship. Now as Ramona tries to recognize and understand her feelings, she is continuously plagued with the prospect of her future and the relevance of the "labels" that imprints her skin. "Maybe it's not all the little labels that make us who we are. Maybe it's about how all these labels interact with the world around us. It's not that I'm gay. It's that I'm gay in Eulogy, Missispi. It's not that I'm tall. It's that I'm too tall for the trailer I live in. It's not that I'm poor. It's that I'm too poor to do and have everything I want. Life is a series of conflicts, and maybe the only resolution is accepting that not all problems are meant to be solved." Ramona Blue is an honest and resilient heroine you'll sure love (as much as I have) and the diversity of her environment/ friends (I'm looking at you Saul and Ruthie!) will leave you wanting to be with them physically. Ramona's decisions and perspective will surely enthrall you and how she deals with everything that blocks her way. By the end of this book, you'll be able to see how much everyone in the book evolved and embraced change. How even the most destructive obstacle will be the silver lining that propels you for something better. And for that, I would like to commend Julie Murphy for. Her fluent prose had made every matter in Ramona Blue much easier to read and delve into the depths of the issue between sexuality, the established labels society had conjured, and the unfathomable spectrum of love. "My heart is elastic. I realize it for the first time. For so long I thought there was a limit to how much love I could hold and who I could give it to. But life is so much more dynamic than that. Love doesn't disappear when you give it away, and new love doesn't make old love any less legitimate."