Confectionately Yours: Save the Cupcake by Lisa Papametriou
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I really don't think of myself as a book snob but I did not have high expectations for this book. Maybe because of the cover (adorable, but kind of juvenile and garishly purple)? Maybe because I had acquired it so cheaply (a sale on Amazon for less than $3)? Maybe because of the overall theme (while I am a foodie, really good foodie books are rare)?
Regardless, I was delighted to find that all of prejudices were wrong. This was quite a good book, even for me, far outside the intended young teen audience.
The plot centers around, Hayley, a young girl whose life has been turned upside down recently. After her parent's divorce, she has to move into her grandmother's apartment, which is just over the family tea room and bakery. Her mother is out of work; her father is dating a much younger woman; her friendship with her BFF's are crashing for various reasons. What I really liked is that the author didn't handle these subjects in a condescending way, as some authors do with young adult fiction. These problems were dealt with in a very realistic, but tender way. I also loved how the ending just solved the major plot problem. It didn't wrap all Hayley's problems up in a cute purple bow. Certainly, there's enough left over for me to read book #2 in the series, which I already bought. And, the chapters with recipes for cupcakes really didn't hurt. I even plan on making some of them.
Overall, a good solid read. Color me purple with embarrassment.
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