Bittersweet

February 20, 2012
Ockler concocts an appetizing blend of personalities, drama, and passion in a story of bitter disappointments and sweet successes. Hudson was a champion ice skater until she learned a terrible secret about her father and hung up her skates. Three years later, her greatest claim to fame is baking scrumptious cupcakes for her mother's failing diner. But when Hudson is invited to enter a skating competition with a $50,000 scholarship prize, she's tempted to take a second chance at stardom on the ice. There are complications, of course. She has little time to practice and, in exchange for access to the local rink, Hudson has agreed to help her school's hockey team overcome their losing streak by teaching them some moves. Then there are the two handsome hockey players vying for her attention. Offering a non-glamorized depiction of competitive skating, Ockler (Twenty Boy Summer) expresses Hudson's anxieties as she tries to prioritize her commitments and dreams. Her love of the sport is deeply felt, and her regrets about the past and her fears about the future are heart-wrenchingly real. Ages 14âup. Agent: Ted Malawer, Upstart Crow Literary.

May 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-Hudson Avery is a talented figure skater, or at least she was before her last competition, which she intentionally threw after she discovered that her father was having an affair. Three years after that disastrous night, she, her brother, and her mother work hard at their family diner to make ends meet. Hudson earns a name for herself as the "Cupcake Queen" of Watonka, NY. Although baking relaxes her, she still longs to skate and thinks that an upcoming competition, with a scholarship award, will help her escape her small town. She makes a deal with her high school hockey team to secretly coach them on the finer points of ice skating in exchange for free use of the rink to practice for the event. Despite the players' trash talking, she manages to charm them and score the attention of two hunky players. At its heart, this story is about family, community, and communication, and Hudson narrates it with warmth and wry humor. Readers may find themselves frustrated with her unwillingness to be forthright about her feelings and dreams, but maybe that will lead them to wonder how many of their problems could be avoided just talking. Bittersweet is a book worth recommending.-Mindy Whipple, West Jordan Library, UT

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2012
Grades 9-12 At 14, Hudson Avery dreamed of ice-skating professionally. Then she botched a competition, her parents divorced, her dad (and biggest supporter) moved away, and she quit skating. Now, three years later, she's found enjoyment and success creating inventive cupcakes for her mom's diner. However, problems arise when she secretly resumes skating and is invited to compete for a college scholarship she knows she'll need down the road. She is caught between feelings for school ice-hockey players Josh and Will; the diner is struggling financially, and her mom needs her to waitress and babysit her little brother; and she has a fight with her best friend, Dani. As the big competition approaches, Hudson is overwhelmed with difficult dilemmas and decisions, but she ultimately gains understanding and appreciation for who and what matters in life. Ockler (Twenty Boy Summer, 2009) offers an entertaining read with an engaging, relatable protagonist. Hudson's lively first-person narrative is both wry and sympathetic, and it incorporates issues ranging from self-discovery to family and relationship complexities, along with identifying and following your dreams.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)