Cupcake

December 4, 2006
Irrepressible Cyd Charisse returns in a third novel that picks up right where Shrimp
left off. CC is now 18 and living in New York's Greenwich Village with her half-brother, Danny, thinking about culinary school and reconsidering her "no contact" agreement with Shrimp, who is surfing and writing haiku in New Zealand. Her new life features ups and downs (she breaks her leg and drops out of culinary school, but also makes new friends and lands a job as a barista). When Shrimp arrives on her doorstep just in time for a Christmas surprise, CC must decide if she wants to continue building her own life or make one with the man she loves. This book once again covers a lot of ground, including CC's first fight with Danny, the death of a friend and a trip back to California to see her parents (and to track down Shrimp), but CC's authentic voice keeps the story grounded. Fans will appreciate that this installment features a more mature CC, who considers choices more carefully, even if she complains, "What happened to us!
We were once rebels! Proudly insolent teenagers!" Readers may find it hard to believe that the book's unusual characters bond so strongly (such as CC's punk boss, Johnny Mold, and her uptight half-sister LisBETH) and they may well predict the outcome—but they will have fun watching CC's free spirit take on the Big Apple. Ages 13-up. (Feb).

March 1, 2007
Gr 9 Up-In this final installment in the series, Cyd Charisse, high school graduate, rejects a marriage proposal from her surfer boyfriend, Shrimp, who relocates to New Zealand with his parents, and follows her own dream of a new life in Manhattan. Tossed back into the life she first sampled in "Gingerbread" (S & S, 2002) when she visited her father, she is determined to find her niche in the city that promises to deliver the "perfect espresso shot" she craves. Readers will once again be captivated by Cyd's hip language and sophisticated take on life. She and her New York family, including her gay, cupcake-baking half brother and ambitious, man-hunting half sister, are perfect foils for one another. She dominates the novel with her strong, effervescent personality, and readers are drawn inside the mind of this unforgettable young woman. Fans of the Cyd/Shrimp love story will not be disappointed with this thoroughly satisfying conclusion to the saga."Caryl Soriano, New York Public Library"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2007
Following " Gingerbread" (2002) and " Shrimp " (2005), the latest adventure of antihero Cyd Charisse picks up Cyd's story after she has graduated high school and moved in with her gay older brother, Danny, to help with the cupcake business he runs out of his Greenwich Village apartment. CC is supposed to be attending culinary school but is distracted by new friends and her unending search for the perfect cup of NYC espresso. Then former boyfriend Shrimp, who left after CC turned down his marriage proposal, shows up unexpectedly. Shrimp and CC are drawn back into their tug-of-war relationship, which will be sweet agony for fans who have rooted for the two from the beginning. Candid talk about love and sex and some sexual situations make this a book for older teens, but audience aside, Cohn remains at the top of her wordy, pop-culture game in what has turned out to be a stylishly hip series. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)