Monday, January 30, 2012

A Reader's Ramble- Bittersweet

Wooo! The amazing Sarah Ockler has finally written a new book! Her other books, Fixing Delilah and Twenty Boy summer were SPECTACULAR so I was really looking forward to Bittersweet!


Page count-378
Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life, and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances… a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life…and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last…

Plot- This book... this author... wow. Sarah Ockler has been one of my favorite authors ever since I read Fixing Delilah in the summer of 2011. After I fell in love with that book, I just had to go on and read more!
But turns out, she only had one other book, Twenty Boy Summer.
I read it and loved it, duh.
And after that, there were no more books! I felt like crying.
Soon after, I found out she'd have a new book coming out in 2012 originally titled "The Language of Impossible Dreams."
I pretty much was cheering when I read this.
Then the title got changed to Bittersweet and the final cover was released.
I was ecstatic.
Long story short, I've been excited for this book for a while now.

Ladies and gentlemen, she's done it again! I don't know how she's so brilliant.
This book was everything I was hoping for and more. It had tons of emotion, fun, love, heart break, twists and turns, and just plain awesomeness.
What I really love about Ockler's books is that she really gets inside the mind of the everyday teenager, and creates a great story about it.
Those problems that Hudson was facing could happen to any girl, any day, but Ockler makes it exciting and awesome to read about. She took a teenager's every day issues and made it into this awesome book!

There were so many life lessons in this book ; such great themes. I applaud Ockler for that because not many teenage books today have that good of meaningful life themes.
I could relate to a lot of what happened in the story, which was really comforting. That's one thing I love about contemporary, being able to picture myself in the life of the main character.

Ockler's writing just flows really well and is so enjoyable to read. The story itself was so fun and entertaining. It made me crave cupcakes like crazy! And, we had none in our house! GRR! :( It's the kind of book that makes you want to curl up on the couch on a winter night with some hot chocolate. Too bad I read this during the day time and there was no snow outside.

There was never really a point in the story where I was bored. There was always something happening to keep me interested.

To sum it up, I saw any teenage girl with a brain should read this and all of Sarah Ockler's other books, because the plots are great, exciting, and meaningful.

Setting- Watonka, New York. Talk about a unique setting. I've never even heard of that town, or ever read a book set there. It's one of those towns where everyone knows everyone (I think, or at least that's the impression I got). It's one of those towns where everyone wants to get out of some day; just a beginning prison of their lives.

Characters- Ohmygosh.
SarahOcklerhasthebestcharactersever!
Words can't even convey how amazing, genuine, real, relatable, well developed, and just plain wonderful all her characters are in every single book she's written.
They're just so.... wow.
Let's start with Hudson. She seems like a typical teenage girl, right?
WRONG.
She's like the freaking Cupcake Queen of her town, her cupcakes are apparently out of this world. That's what a lot of people see her as, but truth is, she's hiding a lot more.
She used to be a figure skater, like an amazing one who had a real shot at going all the way. It was her passion and life.
But, that all changed.
I'll let you read the book to find out why.
She was very real and a likable. Some of her thoughts and issues in life were just like mine, and that made me love her a lot more.

Those crazy hockey boys...mmm, just as delicious as those cupcakes Hudson makes! Josh was just the perfect guy character. I'm really not all for love triangles, but this one was pretty awesome.

Characters were all great. I wish they all existed.

Cover- Look at it! That is like the cutest thing ever! Look at the flour and the cookie heart! It's so adorable and fitting with this book! I love it!

Overall- Sorry this review was long, but you know what, I don't care. This book and her other books deserve long, rambling reviews.
This book along with her others just touched my heart and I'm so glad I read them. They're so real and beautiful, and I think it's just amazing.
Pretty much every teen girl will be able to relate to one of Sarah Ockler's books, maybe Bittersweet, or maybe another, or maybe all three.
This book was just so refreshing. I haven't read that good of a book in a while, and it was great to read an amazing one for a change.
I don't even think you needed to question whether this is getting 5/5 stars or not.


I highly recommend all of her books to you.
Seriously, you won't regret reading them.
If you want more proof of their awesomeness, check out my specific reviews to Fixing Delilah and Twenty Boy Summer
Why are you still sitting here? Go get one of her books and start reading them!
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4 comments:

Jolene Perry said...

I LOVE Ockler and will read everything she writes forever :D
This book was awesome.

PS - I was asked to type "bangs" in my word verification. I'm not sure why I'm telling you this, but it seemed funny.

Anonymous said...

Haha, sounds like me rambling on about Saving June last night!! ;) Don't you just love to find those books that speak to you??

It sounds like you really enjoyed Bittersweet; and I have to agree, that cover is absolutely adorable. <3 Makes me want to read it just so I can say I read such a gorgeous-looking book... ;)

So glad you enjoyed it, Paige, thanks for the review!!

Anonymous said...

I am in LOVE with that book. I just finished it and I'm just....ahhhhhhh!!

Sarah Ockler is one of my favorite authors, and her books make me so happy! I could never pick a favorite of her books, because they are all so amazing :)

I agree that SarahOcklerwritesthebestcharachtersever haha :)

~Julie

Kelley Vitollo said...

Sarah Ockler is my words hero. Seriously. She's amazing. Great review.