In fact, it was interesting that the story was set in Massachusetts. Plus, when Hayley and Meghan fight to 'save the cupcake', we actually got a realistic ending, not the fairy tale ending that I feared. Hayley struggles with her parents' divorce, and she needs to come to terms with friendships that are evolving and devolving. While other books in the same genre may tend towards the over-the-top, this book seemed to keep it real.

I was surprised that this book dealt with real issues that many middle schoolers could probably identify with. Hayley is entirely relatable in the way she has to put up a front with her friends and classmates, not because she is in any way 'fake', but because life is complex, and she's still figuring things out. The 'Confession' chapters strewn throughout the book were very effective in illustrating how kids growing up have to reconcile their past experiences and real emotions with new experiences that they aren't sure how to process.

I could totally appreciate her perspective. Second, I really liked the authenticity of Hayley's voice. I can't keep up with all the books Isabelle brings home from the library, but she found a recipe in this book that we tried - the Spicy Mexican Chocolate 'Hotheads', sans the spices so that we actually made regular molten chocolate cupcakes - and they were amazing!! So, I figured I'd give the book a shot.įirst, let me commend the author on her commitment to diversity! Not only is the protagonist's grandmother British, but her sister has an African-American friend, her father has a Thai girlfriend, they have a Pakistani neighbor, a Jewish friend with a gluten allergy has a crush on a Muslim, another friend has a sister with autism, and a classmate is BLIND! Seems like that's a pretty impressive cast considering the main characters are Caucasian. I am surprised myself that I am giving this book 5 stars! There are so many cupcake-themed books that I honestly never stopped to consider that any one or other might really be a worthwhile read. *** WARNING: This review contains spoilers!!! ***

Save the cupcake lisa papademetriou