Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Book Summery (Via Goodreads): 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….

Book Trailer:


Book Review:
I was first introduced to Sarah Ockler when I read Twenty Boy Summer for banned books week back in 2010. I immediately feel in love with Ockler's writing style. However, Ockler really won me over with her follow-up novel Fixing Delilah. I often reflect back to Delilah. It is a book that I know I will read again from time to time. Needless to say, I was uuber eager to get my hot little hands on a copy of Ockler's latest novel, Bittersweet. Ockler has a way of writing flawed characters in such a way that you wish you were friends with them. She reminds us that our imperfections are what make us human, and encourages us to remember that it's not important how many mistakes we make, but rather how we mend them. I looooove the characters in this book. Hudson is real. She struggles with the choices she makes. While I didn't always agree with her choices, I appreciate that she takes time to think through her decisions. I'll admit, there were times where I was more than a little irritated with Hudson's mother. However, this was a good reminder that life isn't perfect. More times than not, we are living in less than perfect situations. Ockler has such finesse in writing about these situations. There were times that this book made my heart soar and times where my heart sunk. There were also laugh out loud moments. This book has it all. Seriously, I could go on forever. This book is amazing. Just like Delilah, I will read this again and again. I am an Ockler fan for life. :) Also...the cupcakes are a FABULOUS touch!

Favorite Quote:

"Left too long without supervision, most kids would probably finger paint the walls, flush their underpants down the toilet, or, I don't know, set the whole place on fire. Our little genius? He turned our entire living room into an airport, complete with a four-foot-high LEGO traffic control tower and a fleet of paper planes, plastic army pilots taped safely into their cockpits. From deep beneath the couch, a large utility flashlight illuminates some sort of...landing strip? I crouch down for a better look. Oh. My. God. Stuck to the carpet in parallel, unbroken paths from one wall to the other are two lanes of brand-new maxi pads. Plastic dinosaurs stand guard at every fourth pad...protecting the airport from enemy aircraft and/or heavy flow." (p. 218-219)

Cover Art Commentary:
Simple. Elegant. Lovely.

Rating: