Scan barcode
A review by eatingwords
Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler
4.0
I don't even know where to start. There are so many aspects of the book that I liked (and also a few that I didn't).
I read this book for the Young Adult Book Club and I wasn't sure whether I would like it and what to really expect from the story as I have read a few reviews in which Hudson was not a particularly nice and fun main character, but selfish and on a big ego trip. But I didn't feel that way. I would rather say that Hudson's behaviour was justifiable.
Now onto the things I loved:
1. The Cupcake Theme. Since I started reading this book I'm craving cupcakes. Delicious, chocolatey cupcakes.
2. The love triangle. I am usually so not a fan of love triangles. I hated them in manga because the second guy always came in the way of the relationship of the original couple. I was always annoyed with it and I avoided reading books with two love interests ever since. But I think that Sarah Ockler solved it quite well as I didn't mind reading about the two boys. It didn't annoy me and I quite enjoyed reading about both characters.
3. The writing. I think Sarah Ockler's writing is beautiful. As I started this novel I got engrossed in the story and in the writing.
4. The figure skating/ice hockey. At first I wasn't sure I would enjoy it because of the figure skating/hockey thing. I'm not into sports, whether it's in real life or in books. But I found that even the parts about sports were interesting and I found myself rooting for the Wolves. I think Sarah Ockler did a nice job with the writing and especially with the description of the competitive ice skating. It was fun to read those parts.
5. Hudson. She was a great main character. She was caring, a great sister to Bug (who was also very adorable), funny. She had her problems and sometimes she seemed to be selfish. But let's be true here: who doesn't? I thought that it was great of Hudson to pursue her dreams, to start skating again. She never complained although she had so much to do. She had to go to school, act as a parent-surrogate for Bug, train the Wolves, go ice skating (and that without her mother finding out!), she had to bake cupcakes in her mother's diner and then also be a waitress there. Furthermore she also has a social life and her problems there: her friendship with Dani (which was great!), her problems with her father, the relationship drama with the two love interests. I think she deserves some credit here! I don't know if I could manage all of that at once. So yes, if she seemed selfish, may it be.
6. The setting. The setting was on ice because of the figure skating/ice hockey thing. But mainly the setting was the diner. And I loved the diner. I loved Trick, Marianne, Dani, the atmosphere behind the counter. It was great and I enjoyed reading about it. Where I live we don't have diners per se, so I was quite fascinated by the whole thing.
I couldn't quite give the book a five-star-rating because there were a few things that bugged me (pun intended):
1. Hudson's mother. The diner was her dream, yes. The diner is also the only income the Avery family has. I understand that. But I thought that Hudson's mother seemed to be oblivious of so many things going on in her children's life. She took everything for granted that Hudson did for her. She even expected her to be the surrogate-parent for Bug. She expected her to take care for paying the gas bill and when Hudson forgot it in all of her trouble, she was mad at her. I sometimes wanted to just shake her and tell her to wake up.
2. Josh Blackthorn. Yes, the swoon-worthy main love interest. It's not that I didn't like him. He was a good friend to Hudson. They shared the same music interests, their love for ice skating. Everything was great. Expect for his personality. I just hate it when boys (actually not just boys but anyone) don't know what they want. Or rather: when they don't say what they want. It drove me crazy how Hudson and Josh had this sexual tension going on quite a few times and he always backed away. Who does that?! It was quite obvious that he seemed to like Hudson more than just a friend. But instead of saying it straight out or acting appropriately, he does..nothing. Argh!!
But all in all I really liked this novel and I have already added Sarah Ockler's other works to my wishlist.
I read this book for the Young Adult Book Club and I wasn't sure whether I would like it and what to really expect from the story as I have read a few reviews in which Hudson was not a particularly nice and fun main character, but selfish and on a big ego trip. But I didn't feel that way. I would rather say that Hudson's behaviour was justifiable.
Now onto the things I loved:
1. The Cupcake Theme. Since I started reading this book I'm craving cupcakes. Delicious, chocolatey cupcakes.
2. The love triangle. I am usually so not a fan of love triangles. I hated them in manga because the second guy always came in the way of the relationship of the original couple. I was always annoyed with it and I avoided reading books with two love interests ever since. But I think that Sarah Ockler solved it quite well as I didn't mind reading about the two boys. It didn't annoy me and I quite enjoyed reading about both characters.
3. The writing. I think Sarah Ockler's writing is beautiful. As I started this novel I got engrossed in the story and in the writing.
4. The figure skating/ice hockey. At first I wasn't sure I would enjoy it because of the figure skating/hockey thing. I'm not into sports, whether it's in real life or in books. But I found that even the parts about sports were interesting and I found myself rooting for the Wolves. I think Sarah Ockler did a nice job with the writing and especially with the description of the competitive ice skating. It was fun to read those parts.
5. Hudson. She was a great main character. She was caring, a great sister to Bug (who was also very adorable), funny. She had her problems and sometimes she seemed to be selfish. But let's be true here: who doesn't? I thought that it was great of Hudson to pursue her dreams, to start skating again. She never complained although she had so much to do. She had to go to school, act as a parent-surrogate for Bug, train the Wolves, go ice skating (and that without her mother finding out!), she had to bake cupcakes in her mother's diner and then also be a waitress there. Furthermore she also has a social life and her problems there: her friendship with Dani (which was great!), her problems with her father, the relationship drama with the two love interests. I think she deserves some credit here! I don't know if I could manage all of that at once. So yes, if she seemed selfish, may it be.
6. The setting. The setting was on ice because of the figure skating/ice hockey thing. But mainly the setting was the diner. And I loved the diner. I loved Trick, Marianne, Dani, the atmosphere behind the counter. It was great and I enjoyed reading about it. Where I live we don't have diners per se, so I was quite fascinated by the whole thing.
I couldn't quite give the book a five-star-rating because there were a few things that bugged me (pun intended):
1. Hudson's mother. The diner was her dream, yes. The diner is also the only income the Avery family has. I understand that. But I thought that Hudson's mother seemed to be oblivious of so many things going on in her children's life. She took everything for granted that Hudson did for her. She even expected her to be the surrogate-parent for Bug. She expected her to take care for paying the gas bill and when Hudson forgot it in all of her trouble, she was mad at her. I sometimes wanted to just shake her and tell her to wake up.
2. Josh Blackthorn. Yes, the swoon-worthy main love interest. It's not that I didn't like him. He was a good friend to Hudson. They shared the same music interests, their love for ice skating. Everything was great. Expect for his personality. I just hate it when boys (actually not just boys but anyone) don't know what they want. Or rather: when they don't say what they want. It drove me crazy how Hudson and Josh had this sexual tension going on quite a few times and he always backed away. Who does that?! It was quite obvious that he seemed to like Hudson more than just a friend. But instead of saying it straight out or acting appropriately, he does..nothing. Argh!!
But all in all I really liked this novel and I have already added Sarah Ockler's other works to my wishlist.