Review: Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

Bittersweet
Sarah Ockler
Release date: January 3rd, 2011
by Simon Pulse

Goodreads / Purchase

Hudson can't wait to get out of Watonka, her working-class town outside of Buffalo. Once upon a time, her talent as a skater was going to be her ticket out... but when her parents' marriage unraveled three years ago, so did her dreams. Now, she buries herself in making cupcakes for her mom's diner and imagining her parallel life where she went on to skate to glory. But when she gets a letter inviting her to audition for a skating scholarship *and* the hockey team asks for her help with their technique (read: free ice time for Hudson), it's impossible to ignore the signs. Is she ready to get back on the ice? Could this be her ticket out? Hudson's determined not to let anything stand in her way. But between baking and waitressing at the diner, the love triangle that's developing with two outrageously cute hockey boys, and the simmering drama with her best friend, her future is anything but certain...

*A copy was provided by Simon & Schuster for review purposes*

Red Hot Double Crush Cakes:
Ginger vanilla cupcakes with chilli-infused dark chocolate cream cheese frosting, dusted with cinnamon.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, the cupcake Queen of Watonka! That's right, Hudson is the queen of everything cupcake and a wonderful character to boot. Living in a humble little town just getting by on her mother's diner income, Hudson has thrown herself into creating (delicious) cupcakes to forget that she once had big dreams. However, these dreams are being dangled in front of her face once more. Hudson has this personality that you can't help but ADORE. She is down to earth, she loves to make up amusingly exaggerated scenarios in her mind as well as being incredibly responsible and smart which I admired.

With every chapter beginning with a delicious cupcake recipe, Bittersweet will make your mouth water at every turn. When it's not because of these delicacies, it will be because of our dear - and numerous - boys that are swarming the pages of this book. See, Hudson has a deal with the hockey captain, she gets ice time if she gives this much needed team some skating advice. And, since boys will be boys, it gets pretty entertaining. I enjoyed the playfulness and the teasing that we were bound to have. They are a great bunch of personalities that fill this book with humor and charm.

What I enjoyed the most about this novel, though, is the romance. Bittersweet holds a brilliantly written love story that is flawed- but perfect. I loved every moment, every kiss, every worry, and every tear. There is absolutely no insta-love in here, it feels completely real and perfectly enchanting. As they often say, the journey is the best part!

For fans of Catching Jordan, Sarah Ockler gives us a novel filled with family, love, cupcakes and hockey boys that is simply... bittersweet!

4 Hot Espressos

Obsidian Tour Stop

On this lovely day, I am happy to have the Obsidian blog tour stop by. I've got a great interview with Jennifer to show you and then you will all have a chance to win a copy of this fantastic book!

Cover Reveal: Chosen Ones

I have a new YA Dystopian title to show you in this cover & blurb reveal. I hope you all LOVE it as much as I do:

Chosen Ones
(Lost Souls, #1)
Tiffany Truitt
Expected release date: April, 2012
By Entangled Publishing

What if you were mankind’s last chance at survival?

Sixteen-year-old Tess lives in a compound in what was once the Western United States, now decimated after a devastating fourth World War. But long before that, life as we knew it had been irrevocably changed, as women mysteriously lost the ability to bring forth life. Faced with the extinction of the human race, the government began the Council of Creators, meant to search out alternative methods of creating life. The resulting artificial human beings, or Chosen Ones, were extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

Life is bleak, but uncomplicated for Tess as she follows the rigid rules of her dystopian society, until the day she begins work at Templeton, the training facility for newly created Chosen Ones. There, she meets James, a Chosen One whose odd love of music and reading rivals only her own. The attraction between the two is immediate in its intensity—and overwhelming in its danger.

But there is more to the goings-on at Templeton than Tess ever knew, and as the veil is lifted from her eyes, she uncovers a dark underground movement bent not on taking down the Chosen Ones, but the Council itself. Will Tess be able to stand up to those who would oppress her, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

Add it to your Goodreads to-read shelf

Don't you just love this? I find this cover is gorgeous I love the colors (especially jealous of her hair) And the fact that it's being published by Entangled Publishing is very promising. I've been incredibly impressed with their YA releases so far, and being a huge Dystopian fan, it's safe to say I'm very excited about this one!

What are your thoughts?

Waiting on Wednesday (15)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

My pick this week:

                                    Touched

                                    Cyn Balog

                                    Release date: August 14th, 2012

Nick Cross always listens to the voice in his head. Because if he doesn't? Things can go really, really wrong. Like the day he decided to go off script and saved a girl from being run over . . . and let another one drown. Trying to change the future doesn't work.

But this summer at the Jersey Shore, something's about to happen that Nick never could have predicted. He meets a girl named Taryn and finds out about the Book of Touch. Now the path that he thought he was on begins to shift . . . and there's no way to stop things from happening. Or is there?

In a life where there are no surprises, nothing has prepared Nick for what he's about to discover--or the choice he will be forced to make. . . 

Add it to your Goodreads to-read shelf

First, this cover is very detailed. I keep noticing something new on it and I love it. And second, this synopsis is fascinating and sounds to have some great twists and mysteries.

What's on your waiting list this week?
Leave me a link I'll go visit! =)

Review: Still Waters by Emma Carlson Berne

Still Waters
Emma Carlson Berne
Release Date: December 20th, 2011
by Simon Pulse

Goodreads / Purchase

Hannah can't wait to sneak off for a romantic weekend with her boyfriend, Colin. He’s leaving for college soon, and Hannah wants their trip to the lake house to be one they’ll never forget.
But once Hannah and Colin get there, things start to seem a bit...off. They can't find the town on any map. The house they are staying in looks as if someone's been living there, even though it's been deserted for years. And Colin doesn’t seem quite himself. As he grows more unstable, Hannah worries about Colin’s dark side, and her own safety.
Nothing is as perfect as it seems, and what lies beneath may haunt her forever.

*A copy was provided by Simon & Schuster for review purposes*

I've noticed a few people compare this to The Shining. But (and yes you'll think I've been living under a rock… but… it's a very pretty rock!) I've never read or watched The Shining so to me this was all new and extremely creepy. I went into Still Waters expecting a really ominous plot with a not always bright protagonist - like your average horror flick, and that's what I got. Still Waters is fun, freaky and got my adrenalin pumping.

Hannah decides to go on a romantic getaway with her boyfriend, Colin, to his old summer home in the middle of nowhere (don't ask me!?). When they get there things take a very strange turn when Colin starts acting like he's gone mad. This is the type of story I just eat up. I love the mystery, the suspense and simply scaring myself by imagining being in their shoes. I have mixed feelings about Hannah, though. She is a fun protagonist that I was able to connect with, but I also wanted to scream at her for some of her decisions and how she can be really oblivious. I did enjoy her relationship with Colin which is awfully cute. They've already been together for a year so there's none of the drama and angst of a new love, though, there is still romance and plenty of admiration.

From the reviews I have read, it seems like we all agree on one thing - the ending could have been so much more. I had many fun, complex theories that I hoped would be close to how it ended. But the actual ending is very bland and disappointing. Some might even find it has no 'ending' at all; that the book is simply over.

So, after all this, why do I give it a high rating? Well, you know how expectations affect satisfaction? Since I had seen reviews beforehand, I knew what to expect. Even though I agree the ending is a downer, it doesn't turn it into a bad book, it's merely not as exceptional as it had the potential to be had it had a shocking twist. Personally, with the actions scenes so incredibly realistic, I couldn't help but find this book exhilarating. In fact, I was so into it that every noise I heard at home freaked me out. I had to quit reading until daytime. The suspense had me on the edge of my seat, reading like a maniac to find out what would happen next. Being a real thriller nut, it would take more than the lack of a monumental ending to make me say that this is not an extremely fun, creepy book.

4 Hot Espressos

Want to know more about Still Waters?
Drop by for the blog tour stop on January 9th!