The Cupcake Queen by Heather Helper:





This is a sweet and satisfying book with heart and substance. The cover is cute, and quite honestly makes me hungry, but I ended up devouring the book itself...and it was delicious!

Penny Lane (yes, she's named after a Beatles song) has lived in New York City for all her life. When her parents hit a rough patch in their relationship she is forced to move to the small town of Hog's Hollow with her mother, leaving her old life and friends behind. Hog's Hollow is just about as normal as it's name. It's as if the town exists in it's own universe. There is no way Penny will be able to fit in here. She's already made a horrific first impression with the town's Queen Bee and resident mean girl, Charity, involving pink cupcakes from Penny's mother's bakery, Charity's birthday party and a huge mess. Charity has sworn to make Penny's life miserable from this moment on. Little does she know that Penny is already on the brink of misery. She doesn't want to be here in this backwards town. She never asked for this and her parents don't seem to want to listen to anything she says or even want to tell her the truth about what is going on between them.

There are some bright spots in Penny's life though. She did manage to make a few friends in Hog's Hollow. She instantly connected with an odd girl named Tally who is obsessed with professional Rock-Paper-Scissors Competition, cats and revenge. She may need an ally like Tally if things keep going the way they are with Charity and her crew of cronies. Penny also met a great guy named Marcus who loves dogs and seems really nice, but he's got his own personal issues and emotional dammage to deal with. There's also the possibility that he just may be the object of Charity's affection, making him off limits to Penny.

Baking cupcakes, getting revenge, passing French, healing broken hearts, building planets, saving animals and making possible life altering decisions are some of the things Penny will face in only a few short months. Who knew small town life could be so crazy?


I recommend this to fans of Meg Cabot. This is one that younger readers will enjoy as well, and it would be a great choice for those who may not quite be ready for Sarah Dessen. The Cupcake Queen does take on the more serious issue of divorce, but it isn't too heavy for pre-teens. The romance in it is also as sweet as the cupcakes on the cover and it is a charming read with a positive message. It would make a great gift that you could feel good about giving, too.

Just a little, cute cupcake video:

HUNGRY?

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<3 Michelle