Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com

I had high expectations for this book, the third Rachel Cohn has written about Cyd Charisse (the first two are GINGERBREAD and SHRIMP). The previous adventures of Cyd Charisse were absolutely brilliant. This book didn't quite live up to those expectations, but perhaps they were unreasonably high. But this was still a fabulous book!

In CUPCAKE, Cyd Charisse (or CC, as she now prefers to be called) has graduated from high school and moved to Manhattan. She's staying with Danny, her half-brother, and she's thrilled to finally be independent. She's not going to think about Shrimp; the two of them agreed to a clean break after she turned down his offer of marriage and a life with Iris and Billy, his pothead parents, in New Zealand. That's what she wanted...right? She's going to fill up her time and her mind with other things...like handsome delivery guys and maybe even a fling with Luis. She's starting her new life, and Shrimp's starting his--separately.

Unfortunately, all of CC's big plans come screeching to a halt when she falls down the stairs, breaks her leg, and is immobile in Danny's fifth-floor walk-up apartment for weeks. All she can do is order food, watch movies, spy on the neighbors...and think. Thinking is exactly what she didn't want to have time to do, but now there's nothing better.

Even though she can't forget about Shrimp, there are a few distractions in New York City. CC's playing matchmaker, hanging out with Autumn, ditching culinary school, visiting her grouchy old neighbor, getting a job, and even bonding with lisBETH, her older half-sister.

No book with CC would be complete without Shrimp. I was worried he wouldn't show up at all, and CC might have been secretly hoping he would, too. And so he does. Just when Cyd Charisse is getting used to her life in New York, Shrimp shows up, and she's forced to make a really hard choice yet again: follow true love or follow her own dreams in the huge city she's calling home these days?

This is a fantastically well-written, funny, and touching novel, as is to be expected from Rachel Cohn. It's quite possible that my slight disappointment resulted only from the fact that I was missing some of my favorite characters throughout much of the book, like Helen and Shrimp. Still, though, Cyd Charisse's voice in this book is as honest, fresh, and brilliant as in the previous two, capturing my attention just as easily. CC is a fantastic character; probably one of my favorite book characters ever. CUPCAKE, along with GINGERBREAD and SHRIMP, is a must-read! ( )

Former "bad girl" Cyd Charisse moves to New York City to live with her half-brother Danny while exploring career options (barista and cupcake baker) and various relationships, including the one with Shrimp, who is surfing in New Zealand. (BCCLS) ( )

The more I read Cohn, the more I like her. Her writing style is absolutely spot-on with the way teens speak and think and feel these days (at least it seems that way to me; I don't think I'm too far displaced from my teenage years to make this call). I read the first book about Cyd Charisse, aka CC, back when I first started working at the bookstore and I enjoyed it well enough. I didn't read the next book but when this one showed up on our shelves, I couldn't resist it. I don't feel like I missed out on a ton of important stuff by not reading the middle book, which is really good. This one tells the story of CC's move to Manhattan and her new life there and the inevitable interruption by her true love, Shrimp. CC is just a wonderful character; in some ways she's the really cool and individual teenage girl I wish I had been in high school. I think Cohn is an important author for teen girls because she deals with real life heavy issues but not in a preachy or scary way; sometimes she's a bit like the movie "Juno" on paper. I just really enjoy the way she phrases the inner workings of a teenage girl. ( )

This is the last book in the series of books "Gingerbread". Cyd Charisse is finally out of the house, graduated from school, and living with her brother in New York City. On her own, she learns how hard it actually is to live life by yourself, and also how hard it is to live life without her highschool sweetheart Shrimp. Once reunited with him, she realizes what she now wants in life. ( )

Lack of Helen was the main flaw in Cupcake which finds Cyd living in New York with her brother Danny. I also really missed her little brother and sister as well as Sid-Dad. The new characters of Mold and Max are great and this book will make you crave cupcakes like NO ONE'S business. I had to make a special batch just to meet my cravings. (FYI-- devils food cupcakes with mocha buttercream frosting? Both from How To Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food? Simply divine!)

see all my reviews at: http://www.tushuguan.blogspot.com ( )