Bittersweet

Gr 9 Up—Hudson Avery is a talented figure skater, or at least she was before her last competition, which she intentionally threw after she discovered that her father was having an affair. Three years after that disastrous night, she, her brother, and her mother work hard at their family diner to make ends meet. Hudson earns a name for herself as the "Cupcake Queen" of Watonka, NY. Although baking relaxes her, she still longs to skate and thinks that an upcoming competition, with a scholarship award, will help her escape her small town. She makes a deal with her high school hockey team to secretly coach them on the finer points of ice skating in exchange for free use of the rink to practice for the event. Despite the players' trash talking, she manages to charm them and score the attention of two hunky players. At its heart, this story is about family, community, and communication, and Hudson narrates it with warmth and wry humor. Readers may find themselves frustrated with her unwillingness to be forthright about her feelings and dreams, but maybe that will lead them to wonder how many of their problems could be avoided just talking. Bittersweet is a book worth recommending.—Mindy Whipple, West Jordan Library, UT