Gingerbread

I'm a 14yr girl (target audience ig) and I saw this book on the website and I read the excerpt and I was like it seems right up my alley so imma buy it. And let me tell u I'm soo glad I did. In this book u get to read abt a punk,spunky, rebellious and intriguing 16y/o girl named Cyd Charisse (that will stick with readers even after finishing the book) and what she goes thorough and how she sees people all while having a stuffed companion she carries everywhere named Gingerbread. She grows and learns from her past while doing new things and forms new bonds with her biological family on her dad's side. Towards the end will really give you the feels and this book is a MASTERPIECE,CHEFS KISS. Really great I read it in 3 days so just take my word and buy it! k thx byee <3

"My so-called parents hate my boyfriend, Shrimp. I'm not sure they evenbelieve he is my boyfriend. They take one look at his five-foot-five,surfer-shirt-wearin', baggy-jeans-slouchin', Pop Tart-eatin',spiked-hair-head self and you can just see confusion firebombs exploding intheir heads, like they are thinking, Oh no, Cyd Charisse, that young man isnot your homes. "Dig this: He is."GINGERBREAD is the exuberant and delightful story of Cyd Charisse. (Hernamesake was the beautiful dancer/actress from Singing in the Rain fame.)Cyd Charisse is called by her full name so as not to be confused with herstepfather Sid. (Her '"society wife" mother is named Nancy.) Anyway, CydCharisse has been booted out of boarding school for getting caught in bedwith her blue-blood jock boyfriend. In addition to sex, Cyd Charisse hadbecome involved with alcohol, drugs, and shoplifting for the sake ofmaintaining her "dream" relationship with the big man on campus.Now she is spending the summer back in San Fran, living with her family, buthanging with Shrimp. She met him while they were both doing mandatorycommunity service at a nursing home. Shrimp lives with his brother, a youngspecialty coffee mogul named Java the Hut.Her best friend is Sugar Pie, a wise old lady who resides at the nursing home.Cyd Charisse has only met her biological father once. It was at an airportwhen she was five, and he bought her the doll she named Gingerbread, who isstill her constant companion as well as her alter ego.Cyd Charisse's world caves in once again when she is grounded indefinitelyfor staying out too late at Shrimp's. After making everyone miserable, sheis shipped off to "Real Dad's" in New York.This was one of those read ten pages, go back and start reading it aloudbecause it's too much fun not to share books. The eventual reconciliationbetween Cyd Charisse and Nancy is a bit saccharine, but otherwise it is thefirst winner I've discovered among the early Spring advance copies

I was extremely excited to see Gingerbread at the library ... I started it last night and finished it this morning and loved it. ...Cyd Charisse is a 16 year old who's had sex, lived across the country from half her family, and just experienced life completely differently from me. But she's a great character that you grow to care about with her coffee obsession and her boyfriend Shrimp that you want things to work out with. She has some more serious issues with the dad she's never known, and the boyfriend who abandoned her when she was pregnant. Ever constant is Cyd Charisse's special perfect place where she would like to retreat to..it's interesting to see how this place changes as her life changes. All in all there is a happy way it all comes together, but I'm hoping for a sequel because I love the author's style of writing! Anyways, I might not be articulating this well, but go read it because it may be a quick read, but it also really makes you smile and think about the little things in life!

This was an incredibly amazing book. It was well-written and very relatedable. I can understand by some of the other reviews that adults tried to read it and didnt really like it. Well guess what? it was meant for teenagers to relate to not older people. I've told everyone i know to read this book and now im telling you- yes you- to buy/read it too! It told the lives of very interesting characters (w/ extremely strange names) and the challenges they face along the road of life. I have added this book to my list of must reads for teenagers! but i warn you now that anyone under 12 and over 23 should probably steer clear of this book!!

I thought the book was extremely well-worded, and gave out strong messages to younger readers. It used fluent use of language, and was very touching. I enjoyed the setting, and also the characters, which were extremely clear and imaginable. I thought it was funny,witty and emotional, and i felt i could relate and sympathise with the character, even though i have never been in her situation. I loved it and couldn't put it down. A fantastic first book!!!!!