icing on the Cake Blog Tour {review}

I'm so thrilled to have the Icing on the Cake Blog Tour stopping Word Spelunking today with my review of this sweet, yummy book...

Icing on the Cake

(The Cupcake Club Series)

Authors: Sheryl and Carrie Berk

Pub Date: 9/3/13

Pub: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Format: eARC

Source: Netgalley

"Kids and cupcakes are the perfect recipe!"-Sophie and Katherine, stars of TLC's DC Cupcakes
Meet Jenna.
She's the cupcake club's official taste tester, but the past few weeks have not been so sweet. Her mom just got engaged to Leo-who Jenna is sure is not "The One"-and Peace, Love, and Cupcakes has to bake the wedding cake. Jenna is ready to throw in the towel, especially when she hears the wedding will be in Las Vegas on Easter weekend, one of the most important holidays for the club's business.
Can Jenna and her friends handle their busy orders-and the Elvis impersonators-or will they have a cupcake meltdown?  

Y’all know that I’m a cupcake fantatic, a cupcake fangirl, a true cupcake enthusiast, so when I was asked to review a book in a series call The Cupcake Club, well, I was all over THAT! And I’m so thrilled to have discovered this yummy series. Sheryl and Carrie Berk are a mother-daughter writing duo and The Cupcake Club is their sweet creation. Each book in the series focuses on one member of The Cupcake Club, a club consisting of a group of elementary aged girls, and Icing on the Cake is Jenna’s story. Jenna is the official taste tester of the club, and when her mother gets engaged to Leo, Jenna’s life is anything but frosting and sprinkles. Jenna’s mom asks The Cupcake Club to bake the cupcake wedding cake and even invites the club to join the family in Vegas for the wedding. It seems like EVERYONE is excited about the wedding except Jenna. Will the club be able to deal with Elvis impersonators, the melting Vegas heat, and a less than thrilled Jenna, AND bake the best cupcake cake ever?!

The Berks have certainly found the recipe for cupcakey goodness! Icing on the Cake, like the other books in the series, are the perfect length for younger middle-grade readers and contain plenty of fun, humor, and heart to charm readers of all ages. Jenna’s story in Icing on the Cake is a relatable one that touches upon relevant subjects like mixed families, bullying, and responsibility, and the authors explore these things in way that is entertaining, yet completely appropriate for its intended audience. Readers will learn important life lessons and not even realize it!

Jenna’s story is one that many young readers will be able to relate to and appreciate. Jenna’s anger, confusion, and fear over her mother’s impending marriage, and the changes it will bring their family, are deftly and sensitively explored with a lot of heart, humor, and honesty.

At the heart of this book and the series, is The Cupcake Club, and the friendship among its members. The club itself, with its kid run business, offers such an exciting premise. I love how each member plays an important role in the club and how the members actually responsibly run a money making business. The characters are wonderfully diverse, unique, and endearing. There’s definitely at least one club member for every reader to connect and identify with. And the genuine love, support, and friendship among the club members is so heartwarming.

I want to point out that this isn’t a series that necessarily needs to be read in order. Icing on the Cake isn’t the first book in the series, but it is the first book in the series I’ve read and I was easily able to understand all that’s going on. The authors do a great job of recapping previous books and giving readers a clear sense of the club and characters.

AND, the book includes cupcake recipes used by the club, which is just super cool!

 MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Diverse, likable characters; a sweet, heart-warming story; and lots of yummy fun make Icing on the Cake a delicious read. Readers of all ages can appreciate and enjoy this book and series, but younger middle-grade readers will be especially captivated. I look forward to devouring the rest of the books in this delicious series!

MY RATING

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ADD ON GOODREADS

PURCHASE: AMAZON / B&N / INDIEBOUND

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