creyno10's review against another edition
challenging
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
kricketa's review against another edition
5.0
cyd charisse is my new favorite ya book heroine of all time. i love her unique and amazingly real voice, and that she is a badass but can be insecure, and immature, and make stupid mistakes, and still be so lovable.
amiejcp's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting book - actually quite liked it, though I can see where some of the bad reviews are coming from.
The writing style is really unique, gives the character more of a voice, I guess, though it could be a bit annoying.
Really short book, interesting character. Will read the rest, definitely.
The writing style is really unique, gives the character more of a voice, I guess, though it could be a bit annoying.
Really short book, interesting character. Will read the rest, definitely.
lacheri's review against another edition
3.0
I love this book. I couldn't wish it any better. It shows what happens sometimes in life. Family problems and teenage hradships. Oh, and how you can't really judge someone if you haven't really met them.
panelparty's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars purely for the nostalgia - i LOVED this book as a young teen and remember searching for sequel in every bookstore and library I came upon for YEARS. It mostly holds up - the character does have an odd way of speaking and makes questionable choices, but who doesn't at 15? This is was so warm and fuzzy for me to re-read as a 30 year old. :)
joha_010's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
guerrillabooks's review against another edition
5.0
I think I am a very forgiving person... at least when it comes to books. I usually say that I really liked x and y about such and such book but I was a bit miffed by z.
This book has left me miff-less. No miffing to report here.
Short and sweet - the book... not at all the main character. But, the absence of "sweet-ness" in Cyd Charisse is probably one of the things about her that endears me to her.
The premise: The book is about this girl who carries around a doll named gingerbread which her real dad gave her at the airport one year and she’s kept it ever since for a reminder of her dad who she never sees.
I think Cohn's definitely got a cool style going for her in her writing. This is the first book of hers that I've read but I have watched Nick and Norah... and I will read the next two books about Cyd Charisse [b:Shrimp|28109|Shrimp|Rachel Cohn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167922764s/28109.jpg|1866427] and [b:Cupcake|196764|A Piece of Cake A Memoir|Cupcake Brown|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172602557s/196764.jpg|436014] to test out my theory. But it goes something like this: Illustrate a moment in time for a character and make you feel the impact of the moment, don't drag it on forever, make it short and simple, but include enough backstory to add dimension to the character... and make 'em irresistable.
This book has left me miff-less. No miffing to report here.
Short and sweet - the book... not at all the main character. But, the absence of "sweet-ness" in Cyd Charisse is probably one of the things about her that endears me to her.
The premise: The book is about this girl who carries around a doll named gingerbread which her real dad gave her at the airport one year and she’s kept it ever since for a reminder of her dad who she never sees.
I think Cohn's definitely got a cool style going for her in her writing. This is the first book of hers that I've read but I have watched Nick and Norah... and I will read the next two books about Cyd Charisse [b:Shrimp|28109|Shrimp|Rachel Cohn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167922764s/28109.jpg|1866427] and [b:Cupcake|196764|A Piece of Cake A Memoir|Cupcake Brown|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172602557s/196764.jpg|436014] to test out my theory. But it goes something like this: Illustrate a moment in time for a character and make you feel the impact of the moment, don't drag it on forever, make it short and simple, but include enough backstory to add dimension to the character... and make 'em irresistable.
catnipped's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book several years ago in my early teens, and I absolutely adored it. I related to Cyd, even wanted to be like her. I enjoyed her humor and quirks. I might feel differently about this book if I were to read it today, but until then, it will go down as one of my favorite books from this period of my life.
snowbenton's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book as a teenager and the content held up surprisingly well. The slang is unbearably outdated and occasionally offensive, but otherwise a solid teenage drama.
cbsundance's review against another edition
3.0
I found Gingerbread during middle school. My friends and I made our weekly trip to the mall, I would always have to visit the book store. Gingerbread sat on my bookcase, virtually unread by me, for 5+ years. Coming home from break to a snowstorm last year was enough entrapment to get me to read it. For once, I picked it up and read it all the way through. It’s a shame I didn't read it sooner. Maybe it would have had more of an impact on me.
I believe that if I hadn’t stumbled upon Gingerbread when I was middle school, I would have never picked it up. That’s not saying the book is terrible. It hits the demographic age it is meant for but, it just does not transcend that age like other YA literature I have read. Even Cohn’s co-authored book with David Lavithan (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) sat better with me. The protagonist, Cyd Charissa, undergone a major life decision as a teenager and I feel for her- but not that much. It’s probably the age difference between her and I. Which is weird since, I am not by any means Methuslia.
The plot strangely wrapped up in a way that isn’t clear how things suddenly feel into place. Perhaps I’ll re-reading the ending to hash it out for myself. Interestingly, since I picked up this book in middle school, Gingerbread become a series. Shrimp and Cupcake follow the plot where Gingerbread left off. There’s hope of recovery for my feelings of triumph in reading this finally.
I believe that if I hadn’t stumbled upon Gingerbread when I was middle school, I would have never picked it up. That’s not saying the book is terrible. It hits the demographic age it is meant for but, it just does not transcend that age like other YA literature I have read. Even Cohn’s co-authored book with David Lavithan (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) sat better with me. The protagonist, Cyd Charissa, undergone a major life decision as a teenager and I feel for her- but not that much. It’s probably the age difference between her and I. Which is weird since, I am not by any means Methuslia.
The plot strangely wrapped up in a way that isn’t clear how things suddenly feel into place. Perhaps I’ll re-reading the ending to hash it out for myself. Interestingly, since I picked up this book in middle school, Gingerbread become a series. Shrimp and Cupcake follow the plot where Gingerbread left off. There’s hope of recovery for my feelings of triumph in reading this finally.