Cynsations

Giveaway: Ten Signed Copies of Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
  

Enter to win one of ten signed copies of Bittersweet by Sarah Ocker (Simon Pulse)(excerpt)!

From the promotional copy:

From the author of Twenty Boy Summer, a teen pushes the limits to follow her dreams—and learns there’s a fine line between bitter and sweet…

Once upon a time, Hudson knew exactly what her future looked like. Then a betrayal changed her life and knocked her dreams to the ground. Now she’s a girl who doesn’t believe in second chances, a girl who stays under the radar by baking cupcakes at her mom’s diner and obsessing over what might have been.

So when things start looking up and she has another shot at her dreams, Hudson is equal parts hopeful and terrified. 

Of course, this is also the moment a cute, sweet guy walks into her life—and starts serving up some seriously mixed signals. She’s got a lot on her plate, and for a girl who’s been burned before, risking it all is easier said than done.

It’s time for Hudson to ask herself what she really wants, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get it. Because in a place where opportunities are fleeting, she knows this chance may very well be her last….

To enter, comment on this post and include an email address (formatted like: cynthia at cynthialeitichsmith dot com) or a link to an email address. Or email Cynthia directly with “Bittersweet” in the subject line. If you include in your comment a thought on the video below, you’ll receive two extra entries! Good luck!

Publisher-sponsored. Eligibility: U.S. Deadline: midnight CST Jan. 23.

Cynsational Notes

Courtesy of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

Sarah Ocker is the bestselling author of Fixing Delilah (Little, Brown, 2011) and the critically acclaimed Twenty Boy Summer (Little, Brown, 2010), a YALSA Teens’ Top Ten nominee and IndieNext List pick.

She is a championship cupcake eater, coffee drinker, night person, and bookworm.

When she’s not writing or reading at home in Colorado, Sarah enjoys taking pictures, hugging trees, and road-tripping through the country with her husband, Alex.

Visit her website at sarahockler.com and find her on Twitter and Facebook.

Read chapter one of Bittersweet.

66 thoughts on “Giveaway: Ten Signed Copies of Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler”

  1. That cover's seriously tempting my sweet-tooth! Would love to read Bittersweet. Coca-Cola cupcake…I have to get me one of those.

  2. I can't wait to read Bittersweet! I would have told my high school self the same thing, no sense in worrying so much what others think of you.

    lostnthestacks(at)yahoo(dot)com

  3. A chocolate coca-cola cupcake? AMAZING! I quite like Cupcake Wars, too. 🙂 I really enjoyed Twenty Boy Summer, and am very much looking forward to reading Bittersweet! [email address: laurengibaldi at gmail dot com]

  4. I have the perfect young reader in mind for this book – would love to honor her reading addiction with a signed copy!

    cathy54321 at hotmail dot com

  5. I don't have that fast internet connection that let's me watch videos, lol. But I've heard of this book and I totally want a copy!

    cassiemcook at hotmail dot com 🙂

  6. Oh…Bittersweet sounds like a great, great read that my high school students would love! Who can't identify with Hudson who, as Sarah describes, doesn't like asking for help?!?
    Mary Schwander – HS Librarian[email: mschwander at nhsd dot org]

  7. I'm seriously so excited to read this book. I mean, it's got CUPCAKES! That's enough of an appeal.

    alexalovesbooks at gmail dot com

  9. Bittersweet is the perfect winter read – fun, funny and charming! And I loved Sarah's advice to her teen self from the video. Would that we could all pay less attention to what others think!

    gillysegal at gmail dot com

  11. Coca-cola cupcake? Mmmm I don't know about that one but you never know it might taste good.

    gaby891 AT YAHOO DOT COM

  12. I love Cupcake Wars! I'm seriously addicted to that show. And to cupcakes. Now I'm hungry.

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    daniellesaunders1984(at)hotmail(dot)com

  15. Cupcakes are the definite heater! lol I really enjoy her work. Can't wait to read this one.

    Vivien
    @deadtossedaves
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

  16. I loved Twenty Boy Summer, so Bittersweet seems like another opportunity to fall into a world of wondering! I have so many questions already about Hudson . . . can't wait to read! Thanks for the chance to win!

    Also, watched the video with Sarah. I loved her response to what advice she would give her teenage-self. If only it were that easy not to worry about everyone else!

    Thanks again!
    Michelle
    mlnero at comcast dot net

  17. Can't wait for this book! Cupcakes are my favorite dessert, and the names for hers are so inventive. Count me in!

    niaraie AT yahoo DOT com

  20. Gosh I've been anticipating Bittersweet for awhile now. I'm so glad to have heard about this giveaway!

    Susie Tyler
    candylandfun(at)gmail(dot)com

  25. That is great advice for any teenager and those of us well beyond the teenage years would do well to remember it too.
    carlscott(at)prodigy(dot)net(dot)mx
    Thanks…Carl

  26. Love Sarah's books–can't wait to read this one.
    Oh and popcorn and candy on a cupcake sounds great–sweet and salty is yum.

    coleen AT coleenpatrick DOT com

  27. Can't wait to read this book! It sounds amazing!!

    **Loved the video. She seems really sweet and genuine, and i love cupcake wars too! <3 haha**

    aphyu(at)yahoo(dot)com

  30. Great video. I LOVE cupcakes! I'm looking forward to reading BITTERSWEET.

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    minas_1989(at)hotmail(dot)com

  31. I love the title and cover change for this one! Also, cupcakes + hockey boys = total win!

    I totally agree about not really wanting to give high school me advice since it could change where I ended up.

  33. I've read Ockler's Twenty Boy Summer & loved it! Really want to get around to reading her other novels.
    Watching the video really makes me want a cupcake right now!
    Thank you for the great giveaway! 🙂

    naruto_and_hinata at hotmail dot com

  35. This book looks sosososo good and I cannot wait to read it! The Coca Cola cupcake Sarah was talking about with the popcorn and the m&ms and the raisinets sounds so good! It's making me really hungry!! 🙂 Also, I really liked the advice she would give to her teen self!

    Thanks for this awesome giveaway!

    reviewsfromthehammock(at)gmail(dot)com

  37. I have never had a Coca Cola cupcake! OR one with popcorn on top! I could go for some researching of cupcakes! 😉

    Thanks for the giveaway. I can't wait to read this. What a beautiful cover too.

    Kimberlybuggie at yahoo dot com

  38. I just recently jumped back into reading contemporary YA fiction, and I want to read this one so badly!

    Also, excuse me while I attempt to track down something exactly like the Lights, Camera, Cupcake! described in the video. That sounds like the example of cupcaking perfection and I must have one!

    -Lynette
    snarkandramble at gmail dot com

  39. I loved both TWENTY BOY SUMMER and FIXING DELILAH. Sarah Ockler creates believable characters with tough but real problems to face. Most of all, I love that the voice and dialogue ring true. The characters' thoughts or words never feel forced or like an adult's version of what teens should say.

    As for the video, I'm in love with the idea of a chocolate Coca-Cola cupcake and need to find one of those to sample when I read the book. In the interest of research, of course.

    jen8mail-teach (at) yahoo (dot) com

  40. i love to bake cupcakes and decorate them, but not so much to eat them. weird i know.

    i LOVED twenty boy summer and would love the chance to win a copy of this book!

    meaghan_koci (at) yahoo (dot) com

  42. My email address is: pamplemousse1750 at gmail dot com

    I love seeing author interviews and hearing how they intend their characters to be read. In this video I liked how Sarah Ocker talked about Hudson's flaws. Hudson is so much like a real teenager, not so "ideal" which is great!

  43. Bittersweet! ZOMG I read Twenty Boy Summer and love love loved it! I can't wait to read this one it sounds awesome and related to something I wanna do when I get older…. make cake and cupcakes (: As for the video I loved it. And her favorite cupcake sounds awesome. And I liked that she made up some of her own in the story thats really cool.

    kgtforever (at) hotmail (dot) com

  44. Thank you for the great giveaway. This is on my to-read list.
    I love cupcakes too! We have this awesome bakery 25th on Main that has to die for cupcakes.
    bkhabel at gmail dot com

  46. This book looks GRRREATT.. I cant wait to read it!!! The video was very cool.. I LOOOOVe cupcakes!! I can't want to read this book. Hopefully it happens soon!! 🙂

  47. Also, Sarah gives really good advice in the video. Coming from someone who has experience is always really helpful.

    Vivien
    deadtossedwaves at gmail dot com

  51. I can't wait to read Bittersweet! It seems like an excellent book, like all Sarah's books turn out to be. The way I related to Twenty Boy Summer made it an even more amazing book.
    I like the cover of this book, too. Cute. A signed copy would be wonderful. Thanks for the opportunity!

    Melissa L.
    ohheymelissaa at gmail dot com

  52. This book has been getting lots of buzz on twitter with #alamw12 Wish I was at the conference so I could get a copy but maybe I can win one here! From the video: Interesting comment about not giving your high school self advice. I totally agree it might force things to make changes in who we are today!
    Lisa lrg115 at gmail dot com

  53. I love cupcakes, and so it's probably a good thing that there aren't any cupcakeries in my area–it would be impossible to resist temptation! I just started reading Bittersweet and am loving it–would love my own signed copy. Twenty Boy Summer remains one of my all-time favorite reads, and is one of the main reasons I decided to become a teen librarian!

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    caldellizzi(at)gmail(dot)com

  54. I am really excited to read Bittersweet, because Sarah Ockler is one of my favorite Young Adult Fiction authors! She's truly an inspiration to me. Even just the creative storylines she can come up with and the realistic characters created throughout her novels are truly something for readers to admire!

    I found it interesting that Sarah Ockler did research into cupcakes in order to write her novel. This shows her dedication as an author; to really want to produce a novel her readers can be proud of reading. I also love her response to what she would say to her teenage self. I admire how down-to-earth Sarah Ockler truly is.

    Thank you for giving us the opportunity to enter to win, Cynthia Leitich Smith!

    (email: sarahirenehanson at verizon dot net)

  55. I've been wanting this book since I finished reading Twenty Boy Summer 🙂
    And I love Sarah in this video, she's the cutest hahaha

    stefanienabuco(at)yahoo.com.br

  56. She so had me at a cupcake topped with M&M's <3 ahh. Anyway, I have been in love with Sarah from the moment I finished Twenty Boy Summer, and I though Fixing Deliliah was amazing! I would absolutely love to add Bittersweet to my collection.
    I'm Megan, reach me at: alwaysmegan at Hotmail dot com
    (alwaysmegan@hotmail.com)
    <3

  59. liz [at] yesnofilms.com

    Love her books, but the cupcake she talks about in the video sounds kinda wonky. lol. "Chocolate Coca Cola cupcake" sounded interesting but popcorn on top is a little strange.

  61. I just bought Twenty Boy Summer today and can't wait to read it! I don't know about that cupcake though. Chocolate, Coca-Cola, popcorn, m&ms, and raisins? I don't think I'm brave enough for that.

    Brandi- brandisbookmusings at yahoo dot com

  62. I just bought Twenty Boy Summer this week and can't wait to read it. A cupcake with chocolate, Coca-Cola, popcorn, m&ms, and raisins? I don't think I'm that brave.

    Brandi- brandisbookmusings at yahoo dot com

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