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Confectionately Yours #2
Taking the Cake!
Hayley's in another sticky situation . . .
Hayley and her little sister, Chloe, have just moved into their grandmother's house with their mom, who recently divorced their dad and now runs the family's tea shop. With her knack for baking, Hayley helps out too, but her newfound talent seems to have cost her her best friend, Artie. Now Hayley's crushing on someone who might just be Artie's new boyfriend. This mess really takes the cake!
Hayley and her little sister, Chloe, have just moved into their grandmother's house with their mom, who recently divorced their dad and now runs the family's tea shop. With her knack for baking, Hayley helps out too, but her newfound talent seems to have cost her her best friend, Artie. Now Hayley's crushing on someone who might just be Artie's new boyfriend. This mess really takes the cake!
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2012
84 people are currently reading
1099 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Papademetriou
92 books428 followersBestselling author Lisa Papademetriou is the author of the 'Confectionately Yours' series, 'Middle School: Big, Fat Liar' and 'Homeroom Diaries' (both with James Patterson), and many other novels for middle grade and young adult readers. Her books have appeared on the Bank Street Best Books of the Year list, the NYPL Books for the Teen Age, and the Texas Lone Star Reading List, among others. A former editor, Lisa has worked for Scholastic, HarperCollins, and DisneyPress, and holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. HarperCollins will publish her next novel, 'A Tale of Highly Unusual Magic', in October 2015.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
October 10, 2012
Her x-best freind (Artie) tries to make her jealous by acting like Devon is her boyfriend. Megan (on the other hand) is sending secret admirers to her crush. And Hayley, well she is still trying to fit in with Annie.
April 25, 2018
3.5
Surprisingly deep story about loss and change. Humorous too.I highly recommend this for intended age audience. It does come with recipes. Several, in fact. Nothing offensive in this book.
It is interesting how differently each sister deals with loss and change just as people do in real life. Might be a good book for a child who is dealing with divorced parents.
I plan to read more in series if I can find them.
Surprisingly deep story about loss and change. Humorous too.I highly recommend this for intended age audience. It does come with recipes. Several, in fact. Nothing offensive in this book.
It is interesting how differently each sister deals with loss and change just as people do in real life. Might be a good book for a child who is dealing with divorced parents.
I plan to read more in series if I can find them.
November 9, 2012
An awesome book! Truly! It just makes u feel part of the story.like when Hayley's dad got a new girl friend after her parents got a divorce, Hayley's doesn't like his new girl, shes mean to her so her little sis Chloe tries to get Hayley's to like her but instead she smothers her dads girl with attention and makes Hayley mad.. I'm not gonna give u the rest though... so... ya great book :-)
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February 19, 2015This book was a HUGE let down to me. It had generic characters,a girl story,and way too much "tweenage angst". Basically this book was a complete train wreck and I don't intend to read anymore. I did however like her having divorced parents, it showed what that kind of change can be like...
Only in a very girly and annoying fashion.
Only in a very girly and annoying fashion.
January 5, 2016
i love this book so much it has alot because it has passion to it. i reccomend this book to passionate readers. its about hailey moving into a new house and owning a tea shop with her grandma. Then, her ex- bff artie has a boyfriend that Hailey likes. I really like this book, and i bet every reader would to.
October 18, 2021
I hate her dad
February 24, 2018
Fun fast read. The recipes are included - making a fun additional option for reading together.
April 28, 2022
This was a really cute middle grade. I loved getting to see what the main character goes through. This was a quick read and I can't wait to continue on in this series.
July 7, 2025
3.25 Stars!
If I remember correctly, I think I read this before reading the first book, which honestly is not that insane on my part because why was the book number not on the spine?
Anyway, there are a couple of things I want to talk about here, all of which are ongoing themes within the series: Hayley's relationship with her dad, which also has a significant impact on both her relationship with her mom and her sister, Chloe. I also want to talk about her relationships with Meghan, Artie, Marco and Kyle and how those dynamics have impacted Hayley throughout the book.
(Apologies in advance because I had a lot more to say about this book than the first one. Also, I would’ve rated this higher if it weren’t for the things that made me upset.)
Hayley’s dad is an asshole. I’ve literally never wanted to punch someone’s shitty dad this badly before. I don’t understand why he was so insistent on Thanksgiving dinner with Annie’s parents in the first place. It’s a family holiday! And why do your daughters need to meet your girlfriend’s parents when you’re also meeting them for the first time? Nothing about this choice makes any sort of sense to me. Moreover, it was downright evil of him to ambush his daughters with another hangout with Annie, especially when he said they were gonna go hiking with him, and Hayley clearly doesn’t want to spend time with Annie and asked multiple times for it to be just the three of them. Like, why are you forcing her to get new shit she doesn’t want with your girlfriend she barely knows, for a dinner she doesn’t even want to go to?
Her eyes are wide and innocent, and I want to hug her and throttle her all at once.
A canon event in the daily life of every elder sibling, unfortunately. Also, I’m not blaming Chloe or Hayley for their mom not knowing about Thanksgiving with Annie’s parents. I don’t think it violates their custody agreement, but have some fucking courtesy and at least discuss your plans with your ex-wife first, . Hayley’s dad’s selfish decisions always make things harder for her, especially when it comes to her relationship with her own mother and sister. Hayley probably just seems bratty to him, but she’s actually just trying so hard to protect her mother’s feelings, and it’s stressing her out. I felt so bad for both Hayley and Chloe in that moment when Hayley just snapped. Watching your younger sibling get sad over something you said or did is truly the worst feeling in the world. Even if it was an accident and you didn’t mean it, it makes you feel like a monster.
I don’t know where I got the guts to do that, but I did.
I loved eight-year-old Hayley’s little act of rebellion against her dad! I don’t deny that he was worried about her because let’s face it, who wouldn’t when they have to pick up their eight-year-old from the police station? But the second he demeaned her and Marco in order to scold her, she snapped. She stubbornly stayed mad at him, but apologized to her mom right away because she didn’t want her mom to cry. It’s just one of those things when you’re a kid and there’s that one moment where your parents say the last thing they should’ve said to you, and you suddenly have all the courage and resilience in the world to stay mad at them until they give in. It’s the best worst feeling in the world.
“It’s Thanksgiving, Dad,” Chloe tells him. “Anybody who cares about her shoes is a jerk.”
Way to go, Chloe, I think as Dad stands there awkwardly. Chloe never argues with anyone.
Let’s talk about the dinner from hell. First off, your child is sick. Secondly, it’s your fault for not mentioning that there’s a dress code. Thirdly, she’s twelve. Why would she have heels, and how dare you ask her to wear a pair in November? He honestly deserved to have Annie’s mom call him a terrible father to his face.
People make mistakes; they do the wrong thing. Sometimes they’re annoying. Sometimes they’re awful. (That’s true for me, too, by the way.)
Okay, so despite how much I hate Hayley's dad… I actually appreciated Hayley mentioning a memory from her childhood when she was sick and her dad took care of her the whole time. It shows a certain level of nuance that I think should be appreciated more in a middle-grade book. A lot of the time, when you have a character who’s a child of divorce, one parent is always shown as an almost villain of sorts (at least in my experience). Hayley’s dad may have done some truly shitty things throughout this book, but he’s not an inherently bad father. I think the idea that people are flawed, even parents, and this whole idea of the world not being black and white, is an important lesson for kids to learn, and I like how Lisa Papademetriou executed it here.
This lesson is also presented in Hayley’s friendships… well, her and Marco, but I want to talk about all of her friends. Let’s start with Marco, though.
Marco is a pain, even though he does the right thing in the end. I mean, Mr. Carter is a dirtbag; Hayley’s absolutely correct about that, and I fully agreed with her for saying that she wanted to punch him in the face. But Meghan also had a point when she said that Hayley’s only enabling Marco’s bad behaviour by letting him take advantage of her, using the fact that he’s hurt by her rejection and knowing how desperately she wants to fix their friendship.
I will say though, I had trauma flashbacks of the fractions unit from middle school when Hayley was trying to explain it to Marco. Not trying to defend him, but some math rules are actually so stupid and also really hard to explain.(This is why I don’t tutor past fifth-grade math.)
I feel like I can’t talk about Meghan and Artie separately because not only are they foils as characters, but also as Hayley’s friends, and you kind of get to see how their roles in Hayley’s life begin to shift.
-I don’t even know Meghan that well, but she’s clearly outraged on my behalf. I feel better already. - I love Meghan and her friendship with Hayley. It’s definitely an interesting relationship because, although Hayley appreciates everything Meghan represents as a friend, she clearly also misses Artie, despite what a bully she’s turned into. (Artie’s an asshole for the Devon thing, I’m being so serious.)
-Hayley is a good person at her core because, despite Artie being a jerk to her, she’s still feeling icky about going after her maybe-boyfriend. (Very questionable advice from Meghan there.) Devon is clearly a player, and even though she likes him, the way he flirts with her just makes her feel bad for Artie.
-“Just don’t ask for my help robbing any banks,” I tell her.
Please. Look at the lecture I got just for trying to take a pumpkin.”
This entire scene was so funny! I’m glad we got to see more of Hayley and Meghan building their friendship. Now they can say ‘hey, remember that time we got arrested for trying to steal pumpkins.’
-Confession: I Used to Wish that I was Artie - This is interesting because it shows that Artie was always the popular girl and had a mean girl streak in her, but she used that to protect Hayley, so Hayley saw it as a good thing.
-Confession: I Wish I Were Like Meghan // WWMMD? What Would Meghan Markerson Do? - I love character development! Hayley wanted to be like Artie because she was brave when actually she was just feared. Now she wants to be like Meghan because she’s honest and that’s what makes her brave. Meghan was the reason Hayley finally stood up for herself and told Marco off!
-“I swear, Hayley, in ten years, you probably won’t even remember how miserable you were, or anything about this day.”
“You’re wrong, Meg - I will remember this day,” I tell her, and I mean it.
Their roof scene was so cute! I think it’s this moment that established Meghan as a ride-or-die friend in Hayley’s eyes. I genuinely don’t think that Meghan has any idea how big this moment was for Hayley.
My Favourite Pieces of Writing (Quotes, Tools, etc):
-I feel like I’ve been sliced open. I wonder if the whole cafeteria can see inside my rib cage, where my heart is beating. // “It’s like I’m nothing, like I’m worse than something she scraped off her shoe. We were friends.” I can hardly hear my own words now, because the tears are choking me. He turns to look at me, and he looks so sad, and so sorry that I feel like another little piece of my heart has been ripped open. - Jeez, was I this dramatic at twelve years old??
-I have to mention the flowered leggings and long black top outfit that Meghan lends to Hayley, because I definitely had many outfits like that back in middle school.
-Oh my god, I forgot they would use chat rooms in the books! Is that still a thing in middle-grade books now? Probably not right?
-‘From the Phone Files’ - I like the formatting of the phone calls, with how it’s only dialogue. I think it’s especially cool because the calls are usually between Hayley and her dad, and this emphasizes how there’s distance between them.
- I’m thankful that this year is ending. // I watch the flame lick the edges of the paper. One of the pieces turns to ash and flutters up the chimney. I like to think that one is mine.
(Sidenote, I like this new Thanksgiving tradition because saying what they’re thankful for was one of Hayley’s favourites, so I’m glad she still gets a version of it.)
-Soft yellow light pours like butter across the concrete in front of the café. - Why wasn’t there more baking imagery used?
-I love that at the end, we get to see how some of the confessions of past events are connected. We learn why Hayley and Marco were skipping school in the first place, and knowing the reasoning behind it makes Hayley's anger towards her father so much more justified. We also learn that Hayley and Marco getting arrested is connected to her one big fight with Artie in elementary school because she told on them. (It kind of also explains how Marco could be so close to both of them, yet Hayley is the one he develops feelings for.)
Funny Quotes
-Coffee is candy for grown-ups, I guess. - See, Hayley gets it.
-Gran and I are so busy that I forget Artie and Devon are even there. Sort of. The way you forget a mosquito that’s buzzing in your ear. - If a main character in a middle grade book actually had the guts to speak her mind, her bullies would never be able to show their faces again.
-“Let’s say that I’m a professional soccer player - now why would I need scientific notation?”
“To graduate from middle school?”
“Then I may not graduate from middle school.”
-She’s mean, but she’s fair about it. She’s mean to everyone equally. - Those are honestly the best teachers.
-“Because you’re funny and smart and make awesome cupcakes? And because people like you, and they think Artie’s an idiot?” - Everybody needs a friend like Meghan, I love her so much!
-“It sounds like fun.” I don’t know what makes me say this. Maybe an evil part of me just wants to see Artie squirm, the way she made me squirm the other day. - I actually laughed out loud when Devon suggested that Hayley sell her cupcakes as a fundraiser for the school musical in front of Artie’s face.
-“Artie and I - We’re not getting along.” The dramatic opening to Beethoven’s Fifth: Dunh-dunh-dunh-dun. “Thanks, Kyle.” - I love Kyle!
-I open my mouth to reply and throw up into the bread basket. - I REMEMBER THIS PART WORD FOR WORD HOLY SHIT!!!
Things that gave me the ick:
-I don’t love the way that Marco’s sister’s autism is talked about here; it was very strange to me. Sarah wasn’t actually in the book, but the way (from Hayley’s POV) we only see her as a nuisance is actually disgusting. Also, what was that throwaway line about her being locked in her bedroom?!
-Not gonna lie, the way Annie’s dad talks about America is really weird. I did not come here to read about some old guy spouting patriotic nonsense, thank you very much. (I think it would’ve been even worse if he were white, but he wasn’t.)
If I remember correctly, I think I read this before reading the first book, which honestly is not that insane on my part because why was the book number not on the spine?
Anyway, there are a couple of things I want to talk about here, all of which are ongoing themes within the series: Hayley's relationship with her dad, which also has a significant impact on both her relationship with her mom and her sister, Chloe. I also want to talk about her relationships with Meghan, Artie, Marco and Kyle and how those dynamics have impacted Hayley throughout the book.
(Apologies in advance because I had a lot more to say about this book than the first one. Also, I would’ve rated this higher if it weren’t for the things that made me upset.)
Hayley’s dad is an asshole. I’ve literally never wanted to punch someone’s shitty dad this badly before. I don’t understand why he was so insistent on Thanksgiving dinner with Annie’s parents in the first place. It’s a family holiday! And why do your daughters need to meet your girlfriend’s parents when you’re also meeting them for the first time? Nothing about this choice makes any sort of sense to me. Moreover, it was downright evil of him to ambush his daughters with another hangout with Annie, especially when he said they were gonna go hiking with him, and Hayley clearly doesn’t want to spend time with Annie and asked multiple times for it to be just the three of them. Like, why are you forcing her to get new shit she doesn’t want with your girlfriend she barely knows, for a dinner she doesn’t even want to go to?
Her eyes are wide and innocent, and I want to hug her and throttle her all at once.
A canon event in the daily life of every elder sibling, unfortunately. Also, I’m not blaming Chloe or Hayley for their mom not knowing about Thanksgiving with Annie’s parents. I don’t think it violates their custody agreement, but have some fucking courtesy and at least discuss your plans with your ex-wife first, . Hayley’s dad’s selfish decisions always make things harder for her, especially when it comes to her relationship with her own mother and sister. Hayley probably just seems bratty to him, but she’s actually just trying so hard to protect her mother’s feelings, and it’s stressing her out. I felt so bad for both Hayley and Chloe in that moment when Hayley just snapped. Watching your younger sibling get sad over something you said or did is truly the worst feeling in the world. Even if it was an accident and you didn’t mean it, it makes you feel like a monster.
I don’t know where I got the guts to do that, but I did.
I loved eight-year-old Hayley’s little act of rebellion against her dad! I don’t deny that he was worried about her because let’s face it, who wouldn’t when they have to pick up their eight-year-old from the police station? But the second he demeaned her and Marco in order to scold her, she snapped. She stubbornly stayed mad at him, but apologized to her mom right away because she didn’t want her mom to cry. It’s just one of those things when you’re a kid and there’s that one moment where your parents say the last thing they should’ve said to you, and you suddenly have all the courage and resilience in the world to stay mad at them until they give in. It’s the best worst feeling in the world.
“It’s Thanksgiving, Dad,” Chloe tells him. “Anybody who cares about her shoes is a jerk.”
Way to go, Chloe, I think as Dad stands there awkwardly. Chloe never argues with anyone.
Let’s talk about the dinner from hell. First off, your child is sick. Secondly, it’s your fault for not mentioning that there’s a dress code. Thirdly, she’s twelve. Why would she have heels, and how dare you ask her to wear a pair in November? He honestly deserved to have Annie’s mom call him a terrible father to his face.
People make mistakes; they do the wrong thing. Sometimes they’re annoying. Sometimes they’re awful. (That’s true for me, too, by the way.)
Okay, so despite how much I hate Hayley's dad… I actually appreciated Hayley mentioning a memory from her childhood when she was sick and her dad took care of her the whole time. It shows a certain level of nuance that I think should be appreciated more in a middle-grade book. A lot of the time, when you have a character who’s a child of divorce, one parent is always shown as an almost villain of sorts (at least in my experience). Hayley’s dad may have done some truly shitty things throughout this book, but he’s not an inherently bad father. I think the idea that people are flawed, even parents, and this whole idea of the world not being black and white, is an important lesson for kids to learn, and I like how Lisa Papademetriou executed it here.
This lesson is also presented in Hayley’s friendships… well, her and Marco, but I want to talk about all of her friends. Let’s start with Marco, though.
Marco is a pain, even though he does the right thing in the end. I mean, Mr. Carter is a dirtbag; Hayley’s absolutely correct about that, and I fully agreed with her for saying that she wanted to punch him in the face. But Meghan also had a point when she said that Hayley’s only enabling Marco’s bad behaviour by letting him take advantage of her, using the fact that he’s hurt by her rejection and knowing how desperately she wants to fix their friendship.
I will say though, I had trauma flashbacks of the fractions unit from middle school when Hayley was trying to explain it to Marco. Not trying to defend him, but some math rules are actually so stupid and also really hard to explain.
I feel like I can’t talk about Meghan and Artie separately because not only are they foils as characters, but also as Hayley’s friends, and you kind of get to see how their roles in Hayley’s life begin to shift.
-I don’t even know Meghan that well, but she’s clearly outraged on my behalf. I feel better already. - I love Meghan and her friendship with Hayley. It’s definitely an interesting relationship because, although Hayley appreciates everything Meghan represents as a friend, she clearly also misses Artie, despite what a bully she’s turned into. (Artie’s an asshole for the Devon thing, I’m being so serious.)
-Hayley is a good person at her core because, despite Artie being a jerk to her, she’s still feeling icky about going after her maybe-boyfriend. (Very questionable advice from Meghan there.) Devon is clearly a player, and even though she likes him, the way he flirts with her just makes her feel bad for Artie.
-“Just don’t ask for my help robbing any banks,” I tell her.
Please. Look at the lecture I got just for trying to take a pumpkin.”
This entire scene was so funny! I’m glad we got to see more of Hayley and Meghan building their friendship. Now they can say ‘hey, remember that time we got arrested for trying to steal pumpkins.’
-Confession: I Used to Wish that I was Artie - This is interesting because it shows that Artie was always the popular girl and had a mean girl streak in her, but she used that to protect Hayley, so Hayley saw it as a good thing.
-Confession: I Wish I Were Like Meghan // WWMMD? What Would Meghan Markerson Do? - I love character development! Hayley wanted to be like Artie because she was brave when actually she was just feared. Now she wants to be like Meghan because she’s honest and that’s what makes her brave. Meghan was the reason Hayley finally stood up for herself and told Marco off!
-“I swear, Hayley, in ten years, you probably won’t even remember how miserable you were, or anything about this day.”
“You’re wrong, Meg - I will remember this day,” I tell her, and I mean it.
Their roof scene was so cute! I think it’s this moment that established Meghan as a ride-or-die friend in Hayley’s eyes. I genuinely don’t think that Meghan has any idea how big this moment was for Hayley.
My Favourite Pieces of Writing (Quotes, Tools, etc):
-I feel like I’ve been sliced open. I wonder if the whole cafeteria can see inside my rib cage, where my heart is beating. // “It’s like I’m nothing, like I’m worse than something she scraped off her shoe. We were friends.” I can hardly hear my own words now, because the tears are choking me. He turns to look at me, and he looks so sad, and so sorry that I feel like another little piece of my heart has been ripped open. - Jeez, was I this dramatic at twelve years old??
-I have to mention the flowered leggings and long black top outfit that Meghan lends to Hayley, because I definitely had many outfits like that back in middle school.
-Oh my god, I forgot they would use chat rooms in the books! Is that still a thing in middle-grade books now? Probably not right?
-‘From the Phone Files’ - I like the formatting of the phone calls, with how it’s only dialogue. I think it’s especially cool because the calls are usually between Hayley and her dad, and this emphasizes how there’s distance between them.
- I’m thankful that this year is ending. // I watch the flame lick the edges of the paper. One of the pieces turns to ash and flutters up the chimney. I like to think that one is mine.
(Sidenote, I like this new Thanksgiving tradition because saying what they’re thankful for was one of Hayley’s favourites, so I’m glad she still gets a version of it.)
-Soft yellow light pours like butter across the concrete in front of the café. - Why wasn’t there more baking imagery used?
-I love that at the end, we get to see how some of the confessions of past events are connected. We learn why Hayley and Marco were skipping school in the first place, and knowing the reasoning behind it makes Hayley's anger towards her father so much more justified. We also learn that Hayley and Marco getting arrested is connected to her one big fight with Artie in elementary school because she told on them. (It kind of also explains how Marco could be so close to both of them, yet Hayley is the one he develops feelings for.)
Funny Quotes
-Coffee is candy for grown-ups, I guess. - See, Hayley gets it.
-Gran and I are so busy that I forget Artie and Devon are even there. Sort of. The way you forget a mosquito that’s buzzing in your ear. - If a main character in a middle grade book actually had the guts to speak her mind, her bullies would never be able to show their faces again.
-“Let’s say that I’m a professional soccer player - now why would I need scientific notation?”
“To graduate from middle school?”
“Then I may not graduate from middle school.”
-She’s mean, but she’s fair about it. She’s mean to everyone equally. - Those are honestly the best teachers.
-“Because you’re funny and smart and make awesome cupcakes? And because people like you, and they think Artie’s an idiot?” - Everybody needs a friend like Meghan, I love her so much!
-“It sounds like fun.” I don’t know what makes me say this. Maybe an evil part of me just wants to see Artie squirm, the way she made me squirm the other day. - I actually laughed out loud when Devon suggested that Hayley sell her cupcakes as a fundraiser for the school musical in front of Artie’s face.
-“Artie and I - We’re not getting along.” The dramatic opening to Beethoven’s Fifth: Dunh-dunh-dunh-dun. “Thanks, Kyle.” - I love Kyle!
-I open my mouth to reply and throw up into the bread basket. - I REMEMBER THIS PART WORD FOR WORD HOLY SHIT!!!
Things that gave me the ick:
-I don’t love the way that Marco’s sister’s autism is talked about here; it was very strange to me. Sarah wasn’t actually in the book, but the way (from Hayley’s POV) we only see her as a nuisance is actually disgusting. Also, what was that throwaway line about her being locked in her bedroom?!
-Not gonna lie, the way Annie’s dad talks about America is really weird. I did not come here to read about some old guy spouting patriotic nonsense, thank you very much. (I think it would’ve been even worse if he were white, but he wasn’t.)
June 8, 2017
In this sequel to Save the Cupcake!, Lisa Papademetriou continues her commitment to diversity. Besides fleshing out some characters with autism and food allergies, she also introduces a new character who is Latino.
I liked that Hayley continued to be relatable. She's just a regular kid, trying to deal with regular middle school problems. Okay, she has a particular talent for baking cupcakes, and happens to be able to sell them in her grandmother's cafe, but otherwise she really seems normal. While struggling through her parents' divorce, she loses her two best friends, she pines over a crush, and she finds herself the victim of mean girl behavior. She just doesn't know what to do. To be honest, there really isn't a lot of cheer in this book, other than the hope that comes with a couple budding friendships.
I found it particularly interesting that in this book, Hayley made a series of bad decisions, the kinds that are probably typical among teenagers. Papademetriou did a great job depicting the way a teenager might really justify engaging in behavior that they know to be wrong. I also liked that Hayley doesn't really get away with anything, and has to face the consequences of her actions.
Finally, I will note that while I totally appreciate the author's efforts in promoting food allergy awareness, I think the incident of anaphylaxis as described in the book doesn't really do a good job of spreading accurate information. In the book, when a character has an anaphylactic allergic reaction, she is taken to a doctor's office. In real life, it is generally recommended that 911 be called immediately, and the patient be taken to an ER. Ideally, an EpiPen would have been administered if one had been available, and it's unfortunate that the author didn't at least include a mention of EpiPens. I dare say I might have given this book 5 stars if not for this sketchy portrayal of how to deal with anaphylaxis.
I liked that Hayley continued to be relatable. She's just a regular kid, trying to deal with regular middle school problems. Okay, she has a particular talent for baking cupcakes, and happens to be able to sell them in her grandmother's cafe, but otherwise she really seems normal. While struggling through her parents' divorce, she loses her two best friends, she pines over a crush, and she finds herself the victim of mean girl behavior. She just doesn't know what to do. To be honest, there really isn't a lot of cheer in this book, other than the hope that comes with a couple budding friendships.
I found it particularly interesting that in this book, Hayley made a series of bad decisions, the kinds that are probably typical among teenagers. Papademetriou did a great job depicting the way a teenager might really justify engaging in behavior that they know to be wrong. I also liked that Hayley doesn't really get away with anything, and has to face the consequences of her actions.
Finally, I will note that while I totally appreciate the author's efforts in promoting food allergy awareness, I think the incident of anaphylaxis as described in the book doesn't really do a good job of spreading accurate information. In the book, when a character has an anaphylactic allergic reaction, she is taken to a doctor's office. In real life, it is generally recommended that 911 be called immediately, and the patient be taken to an ER. Ideally, an EpiPen would have been administered if one had been available, and it's unfortunate that the author didn't at least include a mention of EpiPens. I dare say I might have given this book 5 stars if not for this sketchy portrayal of how to deal with anaphylaxis.
December 8, 2015
Rachel Sanders
December 8, 2015
Period 7
Magical realism 9
Lisa Papademetriou calls this book that I read Confectionately Yours; Taking the Cake. The reason why I picked this book was to read the rest of the series. This is an alright book, its not my favorite one out of the series because it has recipes in it that aren’t really good, or easy for young people to learn how to cook on their own.
Reasons why I don’t like this book as much as the others because it was too easy to read. In the book, the chapters are two pages each and there aren’t many words. The book isn’t as advanced as I thought it would be considering the other books in the series. “ The true parts, Artie and I aren’t getting along. I have to make cupcakes for a fundraiser.” This part of the book was choppy and so short. Another reason I didn’t like the book was because of the recipes it provided. The one recipe was called “King Kong-banana-macadamia-nut-cupcakes.” This cupcake has lots of directions and ingredients that you have to follow and be very precise with how much you put in the bowl of mixture. For example, “ In a small bowl mix together with a whisk, the banana, coconut milk, coconut extract, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil for three minutes.”
To conclude, my opinion on this book is, I didn’t really like it. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone trying to read something that is challenging. This book is quite easy in my opinion and it does not have simple recipes that are easy to follow. If you are trying to use recipes but also have entertainment, this wouldn’t be a good choice of a book.
December 8, 2015
Period 7
Magical realism 9
Lisa Papademetriou calls this book that I read Confectionately Yours; Taking the Cake. The reason why I picked this book was to read the rest of the series. This is an alright book, its not my favorite one out of the series because it has recipes in it that aren’t really good, or easy for young people to learn how to cook on their own.
Reasons why I don’t like this book as much as the others because it was too easy to read. In the book, the chapters are two pages each and there aren’t many words. The book isn’t as advanced as I thought it would be considering the other books in the series. “ The true parts, Artie and I aren’t getting along. I have to make cupcakes for a fundraiser.” This part of the book was choppy and so short. Another reason I didn’t like the book was because of the recipes it provided. The one recipe was called “King Kong-banana-macadamia-nut-cupcakes.” This cupcake has lots of directions and ingredients that you have to follow and be very precise with how much you put in the bowl of mixture. For example, “ In a small bowl mix together with a whisk, the banana, coconut milk, coconut extract, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil for three minutes.”
To conclude, my opinion on this book is, I didn’t really like it. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone trying to read something that is challenging. This book is quite easy in my opinion and it does not have simple recipes that are easy to follow. If you are trying to use recipes but also have entertainment, this wouldn’t be a good choice of a book.
September 23, 2013
Hayley's life is upside down! But it's new great and awesome and funny friend named Megan. Wich is great! It looks like that her crush found a girlfriend wich is Hayley's ex bff Artie oh no! It almost halloween. Hayley's grounded beacause of stealing a pumkin! Read it until the end! Hayley's life is not good!
November 14, 2014
LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 29, 2015
love it. great series.
July 7, 2016
Great book about drama and know and helping you best friends!!! Great book for kids going in or in 4-8 grade!! Also has recipes to try at home. I give this book a smile face :)
February 23, 2017
AWESOME!
December 4, 2017
The latest book I read was “Taking the cake!” In the series of Confectionatly Yours by Lisa Papademetriou. Haley’s ex- best friend Artie is being mean, Marco is struggling in math and Haley has to help him, her parents got divorced and Haley hates her dads new girlfriend, could things get any worse! Haley’s new friend Meghan is a nut and gets her in trouble all the time! But Haley still likes her anyway. Artie tries to make Haley jealous by acting like her crush Devon is Artie’s boyfriend. Will Haley make it through, if so this is definitely taking the cake!
I love this book so much! My favorite part is when Haley is at her dads girlfriend’s parents country club at thanksgiving and Haley throws up in the bread basket, it’s so funny but Haley was super sick. This book was super funny and very interesting at the same time. I almost didn’t know what to expect. I rate it 5 it of 5 stars.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves comedy and kind of understanding what the average teenage girl goes through on a day to day basis. I love this book so much and would recommend it to people who need to find and interesting book for school, it’s worth it!
I love this book so much! My favorite part is when Haley is at her dads girlfriend’s parents country club at thanksgiving and Haley throws up in the bread basket, it’s so funny but Haley was super sick. This book was super funny and very interesting at the same time. I almost didn’t know what to expect. I rate it 5 it of 5 stars.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves comedy and kind of understanding what the average teenage girl goes through on a day to day basis. I love this book so much and would recommend it to people who need to find and interesting book for school, it’s worth it!
September 23, 2021
I had read the first, third, and fourth books when I was younger so I decided to finish off the series. Two hours later and I've done a binge read - something I haven't done since the pandemic started. I really enjoyed what Ms. Papa had to offer us. Hayley is such a sweet character and Meghan is growing on me.
I definitely recommend picking up on the series even if you're too old. I'm in college but I love the adventures that Hayley has. And maybe one day I'll be able to try out her recipes too...
I definitely recommend picking up on the series even if you're too old. I'm in college but I love the adventures that Hayley has. And maybe one day I'll be able to try out her recipes too...
November 30, 2019
Hayley has come to an uneasy acceptance of her parent’s divorce, but now she is facing the troubling fact that both parents are moving on. Hayley’s dad is dating much younger, much prettier Annie and now they are changing up Thanksgiving dining with the in-laws at their country club. Hayley’s mom is cautiously getting know Officer Ramon...Hayley notices them making googling eyes at each other. Now he’s coming to Thanksgiving Dinner with her mom and grandma. Two Thanksgiving dinners, two awkward situations, and one very nauseating day (literally!).
Plus, Hayley is dealing with her ex-best friend, Artie who is nasty and dating her crush. Marco is asking for help in an odd, but understandable way. And, new friend Meghan seems to have her back while encouraging uncomfortable confrontations. Good thing Hayley has her passion for cupcakes as a respite for her worries. Taking the Cake! picks up right where Save the Cupcake! leaves off.
Plus, Hayley is dealing with her ex-best friend, Artie who is nasty and dating her crush. Marco is asking for help in an odd, but understandable way. And, new friend Meghan seems to have her back while encouraging uncomfortable confrontations. Good thing Hayley has her passion for cupcakes as a respite for her worries. Taking the Cake! picks up right where Save the Cupcake! leaves off.
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March 24, 2017Taking the cake! Is part of the confectionately yours series. It’s the sequel to Save the Cupcake! In my book Taking the cake! Hayley’s parents got divorced and hayley and her sister chloe move into their grandmother house with their mom. Hayley and her best friend Artie aren't friends anymore and the guy that hayley likes Artie likes too. My book takes place in Northampton, Massachusett. I like this book because it can be really relatable to things that happen on daily lives but something that i don’t really like about this book is that it is apart of a series so before you read this book you have to read the book before it which is Save the Cupcake! And you also have to read two books after Taking the cake! To complete the series. I would not recommend this book because it really wouldn’t make any sense unless you read the book before Taking the cake! I also wouldn’t recommend this because you would have to read two separate books after Taking the cake! To complete the confectionately yours series. Another reason i wouldn’t recommend this book to you is because this book gets really confusing at some points.
March 15, 2024
After finishing the first book I was very discouraged and expected the rest of the series to go the same way. I was very pleasantly surprised with this book! Everything that irked me about the first book was reduced or absent and everything I liked was reinforced. I almost wish that this was the first book and the other was condensed to just a few chapters. The prose was still fun and fitting for the voice of our main character, but the story and even character arcs improved so much. The plot was very relatable, and the end was so sweet I almost shed a tear. Besides a few comments here and there I did not agree with I enjoyed every chapter of this book! I think that it is a great read for late elementary school-aged children and portrays a good message supported by the smaller lessons throughout. I will be looking for the rest of the series!!
January 10, 2022
I enjoyed this book a lot. This book takes place in present tense. It takes place mostly at Haley's school, and her grandmothers cafe. In this book, Haley's ex friend Artie started to get ruder as they drifted away. Haley had a crush on Devon who was Artie's almost-boyfriend. Throughout the book Devon takes a liking to Haley. She is making cake pops for the play that both Devon and Artie are in. What if the test cakepop Haley gave Devon means more than you think. Will Haley get her heart crushed? Overall this book is very worth it. You feel very into and connected to the plot. I would recommend this book!
October 12, 2025
Some parts of this book made me mad at the characters. The adults in this series are infuriating and I just know that once their kids become adults, there will be no contact. This book does discuss and show difficult situations that children can go through but it seems that our main character, Haley, goes through the worst. She has to be the bigger person, she gets punished for trying to help out a friend. Her dad is the biggest jerk and I hope that Annie dupes him.
I won't continue with this series because it is infuriating to see the main character being used as a punching bag. Haley deserves better.
I won't continue with this series because it is infuriating to see the main character being used as a punching bag. Haley deserves better.
October 6, 2017
I remember reading this as a fifth grader. That was when I didn't know what the crap I was reading, I just liked to read. But to be honest the only character I liked in the book was Meghan because of her eccentricity. But after reading that preview again, I cringed. It just wasn't enough, and I couldn't take it seriously.
December 18, 2017
I liked this book because it has a lot of mysteries and confusion. She wanted to have her regular thanksgiving dinner but her dad ruined it for her. Her dad has a girlfriend named Annie, she wanted Haley and her sister to meet her family. She was really upset but she also did not know what to wear. She was really embarrassed and the whole restaurant turned and looked at her.
June 6, 2024
A book about a twelve year old girl, but relatable no matter what your age is. I could truly feel the emotions the main character was experiencing. This book inspired me to find moments of joy even in hardship as the main character does throughout the story. It is an easy and entertaining read.
May 5, 2017
It was a great book I loved it!
May 31, 2017
I loved this book because she is not afraid of taking control and she includes everyone in it as well. I think that 6 graders would like this more.
September 20, 2018
I really enjoy these. I wish these had existed when I was in middle school - I would have loved them. But I'm glad I can enjoy them now (and have an excuse as I work in a children's library)
May 20, 2019
Loved this book!!!
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