Bittersweet: Shay's Story

The Chocolate Box Girls #3.5

by Cathy Cassidy

Shay, the boy with the cool blonde fringe and the blue guitar, the boy who smells of the ocean, is Cherry's boyfriend. But it wasn't always that way. Once, he was in love with Honey, Cherry's older stepsister. Since their break-up, bitterness has twisted every word she's said to him.

Now Honey needs help. Should Shay reach out to her - or is it safer to steer clear?

Dip into the delicious world of the Chocolate Box Girls, as for the first time ever Shay gets to tell his own story.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Childrens, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Roman, Fiction

85 pages, Paperback

First published July 4, 2012

About the author

I was born in 1962 in Coventry (scarily ancient, I know). I wrote my first picture book for my little brother when I was eight or nine. I loved making comics, too - pages and pages of picture stories, features and competitions.

I went to Art College in Liverpool, then got a job as fiction editor on the fab and legendary Jackie magazine.

I have worked as agony aunt on Shout magazine and also as an art teacher in the local primary & secondary schools, as well as as a freelance illustrator. These days, I am a full-time author.

I love my family, I love living in the middle of nowhere and I love my work. Of all my jobs, writing has to be the best - it's the perfect excuse to daydream, after all!

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and short book! Shay Fletcher is passionate about music. When he is offered a contract with a record company he wants it but his father turns it down. He seems to always be compared to his older more talented brother Ben by his dad. He's never able to impress him. His dad is a control freak always telling his sons what to do. Honey Tanberry Shay's girlfriend Cherry Costello's stepsister needs his help and is too kind to not help her. Cherry sees Honey giving him a thank you hug at school and gets the wrong idea and breaks up with him. She keeps on crying about him and he's not allowed anywhere near her. That's because he used to date Honey but Shay then fell for Cherry and dumped Honey for her. Summer and Skye Tanberry love their new stepsister and they ambush Shay in the lunch hall demanding to know what he did to their beloved stepsister. Shays brother has a argument with his dad because he wants to become a teacher instead of taking over the family business. He admits to Shay that his dad always controlled his life and that he should of stood up to him and he drives Shay to London in the hope of letting Shay follow his dream but it dosen't work the two become closer however. Ben then moves out but tells Shay his address and tells him he can visit anytime he wants. He knows he'll miss him.. In the end Shay knows he's messed up big time and makes up with Cherry and writes a song for her. It's a sweet story!

[Limau Nipis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love that this short story is from Shay's POV as Cherry's boyfriend.

In Cherry Crush, the first in The Chocolate Box Girls series, we know Shay but the book does not detail much about Shay and his family.

In this one, we got a glimpse of Shay's family. We got to know Shay had a perfectionist as his brother, a meek mom and a head strong dad.

A record deal was coming for Shay, and there were several major misunderstandings between Shay and Cherry due to Honey.

Overall, an enlightening read which deals with common problem that teenagers faced in their daily life.

Highly recommended.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une bonne série !

[lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

forgot i read this one the other day as well. it was pretty mid.

[Lau ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bon ce livre est sympa sans plus je dirais et pas forcément utile. Ça fait office de hors série et c’est le but mais ça casse pas trois pates a un canard. En plus Shay n’est pas mon préféré.

[Lire-une-passion · Rating 4 out of 5]

"En résumé, c'est un spin-off que j'ai grandement apprécié, de retrouver Shay, acteur principal d'une intrigue m'a permis de plus m'accrocher à lui et de confirmer mon attachement à ce personnage si mystérieux qu'on découvre peu à peu. Même si c'est une série très jeunesse, je peux vous dire que c'est aussi une saga sans prise de tête, très mignonne et qui se lit rapidement et toute seule. L'auteure arrive parfaitement à rendre le lecteur accro et à le faire s'attacher à chacun des personnages qui entrent dans l'aventure."

Chronique complète: http://lireunepassion.blogspot.fr/201...

[Ishi Singhal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story shows the life of a helpless boy who can't even chase his dreams. This book shows how life gives it's own obstacles to you and sees how you face it. I loved the part where shay sang a song to cherry. In fact I loved the whole book .This book is for those who love to read romantic novels.

[Jackie Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marverlis little book!
Only 85 pages long but it was well worth reading, The chocolate box book series is fantastic. If you like Jacqueline Wilson then thes are the next best books to read.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved to read Shay's point of view

[Marine · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'ai bien aimè le fait que ce tome soit axè sur un personnage en dehors de la famille Tanbery, ça change un peu.

[Salimaaaaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

LE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT DE HONEEEEEY!!!

[Mdg2810 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un opus sympa mais je n’ai pas retrouvé la fraîcheur des tomes précédents. Est-ce parce que pour une fois le point de vue est celui d’un homme ? (Enfin d’un jeune homme...) ou serais-je en train de me lasser ? :/

[Chloé_ books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 étoiles. Pour un livre qui n'est pas un tome entier ( 3 1/2 pour ce livre ) l'intrigue était intéressante mais pas plus que ça. Mais les histoires d'amours entre Shay, Honey et Cherry révèlent une grande intrigue !
1ere fois qu'il m'arrive de lire un livre qu'en 1 seul jour.

[Bladelor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tome intermédiaire dans la série des Filles au chocolat, Coeur salé est consacré à Shay, le petit-ami de Cherry. Ce volume se lit en un clin d'oeil, c'est davantage une novella qu'un roman avec son format très court. Il se situe entre Coeur mandarine (Summer) et Coeur coco (Coco).

Ici, le point de vue est donc masculin et l'histoire concerne la relation entre Shay et Cherry. Cette dernière pense que Shay est toujours amoureux de Honey et le couple traverse une petite crise.
C'est sympa de découvrir un peu plus en profondeur le personnage de Shay et d'en apprendre davantage sur sa liaison passée avec Honey et la façon dont il est tombé amoureux de Cherry. Une partie du récit est aussi consacrée à sa passion pour la musique, l'occasion pour le lecteur de faire connaissance avec le frère aîné de Shay.

Cette lecture est une récréation très agréable, un intermède plaisant entre deux "vrais" tomes.

[Lucy Powrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This really disappointed be. I've loved the previous three Chocolate Box Girls books but this novella just fell a bit flat.
The dialogue felt forced, the characters had lost the familiarity and I couldn't connect with the writing.

2.5 stars

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ce 3 1/2 est entre le 3 et le 4 et donne des informations sur le garçon qui le raconte.
Les éléments nouveaux n'ont pas beaucoup d'intérêt par rapport à la suite.
Je trouve que ça aurait plus de sens en le lisant après le 3.
Alice, 10 ans

[Une_magnifique_lecture · Rating 5 out of 5]

C'est un livre qui montre un autre aspect de la vie de shay comme son rapport avec la musique / cherry
Ses parents surtout son père son très stricte mais finissent par comprendre ses rêves
J'adore je continue !!

[Bunga ✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a good book eventhough it's short!! I like reading shay's point of view, i like getting to know the boy with big dream and his little family, not only as a boy who kinda in between honey and cherry sisterhood relationship. All was well

[lynlyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

its a sweet short read, I like the way shay gets closer to his brother and how his dad finally comes around, and the fact that honey and cherry are now cool with each other, but i guess because it had to be a short book things had to rush i guess

[Kym McBooklovin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book that I'd read from the cc chocolate box series. Can't wait to read the others now!

[Shauna Tully · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a brilliant book .

[Bunny's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://bunnyem.blogspot.ca/2016/07/le...

[Jess Archibald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish this book was bigger because it was amazing.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic enjoyable read.

[Lolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super livre 📖

[suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

(lu y’a longtemps)
incroyable
rapide à lire
je l’avais kiffé

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slay

[RICKEY Desjardins · Rating 5 out of 5]

GIRL, this book is in my top 10 definitely

[books_thalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pour moi c'est une bonne lecture mais sans plus. La vibes de ce livre est assez cool et le livre est cours donc facile et rapide à lire.

Ce n'est pas le genre de livre que je lis en temps normal pour moi il manque de l'action et une histoire d'amour plus détaillé et élaboré. Après ce ne sont que mes goûts.

C'est un bon livre à lire sur la plage en quelques heures ou quand vous n'avez pas grand chose à faire mais perso ce n'est pas un livre que je relirais en boucle.

Je vous le conseille si vous aimez les petites histoires mignonnes d'adolescent avec un peu d'amour.

[Hymaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lecture agréable, ultra rapide (1h/1h30).
J'aimais beaucoup le personnage de Shay dans la saga des filles au chocolat...et j'avais hâte d'en découvrir un peu plus sur lui...et sur ce point j'ai été un peu déçue car les personnalités des personnages sont loin d'être fouillées et on reste clairement en surface.
Je suis consciente que ce roman est destiné à la jeunesse, mais je trouve ça dommage tout de même.