One Book that I Always Come Back to in Times of Need: The Cupcake Queen by Heather Hepler

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The Cupcake Queen

by Heather Hepler

Heather Hepler's The Cupcake Queen is a young adult/children's book that centers around the main protagonist, Penny Lane, and describes her life in the obscure small town of Hog's Hollow following her parents' separation. Although the book's audience is directed to kids much younger than I am (Penny Lane is fourteen years old, whereas I am about to finish my teenage years), I always catch myself rereading it whenever my world appears to be crumbling around me. I have just recently finished my first year of college and have returned home for the summer, but things feel different and I am not going to pretend here when I say that living in a hostile household is depressing, kills my motivation, and hurts. A lot. Moreover, Hepler sneaks in quite helpful, sage advice whenever she sees fit in her narratives for this character, and I am only now able to appreciate them for what they really are. Penny's "thoughts" are indeed Hepler's way of reaching out to those who may in fact share in Penny's problems. I have only recently reread the first three chapters of this heartwarming book, but have come across two quotes that have hit home very deeply. 

"For a long time I would hear them arguing when I was supposed to be sleeping. They'd fight about everything--my school, who left crumbs in the butter, whose turn it was to take Oscar to the vet. That was bad. But it was worse when they stopped. It was like as long as they were arguing, they cared. Once they stopped it seemed like everything stopped." -- Penny Lane

 Boy, can I relate to Penny here. I am only going to be brief when I explain my own parents because I respect my privacy. My parents are my role models in what I do NOT want to find in a future relationship, much less an actual marriage. My "relationship goals" are based on the unconditional love and faith of my grandparents who have been married for over 58 years now. They just love to give me advice every time I visit them, and yes I eat every bit of it up. (I will more than likely devote a separate blog post to them at some point.) Anyway, Penny (Hepler) is quite right. When parents do fight, they care enough to want to work through things somehow, even if they can only articulate their thoughts via shouting, arguing, fighting, or angry, immature remarks. This stops when their ability to care has relinquished. I can empathize with Penny easily, as evidenced by my above rant.

"And I realized maybe that's all we can hope for from life: fine. Not happy, not good, but just fine." -- Penny Lane

 Ahhh, Penny. Wise beyond your years. I most certainly am still accepting the fact that this is so incredibly true. Regardless of one's ability to look on the bright side and see the glass half full, as the ever-present cliches state, life may really only be okay, fine, or decent. It would not be life if we did not face hardships and obstacles, but most people do have an innate desire to think that they can achieve happiness in life. I know I am one of those people and know the risks of being optimistic, but always opt for optimism when given the choice. My depression truly only sinks in when I let others affect me, thus negatively altering my once happy mindset. However, having a fine life and being fine is perfectly okay. The term fine may have negative connotations as a response to something going wrong in a relationship for example, but being fine, average, and just plain okay in life really is OK. I mean it. We are all exceptional, but sometimes all one's life can be is... fine.

I could honestly quote this entire book because I love it so darn much, but these two have resonated with me so much over the years. Accepting one's situation and oneself is the hardest thing a person can do in my opinion, but once you are on the journey to this acceptance, life really will not seem all that bad. Do not take life too seriously and enjoy it for all it is. It is hard to have these positive thoughts when your life appears to be in shambles, but in reality, is it really? That is exactly why I find myself always coming back to Heather Hepler's The Cupcake Queen. I need to be reminded that everything will truly be okay and work out in the end. One cannot grow without making mistakes and learning from them, so go make those mistakes! It is your life, your time. Right. Freakin'. Now. GO OUT AND LIVE!

I highly recommend this engaging, beautiful book to avid readers of ALL ages, for everyone has felt the desire at least once to be a kid again. If you do not feel that this applies to you, then you must be lying to yourself. Penny Lane is a character with whom I can easily relate. After every read, I feel a stronger connection with her, but with each new read, the relationship evolves, and I am now able to understand her from a more adult perspective. I am able to love this book further, even with the changes in how I perceive this writing. Hepler did a fantastic job with this book and I sincerely hope that people do read it. It is an easy, enjoyable, and lovely read. Do yourself a favor. You never know what it can do for you, like it did for me.