Donut Days by Lara Zielin

Release Date: August 6, 2009
Publisher: Putnam
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 256
From: author
Interest: debut author

Emma has a lot going on. Her best friend's not speaking to her, a boy she's known all her life is suddenly smokin' hot and in love with her, and oh yes, her evangelical minister parents may lose their church, especially if her mother keeps giving sermons saying Adam was a hermaphrodite.
But this weekend Emma's only focused on Crispy Dream, a hot new donut franchise opening in town, where Harley bikers and Frodo wannabes camp out waiting to be the first ones served. Writing the best feature story on the camp for the local paper might just win Emma a scholarship to attend a non- Christian college. But soon enough Emma finds the donut camp isn't quite the perfect escape from all her troubles at Living Word Redeemer.
Donut Days is a spirited, yes pun intended, and humorous adventure of faith, family and friendship. I totally related to Emma's frustrations toward her overall understanding and connection of God and religion. I was initially worried that this novel might be a too "preachy" for me, but it wasn't at all. It did take me a little while to get into the story, it finally got interesting when Emma got to the Donut Camp. A Donut Camp, which seems like the most ridiculous thing ever, I mean seriously does that happen? Do people camp out for a donut store opening? I love donuts as much as the next person, but wow.

Overall characterization was great. I especially liked the biker gang of born again believers. They really made the story for me, it gave it something totally unexpected, which I immensely enjoyed.

The plot is a little far fetched in certain aspects, but they are outweighed with Emma's realistic struggles.

Donut Days is a quick read that may unleash your appetite for donuts but will suppress your hunger for a great read.