The Spring of Candy Apples

Written by Debbie Viguié

Narrated by Emily Durante

In the final book of the Sweet Seasons series, Candace’s time in high school and at The Zone is coming to a close—and what to do next is looming in her mind. Stay close to home and with her boyfriend Kurt, or take a chance and see what the adventure brings?

Candace used to be the one to take the easy way—but after three seasons working at a crazy amusement park, challenge seems to be her middle name. Then why does the idea of leaving her hometown to attend college on the other side of the country scare her so much? It doesn’t help that her boyfriend, Kurt, and her friend Tamara are both encouraging her to attend the local college and just relax. Or that the more she dreams about her future, the less she sees Kurt being a part of it.

Hoping it will lessen her stress, Candace focuses on her job making candied apples at The Zone. But life has other plans: as things with Kurt cool, a strange romantic tension grows between her and her friend Josh that leads to even more confusion. And when Candace is named a finalist for a scholarship to the same faraway school she’s been contemplating—one that is also near another Zone location—the time to decide her future grows too close to ignore.

The Spring of Candy Apples:

• is a YA contemporary novel with a fun, rom-com feel
• is written by New York Times bestselling author Debbie Viguié
• features an empowered protagonist looking to take control of her life
• is a coming-of-age story that mixes humor with real-life struggles
• is a clean read for young adult fans of any age

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zonderkidz
• Release date: Aug 7, 2012
• ISBN: 9780310876113

Debbie Viguié

Debbie Viguié has been writing for most of her life and holds a degree in creative writing from U.C. Davis. Debbie loves theme parks and has worked at both Knott’s Berry Farm and Disneyland in California. When Debbie is not busy writing she enjoys traveling with her husband Scott. Debbie grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and now lives in Hawaii.

Reviews for The Spring of Candy Apples

[g_reccomends · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So good!! Not for younger readers. My fav of all 4 books other than the first :)

[wbarker_19 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Perfect for : The young adult in your life.

In a nutshell: This is a wonderfully inspirational series written for teen girls - but is even a fun read for adults! This is the fourth book of the Sweet Seasons series by Debbie Viguie - now that all four seasons have been covered, I hope Debbie finds a way to continue following Candy and her friends as they go off to college. In this book, we return to see more of Candy's life as she experiences all the teen things: friendships, romance issues, school (and dealing with college applications and scholarships), work, thinking about the future and faith!

Extended Review:

Characters: I have really enjoyed reading about Candy, Tamara, Kurt, Josh, etc. I love that Debbie has given them REAL teen-sounding dialogue, I can see my niece relating to them with no problem!

Story-Line: There is no preaching in this book, but rather, Candy is gently guided through life with a focus on values and faith. She is a typical teen, facing many challenges (Is Kurt the right boyfriend, could she go to school far away)

Readability: A fun and easy read that will hold your attention and provide inspiration.

Overall: A wonderful addition to an already great series. I highly recommend this book to any parents looking for some good reading for their teen daughters (nieces, grand-daughters, etc).

[smilingsally · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Book four of the Sweet Seasons Novel series is a delicious treat. It can be easily read and appreciated on its own. The story grabs the heart of teens as two high school teenagers, Candice and Tamara--best friends solve problems as only teens can. The characters are slightly flawed and therefore, quite believable. The plot includes college applications, boyfriends, work at The Zone, Man of La Mancha, and a talent show. The author has teen dialogue down pat; I enjoyed the parts where the kids text.

As in book three, parents, teachers, and employers are respected. There's a bit of romance, a time of tension between two opposing viewpoints, a sad scene that causes the need for a tissue, and a delightful ending. The real meaning of Easter is covered. If you have a teenager or know one, this teen fiction is a good idea for them! I'm passing my copy along to my granddaughter.

[kherbrand_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Spring of Candy Apples is the 4th book in the Sweet Seasons series, but it read well as a stand alone, as I have not had the opportunity to read the first three books.

We catch up with Candace during her interview for The Zone's college scholarship to Florida Coast College. The interview is with John Hanson, the owner of The Zone, an amusement park in California. Candace was entered into the running by her friend, Josh, for her rendition of a new amusement park ride called Balloon Races. During the interview, Candace also gets promoted from a seasonal employee to a regular part-timer working at The Candy Counter.

Candace's life is getting busy. She enjoys working at The Zone and is also involved in a talent show that is coming up there. Add to that the lead in her school play, Man of La Mancha, boyfriend, best friends, and her church youth group.

Over the course of the book we meet Tamara, her best friend and fellow castmate in Man of La Mancha. She and Tamara have been best friends for a very long time and have planned to go to UCLA together. Candace does not know how she is going to tell her friend that she is considering going to Florida Coast.

Kurt is her boyfriend whom she met after she started working at The Zone. He used to be Lisa's boyfriend, another Zone employee, and this has brought out a host of problems and animosity in Lisa.

She also met Josh working at the Zone and he quickly became a good friend. It also benefited her friend Tamara as she is seriously dating Josh's brother James. Josh always seems to be around when Candace needs reassurance or someone to talk to - and he is also a Christian.

Join Candace as she decides if Kurt is "the one", which college to choose, and how Josh figures into all this!

This was a very cute story and a quick read. It was definitely not preachy, but was able to get across the story of salvation through it's characters. It was a light read but covered romance, touched on family issues, values, and handling important choices. I would recommend for girls 14-18 years old.