One Old, One New: Jenn Marie Thorne Edition

One Old, One New features two books - one old, one new, which are connected in some way. Today, I am sharing two books by Jenn Marie Thorne.

Night Music
Jen Marie Thorne
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Dial Books
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

A romantic comedy that sweeps you up with breezy writing and canny social commentary, set behind the scenes of the classical music world during one hot, anything-can-happen, New York City summer

Ruby has always been Ruby Chertok future classical pianist, heir to the Chertok family legacy, daughter of renowned composer Martin Chertok. But after bungling her audition for the prestigious Amberley School of Music--where her father is on faculty--Ruby is suddenly just . . . Ruby. And who is that again? All she knows is that she wants out of the orbit of her relentlessly impressive family, and away from the world of classical music for good. Yes? Yes.

Oscar is a wunderkind, a musical genius. Just ask any of the 1.8 million people who've watched him conduct his own compositions on YouTube--or hey, just ask Oscar. But while he might be the type who'd name himself when asked about his favorite composer and somehow make you love him more for it, Oscar is not the type to jeopardize his chance to study under the great Martin Chertok--not for a crush. He's all too aware of how the ultra-privileged, ultra-white world of classical music might interpret a black guy like him falling for his benefactor's white daughter. Right? Right.

But as the New York City summer heats up, so does the spark between Ruby and Oscar. Soon their connection crackles with the same alive, uncontainable energy as the city itself. But can two people still figuring themselves out figure out how to be together? Or will the world make the choice for them?

This wasn't quite the rom-com I expected, but it was a beautiful story about music, first love, and discovering and nurturing your passion.

Oscar found himself thrust into the spotlight, when his musical talent was discovered and he was rewarded with a scholarship to the Amberley School. He was a bit of a fish out of water, but he worked hard to "fit" into this world, even sometimes at his own expense. This made me sad, because I adored him! Oscar was everything one would want in a YA character. He witty, amusing, charming, and music personified. He had this energy that drew me in and a personality that made him jump off the page. It was hard watching his situation suck the life-force from him, because Oscar was something special, and he burned so brightly.

While Oscar was my sunshine, Ruby was my rain cloud. Being the youngest family member of a veritable musical dynasty was not easy. Ruby was more than willing to assume her seat at the table, and had put in the time, with endless hours of practice over the past seven years. However, she now had to face the grim reality that she didn't possess the talent necessary to excel in the world she had always lived in. Wow! That had to be a tough pill to swallow, and this was a big loss for her. Thorne did an amazing job helping me understand the impact of this on Ruby, and my heart ached for her.

This, coupled with a few other big realizations could cripple a girl, but luckily, Ruby had her ooey-gooey romance with Oscar to distract her from that. Gosh! These two were beyond precious together. It started with great banter, and gradually moved to some really tooth-achingly-sweet tender moments. I would give almost anything to get some sort of epilogue or short story catching up with these two, because I thought they were perfection together. Though their circumstances were so different, they connected through a mutual love of music, as well as, a shared hurt from being used as pawns in the Amberley world.

I previously lamented the need for an epilogue, but even without that, I was satisfied with the way Throne tied up those loose ends. Some of the conclusions left me disappointed for our characters, but other made me warm and fuzzy. This was a fun, beautiful, and thoughtful romance with the bonus of a classical music soundtrack.

The Wrong Side of Right
Jenn Marie Thorne
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Dial Books
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Fans of Sarah Dessen and Huntley Fitzpatrick will enjoy this smart debut young adult novel, equal parts My Life Next Door and The Princess Diaries—plus a dash of West Wing.

Kate Quinn’s mom died last year, leaving Kate parentless and reeling. So when the unexpected shows up in her living room, Kate must confront another reality she never thought possible—or thought of at all. Kate does have a father. He’s a powerful politician. And he’s running for U.S. President. Suddenly, Kate’s moving in with a family she never knew she had, joining a campaign in support of a man she hardly knows, and falling for a rebellious boy who may not have the purest motives. This is Kate’s new life. But who is Kate? When what she truly believes flies in the face of the campaign’s talking points, she must decide. Does she turn to the family she barely knows, the boy she knows but doesn’t necessarily trust, or face a third, even scarier option?

Set against a backdrop of politics, family, and first love, this is a story of personal responsibility, complicated romance, and trying to discover who you are even as everyone tells you who you should be.

Kate had been mourning her mother's death for about a year, when her whole life was changed in the wake of a political scandal. She found herself, once again, in a new home with new surroundings, but this time, she was among strangers. While dealing with this new information regarding her mother, Kate had to also learn how to play the role of a presidential candidate's daughter, as she also tried to get to know her new "family" and stay true to herself.

Though I am not a fan of politics in books, I knew what I was getting myself into when I cracked this one open. As much as this was about a girl, who finds herself immersed in a presidential campaign, Thorne did not let Kate's story get lost in the political firestorm. The focus of this tale was Kate.

Since her mother never mentioned anything regarding her paternity, Kate was led to believe her father was dead, and to then learn that not only was he a presidential candidate (and a Republican), he had  also been married at the time of her conception. Kate struggled a great deal with this information. Her mother seemed to always hold such high standards and ideals, and Kate couldn't imagine her having an affair with a married man. This kind of shook her foundation a bit, and coupled with her feeling out of place and unwanted in her new home, it was a very emotional experience for her.

I loved the exploration of the family dynamic, and all the behind the scenes political stuff was wild, as expected, but you know what I liked most - the romance. Notice, I did not classify this book as a romance, and that is because it was such a small part of Kate's story. However, I was all over this pairing. The stolen and secret moments Kate shared with the love interest were fun and swoony and I absolutely wanted more of them together.

The other thing I really loved, was that Thorne appears to have a Dessenverse sort of world thing going on. I read this book right after Night Music, and easily picked out those things connecting the two books. Oscar happened to attend the same school as Kate, and his viral YouTube video was a reworking of the music of Kudzu Giants, the band Kate went to see. Kate also found herself watching the same reality show, that was mentioned by Ruby's friend. You know how much I adore "Easter eggs", and I was giddy when I uncovered these.

Though the ending was wholly predictable, I did enjoy this journey with Kate and the opportunity to see our political campaign process through a teen lens.

Do you enjoy classical music?
Let us know in the comments!