One Old, One New: The Shelf Love Edition

One Old, One New features two books - one old, one new, which are connected in some way. Today, I am sharing two books that are both set in theme parks.

Hot Dog Girl
Jennifer Dugan
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Putnam
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Elouise (Lou) Parker is determined to have the absolute best, most impossibly epic summer of her life. There are just a few things standing in her way:

* She's landed a job at Magic Castle Playland . . . as a giant dancing hot dog.

* Her crush, the dreamy Diving Pirate Nick, already has a girlfriend, who is literally the Princess of the park. But Lou's never liked anyone, guy or otherwise, this much before, and now she wants a chance at her own happily ever after.

* Her best friend, Seeley, the carousel operator, who's always been up for anything, suddenly isn't when it comes to Lou's quest to set her up with the perfect girl or Lou's scheme to get close to Nick.

* And it turns out that this will be their last summer at Magic Castle Playland--ever--unless she can find a way to stop it from closing.

Jennifer Dugan's sparkling debut coming-of-age queer romance stars a princess, a pirate, a hot dog, and a carousel operator who find love--and themselves--in unexpected people and unforgettable places.

Elouise was determined to have an epic summer. She was excited to be returning to Magic Castle Playland, where she would be able to work alongside her best friend, Seeley, and her current crush, Nick. It all quickly begins to fall apart, and in an attempt to save her summer from ruin, she begins scheming on ways to save the park and make Nick fall for her. But, as with all the best-laid plans, this one may backfire.

You see that cover? You see how fun it looks? Well, it's a great representation of this book, which was a ton of fun to read. There were all sorts of summertime and amusement park antics, which I expected. I mean, imagine the view of things from inside a giant hot dog. The fun was enhanced via the thoughts and narration of Elouise. I found her rather amusing, and though she sometimes failed to see the forest for the trees, I still adored her in all her awkward glory.

But, Dugan gave me more than fun, fun, fun. There were some weightier issues each character was dealing with, such as bullying, abandonment, and sick relatives. So, to answer your question: yes, there were tears.

Speaking of the characters, this book featured one fine cast. I found each character stood out on their own, while also meshing together so well. I loved Seeley. The friendship she gave to Elouise was a beautiful thing. And, Nick ending up really surprising me in a most wonderful way. Even dad touched me at one point. I just loved them all.

Overall: A warm-and-fuzzy inducing rom-com topped off with a fabulous happy ever after.

The Truth About Happily Every After
Karole Cozzo
Age/Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Chin up, Princess, or the crown will slip.

A theme park princess must put her life back together after her happily ever after falls apart in this contemporary YA romance from Karole Cozzo, author of How to Keep Rolling After a Fall and How to Say I Love You Out Loud.

Everything was supposed to be perfect. Alyssa has a job she loves, working as Cinderella at her favorite theme park; a fantastic group of friends; and a boyfriend who will no longer be long distance. But as the summer progresses, her prince becomes less charming and more distant, and Alyssa's perfect summer falls apart.

Forced to acknowledge that life is not always a fairy tale, Alyssa starts working to pull her herself back together. Fortunately, she doesn't have to do it alone. With her friend Miller's support, she's determined to prove that she's more than just a pretty princess. And with his help, maybe she's finally ready for something better than dreams. Maybe she's ready for something real.

Alyssa was so excited to be returning to Enchanted Dominion to reprise her role as Cinderella. Not only would she be working in one of her favorite places, but she would be reunited with her long distance boyfriend, Jake. Now, she could get started on making her happily ever after a reality. But, her mirth quickly fades, as the cracks in her and Jake's relationship grow bigger and bigger, until it all crumbles. Down and Out, Alyssa must come to terms with what she thought was true and the reality of her situation, but maybe an HEA isn't totally out of reach for her.

I am going to start with the one thing that really bothered me, and it was Cozzo perpetuating outdated stereotypes of sorority women. My fraternity has been around for almost 150 years and boasts 151 active collegiate chapters and over 200 alumnae chapters. I would like to think that not every women is exactly like the other, and I can say my sisters did not fit any the stereotypes, that has been peddled via TV and movies for ages. So, yeah, it bothered me, but I fortunately was able to roll my eyes, move past it, and enjoy Alyssa's story.

Alyssa was a rather complex character. On the surface, she was all glitz and smiles, but there was a lot of substance underneath the shiny topcoat, and I enjoyed getting to know her better. She was genuinely a nice and good person, and I am glad Cozzo let that side of her shine.

I won't lie, Part I of the book was not my favorite, because it's where Alyssa's life was declining. It was sad for me to watch her put herself out there, time after time, while knowing in my heart, that Jake's interest had waned. I saw the complication coming from a mile a way, but what really solidified my distaste for this man was when he revealed the whole story. UGH! So wrong, yet so realistic. Maybe that's why it cut me so deeply.

But, alas, Part II was wonderful! It was a pleasure seeing Alyssa, free of her shackles, exploring new things. I especially loved her friendship with Miller, who was just an absolute sweet little cinnamon roll of a guy. He was all about lifting her up and restoring her faith and confidence in herself, and she really needed it.

Not only was Alyssa unceremoniously dumped, but she also had to deal with the day-to-day scrutinization of her physical appearance. Many jobs have tough requirements, when it comes to appearance, and I guess you can call it the dark side of theme park employment, but princesses were expected to look a certain way. Though Alyssa was cognizant of when she was going overboard with her dieting and exercise, it bordered on obsession. However,  this was the price she was willing to pay to wear that ballgown.

Aside from my love for Alyssa and Miller, Alyssa had a fantastic trio of friends. The friendship this quartet shared was fierce, and I loved the way they worked to support one another. When we saw her theme park friendship directly contrast with her school friendship, it's easy to see how it was deeper and more real. That went along with Alyssa's personas. School Alyssa was more surface deep, but there were so many additional layers to park Alyssa, and it was fantastic peeling them back, one by one.

I also adored the setting. Enchanted Dominion was some sort of Disney hybrid, and Cozzo went the extra mile offering some really great detailed descriptions of the park and the various events held therein. I liked all the extras we got, and I could see some of those places so clearly.

Overall: I happily took this journey with Alyssa as she came back from a crushing disappointment to seek her new idea of happily ever after. Friendships, a sweet romance, and a magical setting made this an enjoyable read for me, and will keep me coming back for more of Cozzo's work.

Favorite theme park?
Let us know in the comments!