One Old, One New: Chasing the Dream Edition

One Old, One New features two books - one old, one new, which are connected in some way. Today, I am sharing two books, which feature characters chasing their dream. In Unscripted, Zelda is attending a summer camp, where she hopes to hone her improv skills. While Maya is exploring her future as a musician in Jesse's Girl.

Unscripted
Nicole Kronzer
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Amulet Books
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

A funny and timely debut YA about the toxic masculinity at a famous improv comedy camp

Seventeen-year-old Zelda Bailey-Cho has her future all planned out: improv camp, then Second City, and finally Saturday Night Live. She’s thrilled when she lands a spot on the coveted varsity team at a prestigious improv camp, which means she’ll get to perform for professional scouts—including her hero, Nina Knightley. But even though she’s hardworking and talented, Zelda’s also the only girl on Varsity, so she’s the target for humiliation from her teammates. And her 20-year-old coach, Ben, is cruel to her at practice and way too nice to her when they’re alone. Zelda wants to fight back, but is sacrificing her best shot at her dream too heavy a price to pay?

Equal parts funny and righteous, Unscripted is a moving debut novel that Printz Award winner Nina LaCour calls "a truly special book, written at exactly the right time."

Someday, Zelda hoped to be a comedy writer for SNL, and she knew, many of her idols had roots in the improv scene. Therefore, her summer at improv camp was a vital stepping stone on her path to attaining her dream. When she arrived at the male dominated camp, she went along with the status quo, though she found the behavior of her fellow campers unacceptable. Eventually, their aggressions grew, and Zelda decided she had had enough, and was not going down without a fight.

It's a well known fact that misogyny and toxic masculinity runs amok in the comedy industry, and Kronzer takes on that, as well as other issues such as identity, gender equality, and consent. I appreciated her examination of the various heavy topics, while also balancing it by showing lighter moments, as well as the positive side of camp and comedy.

This book had so many wonderful characters, and it was fantastic to see how unique and diverse they were. Though a majority of the campers were male, they were of different races and sexual orientations, and even different family structures. All of that was wonderful, but I must admit, it was the friendships, which really made my heart soar.

First, there was the relationship between Zelda and her brother, Will. Though they were not related by blood, they had grown up together, and were somewhat like twins, being both close in age, and having the uncanny ability to sense things about each other. They were constantly supporting and encouraging one another, and that would prove vital for Zelda in this environment.

There were also the Gildas, the five female campers, who formed a tight-knit group among the sea of males. These young women were very aware of their situation, but their connection and loyalty to one another helped steady them. They were each others champion and harbor in the storm, and their friendship was a thing of beauty.

I also loved the Boy Scout trio Zelda connected with. They provided the contrast necessary to see how wrong the situation at Zelda's camp was. These were young men, who had integrity and empathy. They respected Zelda as a fellow human. They were kind and helpful, and in my opinion, were examples of real "men". I was so glad Zelda happened upon them in the woods, because a rather adorable romance emerged, which brings me to another thing I thought was done so well.

At one point in the story, the varsity team coach showed an interest in Zelda. This entanglement served several purposes in the story, but let's just say, it was "bad love". That's why I was so grateful, that Kronzer allowed Zelda to have a second chance at romance. Her second love interest was the antithesis of the first. I liked the juxtaposition of the two, and how she illustrated a healthy and unhealthy situation.

I believe this book has a lot to offer, when it comes to the issues of sexism, toxic masculinity, and consent. Kronzer does a great job giving examples of both right and wrong, as well as exploring the confusing emotions of someone caught up in the situation. There some difficult moments along the way, but in the end, it was wonderful to see Zelda persevere, and not give up on her dream. 

**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Jesse's Girl
Miranda Kenneally
Series: Hundred Oaks, #6
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.

But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?

Maya dreamed of a future in music, but after a disastrous solo attempt, she decided it was better to be part of a group. When she was forced out of the band she started, her dreams seemed out of reach. As luck would have it, she was assigned to local teen idol, Jesse Scott, for mentoring. Though they got off to a rocky start, it eventually appeared that this was a perfect match.

My love for this series is well documented, and as expected, Kenneally delivered a fantastic story. This was a bit different from the other books in the series, where the heroine is usually a sports star, but it still fit in the Hundred Oak world. Why? Because, it was about a young woman with passion, who was not afraid to be herself. She was knocked down a bit, but she had the strength and character to pick herself up and soldier on. Maya was all of these things and more, and I couldn't help but love her.

However, the biggest draw, for me, will always be the romance. As you may have guess, this was a celebrity romance. Jesse was renown in the country music scene and Nashville's favorite son. He had been working in the industry for eight years, and at this point in his career, he couldn't tell if people liked him or his fame. Therefore, he was initially leery of Maya's motivations. However, once he realized she had no ulterior motives, the story, and the romance, really took off. It was a pleasure watching these two fall for each other. Their shared a passion for music, and the way they understood each other was something to envy. Their interactions were delightful, and I know I was happy with the ending Kenneally gave them.

Here's a quick rundown of some fabulous moments in this book:

• I had so much fun running around Nashville with these two, and I loved how they were sort of doing a Ferris Bueller's Day Off type of day. 
• Maya's family had a rather large role in this book, and I was ecstatic about that. They were so wonderful and supportive, and good YA families never fail to win a place in my heart. 
• Jesse really believed in Maya, and connected her with people, who could help her hone her skills. There were singing lessons, auditions, and recording opportunities, and it was fun seeing that side of being a musician. 
• Maya and Jesse had great chemistry, and the banter was so on point. I could have read pages of them just verbally sparing or having a conversation, because it was that entertaining. 
• If you think you have an ear worm from the title of this book, there are plenty more where that came from, as each chapter bears a song title. I was humming and singing a LOT. 
• If you're a Hundred Oak fan, you will be happy to know that Jordan and Sam show up in this book. It's been so long since I read their book, but it's so fun to have an opportunity to catch up with them in each installment of the series. 

I just keep thinking about how I only have one book left in this series. Though, I sort of said goodbye, when I read Coming Up for Air back in 2017, soon it will really, really be goodbye. I will miss the denizens of the Hundred Oak world, and also those lovely author notes Kenneally includes in each book.

Overall: He was a little bit country, she was a little bit rock-and-roll, and together, they made beautiful music.

Maya's music was heavily influenced by many 80s icons, such as Queen and Madonna. I am well acquainted with their songs, but my musical tastes were vastly different from Maya's during my teen years (aka the 80s). Here are some of my all-time favorite bands.

Top: U2, The Stone Roses, R.E.M

Center: Depeche Mode, The Smiths, The Sugarcubes 

Bottom: The Cure, Tears for Fears, The Pixies

Favorite band or musical artist?
Let us know in the comments!