Thursday, October 31, 2019

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!

22 comments:

  1. These both sound like wonderful reads, warts and all, but the cover of Hot Dog Girl kind of had me laughing and falling into adoration of it!

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    1. The cover matches Elouise's sense of humor. She's a little bit Daria, but more vulnerable. I had a fun time reading it

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  2. I feel like I've read Karole's books before. Anyway, The Truth seems so beautiful. And Hot Dog Girl does look like it's a fun read. I'm glad you enjoyed both!

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    1. I have read all Cozzo's books now. Her last was The Game Can't Love You Back, which was such a hit for me. Girls taking on boys' sports will always attract me.

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  3. I've been wanting to read Hot Dog Girl, and that just solidified it for me!

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    1. If you need something fun and sweet with a touch of angst, this fits the bill.

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  4. These both sound like solid reads, enjoyable in their own rights. Cozzo's sorority stereotype sounds annoying but probably easy enough to move past. The cover of Hot Dog Girl always makes me giggle. :)

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    1. There are so many books out there, that I have been able to enjoy despite something that rubbed me the wrong way. I guess it depends on how often it happens. If it's there and then we move on and the story is so good, I can forget.

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  5. Well if the cover matches the fun it indeed must have been a wonderful and funny read Sam!

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    1. Both were fun and sweet. I am glad I finally read them.

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  6. You kind of don't expect theme parks to be a linking theme in books but here we are. I admit, Hot Dog Girl drew me in from the cover alone and it just seems like it's giving of the vibes that I'll enjoy and your makes me agree with that. Sounds like a fun book with some cool characters.

    As for The Truth About Happily Every After, I mean, it has potential but the sorority stereotype sounds a little frustrating because it's a tired stereotype you'd hope not to see in books anymore. But that could be looked past as long as the rest of the book is good.

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    1. When I do this feature, I am trying to find some connection, and I was glad these both had a fun setting in common. I liked that the authors "showed" us the parks in both books too. There are so many authors out there, complaining about stereotypes and then they employ them in their books. I read one last week, that came across as super condescending, but Harvard studies already knew that. Don't get me started! I am a pretty forgiving reader. Something can rub me the wrong way, but as long as it doesn't persist, I can forgive.

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  7. I like the sound of both of these. Thanks for the wonderful reviews:)

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    1. They were. Both had a nice balance of fun and substance, which is always what I am looking for

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  8. I loved the setting in The Truth About Happily Ever After - I'm a Disney freak, so I loved all the behind-the-scenes stuff!

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    1. I thought Cozzo did a nice job painting a picture of the park for us, and showing both the pros and cons of theme park life.

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  9. Hot Dog Girl sounds adorable, and I love theme parks so The Truth About Happily Ever After sounds like it would be a winner for me as well.

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    1. Both were great, though Hot Dog Girl was more rom-com, which I loved.

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  10. I enjoyed Happily, and I'll bet I'd like Hot Dog Girl too. Sounds so fun!!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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    1. Hot Dog Girl was a bit lighter than Happily, and I was all over the MC's humor. I know some people felt she was selfish, but it was all part of her journey.

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  11. Something good always comes around after the fall! I am glad you enjoyed the second part to Happily a lot more. But yeah, I would've thought soroity stereotypes wouldn't be so glaring, but unfortunately not much has changed to that degree :/ As for Hot Dog Girl, I am glad you could appreciate all the diversity and representation in it! Sounds sweet, even if it is emotional too.

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    1. I consider myself a rather forgiving reader, and know I have different hot buttons from other people. It didn't persist the whole book, so I was able to move past it. Hot Dog was exactly what I wanted, and I always say this - fun, but with substance.

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