Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read and review this title. I will review this title at a different date.

185 newly published novels walk into a bar. The bartender says “Hey, we don’t allow your kind in here.” And the new novels say, “Well, that’s not a novel idea.”
I may not be very funny, but NIcole Kronzer’s debut, Unscripted, is a very novel idea. The story of Zelda Bailey-Cho, a teenage girl who wants to eventually write for SNL, begins at a famous improv camp. She manages to snag a spot on the Varsity team, where she will be able to write and perform for famous alum of the camp - including her idol, Nina Knightley of SNL. However, the varsity team is fraught with a frat-bro type of energy and the older coach seems to be harboring an unhealthy attraction to Zelda. Will she be able to improv her out of this situation or will she fall victim to the patriarchy?

This is a timely release in terms of the #metoo movement. Although protagonist Zelda is not sexually abused, there is a lot of misogynistic behaviour which is ignored by others, to the point where Zelda’s self-doubt and second-guessing leads to her keeping secrets and avoiding others while she blames herself for what’s happening to her. Her path from passive sufferer to outspoken survivor is a trip worth going on, not least of all because of its fresh backdrop.

Zelda is a wannabe comedian. She’s been invited to be part of a highly sought-after improvisation camp, where young people from all over the US congregate to learn from professional comedy writers. Zelda is joined by her brother Will, his (recently declared) boyfriend Jonas, and meets other girls, self-named The Gildas, Sirena, (who loves) Emily, Hannah and Paloma. It is these friends who make it possible for Zelda to finally open up and confess her treatment by the objectively gorgeous, but aggressively narcissistic Ben.

The story takes place over the two-week period of improv camp. Zelda is excited to be chosen as one of the varsity team (Ben’s ‘top’ group of course), but as time passes, and the boys, most especially mentor and leader Ben treat her in vile and underhanded ways, she starts to wonder whether she is talented at all, or if she is only picked because they need a girl (to play all the undesired parts, such as the dead prostitute, the nagging girlfriend, and so on). She is not given any platform to perform her own material, nor is she allowed to criticise the teams’ choices of her roles. It’s pretty terrible to watch, particularly when, in private, Ben shows a different side, one which is focused in on Zelda as a potential sexual conquest.

Zelda’s innocence explains why she puts up with this treatment for as long as she does. Ben is gorgeous and can be charming, so it’s fortunate Zelda is also introduced to another group of boys from the neighbouring Scout camp – Jesse, Murph and Ricky—who show her the ways boys can and should behave. At all times, these young men are thoughtful, careful, and responsible. Jesse is also attracted to Zelda, and his manner is respectful and compassionate. She spends as much time with him, walking trails, helping the younger scouts, as she does with Ben, and the disparity in attitude could not have been more extreme.

As well as the romantic plot line, the comedy thread is interesting, and it seems clear the author has a lot of insight into this world. There are many stories of the way female comedians have struggled to break into the industry. Misogyny apparently begins early when people are just starting out. The camp managers themselves display appalling judgement when confronted with Zelda’s claims of mistreatment, and this is familiar to those of us who have watched the way society and the media have vilified some victims of organisations like the Church or individuals like Harvey Weinstein.

By the time we observe Zelda’s exposure of Ben, her triumphant performance on stage, and honest discussions about being attracted to Jesse, we have seen how much she has been put through, and how much she persisted, and we cheer her on with applause and laughter.

Thanks to Netgalley and Amulet books for the advanced copy. It’s out in the US on April 21st and here in Australia in June. Check release dates for other countries. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a thoughtful yet fun exploration of the way girls can be marginalized and made to conform to expectations. Zelda often reflects on the other Gildas, aware of how much harder it might be for them – as black women (Sirena and Paloma), as lesbians (Sirena and Emily) and as an albino woman (Hannah). It’s a small but significant conscious acknowledgement of one’s own privilege. As just mentioned, there is great diversity and inclusivity, and honest discussions about sex and trust. I found it an extremely engaging and welcome narrative, as well as a lovely romance.

Comedy nerds--get ready to shout "yes and...I want more chapters!" after finishing Nicole Kronzer's wicked unique book about a girl at improv camp. Summer camp books provide a unique setting for teens to be away from their parents and gives characters freedom they don't have at home. Zelda is able to explore who she is and find her courage at camp. This book deals with grooming and abuse by an adult in charge at the camp. It sensitively handles the situation without being preachy. It allows teens to make mistakes while still putting the adults at fault. The book is also diverse with characters of color, queer teens, and blended families. I loved that this book is about learning to stand up for yourself, your friends, and defending what you're passionate about.

Unscripted is a very cleverly written and structured novel that showcases Nicole Kronzer's ability to tell a layered story, with strong, relatable characters while tackling serious issues in a sensitive way but managing to keep the story lighthearted and fun to read.

Full Review Coming on Book Blog Soon
Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a quick read, and the summer camp setting was a lovely escape. The book heavily features around the prevalence of misogyny and how dangerous it can be when there's no one around to give vulnerable people a voice. Zelda is a bold, authentic main character who also has a healthy dose of self doubt and questioning that makes her relatable. The emotional manipulation she encounters from her councilor Ben is realistic for the most part, and I thought Zelda's confused thought process around it was very relatable. Zelda's strong support team from the small group of girls and her sibling makes an interesting contrast to the rest of the camp who are too focused with their own interests to lend her support or care about her safety. The book manages to have a lot of nuanced conversations while also being fun and lighthearted. My only issue is that pacing had some issues as certain parts were too slow and others felt rushed past.

Zelda has always dreamed of of joining a famous improv group and eventually making it to Saturday Night Live so a summer improv camp seems to be the perfect place to hone her skills. She is thrilled when she earns a spot on the varsity team that will provide her an opportunity to perform in front of famous camp alumni. Unfortunately, Zelda soon discovers that the varsity team is filled with a “boys will be boys” attitude. Her treatment by the group makes her uncomfortable while her coach is giving her mixed signals by disrespecting her in front of the group and being sweet when they are alone.

This book illustrates the impact of hateful words, how being complicit and doing nothing can be just as bad as committing deplorable acts yourself, and the challenges that people can face when standing up against misogyny. It deals with some serious issues including mistreatment of women and abuse of power that may be triggering for some readers. While parts were difficult to read this story also provided hope, understanding, empowerment and some much needed comic relief from the quick-witted Zelda. While there were many characters in this book I came to despise, the Gildas and Boy Scouts showed what to do to support a friend in need and I adored them all. This was a fantastic book and the type of story I wish I had read as a teenager..

This book has an important message for everyone. But it is a hard pill to swallow at first. It's hard to see Zelda go through all of this and not do anything about it. Unfortunately girls and women are often dismissed and looked down upon for being "too sensitive" as if having feelings of any kind is a bad thing. The things that happen in this book made me so angry. I appreciated how things changed and Zelda gained advocates in the end. But it was almost too little too late. And I wish it had been wrapped up a little bit more. But all that being said I did enjoy the book. I loved the friendships and relationships! I know they're not real but in my heart I hope the Gilda's really did continued their friendship.

Whilst I understand this book is properly realistic and reflective of people's trauma I was hoping the material would be handled a little more sensitively and less 'torture porn' adjacent.

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.

Trigger warnings: sexual assault & harassment, homophobic comments
Representation: adopted & biracial characters, Japanese, lgbtq+, fat sc, albinic sc

I went into this book feeling unsettled by the first 20% but it sure redeemed itself by the end. This was a very fast-paced book that tackled the topics of sexism and misogyny within the comedy industry.

Sixteen-year-old Zelda Bailey-Cho and her brother, Will accompanied by his new boyfriend, Jonas arrive in Colorado for their 2-week improv camp. I'm a sucker for a book set at a camp and Unscripted was a new camp story I hadn't read before. Nor did I even know that improv camp existed so I learned a lot about improv through this book. Zelda encounters misogyny and is taken advantage of by her camp coach, Ben. Zelda learns a lot about herself and grows as a person. I loved her fierceness and I was rooting for her when she stood up for herself.

I really enjoyed how the author tackled the issues of sexism and misogyny, it was very well done and thought out. I was furious at Ben and the Paul's as they were very close-minded and brushed off Ben's behavior which made the story fuller and realistic.

I loved the friend group and the boy scouts as well as the diversity within each character. However, I did feel unsettled by the adjectives the author chose to describe minor characters by writing "two guys who looked black, and five guys who were probably white". This sentence really unsettled me but the author did get better at this throughout the book.

I thought this was a great empowering book about females in the comedy industry. Some minor flaws were the formatting of the book I read on my Kindle some of the words were cut up and at times it took away from my reading experience and there were some grammatical and spelling errors.

There was a LOT of YIKES in this novel - and I mean that as a commendation to Nicole Kronzer. Zelda had to put up with so much sexism, harassment, and, yes, even sexual harassment from her comedic "peers" in this novel. It was hard not to think about some of the sketchy comedians we've heard about in recent years while reading, and about the contention that many male comics make about women not being funny. If this book - and its closeness to real life - doesn't make you at least a little angry, I'd be quite surprised. Kronzer has crafted an engrossing story that reaches beyond a mere cautionary tale, though, so don't worry - there are plenty of charismatic characters, novel humor, and young heroes to keep you hopeful.

Honestly, this book was hard for me to get attched to. The main plot and pacing left me wanting more action from the characters and more growth throughout the book instead of just coming at the end of the summer. There were a lot of cute moments, and I feel if I was more dramatically inclined I would've related to this book a lot more.

The main character, Zelda's (how great is that name though) dreams are so cool that I felt like very removed from knowing this girl, and more like I was watching a E! true hollywood story of how she gets to her comedy dreams.

Relevant and humorous, this story is something that fits in our world right now and it seems like there may not be any other books that deal with topic in ya lit currently. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinon.

Zelda is one of only five girls to have won a place on a prestigious comedy improv camp in the mountains. Although Zelda is initially excited to land a place on the top team with cute coach Ben, the shine quickly begins to wear off the experience; Ben picks on Zelda during rehearsals whilst flirting with her when they are alone. Coupled to that, the rest of her team keep casting Zelda in stereotypical female roles; the sexy secretary or a prostitute. When she protests, they tell her she needs to learn to take a joke, but it just doesn’t feel like a joke. The camp leaders are more concerned about their reputation and fundraising than they are in taking her concerns seriously, and only the other four girls at camp are there for her. Zelda is torn between digging in her heels and doing her best as a trailblazing woman in a male-dominated world – and just wanting to quit. But when Ben crosses the line matters are taken out of her hands...

This is a great story for the #MeToo generation, which explores the nature of relationships – both platonic and romantic. It has affirming, positive messages about supportive female friendships, loyalty, family and what a healthy romantic relationship should look and feel like. Somehow, it manages to do all that without feeling preachy and it has some great jokes! I wish I had this book when I was Zelda’s age - everyone should read it.

This book is fantastic. The characters are great, the friendships are great, the setting is great, and just everything in this book is great. 

Why is that?

Well without further ado...

Nicole Kronzer's Unscripted is the story of 17 year old Zelda Bailey-Cho. When Zelda goes to improv camp with her brother and her brother's boyfriends she thinks everything will be great. She soon learns that this is not the case after having to deal with many of the guy campers who say offensive things and being one of only 5 girls at the camp. On top of all that Zelda soon begins to have a relationship with Ben her 20 year old coach who berates her in front of the other actors, but is nice to her when they are alone. Zelda has to figure out if her dreams of SNL and fame are worth everything she is being put through. 

First of all I have to talk about the characters. This cast of characters is extremely unique and interesting. From minor characters to major characters, almost everyone has something about that that makes them stand out from the rest whether it be their interests, their family, their talents, their life experiences, etc. Many times when a book has a large cast of characters some can get lost in the fray. I am happy to report that this is not the case here. 

Something else I loved in this book was the relationships built. This is especially true for the female friendships in the story. The girls at the camp really stick together, help each other out, talk to one another, have fun, etc. I really love books with strong female friendships and this story did not disappoint. Even minor relationships like Will and Jonas had some cute moments. I thought the romance between Jesse and Zelda was really sweet too and their conversation scenes honestly felt so real and filled with chemistry. 

Finally, I really loved the way the awful situation regarding Zelda and Ben is handled. The way It is portrayed felt completely realistic. This book showcases a wide array of problems that are especially being brought to light now such as sexism, assault, gas lighting, misogyny, & "boys will be boys" mentality. The way Ben and Zelda's dynamic is shown felt 100% honest to how someone like Ben might act. He dismisses offensive humor, embarrasses Zelda in front of her teammates, treats Zelda like she is too sensitive when she calls out jokes that cross the line, etc. I also think the way the two Pauls or heads of the camp treat Zelda's situation was sadly realistic as well. This book is honest and is not afraid to be. However, it is not all doom and gloom and does show that it is possible to have people in your corner and that every Ben does is absolutely unacceptable. 

I don't really have anything really negative to say. I think some of the scenes with Zelda and the boy scouts could have been a tiny bit shorter, but that is a really small nit pick and is in no way something someone should see as a reason not to read this book ( spoiler alert: there are no reasons to not read this story). 

Unscripted is timely, realistic, features a diverse cast of characters, and is a great example of a book with fantastic female friendships. This is a book that I hope you will at least consider reading (if you are comfortable with the subject matter that is) and is one that personally I wish nothing but the best for. 

4 out of 5 stars 

**** out of *****

I'd like to preface with the fact that I got so invested in Zelda's world that I read Unscripted all in one go—I didn't even put it down when I cooked and ate dinner!

It was hard to get into this at first, because the horrible sexism, physical abuse, and emotional abuse that Zelda goes through is, unfortunately, nothing new. It was really hard to put myself through experiences that many women are all too familiar with, without knowing for sure that the reader was going to be rewarded for the pain. I definitely think the ending made the whole ordeal worth it (and for those who have not had similar experiences to Zelda, I think this is an important story to lend your ear to). Zelda's story can certainly help young girls identify some of the sneakier types of abuse, while still ending the novel on a hopeful note .

Unscripted ended up being about more than Zelda trying to 'make it' in the Improv world and more than about being an abuse victim. It is about growing strong female friendships, demonstrating the bond of siblings, exposing the lethargic authority of those in charge, and most importantly it is about showing boys and young men that they can be better and help those in vulnerable positions. In the wave of #MeToo, we need to raise up voices like Zelda's, not only to bring awareness, but to help young boys to realize that doing nothing is the same as doing wrong. Jake's storyline was particularly heart-warming, and I believe facilitating that change in our future generations is how we move forwards.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinion was not affected by the free copy.

I should put it out there right away that I know very little about improv. Most of what I know comes from watching "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and doing a bit of improv myself in high school and college for my theater classes. That said, I was mentally beating my head against the wall at some of the things one of the improv coaches was saying about the art. I guess the whole idea is that he's being overly controlling, but it drove me crazy that this improv comedy camp didn't seem to know anything about improv. Or at least, the parts that Zelda experienced. Also, I didn't understand how this camp stayed in business with how it behaved toward and treated its female campers. Again, I know the point of the story, but I find it hard to believe that no female counselors complained or filed reports or anything in the past. Was there no official person to check in on them at all?

But let's stick to the story at hand. Again, I don't have that much experience in this area, but it does feel believable that women would be treated this way when pursuing comedy. It did feel maybe over-exaggerated that nobody spoke up against what was going on, and even the ones who were trying to help didn't go to their coaches with the problem. I also feel like the "I'm just the friend for all these guys/I'm not attractive" cliche is overplayed to exhaustion. Especially when Zelda ends up having random Boy Scouts take an interest in her, and her girlfriends all assuring her she's pretty. And even after boys show an interest she STILL acts like it can't be possible. Look, there's having a lack of self-confidence and then there's just being stubborn.

I also feel like this book went way too fast on things. Zelda goes from being emotionally manipulated and abused to denying and defending her abuser (it happens, sadly) to realizing she's being abused to insisting on not going to the authorities to suddenly deciding she'll go to the authorities with no real transition or believable arc. We're in first person and we completely miss her thought process that led her through all these stages. It just sort of happens and then we get this last-minute "happy ending" moment where things go really well for her. That part really felt like it dragged, when it could have ended at a different point and still felt satisfying... if incredibly rushed. It also left a weird plot thread hanging. Two characters are worried about coming out as gay because of homophobic tendencies, but when they come out they don't seem to suffer any homophobic reactions at all. I mean, I'm glad, but at the same time it's strange they even brought it up as a concern when nothing happened while Zelda was constantly the victim of sexist remarks. There was also some touching on racial tendencies, but again we barely see it. Though Zelda does question whether there were more moments that she missed because she was focused on herself, so that was nice.

Also, I didn't think the comedy was all that funny most of the time. Now and then it got a little chuckle out of me, but for the most part I didn't even crack a smile. I know humor is subjective, but still, even Zelda's stuff (and she was supposed to be seen as funny to the reader) didn't always land to me. There's this scene where they're acting out a scene she wrote and I didn't think any of it was funny. Ridiculous and weird, sure, but that was it. Maybe it was the sort of humor that needs to be performed live.

But even as fast as it hit all those stages, they still read believably and the things Zelda said and did while in those stages felt true. I just wish there was more development and that it took its time more. I also like it showed how dangerous and toxic it can be for someone to tell others to stay in an uncomfortable situation to represent a minority group or discriminated group. There were some really great moments, like a guy apologizing to Zelda and then getting angry when she doesn't accept. Stuff like that was good, as was the support and friendships of the other girls. If the book had gone slower, I think it would've been even better.

These are important topics to discuss, and I hope it opens some eyes. I just think it was all rushed and the last-minute victory moment was unnecessary and made things drag.

Zelda is a great main character! I love that this story focuses on a girl who is deeply invested in going after her dreams of one day being an SNL cast member. The sexism she encounters at a prestigious improv camp feels real and infuriating, but Zelda's friends (both male and female) help her find a road map for resisting. Her friends also help her (and readers) see the very realistic signs of an abusive relationship that are easy to miss in the beginning. Really good for teen readers!

As someone who isn't incredibly familiar with the improv/comedy world, this book had a lot of references that went a little over my head and made it harder to connect with the characeters. This felt like a pretty standard YA contemporary otherwise. If you like contemporaries or improv, you'll probably really enjoy this book.