* 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.
Goodreads | Amazon
Rating: 4 Stars
My Review: This was over the top cuteness. I loved the story and setting. It was cute and funny and a great summer read! With wonderful characters you cant go wrong with this one.
From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up-Dugan's debut coming-of-age romance features a charismatic, quirky protagonist with a delightfully sarcastic sense of humor, but the sophomoric plot may be a nonstarter for its intended audience. Sixteen-year-old Elouise (Lou) Parker has high hopes for the summer. She's got her seasonal job back at Magic Castle Playland alongside her best friend, Seeley, and her heartthrob, Nick. The only downside is that Nick's girlfriend, the perfect Jessa, is cast as the park's princess, while, once again, Lou is stuck in the hotdog costume. Lou won't let that ruin her romantic plans; instead, it is the park owner's announcement that this will be Magic Castle's last season that derails her perfect summer. Ever since she can remember, Magic Castle has played an important role in her life. Its closing is unthinkable, and Lou is determined to save the park. But Lou's poorly conceived plans keep falling flat, and the park-saving gradually takes a backseat to romance as the story takes a decidedly more mature turn. When her efforts to steal Nick from Jessa cost her Seeley's friendship, Lou belatedly recognizes that she and Seeley have had feelings for each other simmering in the background most of their lives. The roller-coaster story line draws to a bizarre yet tidy conclusion with a hot romance between the two girls. VERDICT Dugan does a nice job of character development, but the opening chapters of this high school queer romance read too much like a Shirley Temple/Mickey Rooney movie plot.-Cary Frostick, formerly at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VAα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“I'm wrecked with love for this funny, joyful, bighearted book.” —Becky Albertalli, bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
“I never expected I'd fall so hard and so fast for a girl in a hot dog suit. Both classic and new, hysterical and heartfelt, and packed with all the awesomeness and awkwardness of first love, first job, and the painful thrill of growing up. So if you need me this summer, I'll be at Magic Castle Playland with the hot dog girl.” —Mackenzi Lee, bestselling author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
“Hot Dog Girl is a treat of a book packed with scheming, queer romance, and amusement park food. This laugh-out-loud debut made me hungry and stole my heart.” —Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone
"A great, fizzy rom-com... The setting is ingeniously imaginative—an amusement park, where over one summer teens dressed as princesses, pirates, and (yes) hot dogs are left to flirt and gossip and fall in love. And [Dugan's] heroine, Lou, is beautifully realized: a complex bisexual woman who finds her desires and expectations challenged by a strangely magical world." —Entertainment Weekly
"A hilarious delight. This wonderful romance novel set at a theme park makes for one of the best reads of the year, hands down." —Paste Magazine
“Funny, relatable, and oh-so-cute.” —Girls’ Life Magazine
“A story of friendship growing into love. Elouise’s big ideas don’t always execute well but her foibles feel real.” —The Washington Post
"Relatable and funny, Dugan’s character dialogue and voice capture the awkward/messy/magical summer and keep both the characters and plot real and winning throughout this amusement park ride." —Publishers Weekly
"Dugan's debut has a clear and confident voice, and her characters are sympathetic in their desire for happiness and fear of change; the supporting cast members have their own fully-developed personalities without overwhelming the main storyline. Lou's inner narration is funny, clear, and emotional... A fun romantic comedy that evokes the pleasures of summertime." —Kirkus Reviews
"Lou’s energetic, readable voice makes her a sympathetic character even when, or especially when, she is confessing her flaws. Readers looking for a frothy summer read won’t regret this." —BCCB
"A sparkling summer romance. Dugan’s amusement-park setting is entertaining, as is her likable cast of characters." —Bookpage
“I never expected I'd fall so hard and so fast for a girl in a hot dog suit. Both classic and new, hysterical and heartfelt, and packed with all the awesomeness and awkwardness of first love, first job, and the painful thrill of growing up. So if you need me this summer, I'll be at Magic Castle Playland with the hot dog girl.” —Mackenzi Lee, bestselling author of The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue
“Hot Dog Girl is a treat of a book packed with scheming, queer romance, and amusement park food. This laugh-out-loud debut made me hungry and stole my heart.” —Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone
"A great, fizzy rom-com... The setting is ingeniously imaginative—an amusement park, where over one summer teens dressed as princesses, pirates, and (yes) hot dogs are left to flirt and gossip and fall in love. And [Dugan's] heroine, Lou, is beautifully realized: a complex bisexual woman who finds her desires and expectations challenged by a strangely magical world." —Entertainment Weekly
"A hilarious delight. This wonderful romance novel set at a theme park makes for one of the best reads of the year, hands down." —Paste Magazine
“Funny, relatable, and oh-so-cute.” —Girls’ Life Magazine
“A story of friendship growing into love. Elouise’s big ideas don’t always execute well but her foibles feel real.” —The Washington Post
"Relatable and funny, Dugan’s character dialogue and voice capture the awkward/messy/magical summer and keep both the characters and plot real and winning throughout this amusement park ride." —Publishers Weekly
"Dugan's debut has a clear and confident voice, and her characters are sympathetic in their desire for happiness and fear of change; the supporting cast members have their own fully-developed personalities without overwhelming the main storyline. Lou's inner narration is funny, clear, and emotional... A fun romantic comedy that evokes the pleasures of summertime." —Kirkus Reviews
"Lou’s energetic, readable voice makes her a sympathetic character even when, or especially when, she is confessing her flaws. Readers looking for a frothy summer read won’t regret this." —BCCB
"A sparkling summer romance. Dugan’s amusement-park setting is entertaining, as is her likable cast of characters." —Bookpage
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FTC Guidelines: In accordance with FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book in exchange for an honest review. If am compensated for any reviews on this site I will state that post has been sponsored.
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