I was given an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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. ( )