By Tessa @TessaTalksBooks Posted on

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon #BlogTour #YA #Contemporary #BookReview

Thank you to The Write Reads for my spot on this blog tour.
Publisher: Penguin / Length: 304 Pages / Publishing: 3rd June 2021 / ISBN: 9780241516911 / Blurb: #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun is Also a Star Nicola Yoon is back with a new and utterly unique romance. Evie is disillusioned about love ever since her dad left her mum for another woman – she’s even throwing out her beloved romance novel collection. When she’s given a copy of a book called Instructions for Dancing, and follows a note inside to a dilapidated dance studio, she discovers she has a strange and unwelcome gift. When a couple kisses in front of her, she can see their whole relationship play out – from the moment they first catch each other’s eye to the last bitter moments of their break-up. For Evie, it confirms everything she thinks she knows about love – that it doesn’t last. But at the dance studio she meets X – tall, dreadlocked, fascinating – and they start to learn to dance, together. Can X help break the spell that Evie is under? Can he change Evie’s mind about love? Praise for Nicola Yoon: ‘Gorgeous and lyrical’ New York Times ‘Powerful, lovely, heart-wrenching’ Jennifer Niven ‘This extraordinary first novel about love so strong it might kill us is too good to feel like a debut’ Jodi Picoult

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Instructions for Dancing by Nicole Yoon is an essential reminder of the importance of love and enjoying the journey of that love rather than worry over the destination.

What I Loved About This Story

I loved the relatability of it all. It had a significant impact on me emotionally because I could completely relate to Evie and how confusing and overwhelming life can be at times. It’s a beautifully told story that focuses on the reaction of a teenage daughter after catching her father and his mistress together kissing. That situation is very confusing to a child, and parents rarely recognize the truth of that reality or the consequences. Evie is written so genuinely that she quickly takes you through the laughter and the tears as she struggles to work through her feelings.

I loved the magic element in the story. I always say there can never be enough magic in books. After Evie donates all of her favorite romance novels to a little lending library, she meets a mysterious woman who encourages her to take a book from the library – the only book in there that isn’t hers is a book on dancing. This action takes her to the beginning of her journey with all of its ups and downs.

My favorite character had to be Fifi, the dance instructor. She always has an excellent response to each situation, and she made me laugh out loud more than once. She is very wise, and her observation skills are always spot-on. She is a supporting character with a significant presence.

The story’s bittersweet ending is so poignant that I shed a tear, or two, or many. And then I went on to read the acknowledgments and cried even more. After reading the novel, the inspiration for the story is just as touching as the story itself. Love is an essential part of life, but it comes with equal parts pleasure and pain. The fact that love’s not all happiness and light does not ever mean it should be avoided. If you do avoid it, you will miss out on the most essential part of life.

To Read or Not to Read

If you are looking for a story that will remind you what’s important in life, that will make you laugh, that will make you cry, and ultimately that will make you hug your loved ones a little tighter, this is the perfect book to touch your soul in unexpected ways.

(from https://www.nicolayoon.com/bio-3)

Nicola Yoon is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Instructions for Dancing, Everything, Everythingand The Sun Is Also a Star. She is a National Book Award finalist, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book recipient and a Coretta Scott King New Talent Award winner. Two of her novels have been made into major motion pictures. She’s also co-publisher of Joy Revolution, a Random House young adult imprint dedicated to love stories starring people of color. She grew up in Jamaica and Brooklyn, and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, the novelist David Yoon, and their daughter.

15 Replies to “Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon #BlogTour #YA #Contemporary #BookReview”

  1. Mischenko says:

    Wow. This sounds so powerful, Tessa. I can totally relate to this character just after reading the blurb and your review. I’m sure this has happened to many people in RL, and I imagine the healing process can be quite grand. I’m happy you connected with this story and the characters. Definitely adding this to my shelf! ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lady Tessa says:

      I think it will. It’s definitely not anywhere close to my normal read nor is it one I gravitate towards but it is so beautifully written that I’m glad I took the leap when the tour came up.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Mae Clair says:

    It sounds like an amazing book, Tessa. Not quite right for me, but wow, your review made clear how utterly engaging it must be. I’m sure a lot of readers will gobble it up.

    Liked by 1 person

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