Salsa #4: August Book of the Month

        


    Once upon a time, I thought I'd be a ballerina, but then I was told, "ballerinas can't eat," and I didn't want to give up 3 Musketeers. August's book of the month reminded me of why I used to want to dance and why I sometimes turn my cleaning sessions into my own private dance club. 

    Instructions for Dancing, by Nicola Yoon, is a contemporary romance novel with a little bit of fantasy. The fantasy element is so small that at times it feels out of place, but it really ties the story together nicely. According to Amazon: 

    "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?"

    Instructions for Dancing was the first book I read by Yoon, but I have several others on my TBR. Other books by Yoon are:
    
    -Everything, Everything
    -The Sun Is Also A Star
    -Meet Cute: Some People are Destined to Meet
    -Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy
    -Blackout
    -Fresh Ink: An Anthology 
    -Hope Nation: YA Authors Share Personal Moments of Inspiration
    -The Man in the Moon: A Short Story

    As far as my own rating for Instructions For Dancing goes, I found the book to be a spectacular read. On Amazon and Goodreads, it is holding at a steady 4 1/2 star rating. I gave it five black hearts, though.
    
    I was destroyed. Instructions for Dancing is not your typical romance book. If you go in expecting a Cinderella-type happy ever after ending, you may be disappointed. This tale isn't about what happens once the story ends. It's not about getting true love's kiss, marrying the prince, and moving into a big castle. It's about the importance of a moment. 
    
    This book made me cry several times. I had to read it slowly because it affected me so much, but this is by far the best romance book I've ever read. I will never not recommend this book. It even made me want to dance. I may have spent some time practicing my 'infinity hips'. 

    My August statics were...
🦋Books Read: 6
🦋Lowest Rating: 🖤
🦋Highest Rating: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
🦋2021 Reading Goal: 104/80
🦋Book of the Month: Instructions For Dancing, Nicola Yoon

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