Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

There’s something about reading a young adult fiction book in the summer that just completely captivates me. This one is no exception!

Thank you Delacorte Press for my gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis: Evie Thomas doesn’t believe in love anymore. Especially after the strangest thing occurs one otherwise ordinary afternoon: She witnesses a couple kiss and is overcome with a vision of how their romance began . . . and how it will end. After all, even the greatest love stories end with a broken heart, eventually. As Evie tries to understand why this is happening, she finds herself at La Brea Dance studio, learning to waltz, fox-trot, and tango with a boy named X. X is everything that Evie is not: adventurous, passionate, daring. His philosophy is to say yes to everything–including entering a ballroom dance competition with a girl he’s only just met. Falling for X is definitely not what Evie had in mind. If her visions of heartbreak have taught her anything, it’s that no one escapes love unscathed. But as she and X dance around and toward each other, Evie is forced to question all she thought she knew about life and love. In the end, is love worth the risk?

THIS BOOK. ALL THE FEELS. I jumped into this one without having read the synopsis, and I think that made this book all the better. You’ll laugh, cry, swoon, and cheer throughout the whole book. It’s utterly beautiful and I wish more books were like this. I feel like Nicola is the Sarah Dessen of this generation! Also, be sure to read the Author’s Note at the end – it’s a tear jerker, but also wonderfully beautiful.

5/5 Stars

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon

I’ve been dreaming about my next trip to the beach, and this book comes to mind every time I think of it. I especially am reminded of this book when I dream about a true escape!

Madeline is stuck living at home in a perfect germ-free house because she is allergic to everything. She lives with her mom and has a nurse who visits often. She doesn’t remember ever going outside. Her house is full of windows so she’s able to see a lot, but never really feel what it’s like. All of that changes when the boy next door moves in. She is able to chat with him online for awhile until they finally get to meet. And, as you guessed, she falls in love and she’s ready to get out of the house by all means necessary. What happens when she does leave the house? Is her illness as serious as she’s thought her entire life?

I originally picked this book out because I have a bunch of chronic illnesses myself. I, too, am allergic to a lot of things, but don’t have as severe of a reaction as painted in this book. I also really loved The Fault in Our Stars and figured this would be pretty similar. It is similar in a few ways, but also completely different all on it’s own. I loved this book so much. The character development, the relationships between her mom, her nurse, and the boy next door, the romance…all of it was magical. I never wanted the book to end. And when it did? OH MY GOSH. I still haven’t picked my jaw off the floor. It has the biggest twist that I truly NEVER saw coming. If anything, that should be the reason you read this book. Just don’t watch the movie, NOT a fan AT ALL (sorry!).

5/5 Stars