Date: 06/15/2014
Pages: 298
When seventeen-year-old Natalya’s dreams of being a ballerina are killed in a car accident along with her father, she must choose: shut down—like her mother—or open up to love.
Last year,seventeen-year-old Natalya Pushkaya was attending the School of Performing Arts in New York City. Last year, she was well on her way to becoming a professional ballerina. Last year, her father was still alive.
But a car crash changed all that—and Natalya can’t stop blaming herself. Now, she goes to a regular high school in New Jersey; lives with her onetime prima ballerina, now alcoholic mother; and has no hope of a dance career.
At her new school, however, sexy soccer player Antonio sees a brighter future for Natalya, or at least a more pleasant present. Keeping him an arabesque away proves to be a challenge for Natalya and his patient charms eventually draw her out of her shell.
When upsetting secrets come to light and Tonio’s own problems draw her in, Natalya shuts down again, this time turning to alcohol herself.
Can Natalya learn to trust Antonio before she loses him—and destroys herself?
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Review
"One, two, three... Taking deep breaths is supposed to help and the rhythm soothes me."
This book is all about heartbreak and recovery. Natalya is a teenager that focused her life on one goal, one career. Only for it to be taken away in one car accident. A car accident that took away not only her future, but also her father. All she is left with is a drunk mother and her best friend and a love interest. Yet how can she focus on anything but her injury that keeps her from her dreams and a mother who's falling apart.
This book is not for someone looking for a light and fluffy read. Natalya is slowly unraveling and this book tells the story of her journey and her recovery. Throw in a love interest and Natalya is unsure of who she is and what she actually wants.
I really admire the way this book was written. Playing on themes of loss and recovery, Elodie Nowodazkij does a great job of creating this world that is falling apart and left to a young girl to patch back up.
"Chopin's music is the soundtrack of my life."
Natalya is a strong character that has been beaten down by life. After a car accident which giver her injuries that ruin her dreams and takes the life of her father, Natalya is faced with decisions on where her future is going to go. Yet her problems don't stop there. Her mother takes the death of her husband badly and starts to drink. Scathing remarks wear down Natalya's strength and cause her to doubt herself and her place in the world. In this book, Natalya goes through the stages of grief as she learns how to work for a different future.
Tonio is a big help to Natalya as he encourages her to do what makes her happy. Seen as a player at first and another nuisance, Tonio soon proves his worth as he helps Natalya with her mother and her future. Their relationship gets complex as their feelings evolve and adds to the drama of the story. I personally loved their interactions and how Tonio would challenge her instead of coddling her.
"He's not only good looking; he's staring at me as if he sees me, as if he knows who I am"
Overall this book was breathtakingly beautiful and I can't wait to see what the author will write next!
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Elodie Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned she’d never lose her French accent. Now she lives in Maryland with her husband, their dog and their cat.
She's also a serial smiley user.
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