Happy Saturday and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE OTHER SIDE OF PERFECT by Mariko Turk! I’m so excited because today I get to shine the spotlight on this wonderful book for you!
The Other Side of Perfect by Mariko Turk Published on May 11, 2021 by Poppy
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, YA, Queer
Pages: 336
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Author Links: Website, Twitter, Goodreads
For fans of Sarah Dessen and Mary H.K. Choi, this lyrical and emotionally driven YA follows Alina, an aspiring dancer who suffers a devastating injury and must face a world without ballet -- as well as the darker side of her former dream.
Alina Keeler was destined to dance, but then a terrifying fall shatters her leg -- and her dreams of a professional ballet career along with it.
After a summer healing (translation: eating vast amounts of Cool Ranch Doritos and binging ballet videos on YouTube), she is forced to trade her pre-professional dance classes for normal high school, where she reluctantly joins the school musical. However, rehearsals offer more than she expected -- namely Jude, her annoyingly attractive castmate she just might be falling for.
But to move forward, Alina must make peace with her past and face the racism she experienced in the dance industry. She wonders what it means to yearn for ballet -- something so beautiful, yet so broken. And as broken as she feels, can she ever open her heart to someone else?
Touching, romantic, and peppered with humor, this debut novel explores the tenuousness of perfectionism, the possibilities of change, and the importance of raising your voice.
About Mariko Turk
Mariko Turk grew up in Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in creative writing. She received her PhD in English from the University of Florida, with a concentration in children’s literature. Currently, she works as a Writing Center consultant at the University of Colorado Boulder.
She lives in Colorado with her husband and baby daughter, where she enjoys tea, walks, and stories of all kinds.
What do you think about The Other Side of Perfect? Have you added it to your tbr yet? Let me know in the comments and have a splendiferous day!
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