Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4/5 stars

When I first saw a new Nicola Yoon book pop up on NetGalley out of the blue, I thought I read the name wrong. Or maybe it was a different Nicola Yoon. But no, she's back! I loved The Sun is Also a Star and Everything Everything is at the top of my TBR! I'm happy to report that this new edition to Nicola Yoon's repertoire did not disappoint.

First of all, I loved the main character, Evie. She's obviously been through a lot, but she's still witty and fun to read about. When I heard the love interest was named X, I was a little nervous for the punk/grunge tall, dark, and brooding character that we were likely going to get, but I'm much happier with the way X was actually written.

As with any Nicola Yoon book (so I presume, this is only my second), the big kicker of the story is the theme/themes portrayed. In Instructions for Dancing, those themes are loss and whether the high of love is worth the low of heartbreak. Both themes are powerful in their own right, though the latter is the one that is focused on the most. The way the themes were expressed was both masterful and heartwrenching, though I would expect no less from the author who made me bawl my eyes out over a previous novel.

While hard topics and adorable romance are in Nicola Yoon's wheelhouse, it's pretty obvious that magical realism isn't. While the magic itself was interesting, all the stuff with the weird old lady trying to teach a lesson is overused and cliché.

All in all, this was an engrossing novel with important themes and great characters. While The Sun is Also a Star is still my favorite, I'm so happy to see a new Nicola Yoon book.

Instructions for Dancing is a love letter to love, but don't mistake this for a fluffy, light-hearted, cute romance. It's magical, but there's no rose-tinted fairy tale ending here - just a journey that's worth everything, even if the destination breaks your heart.

Evie is a fabulous main character, a little broken-hearted herself, but putting herself slowly back together over the course of a tightly written 304 pages. She's funny in a deadpan, snarky (and self-protecting, defensive) way, and her narrative voice, as well as character development, are perfect for the story. The rest of the cast, from her love interest, X, to her divorced parents and sister, to her cluster of best friends, are well-drawn, realistic and fun to read about, supporting Evie's journey toward an understanding of what love is, and why it's worth it.

The acknowledgments are also well worth reading in this one, as Nicola Yoon's explanation of what she was going through while writing this book, and her experiences that informed it, added a whole extra layer to my understanding of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the advance review copy!

I thought this book was adorable. As I was reading it, I kept thinking Nicola Yoon does it again- makes me me fall in love and cry over such a sweet book. Evie Thomas is struggling over her parents divorce, when she's "cursed". She can suddenly see how people fall in love and then apart. And when she starts attending dance lessons with X, she starts to fall in love. Evie is a little jaded and isn't sure that love is worth it. If you like The Sun is Also A Star, you'll love Instructions for Dancing.

I really enjoyed Nicola Yoon’s two previous novels, Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star, so I was excited to give this one a try. This is just as good, if not better, as her other books, so if you enjoyed them, give this a go! You will not regret it!

To quote a famous theologian, "I laughed, I cried, it moved me Bob" - Larry the Cucumber.

<I> Instructions for Dancing </I> was everything I needed to read at this time. It was heartbreaking and hilarious. I ate this story up. The main plotline with being able to see in the future (also the past, and present) reminded me of 'That's so Raven' a little bit. (I'll be honest though I never really really watched the show like that.) The plot was so cutesy and the friends-lovers was well done. Typically I'm more of a fan of enemies-lovers but the way Yoon writes is just something else. The whole plot was well thought out and the ending drove me mad. An open-closedish ending like that sometimes messes with my sanity. I legitimately burst into tears after I read the last line of the last page.

The family drama in <I> Instructions for Dancing </I> was real. I was moved multiple times throughout this book. I felt Evie's pain and frustration. I think at the end of the day her feelings were valid and everything she did in the book was true to life. The romance between Evie and X was beautiful and I enjoyed every minute of it. I love how an overarching theme of <I> Instructions for Dancing </I> was you cannot let past hurts hinder you from living. Evie was holding herself back from love but also from living life. the conclusion she came to at the end of the book was tear-jerking but perfect. I think I loved this book even more after I read Yoon's dedication and her afterwords. She was obviously going through a lot before and during the time she wrote <I> Instructions for Dancing </I> and as a reader you can see her emotions come to life on the page. If you want a cute heartbreaking read, do pick this up.

Thanks to Delacourt, Random House, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Instructions for Dancing!

What a charming book. Despite dealing with some heavy YA themes (divorce, cheating, death), this book manages to feel light and fun and full of hope at the end. I loved how the author wove actual dancing into a book (its so hard to describe!), making you feel like you were there for the lessons and all of the choreography.

I loved X and Evie together, how they pushed each other to open up and do new things. I also loved Evie's friendships and how they all worked together as a group. It felt natural and not contrived.

I know that the curse at the heart of the book is about Evie learning a lesson about love but at times it felt like it was just dropped in as a way to get her to the dance studio and I almost wish there had been a different plot device to get her there since it started to feel a bit contrived. Evie never tries to figure out how to stop the future from happening? Why is she so passive? I found those chapters a bit frustrating.

Overall though, what an adorable book. I can't wait to read more from Yoon.

You know it’s a Nicola Yoon book when you smile on every page...until you start crying. This ode to romance novels, rom-coms, and ballroom dancing is so incandescently beautiful that it sparkles off the page.

This one was very different than any of Yoon's other books, at least in my opinion. I thought the concept was really interesting and enjoyed the characters probably more than her other books. I felt like the whole thing was a little surface level though. There wasn't a depth and explanation like I expected from Yoon. There was a rushed quality to it that just made it kind of a let down. 3.5 stars rounded up.

I loved Nicola Yoon's first two books, so I was very excited for Instructions for Dancing and it didn't disappoint! It was a beautiful YA romance with a touch of magic that had light, sweet, funny moments but also emotional and heartbreaking moments. I highly recommend this wonderful book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Instructions for Dancing
Author: Nicola Yoon
Pub. Date: June 3, 2021
Rating: 3

This will be a spoiler free review. I listened to the audiobook via Audible and read via eARC provided by NetGalley and Penguin. So, thank you to NG and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this almost immediately once I saw it hit NG. I’d never read any of Nicola’s other books before, and this sounded adorable. It gave me similar vibes to Rachel Harris’ Eyes on Me and I loved that – so I assumed this was going to be right up my alley. Cute, rom com, with a dancing element and just adorable moments.
I’m definitely a fan of characters who don’t believe/have lost faith in love, only to get proven wrong and fall in love – so I liked Evie. She’s pretty cynical, and there were moments when I wanted to shake her and just tell her to open up and relax. But overall, I liked her journey and the realizations she comes to.
I loved her mother and her sister – their whole relationship felt real and relatable. I couldn’t really relate to her relationship with her dad, but I loved how that progressed and changed and the conversations they had.
Evie’s friends were fun, I feel like Martin is a character I could really get behind – and I’d totally read a book featuring him and his crush – if you know, you know. I think they’d be really adorable and fun together.
As for X – I liked him. He’s enjoyable, but I didn’t click with him the same way I did with the other characters. I just felt like he was a bit surface.

I don’t really know how to explain it. Maybe it was a pacing thing, but everything happened so quickly, and his chemistry with Evie, while cute, just didn’t feel believable. I don’t know. I just didn’t feel anything deep for the two of them. Surface level they’re adorable and I loved the progression of their relationship. There’s something wholly satisfying and oh so fun when the guy is 100% all in, and the girl is a tad apprehensive. He doesn’t pressure her or make her feel uncomfortable – he’s more than happy to go her pace, but there’s this knowing that he knows she’s all in, before she does. I eat that up, and that’s very much these two.
Though, my favorite character had to be Fifi – she’s hysterical and wonderful. I loved her.

So, we’ve covered the characters, let’s dive into the rest.
Firstly, I’ll be honest, I hated the ending of this book. Hated it. It made me so mad at work, and up until that point, I’d been really enjoying the book. And if I step back from my emotions – I still liked the book. But if we’re talking about how I feel – then the ending just made the journey seem pointless. I’m still angry.
There’s also a magical element to this book – which I wasn’t expecting. I love this incorporation of magic in contemporaries – it’s fun and whimsical. But this felt a little random. I get that it’s used to teach a lesson, very Fairy Grandmother-esque, but it was kind of out of place. Had I known going in that there was going to be magic, or whatever you want to call it, I think I would have been more on board, but it was just so out of left field. And it ties into the ending – which is still angering me.

Plot-wise, I wish the dancing had been a bigger focus, and not just a plot element to orchestrate a meet-cute. The dancing seemed like such a side plot and I was kind of bummed. I guess I expected to see their relationship grow through the dancing, and while it sort of it, their relationship sprung up outside of the dance floor. It also sprung up really quickly and kind of out of nowhere. Not quite insta-love, but pretty damn close.
I did like that this was a really quick read. The writing style, and just the way the book is formatted makes for an incredibly fast read – I did most of the audio in one day. It just flies by.

I’m just going to end my review her. While I didn’t love this book, I didn’t hate it. There were definitely moments that I really enjoyed, others…not so much. I think I’d read Nicola’s other books, and whatever she puts out in the future. I’m glad I read this, and finally read one of her books – I’ve been meaning to dive in for a while now. If you’re looking for a quick, enjoyable, cute YA contemporary, you might want to give this a shot.

I loved The Sun is Also a Star, so when I saw that Yoon was coming out with a ballroom dancing story, I just knew I had to read it, and it did not disappoint. Once again, Nicola Yoon has surprised me with another unexpected take on a romance story.
The book follows Evie, a high school senior who gives up on love after her dad left her mom for another woman. She knows where love leads: an inevitable broken heart. And after she’s given a copy of a book on ballroom dancing, she gains an ability that confirms her suspicions. Every time she sees a couple kiss, she has a vision of their entire relationship from beginning to end. These visions don’t change Evie’s opinion on love, but when she follows the trail of the power-giving book to a dance studio, she meets someone who may be able to change her mind: X.
While on the surface, this may seem like just a love story, it is so much more than that. It’s an emotional, heart-wrenching, beautifully-written tale of the importance of love. Yes, all things end, even love, but it’s not the ending that matters. When it comes to love, the only thing that matters is that it was there at all, and I loved watching Evie come to that realization. She was so closed off at the beginning, so jaded and controlled. But then X enters her life, and he’s the opposite. He’s a free spirit. He goes with the flow and takes risks. Bust despite their differences, they have great chemistry and fit really well together.
I loved so many other things about this book, but it’s hard to go into them without spoiling the ending, which was the most powerful part of the book. It definitely secured Nicola Yoon a spot on my “auto-buy” authors list. What I can say is this: if you’re looking for a book with great, diverse characterization, immersive descriptions of ballroom dancing, a little magical realism, and that will give you all the feels, look no further than Instructions for Dancing.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Children’s, for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

All I knew about this book going in was that it featured dancing and I love romance books with dancing in them so that's really all I needed to know. So considering the fact that i knew nothing about the book, I was so pleasantly surprised by how much more I was given!

I mean, I really didn't expect there to be a whole sort of magical ability storyline, and it was so well done! I loved the sort of irony that Evie suddenly had this ability to see a whole relationship in the blink of an eye, especially because she's given up on romance actually existing! Consider me swept off my feet with this beautiful story of heartbreak and loss and a little bit of magic and love!

I love that X is this guy that is a keep moving forward, optimistic and "always. say yes" attitude sort of guy because he's so much different than Evie and seeing the relationship grow truly made my heart flutter. of course, it wouldn't be a Nicola Yoon book without a big gasp moment and trust me, it was so beautifully done. I truly didn't expect my heart to feel every emotion, but I definitely did!

Not only did this explore romantic relationships, but the beautiful friendships Evie had honestly were so so relatable. Evie has to go through a lot but she has really great supportive friends (even when she has a lot of growth to go through). Without spoiling, I just really understood Evie's sort of pessimistic approach to relationships (of all kinds) and the way that the story was told in this book made it incredibly relatable!

If you enjoy literary references, dance competitions, first kisses, and a little bit of magic, I would highly recommend this! This is my favorite Nicola Yoon book so far for sure! If you enjoy "opposites attract" sort of pairings, different family and friendship dynamics, flashbacks, and feeling basically every emotion ever, you'll definitely love this book!

Wow! I loved The Sun is Also A Star so I knew I had to get my hands on this one! Instructions for Dancing features a strong Black lead, an adorable romance and such a fun setting. It even has a fun “magical” twist with our protagonist’s special power. I highly recommend this book to fans of Nicola Yoon’s and YA romance fans in general

An emotional YA romance with a hint of the whimsical. Evie and X are brought together by fate to become dance partners and to ultimately teach each other about love. An endearing and tear inducing coming of age story about forgiveness and the power of accepting love, even with all its risks.

Blurb: When Evie finds out her dad is remarrying, she gives up on love and the very idea of finding a relationship worth risking heartache. Little does she know, a mysterious stranger and a dance book will lead her to the love of her life and one gigantic life lesson.

Angsty and a little infuriating at times, this is a book that will make you feel all kinds of emotions. I laughed, I cried, I got angry at Evie. Although the beginning was a little slow moving and Evie’s unforgiveness drove me insane at times, this book is incredibly tender and romantic. There is so much truth in the message behind its words and I would recommend this heartachingly beautiful love story over and over again!

While "The Sun is Also a Star" is still my favorite Nicola Yoon book, I enjoyed "Instructions for Dancing" just as much as "Everything, Everything" and would say the "feel" was about the same. It had a bittersweet nuance about it that made it difficult to read at times because you knew it was going to wrap up like a Blow Pop...sweet with a bubble burst at the end. "Instructions for Dancing" had good life lessons throughout with real-life mixed with magical realism, which usually isn't my thing but in this case it worked. The family dynamics were good and the chemistry between Evie and X was great.

I fell in love with this author while reading THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR and this book was also beautifully written! I loved these complex characters and the story was wonderful.

I received a gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to NetGalley and the author for an advance copy, in exchange for my honest feedback.

Nicola Yoon has been one of my favorite authors since The Sun Is Also A Star, and Instructions for Dancing didn't disappoint. The action takes a few chapters to build, and the "magic" element isn't so much in line with what I usually jive with, but Yoon's writing style kept me engaged right up until the end.

As I've come to expect from this author, Instructions for Dancing left me thinking about a lot of deep things. If you knew how a relationship was going to end, if you could tell almost as soon as it starts, would you want to know? Of course, on a less meaningful note, it also left me wondering if I should take ballroom dance classes.

Evie is a well-rounded, intelligent young woman, and I see myself in a lot of her traits. Her whole world is changing, and she just wants to keep up with it. She's navigating her senior year of high school, friendships, relationships, and her new superpower. Also, her two left feet and her very finite hips. Between the covers of this book, I laughed and I cried right alongside her. She's a dynamic protagonist, and I think anyone would be hard-pressed to find a reason not to root for her.

And X? X is ... he's X. A tall, dark and broody love interest with a "just say yes" policy for life. Evie doesn't want to dance with him, doesn't want to fall in love with him, doesn't want to fall victim to her own superpower. But he's more than just a love interest; he's interesting and dimensional and thoughtful, kind and patient, with tragedy and his best friend's legacy hanging over his head.

A few pages from the end of the book, I was seriously worried about a happy ending, but by the time I read the last line, I was deeply, truly fulfilled by the way things wrapped up. It wasn't perfect, but neither is life, and that's what I love about this story: it's not perfect, it hurts a little bit sometimes, but there's also joy and learning and love. And a little bit of magic and dancing along the way.

Nicola Yoon’s new book is about Evie, a girl who no longer believes in the power of love after witnessing her parents’ marriage crumble. However, when she winds up joining a dance studio and agrees to help the owners win the annual Danceball championship, she meets X. Super charming, witty, and cuteeee, X and Evie begin to form a deep connection the more they spend learning the steps to bachata and tango. Oh, and she also has to juggle with the fact that she’s been given the ability to see the relationship timeline of couples who kiss after a run-in with a mysterious grandma.

I really played myself when I read this book. I thought I was going to be reading about a girl who doesn’t believe in love and ends up learning to love again after meeting a cute boy. BUT NOPE. What I got was an incredibly sweet and moving story about what it means to be brave enough to love when the world is incredibly unpredictable. By the end of this book, I was tearing up sooo much.

The only thing I didn’t really like was the ending. It felt a bit rushed for me and I wished the author spent a little more time developing the story before wrapping it in this neat little bow. However, I still really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it for anyone who’s interested in YA contemporary romances!

Exciting and appealing, Instructions for Dancing is definitely a perfect read for every reader’s curiosity and why’s about romance.

Evie used to feel the electrifying feelings of being in love. Talk about romance novels and such is her previous favorite and she’s done about it. As a former lover of romance books, Evie was tested with the tragedies of her father’s affair and her parents’ divorce. Thus, all I could think about the first four chapters is bitterness and morose.

The thing that I love with Yoon’s concept of story is the use of first person’s point of view. She just mastered the power of writing and in every chapters, it is always engaging. While, Evie tries to remove all her romance novel collection, she encounters a book called Instruction for Dancing and which led her to La Brea Dance Studio and her intimidating visions of couple heartbreak schemes. Confusion was playing with Evie and as she discovers the true foundation of her visions, he met Xavier a.k.a X. Whatever she believes in herself, she keeps pushing that love is not true. But in her denial stage, she was then slapped with growing feelings and the idea of falling in love is okay.

Nicola Yoon is here again to deliver another unique and beautiful story about teens and how love play with them. Certainly, readers will immerse with the consistency of what’s true and what’s not in terms of being in love, acceptance and tolerance.

Moreover, the side characters are just beautiful, raw and their innocent experiences of being a teen reflects to today’s situation. The flavor of the side characters we’re captivating and clear to established a strong connection to friendship. And falling in love is not about learning a new step for a dance, it’s about how you realize what you really want and your true feelings is always matter. Yoon was able to capture all the feels and vibes of being in love and so much realization that we may and may not give.

As such, I always see Nicola Yoon’s book turning into a film adaptation. The story is just so close to real experiences. Pure of clever dialogues. The characters were crafted well. And everything about her writing style is immensely beautiful. Instructions for Dancing is definitely a 2021 favorite book and I will always remember the beauty of friendship, strange feelings of love, coping mechanism to sad experiences and always believe in yourself. Indeed, a highly remarkable romance book.

(Massive thanks to PRH International for providing an eARC edition of this book my way.)

As a reader, I have loved both of Nicola Yoon's previous books, Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star. while this book may seem similar at first, Nicola adds a twist that makes it different - and such a beautiful, heart-wrenching young adult romance novel!

Evie, our main protagonist, is struggling after she finds out her parents are getting a divorce because her father's infidelity. This leads her to question family and the concept of love. Meanwhile, she magically is given the ability to see the future of any kissing couple. As she sees the end of most love stories, it becomes harder and harder for her to believe in love. This surprising ability also brings her to the ballroom, where she meets X. Fate brings them together, but where will their love story lead?

Nicola Yoon weaves in the themes of grief, love, friendship, and coming-of-age with a little bit of magic to create a one of a kind young adult novel. I finished the book in one day because I couldn't put it down! I highly recommend this book to any Nicola Yoon fans or readers that enjoy love and magic.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's/ Delacorte Press for the electronic advanced readers copy! It was beautiful.