Instructions for Dancing is a story about a girl named Evie who comes across a neighborhood library and takes home a copy of Instructions for Dancing. Evie discovers the name of a dance studio in the book and begins taking lessons there shortly after. While walking home one day she sees her sister kissing her boyfriend and is immediately rushed through a series of glimpses of their relationship, including their impending breakup. The visions continue to happen and start to affect Evie's own relationships.

The premise behind this story was so interesting but I felt like it fell flat. I wanted to know so much more about her visions. How did they come about and why? Were there others who read that book and had them? What could she have done to help those she saw in her visions? It was such an interesting concept that was sorely underdeveloped. I also felt that nothing much happened for the first half or so of the book and then, right as things were getting really interesting, it ended so abruptly. I felt robbed of more of Evie and X's relationship. They were both interesting young adults with complex backgrounds that we only get to see come full circle in the last chapter of the book. I would've loved to see more of the time they actually got to spend together.

I have loved all of Nicola Yoon's previous books and was bummed that this one didn't match up to those. Overall it was a good sweet story that needed a little more oomph.

Beautiful. It’s a lovely little romance — not the kind that leaves you with unrealistic expectations, but also not the kind that drags you down in gritty reality. I would love to see a movie version of this bringing the dance scenes to life!

The end of this book is going to polarize readers into factions of LOVED it and HATED it, but I happen to fall in the former. This book is beautiful and just what I needed after being sequestered in my house for over a year.

Nicola Yoon does it again with a romance with an interesting twist. For those readers who aren’t teens, it has a bit of a twist like the movie Big with Tom Hanks. Evie Thomas no longer believes in love. Her parents are getting divorced and love never lasts, right?

When she donates all of her romance books to a little free library, a woman makes sure she takes an exchange book, as is the way. It’s Instructions for Dancing. Evie goes to return the book to the dance studio listed and that changes everything. Also, she now has the ability to see the most important parts of a couple’s romance when she first sees them kiss.

Can she ever believe in love again? There’s also a nice focus on friendship. Interesting read. Will recommend.

I think this will be another hit by Nicola Yoon. Avid and reluctant readers alike will be enthralled by the fast-paced plot and the diverse cast of characters. Recommended for school and public libraries!

4.25/5

Instructions for Dancing was shockingly good. I told myself when I got this e-arc on Netgalley that I would read it way later, and was convinced my reading tastes had changed to the point that I might not enjoy a Nicola Yoon book the way that I used to. What I failed to account for is the fact that Nicola Yoon is magic. There is something about her writing that casts a spell on me, and is so utterly compelling. I finished this book in about 24 hours, which is super rare for me. To be honest, this book blew me away.

I very rarely read YA anymore, and when I do, it is typically not contemporary. I loved Yoons first two novels (Everything, Everything and The Sun is Also a Star), which boded well for this novel, but still I had low expectations. I did not expect this book to be so packed full of emotion and power. Not to mention the fact that by the end of this story, I was so genuinely invested in Evie’s story, that I felt nearly as emotional as the characters did (okay, maybe not to that extent, but I was HOOKED).

This story felt very personal, beyond Yoon’s first two works. Evie starts off the story so rattled by the sudden separation of her parents, and is questioning everything about her previous understanding of love, happiness, family, and the future. I connected with her journey a lot, and thought the emotions she experienced were expressed so authentically. Sometimes, especially in YA, I find the characters to be unrealistic emotionally, but I really bought into everything Evie was feeling.

To be critical for a moment, I did find some of the fluff of the story to be a bit cheesy, and also would have liked to see a little bit more interaction between Evie and a few other characters (namely her sister, and the owners of the dance studio). But despite that, this book was excellent. There is a magical realism element that I wasn’t aware of for some reason, going in. I thought it was a really nice addition to the story, and added to the overall effect it had on me.

To wrap it all up, if you liked Yoon’s first two books at all, you are going to want to pick this up. I entered this book skeptically, and ended up being completely drawn in and moved by it. I think you’ll enjoy it, too!

Thank you to Netgalley, Nicola Yoon, and Penguin for an early copy of this book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I do not think it is as good as Yoon's other books. That being said, I do like some of the tough themes that it tackles including familiar relationships, love, death, and learning to be more confident.

I loved the kinda weird aspect of the protagonist being able to see the future. That being said, this doesn't seem to bother her as much as I think it could. Sure, it's upsetting (particularly when she sees what happens to her loved ones), but it could be punched up even more. Would she worry she is crazy? Would she seek treatment? The idea of following the book just didn't quite work for me.

Last, the ending...I'm sitting with it. I love the concept, but I'm just not sure her reaction was believable. I need to think on it longer.

Great prose, per usual, but (once again) this isn't my favorite Yoon novel by a long-shot.

Above everything else, Evie Thomas knows better than to believe in love. After suddenly gaining the ability to see couples’ past, present, and future, she’s guided by a book and her best friend to La Brea Dance studio. There, Evie finds herself entering a dance competition with a partner, X, that she knows she absolutely cannot fall for. All relationships end in heartache, right? Whether it’s distance, sickness, or cheating, everything is bound to come to a crashing halt. As she dances closer to X, though, she has to figure out if love is worth the risk of heartache in the end.

Nicola Yoon has a way with words. She breathes so much life into every page she touches and I fall headfirst in love with her stories every time. “Instructions for Dancing” was no different. I devoured the book in two evenings. I had to put the book down in order to get sleep for work and was actually upset. I absolutely did not want to stop reading her words.

Evie struggles to navigate multiple types of love with her family, friends, and X. Even though there is a supernatural aspect, it's easy to relate to Evie's fears and confusion along her journey. Above everything else, she feels so real.

The other characters throughout the book are so enjoyable and I loved the interactions and conversations that took place. We see all of them experience struggles and happiness and tears. So much different character development is extremely powerful and impactful. I loved every part of this book.

Fabulous. Excellent. Copacetic.

Another winner from Nicola Yoon!! I loved this book and didn't want it to end. There are so many threads that just work together so well: the friendships, the family, the dancing, X. I loved the slight magical infusion, too. The "magical realism" in YA is a great sell to so many teens- fans of realistic fiction AND fantasy pick these up.

I really enjoyed this book. A modern day love story with all the twists! Nicola Yoon has the YA genre down! I can see this becoming a movie like her other novels. Great for the YA crowd and anyone who likes a romantic comedy read.

A new Nicola Yoon book? Sign me up!

Once upon a time Evie was an avid romance reader. But not anymore. Not since her parent's divorced. Evie no longer believes in love and she's getting rid of all of her romance books to prove it. While getting rid of these books Evie suddenly gains the ability to see a relationship's story: past, present, and future upon seeing them kiss. This adds fuel to Evie's fire in giving up on love because all she sees now is how relationships end. Somehow in the midst of this she ends up taking dance lessons. As she finds herself in uncharted territory, she finds herself drawn to her dance partner, X, and wondering if love is worth it.

Instructions for Dancing is beautiful. I loved how deeply I felt this story and connected with Evie. I do wish that the ending was more of a solid one, but I also think that it made sense for this story. In typical Nicola Yoon fashion, this book wrecked me.

If you love Nicola Yoon's other books, you'll love Instructions for Dancing!

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon cements Yoon as a queen of YA. Her third novel takes readers into the world of ballroom dancing and magical realism, as Evie Thomas is challenged to consider if love can really last.

Disappointed by the actions of her father, Evie has given up on the idea of happily ever after. When she starts seeing the futures of couples when they kiss, her world is turned upside down. When a turn of fate leads her to an amateur ballroom dancing competition with the charismatic X as her partner, she is forced to reconsider what is chemistry, what is love, and is it worth the risk?

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you so much to #Netgalley and Penguin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Do not judge a book by its cover. Especially this book which looks all beautiful and sweet and nice. This is not another cheesy teen romance. Yes, its a cute story although cute isn't really the right word for it, but the only word I can really think of. However, be prepared for this book to give you a lot of feels. A young girl who is jaded by her parents relationship, doesn't see the point in falling in love.

This is where it gets good as there is also a little magical element but not in a cheesy crazy way. Evie discovers she suddenly has the ability to see relationships when the couple is kissing. I may have read a little too into it , but boy did that hit me. Her she was able to see a relationship when two people are at their most vulnerable with each other. I do think kissing is vulnerable..you have to close your eyes and let yourself fall. So being able to see a relationship through a kiss, super possible to those who are really intune with human's emotions.

I really loved this book and it made me realize just how much I missed Nicola Yoon!

Seventeen year old Evie gives up on love after her father’s infidelity leads to her parents’ divorce. Her resistance is cemented when she suddenly starts having heartbreaking visions of how a couple’s relationship will end when she sees them kiss. Evie begins taking ballroom dance classes on a whim and agrees to represent the dance studio in an amateur competition. Even spending intense hours training with kind, handsome Xavier won’t change her mind about love not being worth the trouble – or will it? In this thoroughly enjoyable book, Yoon takes a meta approach and has fun with romance novel tropes, calling them out while using them. Her characters are realistic in voice and action, and the plot moves along at a nice pace, balancing humor with more serious moments. Evie and Xavier are Black, Evie’s friends are diverse in culture and sexuality, and the strict yet hilarious dance instructor Fifi Karapova is white.

While not my favorite of Nicola Yoon's book, Instructions for Dancing and the characters within still twirl off the pages and into your heart. Yoon once again captures the readers' hearts and imaginations with a story that will make you feel all the feels.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC!
4.5 stars!

"And then I do the thing you're supposed to do when you find love. Hold on."
Nicola Yoon writes another amazing and quintessential love story. One that is a perfect blueprint of everything that a good love story needs.
When Evie brings her books to a little free library she is bestowed or "cursed" (which is what Evie thinks) with the power to see a couples love story. To see's from beginning to end of their relationship. Evie is also becomes cynical about love when her parents divorce. But she meets X and things change. As she is partnered with him for a dance competition and is dealing with her new power, she learns about life and love.

I really enjoyed this book because it brought on a lot of emotions. It wasn't all happy but wasn't deeply depressing. I adore a great love story and this book definitely delivered. Evie and X are truly a great example for modern love. I also love this book because it is very real. It deals with family and friendship relationships. Loss and love. And finding out how to live your life and cherish the moment with the ones you love.

I love all of Nicola's book and I am so happy I read this! Can't wait for everyone else to pick it up!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing team for sharing this ARC with me!

This book was so sweet and so heartbreaking. If I knew this was how it was going to go...I would not have read it HAHA. It was very real and I appreciated the characters and the message of the story. I love when two characters fit so well and bring out a better side in each other. I really enjoyed seeing the different sides of love and how important of a reminder is that life is meant to be lived and appreciated for every moment.

Ever since Evie’s parents got divorced, she has given up on love. After a chance meeting with a mysterious woman, Evie is suddenly able to look at couples and see the arc of their relationship from the joyful beginning to the bitter end, which tightens the seal around her heart.

Evie’s search to end the visions of romance-gone-wrong leads her to a dance studio, where she meets a very cute guy and winds up entering a dance contest with him.
Throughout the book, Evie questions why anyone would fall in love and risk getting their heart broken:

“Yes, falling in love requires a leap of a faith. But people only jump because they don’t know what the ground looks like. They believe their landing will be soft. That the ground is covered in soft stuff – feathers, down pillows, fluffy baby blankets, the shaggiest shag carpeting. But I’ve seen the ground. It is covered in lethal spikes fashioned from the bones of other jumpers.
The fall is not survivable.”

However, while she is thinking these dark thoughts, the sparks are flying between her and X(avier). It seems to Evie that whatever course of action she takes, her heart will break.

Have tissues on hand for this one.
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's for the Advance Reader's Copy.

Nicola Yoon has established a fan base that will be quick to snatch up this new story, which features her signature swoony storyline, relatable characters and gratifying writing, As a big fan of her previous novels, I was eager to get my hands on Instructions for Dancing. Despite liking the characters and the originality, the story felt very flat and unmemorable to me. Reading the author note at the end helped me better understand why this felt different than the tone of Everything, Everything and The Sun is Also a Star, but overall I left the end of this book wishing for more depth and that signature Yoon spark,

All. Of. The. Feels. This book was the best book I’ve read this year. So many emotions all in one. I was belly laughing at the beginning and literally sobbing at the end. The banter. The character development. The message I took from this book. I will recommend this to everyone I know.