Good morning lovely readers. I’m so excited to be reviewing this book. I wished I read this one sooner and it’s such beautiful, unique and captivating contemporary romance YA book.
Sing If You Can't Dance by Alexia Casale Published by Faber Faber on July 6, 2023
Genres: Contemporary, Love & Romance, UKYA, Young Adult Fiction
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An entirely original and much-needed own-voices perspective from a teenager coming to terms with her disability as she's coming of age. Ven had her life all planned out. her dance group were going places and so was she. Then she passes out right in the middle of a life-changing performance. And she's forced to admit that she hasn't been feeling right for a while now. Ven is about to discover she has an illness that threatens to ruin everything. No more dancing. even walking is proving a challenge, and standing. But don't you DARE feel sorry for her!Ven is no victim, and she is in charge here. Sure, her future is going to be different. but that doesn't mean it's over. Because if you can't dance, you can always sing!
I couldn’t put this book down. I read it in 2 days which is super good for me but I was on half-term which helped. I picked this book up as I was part of the Discovery Tour for Empathy Lab UK which I was really honoured to be part of. It’s something as a librarian that is close to my heart and something that I promote every year in my libraries.
Sing Like You Can’t Dance is a unique story. Our MC Ven was part of a dance performance PopSync until the unthinkable happens, she falls which has left her unable to dance again. Now she has turned to singing as part of her A-Level coursework. A MC Ven is snarky, bossy, takes control of her own life. Her persona, her sarcasim doesn’t always come across friendly and most people tend to turn away from her apart from her best friend Maddie. When she meets Ren, the new american boy, he starts to break down her hardiness to see her vunerability.
Ven is also a natural born leader, taking on The Singers is breath a fresh air, it gives her a chance to be that person she was in PopSync, she opens up. The disability rep is outstanding! It was so realistic, especially in that pushback when you have a deterioration in ability and having to learn to accept aids and help. She also a journey on knowing her limitations. She won’t let her disability define her. I loved that her story, her journey was to figuring out being honest with herself and asking for help. Nothing will stop her! I love her. Being the best you can be.
“I’m not what’s wrong with my body, I’m what I do with myself. I’m the life I make happen.”
Throughout the entire book, you don’t know what she has, but you realise that you don’t need to know, you’re not entitled to know. It doesn’t define you. She doesn’t want those looks but wants the reader and other characters to know who she really is.
I would highly recommend this book! I couldn’t put it down and @hollybourneya quote is so very true. I wished I read this one sooner and it’s such beautiful, unique and captivating contemporary romance YA book.
Thank you to Faber and Faber for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.
