Review: A Time For Dancing by Davida Wills Hurwin

What do you do when you best friend is dying?





Summary:

Samantha and Juliana. Sam and Jules--they've been best friends forever. Now, in the summer before their senior year, they're ready for anything! College? Professional dance careers? They'll share the triumphs and face the fears together. But neither of them is prepared for what happens when Jules is diagnosed with an incurable cancer.

My Thoughts:

A Time For Dancing has been a book I've been wanting to read for a long time. The plot sounded great, and like something I could really dig my teeth into. So, when I was at Powells City of Books a couple of weeks ago, and saw it on the shelf, I quickly picked it up.

Every chapter alternates in perspective between the two best friends, Julia and Sam. I actually enjoy books with differnet points of view, but I can see how some might find it distracting and/or frustrating. However, I feel that this didn't take away from the story at all, and actaully worked well for this book.

The thing I loved most about this story is the relationship between Sam and Julia. They have the type of friendship that is just easy, and make you wish that you and your friends communicated and got along like they do. Even from the first few pages, I believed in their friendship and that they cared for eachother, and that's not an easy feat in my book.

Sadly, though, this book wasn't everything I'd hoped it would be. I find it hard to place my finger on what it was that made the book feel off to me. I think it was that the emotion I was really hoping for throughout the whole second half of the book, didn't even show up until the last few pages. Actually, I didn't even really enjoy the middle of this book at all. It was a good story, not amazing, but good.

Overall, A Time For Dancing is a poignant and heartfelt look at how much an illness can effect and change a person, and also effect that person's family and friends. I encourage anyone who finds the plot interesting to pick up a copy, for it is worth your time.

4 Stars


Also, A Time for Dancing recently got a new cover!

I think it's pretty, but I'm glad to have the book with the original cover. What do you guys think? Do you prefer the original or new cover?