Blog Tour/Review: The Strength of Ballerinas by Nancy Lorenz

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The Strength of Ballerinas, by Nancy Lorenz
2014, 256p, YA Contemporary
My Rating=4 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review



All Kendra wants to do is dance for the Manhattan Dance Company. So when her family’s forced to move to California, her dreams of auditioning are shattered. Still determined to dance, Kendra faces social isolation and family pressures in her new home. But when she’s diagnosed with a debilitating illness, Kendra must decide which dreams are worth fighting for. 

Kendra is focused on one thing in life--to be a ballerina and she works hard. She's also good and is close to getting into the apprentice program for the Manhattan Dance Company. Her mother died six years ago and she has a younger brother, Petey, who is autistic. Her father tells her one night that he got a new job and they're moving to California in two days. She's stunned and doesn't want to go. Of course, she does go and realizes what a different world the west coast is and figures out where she fits in their new life.

This is a book that I enjoyed reading. Kendra was a teenager that was set on dancing and when she was forced to move, she tried to make the best of it. I like, too, that her life in New York had been so focused on herself and her career that when she didn't have that anymore, she was able to make some honest connections with people. She learned more about her best friend that she left behind and made new friends who truly were there for her. She also connected more with her autistic brother and became involved and interested in making his life better.

She also has a health issue to deal with and is determined to dance in spite of it. I liked what she was able to learn through that trial. She's a typical teenager at times but has some growing experiences that change her along the way. It's inspirational as Kendra found a way to deal with the tough situations that came her way. There were also some great supporting characters that added new dimensions to the story. This is a book I enjoyed reading and I am looking forward to more from this author in the future! 

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Nancy Lorenz currently teaches as an English adjunct at several colleges. She worked in publishing, public relations and in network television. She studied ballet in New York City at numerous studios, including open level classes at American Ballet Theater in the 1980’s, and continues to study ballet for the sheer love of it. She recommends that you love what you do, but also to branch out to the many subjects out there yet to discover. The more you learn, the more you can bring back into your art.

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