cupcakegirly's review
5.0
Lyrical, magical and full of feels, FINDING CENTER does not disappoint! If you loved TURNING POINTE and SECOND POSITION, you will love this one even more. Read it.
anabelsbrother's review against another edition
4.0
E-ARC received thanks to Carina Press and Netgalley.
4.5 stars
"There will be bad days. What if the bad days are too bad?"
"There were bad days before this, and we'll handle any bad days to come. I promise. That's what we do, Aly. We're pretty good at weathering storms."
oh dear. oh dear, dear, dear.
I was pretty scared too before I started this because what if it's not as good as the first one? But my fear was unfounded because you guys, Second Position was great but this one? This one just blew its predecessor out of the water.
I came across this term on Twitter that I feel fit Finding Center perfectly: quiet intensity. If I were asked to describe District Ballet Company series it'd be that. Katherine Locke's writing is just so gorgeous and the feels...you don't see it coming until it socks you in the gut.
Aly and Zed are the characters you can't help but to root for. I love how they support each other through good and bad days. I'm so not good at describing stuff but gosh I love how real they are. I love how they're both more because of each other, does that make sense?
gosh this review is going to be a list of I Loves and I'm going to spoil things if I didn't stop now. this series is definitely going into my auto-rec list, and I'm excited for more books from this author.
4.5 stars
"There will be bad days. What if the bad days are too bad?"
"There were bad days before this, and we'll handle any bad days to come. I promise. That's what we do, Aly. We're pretty good at weathering storms."
oh dear. oh dear, dear, dear.
I was pretty scared too before I started this because what if it's not as good as the first one? But my fear was unfounded because you guys, Second Position was great but this one? This one just blew its predecessor out of the water.
I came across this term on Twitter that I feel fit Finding Center perfectly: quiet intensity. If I were asked to describe District Ballet Company series it'd be that. Katherine Locke's writing is just so gorgeous and the feels...you don't see it coming until it socks you in the gut.
Aly and Zed are the characters you can't help but to root for. I love how they support each other through good and bad days. I'm so not good at describing stuff but gosh I love how real they are. I love how they're both more because of each other, does that make sense?
gosh this review is going to be a list of I Loves and I'm going to spoil things if I didn't stop now. this series is definitely going into my auto-rec list, and I'm excited for more books from this author.
melbsreads's review against another edition
4.0
This was basically the happily ever after to Second Position, but I was totally on board with it. I loved that Alyona continues to struggle with food, that happiness didn't instantly fix her mental health problems. I loved that Zed finally realised that there's still hope for his future. I loved that Alyona's in therapy and that she's open about having good days and bad days.
It DOES contain, but the rest of it was pretty stinking great.
It DOES contain
Spoiler
the most cringe-worthy public proposal of all time. Like, stops in the middle of performing a ballet to hundreds of people to propose in the middle of the stage kind of cringe-worthyacdom's review against another edition
4.0
Oh Aly and Zed, I'd read so many more books about your ballet adventures.
natulcien_reads's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars
This is such a great conclusion to the duology.
This is such a great conclusion to the duology.
hmfogel's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC!
The best books are heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time--this is one of those. Aly and Zed are once again sympathetic and relatable and make you care so much about them; they are the hot fudge on top of the refreshing, cool sundae made of gorgeously rhythmic writing. If you loved TURNING POINTE and SECOND POSITION, FINDING CENTER will definitely not disappoint.
The best books are heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time--this is one of those. Aly and Zed are once again sympathetic and relatable and make you care so much about them; they are the hot fudge on top of the refreshing, cool sundae made of gorgeously rhythmic writing. If you loved TURNING POINTE and SECOND POSITION, FINDING CENTER will definitely not disappoint.
ratcreature's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Eating disorder, and Miscarriage
vegancleopatra's review against another edition
1.0
There will likely be spoilers but I read this awhile ago so I cannot confirm nor deny...
This series is just extremely melodramatic and this often makes it tedious. The first installment works better because you have not grown tired of the constant drama, drama which is almost always OLD drama that will not go away.
I really, really did not enjoy this turning into a baby/pregnancy book. That is in the top two of my least favorite things to read...and I only say top two because there might be something I dislike more but right now I can't think of anything.
The therapy sessions in this book feel really unrealistic to me. Both MCs are really messed up and unsteady, especially Aly, yet nothing is said about Aly being a mother? Even the therapist says she is terrible at multitasking yet is that not a major skill of parenting? Am I missing something here?
Major issue: there is no way, absolutely no way, that these two characters we have followed for two books and a short story are anywhere near stable enough to raise a child. Yet, not having the child or giving the child up for adoption etc. is never even discussed. Not likely. Why the fuck would no one, NOT ONE, person suggest or ask about whether she was keeping it? They're both messed up emotionally and are not stable, not even with each other, but a baby is a good idea? Really? They can barely keep their own lives from spinning out of control every chapter but a baby? Sounds like a plan apparently. That child is going to have a very unhealthy childhood if you ask me. Maybe the next set of books will be this child at his/her own therapy sessions!
This series is just extremely melodramatic and this often makes it tedious. The first installment works better because you have not grown tired of the constant drama, drama which is almost always OLD drama that will not go away.
I really, really did not enjoy this turning into a baby/pregnancy book. That is in the top two of my least favorite things to read...and I only say top two because there might be something I dislike more but right now I can't think of anything.
The therapy sessions in this book feel really unrealistic to me. Both MCs are really messed up and unsteady, especially Aly, yet nothing is said about Aly being a mother? Even the therapist says she is terrible at multitasking yet is that not a major skill of parenting? Am I missing something here?
Major issue: there is no way, absolutely no way, that these two characters we have followed for two books and a short story are anywhere near stable enough to raise a child. Yet, not having the child or giving the child up for adoption etc. is never even discussed. Not likely. Why the fuck would no one, NOT ONE, person suggest or ask about whether she was keeping it? They're both messed up emotionally and are not stable, not even with each other, but a baby is a good idea? Really? They can barely keep their own lives from spinning out of control every chapter but a baby? Sounds like a plan apparently. That child is going to have a very unhealthy childhood if you ask me. Maybe the next set of books will be this child at his/her own therapy sessions!