jumana_megahed's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
matildabui's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
b_ellice's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
kfriend's review against another edition
5.0
Freestyle was the kind of story you remember what you were doing, where you were, when you first read it. A story that strikes you- with its creativity, with its novel point of view, with its passion. So, Lyrical had a lot to live up to, and a lot to address, but WOW, boy does Bea ever rise to the challenge. Lyrical is an expressive opus- a story about the power of emotional vulnerability and connection-even if you channel that energy in a way that not everyone can understand.
Our story picks up after that soul crushing finale- and we immediately learn some important truths. We learn yet again that Pen is one of the most interesting and captivating heroines of all time- we learn again to admire her strength. We learn that nothing is as it seems- and that we’ve only begun to explore how weighed down these characters are by their hurt and anger. And we learn just what role dance is going to play in this story- just how our characters are going to confront themselves and each other. And confront themselves they do. Even better, we get to spend a lot of time in the Breakers heads, and WOW- I was not ready. These men tore into my soul.
The tone and pace of Lyrical is markedly different from Freestyle- and that is because this is a story about pain, a story about the messy act of reconciliation, a story about the weight of healing. And as such, Bea brilliantly creates a story that carries that weight- there is a permeating melancholy, an emotive sentimental that threads the narrative. While we have a few snippets of jaw dropping action, for the most part, the story is more insulated- quiet and focused- and with good reason. Because Lyrical is not about defeating the bad guy, getting all the answers, or confronting the enemy- Lyrical is about confronting your own pain, facing your greatest hurts and insecurities, and finding the inner strength to work through them. And for these characters- that means finally facing each other.
Pen and the Breakers are all broken- broken by each others’ (especially Pen’s) innocent mistakes when they were mere kids, further broken by the destructive decisions they’ve made since- exacerbated by their own isolation. Now, they are adults trying to reconcile those mistakes with new truths- and with their conflicting emotions for each other. Their connection exists at the fragile threshold of love and hate- and Lyrical is a turning point. They can no longer exist in that place and not lose themselves- and that journey? That journey is the CORE of this story, and the core of who these characters are. Their sadness, their pain- it’s DEFINING. So smartly, Bea slows down the story, makes it more emotionally centered, and forces us to wallow in it- to get deep into the trenches of their emotional crises, because we can’t truly understand and connect with them unless we do….but even more importantly, these characters can’t understand each other and heal if they dont’ also SIT in it. And that narrative choice - that brave story telling when we’re surrounded by the sparkly intrigue of villains and intrigue and imminent danger- THAT is brilliant. Bea makes us wait, because she needs us to FEEL. And like the powerful grace of a lyrical dance, WE FEEL it in Lyrical.
As such, Lyrical is really a story about connection- or in this case, the weighty task of reconnecting. This is a story about the power of loyalty and love- how no evil machinations, no nefarious intentions can ever destroy that- but they can confuse it, warp it, bury it- so Pen and the Breakers, they have to dig it back out, they have to free it from under the burdens they are each carrying. And that requires the most beautiful, simple, and challenging thing- trust and honesty. Taking the leap of forgiveness. Of all the challenges that these characters have faced, all the trauma and pain they’ve endured, that is perhaps the most gutting, the most challenging of all- because the stakes matter the most. Healing requires hurting- digging into the wounds. And Bea lets that shine. Lyrical is unapologetically about the growth of these characters- the maturation of kids who make mistakes into adults who want to fix them . She allows our story to be about them working through their pain and mistrust carefully re establishing their profound connection with each other. And they find it through, of course, dance.
I will continue to scream from the rooftops that this is one of the most inspired, innovative, and creative approaches to storytelling I’ve ever read. Bea has taken a visual art form, a physical act of expression, and breathed life to it through words. The symmetry of the role of dance is not lost on me- in Freestyle we see our characters forge a powerful and life altering connection of a dance. In Lyrical, dance is the catalyst to REconnecting. In Book 1, dance almost operated as another character, a tangible presence that wrapped these characters in a warm embrace. But Bea explores dance in a different way- in a lyrical way. Here, dance serves as the emotional catalyst for every turning point in the story. Our characters grow, they hurt or heal, and our plot progresses because dance inspires it- because dance DEMANDS it. These characters struggle to express themselves in words- that's not the language they speak- so they speak in the way that only they can understand. With movement.
Like the namesake, Lyrical is an emotional purging- about the catalytic expression that will make or break the Breakers. And Bea is somehow able to capture these key emotive moments with words. This story does NOT work if we do not connect to the dance- Lyrical is told almost entirely through it. But damn, it works- somehow I can see it as if I were watching it live. But more importantly, I FEEL it. It is riveting, captivating and the mark of a truly gifted storyteller. And we aren’t the only ones who “get it”- every character has at least one key dance moment, a moment of raw and unabashed expression. And that is how they are able to reconnect and heal- dance allows them to SEE each other.
The story is fluid and expressive, in the style of a lyrical dance. Lyrical is a virtuosic illustration of the beauty of emotional connection, the power and pain of honesty, of the liberation of emotional healing. Bea gives us the story interpretation of a lyrical dance- words that draw us in emotionally, that captivate, that connect us. Of course, we also get a jaw dropping conclusion that sets us up for Breakers (clearly a title that will also carry a bunch of meaning), but Lyrical does the hard and important work of making our characters, and us, ready for what is to come. And it certainly leaves our hearts swimming with feelings long after the last few words of Lyrical dance across the page. I am so ready for the finale!
Our story picks up after that soul crushing finale- and we immediately learn some important truths. We learn yet again that Pen is one of the most interesting and captivating heroines of all time- we learn again to admire her strength. We learn that nothing is as it seems- and that we’ve only begun to explore how weighed down these characters are by their hurt and anger. And we learn just what role dance is going to play in this story- just how our characters are going to confront themselves and each other. And confront themselves they do. Even better, we get to spend a lot of time in the Breakers heads, and WOW- I was not ready. These men tore into my soul.
The tone and pace of Lyrical is markedly different from Freestyle- and that is because this is a story about pain, a story about the messy act of reconciliation, a story about the weight of healing. And as such, Bea brilliantly creates a story that carries that weight- there is a permeating melancholy, an emotive sentimental that threads the narrative. While we have a few snippets of jaw dropping action, for the most part, the story is more insulated- quiet and focused- and with good reason. Because Lyrical is not about defeating the bad guy, getting all the answers, or confronting the enemy- Lyrical is about confronting your own pain, facing your greatest hurts and insecurities, and finding the inner strength to work through them. And for these characters- that means finally facing each other.
Pen and the Breakers are all broken- broken by each others’ (especially Pen’s) innocent mistakes when they were mere kids, further broken by the destructive decisions they’ve made since- exacerbated by their own isolation. Now, they are adults trying to reconcile those mistakes with new truths- and with their conflicting emotions for each other. Their connection exists at the fragile threshold of love and hate- and Lyrical is a turning point. They can no longer exist in that place and not lose themselves- and that journey? That journey is the CORE of this story, and the core of who these characters are. Their sadness, their pain- it’s DEFINING. So smartly, Bea slows down the story, makes it more emotionally centered, and forces us to wallow in it- to get deep into the trenches of their emotional crises, because we can’t truly understand and connect with them unless we do….but even more importantly, these characters can’t understand each other and heal if they dont’ also SIT in it. And that narrative choice - that brave story telling when we’re surrounded by the sparkly intrigue of villains and intrigue and imminent danger- THAT is brilliant. Bea makes us wait, because she needs us to FEEL. And like the powerful grace of a lyrical dance, WE FEEL it in Lyrical.
As such, Lyrical is really a story about connection- or in this case, the weighty task of reconnecting. This is a story about the power of loyalty and love- how no evil machinations, no nefarious intentions can ever destroy that- but they can confuse it, warp it, bury it- so Pen and the Breakers, they have to dig it back out, they have to free it from under the burdens they are each carrying. And that requires the most beautiful, simple, and challenging thing- trust and honesty. Taking the leap of forgiveness. Of all the challenges that these characters have faced, all the trauma and pain they’ve endured, that is perhaps the most gutting, the most challenging of all- because the stakes matter the most. Healing requires hurting- digging into the wounds. And Bea lets that shine. Lyrical is unapologetically about the growth of these characters- the maturation of kids who make mistakes into adults who want to fix them . She allows our story to be about them working through their pain and mistrust carefully re establishing their profound connection with each other. And they find it through, of course, dance.
I will continue to scream from the rooftops that this is one of the most inspired, innovative, and creative approaches to storytelling I’ve ever read. Bea has taken a visual art form, a physical act of expression, and breathed life to it through words. The symmetry of the role of dance is not lost on me- in Freestyle we see our characters forge a powerful and life altering connection of a dance. In Lyrical, dance is the catalyst to REconnecting. In Book 1, dance almost operated as another character, a tangible presence that wrapped these characters in a warm embrace. But Bea explores dance in a different way- in a lyrical way. Here, dance serves as the emotional catalyst for every turning point in the story. Our characters grow, they hurt or heal, and our plot progresses because dance inspires it- because dance DEMANDS it. These characters struggle to express themselves in words- that's not the language they speak- so they speak in the way that only they can understand. With movement.
Like the namesake, Lyrical is an emotional purging- about the catalytic expression that will make or break the Breakers. And Bea is somehow able to capture these key emotive moments with words. This story does NOT work if we do not connect to the dance- Lyrical is told almost entirely through it. But damn, it works- somehow I can see it as if I were watching it live. But more importantly, I FEEL it. It is riveting, captivating and the mark of a truly gifted storyteller. And we aren’t the only ones who “get it”- every character has at least one key dance moment, a moment of raw and unabashed expression. And that is how they are able to reconnect and heal- dance allows them to SEE each other.
The story is fluid and expressive, in the style of a lyrical dance. Lyrical is a virtuosic illustration of the beauty of emotional connection, the power and pain of honesty, of the liberation of emotional healing. Bea gives us the story interpretation of a lyrical dance- words that draw us in emotionally, that captivate, that connect us. Of course, we also get a jaw dropping conclusion that sets us up for Breakers (clearly a title that will also carry a bunch of meaning), but Lyrical does the hard and important work of making our characters, and us, ready for what is to come. And it certainly leaves our hearts swimming with feelings long after the last few words of Lyrical dance across the page. I am so ready for the finale!
katrinatuna's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
tashasbookss's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
samix3reads's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jaybird0105's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sarahlouise35's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
booksabrewin's review against another edition
5.0
Pen and her Breakers are back in the next installment of their story. After dancing a dance that encompasses all the pain, heartbreak, and anger she has felt over the years for her Breakers, Pen has managed to save herself from a potentially traumatic situation. And with her dance, she has caused her Breakers to open their eyes a little bit past the pain that has hardened their hearts. But does she want them to come awake from their dormant love for her or does she need to keep them at arm's length to protect the one person who she would give everything up for?
Pen can't fight her feelings for her boys who own slices of her broken heart. When her boys slowly start letting themselves love her again, she is powerless to resist them. All the while her brother is still plotting her demise and making promises she fears he may follow through on. She also has a mad man who has had his interest sparked when he watched her dance her pain to her Breakers. The dance for love and freedom has never been so precarious.
I loved that the first book was more about the pain and heartbreak they all experienced but this one is more about a reconnection of soulmates. Slowly but surely each of Pen's boys start to come around and let go of the past to embrace their love once more. Xeno and Dax are the hardest nuts to crack of course. Xeno finally let someone in and they betrayed him, he can't let it go. Dax was Pen's first kiss and the one she was more connected to so her leaving him ruined him. But between Pen putting her heart into her dances and showing them without words how deeply she feels for them, how can they resist for long?
Lyrical is a story of finding your heart once more when you think it has blackened in shriveled to nothing.
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