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While I Danced
By Lynn Slaughter
A nerve-wracking audition for a summer ballet workshop reminds fifteen-year-old Cass how much she wishes her mom hadn’t died so young. Her dad isn’t exactly Mr. Encouragement when it comes to her dancing, and he shuts down whenever she asks about her mother. Cass feels as though her life is a puzzle with a giant piece missing.
Dancing has become her safe place where she doesn’t have to think about why her father won’t discuss her mother, or why her best friend and boyfriend are acting weird.
But as she moves closer to her dream of a career in ballet, Cass uncovers secrets her friends have been keeping. Then, in the midst of an intensely competitive summer dance program and the beginnings of a new romance with a fellow dancer, she makes an even more devastating discovery, a betrayal that leaves her questioning whether she even wants to dance at all.
In a year when everything Cass has ever believed about her life turns out to be false, can she heal and forgive? And can she find her own way to pursue her passion for dance?
A nerve-wracking audition for a summer ballet workshop reminds fifteen-year-old Cass how much she wishes her mom hadn’t died so young. Her dad isn’t exactly Mr. Encouragement when it comes to her dancing, and he shuts down whenever she asks about her mother. Cass feels as though her life is a puzzle with a giant piece missing.
Dancing has become her safe place where she doesn’t have to think about why her father won’t discuss her mother, or why her best friend and boyfriend are acting weird.
But as she moves closer to her dream of a career in ballet, Cass uncovers secrets her friends have been keeping. Then, in the midst of an intensely competitive summer dance program and the beginnings of a new romance with a fellow dancer, she makes an even more devastating discovery, a betrayal that leaves her questioning whether she even wants to dance at all.
In a year when everything Cass has ever believed about her life turns out to be false, can she heal and forgive? And can she find her own way to pursue her passion for dance?
- GenresYoung AdultFiction
207 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2013
3 people are currently reading
342 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 25, 2014
I just could not put this book down I started reading it the day I received it and and finished it the same day. A book filled with dancing and drama. I am not a dancer but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Cass is a very goal orientated young lady , I admired the character for her ability to stick to her dreams even though her life was filled with so much drama. A Great Book That I won on Good Reads! I only wish it could have continued.
January 15, 2021
4.5 Stars. I really enjoyed this story. As a non-dancer I didn’t understand all the jargon, but I never felt lost.
I really disliked Cass’ dad, but I’m pretty sure the reader is supposed to feel that way.
The boyfriend and BFF relationships and what happens there reminded me of middle/high school. I was never in that same situation, but it dredged up memories of how relationships at that age are.
The only minor gripe I had was the relationship with Ricco, it just felt rushed. I’d have preferred to have had more build up there.
I did enjoy the conclusion to the story and would recommend. :) Lynn Slaughter is an author I will definitely keep on my radar.
I really disliked Cass’ dad, but I’m pretty sure the reader is supposed to feel that way.
The boyfriend and BFF relationships and what happens there reminded me of middle/high school. I was never in that same situation, but it dredged up memories of how relationships at that age are.
The only minor gripe I had was the relationship with Ricco, it just felt rushed. I’d have preferred to have had more build up there.
I did enjoy the conclusion to the story and would recommend. :) Lynn Slaughter is an author I will definitely keep on my radar.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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January 11, 2021I read this lovely book I purchased for my granddaughter. It was a delightful read. Lynn Slaughter is an exceptionally talented writer.
Lynda Rees
award-winning author
lyndareesauthor.com
VIP? https://bit.ly/33fcOuy
Lynda Rees
award-winning author
lyndareesauthor.com
VIP? https://bit.ly/33fcOuy
July 12, 2019
Great YA writer in thriller genre or Romance! Cannot wait to read Slaughter's next published book.
April 2, 2014
This novel tells the story of 15 year old Cassandra, a ballet student who lives for her dance. She lives with her father, a paediatrician, and their housekeeper. All she knows about her mother is that she died when Cassandra was 5 months old.
At 15, her life is at a turning point where the whole world lays at her feet and for Cassandra. her only desire is to follow her dreams of being a ballet dancer. This causes a rift with her best friend and her practice takes time away from her relationship with her boyfriend. Her father doesn’t approve either, and Cassandra is feeling very alone and misunderstood.
Cassandra also wants to know more about her past so she can embrace her future. She wants to know about her mother and is afraid to confront her father. She steals some letters from his desk and has them translated, and gains a bit more insight into her parents’ lives before she was born, but it also opens the door wide open for Cassandra’s imagination.
On confronting her father, he gives her very little information and forbids her to talk about her mother again. Cassandra is angry and heartbroken and determined to find out more on her own.
As she leaves for a 5 week summer course in Boston, her life changes yet again when she starts to make new friends and be exposed to the professional side of ballet and she stumbles upon the secret that will turn her life upside down.
Slaughter writes an excellent portrayal of a teenage girl. She captures the angst, the drama of teenage love and friendship, the self-image issues, the disconnect between parent and child, the struggle for independence, the longing to be part of a bigger world and the selfishness and narrow view of that age.
This is a Young Adult novel and such is a easy, light read. I did find the plot to be predictable, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclosure: I was given this book by the author, Lynn Slaughter, through the GoodReads First Reads program. All opinions in this review and expressed elsewhere are my own.
At 15, her life is at a turning point where the whole world lays at her feet and for Cassandra. her only desire is to follow her dreams of being a ballet dancer. This causes a rift with her best friend and her practice takes time away from her relationship with her boyfriend. Her father doesn’t approve either, and Cassandra is feeling very alone and misunderstood.
Cassandra also wants to know more about her past so she can embrace her future. She wants to know about her mother and is afraid to confront her father. She steals some letters from his desk and has them translated, and gains a bit more insight into her parents’ lives before she was born, but it also opens the door wide open for Cassandra’s imagination.
On confronting her father, he gives her very little information and forbids her to talk about her mother again. Cassandra is angry and heartbroken and determined to find out more on her own.
As she leaves for a 5 week summer course in Boston, her life changes yet again when she starts to make new friends and be exposed to the professional side of ballet and she stumbles upon the secret that will turn her life upside down.
Slaughter writes an excellent portrayal of a teenage girl. She captures the angst, the drama of teenage love and friendship, the self-image issues, the disconnect between parent and child, the struggle for independence, the longing to be part of a bigger world and the selfishness and narrow view of that age.
This is a Young Adult novel and such is a easy, light read. I did find the plot to be predictable, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclosure: I was given this book by the author, Lynn Slaughter, through the GoodReads First Reads program. All opinions in this review and expressed elsewhere are my own.
May 6, 2014
"While I Danced" is a wonderful novel about young love, family love, and the love of dance. It plays with your emotions page after page, as Cass finds new romance, uncovers family secrets and learns to love unconditionally. It's a touching story that you will remember for a long time. You don't have to be a young adult or a dancer to thoroughly enjoy this book.
December 26, 2022
While I Danced thoroughly captivated me as a reader. Cassandra's love of ballet and dance is so palpable I almost felt like I was leaping gracefully along with her. Lynn Slaughter is a wonderful writer and this,her first novel, is a gem.
May 11, 2016
I couldn't put it down.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews