Up to This Pointe

by Jennifer Longo

Harper Scott is a dancer. She and her best friend, Kate, have one goal: becoming professional ballerinas. But while Kate is a naturally gifted dancer, Harper has had to fight for every step. And now it’s make-it-or-break-it time: if their auditions go wrong, their dreams are over. Harper won’t let anything—or anyone—get in her way, not even the boy she and Kate are both drawn to.

Harper may not be a natural, but she is a Scott. She’s related to Robert Falcon Scott, the daring explorer who died racing to the South Pole. So when Harper’s life takes an unexpected turn, she finagles (read: lies) her way to the icy dark of McMurdo Station…in Antarctica.

Extreme, but also somehow fitting—apparently she has always been in the dark, dancing on ice this whole time. And no one warned her. Not her family, not her best friend, not even the boy who has somehow found a way into her heart.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Travel, Teen

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 19, 2016

About the author

Winner of the 2021 Washington State Book award and 2022 Iowa All Reads Book Award, Jennifer Longo’s WHAT I CARRY (Penguin Random House "A NOVEL OF NUANCE AND HUMANITY” - Kirkus, Starred) published Januray 2020. Her debut novel SIX FEET OVER IT ("SUPERB" - Kirkus, Starred) published 2014 by Penguin Random House. UP TO THIS POINTE ("SAVVY...VIVIDLY CONVEYED" The Bulletin, Starred) published 2016 by Penguin Random House. A California native, Jennifer holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing For Theatre from Humboldt State University. She is a two-time Irene Ryan Best Actor award recipient and a Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Best Full Length Script honoree for her play, FROZEN. Jennifer lives with her family on an island near Seattle.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Your love is evident,” she says. “But, darling, sometimes ballet does not love us back.”

When I started this book, I knew very little about it. I'd read something about ballet dancing and Antarctica (which was an unusual combination, but not something that instantly called to me) but that was it, and I'd never heard of the author before. So it came as quite a surprise when this book touched me very deeply.

To be honest, ballet is not my thing. I took some lessons as a kid and hated it. I was chubby and uncomfortable in a leotard, and let’s be honest, I’d always rather be reading than doing anything else.

However, that doesn't really matter with Up to This Pointe because, while about ballet dancing, the underlying story is a universal one that I think will speak to every reader, whether they personally relate to it or not. It's a story full of sadness but also, ultimately, full of hope.

Kids these days are expected to have it all figured out. To know what they want to do, to have mapped out their road to college and beyond. Luckily for Harper, that has never been a problem. There's only been one thing she has loved her whole life, only one thing she has known with absolute certainty that she was born to do - ballet dancing. But one day her beloved teacher breaks down and tells her the truth: she will never be a ballet dancer. Her dream is not meant to happen.

I think this book is a fantastic exploration of the lows we reach sometimes, and the light that is waiting at the end of the tunnel. It's a sad, honest tale of how sometimes, no matter how badly we want something, we just can’t have it. And that is a heavy blow to have to deal with.

“None of it felt real.
This was not The Plan.”

The only way Harper can cope with her situation is to run away with a group of scientists to one of the coldest, darkest, most challenging places to survive on Earth. You guessed it - Antarctica. There, she learns many things about herself, life, dreams that work out, and dreams that don't. The author introduces one of my favourite things - many fantastic female friendships that provide hilarity, angst, encouragement, jealousy and happiness in the darkest times.

The book manages to be both dark and depressing, as well as light and uplifting. While it is about facing harsh truths of reality, it is also about taking all of that and running with it, still doing what you love, still finding your own worth.

I honestly found it wonderful. I liked the characters. I liked the messages and the array of emotions explored with them. And I liked the way Harper's love of San Francisco played an important role in the telling of this story:

Thin clouds move swiftly from the ocean, hazy in the bright blue sky. The ocean air is clean and cold. Seagulls float above the Jordan almond-colored row houses; blackbirds sit on the telephone wires.
I love this city.

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[Susan's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life's Bittersweet Regrets... can we ever move on from a tragic disappointment?

Wow! I was totally impressed by this young author's ability to breathe life into her characters (I loved Owen!!!!!) and her two main settings: San Francisco and Antarctica.





Harper Scott is intense, driven - consumed by her love of dance. She identifies solely as a dancer, has made physical and emotional sacrifices for her art. And in the end, despite focusing every particle of her attention on being the best dancer she can be, it is not enough. Her confession to Aiden that she is grieving the loss of the love of her life is the main theme of this beautifully written novel.



As we age, life, family and our own specific social "village" have many expectations. How we measure success is influenced by all these factors. Harper is told a devastating truth that causes her to believe that she, as a person, has ceased to exist, that her reason for "being" has been taken away from her. I felt Harper's grief deeply. We all have dreams that have died horrible deaths. Many of us have nurtured a hope or a belief, only to be incredibly disappointed or disillusioned.



Harper latched on to the isolation of Antarctica as a means of escaping the destruction of her life in San Francisco, so that she could try to find what was left of herself. She had no hope of salvaging her career in the dance world once her dream of performing as a ballerina was so rudely destroyed. All those sacrifices, all the pain and suffering and disfigurements - for nothing, or so it seemed to her.



Antarctica, thankfully, did have something to teach Harper. McMurdo station's beautiful, brutal isolation, the wonderous Adelie Penguins and their adorable chicks , the odd assortment of scientists and support staff - all conspired to force Harper to re-examine everything she believed about herself. Ben and Aiden taught her valuable lessons about the way the goals or belief-systems that we fixate on have a way of either enriching or derailing our lives. No spoilers here, but that South Pole opportunity was the turning point in Harper's life. She chose so wisely and understood that some dreams are just that, and the failure to realize those dreams should not define the rest of your life. There are, after all, other dreams to pursue, other choices that involve ideals and people that matter to us in the long run.

. . . . . . . . . .

I highly, highly, highly recommend this fascinating, turbulent, and ultimately enlightening novel. I look forward to reading this emotionally courageous author's other works. A ten out of 5 stars, because I always applaud real courage in the face of great heartbreak. Well done!

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What am I going to say about this book? I'm not that great at reviews and when one touches my heart like this one, I don't want to mess it up. It broke my heart and it made it soar. I loved it so much and it's going into my favorites! ♥



I cried a river in this book, but it wasn't at the sad parts, it was at all of the good things.

So many characters in the book I loved so much. Harper being my favorite for all that she went through and all that she discovered. Harper's parents and her brother Luke for being some of the kindest people ever! Like Harper's dad is a big crier like me! And he owns a bakery and gives to different places and donates. Such wonderful people. Owen, Harper's love interest, is one of the sweetest guys and is so kind to Harper, even when he sees her horrific feet. (It's a ballerina thing) Charlotte who Harper assists in Antarctica. Vivian, who is Charlotte's other assistant - she is grumpy for a while but when she lets her guard down you will love her too. And Kate, Harper's best friend from her whole life. Willa, the little girl Harper teaches ballet. (she teaches a group of little kids) Willa's mother Hannah, who helps Harper get to Antarctica. These are all wonderful, wonderful people.

Let's Begin.

All Harper and Kate wanted to do since they were little kids is become professional ballerina's. They had no reason not to think this was possible. They were graduating early with 4.0 averages so they could go to the auditions to different companies. Harper even talked her parents into letting her have heel surgery because her feet weren't shaped right! She also worked at Simone's school to pay for her tuition there. That is where her and Kate performed and Harper taught the kid classes. Harper worked hard at everything she did and I was so proud and wishing I had that much ambition as a young person or old person!



Harper and Kate were going to live together and be professional ballerina's. But .... Simone wanted Harper to be a teacher. She wasn't as good as Kate. But she was, Harper had so much talent in other things and she just didn't see it. She had to make the journey to find herself and to see how wonderful she truly was and what she could do in the world.

Harper is a truly great character. Let me put in a little excerpt with Owen to show you how sweet she truly is:

"Why do you do that?"
"What?"
"Take all the blame. Belittle your saddness."
"Because . . . other people have real problems. People are sick. And starving. And they have terrible families. I'm in perfect health with a family who loves me, and I'm moping about ballet. And not just moping--I'm fully agonizing. I'm destroyed.

You see Harper is a Scott. Harper Scott, related to Robert Falcon Scott, an explorer who died racing to the South Pole. <--- that part is in the blurb. Harper grew up hearing all about this from her mom and all about Antarctica. Her mom works in a lab and her dad took the Scott last name because of her mom. He's sweet.

After so many things started going downhill for Harper, she had to get away. Owen begged her to stay but she had a plan. A plan that involved getting Hannah into going behind Harper's parents backs and getting her into the McMurdo Station in Antarctica. The spots for two teenagers had already been filled but Hannah new someone and she used the Scott name and the rest is history.

Welcome to Antarctica my dear Harper.



Harper is still devastated that Kate got in and Harper didn't. She's sad, she's grieving, she literally worked her whole life for this but it just wasn't meant to be. She slowly gets broken out of that shell by two wonderful people.

Charlotte is the person Harper is working under along with Vivian. They are working on ways to save the Adelie Penguins by researching them, their poop, the water - things like that.



Another awesome thing in the book. People trying to help wildlife.

When Harper is in Antarctica she doesn't talk to her friends and she only emails her parents a little bit because Charlotte makes her. Over time though, Harper slowly starts to read the emails from all of her friends, even little Willa (Hannah wrote for her) and it just about breaks her heart into more pieces. The things that truly get me is how much Harper finds herself in this hostile land, yet beautiful land. She makes two new amazing friends who help her and see her for what she is and even points her toward other things. They see a video of her dancing and think she is amazing. Harper doesn't think so, she keeps telling them to look at Kate and they say yeah but there is something amazing about you and they are right. Her heart may have been broken in San Fran but it was mended in Antarctica.

I am so glad that I found another book that touched me so emotionally. Another book to add to my favorites to read again and again. Not everyone thinks the same but I don't care. I only care how much a certain books opens up my emotions and lets them spill over onto the floor in a very beautiful way.

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.”



I got hooked right from the beginning. I won’t forget all the wonderful characters in Up to This Pointe any time soon; Kate, Owen, Charlotte (loved her), Vivian, Luke.

I loved the friendship between Kate and Harper, it felt so real. So I was genuinely surprised when she told her best friend that she was going to New York. Watching them grow apart was very heartbreaking.

I really enjoyed how Jennifer Longo switched up the chapters between Antartica and San Francisco.
I could easily relate to the main character, running away from your problems might seem easier at the time (even if you know it won’t solve anything).

“It takes patience and love and bravery to have a home. To not just run off to the next place when things are hard. Or frightening. Or lonely.

The journey she went through was very fascinating, I could not stop reading (I NEED MORE). This book touched me very deeply.
And although I did not enjoy ballet when I was younger, this book made me look back at all those moments and feel truly nostalgic.

“Number 232, you are excused from the barre.”
I started crying right after this line, I could feel all of Harper's emotions just in that one sentence.



This review and more can be found on my blog.

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 4 out of 5]

***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

If you are/were obsessed with Antarctica at any point in your life, you already know you need this book. Otherwise, you might want to read this book because THE STRUGGLE IS REAL, OKAY?

One of the saddest things in the world is that in our society, we expect kids to have their life figured out by the time they are getting ready to graduate high school. We expect them to know what they want to do with their lives when their minds are not even fully developed and that sucks. A LOT.

Harper is one of those kids who has always had a plan. She always knew what she was going to do, she didn’t have a backup plan, she thought the love of her life (ballet) loved her back but it doesn’t and she hits rock bottom because she doesn’t know what to do.

One of the reasons why this book resonated with me is because I am a toned down version of Harper. In HS, I thought I knew what I wanted. I thought I was going to be a scientist. I LOVED science. It called to my heart in ways nothing else really did and then I realized that science wasn’t it. I couldn’t science. As much as I loved science, I also struggled with all the practical stuff. I prefered theory (EW RIGHT?) I hated applying my knowledge and by the time I started thinking about colleges, I had NO idea what to do because I had always thought SCIENCE would be it. Obviously, I kind of figured my life out because I am in college now and a Lit Major. I still struggle though. I still wonder if I am good enough for this, or smart enough or if I can even make it through my major without breaking down. People around me tend to compliment me for how well put together I am, but I am not. So yes, I really liked Harper and I apologize for going so off topic!

So Harper. Her life falls apart, she pulls a bunch of strings and flies to Antarctica. Living the dream? Except not really because life isn’t that easy. Harper has a lot of growing to do over the book as she re-evaluates her entire life, and figures out a place for herself in the big bad world. There are some great characters in the book to help out with the journey plus a really cute guy (no I am not shallow, you’re shallow.)

Warning for my fellow love-triangle hating friends. Things do get a little messy in terms of the romance and if you need more specific details feel free to holler at me but I will say that the situation didn’t bother me as much because given what Harper is going through, and how messed up her life is, it really made sense that she began to question everything. Including a lot of her relationships.

Having said that, this book actually has some fantastic relationships. It has friendships that aren’t easy but also don’t fall apart because people say hurtful things (even if it takes 6 months to recover from that hurt) and beautiful family unit. I LIKE IT. I LIKE SUPPORTIVE FAMILIES. I like families that understand that sometimes you really need space.

But really, I was in this book for Antarctica and these were all just wondorous advantages. All I want now is for someone to just pay for my trip to Antarctica so that my life will finally be complete (I am not joking about my obsession with Antarctica BTW, I wrote an essay about Antarctica in 3rd grade and STILL HAVE it.) This book didn’t live up to all my Antarctic dreams but the book was more contemporary than survivalesque, so it makes sense. We did meet the penguins though and penguins are great.

If you are a fan of coming of age novels set in Antarctica, you obviously need this book in your life.

Note that I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Book Riot Community]

Ballet novels are one of my kryptonites, and I’d heard good things about this one. We meet seventeen-year-old Harper Scott in Antarctica, where she has come to find herself or possibly just hide from people and events back home. In alternating chapters, we find out about those people and events and follow her new life in the frozen darkness. The “back home” is the ballet part, and it’s set in a wonderfully well-rendered San Francisco. Harper is a highly likeable character, in love with dance and devoted to friends and family, and I really enjoyed spending time with her and the people in her life, and found myself rooting for her to make certain choices. The world of ballet is one of such emotional complexity, and this book does a wonderful job of exploring that and making the reader – this reader, at least – feel many of those complex emotions on a visceral level, too. –– Claire Handscombe



from The Best Books We Read In January: http://bookriot.com/2016/02/01/riot-r...

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Up to This Pointe is my favorite 2016 book I’ve read so far. And, sure, I haven’t read too many yet, but this one is massively good and I hope to find a lot more books like this one. Longo has managed to write one of those books that’s about heavy serious life stuff in a way that is fluffy and smile-making. Also, it’s such an original and amazing idea. I mean, have you ever read a book about a ballerina going to Antarctica?

Harper and her best friend Kate have been planning to be ballerinas together in their hometown of San Francisco almost since they started ballet as wee things. That is The Plan, and they’re confident nothing will distract them from it, even Harper’s brother’s incredibly hot friend Owen. They are focused and both dancing better than ever. Only, instead of dancing for the San Francisco Ballet Company, Harper’s in Antarctica. Up to This Pointe is about what brought Harper to Antarctica, and what she’ll do afterwards.

First off, the Antarctica setting really is so cool! *pauses for groans* Harper’s working as the assistant to a Charlotte, a black female scientist (reason number two I love this book). Now Harper isn’t actually interested in science, which she will get insulted for; she got to McMurdo by having people call in favors, possible because she’s a Scott (as in Robert Falcon Scott) and her mom’s a big deal scientist. I loved learning about her life on McMurdo during the winter over, both the dangerous (boredom, T3) and the amazing (penguins, lights).

Up to This Pointe is one of those rare-ish YA books that’s looking forward. It’s on the verge of new adult, because it’s all about what the characters are going to do or ARE doing after high school. It’s also about what to do when those plans go up in smoke, as Harper’s do. What do you do when your big dream turns out not to be reachable, no matter how incredibly hard you’ve worked toward it? A truth adults often don’t tell you is that you probably can’t do anything you set your mind to. I love, too, that the book constantly checks Harper’s white privilege, but also acknowledges that, privilege or not, your struggles are still struggles.

Harper feels so lost that she wants to run away to something else, thus Antarctica. Honestly, it’s not really the best plan, but it does ultimately get her where she’s going. The right path was right in front of her all the time, but she needed time to get through the stages of grief and accept it. I love, though, that she puts her own spin on ideas given to her by others. LOVE THIS GIRL.

The characterization in this book is ON POINT. Harper’s got an amazing narrative voice, a bit on the sarcastic side in the best way, but it’s all of the characters, primary and secondary. The female friendships are wonderful and of different sorts that aren’t represented super often in YA. Harper and Kate have been BFFs for life but are going through a seriously rough patch with the death of The Plan, and it’s not resolved by magic but by work and apologies. Harper and Charlotte bond right off but it’s a bond that goes from mentor/mentee to real friendship. Harper and Vivian have a slow burn hate to love kind of friendship. The moment when they both admit they sleep better sharing a room is such feels.

I am also so incredibly in love with this book’s familial relationships. All of the main teens in the book (except Kate) love their parents who love them in return. That doesn’t mean everything’s always perfect obviously (Owen’s mom is a little bit racist and offended that her son wants to date a white girl instead of a Chinese girl, for example), but they support each other. Harper’s parents even support her in the Antarctica plan, even though they’re not sure if it’s the right choice. The family has such a great dynamic, full of banter. Also, the dad is a baker who is super emotional and the mom is a scientist. HELL YES.

The romance takes a back seat to everything else. Harper has two options, though it’s not really a love triangle. Owen is the boy from home who she hasn’t known for very long, and then there’s Aiden, the Irish boy at McMurdo very determined to woo her. While I liked the romance, it was also the one part of the book that let me down for spoiler reasons. I do ship it but also hmmm. Team Owen for life. He is amazing, and actually maybe a bit TOO amazing, but this book gave me serious white girl dating Asian boy feels. Some of those conversations were so similar to ones my boyfriend and I have had.

However, I do have some concerns about the Aiden story line. The only one to acknowledge that he basically tried to date rape her (he got her drunk for the first time and was planning to have sex with her, which she definitely would not have agreed to sober—circumstances intervened but it almost happened) was Harper’s hallucination of Shackleton. That was seriously fucked up, but she STILL considers traveling around with him (as an escape from the future but still) after Antarctica. The only reason she doesn’t is because he leaves her behind; I wanted HER to make that choice, but it was made for her.

*pushes book at all of my contemporary lovers* You will thank me later.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has anyone noticed that there are two plots in ballet fiction? One is in the vein of The Turning Point: former ballerinas reliving their glory days and scheming against each other, using their children as pawns; a faithless but hot male defector is usually involved. The novels Ballerina and Astonish Me fall more or less within this category. The other is in the vein of Center Stage: young dancers struggling to make it in the cruel world of dance; lots of eating disorders, backstabbing, and dastardly company directors. The excellent YA novel Bunheads, Tiny Pretty Things, and every TV show about ballet fall within this category (with the exception of the excellent CW series Bunheads, which is Gilmore Girls with ballet). I guess ballerina-goes-crazy (Black Swan) is another subplot, but that can usually be found within these two larger universes.

Up to this Pointe is excellent and miraculously about something else altogether. Age-old ballet questions (Is my sacrifice enough?) are present but play out in thoughtful ways. Harper’s beloved San Francisco ballet world is pieced together bit by bit in flashback amidst her present-day Antarctic refuge, where she is clearly in mourning. The Antarctic backdrop is one of the strengths of the book; imagine an absurd and glorious universe in which the NSF provides grants for three high school students to winter over at McMurdo Station. McMurdo is populated by credible devotees and nut cases; Harper’s two fellow high school grantees are especially enjoyable as characters. Harper’s forebear is legendary explorer Robert Falcon Scott - but in the throes of T3 (a depressive condition common in winter-overers), she starts hallucinating visits from Shackleton, which are also hilarious. Strong female relationships abound; the best are Harper's with the little girl she teaches ballet to, her McMurdo supervisor Charlotte, her co-research assistant Vivian, her mother, and to a lesser extent, her best friend Kate (not that well-developed but mercifully not a nemesis either).

Boys are also handled nicely. There’s the Peter Pan-ish Irish boy who works in the McMurdo kitchen, whom Harper both sees through and lets herself see through rose-colored glasses. There’s her sweet baker father who cries at the drop of a hat, an equally sweet older brother, and love interest Owen.

Let’s talk about Owen for a second. First of all, glory be! A love interest who happens to be a cute Bay Area Chinese-American boy with nice arms. Chinese boys are cute, y’all! I should know, my husband also happens to be a cute Bay Area Chinese-American boy with nice arms. Still, it remains a nice, novel thing to see in print. The character development of said cute Chinese-American boy is also done surprisingly well. As the child of immigrant parents, Owen’s breakdown of the opposing viewpoints in his life (I’m special because I’m me; don’t be lazy) rings true. His mother giving white girl Harper the stink eye upon introduction also rings true and made me laugh.

Harper is devoted to ballet and San Francisco in equal measures. Her love for her hometown is another strength of the book, and reminiscent of the way very young people can love a city, with total conviction. Timely details make it fun: all of Harper’s hard-earned cash goes to SF Dancewear, which is where every dance student in San Francisco shops (I am going there tomorrow); she gets her hands on a totemic pair of Freeds pointe shoes made by Yuan Yuan Tan’s maker; Owen’s mother loves Yuan Yuan Tan because she’s Chinese (hahahaha). Harper��s brother Luke works for LucasArts in the Presidio and brings their parents to lunch in the fancy cafeteria; hilarity also ensues.

Very tiny quibbles. After meeting Owen, Harper compares him to Bruce Lee and then in true San Francisco fashion wonders if she’s racist. Do people really think these things? In the next book, can they just, like, not? And can the next awesome ballet book not have a ballet pun in its title?

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many things I found myself loving about this story that I don’t know where to actually start.

Harper and her best friend Kate are ballet dancers, and they have a plan. They’re going to graduate from high school early, then try out for the San Francisco Ballet and do the thing they love the most for the rest of their lives. There is no messing with the plan. Harper lives and breathes ballet, to pretty much an obsessive level. It’s both amazing and heartbreaking to see the things she gives up in order to pursue this dream.

But what happens when that dream goes off the rails?

Harper apparently heads to Antarctica, more specifically McMurdo Station where it’s dark and below freezing for six straight months. And she can’t wait.

Told in dual timelines set in both San Francisco and leading the decision that has her leaving, and Antarctica from her first day at the station, it worked perfectly for me. I loved getting to know the San Francisco that Harper loves and adores and the Antarctica that she is experiencing and learning more about each day.

I think that what I ended up loving most here though, was seeing Harper’s transition and growth. It was so hard to see her fall into that pit of grief, knowing the dream she lived and breathed for her entire life was now out of reach, but it was amazing to see her find her way out of it and ultimately find something else that fit her perfectly.

I truly loved the friendships that were established as well. Charlotte and Vivian were so amazing and I loved seeing the trust grow between the three of them. There was definitely an interesting cast of characters present at the station and it was fun getting to know each of them along the way, and I loved seeing how much her family was a part of her life while she was in San Francisco. I know I say this every time, but it’s refreshing when you see a family represented in a way that isn’t completely dysfunctional.

That said… when Harper leaves San Francisco, she was just getting to know her brother’s friend Owen. He was there for her in ways that no one else was and the connection they were building was so sweet. But when she gets to Antarctica another boy… he who shall not be named… becomes a part of her new daily life, and ultimately she forms a friendship/relationship with him. Until something happens. (I’m not telling by the way)

I think that what makes Up To This Pointe so interesting is that not only is it set in a wholly unique location, but it manages to approach grief and depression without the overwhelming sadness of death of a family member to kick it off. Longo’s writing perfectly captures the confusion of someone who isn’t sure what comes next and the sadness that goes with the loss of a lifelong dream.

I absolutely loved this story, and while this is my first Jennifer Longo book, I can guarantee it won’t be my last. Make sure you have this on your To Read pile and grab it as soon as you can!

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The path is in front of you; be brave and take it.”

Wow, this ended up being so much better than I expected. I mean, the weird premise isn't exactly compelling - a depressed ballerina moves to Antarctica? I picked this up on a hunch and I'm so glad I did because it really, really impressed me.

I cannot express how much I LOVED the narrator's voice, Harper. She was a sharp, sarcastic, funny, hardworking seventeen-year-old. She was charming in her own way while still being a totally realistic portrayal of a teenager. She strived to fulfill her dream of becoming a professional ballerina, but when her dream was shattered she fled to Antarctica to rediscover who she was.

The author showed the brutal side of ballet - how the dancers had to ice their bruises, wrap their poor feet, black and ruined and calloused from dancing, spend hours each day dedicated to stretching and going over choreography - all for ten minutes under the spotlight. I knew ballerinas were tough before, but man, after reading this book it made me admire how dazzling and effortless they make dancing look so much more.

The characters were so well developed and I loved how real their voices sounded. When Harper was rejected over and over again from ballet schools, she tried not to let failure get to her even though things weren't working out the way she'd hoped. Harper showed that when you fall down, you need to get back up and keep trying.

There was a strong contrast drawn between Harper's loving family and her strict, hostile dance instructor. When Harper was sobbing her heart out after she was criticized for not having the right body type for a dancer, her friends and family were there for her.

With the cartoony cover and cutesy title, I expected a light, chick-lit style story, but this was a highly thoughtful, touching, and at times, quite dark, contemporary.

I can't wait to read more by Jennifer Longo.

[Book Concierge · Rating 2 out of 5]

Harper Scott and her best friend Kate have had a plan since they were tiny tykes just starting ballet classes. They will graduate early from high school, audition for the San Francisco Ballet, be hired as ballerinas and share an apartment together. But despite all her hard work and dedication, the plan falls apart. So Harper finagles a way to get to Antarctica for six months.

Really? This story line is so ridiculous that I made myself dizzy rolling my eyes. Harper is so focused on her PLAN, that she can’t see what is so obviously wrong. But she’s only a teenager. It’s the adults around her that I find so irresponsible. From her teacher, to her parents, to the “scientist” who is her supervisor in Antarctica, none of them seems to have a clue what is wrong. And then there are her long conversations with the ghosts of Shackleton, Amundsen and Scott.

On the plus side, Harper does mature (a little) over the course of the novel, and while she makes some foolish mistakes she does eventually learn some important lessons, and by the end seems to – maybe – be on the path to a happy and fulfilled adulthood.

[Ioana]

I can't assign a star rating to this book, but here's some thoughts.

Basically, I knew this would be bad (the title alone! no, sorry, it's not a cute pun, it's an indication of Longo's writing style; or that children's literature nowdays is in dire straits; or maybe I am just too old to understand). Which is why I am withholding my rating. I am clearly not the audience, and I don't have kids. Also, if I was in my "Nancy Drew" phase, I might have loved this. Especially since I have this obsession with Antarctica and this other one with ballet/dance.

A skeptic teacher grown-up perspective:
This book is for "middle-grade" readers, but the language is just atrocious. It does stray pretty close to how 8-14 year olds talk - in all respects, including when adults are speaking (adults in this book talk like 14 year olds...). Old lady, apparently, speaking: I remember "when I was young", we used to read Tom Sawyer and The Three Fat Men (Yury Olesha). These works, while appealing to younger children as well as to adults, do not condescend to their audience while engaging in "baby talk". They present adults speaking as such and they illuminate landscapes from a broader perspective than that of a still growing child. In the process, they actually teach kids something about the world around them from new angles, not just those that a child can relate to in an emotional way, on her/his own terms.

But then again, I also underwent my Nancy Drew and Sweet Valley High periods. No offense to these series, because clearly they spoke to me at a particular time. But yeah, rereading these as an adult, I cringe all the way through at the casual misogyny, racism, adherence to stereotypes, promulgation of an ethic of consumerism, etc, etc. Now, Up to This Pointe isn't so much of that as it is the 21st century version of this girly-pulp that appeals to emotionally questioning young ladies. Which is fine, for that purpose... Free Therapy for Ballet-Loving and/or Failure-Fearing and/or Acceptance-Seeking girls.

I teach in a high school, and always get super excited when I see kids "sneak-reading" a book from the library (not for a class) under their desk... I almost want to give bonus points when that happens - skipping out on integrating functions so you can catch up on a book? GREAT! Who cares what it is? They are reading a book, and not texting! It's amazing, rarely happens. So of course I'm happy when the kids these days are reading anything. Also, I went through that phase, so who am I to judge?


If you are an adult, I would caution you to NOT read this book, unless you want to experience the world through a superficial, woe-is-me, tween-angst veneer for a bit.

If you are a young person, and this books' description, title, author, publisher, cover, cover blurb or whatever sounds appealing to you, read it!!

[rachel, x · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s been forty minutes now of writing and rewriting this review. It’s kind of ridiculous that I’m so tongue-tied when it comes to this book! All you really need to know is how I loved it, right? Right.

Okay, so here it is: I picked up this story because of Nick (@ Nick and Nereyda’s Infinite Booklist)’s fabulous review, and the mere mention of ballet and Antarctica in one novel seemed too good to pass up.

And it was almost too good to be true. This story spoke to me on a personal level. It’s one of those quiet but powerful stories that are completely character-driven but somehow manage to be enthralling and unputdownable. The setting was just…*flails*. Antarctica! Penguins! The cold! I couldn’t have asked for me. It was everything the story needed, and worked wonders. The writing manage to completely capture the atmosphere, and spin it so it worked well with the story. I could go on and on about the setting and writing forever, if you wanted me to… which I assume you don’t, so moving on. Harper was a hell of a protagonist. I love strong female protagonist that don’t need to kick ass or slay dragons to show it. Harper was well-developed and realistic, flawed but working on it. Couldn’t have asked for a better MC. The romance had a minor role in the story (like really minor) which was great. It focused on Harper, and Harper’s journey more than anything. Oh, and the female relationships in this book were spot on too! The San Francisco flashbacks could be a little confusing and were a little duller IMO than the Antarctic sections, which was probably my biggest complaint about the story. But the ballet scenes completely overrode all of that. We need to take a second to thank the lords and gods and deities that a YA book finally got ballet culture written down correctly. Shocking, right? I know. But Jennifer Longo did and it made me weep with joy. Seriously.

All-together this book was just beautiful. It tugged at my heartstrings, and I loved that it was realistic and easy to read too. I’d definitely recommend this if you enjoyed Rules for 50/50 Chances or Things We Know by Heart.

[Paula Stokes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because I met the author at an event and she seemed really nice and also because Antarctica. I'm a total sucker for books set in faraway places, especially ones with penguins. Oh yes, there are penguins.

I didn't expect to tear through the book in a day and a half and feel compelled to be up at 0130 writing a Goodreads review for it, but Up to This Pointe blew me away and I gotta tell someone. See, I like most books that I read, but I'd say fewer than 5% of them *really* affect me in a deep and personal way.

The voice was whip-smart and biting (perfect given the circumstances), the characters endearing, the settings absolute perfection. I also loved the relationships present, particularly the ones between Harper and her best friend, Harper and the kids she teaches, and Harper and the other women on her research team. There were so many complex but ultimately healthy and uplifting relationships in this book.

But what left me crying in my pillowcase in the middle of the night is that fact that Longo didn't write yet another story of a girl who dedicated herself completely to something she loved and ended up being rewarded for her hard work when all her dreams came true. She wrote a book about a girl who dedicated herself completely to something (in this case, ballet) and *didn't* see all her dreams come true. She gave 110% her whole life and it wasn't enough! These may not be the fairytales we want, but they're the stories some of us need.

Despite what TV shows and self-help books and Eminem are telling us, success is not a simple matter of dedication and hard work. Sometimes what you want doesn't pan out, and stories like this remind us that "failure" is okay, that we have options, that we can choose to do the thing we love in a different way or maybe we'll choose to love something else or maybe we'll have to take a break and go to Antarctica--put life on pause to heal and reflect--before we choose anything at all.

It's easy to want to believe that with enough practice and dedication and hard work that we can truly achieve our wildest dreams. It would be nice if the world was like that. But it isn't--I know this first-hand. However, that doesn't mean we can't find a way to be happy. That's what Longo captures so perfectly here.

I encourage everyone who has their heart set on One Singular Goal, whether it's getting into Harvard or becoming a ballerina or becoming an NYT bestselling author, etc. to read this novel. And if that doesn't describe you, read it anyway, because penguins :)

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harper and her best friend, Kate, had a plan to become professional dancers. In addition to practice, practice, practice, they would graduate early, and avoid romantic entanglements. But even the best laid plans can come undone, and Harper finds herself untethered. In an effort to get her life back on track, she weasels her way into a science program in Antartica, where she slowly comes to terms with the loss of her dream.

I was so captivated by Longo's latest release, What I Carry, that I ran to read more of her books. I picked this one, because, as a retired dance mom, I love stories about dancers. But, this book was an even better fit for me, because it's about grief and loss. No, no one died in this book, but Harper was still mourning a profound loss - the loss of her dream.

Harper lived for ballet. It was a life sustaining force for her, and here she was, so close to the future she dreamed of. The auditions were just a few short weeks away, when it all started to unravel. The idea, that if we dedicate ourselves and work hard, anything could be ours, but that's not always the case, and it was a hard truth for Harper to face. It was heartbreaking to hear her talk about the death of her ballet dream. There's one scene, where she described dance as a lover, who had rejected her. Her words were soaked in pain, and made my heart ache.

But, this book didn't just highlight Harper's failure, I also got to see her find a new, life-fulfilling dream. Along the way, I enjoyed so many wonderful, fun, and joyful events, and it was really interesting too.

Once again, Longo incorporated some historical figures. This time, I got to read a bit about the explorers, who raced to the South Pole. It was really beautiful how Longo was able to find a common thread between Harper and the explorers' journeys, and I loved that she was descended from one of the these intrepid explorers.

I was also a fan of the alternating narrative. It flipped between the present in Antartica and the past in San Francisco. The two timelines were lined up in such a wonderful way, that they fed off one another, with similar themes emerging at both points in time.

Although I was never a dancer, it was easy to relate to this story. It's quite a "growing up" moment, when you have to accept, that you cannot necessarily have everything you want. It also takes a lot of strength to use that pain, learn from it, and move forward. I think that's one of the biggest reasons I loved this book so much.

She was down, but never out, and it was easy to root for Harper as she properly grieved. Longo gave Harper a whole crew of amazing people to help her through this, and her new dream was even more magnificent, than the original.

Overall: A beautifully written story, which was full of hope.


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[The Candid Cover (Olivia & Lori) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review on The Candid Cover

Up to This Pointe by Jennifer Longo combines two elements I love most in YA–sports and travel. Following a dancer who goes to Antarctica after her plan doesn’t work out, this is a touching story with a strong main character. I especially enjoyed the writing style, and the way the dual timelines are linked is clever. I would definitely recommend this one, especially to those who, like myself, are looking for a book with a unique setting.

Harper Scott has a plan: graduating high school early, then auditioning to the San Francisco School of Ballet with her best friend, who she will share an apartment with as she lives her life as a ballerina. However, life doesn’t always go according to plan. Now, having escaped her problems by travelling to Antarctica, Harper is forced to re-evaluate her life and find where she belongs. I’m a sucker for any book about sports as well as any book about travel, and this one delivers on both. I have never read a book set in Antarctica before, so I was excited to explore this setting along with Harper. Ultimately, this is a heartfelt and empowering story about what happens when everything you live for slowly falls out of the picture.

❀ EASY TO ROOT FOR MAIN CHARACTER

As a main character, Harper is easy to root for. Her passion for dance is visible on each page, and it is heartbreaking when her carefully constructed plan starts to fall apart. She has sacrificed so much for dance, and I really sympathized with her as she deals with the grief of the loss of her dream. Harper has a beautiful growth throughout the story as she starts to find herself again, and I loved reading about the friendships she develops at the research station in Antarctica.

❀ VIVID DESCRIPTIONS

This book is also expertly crafted, and it is filled with vivid descriptions. The Antarctica setting in particular is impressively portrayed, and I can tell that a great amount of research went into the story. Longo does an excellent job capturing the atmosphere of the research station, and I could easily picture myself there. What really stood out to me, though, is the dual timelines. the book alternates between the past in San Francisco and the present in Antarctica smoothly. At first, I wasn’t sure how both the world of dance and Antarctica would fit together, but I was impressed by the way they are linked thematically by survival.

❀ A MOVING STORY

Up to This Pointe by Jennifer Longo is a moving story about finding yourself after losing your dream. I enjoyed the unique setting, and the main character undergoes an inspiring transformation. The book is also well-written, and I loved the way both timelines fit together. Those looking for a raw and empowering contemporary will enjoy this one.

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Antarctica, ballet, and science….all together in one story. What in the world?

That’s exactly what was going through my mind when this book came across my nightstand for review.

I almost passed on it because it just sounded so weird, but it’s because of the weirdness that I decided to review it.

I knew one of two things was going to happen…..either it would totally work or it totally wouldn’t and I would know immediately which it was! I was impressed by how quickly this story sucked me in.

Everything about this novel worked! I loved the Antarctica setting for a big chunk of the book. It was so different and unique for a setting. I was captivated by the whole T3 illness, the science center, the South Pole, the penguins…..I mean everything! I found myself Googling trips to Antarctica between readings because I desperately want to go there now…..so when I get $45,000 for that trip I will be heading that way LOL.

Anyway, so this was a great story. I was sucked in from the beginning. At times Harper was a little whiny and cried a lot of my taste but then again her whole life is crumbling into a giant mess all around her so it made sense. It’s hard to say goodbye to a dream you have had your entire life, especially when you have sacrificed so much…..from friends to bone surgery…..everything. I thought Longo captured that feeling flawlessly.

This novel moved quickly because of the alternating settings and time periods. I was able to connect with most of the characters and was invested in the story and their lives. The only thing that bothered me about this book was the swift unexplained exit of Aiden. I feel like by doing that, it didn’t force Harper to make a choice and I wanted her to make a choice about that situation rather than have it made for her. That’s the only thing that kept this from being a 5 star book for me.

It was so different and so unique, I loved so much about this book, but I was mostly in love with the setting. It was a daring stroke of genius for the author to try out this kind of formula but Longo nailed it! It worked so so so well! This was a completely different kind of YA book for me……you don’t have to know anything about ballet, science, or Antarctica to love this book!

See my full review here

[Kelly Hager · Rating 4 out of 5]

You don't need to like science or ballet (or penguins) to appreciate this story. All you need is to understand the feeling that sometimes we need to reset our lives and start all over from scratch. And I think everyone can understand and appreciate that feeling.

Harper's life is ballet. She's even got a Plan for it. She and her best friend are going to become professional ballerinas and work for a company in San Francisco. Except when that plan has to change, she has no idea what to do. Her entire life up to this point has been training for that. So...now what?

And because there's really nothing else for her, she ends up in Antarctica. And I know a lot of people are of the mindset that it's not good to run away from your life, but sometimes you have to. And Harper's not running so much as taking an extended vacation. She plans to go home, just...not for a while.

I love this story and want to go back and read her backstory.

Recommended.

[Jacquelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked having both the then and now aspects of this book. The then parts took place in San Francisco while the now parts took place in Antarctica. I think I enjoyed the then parts more because I liked learning about Harper's life back home, ballet career, and family. The Antarctica parts were interesting but did get boring after a while. I didn't really like Aiden's character and I thought that whole part of the story was useless.

I did enjoy this one but I wasn't totally pulled in. I simply liked it, nothing more and nothing less. I was sort of expecting a tad bit more from this one but it was cute and I am glad I read it.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars: A wonderful story that explores heartache, future uncertainty while blending San Fransisco with Antarctica.

Harper finally arrives in Antarctica, prepared to spend the next six months cut off from civilization as she endures an Antarctica Winter Over. For Harper, it is the perfect escape from her real life. After spending the last seventeen years of her life dedicated to ballet, Harper has been dealt a crushing blow. Unfortunately, Harper will soon discover while marooned on Antarctica, that you can't outrun your past or your future, and that she will have to deal with her disappointment sooner than later. The question is will she survive the Antarctica Winter?

What I Liked:
*Up to This Pointe is one of the most interesting and wonderful YA contemporaries I have read in a long time. In all honesty, I was about ready to give up on this genre, but thankfully, this fantastic book came along and restored my hope and faith in YA contemp. This is a beautifully written book that explores one young girl's heartache and grief as she finds her dreams for the future crumbling around her. What makes this book stand out is that it takes the reader to Antarctica in the heart of winter. How often do you read books set in Antarctica? I assure you, it is worth reading just to learn more about Antarctica.
*You would think that the world of ballet, science and Antarctica would never blend together in a novel, but Ms. Longo pulls it off brilliantly. I loved moving back and forth in time, exploring Harper's past life as a ballerina, and then seeing her in the present day, wintering on a science station in Antarctica. I was completely enthralled and fascinated by all things Antarctica. I can tell the author spent a great deal of time researching in order to write this story. She does a tremendous job with the world building, so much so, that I could practically feel the mind numbing, bone chilling cold. The descriptions of the sky and stars were breathtaking. I was convinced I should pack up and head to Antarctica. Then you are treated to scenes in San Fransisco. Those scenes were just as lovely and detailed. I absolutely loved both settings, and I thought Ms. Longs did a brilliant job with her world building.
*Harper is a tremendous character. She is seventeen years old, on the brink of heading into her future. Harper has spent her entire life preparing and sacrificing to become a ballerina, it is her life long dream. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she has worked, Harper doesn't have the perfect ballerina body, and her dreams are quickly squashed, leading her to escape to Antarctica. Her pain and grief are heart wrenching, and I think we can all relate as we recall this trying period in our lives. I liked watching her work through it, and I loved the way she finally conquered her grief, and disappointment while finding the courage to move forward into her future. Yes, she makes some mistakes, but who doesn't?
*For all you romance lovers, there is a bit of a romance in this one. Even though it was a bit one sided, I still loved how it played out, and I couldn't help but adore Owen, who wouldn't a guy like Owen?
The other thing that I loved about this book was all the history that the author includes. I know very little about Antarctica, and this novel tells the tales of the three famous explorers who sacrificed and died to make it to the South Pole. I was fascinated, and now I want to know more. I loved that this book educated me on Antarctica.
*The ending brings the book to a satisfying close, even though I wanted more story, I was pleased with the way it all settled out.
And The Not So Much:
*I have to admit, this book does stretch the imagination a bit. It wasn't exactly realistic that a teenager with no scientific background would suddenly be selected to go to Antarctica, yes the author does a decent job of establishing how she did it, but I still didn't think it was realistic at all. Not a big issue, but for those of you who want a believable story, this will not work for you.
The romance was a tiny bit disappointing because I didn't like how Harper handled it, which made *Owen come across as a bit too good to be true. I don't think many guys would have been as patient and as dedicated. Furthermore, there is a tiny bit of a love triangle because Harper becomes involved with a young man on Antarctica. Even though I had some niggles with the romance, I liked the way it played out, and I enjoyed it.
*Toward the end, a lot of details started to get glossed over. I didn't like that I was left wondering about several things. For instance, why did Aiden suddenly do what he did without an explanation? I also wanted to know more about how Harper got selected and how she explained to her parents about Antarctica and all of that, it was left out. I also wanted to know more about Vivian, Harper's Antarctica roommate.
*Even though the ending is nice, I felt like there was more. I wanted to see how Harper worked everything out with Kate, and I wanted to see her moving forward. I would love for the story to have had an Epilogue.

Up To This Pointe is a terrific YA contemp that manages to blend ballet and Antarctica. I loved the creativity, the originality and the setting. I especially enjoyed learning more about Antarctica and it's fascinating history. This is a book that I highly recommend to everyone, even if you aren't a fan of YA contemp. It is totally worth reading for the world building. I also appreciated that the main character is working through a difficult period in her life as she transitions into adulthood. Grab this one, it is perfect for winter!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

[Nadja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm positively surprised about the depth of this young adult contemporary. Harper is a full-fleshed character and one easily connects with her life dilemma. The alternative chapters creates a nice tension but I admit that I preferred being in Antartica a little bit more. And now I want to go of course to the Antartica and see the Adélies as Harper did.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I seem to have quite the unpopular opinion when it comes to this one.

This book has received nearly only positive reviews. When I scroll through this page there is a sea of four and five star reviews, which once again leaves me wondering; did I miss something?

I tend to be hard on contemporary novels; it’s either hit or miss. There is a specific way that I like to see them written; usually profoundly if it’s a sad book, lighthearted and funny otherwise, but you’ll get the most points from me if the main character feels realistic.

This book had a lot of issues from the get go. I knew within the first couple of chapters that the writing and I weren’t going to get along, so maybe I didn’t give it enough of a chance. Written in first person present tense, the writing still somehow felt detached from the narrator, at least to me.

The most important thing, to me, in any book is the characters. If I’m not connected to the characters by halfway then there’s no hope for me enjoying that book, and never for a second was I connected to, or even interested in, any of these characters and their relationships with one another.

The story follows Harper Scott, aspiring ballet dancer, who is currently in a science program in Antarctica, seemingly trying to recover from some sort of traumatic event related to her ballet dancing.

The (long) chapters flip back and forth between Harper’s time in Antarctica and her life before in San Francisco. The Antarctica storyline lacked atmosphere and neither storyline was particularly eventful or interesting.

For me, this book was boring. Plot is important to me, and if you’re going to go for a story focused more on character than plot I have to be interested in the main character, and Harper was not a strong narrator nor was she a character I related to.

Overall a complete miss and letdown for me, but let’s keep in mind that this is a novel that has received a whole lot of praise. Just because it wasn’t for me doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it. I do not recommend this one, though I do suggest checking out some of the positive reviews to see if it might be more suited to your liking.

[Kelly]

Annoying and unnecessary fat joke aside, this is a delightful read. It's set in San Francisco, as well as in Antarctica. Harper thought she knew her entire life and had a plan with her best friend: they'd been ballerinas forever. When they graduated, they'd get positions in the San Francisco Ballet, a loft downtown, and they'd live their dreams. Together.

Things don't turn out that way, though, which is how Harper ends up in Antarctica. It was some string pulling and some creative truth telling that got her there, but it's an opportunity to rethink her future. To make plans and unmake some, too.

The writing is fun and enjoyable, and the settings are so well rendered. The idea of home and distance are well done, and I loved how Longo tackled the idea of needing a plan for one's life vs. letting it unfold the way it's meant to. The only thing I felt lacking was that there's really not a whole lot of tension. You know the "after" since it happens before the "before" in the alternating timelines/settings. That doesn't make it less enjoyable, but it does make you know from the start that things are going to be okay.

Readers who love ballet will enjoy this, as will those who want a story set somewhere totally different. Penguins! Antarctica! I also appreciated the Lake Woebegone thread with Vivian, one of the other young people at the station down south, and thought it tied nicely with the idea of what perfection is vs. what real life is like.

This is another book that reminds me of Hilary T Smith's A SENSE OF THE INFINITE, especially about friendships that were based around a Plan that changes, about needing to hit bottom before climbing out, and the value of self-discovery.

[Rynn Yumako · Rating 1 out of 5]

My first DNF this year. *sigh*

I got to about 80% when I realized I didn't care about any of the characters here. The whole setting of Antarctica, the implausible way Harper got there, the weird and impossible things that went down there, in a research facility with scientists and probably a lot of money invested in it, it just didn't make any sense and I couldn't suspend my disbelief even for a moment when I was reading those parts.

The other aspect of this book was more believable and I'd have loved to read more about the way Harper and Kate's relationship changed. Those parts were done really well, and I even felt sorry for Harper when she found out that she just wasn't cut out for ballet even after all the years and hard work she invested in it. But you had to bring in this asinine Antarctica plot that just felt weird and totally out of place and I was never once convinced that things could actually happen like that.

Also: adults behaved like teenagers, teenagers felt like adults, there was a weird sublot with Harper's brother working for freaking LucasArts, the love interest(s) had no personality and no chemistry with Harper whatsoever, the side characters were laughable, and I could go on.

There was a good story in there somewhere, but it got lost amidst all the improbable weirdness. Well, for me at least.

[Dahlia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is such a special book, and I love that it has a great setting and an adorable romance and great friendships but is really still about a girl's journey to find herself and lay the course of her life when she's been thrown for a major loop. It's a great example of a book that really sits on the YA/NA border in terms of still being a teen but very much looking toward the future. It's a must-read if you're into ballet YAs (or just heroines who are super passionate about their hobbies in general - which is my crack) and I swear I mean zero cheesy pun-i-ness when I say the Antarctic setting is really cool. I really loved what Longo did with this book, and though it's not a fast read, it's a delightfully immersive one.

[Alexa (Alexa Loves Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

FIRST THOUGHTS: I quite enjoyed Up to this Pointe! There's something really appealing about reading the story of a girl who is just trying to figure things out when it comes to her own line. While Harper (not after To Kill a Mockingbird) does find herself in rather extraordinary (and slightly dramatic) circumstances, I still felt a kinship with her that I wasn't expecting. Definitely consider this a good read!

[Zemira Warner]

There's nothing wrong with this book. I just don't think I was in the mood for contemporary novels when I picked it up so I won't even rate it.

[Willow Rosenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book combines Antarctica and ballet - two things which are interesting but I had never thought I would see them combined! It made for a very interesting story and I liked how it intertwined with the two timelines.

I also related a lot to Harper's struggles, because I too used many years dancing ballet and wanting to be a proffesional ballet dancer before I realised it wasn't realistic. It hit close to home for me and I really appreciated seeing that portrayed in a novel: how hard it can be when your reality is not what you dreamed it would be. But instead I found other things I enjoy as well. Life has a way og doing that if you let it.

It was such a good message and a great book, although I wished there had been a bit more character devolpment for Harper. It felt rushed in the end and also her relationship with Owen. But overall I did really like this book and I think it's amazing because it's different from many other contemperary YA out there with its unusual topics.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many YA books have you read that are partly set in Antartica? Yes. Antartica. For me, that would be a big fat zero. I didn't even need to fully read the synopsis because as soon as I saw Antartica, I knew that I would read the book even if the story didn't sound like it would be for me. Up to this Pointe is a book that sneaked up on me, punched me in the feels, and in the end left me with a book that I connected on many different levels. 

It's a story of  heartbreak - the progression, culmination and aftermath of it. We often think of heartbreak with having to do with romantic love, but Up to this Pointe explores a different kind, one that deals with a young woman's entire life and eventually how she slowly finds her way back home. On the surface, our protagonist, Harper Scott, and I share nothing in common. She's an elegant ballet dancer and I'm the complete opposite of that. Yet, I connected so deeply with her and her predicament. You see, at the moment, I am in Harper's position, having been told that no matter how hard I worked, I just wasn't good enough for the field that I have worked my entire life towards. For Harper that's ballet, for me,  it's science.

It's not very often that I come across heroines like Harper who I understand so thoroughly, so reading this book was such a pleasure for me. Not to mention, Harper's voice was so realistic, her shortcomings, self-doubt and grief, especially coming to life through the pages. She's perfectly flawed, at times making terrible mistakes, but also learning to rise from them. Up to this Pointe was Harper's story through and through, but I loved how her friends, family and love interest played such substantial roles in the book - without them, Harper's journey wouldn't have been as amazing and emotional. Family and friendship are the heart and soul of Up to this Pointe and it's yet another reason why this book worked so well for me.

Yet another great part of the book was the dual San Francisco and Antarctica setting. I don't often enjoy books told in alternating past and present chapters - the latter set in Antarctica and the former, San Francisco - because I think it impedes the flow of the story, but with Up to this Pointe, I had no such struggles. While both settings were written phenomenally, the wanderlust in me had a small preference for the Antarctica chapters. It was portrayed vividly and I swear I could feel the Antarctica cold seeping into my bones while reading the book. Yes, it was THAT  well-written. Not to mention, the lab setting appealed very much to me. What made those chapters even greater however, were the two girls, Charlotte and Vivian, that Harper befriended and who eventually help her find her way back home.

That's not to say that the past San Fransisco chapters weren't great though. I liked them a lot, especially, because the family was portrayed in them, but also because of Owen, the entirely too adorable for words boy that Harper meets. His and her romance was very sweet and I loved how supportive of Harper he was and he stuck with her even while she battled with grief. I did think that Harper's "relationship" (if you can even call it that) with a boy she meets in Antarctica took a little bit away from Harper and Owen's overall story, but it also made sense because she was in the process of discovering what she wanted out of life. It didn't feel cheap or added for the sake of drama, something that I appreciated.

Up to this Pointe is my first book by Jennifer Longo, but after reading this heartbreaking, beautiful and hopeful story, there's absolutely no doubt that I'll be going back and reading her debut. This book is not only a riveting experience because of the unique setting, but it's also one that captures the voice of teenage grief, growth and hope effortlessly. This is definitely a 2016 book that's entirely worth checking out.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Also posted at Oops! I Read A Book Again*

First Line: "The thing about Antarctica that surprises me most? The condoms. They're absolutely everywhere."

With an opening like that, it was impossible for me to put down Up to this Pointe. It got me RIGHT AWAY. To me, this meant: OH, THIS IS A MAIN CHARACTER I'M GOING TO GET ALONG WITH. And you know what? I did. I was immediately 100% invested in Harper Scott.

Truth be told, I thought this was a middle-grade novel because of the cover. I know, I know, as if illustrated means middle-grade. Which was why I was so confounded on how a pre-teen could have been to Antarctica to escape. So when I actually read its blurb, *facepalm*, what was I thinking?

Where do I even start? Maybe that I'm grateful that this is my first read for 2016. That this is exactly what I needed right now, when I'm constantly trying to think about my ~future~ and escaping it too.

What made me love this novel was its main character, Harper. The novel is narrated by her and for the majority of the novel, we alternate from the present in Antarctica and several months back in San Francisco. We know that Harper escaped to Antarctica to rethink her life but why? What pushed her to choose isolating herself there? We get to know the full story as we see what went down in San Francisco all those months ago. And while we get to understanding the full depth of Harper's struggles, we also see her try to find her footing and move forward in the present. I was totally invested in both timelines and I give mad props to Jennifer Longo for that because I usually prefer one timeline in cases like this.

Harper is a ballet dancer and she's trained all her life, forgone everything and worked her ass off to pay for classes, graduate early, and to get into the San Francisco Ballet Company. With her best friend Kate, they have The Plan, which they follow religiously. No dating, no distraction, sharing an apartment once they're in. Ohmygod, I just love how serious and dedicated Harper is in her dream of becoming a ballerina. If only I worked hard as her, who knows how accomplished I might be? All the sacrifices, all the hours spent practicing, hours spent babysitting so she can afford her classes, even teaching ballet to kids for her tuition too. She is a freakin' rock star and wow, WHAT A STRONG CHARACTER.

I don't know anything about ballet except pointe shoes and pirouettes but Jennifer Longo was able to make me care and make me interested in it. And that is a major plus for me. And apparently, Jen herself danced ballet!

Up to this Pointe is a character-driven novel and I was all aboard it as Harper is a character I wanted to know more and see grow. The other characters were such a delight too! In fact, there's really no some sort of villain in here because people are sweet and kind and the love shows. And HELLO GOOD LORD GIVE ME AN OWEN, PLEASE. Owen was such a great love interest I was swooning so much! But he's not only sweet and all that, he and Harper talk about the future and what they want to do, serious stuff and I looooove it.

The novel tackles a lot of things: after-college, career, love (for family, for art, etc), a bit on divorce, science (!!!!), how to deal with people, grief (of a dream), diversity, feeling lost, ACK THERE'S A LOT GOING ON. Sure, the novel is a bit long but every single page was worth it. AND THERE ARE PENGUINS MY HEART HELLO IS IT STILL BEATING. The magical moments Harper experienced while at Antarctica, seeing the penguins? I want that. Jennifer Longo is able to bring you everywhere she wants to. Geographically to Antarctica but more importantly, emotionally. I was with Harper every step of the way and I completely felt her being lost, her sadness, everything. It's a testament to what a great writer Jen is.

UP TO THIS POINTE by Jennifer Longo is that book that made me alternately laugh, swoon, cry (a lot), and muse. I've always been into books dealing with grief, the loss of a loved one. But what if it's not a loved one? What if it's a dream? What do you do when you're lost? This book is marvelously written with a voice that rang true. Moreover, I got to learn about Antarctica (It was so interesting!) and that's a plus. (Antarctica! I didn't even know you can visit it as a tourist. New life goal.)

P.S. Freakin' Star Wars love and references in this book. As if I needed more reasons to love it.