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Review: Leap by Simina Popescu

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Leap by Simina Popescu

Leap
Simina Popescu
Roaring Brook Press
Published November 12, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Leap

A coming-of-age graphic novel following two dancers at a conservative performing arts school―exploring friendship, first love, and what it means to fall out of step with your own dreams.

Ana has been studying contemporary dance since she was little, but her heart isn’t in it anymore. Instead her focus is on Carina―a beautiful, ambitious ballerina whose fear of being outed keeps Ana in the closet and their fragile relationship from seeing the light of day. Risking her own career, Ana gives up more and more in order to fit into the shadows of Carina’s life.

Sara, on the other hand, is fielding whispers she may be the best dancer their school has produced in years. Much of that is thanks to her mentor and instructor, Marlena, who plucked Sara from the classical track and encouraged her to blossom as a contemporary dancer. Sara has always been in awe of Marlena, but recently, that admiration has sparked into something more, and Sara’s not sure what to do about it.

As junior year at their performing arts school begins, Ana and Sara are assigned as roommates. What starts off as a tentative friendship soon becomes a much-needed anchor.

My Review

It was so fun reading a dance book this week. Earlier tonight (the day I’m writing this), I started taking a tap class, which marks the first dance class I’ve taken in a long time. I’m excited about it. So the timing of reading Leap was really great for me.

One of the things that’s truly incredible about this graphic novel is the way that the panels capture the motion of dance. Some characters are in a contemporary dance program, and others are in a ballet program, so it shows two different kinds of dance, and I think the illustrations differentiate them well. I only spotted one panel in which I think the position of a dancer’s foot wasn’t right for the ballet move that she seemed to be performing.

The story is really sweet, too. It follows two characters. One, Ana, is in a long-term relationship that started out really well but has hit some bumps. The other character, Sara, has a huge crush on someone she shouldn’t, and she’s trying to understand her feelings and figure out what to do. When the girls become roommates, they bond as friends, and it isn’t too long before they begin speaking hard truths to one another. I loved getting to see their friendship flourish and to see the journey they each had with dancing.

I think readers who enjoy books in international settings or books about dance and relationships will find a lot to love in Leap.

Content Notes for Leap

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Ana and some other characters are queer.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
A few F-bombs and some other swearing used somewhat infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
One character makes some negative comments about her body. Ballet instructors also say cruel things to the dancers about their weight and bodies. Some homophobic comments, usually well-meaning, but hurtful. The girls talk about someone whose career was ruined after she was outed.

Drug Content
Characters drink alcohol in several scenes. (They’re underage.)

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Daughter of the Bone Forest by Jasmine Skye

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Daughter of the Bone Forest (Witch Hall #1)
Jasmine Skye
Feiwel & Friends
Published February 27, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Daughter of the Bone Forest

Two girls reluctantly bound by fate must weather a dangerous courtship as a prophesied war grows ever closer in Jasmine Skye’s high-stakes, queernormative dark fantasy debut, DAUGHTER OF THE BONE FOREST.

Rosy is a bone familiar, gifted with the power to shift into animals marked with exposed bone. She spends most of her days in the magical Bone Forest, caring for her feral grandmother and hiding her powers to avoid conscription by the Witch King’s army. Until the day that Princess Shaw, a witch known as Death’s Heir, visits the Forest. When Rosy saves Shaw’s life, the princess offers her the chance to attend the prestigious school, Witch Hall, as payment. Though Rosy is wary of Shaw’s intentions, she cannot pass up the opportunity to find the cure for her grandmother’s affliction.

But at Witch Hall, Rosy finds herself embroiled in political games she doesn’t understand. Shaw wants Rosy for her entourage, a partner to help lead the coming war. All Rosy wants is to stay out of trouble until she can graduate and save her grandmother, but she can’t deny her attraction to Shaw or the comfort Shaw’s magic gives her. Will Rosy give in to her destiny, or will the Bone Forest call her home once and for all?

My Review

I got totally lost in this book. It’s the first in a series, but I kept forgetting that as I read it. I loved both main characters– Rosy and Shaw. Rosy’s scenes are told in first person point of view, and Shaw’s are in third person, so I immediately felt closer to Rosy, which I think was the point. Shaw is so closed and carefully measured and controlled.

The romance arc in this one was honestly pretty perfect for me. I think a higher percentage of the girl/girl romances I’ve read have either had an insta-love vibe, and that’s really not my favorite kind of romance to read. This one is much more in the slow burn lane, which has (especially lately) been a favorite flavor of romance for me. So DAUGHTER OF THE BONE FOREST knocked it out of the park for me as a reader in terms of its romance elements.

I also find the magic system really intriguing and different. There are magic users (witches) and shapeshifters (familiars) who often bond with one another for magic and life benefits. I can’t remember all the different magic classes, but I know there was bone magic, which the main characters use. There’s also flower magic and maybe ice magic?

Most of the story takes place at the magic school (Witch Hall) so the book also has a magic boarding school vibe to it, too. I see that more often in middle grade books, so it was really fun to get to read a young adult novel with that element for a change.

All in all, I would absolutely call this one a win for me. I really look forward to where the series goes. I’m already excited for the second book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
I don’t remember there being a lot of physical character descriptions. One character is nonbinary. Another is bigender. Some minor characters are in same-gender couples. The two major characters (both girls) enter a courting relationship with each other.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. Kissing between two boys.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic of certain types. Other characters have the ability to shapeshift into one or more animal forms. Often, a witch (magic user) will bond with a familiar (shapeshifter), and both receive a power boost.

Violent Content
Situations of peril and battle violence. In one scene, men light a group of unarmed students and a young villager on fire.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of DAUGHTER OF THE BONE FOREST in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.