I think the author does a good job of covering the mixed feelings of being a teen- when so much time is spent questioning and trying to figure things out. I'm not a modern dancer, but I thought her descriptions and integrations of dance were well written. I wasn't completely riveted, but I did think she covered the coming of age genre better than most. ( )

Natalie Ferguson just turned fifteen. Things are going to change, because, according to her, she’s a grown up now. To top things off, Kevin, her best friend Sasha’s brother, is suddenly interested in her and Natalie is thrilled. She jumps into the relationship with full force, but the honeymoon period can only last so long. While some days with Kevin are wild and amazing, others are awful. The biggest issue is she’s lost Sasha and has no one to turn to, not even her divorcee mother, who has decided she is now in love with a woman.

The only place Natalie has to turn is to her dance classes. She throws herself into them, despite the fact that her dance teacher appears to dislike her. That all changes when Petra, Ms. Kelly’s new assistant, sees something special in Natalie’s dancing. Through Petra’s choreography, Natalie is able to lose herself in this new (to her) style of dance, which helps her work out the other issues in her life.

Leap was a very nice read. I felt Ms. Lundgren accurately depicts the life of a young dancer. I loved the imagery invoked by her descriptions. I could practically see the dance unfolding before me. On the other hand, readers without a dance background or at least an understanding of various dance terms may be lost and confused over what is happening. Though I didn’t feel strongly about Natalie, I did feel she was a realistic character, dealing with realistic issues – divorced parents, absent father, distant mother who reads all the time and finds herself falling for another woman, a destructive friendship and a semi-abusive relationship – the list of issues is long and seemed to be almost a little too much. Still, the book is enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone who loves the art of dance.

(Review based on a paperback copy courtesy of the publisher. I received this book in exchange for an honest review) ( )