Cover Reveal: The Other Side of Perfect
Seeing as how I did ballet from the age of three to eighteen, it should be no surprise that The Other Side of Perfect hit me straight in the feels. Honestly, Alina’s story – or a least the beginning of it – is so similar to my own and, I would guess, that of many who danced when they were young. Alina is looking at a career in professional ballet until a serious injury puts her down for the count, destroying her dream. Cut to me at thirteen starting to look into semi-professional ballet programs only to dislocate my left knee and say adieu to that path. Don’t worry, everything worked out perfectly for me and I think I’m much happier here at the NOVL than I ever would be in a professional ballet company! But those first few years were tough and watching Alina deal with her injury and other issues in the ballet world really took me back. And most importantly, it reminded me that no matter what life throws at you, you can handle it. It might take some doing, but you can make it out the other side stronger.
Okay, enough of my blubbering. We’re here for a cover, and a cover’s what we’ll give you! Scroll down to check out The Other Side of Perfect!
For fans of Sarah Dessen and Mary H.K. Choi, this lyrical and emotionally driven novel follows Alina, a young aspiring dancer who suffers a devastating injury and must face a world without ballet—as well as the darker side of her former dream.
Alina Keeler was destined to dance, but then a terrifying fall shatters her leg—and her dreams of a professional ballet career along with it.
After a summer healing (translation: eating vast amounts of Cool Ranch Doritos and binging ballet videos on YouTube), she is forced to trade her pre-professional dance classes for normal high school, where she reluctantly joins the school musical. However, rehearsals offer more than she expected—namely Jude, her annoyingly attractive castmate she just might be falling for.
But to move forward, Alina must make peace with her past and face the racism she experienced in the dance industry. She wonders what it means to yearn for ballet—something so beautiful, yet so broken. And as broken as she feels, can she ever open her heart to someone else?
Touching, romantic, and peppered with humor, this debut novel explores the tenuousness of perfectionism, the possibilities of change, and the importance of raising your voice.
About The Author
Mariko Turk teaches writing and rhetoric classes and works as a writing tutor at the University of Colorado Boulder. She received her PhD in English from the University of Florida, with a concentration in children’s literature. The Other Side of Perfect is her debut novel.