Reviews

When It All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw

literary_moss's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

The author creates such a vivid world. As someone from near Toronto I loved that it was set there. It’s really cool to see a place that I’ve spent lots of time in depicted in a book. All the characters were so real and well developed. The mental illness and struggles of Aisha, Neil and Ollie were so well handled and accurate. I think that the characters really act their age and this is a great YA book. I can’t believe this is a debut novel as it was so well written! I can’t wait to read what else Maya Ameyaw comes up with. It really showcased how hard the ballet world can be especially for black people. There were a lot of issues covered in a short time and while all of them were done well some could have used more time to really deal with. I feel like some of the topics could be stretched into the next parts of the series to allow for a deeper dive into them. Overall, it’s a great book I really enjoyed reading. I’m still thinking about the characters!

ellacmack's review

4.0

3.75 rounded up! I read just about every dance book that comes out and this one felt different in a good way! I like that the main focus of this book is friendship and them helping each other through some really dark times. I went in with the notion it would be more romance and dance driven. Aisha is super likable and I was rooting for her throughout the entire book. The two side characters were well written and their stories felt complete which was refreshing.

Thanks NetGalley!

mamas_gotta_read's review

3.0

This gave me some serious “Backstage” vibes, and while I appreciate what the author was going for, the entire vibe was rather melodramatic. I feel like they were hoping to achieve too much here, as there are A LOT of plot points, and the story didn’t really feel finished. I love that the story spotlights a young, black ballerina dealing with the pressures that come with wanting to be successful in her art form, but it generally just seemed like too much, I really feel like if they gave the MC ONE trauma to deal with and focused solely on that one, then the story met seem more complete than it currently does.
I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Annick Press. All opinions are my own.

utopiastateofmind's review

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.) 

When It All Syncs Up is a story which begins with ballet. With the racism within the dance community and the pressures of success. The costs, secrets, and the disordered eating in the community. It's also a story focused on friendship and control. When It All Syncs Up showcases the secrets we keep from the ones we love, the support we have around us - and struggle to accept - and finding our place. 

competencefantasy's review

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I enjoyed it a lot but felt like it stopped in the middle of a story.

arcturie's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

ariellesbookreviews's review

emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Thank you to Annick Press for gifting me an ARC of When It  All Syncs Up in exchange for a review. 

When It All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw is the beautiful story of Aisha's relationship with dance and the ballet community, as well as dealing with different types of trauma as a teenager. Ameyaw creates a story cast of characters who handle adversity differently but persevere together. Ameyaw writes a cute and strong romantic relationship between Aisha and Ollie, who work together to overcome barriers in their relationship and deal with their separate traumas. 

The story itself was pretty fast-paced, and Ameyaw did not go into heavy detail about one character's trauma (sexual), which I think is a good starting point for YA novels. I  identified with Aisha's struggle in the ballet community as someone who grew up dancing and loved ballet; I never looked like my counterparts.  

When It All Syncs Up is one of my top books of the year, and the book's cover is absolutely gorgeous. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, and Eating disorder

the_resistance_book_club's review

5.0

This book definitely is a 5 star read for debut novel! First we follow the journey of Aisha, a black female ballet dancer, trying to navigate the best way she can as a teenager trying to find her identity amongst the arts of ballet. This has trigger warnings, of course. When it comes to ballet it is a did eat dog world out there especially for black women. Eating disorder, dissociation, body dysmorphia while dealing with racism, discrimination, and verbal abuse from her peers. Omg!

What I love is that the author handle the issues with delicate care. Not just with Aisha but with her friends Neil and Ollie. I wish we would’ve gotten into more of Neil’s issues but we are seeing it from Aisha’s POV. Overall great story!

Aisha is definitely a latch key kid for sure and how that affected her in her choices to not be a burden on her parents is how I was when I was a kid.

emmanuellagladman's review

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 This was one of the most beautiful, well written book I've read in a long time. I haven't connected to a book in such a long time and this book really made me feel so many things. The isn't at all like the books I normally read, I tend to lean towards reading romance and getting swept up in the fairytale endings of those sorts of books. While this book had elements of romance in it, and I loved the relationship that developed between Aisha and Ollie, it was way more about Aisha's relationship with dance. As someone who grew up dancing and is now a dance teacher, reading a story like this was so heartbreaking but also enlightening to the experiences of others. While I cannot related to Aisha's struggle with discrimination, I could related to her love-hate relationship with ballet along with the other struggles she faces over the course of the book. Another aspect of this book that I loved exploring was the friendship between Aisha and Neil and how it changed and was impacted by the things they each struggled with. I also enjoyed their connection through dance, that's an experience that I've never had but reading about it allowed me to truly enjoy the ways that dance can strengthen relationships. Another thing I loved was how both Neil and Aisha were able to explore their emotions through dance. One of my favourite things growing up in dance was how it allowed me to express emotions without using words and reading that really made me feel seen. Overall this book was beautiful and I cannot recommend it enough <3 

krakow54's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5