Blog Tour: ONE, TWO, THREE by ELODIE NOWODAZKIJ

Title: One, Two, Three… 

Author: Elodie Nowodazkij 

Series: One, Two, Three #1
Publication date: June 26th 2014

Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance

BLURB

When seventeen-year-old Natalya’s dreams of being a ballerina are killed in a car accident along with her father, she must choose: shut down—like her mother—or open up to love.
Last year, Natalya was attending the School of Performing Arts in New York City. Last year, she was well on her way to becoming a professional ballerina. Last year, her father was still alive.
But a car crash changed all that—and Natalya can’t stop blaming herself. Now, she goes to a regular high school in New Jersey; lives with her onetime prima ballerina, now alcoholic mother; and has no hope of a dance career.
At her new school, however, sexy soccer player Antonio sees a brighter future for Natalya, or at least a more pleasant present, and his patient charms eventually draw her out of her shell.
But when upsetting secrets come to light and Tonio’s own problems draw her in, Natalya shuts down again, this time turning to alcohol herself.
Can Natalya learn to trust Antonio before she loses him—and destroys herself?

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Review
One, Two, Three could have been just a run of the mill YA contemporary romance, but instead Elodie Nowodazkij has created a sensitive and poignant story, which asks the reader to look at events and the character's mistakes with compassion.
Since childhood Natalya has the goal to become a prima ballerina, sacrificing a social life and friendships to train, but following the car accident which killed her Papa and left both her knees smashed, she is left grieving for everything she has lost. Natalya is not badass or even entirely streetwise and at times her vulnerability can be mistaken for naivety, but she is dedicated and caring.
As her Mama chooses to find comfort in a vodka bottle, Natalya struggles to deal with her own memories and helping her Mama heal. Natalya knows there are secrets being kept from her and Elodie Nowodazkij reveals these to her reader simultaneously with Natalya's discovery, meaning our shock is equal to hers.
The connection between Natalya and Tonio is immediately obvious, but they bring each other happiness and considering their personal difficulties this is well deserved. They share a tangible physical and emotional dynamic which adds to the intensity of the story.
Elodie Nowodazkij's story encompasses a multi-cultural society and she adds to its authenticity by using Spanish and Russian, which is not always translated.
One, Two, Three is a novel about truth, finding release and relationships. Elodie Nowodazkij's writing flows gracefully, like the ballet motif she uses and I would rush to read more of her books.
A full 5 hearts from me and a definite recommendation!
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About the Author

Elodie Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned she'd never lose her French accent. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Modern Language & Linguistics, and later earned master's degrees in German Cultural Studies and European Studies. Unbeknownst to her professors, she sometimes drafted stories in class. Now she lives in Germany with her husband and their cat (who doesn't seem to realize he's not human), and uses her commuting time to write the stories swirling in her head. She's also a serial smiley user.

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