Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton

Shiny Broken Pieces by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton
Release Date - July 12, 2016

Publisher Website - Harper Collins
Publisher Social Media - Twitter/Facebook/SavvyReader/Frenzy
Pages - 384 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from publisher for an honest review**

**SPOILERS FOR TINY PRETTY THINGS**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

June, Bette, and Gigi have given their all to dance at Manhattan’s most elite ballet school. Now they are competing one final time for a spot at the prestigious American Ballet Company. With the stakes higher than ever, these girls have everything to lose…and no one is playing nice.

June is starting to finally see herself as a prima ballerina. However, getting what she wants might cost her everything—including the only boy she’s ever loved. Legacy dancer Bette is determined to clear her name after she was suspended and accused of hurting her rival, Gigi. Even if she returns, though, will she ever regain the spotlight she craves? And Gigi is not going to let Bette—or the other dancers who bullied her—go unpunished. But as revenge consumes her, Gigi may be the one who pays the price.

After years of grueling auditions, torn ribbons, and broken hearts, it all comes down to this last dance. Who will make the cut? And who will lose her dream forever? 

There is a duality between the light and dark side of ballet. The pretty costumes, and movements back dropped against the pain and injuries. The determination and skill paired equally with desperation and self doubt. The Tiny Pretty Things series understands this duality and uses it to paint a portrait of very beautiful girls who are capable of some very terrible things in the name of competition and being the best.

The events that closed out the first book, specifically Gigi being pushed in front of a car, and its aftermath were the driving force of the story. We see how everyone has adjusted after the horrific events, and the fallout it has on both their relationships, and the school itself. The answer to what really happened to Gigi was not has satisfying as I wanted it to be, luckily the reminder of the book and the way the plot was woven together more than made up for this.

This book tackles a lot of topics. Jealousy, resentment, eating disorders, and bullying just to name a few. It tackles them in a way that feels realistic while also heightening the dramatic aspects of the plot. It helps the story to have what happens to these girls feel logical. Depth is added to the story by examining what leads to the decisions the characters make. Motivations are taken into account and that makes the characterization feel.earned and authentic There is also an element of determining the person you want to be tied into this story. Many of the characters show how easy it is to let revenge or resentment consume you and turn you into someone you don't really enjoy being. Above all else the notion of choice. The choices we can make and the consequences of our actions is a theme that beats throughout the entire story.

The ending will definitely leave mixed feelings. Most of the characters, for better or worse, learn something about themselves. Not all of them apply this knowledge to better themselves. The notion that those who are privileged can get away with things others cannot is not new, but it is highlighted here to great impact. There are some characters that may not deserve the ending they received but each ending felt logical and that made the ending feel satisfying; even if you wished for more (and in some cases less) for the characters.

A look at the dark heart underneath the beauty of ballet. This novel works because its characters feel like heightened versions of what actually exists in this world. A dramatic read that would feel at home as a teen television show complete with pretty actors and breathtaking dance sequences. If you're into ballet, and like your stories filled with interesting characters and intense situations this series should be on your radar.