May 19, 2026
I love it when YA deals with real issues kids face, so I was crazy excited to hear about Stephanie Cardel's This Isn't Shakespeare. From what direction her life should go to peer pressure of various kinds, Cardel weaves a story that I feel is important. Listen in and learn why.
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This Isn't Shakespeare by Stephanie Cardel
To be or not to be…a
professional dancer. Seventeen-year-old Madison is a hopeless
romantic who loves quoting Shakespeare and dreams of becoming a
professional ballet dancer—a dream she hides, afraid of
disappointing her mom and her boyfriend. But when her dreams fall
apart, she believes it’s a sign from God that she should commit to
her boyfriend and make a new dream.
When she realizes God wouldn’t give her a sign that points her to
sin, the happily-ever-after she’s planned crumbles. Now Madison
must confront the lies she’s told herself and all the red flags
she’s ignored. In the process, she begins to understand that
seeking God’s will may not lead to a perfectly scripted ending—but
it might just lead to something real.
Learn more on Stephanie's WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub.
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