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2016 #1
Finding Our Balance
When 15-year-old newcomer Amalia Blanchard makes a splash with her beam routine in front of the entire U.S. national team, veterans like Ruby Spencer—whose 2012 Olympic dreams were dashed due to an injury just a month before the Games—and Emerson Bedford—a two-time world champion set to run the show in Rio—start to take notice. With preliminary competitions to get through before the team trials, all three have something to prove, as Emerson struggles to maintain her queen bee status, Ruby tries to show everyone she is still a contender, and Amalia hopes she has what it takes to stand out in a talented field. Finding Our Balance follows these extraordinary teenage girls through heartbreak, triumph, and everything in between as their lifetime of training comes down to a single summer that will change their lives forever.
- GenresYoung AdultSportsFiction
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2015
8 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Hopkins
3 books223 followersLauren Hopkins began writing for The Couch Gymnast in July 2010, initially writing a few stories each year before becoming the U.S. Editor in 2012.
She founded The Gymternet in 2014, and as Editor-in-Chief, she aims to produce smart, critical, and fair gymnastics content that puts the athlete first, with live meet coverage, interviews, and profiles the cornerstone of her reporting. She also created the You Asked, The Gymternet Answered column where she answers questions and shares her knowledge to help make an often difficult-to-understand sport more accessible to fans.
As a gymnastics reporter, Lauren has covered every elite competition on U.S. soil since 2010, in addition to covering all major international competitions including world championships and the Olympic Games. In 2016, Lauren worked as an associate producer for NBC’s live digital coverage of the Rio Games, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Trans-Media Sports Coverage as part of the NBCOlympics.com team, and her writing has been featured in publications around the world, including in the Huffington Post. She has also written two young adult novels about elite gymnastics, with a third on the way.
A New England native, Lauren has lived in New York City since 2003 and earned her BA in History at Columbia University.
She founded The Gymternet in 2014, and as Editor-in-Chief, she aims to produce smart, critical, and fair gymnastics content that puts the athlete first, with live meet coverage, interviews, and profiles the cornerstone of her reporting. She also created the You Asked, The Gymternet Answered column where she answers questions and shares her knowledge to help make an often difficult-to-understand sport more accessible to fans.
As a gymnastics reporter, Lauren has covered every elite competition on U.S. soil since 2010, in addition to covering all major international competitions including world championships and the Olympic Games. In 2016, Lauren worked as an associate producer for NBC’s live digital coverage of the Rio Games, for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Trans-Media Sports Coverage as part of the NBCOlympics.com team, and her writing has been featured in publications around the world, including in the Huffington Post. She has also written two young adult novels about elite gymnastics, with a third on the way.
A New England native, Lauren has lived in New York City since 2003 and earned her BA in History at Columbia University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
December 14, 2015
I have read this book roughly 2 billion times over the past 18 months and obviously it is perfect. The author is clearly in need of a multi-million dollar advance from Scholastic and a high five from Bernie Sanders. No, make it a DOUBLE high five and a shot of tequila. For real yo I worked super duper hard on this LET ME GIVE MYSELF FIVE STARS FOR EFFORT.
November 2, 2016
3.5 stars.
Okay, so. The gymnastics stuff in this book was super good. Lauren Hopkins clearly knows what she's talking about as far as gymnastics is concerned. As someone who watches literally no Olympics other than gymnastics (and figure skating for the Winter Olympics), I have very little understanding of the sport other than "Ooooh, that looked impressive!" and "OH MY GOD OW" and "Whaaaaaaaaaat? How can a human being even do that?!?!", so a lot of the technical terminology went right over my head. But for people who DO know about gymnastics, rest assured that the author knows her stuff.
So, let's break this down into bullet points because I'm at work right now and I should be doing something productive and librarian-y rather than writing book reviews:
The Good
- The gymnastics stuff, obviously
- The three main gymnasts and the bond that develops between them
- I feel like it captured the tension of elite gymnastics competitions very well
- The writing was fun, if a little technical for those of us who can't even do a somersault
The Not So Good
- I feel like there were a few too many tangential sideplots going on?? I mean, we have . Perhaps some of them were just setting the scene for subsequent books, but it honestly did feel like there was too much happening on the sidelines and it was distracting me from the main storyline.
- Max. Seriously. Why was he even there?? He was the worst.
- There were occasional moments when it felt Tumblr-y. I work in a school with 1100 girls, I know as well as anyone that teenagers DO yell "Yaaaaaas, queen!" from time to time. But there were definitely times when the teenspeak-y moments felt a little over the top.
- It just ended. And I was not expecting it to end where it did. I mean, when I think about it, the place the ending falls makes perfect sense. But given how much talk there is about the Olympics and the fact that every chapter starts with a countdown of how many days are left, I...kind of expected it to at least go up to the point where they LEAVE for the Olympics. But no.
- There were quite a few moments that felt like obvious set up for a second book, and I found that a little frustrating. It's really just a me thing because I prefer the first book in a series to be capable of standing on its own (or at least give a semblance of standing on its own), and I'm not ENTIRELY convinced that this does??
So yeah. I did enjoy it! I just wanted less tangents and more focus. Or something. IDK. I'mma stop writing words now before my boss busts me. Okay bye.
Okay, so. The gymnastics stuff in this book was super good. Lauren Hopkins clearly knows what she's talking about as far as gymnastics is concerned. As someone who watches literally no Olympics other than gymnastics (and figure skating for the Winter Olympics), I have very little understanding of the sport other than "Ooooh, that looked impressive!" and "OH MY GOD OW" and "Whaaaaaaaaaat? How can a human being even do that?!?!", so a lot of the technical terminology went right over my head. But for people who DO know about gymnastics, rest assured that the author knows her stuff.
So, let's break this down into bullet points because I'm at work right now and I should be doing something productive and librarian-y rather than writing book reviews:
The Good
- The gymnastics stuff, obviously
- The three main gymnasts and the bond that develops between them
- I feel like it captured the tension of elite gymnastics competitions very well
- The writing was fun, if a little technical for those of us who can't even do a somersault
The Not So Good
- I feel like there were a few too many tangential sideplots going on?? I mean, we have . Perhaps some of them were just setting the scene for subsequent books, but it honestly did feel like there was too much happening on the sidelines and it was distracting me from the main storyline.
- Max. Seriously. Why was he even there?? He was the worst.
- There were occasional moments when it felt Tumblr-y. I work in a school with 1100 girls, I know as well as anyone that teenagers DO yell "Yaaaaaas, queen!" from time to time. But there were definitely times when the teenspeak-y moments felt a little over the top.
- It just ended. And I was not expecting it to end where it did. I mean, when I think about it, the place the ending falls makes perfect sense. But given how much talk there is about the Olympics and the fact that every chapter starts with a countdown of how many days are left, I...kind of expected it to at least go up to the point where they LEAVE for the Olympics. But no.
- There were quite a few moments that felt like obvious set up for a second book, and I found that a little frustrating. It's really just a me thing because I prefer the first book in a series to be capable of standing on its own (or at least give a semblance of standing on its own), and I'm not ENTIRELY convinced that this does??
So yeah. I did enjoy it! I just wanted less tangents and more focus. Or something. IDK. I'mma stop writing words now before my boss busts me. Okay bye.
October 28, 2020
All the Olympic stars, I love this book so much, it was everything I needed and I'd gladly read a thousand books like this. I just adore reading about gymnastics. Now on to the second and I'll die if the third book in this series won't be published anytime soon!
December 24, 2015
Lauren, I am incredibly proud of you and completely blown away! It's rare that you find a YA book so well written and intelligent, and doesn't talk down to its readers. There are so many great characters with all the character development that goes with writing a solid book. Although it's very heavy in gymnastics terminology, and anyone who is unfamiliar with such terminology might miss a few references here and there, the rest of the plot makes up for it; as a reader I was completely sucked into this world of Amalia, Ruby and Emerson, and their journey towards their Olympic dreams. Even if you aren't a mega gym fanatic, you can still enjoy the story and fantastic writing, which makes for a great universal read. The fact that you achieved a goal that we dreamed about when we were kids is utterly mind-blowing; not that I have in any way doubted your ability to achieve such a goal, but how amazed I am at your hard work and determination. I am very eager to read on into the series and see what other surprises you have in store! Congratulations once again! You are living proof that no matter how many people try to shoot you down, and smother your dreams, success is the ultimate revenge.
September 18, 2020
This book reminds me of the "girls sports serials" that showed up in the late 80s/early nineties (the Satin Slippers, Silver Skates, The Gymnasts, that one about horseback riding series, etc), except the attention to detail about the sports terminology and methodology is way better. This book (apparently first in a series- I already downloaded the second one) is definitely geared toward a niche audience of gymnastics junkies, and for that reason alone, I think most people who actually choose to read it will definitely like it. Is it particuarly unique or unpredictable? No. But its a good enough book with just enough narrative for readers who like to read about gymnastics, but who feel like reading fiction instead of memoirs. I liked it. Three stars.
May 10, 2017
This was such an addicting read!
With all the elements in this book, there was plenty of opportunity for Make It or Break It-level ridiculous drama, but in the hands of a great gymnastics journalist, it never was too over-the-top. As a gymfan, I've been wanting a book like this for a long time.
The characters were all super engaging, and I really liked the mix of personalities. Their ups and downs all felt so real, and I was just hooked.
I can't imagine a gymfan not enjoying this book, but it's also great for anyone looking for a fast-paced, engaging read with high stakes and just a tad of drama.
With all the elements in this book, there was plenty of opportunity for Make It or Break It-level ridiculous drama, but in the hands of a great gymnastics journalist, it never was too over-the-top. As a gymfan, I've been wanting a book like this for a long time.
The characters were all super engaging, and I really liked the mix of personalities. Their ups and downs all felt so real, and I was just hooked.
I can't imagine a gymfan not enjoying this book, but it's also great for anyone looking for a fast-paced, engaging read with high stakes and just a tad of drama.
January 8, 2016
me he leido literalmente este libro de una sentada, empece después de comer y acabo de terminarlo; a ver no es la lectura de mi vida, pero es gimnasia y si te gusta la gimnasia debes leerlo, porque muestra las cosas muy realisticamente, y se nota que la autora sabe de lo que habla, sin duda leeré los siguientes (3,5/5)
October 17, 2020
2.5 STARS
First year elite gymnast Amalia, hoping to make the 2016 Olympics trains with her best friend, former national champion Ruby and her long time idol Emerson.
FINDING OUR BALANCE is an average, mostly forgettable story about a likable young athlete making her mark in her sport. Lauren Hopkins modeled her characters after real athletes, combining backstories so not to be too obvious. None of the characters stands out as unique or original, but all are likable. Without abusive coaches and doctors, FINDING OUR BALANCE feels like a sanitized version of real life, and not nearly as interesting.
First year elite gymnast Amalia, hoping to make the 2016 Olympics trains with her best friend, former national champion Ruby and her long time idol Emerson.
FINDING OUR BALANCE is an average, mostly forgettable story about a likable young athlete making her mark in her sport. Lauren Hopkins modeled her characters after real athletes, combining backstories so not to be too obvious. None of the characters stands out as unique or original, but all are likable. Without abusive coaches and doctors, FINDING OUR BALANCE feels like a sanitized version of real life, and not nearly as interesting.
December 17, 2015
Finding Our Balance, written by a gymnastics diehard for gymnastics diehards, is an enjoyable read, albeit not without its faults. Despite its length, the plot moves quickly; I read it in less than 24 hours, though not straight through. Amalia, the protagonist, is not particularly distinctive, but as a newcomer to elite gymnastics, she provides the reader with a pleasant voice through which to experience her thoroughly regimented life. While I found myself rooting for Amalia's success - and reading her competition scenes with not a little anxiety - I couldn't help feeling Hopkins played it safe in this book, in that things go too well for Amalia. I also found it hard to believe that her parents understood the gymnastics world as little as they did, though they do prove handy for the purposes of exposition.
For a first, self-published outing, Hopkins acquits herself well. Among the other leads, Emerson Bedford is a standout, although I found her more interesting before the reveal of her big secret than after. Still, she's easily the best drawn, with her drive for perfection and sometimes waspish personality hiding a real vulnerability.
As for the rest of the characters, they suffer from sounding a little similar; if there's something I would encourage Hopkins to work on for the sequels, it's polishing dialogue to bring out each character's unique qualities. Narration and dialogue alike suffer from too many Twitterverse colloquialisms (Ruby utters a "Yaaas," Amalia refers to another character in narration as "girlfriend," etc), which took me out of the story. Natasha, the girls' coach, sometimes feels far too informal, and, though Hopkins claims otherwise on her website, Vera and the farm are obvious facsimiles for USAG team coordinator Marta Karolyi and the ranch where she hosts monthly training camps. I also found Amalia's reaction to an incident involving a friend and an authority figure frustrating, because there's obviously more going on than she thinks.
That said, Hopkins writes readable prose, and the book is engaging. I look forward to the next outing, and seeing what lies ahead for Amalia, Ruby, and Emerson.
For a first, self-published outing, Hopkins acquits herself well. Among the other leads, Emerson Bedford is a standout, although I found her more interesting before the reveal of her big secret than after. Still, she's easily the best drawn, with her drive for perfection and sometimes waspish personality hiding a real vulnerability.
As for the rest of the characters, they suffer from sounding a little similar; if there's something I would encourage Hopkins to work on for the sequels, it's polishing dialogue to bring out each character's unique qualities. Narration and dialogue alike suffer from too many Twitterverse colloquialisms (Ruby utters a "Yaaas," Amalia refers to another character in narration as "girlfriend," etc), which took me out of the story. Natasha, the girls' coach, sometimes feels far too informal, and, though Hopkins claims otherwise on her website, Vera and the farm are obvious facsimiles for USAG team coordinator Marta Karolyi and the ranch where she hosts monthly training camps. I also found Amalia's reaction to an incident involving a friend and an authority figure frustrating, because there's obviously more going on than she thinks.
That said, Hopkins writes readable prose, and the book is engaging. I look forward to the next outing, and seeing what lies ahead for Amalia, Ruby, and Emerson.
January 5, 2016
First things first: this book is a gymnastics fans' dream come true. As a lover of both gymnastics (by lover I mean obsessively following the sport and even creating score spreadsheets and playing Fantasy Gym, I realize most people do not know this about me) and young adult fiction, this was always going to be a book I would read.
What sets this apart from any other YA book that deals with a heroine in a niche sport or ballet or any other very specific type of hobby situation? The author knows what she's writing about. Skills are both accurately named and described, routines make sense in terms of COP and construction and the whole national team set up (a very obvious and cool nod to USAG) seems believable and authentic. I cannot tell you how many times I have read books about ballet where the author doesn't even get the most basic details right, and it was refreshing to be able to just lean back and enjoy and not have to pick apart the routines or skills.
But this book is convincing on another level, something that would make me want to read it even if I was not a crazy gymnastics fanatic: it is well written and fun. Believe it or not, but as a picky reader, I've had trouble finding YA that, yes, relies on some tropes and fun cliches, but is also well written. What really works in this book is the way it lets you relate to characters despite them having a drastically different life from you - I am not a star athlete, for example (I know, shocking) and yet the things Amalia was going through were relatable to me. That really speaks for the quality piece of writing this is.
I'd like to add that, even if you have nothing to do with the world of gymnastics and are simply looking for a thrilling and fun book to read, you will get lots of enjoyment out of Finding Our Balance. (And the sequels, which I cannot wait for!)
What sets this apart from any other YA book that deals with a heroine in a niche sport or ballet or any other very specific type of hobby situation? The author knows what she's writing about. Skills are both accurately named and described, routines make sense in terms of COP and construction and the whole national team set up (a very obvious and cool nod to USAG) seems believable and authentic. I cannot tell you how many times I have read books about ballet where the author doesn't even get the most basic details right, and it was refreshing to be able to just lean back and enjoy and not have to pick apart the routines or skills.
But this book is convincing on another level, something that would make me want to read it even if I was not a crazy gymnastics fanatic: it is well written and fun. Believe it or not, but as a picky reader, I've had trouble finding YA that, yes, relies on some tropes and fun cliches, but is also well written. What really works in this book is the way it lets you relate to characters despite them having a drastically different life from you - I am not a star athlete, for example (I know, shocking) and yet the things Amalia was going through were relatable to me. That really speaks for the quality piece of writing this is.
I'd like to add that, even if you have nothing to do with the world of gymnastics and are simply looking for a thrilling and fun book to read, you will get lots of enjoyment out of Finding Our Balance. (And the sequels, which I cannot wait for!)
December 22, 2015
As far as YA novels go, Lauren nailed it! And I didn't just like it because it was all about gymnastics. You'd think Lauren has been doing this for years when reality this is her first go round. From nailing what it's like to be an elite gymnast while still making the characters relatable to perfectly nailing "teenage talk", I'm having a hard time finding something I didn't like about the story. She also did a great job making it non-gym-fan friendly, but I can't be 100% confident with that statement considering I'm indeed a gym fan.
I was able to relate to each of the three main characters' struggles in some way despite them being Olympic caliber athletes. And that's not an easy task. There was also just the right amount of humor, romance (I LOVE JACK) and emotional turmoil. I mean, they are teenage girls after all. I also became really attached to Amalia and even Ruby at the end. I found myself rooting for her to do well and almost teared up when Ruby completed her return (don't call it a comeback) and SPOILER ALERT won the national title. I also felt some things for Emerson, which I definitely didn't think was going to happen at the beginning of the story.
However, most importantly, Lauren made me want to keep reading even after the last page was turned. I absolutely can't wait for the second and third in the series and need to know RIGHT NOW what happens. I mean it's not like Lauren has a life or an actual job or anything, right??
I was able to relate to each of the three main characters' struggles in some way despite them being Olympic caliber athletes. And that's not an easy task. There was also just the right amount of humor, romance (I LOVE JACK) and emotional turmoil. I mean, they are teenage girls after all. I also became really attached to Amalia and even Ruby at the end. I found myself rooting for her to do well and almost teared up when Ruby completed her return (don't call it a comeback) and SPOILER ALERT won the national title. I also felt some things for Emerson, which I definitely didn't think was going to happen at the beginning of the story.
However, most importantly, Lauren made me want to keep reading even after the last page was turned. I absolutely can't wait for the second and third in the series and need to know RIGHT NOW what happens. I mean it's not like Lauren has a life or an actual job or anything, right??
June 1, 2016
This book will appeal to gymnastics nerds who really want to read about the day-to-day experiences of elite gymnasts. I like how the story is about the gymnastics, and not an unrealistic portrayal of a regular person with a regular life--oh and she's also an elite gymnast. That kind of book is automatically false.
The characters are pretty well developed, which is nice, and the book is well edited (I'm particularly impressed if it's self published, which I think it is). Great job, overall.
My only complaint is that I can't visualize amalia's beam mount at all. I spent most of a four hour flight to LA trying to figure it out. Please help.
The characters are pretty well developed, which is nice, and the book is well edited (I'm particularly impressed if it's self published, which I think it is). Great job, overall.
My only complaint is that I can't visualize amalia's beam mount at all. I spent most of a four hour flight to LA trying to figure it out. Please help.
September 8, 2016
I stumbled across 'Finding Our Balance' while searching for books about the Summer Olympics in Rio and decided to buy it after reading the sample chapter on Amazon. I'm happy I gave this debut novel a chance. I especially liked that this story focuses on the gymnastics first and foremost, with family, friends and love taking second place. This is as it should be for a sports novel, in my opinion, and I wish more books were like this.
I'm looking forward to reading 'When It Counts', the next book in this series.
I'm looking forward to reading 'When It Counts', the next book in this series.
December 16, 2015
This book is amazing! The characters are really well developed and they are a mixture of all of my favorite gymnasts all mashed up! I could NOT put this book down! This is a great read for both the casual gym fan and the super gym fanatic! I cannot wait for the next book to come out! The USA gymnastics team should be paying Lauren Hopkins for creating hype around their sport leading up to Rio! My advice: READ THIS BOOK!
December 15, 2015
Thank you, Lauren, for a fiction book that deals with real, actual gymnastics. This is a book for fans who know what a shaposh is, who know what connection bonuses are. This is not for the casual fan who only watches gymnastics during the Olympics, and thank God for that. This is what we hardcore fans have been waiting for - a book about the actual goings-on in the lives of elite gymnasts in the US.
I read this in one sitting and cannot wait for the second and third books.
I read this in one sitting and cannot wait for the second and third books.
December 15, 2015
It didn't take me long to fall in love with this book. I was hooked from the first chapter, and I binge read for the rest of the day. This book is so well-written, the gymnastics is real and exciting, and the first person perspective is on point. More than that, the main character is totally relatable and believable, something you can't say for a lot of books these days. I'll be counting down the days until the next book! :)
December 25, 2015
Ha sido uno historia muy entretenida muy fácil de leer y sobre todo, es de gimnasia. Creo que a cualquier persona a al que el guste este deporte le va gustar, no se detiene mucho a explicar los tecnicismos, lo justo y necesario para que un lector no fan de la gimnasia no se pierda con algunos términos. Lo mejor es que no es como otras series de gimnasia que hay por ahí (MIOBI) que van demasiado a dramatizar sobre la situación, aquí tenemos algo más realista, relajado y divertido.
December 24, 2015
This was literally everything I've been looking for in a book about gymnastics since forever. It's perfect for both hardcore gym fans for whom gymnastics has no secrets and for the enthusiasts with little gym knowledge. The characters are well rounded and realistic and the plot is captivating and gets you hooked from the very beginning. Bring on the next installment!
January 31, 2016
I loved the 'realness' of the gymnastics of this book. The author also writes for The Gymternet, so she knows how meets, training, scores, routines work. It was a young adult level book, so she hit the mark there. Overall, I enjoyed the characters and her description of meets and routines. I would definitely recommend this.
January 14, 2016
Great book. Obviously gymnastics based, and the author has extensive knowledge of the sport, but she manages to explain it so it's understandable. That said, any teen or fan of YA will easily relate to and love this book. Witty and well written, I can't wait for the sequels!!
December 15, 2015
Easy and very enjoyable read. It was refreshing to finally read a fictional gymnastics book by someone with a ton of knowledge on the sport. I cannot wait for the next book in this series to be released (now please)! Congratulations to the author on a wonderful book!
December 17, 2015
An entertaining read whether you are a gym-obsessed nerd or a four year fan. I know I'm not the target audience age-wise, but I can't wait to read the next one.
December 17, 2015
Finally a gymnastics book written by a gym fan for gym fans.
December 15, 2015
What an fantastic book! Beautifully written characters to hilarious tv references. This book is well worth a read for gymnastics fans and readers of all ages!
May 18, 2016
very good book in a category that doesn't get written about enough--- Gymnastics! Definitely a young adult fiction book but I enjoyed as a fan of gymnastics!
April 11, 2019
2019 Read Harder Challenge: 19/24
Task #23: A self-published book.
This was another task that stressed me out. I just don't like doing things that I haven't extensively researched and read a million reviews on first, and that includes my reading list. But I happen to like watching gymnastics (yes, I know who Katelyn Ohashi is, yes, I saw that woman break her legs) and I read Lauren's gymnastics blog. I remembered she self-published two young adult novels about gymnastics and here we are.
I am very aware that I miss the target demographic of this book by about 20 years, but I still found it an enjoyable read. The writing itself was good, but the plot development was a little too standard and linear. I'm also not a huge fan of first person narration, but I got over it. There were a few typos throughout (my pet peeve!), but honestly I've seen worse in things that weren't self-published and had the benefit of an editing team.
Other than that, the gymnastics elements were very technical and sophisticated--like, Aly Raisman's ghost-written memoir wishes it knew gymnastics this well. For that reason, I think this would be a five-star read for any kid in gymnastics, and a good overview for any gymnastics parents out there. For anyone less than a casual gymnastics fan, I don't think it's going to be your thing.
Task #23: A self-published book.
This was another task that stressed me out. I just don't like doing things that I haven't extensively researched and read a million reviews on first, and that includes my reading list. But I happen to like watching gymnastics (yes, I know who Katelyn Ohashi is, yes, I saw that woman break her legs) and I read Lauren's gymnastics blog. I remembered she self-published two young adult novels about gymnastics and here we are.
I am very aware that I miss the target demographic of this book by about 20 years, but I still found it an enjoyable read. The writing itself was good, but the plot development was a little too standard and linear. I'm also not a huge fan of first person narration, but I got over it. There were a few typos throughout (my pet peeve!), but honestly I've seen worse in things that weren't self-published and had the benefit of an editing team.
Other than that, the gymnastics elements were very technical and sophisticated--like, Aly Raisman's ghost-written memoir wishes it knew gymnastics this well. For that reason, I think this would be a five-star read for any kid in gymnastics, and a good overview for any gymnastics parents out there. For anyone less than a casual gymnastics fan, I don't think it's going to be your thing.
February 21, 2021
2.5⭐️ I appreciated the accuracy of the gym stuff as a gymnerd but some of the writing just felt so clunky and forced and the characters were so entirely unlikeable. I enjoyed it because I enjoy all gym books but parts really rubbed me the wrong way (especially some of the discussion about abuse culture in gymnastics and the clear Karolyi glorification). Also - so much amanar sticking. MyKayla Maroney begs to disagree.
July 3, 2017
Me ha gustado el libro de Lauren. Tardé más de un año porque lo tenía en formato digital y aún hoy me incomoda leer en pantallas. En cuanto a la novela, es una historia entretenida y específica para amantes de la gimnasia. Y como los gym fans somos un poco locos, amamos este tipo de productos.
June 4, 2025
Every time the Olympics roll around, my (100% passive) love for gymnastics comes out. I've had these sitting around since last summer but only got around to reading them now. A little run-of-the-mill perhaps, but an enjoyable quick read.
June 1, 2017
Lauren blends realistic Gymnastics knowledge with a plot that is believable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews