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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
Decent book though it took some time before I liked it. At first I didn't like the MC much.
This is totally a Disney movie in the making. The main character is a pretty ordinary, unnoticed high school girl with a secret--she's in the running for the Olympics. She tries to keep her personal life separate from her sports life with a name change (Charlotte in school, Charlie in gymnastics, yet she has a Facebook page for both...wouldn't someone see the picture and put the two together you might ask? No no, Charlie wears her hair in a ponytail!) and not telling any of her friends. She has Olympic trials in a few weeks and nothing can mess that up. Until, of course, a boy comes along.
It's a squeaky clean offering with plenty of gymnastics terms to satisfy gymnastics enthusiasts. The romance is airy and light, and the message about being true to yourself is a good one for middle schoolers.
It's a squeaky clean offering with plenty of gymnastics terms to satisfy gymnastics enthusiasts. The romance is airy and light, and the message about being true to yourself is a good one for middle schoolers.
This charming teen novel has an authenticity to the story of a young girl trying to earn a spot on the Olympic gymnastics team. No wonder - the author is indeed a gold medal-winning gymnast herself! Charlie Ryland leads a double life, balancing the demands of training and competition while attending high school and keeping her sports dreams a secret from her friends at school. Add a cute boy and the prom into the mix and Charlie is in for one heck of a time!
-- Louisa A.
-- Louisa A.
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I have always enjoyed watching gymnastics but this is the first book I have read pertaining to it. It was a very cute read. It was easy to get through and very entertaining. I really felt for Charlie. I could feel what she was feeling at times. The ending was great. Overall, this was a solid read.
I did like this book at points. It was addictive in that YA cliche sort of "will they or won't they?". But other than that, it was full of the same old tropes that we all are used to seeing in these sorts of novels. The main love interest made me uncomfortable too like I totally thought that he was going to turn out to be a jerk but weirdly enough he was redeemable for some reason? At one point in the novel, when he and Charlie are stargazing out in the field, he goes "Hey, can I give you a nickname because Charlotte is too long of a name for me to say for some reason" and she's like "no" and he persists with that whole bit and I'm thinking "What the heck dude? Why are you insisting on this one small thing? Why don't you just leave it alone and just call the girl what she wants to be called and just leave it at that?". Also, the writing style was really wonky. It had turns of phrase that were awkward and uncomfortable to read. Overall, I would give this 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Spoiler
Then, when he finds out that she's leading a double life, he goes "I knew you weren't a Charlotte or something along those lines which I find to be weird and uncomfortable.
This was a light and cute read - somewhat outside of what I typically read in YA. This would have been something I'd likely enjoy more if I was still in middle school/high school. It felt a little too innocent and predictable for me, but not a bad read overall.
*Note: I received a free copy of this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
*Note: I received a free copy of this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
A sweet, simple book that makes me think about good times when dreams were still a thing. Not a lot of depth to this story, but that added a touch of innocence.
This book was pretty good! I didn't like the fact that she was talking about boys so much when she was 15, though. It's pretty cool that Shawn Johnson wrote this.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I absolutely loved this book. It was cheesy and not particularly deep, but I experienced so much joy tearing through it. I cared about Charlie, and her career and Bobby and Josh and Zoe and Gwen, and I was really upset when it was over. I really expected less than nothing, so it was a wonderful surprise. I appreciated the gymnastics insights from someone who had truly experienced the sport at the most elite level. I was also relieved that religion stayed out of the book, which was a big concern for me going in, given how vocally religious Shawn is.
Quality wise, I know it's probably 3 stars, but I'm giving it 5 from the pure, innocent joy I feel.
Quality wise, I know it's probably 3 stars, but I'm giving it 5 from the pure, innocent joy I feel.
Received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley & Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
THE FLIP SIDE by Shawn Johnson is a charming, enjoyable read. The story follows a 15 year old gymnast named Charlie Ryan who is training for the Olympic trials and attempting to keep her athletic life a secret from her friends at public school.
The plot is relatively predictable, but it still manages to be a fun read. There were a few pieces of dialogue I found slightly distracting (a teenage boy would never use the phrase “I need to scoot”), but other than that I was impressed. The story flowed easily and the characterizations were adorable.
Perfect to get you in the mood for the upcoming Summer Olympics!
THE FLIP SIDE by Shawn Johnson is a charming, enjoyable read. The story follows a 15 year old gymnast named Charlie Ryan who is training for the Olympic trials and attempting to keep her athletic life a secret from her friends at public school.
The plot is relatively predictable, but it still manages to be a fun read. There were a few pieces of dialogue I found slightly distracting (a teenage boy would never use the phrase “I need to scoot”), but other than that I was impressed. The story flowed easily and the characterizations were adorable.
Perfect to get you in the mood for the upcoming Summer Olympics!