Got this for free from eddevise

I really enjoyed this book. I will def be getting a final copy of this just to see what the final chapter is like. I loved the character and also the story path that it went on. As a big fan of Shawn i could see elements of all the people that she competed it in this book and that was fun. I loved seeing gymnastics told in YA world and hope in the future she writes more.

( )

Got this for free from eddevise

I really enjoyed this book. I will def be getting a final copy of this just to see what the final chapter is like. I loved the character and also the story path that it went on. As a big fan of Shawn i could see elements of all the people that she competed it in this book and that was fun. I loved seeing gymnastics told in YA world and hope in the future she writes more.

( )

This realistic fiction novel is written by an American Gold Medal Olympian, Shawn Johnson.

Charlie is a gymnast, training with an elite group every morning and afternoon and will soon be competing in the Olympic qualifying trials. She doesn’t want anyone to know. She’s seen how athletes are treated in social media, and she doesn’t want people treating her differently because of who she is. She just wants to be herself. Unlike most elite athletes, Charlie has chosen to attend public school where she can live a semi-normal life. This situation has created two worlds for Charlie.

At school, Charlie’s best friend is Zoe, who doesn’t have a clue her best friend is famous. Zoe is obsessed with getting a boyfriend and sets Charlie up with one of the school’s wrestlers, who is the best at the school. This relationship creates enough conflict to force the two worlds together. At gymnastics, Gwen is Charlie’s best friend, but Gwen knows everything about Charlie’s two lives. Gwen knows that an elite athlete must concentrate and not have distraction, so she tries to help Charlie stay focused.

If you liked Running Dream, you’ll like this novel. It’s not as well-written and doesn’t have the depth of Running Dream, but it’s enjoyable. It’s a nice, easy, simple romance. ( )

3.5 stars (liked it a lot)
Review by Brandi Breathes Books

Source: Simon Teen via Edelwiess
Disclaimer: I received this book as an ARC (advanced review copy). I am not paid for this review, and my opinions in this review are mine, and are not effected by the book being free.

I wanted to read The Flip Side because I enjoy gymnastics, and wanted to read a fictionalized account of olympic goals.

She was a fun character she's very interested in gymnastics and she's hoping to make the Olympic team. But she leads a life as Charlotte where she goes to school and she doesn't tell anyone that she is a gymnast and then she leaves the life of Charlie where she is learning next to Impossible moves and being in competitive meets and trying to get everything perfect so she gets a shot at her dream.

She wants to live somewhat of a normal life but you can tell that she's very torn because she has a best friend and both of her life setups and she can't even mention the other one to her Charlotte best friend because she doesn't tell her what she's doing. In some ways I can understand that she wants be a normal girl that she dreams of a boyfriend that she wants to do normal things. but she has the very intense desire and the skill for the gymnastics so she has to make herself realize that boys and parties would just be a distraction and it would prevent her from fully committing to the life of an elite gymnast.

it's hard when the inevitable blowup happens for her. She was sneaking around and doing some things she shouldn't have. she was interested in a boy and going behind her parents back. not only that it basically came out to the boy that she likes and her best friend at school that she been lying to them and they understandably took it very hard. on another hand I can see why she would want to tell everyone at school because everyone's all the sudden treating her different now that they know that she's famous and might make it to the Olympics. but the question remains with the people that she was closest to like Zoe and Bobby she could have put her trust in them and it hurt and it damaged the relationship. allies and going behind her parents also could have put an end to her dreams of the Olympic because she ended up hurting herself right before the trials.

I liked the ending and where it left off.

Bottom Line: Fun read. ( )