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haileyannereads's review against another edition
4.0
This was so good! It takes an honest look at what gymnasts (especially females) go through to achieve their dreams. It also shows the strong bonds they form. Overall, I just really really liked it.
booksandlemonsquash's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Ahhhhhh. I was so excited for this as I’m a huge gymnastics nerd, and I was right to be - I loved it! It has exactly the right balance of gymnastics and personal - plus the interplay of the accusation hanging over both it incredibly well done.
I did find a couple of bits a little unrealistic from a gymnastics point of view - but very minor niggles. Aside from that, as someone who does watch a fair amount it definitely felt like one of the major events- with fantastic routines and small to major errors affecting everything!
And I really liked Rey, she’s a great lead with a good heart.
Highly recommend this book. My only sad point is that I have so long to wait until the Olympics but I’m ready now!
Ahhhhhh. I was so excited for this as I’m a huge gymnastics nerd, and I was right to be - I loved it! It has exactly the right balance of gymnastics and personal - plus the interplay of the accusation hanging over both it incredibly well done.
I did find a couple of bits a little unrealistic from a gymnastics point of view - but very minor niggles. Aside from that, as someone who does watch a fair amount it definitely felt like one of the major events- with fantastic routines and small to major errors affecting everything!
And I really liked Rey, she’s a great lead with a good heart.
Highly recommend this book. My only sad point is that I have so long to wait until the Olympics but I’m ready now!
caszriel's review against another edition
5.0
Initial thoughts: wow, this read surprised me in so many ways but it really is amazing. It tackles tough issues and has a strong lead facing down many challenges, plus its Tokyo 2020 setting is sublime. Highly recommend!
A few little things that don't really spoil the plot but occur in the book that I was a bit eh about:
- Lee is a v common Korean surname though, idk about its portrayal as English
- Audrey having to tell people she wasn’t Japanese and only speaks English didn’t make that much sense, Japanese people wouldn’t make that mistake and it wasn’t really specified who exactly the comment was referring, it just bothered me a lil
————————————————————
~I received a copy from Hachette Australia and willingly reviewed it~
When Christopher “Gibby” Gibbins, coach of the USA Women's Gymnastics Team is arrested, Audrey Lee and her teammates on the USA gymnastics team are left with an uncertain future. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are fast approaching, and they have no coach. As a series of allegations are levelled against their former coach, Audrey must decide who to believe. Can she unite the team and keep their chances of winning gold alive?
Audrey is a strong narrator who I grew to like and respect quickly. She is a fighter, relentlessly pursuing her dreams. Break the Fall covers hard hitting, heavy issues, the key one being sexual assault but also abuse of power. Nonetheless it is a tale of hope and coming together in the aftermath of something terrible. The struggles Audrey and her teammates go through felt so real and the gymnastics portrayal is top notch; I absolutely loved the last few chapters at the Olympics.
Janet Dorsey-Adams was an unexpected favourite of mine; she’s the coach so many are lacking at elite level, someone who cares about athletes’ wellbeing above their success. There’s a nice range of characters in this book who helped add to the many layers the novel had. I was initially hesitant about the relationship between Audrey and Leo but it was beautiful done, adding to the theme of hope and a bright future.
Break the Fall is fast paced, and my heart pounded for a lot of it. There’s a diverse set of characters and issues are addressed well. Ultimately it is a story about tragedy, an how one picks themselves up afterward. Full of hope, Break the Fall is perfect for fans of gymnastics and stories of survivors.
A few little things that don't really spoil the plot but occur in the book that I was a bit eh about:
Spoiler
- Lee is a v common Korean surname though, idk about its portrayal as English
- Audrey having to tell people she wasn’t Japanese and only speaks English didn’t make that much sense, Japanese people wouldn’t make that mistake and it wasn’t really specified who exactly the comment was referring, it just bothered me a lil
————————————————————
~I received a copy from Hachette Australia and willingly reviewed it~
When Christopher “Gibby” Gibbins, coach of the USA Women's Gymnastics Team is arrested, Audrey Lee and her teammates on the USA gymnastics team are left with an uncertain future. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are fast approaching, and they have no coach. As a series of allegations are levelled against their former coach, Audrey must decide who to believe. Can she unite the team and keep their chances of winning gold alive?
Audrey is a strong narrator who I grew to like and respect quickly. She is a fighter, relentlessly pursuing her dreams. Break the Fall covers hard hitting, heavy issues, the key one being sexual assault but also abuse of power. Nonetheless it is a tale of hope and coming together in the aftermath of something terrible. The struggles Audrey and her teammates go through felt so real and the gymnastics portrayal is top notch; I absolutely loved the last few chapters at the Olympics.
Janet Dorsey-Adams was an unexpected favourite of mine; she’s the coach so many are lacking at elite level, someone who cares about athletes’ wellbeing above their success. There’s a nice range of characters in this book who helped add to the many layers the novel had. I was initially hesitant about the relationship between Audrey and Leo but it was beautiful done, adding to the theme of hope and a bright future.
Break the Fall is fast paced, and my heart pounded for a lot of it. There’s a diverse set of characters and issues are addressed well. Ultimately it is a story about tragedy, an how one picks themselves up afterward. Full of hope, Break the Fall is perfect for fans of gymnastics and stories of survivors.
nora4's review against another edition
5.0
I came across the book by chance when I saw it advertised for a buddy reading and was immediately interested in it. So far, I have read more romance novels in which sport was also quite important, but it wasn’t fully the focus point of it (usually the question of love vs. career was discussed in such books). But here it was really completely in the centre of the book and I loved that, especially since I still really like to watch gymnastics, even if I have no idea about sport in general. :P
The book really presents everything in a very realistic and exciting way. You can see and feel the beautiful, as well as the dark sides of sport and that's exactly what I like.
Of course, the storyline itself also has its conflict points, in order to make the story interesting, and I really liked these too. These things make it clear that there are far more problems a top athlete has to face, than just worrying about a medal or the pressure to improve. In general, though, I had nothing at all against the exact descriptions of her training during the gymnastic sessions themselves, which were also used well.
The author managed to tell feelings just through these exercises and actions and thus create a round character, just as I like it best, because I don't live for long character descriptions. If you do it right, like here, then it is enough to follow the plot to assess the character well.
All in all, I can only recommend the book. It is also relatively short and can therefore be read quickly, which is another reason to give it all a chance. In any case, I really liked it, which is why I give the book five stars (and a gold medal on top). ;)
The book really presents everything in a very realistic and exciting way. You can see and feel the beautiful, as well as the dark sides of sport and that's exactly what I like.
Of course, the storyline itself also has its conflict points, in order to make the story interesting, and I really liked these too. These things make it clear that there are far more problems a top athlete has to face, than just worrying about a medal or the pressure to improve. In general, though, I had nothing at all against the exact descriptions of her training during the gymnastic sessions themselves, which were also used well.
The author managed to tell feelings just through these exercises and actions and thus create a round character, just as I like it best, because I don't live for long character descriptions. If you do it right, like here, then it is enough to follow the plot to assess the character well.
All in all, I can only recommend the book. It is also relatively short and can therefore be read quickly, which is another reason to give it all a chance. In any case, I really liked it, which is why I give the book five stars (and a gold medal on top). ;)
emmanuellagladman's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this book. I really related to Audrey being forced to stop the sport she loves because of an injury so that hooked me at the start and then everything else happened and I kept wanting to know what would happen next. While I loved Leo and Audrey’s relationship it didn’t compare for me to the friendships and the other storyline that occurred in the book. To be honest I didn’t think that the romance was necessary and it didn’t feel as fleshed out since there was a much more important storyline happening.
brianna_4pawsandabook's review against another edition
4.0
Full review to come
TW: sexual abuse, grooming, survivor’s guilt
TW: sexual abuse, grooming, survivor’s guilt
laceydbell's review against another edition
4.0
When I found out there was a YA book coming out this year that centered around the world of elite gymnastics, I knew I had to get my hands on it. I knew it was going to tackle dark topics, but what I didn't expect is that I would enjoy it so much. If you're going to tackle the effects of rape in your book... this is the way to do it. There was a mix of reactions among this group of young girls who are focused on their dreams, and I like that the author explored those. I will say, a lot of this book is a play-by-play of these girls performing their gymnastics routines, so if you're not into that, you may want to skip this book, but I personally loved it! And happy to see my favorite sport representing in YA.
jollyy13's review against another edition
5.0
WOW. This was one of the first books that I’ve finished in one sitting in A LONG time. I have no words for this book, other than the fact that it was perfect. Emma, Dani, Audrey and Chelsea will always hold a special place in my heart.
weaverl13's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 if I could.
It was great, I loved seeing the strength and determination these girls had towards their dreams, and the unbreakable bond between them and their competitors. Really unusual style of book (ie the Olympic gymnastics setting) but I loved that. The ending is so heartwarming and though in one way I wanted more - to know what happened with Gibby, after the Olympics, with Leo, the rest of Rey's life, the book had reached it's natural conclusion.
It was great, I loved seeing the strength and determination these girls had towards their dreams, and the unbreakable bond between them and their competitors. Really unusual style of book (ie the Olympic gymnastics setting) but I loved that. The ending is so heartwarming and though in one way I wanted more - to know what happened with Gibby, after the Olympics, with Leo, the rest of Rey's life, the book had reached it's natural conclusion.