Break the Fall

December 23, 2019
In this timely novel by Iacopelli (the Outer Banks Tennis Academy series), 17-year-old Korean-American gymnast Audrey Lee, working to compete in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in spite of recent back surgery, finds her lifetime dream on the line for complex reasons. One day after qualifying to represent the U.S., Audrey’s team gets the astonishing news that one of their members has been suspended for doping. Several days later, they learn that their coach has been arrested for allegedly falsifying those drug results and sexually abusing the same girl. Tension builds as the athletes’ training team is fired and the young women begin working under a new coach with unorthodox methods, including visualization. Plagued by back pain and constantly worrying that every routine might be her last, Audrey’s emotional roller coaster grows more turbulent when she’s forced to put her budding romance with her new coach’s son on hold. Detailed descriptions of training sessions and step-by-step accounts of gymnastics routines combine with #MeToo considerations and dramatic friendship shifts to create a fraught behind-the-scenes look at the lives of young Olympic hopefuls. Particularly compelling is the international female gymnasts’ demonstration of unity against sexual harassment, a show of empowerment in every arena. Ages 12–up. Agent: Alice Sutherland-Hawes, Madeleine Milburn.

With an impressive catalogue of previous audiobooks, narrator Emily Woo Zeller's talents are not surprising. This contemporary teen audiobook is centered around the upcoming 2020 Olympic Games. Gymnast Audrey Lee and her teammates are off to a rough start, beginning with the arrest of their team's head coach. A new coach, a cute boy, team infighting, and struggling with back injuries are adding to Audrey Lee's stress. Giving each of the characters distinct voices that are fitting to their personalities, Zeller provides the listener with an entertaining experience that showcases her versatility. She captures the full range of Audrey's emotions--from her stunned reaction at the arrest of her team's coach to her hesitant excitement over competing in the Olympics. A.L.S.M. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine