Flip Side

by Lena Lario

Despite her Russian heritage, seventeen-year-old Nina Solomon is exactly like any other American teenager, except for one major difference. Unlike her friends, she spends hours in the gym working toward her dream of becoming an Olympian. After holding a place on the US National Team for a year, her chances of achieving what she’s worked her entire life for are within reach, that is, until she fails a mandatory drug test. Forced into suspension until the investigation can be completed, Nina accepts an offer to train with the Russian gymnastics team. Unexpected friendships arise, trips to Moscow create much needed distractions, and a love she never knew existed await all while Nina works to prove her innocence. The European Championships in Paris are the last competition and will determine if she makes it to the Olympics as part of the Russian team. And once again, things don’t go according to plan.

Genres: Russia, Young Adult, Fiction

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 17, 2015

Reviews

[Ilyse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lario gives us a fun gymnastics novel that's worthy of more attention than it's currently getting. I enjoyed the sympathetic characters--I rooted for Nina and Oksanna wholeheartedly, and I loved the setting details that made Japan, and Russia especially, come alive. The sense of humor that permeates the novel was great, too! There were a ton of quippy one liners. I loved when Nina tells her old and beloved coach Greg, "can you do something for me...? Read War and Peace."

It was also fun to read about the amount and variety of food Nina ate-I love reading about food, so appreciated the details of everything from Kiev Cake to pelmeni to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I was a little surprised since I thought Aly Raisman's diet (http://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fi...) was pretty standard, but I thought it was fantastic to read about an elite gymnast who is more relaxed about her diet in a novel written by a gymnast-who trained in US and Russia IRL!

I also loved the female friendships. Nina/Oksanna, and especially Nina's falling out and reconciliation with Rachel, was well-drawn and really captured dynamics of jealousy and the fade away that are present even when a friend is not an elite gymnast.

My only wish is for a sequel, or better yet a series! And I would love even more gymnastic details--do Nina and Oksanna have eponymous skills in the code of points? Sergei gives Nina a new vault in Russia, but I'm not sure if we ever learn what vault it is.

[Megan Laplante · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good! Loved the setting and gymnastics of course. There was minor mistakes here and there. the gymnastics was described well,some of it lacked flow. But loved the use of real famous gymnasts and the description of Russia!

[Chase Patton · Rating 3 out of 5]

During the book the main character faces many obstacles throughout her gymnastics career. At first Nina was competing

[Ester Elbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story. As a Gymnerd I loved everything about this story.