Life on the Edge by Jennifer Comeaux


Title: Life on the Edge
Author:
Jennifer Comeaux
Release Date:
January 3, 2012
Published By: Astraea Press


Nineteen-year-old Emily is new to pairs skating, but she and her partner Chris have a big dream–to be the first American team to win Olympic gold. Their young coach Sergei, who left Russia after a mysterious end to his skating career, believes they can break through and make history.

Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the 2002 Winter Games. But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Em
ily's dreams of gold.



THOUGHTS:

I don't know about any of you guys, but YA books that spotlight the lives of female athletes have always piqued my interest (case and point - Catching Jordan, the Pretty Tough series, etc.). One day, I chanced upon a list on goodreads that listed these kinds of books, and this was how I came to find out about Life on the Edge. Upon reading the blurb, I was at once intrigued - I immediately wondered how Comeaux will go about the forbidden relationship, and whether she can actually make the said relationship feel right. I also wondered if she would be able to give both aspects of the book - the sports part and the romance part - equal attention, or whether one aspect would just eat the other up.

Let me start with this - both the sports part and the romance part of the book were done perfectly.

Nowadays, we see interpretations of forbidden relationships everywhere - in TV shows, movies, and even books - but Comeaux's story is unique in the way that it tugs at your heartstrings and makes you root for the couple to end up together. I often roll my eyes at the portrayal of teacher/student relationships in media (sorry, Aria and Ezra), but Emily and Sergei's relationship felt... real. Their relationship was gradual - they didn't fall in love with each other overnight - and feelings blossomed between them not because of the 'thrill' of an illicit affair, but rather because of the fact that they liked each other as people, first and foremost. This was the deciding factor that really made me love the book and root for Emily and Sergei.

Because this is a book about figure skating, expect to see some skating terms thrown in here and there, but they're easy enough to understand. Comeaux wrote the story in such a way that even if you don't follow skating as a sport, you would feel the passion the skaters in the book exhibit during trainings and competitions. In fact, the passion and zest Emily displayed when she skated had my heart pounding - I got overly anxious whenever Emily and Chris signal the beginning of their routine, and my heart rate would only slow down once I realize that Emily and Chris in fact nail the routine. Comeaux's writing was also detailed - not only could I feel what Emily was feeling during her performance, I could also practically see Emily and Chris' routines in my head! Moreover, all the characters - not just Emily and Sergei - had their own stories to tell, and these stories in turn play an important part in Emily and Sergei's journey not only as two people in love but also as an athlete and a coach.

All in all, I loved this book. I've read this book twice now, and I bet I would read it again soon. I cannot wait for the sequel and to read more about Emily and Sergei! Oh, and I DEFINITELY have to get this in paperback one of these days!

Rating: 5 Stars

PS. Thank you so much to Astraea Press for agreeing to send me another copy of this ebook after my laptop conked out and took my paid copy with it!

14 comments

  1. Awesome sauce review, Lyra! :) I love books about female athletes too, they are always so passionate and intense and awesome. <3 And OMG I am totally in awe of figure skaters! How they manage to make something as difficult as that look so magical and beautiful always takes me breath away. :') This book sounds so great, seriously! The way you describe the romance and just everything about makes me want to read it NOW! :) New follower here!! Nice meeting you and I can't wait to read and comment on some more of your fab posts, Lyra!! <3

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    1. Thank you! Nice meeting you too! :)

      Do grab a copy of Life on the Edge now - you won't regret it! Thank you so much for commenting. Love your blog!

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  2. Great review! Figure skaters are so talented; I wish I could skate like that! I'm definitely putting this on my to-read list! :) I'm a new follower :)

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    1. You'll love Life on the Edge! Link me to your review once you finish reading, okay? And thanks so much for following! :)

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  3. Thank you so much for the amazing review, Lyra!!!! I have some Emily and Sergei deleted scenes on my blog plus sneak peeks at the sequel if you want to check them out :)

    http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com

    Tomorrow I'll also be posting another fun extra scene from Life on the Edge as part of the Girls Just Wanna Have Fun blog hop. Hope you'll stop by for a visit! :)

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    1. Hi Jennifer!!!! You actually commented on my review!!! *squeal*

      More Sergei and Emily!? Count me in! I'll make sure to drop by your blog tomorrow. I can't wait! :)

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  4. Jennifer is an amazing writer, isn't she? I hope the world sees much, much more from her. Like the sequel to the sequel to the sequel. Her writing transported me from my everyday life to the world of pairs skating - showing not just the glamor but the grit as well. She's an author I highly recommend for all ages and she's one I will save a space on my bookshelf for!

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    1. Jennifer most definitely is! I can't wait to read more of her work - I'm counting down the days until we get to read the sequel for Life of the Edge. As early as now, I'm hoping for a trilogy! ;)

      I LOVE the way she wrote the book - you're right, she really showed us the world of pairs skating through mere words. Her writing is just amazing!

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  5. Hi! I'm Amanda from Vivalabooks! Great review! And, I just wanted to let you know that I tagged you for the Liebster Blog Award! For details follow this link: http://vivalabooks.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/liebster-blog-award/

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    1. Hi Amanda! I followed you back via email subscription, and thank you so much for tagging me! :)

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  6. Sports story strike a chord within me as well, I'm always very impressed by their determination and perseverance to clinch that gold medal! Great review :)

    -Alicia
    bookaworld.wordpress.com

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    1. Thanks, Alicia!

      I love sports stories, especially those mixed with romance as well. ;)Grab a copy of Life on the Edge - I guarantee that you'll love it!

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  7. Oooh this seems like a cool read. Might have to add to my TBR list. I tagged you in the Liebster Blog Award. Check this out for details: http://booksandswoons.blogspot.com/2012/06/liebster-blog-award.html

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  8. I haven't read any books that feature figure skating! This sounds really interesting!! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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