The Gym Show
By: Kelly Springer
One of the things I love about my job is sharing good books with people who love to read. When I finished reading The Gym Show, by Kelly Springer, the first person I described it to did not want to read it. Nor did the second. Yes, it is about a school gymnastics show, there is a pedophile in the story, and they mention the scandal at Penn State in the first few pages of the book. Not a book filled with butterflies and rainbows.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this book. It was written by a local first-time author and other than on Amazon, I didn’t see any other reviews. With so many excellent books to read, no one wants to waste time on a book which isn’t good. When I finally cracked the cover and started to read, I wondered myself if I wanted to continue. But the more I read the more the characters and the story drew me in, and before too long I was addicted.
The author brought a small Pennsylvania town, its school and its people to life. She brought them all together in a story that I couldn’t wait to finish. And what a finish it was! Normally when I am done reading a book, I begin the next one without a backwards glance. With the Gym Show, I thought about the characters for days afterwards. It is the kind of book I recommend to my friends, and that is why I am recommending it to you.
If you liked Gone Girl and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, this is the book for you. Remember that it is self-published, and there are a few typos in the text, but don’t let that dissuade you from reading one of the better books I’ve read in quite a while.
Review By: Kathy Sasseman