Blog Tour: Podium Finish by Beth Pond

Podium Finish


PodiumFinishPodium Finish
by Beth Pond
YA Contemporary
November 14th 2013 by Astraea Press  

Summary
With six months until the Olympic Games, seventeen-year-old Harper's life is pretty much perfect. She's fighting for the starting spot on Team USA Women's Hockey, and for the first time ever, she has a crush on a guy who likes her back. She feels like the luckiest girl in the world, until she runs a risky play at practice and breaks her knee, thereby sentencing herself to six weeks in a cast and possibly ending her Olympic dream before it even starts.

For seventeen-year-old Alex, being anything less than the best is unacceptable. That's why, after a miserable debut season at the senior level, the former junior national singles champion switches to ice dance. Her skating partner, Ace, is an "all skating all the time" type of guy, which would be fine, if he'd stop keeping secrets about the real reason he and his former partner broke up. Now is not the time for second thoughts, but how can Alex skate her best if she can’t trust her partner…or herself?

As the pressure to make the Olympic team builds, the girls must rely on each other, because if there’s one thing they both know, it's that the only thing harder than skating to the top is staying there.
 


My Review

I decided I wanted to read Podium Finish after reading Being Sloane Jacobs, a story about two girls who ice skate, one as a hockey player and one as a figure skater. The stories are a little similar, at least in that regard. I was really glad that I did because I ended up really enjoying it!

From the beginning of the story I really liked the MCs, Harper and Alex, and their two counterparts (Rye and Ace). They both have these amazing work ethics, which obviously they would have to have in order to make it to the Olympics. They also have a lot of heart and are struggling with different things in their lives. They both have to really fight to keep things together. Yet, as roommates and best friends they are there for each other.

I loved the setting! I love the feeling of working and playing hard. Playing because both of them are doing something they love. I liked how the romance wasn't the focus and that it felt natural. I really had to crack up about Harper's first kiss with all her nerves. There are some heartbreaking moments, but also some really sweet ones.

I really enjoyed reading Podium Finish! It was a perfect read with the Olympics coming up, which I'm super excited about. If you enjoy Contemporary YA or books with sports settings then I would definitely recommend this!


Content: Some making out and innuendo

Source: From tour host, which did not affect my review in any way.



Beth Pond author picAbout the Author

Author Beth Pond Beth Pond graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Hendrix College in 2012. In 2013, she taught in South Africa for 9 months as part of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Grant. Pond is currently completing her coursework at the University of British Columbia’s Creative Writing MFA program. Her debut novel, Podium Finish, was released from Astraea Press in November 2013. When she’s not writing, Pond enjoys martial arts (she’s a black belt) and serving as a volunteer coach for her brother’s special needs baseball team.




Praise for Podium Finish 

Podium Finish is unlike any other book I have read, period. It is amazing that Ms. Pond could take two very different characters who are pursuing two completely different sports and tie them together as roommates at the Olympic Training Center. ~Crystal, Books are Sanity

This is a great, fun book! This story is really 2 stories in one - bonus! ~Shelley Walker, Goodreads

This book was truly enjoyable to read. ~Michele, Amazon Review Podium Finish is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. ~Ana, Amazon Reviewer


Tour-Wide Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash 
Ends 2/9/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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