I can remember rooting for Maggie during the trials and knowing what I know now, I am heartbroken for her and the circumstances in which she was living are tragic. She deserved better. All of these girls did.

An engaging, inspiring, and informative read for younger readers about the unstoppable force, Maggie Nichols, and detailing behind-the-scenes of her life from joining gymnastics to her retirement, including being Athlete A, her numerous injuries, winning medals and titles, going to college and more. I admit, I do not know much about gymnastics, especially the collegiate and competitive kind other than what appears on TV and media, and will probably forget everything technical Maggie explained within a few days. However, I enjoyed that Maggie took the time to explain what certain techniques, competitions, and words meant while still making them easy for readers to understand. Maggie's honesty and perseverance jumped from the pages while reading and I'm sure other readers will see that as well.

I’ve been a huge gymnastics fan since I was 12 and saw the 1997 women’s gymnastics team win gold. I’ve been following since and was a big fan of Maggie Nichols. When she released her book, I knew I wanted to know her story and how she overcame the huge USA gymnastics scandal.

Maggie’s story goes back to when she was a child and started building from there. I enjoyed hearing about how she grew a passion for the sport and then the details of her experience with Larry Nassar. I’ve read a lot about what happened and I have read other accounts, but it was heartbreaking and informative. It was nice to get the perspective of the victim and not in a victim testimony moment such as a trial. The level of emotion she shared is commendable and its nice to hear it straight from her perspective. I also really enjoyed hearing how she overcame and the people who helped get her there and those that helped protoect her when it was most important.

I look forward to see all the things Maggie Nichols will do in her future and the people she will motivate along the way. This is such an inspirational story and a must-read for those fans of the gymnastics community and want to hear more about the USA Gymnastics scandal and how this girl overcame it.

It was a very inspiring read. I love to see women stand up for what is right. Maggie is a very brave woman and what the U.S. Gymnastics Committee did to her is despicable.

As a gymnastics fan, I was so excited to see Maggie Nichols publishing a book. Her story and her voice matter so much and I'm so glad it's reaching a voice outside of gymnastics fans. Thank you so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me early access.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. In light of the current Olympics, I figured that it would be a great time to listen to this book. Maggie Nichols went from Olympian to college gymnastics star and shares a great story.

I really enjoyed this book so much! I've followed USA gymnastics and was appalled as anyone by the Larry Nassar case. It was interesting to hear from one of the many people affected by his actions and to hear about her experience in the whole of the gymnastics world.
Maggie is so brave for telling her story, and it is definitely one worth being heard!
Thank you to @netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Listen, I love a memoir. And especially since this one was about the US gymnastics team? (aka one of my serious interests). Unfortunately, I just couldn't deal with the writing style of this one. I don't know, there was just something about it that just didn't vibe with me. But I do think it's an important story to tell.

I watched Athlete A on Netflix and when I saw this book I knew I wanted to read it.

It was great seeing Maggie as the person she truly is. Seeing her as a person outside of just gymnastics and the scandal that happened. To see all she did to become a great athlete but also an amazing person.

She wrote her story really well, and really explained everything going on in a way for us who didn't do gymnastics would understand. I liked reading about the scoring system because when I watch gymnastics that always confused me a little. Though it still does a little I have a better concept now.

I have been loving biographies lately and I am glad I picked this one up.

wow! What a strong woman to write this book. I liked the insight into the gymnastics world, as well as the author's vulnerability about talking about the more difficult areas of her time spent there. It presented a strong and resilient person.

Maggie Nichols was the first gymnast to raise concerns about Larry Nasser's "medical treatments" of USA gymnasts. She is a hero for that reason alone. She is also an athlete who competed successfully both internationally and collegiately. This book discusses her career, including her many injuries, her struggle with an eating disorder, and the consequences she faced as a result of reporting Nasser's abuse. It also presents the complicity of USA gymnastics, the many errors made in bringing Nasser to justice, and the bravery of all the athletes who spoke out. While the writing is rather basic, the story is compelling and important.

I have a lot of respect for Maggie Nichols. I followed her career while she competed on the US national team, I watched Athlete A, I continued to follow her gymnastics during her years at the University of Oklahoma. I think she’s really inspirational. I was beyond thrilled to receive an ARC of her memoir.

That being said, I didn’t like this book. I wanted so badly to like it, but it was just… okay.

It was written as if it were meant for middle grade or younger, which I don’t think could have ever worked out. Given the sensitive nature of the themes here, like disordered eating and sexual abuse, it really would have benefitted from a more mature style. There was a lot of telling and almost no showing going on. A lot of this was just bland descriptions of what was occurring, one emotion adverb/adjective, and then no further explanation of her feelings on the matter. I also didn’t find the flow of the story to be very good, as a chapter always started off with something like “I was determined to do my best!”, then it would hit some issue, and then it would immediately go into the “I was going to work even harder at accomplishing my goals!” vibes. Reading this memoir was like reading a college admissions essay.

There were a few places where it felt like it was retelling Athlete A rather than exploring Maggie’s personal feelings in the depth I expected from a memoir. It felt very superficial and filled with fluff sentences like “it was so amazing” or “I had a great time.” The gymnastics explanation very from highly technical to very basic, so this is definitely not a book for anyone unfamiliar with gymnastics moves. There was a very abrupt shift from elite gymnastics to her time at the University of Oklahoma I thought could have been expanded on. Her academic career is almost completely glossed over, too, as an example of aspects of her life that are just ignored. It’s mentioned that balancing academics with gymnastics was difficult, but there aren’t really any examples of that. Overall, this was inspiring and I respect what it must have took to write this memoir, but it just seemed very surface level.

3.5/5, rounded to 4.

Brave and riveting story. Writing style needed more editing, which is more a reflection of editors than author..

What a powerful story from Maggie Nichols. Seeing the details of how Larry Nassar was handled is appalling yet Maggie Nichols managed to write an incredible story and succeed despite these issues. Well written and full of details on family and friendship and support.

Maggie Nichols was an elite gymnast on track to make the 2016 Olympic team but when she was one of the first accusers of Larry Nasser, the doctor at the center of the gymnastics abuse scandal, that dream was derailed. However, this book is not only about that. It is about what it takes to be an elite gymnast in the first place, and about perseverance and strength of character and what it takes to keep going when not only have you lived through the horrendous experience of being literally abused you also have to deal with how that experience led to the crushing of your dream.

The book which was written with Hope Inelli draws you in immediately and really holds your attention throughout. It is in part extremely inspiring and in part outrageously horrifying. The part of the book that deals with Maggie's life before and after what happened to her is inspiring. She is a great role model for anyone not just young female athletes and not just because of her athletic prowess. Her character, inner strength, and courage in the aftermath of what happened to her and beyond, and how she was able to carry on with extreme grace and fortitude is something anyone can learn from.

The part of the book that deals with Larry Nasser's horrendous abuse and how it was mishandled by those in authority allowing him to continue his abuse and in fact, abuse many more innocent young girls long after his abhorrent actions were first reported is both outrageously shocking and completely terrifying, The way so many people in authority whose first priority should have been to protect these young girls and others like them failed so miserably in this duty is both disgusting and horrifying. Knowing that people like Maggie are now out there advocating for people like themselves, gives one the tiniest glimmer of hope.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Roaring Brook Press for an ARC of this book.

Unstoppable! is an important personal story that chronicles Maggie Nichols' remarkable live. She gives insight into her early years in gymnastics, her early rise through the ranks, and the numerous injuries and surgeries she survived along the way. However, even more significant is her retelling of some of the darker things she experienced - specifically the sexual abuse at the hands of Larry Nasser, the mishandling of the investigation and the additional emotional and mental abuse at the hands of key individuals within USA Gymnastics.

Some of the gritty details of the scoring systems at the various levels of gymnastics seemed a little clunky and difficult to comprehend for a gymnastics newbie, but overall, the book was a smooth read.

Fortunately, Maggie has managed to move forward with her life in the most positive ways possible. I really enjoyed hearing about her transition to collegiate gymnastics and what she plans to do in the future. I would definitely recommend this book!

Maggie Nichols is Athlete A. She was the first to go on record with a sexual assault charge against Larry Nasser. That anonymous report most likely cost her a spot on the 2016 Olympic team. Despite this injustice, Maggie persevered and joined the OSU gymnastics team. This decision catapulted her to a long list of awards and accolades -- much more than she could have achieved at one Olympics appearance. Her best friend during her elite gymnastic days was Simone Biles. Unfortunately my ARC did not include the forward by Biles. Larry Nasser was eventually tried for his crimes and is serving multiple sentences. Sadly, the missteps of the FBI and their handling of the investigation have yet to result in any consequences for those agents and SACs. Even after a congressional hearing. Like many who are not personally affected by the case, I had no idea that athletes like Maggie have still not gotten answers or seen anyone punished other than Nasser. There had to be others enabling this monster. This book is a revealing look at what it takes to excel in gymnastics as well as the frustrations of the sexual assault investigation. Includes an extensive gymnastics glossary and photos (in the finished edition).

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I flew through this story of Maggie Nichols & her rise to become a world champion in gymnastics & beyond. My heart went out to Maggie at so many different chapters of her life and career & all the sacrifices she made & struggles she faced. From the sexual scandals with Larry Nassar to disordered eating to multiple serious injuries, I was very inspired by her attitude to keep going & never let anything bring her down from doing what she loved. I learned a lot from this memoir about what it takes to be an elite gymnast.

Unstoppable gives teens an opportunity to understand Maggie's journey into gymnastics and the ups and downs of this popular sport. This edition also gives attention to eating disorders and the sexual abuse Maggie and other athletes endured. Based on the sensitive subject matter, this would be a good fit for a high school library collection.

Maggie Nichols’ memoir, Unstoppable!, is an inspirational story of her journey from a child gymnast in Minnesota to a world champion and collegiate athlete in Oklahoma. She was the first victim of Dr. Larry Nassar to come forward, and she describes the response from USA Gymnastics. The primary audience for this book is young people, so there are no descriptions of the abuse itself, just “he touched her inappropriately and she felt uncomfortable.” The overall theme of the book is overcoming challenges, not the scandal.

Maggie Nichols began her gymnastics career at the age of three in her hometown in Minnesota. Following her three older brothers, she was very athletic and showed promise early on. By the time she was five years old, she transferred to another gym and was training five hours per day. At the age of thirteen she was invited to attend monthly training camp at the Karolyi Ranch in Texas alongside the US national gymnastics team. There she was shamed about her weight and put on a very restrictive diet limited to lean protein. She describes the many injuries that she incurred over the years.

By 2015 Maggie Nichols carried the team all-around at the 2015 World Championships, helping to win the team gold medal. Her next goal was to be on Team USA at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She was looking forward to training for the Olympic along with teammates such as Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, and Laurie Hernandez.

However while she was at the Karolyi Ranch, she asked another gymnast about her interactions with Dr. Larry Nassar and his inappropriate touching. Maggie’s long-time coach from Minnesota overheard the conversation and questioned Maggie in private. Then she immediately notified USA Gymnastics officials and Maggie’s parents. The Nichols also contacted USA Gymnastics and were assured that they would notify the authorities. Instead USA Gymnastics hired someone to investigate the allegations prior to notifying law enforcement. Meanwhile Maggie was not selected for the 2016 Olympic team.

Eventually USA Gymnastics fired Dr. Larry Nassar and he was criminally prosecuted for his sexual abuse of young gymnasts. There was a fall-out among USA Gymnatics staffers over their delayed response and the systems in place that allowed Dr. Nassar to perform his “procedures” without oversight. Meanwhile Maggie Nichols enrolled at The University of Oklahoma where she became an 8-time NCAA champion and an outspoken advocate for the protection of young athletes.

Unstoppable! shares a behind-the-scenes view of elite gymnastics, the sexual abuse scandal of USA Gymnastics, and Maggie Nichols’ role as a whistleblower. Maggie tells her story of hard work, injuries, hope, emotional trauma, healing, and recovery. Her engaging writing style is easy for young readers to understand. I highly recommend this book for all readers.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.