You Will Know Me

“If she ever had to talk about it, which she never would, Katie would have to go back, years before it happened.”

And so begins the first of my Top 5 Books of 2017, You Will Know Me, by Megan A[image error]bbott. I read this early in the year and remember not being able to put it down. Having read the beginning again for this post, I felt the same pull I did back then, and if I didn’t have to write this, I’d be reading it still.

It’s that good.

There is something about the way she unfolds this story (don’t worry, no spoilers) that keeps you guessing about what happened throughout the book. At the center of this book is Devon Knox, an elite gymnast, and her parents who will do anything to ensure she achieves her goals.

The entire time I was reading, I couldn’t help but compare this book to the skating world. While I never saw the extremes written in this book, the mental aspects of Devon and the mom were easily relatable. I believe any competitive athlete (coach or parent) at the elite level would be able to connect to this book. The story of the athlete felt familiar to me, and while I haven’t coached in many, many years, I was taken back to a time when it was everything to me.

You can take the coach out of the rink, but never out of the person. That coach is still there, inside me, and reading this reminded me of that competitive atmosphere that, like this story, draws you inside. Being a part of a winning “team” is addictive. I’ve been a part of it and witnessed it over and over again. And while coaching is a part of my past I’m very proud of, I’m equally as happy to not be a part of it any longer.

If you haven’t read this one yet, put it on your TBR list. You won’t regret it…. It’s the perfect book heading into an Olympic year.

Happy Reading!

xo, Mo