Likely Stories - The Favorites by Layne Fargo

Kat Shaw and Heath Rocha loved each other for as long as they can remember, since Heath grew up as an adopted brother of sorts and Kat’s competitive nature latched itself on to him. Two lower-class kids from the Midwest weren’t supposed to have a
shot at ice dancing fame, but Kat’s talent and tenacity and Heath’s willingness to do
anything for Kat propelled them to greater heights than they could have prepared for.

Shaw & Rocha (as they are collectively known) are a force to be reckoned with, and
even their rivals-turned-training-partners the Lin Twins recognize the greatness in
their midst. On the 10th anniversary of the scandal that ended their careers, an
unauthorized documentary fans the flames (or enflames the fans) of Shaw & Rocha’s
greatest hits and biggest humiliations. Because as we know, the only thing the public likes more than cheering someone’s rise to success is celebrating their fall from grace.

Blending traditional storytelling with first-person interviews from Shaw & Rocha’s coach, competitors, Olympic judges, family members, and bystanders, this book will have you Googling characters just to double-check they aren’t actual people.

This is a story of the competitive spirit, of power, of the lengths to which love takes us, of the toxic way we can become enmeshed in our closest relationships, and of the boundaries we establish and break. It reads like a Gothic romance with all the push and pull and suffering, but set on Olympic ice instead of on the English moors.

I loved this book for the depth of reality it brought to the characters and their experiences. Early on, I Googled “How many gold medals has Sheila Lin won?” before I realized her character was fictional and only the settings of Vancouver, Sochi, and South Korea were real. If you’ve read Carrie Soto is Back or Daisy Jones & the Six, this will be reminiscent—in fact, the author thanks Taylor Jenkins Reid in her acknowledgements. The Favorites was an unexpected “favorite” of mine so far, and I bet it will end up on the victory podium once all the judges cast their votes.

THIS TITLE IS AVAILABLE IN FORMATS FOR THOSE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT'S - YOU CAN FIND IT HERE VIA THE 'NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICE FOR THE BLIND AND PRINT DISABLED.'

PREVIOUS EPISODES OF LIKELY STORIES

Likely Stories - Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

Haven’t we all thought at one point how nice it would be to get away from the hustle and bustle of workaday life and return to living in simpler times? To disconnect, to live off the land, to embrace true family values? It sounds so refreshing in theory, but I’m not sure I could hack it in reality.

Likely Stories - Bone Valley by Gilbert King

Sometimes the most meaningful gifts come with a story inside them. Bone Valley tells the haunting case of a young man convicted of murder—and the decades-long search for the truth that followed. It’s a gripping look at justice gone wrong, and what it takes to make it right. Trust me—you won’t see the final turn coming.

Likely Stories - The 10 by E. A. Hanks

Gia Chevis reviews The 10 by E.A. Hanks—a reflective road trip memoir about memory, identity, and finding meaning in small moments along the way.

Likely Stories - Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

A charming but mysterious stranger arrives in a college town. He skirts questions about himself and his past, but soon becomes a vital part of the community through his kindness, his generosity, and his willingness to be friends with anyone.Welcome to “Likely Stories.”I’m Diane Kemper.

Likely Stories - The Compound by Aisling Rawle

Love Island meets Lord of the Flies meets Survivor meets Big Brother is a heavy mantle for a book to carry, but it’s an accurate description of what you’ll think of when you read The Compound by Aisling Rawle.

Teaching Under the Influence by Sandra Walters

"Every Kid Deserves a Champion" is a famous quote by educator powerhouse Rita Pearson. For years, teachers have been considered champions for students regardless of their economic background, academic growth, race, or behavior. History.

Likely Stories - Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

Hello. My name is Douglas Henry, Dean of the Honors College at Baylor University, with this week’s edition of Likely Stories. Fantasy writer R.F. Kuang published her sixth novel last year. It’s called Katabasis, an odd but fitting Greek word for her story of academic misadventure.

Likely Stories - A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

Have you ever felt overwhelmed, and maybe just a bit freaked out, by the absurd enormity of inhabiting a fragile body in a rapidly-changing and dangerous world? George Hall has, a little too often. I’m Gia Chevis, and for this week’s installment of Likely Stories on KWBU, I’m recommending A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon, author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Likely Stories - A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst

A married couple’s long awaited adventure at sea becomes a disaster and a nearly four month long deperation to stay alive.

Likely Stories - The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I don't know if there is a more perfect book. I've read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern five times (unheard of for someone like me who does not ever reread books), and each time I find myself utterly captivated by this beautiful, mystical story of love, magic, sweeping talents and mystery, and the ties that bind us to each other.