A very readable autobiography following the extraordinary life of Maria Sharapova from the recognition of her early potential at the age of four to her victory at Wimbledon when she was seventeen, followed by more Grand Slams, despite injury and obstacles along the way. Her sheer dedication and determination to succeed at her sport is incredible as she battles through many personal setbacks, supported by amazing parents willing to sacrifice everything to support their daughter. Not being a huge tennis fan, apart from Wimbledon, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed Maria's story.

Interesting look at Maria, one of the most famous women’s tennis players. Learned some new things, but didn’t really make me like Maria Sharapova anymore.

Unfortunately this was a no go for me. I just couldn't get into the book and struggled to get past the first few chapters

This is a really, really great read.  Definitely one of the best autobiographies that I have ever read and I have read a ton of them.  Being a massive tennis fan I had a pretty clear idea and picture of what Maria was like, or so I thought. Everything changed as soon as I started to read her book. Her honesty and her insight gave me a whole new view of her.  I ended up rooting for her and thats something I never felt I would do.  Her story is remarkable, her determination inspiring and her honesty is breathtakingly refreshing. Maria is who she is and I really do feel like I kinda have a pretty clear idea of who that is now after reading this book. A must read especially for any tennis fans...

I like tennis but am neither a huge Tennis fan or have ever particularly warmed to Maria Sharapova. But the description had me intrigued. 

This book tells the story of the 6 year old Maria who was taken by her father from Russia to Florida to make her a successful Tennis player. They didn't have much money and very limited English but both Maria and her father showed enormous determination, ambition and belief to get where they wanted to be. It describes the journey from fleeing home after the Chernobyl disaster to achieving great things in women's tennis.

It was fascinating to read of Maria's sheer willpower, sacrifices made and determination to achieve her dreams. It's certainly and absorbing read that I would recommend.

I'm not a tennis fan but have obviously heard of Maria Sharapova. This book is fascinating, the work that tennis players put in is phenomenal, and Maria's success is even more impressive when you learn about the many obstacles she and her family faced. It's very easy to read and, even though I only know the basics of tennis, I didn't struggle with the references. I would have given it 5 stars except, as some other reviewers have also noted, Maria comes across as petty when talking about some other players, most notably Serena Williams. Her attitude to friendships with other players may have contributed to her success, but is quite sad, nonetheless.

Found this book really interesting,  looking into the life of a major tennis star

A very very inspiring and powerful memoir about Maria Sharapova. I never interested in tennis and honestly I never heard about Maria at all. Found out she is a very famous international tennis player. I received this e-book from NetGalley, and I am so grateful I read this. 

Her story teaches me that success doesn't come overnight. It includes a lot of people, hard works, failures, and determinations. I recommend for everyone to read this book. It is so inspiring!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher.  I am a real avid tennis fan and like Maria Sharapova and was absolutely fascinated with this book and the honesty.  Brilliant read

When she was six,  Maria Sharapova  was taken to Florida from her home in Russia to become  a successful tennis player. 

It is an amazing tale of her rise to the top after fleeing  the Chernobyl disaster and with hardly any money to become one of the most famous names of the sport.

It is a chatty read, and it seems everything has been covered. the good and the bad.  

Although I am not a tennis fan, I found her story very interesting, and I was entertained throughout. 

If you like Celebrity novels then this is a good one to read.

When I requested this book, it was not because I am a tennis fanatic. I'm British, and like a lot of my fellow Britons turn into a fan only when Wimbledon comes on the television each year. But I was intrigued by this book, not least because Maria Sharapova has always rather intrigued me.
This memoir covers the majority of her life, from the time when she began hitting a tennis ball at the tender age of 4, and ends with her planning a comeback after serving a ban for taking a banned substance.
I found this book to be really quite eye-opening, and thought that it was written honestly and openly. Maria (or rather Masha), is a driven individual, who makes no excuses.
I thought this was a good, compelling read, and I really enjoyed it.

What an amazing read.
Showing the determination and grit required by all parents and children who want to be successful tennis players.

Described as a “powerful memoir”, UNSTOPPABLE: MY LIFE SO FAR is a candid account of Sharapova’s rise to tennis stardom, from the public courts of Russia to the manicured lawns of Wimbledon. Written in her in her own words, the tennis champ openly admits in the Prologue that she’d planned to release her autobiography after her final ‘victory’ tour in 2016 but her plans were cut short when she was suddenly accused of doping and banned from competing. Determined to appeal the decision, Sharapova decided to focus on her unending fight to stay on top with UNSTOPPABLE detailing that very fight.

Sharapova’s story starts back in 1992 with a five-year-old Sharapova – whose real name is Masha – hitting tennis balls against a wall in a small Russian town. Convinced his daughter could be a star, Sharapova’s father Yuri risked everything to get them to Florida, arriving in America with just seven hundred dollars to his name and just a few words of English.

The story quickly catches up to 2004 to the match that made Sharapova an overnight sensation. Out of virtual anonymity, the seventeen year old beat two-time defending champion Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final to become the youngest ever winner, launching herself onto the international stage. “Maria Mania” was born as sponsors and fame came quickly calling, as well as a fierce rivalry with Williams.

Throughout the book, Sharapova talks openly about her feud with Serena Williams. In fact, Williams is such a prominent fixture in Sharapova’s book that her name shows up more than 100 times, including nine times in the prologue alone. In many way, Williams is her Sharapova’s personal benchmark and the standard that defines her career. At times, Sharapova talks about her like an idol, exaggerating Williams’ physical presence and anger, while other times she’s described as frenemy, revealing intimate moments like the time she caught William’s crying in the changing rooms at Wimbledon, a moment she believes Williams has never forgiven her for.

But perhaps the most interesting part of the book is when Sharapova came up against her toughest challenge yet – her charge by the ITF for taking the banned substance meldonium during the 2016 Australian Open. Sharapova talks frankly about the suspension, choosing not to shy away from the issue, but openly admitting that she took the drug (which had only recently been added to the ITF’s list) for a heart condition, albeit without knowing it was a banned substance. The resulting suspension would keep her off the professional courts for fifteen months – a frighteningly long time for any athlete.

For the most part, UNSTOPPABLE makes for an interesting read. Candid, frank and outspoken, Sharapova’s writing is open and honest from the outset. The tennis star also doesn’t sugar coat parts of her career, talking candidly about the relationships that have shaped her including her coaches, best friends and boyfriends, as well as her father Yuri, describing their oft-scrutinized relationship with honesty and affection.

The only real disappointment is the ending which feels hurried and abrupt. Towards the end of the book, Sharapova rushes over her legal fight with ITF to quickly get to the point in which prepares to make her return to the professional circuit. As such, the books loses some of its momentum and lacks any real sort of closure.

That said, it’s clear to see Sharapova’s passion for the sport and whether you’re a fan or not, you can’t help but be inspired by her drive and determination to win, whatever the odds. All in all, a captivating and candid story about an unending fight to stay on top.

This is not your usual sporting autobiography, and it was fascinating to read about the struggles Maria Sharapova had to go through in her early life to pursue her dreams. It's incredible to see how she went from a young girl in a strange country, to the sporting superstar she is today.

Her writing was very insightful, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Maria Sharapova makes it abundantly clear in this autobiography that, above all else, to get to the very top you need determination.  It was this that drove her to practice up to 12 hours a day for 15 years and still drives her today even though she is a multi winner of the tennis majors. Friendship with her co -players is a luxury she denies herself as it might be a weakness at a deciding moment in a fiercely fought match. You get the impression that tennis is everything to her and, until her career is over, she's prepared to put everything else on hold.  A compromise very few can make and perhaps that is why she is a champion.

Loved having the chance to read and review this book, gave me a much better insight into who Maria is & what makes her determined a tennis player on the court than just what is known already. Was interesting to read her early background & influences. Would very much recommend & pick up myself

This was an interesting read in which the author's voice and style was very apparent. It started with her early years and move to the US with just her father, carrying on through her career to her recent drugs ban. It was fascinating to read about the struggle of early years as well as Maria's mental approach to her tennis, her matches and her competitors. The book tackled her recent drugs ban head on and certainly felt authentic in the description and explanation in this regard. An interesting and recommended read.

I've always loved watching and following tennis but I've never been a fan of Maria Sharapova. I was hoping this book would help to change my mind and in many ways it does, but I'm left with a mixture of feelings after reading this.

'Unstoppable: My Life So Far' is an easy read and I got into this book right away. The first page shows a couple of pictures of Sharapova as a child before beginning with a prologue where she talks about her recent doping ban. It's a brilliant start to the book as it explains the truth of the ban and makes you wonder if it should have happened at all. The prologue is brief and there is more on the ban in the last chapter of book, with the rest of the story following in a chronological order, beginning with Sharapova's life in Gomel, Belarus.

The book has a really easy to read style making it feel as if Sharapova is chatting with you while telling you her life. Her early years before moving to the US are just fascinating to read and it gave me a sense of the strength and determination she has inside her. As the book progresses and details her life in America you begin to have a real sense of respect for her. I never knew the life she led, the difficulties she faced early on and the conditions she and her father lived in. It all makes you feel real respect for her and I thought I would really enjoy the whole book from start to finish. But as Sharapova reveals the first information about Serena Williams, I did start to feel differently about her.

I'll admit right now that I do like Serena Williams but I was prepared to here some real truths about how the rivalry began, regardless of who did what to who. The book is advertised as explaining this 'legendary rivalry' but no matter how many times Sharapova brings up the issues around her and Williams I couldn't see any real conflicts in her story. At the very first mention of seeing the Williams sisters she seems to have set up her own barrier against them and this became more clear the further I read on. At several points in the story Sharapova even explains the behaviour Williams showed towards her, behaviour which I can only see as positive and even friendly, and yet Sharapova sees it as alien, as if it wasn't real. In the end her mentions of Williams began to grate on me and it really spoiled my reading. It felt like a bitter attempt to instill some hatred towards Williams, especially when she mentions a particular incident post match which sounds like a private moment, which I doubt any other players would mention publically.

Although people who are not into tennis may enjoy this book there's no explanation of how tennis games work and there's a lot of descriptions around certain matches which may lose some people but I found it very interesting to read. I was never confused at any point during these chapters and it was good to hear how someone feels in the middle of the match, the thoughts and feelings they go through as you never really see when watching a tennis match as a spectator. In the last chapters Sharapova details other aspects of her life. As a child she speaks of few moments that go outside of the tennis life but in the last chapters she starts to talk about relationships. This is also an interesting part of her book and it was good to see more of her life outside of tennis. The last pages detail the ban again and the struggle she went through. It was good to hear more details of this and it did make me respect her a little more, however it was still hard to enjoy this book that much by the end given how Sharapova describes not only Williams but tennis relationships in general.

There is swearing in the book. There isn't much in the first chapters but there is some use of the f and s word later on. The ending is good and I enjoyed reading the book as a whole. There's a lot of detail of her early life and in these chapters I found a newfound respect for Sharapova. It will certainly change your mind about her when you read about the difficult circumstances she had in her early life. I also found her easy to read style fun to read and I was gripped throughout some of her early life chapters. However the digs at Williams, her explanations of friendships in tennis and the overall feel of pettiness, this spoiled what could have been a really great read. It's not that I'm a fan of Serena Williams that makes me dislike this part of the book, it would be the same no matter who was mentioned. It's just not what I expect to read when I pick up an autobiography and that's why I have reduced my rating which is a shame.

A really interesting insight into the world of a top tennis played.  Surprisingly moving and written with emotion.  Describes the enormous struggle to make it to the top with passion and real feeling.

[bookcover:Unstoppable: My Life So Far|34884398]


Firstly, thank you to Net Galley, the publishers and Maria Sharapova, for an advanced copy for an honest review...

I believe I can give a honest review, as a former tennis coach for fifteen years, a player for thirty years, and a fan of men's and ladies tennis, who watches tennis all the time... and on the ATP and WTA website everyday !!

Firstly let me say that Maria Sharapova is an intelligent lady, and her honesty and forthright comments I am sure will shock some fans and also some players...

This book demonstrates the brutal, often tough battles to become a top tennis player, her hard work from the age of 4, yes 4 years old.

Life must of been tough coming to a country where you did not understand a word, young and innocent, but inside already a determined girl, with very high concentration levels...

 As a fan, do I enjoy watching her style of tennis,  not always, too noisy, and no different levels to her game...

As a person I admire her strength, brutal honesty, concentration, determination to win, her battles with injury, her fight back from all of these...

Her battles fighting a ban that I believe should not have happened, read the story and then you can see why. As a fitness fanatic, tennis coach and qualified nutritionist but also a diabetic !

You easily and quickly read through this very interesting book.

One thing I would have loved  if one of her coaches had taught and worked on her weakness's more from a young age, movement from side to side, and to volley, slice, drop shot... a variation in her game..

One thing that stands out to me.... I hope Serena Williams does not read this book!!