All her life, people have told 17-year-old tomboy Emma Wrangton that she’s not good enough, smart enough, or strong enough to succeed in life. Somewhere along the way, she started to believe them. Without the promise of a respectable future after graduation, all Emma wants is to cherish her senior year by playing basketball with the guys and spending as much time as possible with her best friend before he heads off to some fancy university, leaving her behind. But when the high school basketball coach recruits her to join the team—the girls’ team—Emma discovers life is anything but a slam dunk. How is she supposed to know how to be one of the girls when all she’s ever been is one of the guys?
- Books
- Young Adult Indie
- A Game Worth Watching
A Game Worth Watching
Featured
Author(s)
Age Group
13+
Published Date
January 15, 2013
ISBN Number
1483964868
ASIN Number
Editor reviews
1 reviews
Wonderfully done.
Overall rating
4.5
Writing Style
5.0
Plot/Story
5.0
Illustrations (if applicable)
N/A
Characters (if applicable)
4.0
Editing/Design Quality
4.0
A tear-jerking story of bullying and finding strength when it seems there's none to be found.
The story:
Emma is a tomboy of the highest degree. All she wants to do is stay on the basketball court with the guys she plays with, avoiding her family and all girls at all cost. That is, until the women's basketball coach shows up and all but begs her to be a part of their team, to lead it. To say she was reluctant would be an understatement but her best friend pushes her to at least try and when she does, everything begins to change.
What I loved:
This story breaks your heart. Emma is such a sad character, neglected by her father, mistreated by her brothers, ridiculed by the girls at school. But the one thing she has is Riley. Their friendship is so pure and good and their slip into something more is done seamlessly and authentically. They balance each other perfectly. Through Emma's struggles, we learn what real strength is. We learn what it is to cast unfair judgments and that maybe different doesn't mean bad.
What was just okay:
I wish Emma had been more likable. Here we have a girl who is picked on and bullied that we want to love every part of. But then Ashley comes into the picture - the young, super sweet freshman who only wants to fit in - and Emma is horrible to her.
Final Verdict:
Bring the tissues because this book will break you in two and never quite put you back together. Wonderfully done. A worthwhile read.
The story:
Emma is a tomboy of the highest degree. All she wants to do is stay on the basketball court with the guys she plays with, avoiding her family and all girls at all cost. That is, until the women's basketball coach shows up and all but begs her to be a part of their team, to lead it. To say she was reluctant would be an understatement but her best friend pushes her to at least try and when she does, everything begins to change.
What I loved:
This story breaks your heart. Emma is such a sad character, neglected by her father, mistreated by her brothers, ridiculed by the girls at school. But the one thing she has is Riley. Their friendship is so pure and good and their slip into something more is done seamlessly and authentically. They balance each other perfectly. Through Emma's struggles, we learn what real strength is. We learn what it is to cast unfair judgments and that maybe different doesn't mean bad.
What was just okay:
I wish Emma had been more likable. Here we have a girl who is picked on and bullied that we want to love every part of. But then Ashley comes into the picture - the young, super sweet freshman who only wants to fit in - and Emma is horrible to her.
Final Verdict:
Bring the tissues because this book will break you in two and never quite put you back together. Wonderfully done. A worthwhile read.
User reviews
There are no user reviews for this listing.
Already have an account? Log in now or Create an account
Powered by JReviews
FEATURED GIVEAWAYS
Latest Book Listings Added
Historians tell the stories of tragic and untimely presidential deaths,...
Althea Gibson was the quickest, tallest, most fearless athlete in...
Imprisonment, hunger strikes, suffrajitsu — the decades-long fight for women’s...
Madrid, 1957. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco...
Latest Member Reviews
"Lady Victoria 'Vicky' Aston has a good life. Her older sister is married to a charming Viscount; her family estate..."
"In 1935, ten-year-old Alex Maki is disgusted when he finds out that his pen-pal Charlie is a girl. Still, they..."
"LOKI: WHERE MISCHIEF LIES tells a new story of teen Loki, before all the big battles and intergalactic feuds with..."
"Told from the perspective of a girl who was captured and escaped, JANE ANONYMOUS is a thriller of both physical..."
"In all seriousness, Fireborne by Rosaria Munda is the best. I have nothing to compare it to. It is unique,..."
"TWEET CUTE is a fun enemies-to-dating and anonymous-You've-Got-Mail style YA contemporary romance. The book follows the two protagonists in equal..."
"THROW LIKE A GIRL is a charming story about chasing your dreams, a little romance, and a passion for sports...."
"'The Boy Next Story' by Tiffany Schmidt follows main character Aurora, who goes by Rory, as she tries to figure..."
"Veronica can see the ghost of her dead mother. She also suffers from debilitating migraines that hold her back from..."
"PAX NOVIS is an engaging YA sci-fi novel that takes place in the future, when humans have colonized other planets...."
"To be honest, I went into this expecting vampires. I guess between the visual tone to the..."
"Applegate delivers an action-packed middle-grade sequel in a uniquely otherworldly setting, with characters that are relatable, cute and fuzzy, along..."
"THE GUINEVERE DECEPTION is an incredible new YA fantasy that combines a dark mystery, magic, and romance/love into a gorgeous,..."
"REFRACTION is a highly readable/devourable book that is certainly a page-turner. In the post-apocalyptic future, a small island appears to..."
"WHAT I LOVED: Excuse me, who gave Anna Priemaza permission to bug my house and use my brother and I..."
"Los Angeles, Ferguson, and Baltimore. Three cities where years of racism, injustice, unchecked police brutality, and rampant anti-Black racism came..."
"I’d been hearing about this book on Bookstagram, BookTube, and BookTwitter as an anticipated release for September 2019. And then..."
"I have no words….well, that’s a lie. I have lots of words. Just where to start?! Stalking Jack the Ripper..."
