Isaiah has embraced high school football. It's allowed him to build a disciplined life, keep his mind and body busy. As an 8th grader he was on a destructive path. He was reeling from the death of his older sister (hit by a drunk driver) and his grandfather (shot by a criminal) and did not have coping strategies to resist the voice inside him urging him to do reckless, dangerous things.
Fast forward to senior year when a big hit leads to a concussion during the football season. He has to decide what is his next step. He is actively working on himself, seeking direction, and looking to connect with people that will help him. ( )

Being a football mom, one whose son played nose tackle, if what happened to Isaiah happened to him, I’d probably make him quit. This book isn’t necessarily focused on football but the repercussions and what can happen to a person when their bell is cracked. I liked how it also focused on Isaiah‘s pre-football days and post football days. Football definitely gives a troubled kid focus, however, Isaiah‘s trouble stemmed from the devastating loss of his sister Hannah. He was acting out and the only way for him to straighten up and get some structure was for his father to force his hand and make him choose football. Unfortunately there were repercussions to being so focused and playing as hard as Isaiah did. The relationship with Grace almost seemed secondary. Overall it was a good book, ( )

I picked this up because some of our middle school readers asked for sports books. It's a compelling, quick read with some good game details. But the bulk of the story is about the main character dealing with the fallout of family tragedy and past decisions. Not my cup of tea, but I think our teens will be into it.

Literary Merit: Good
Characterization: Good
Recommended: yes
Level: High School or above

This is one of the first sports related YA fiction I have read. I really enjoyed it! Isaiah was a very likeable main character. The narrative follows Isaiah’s sport injury. Isaiah has allowed football to define him since his sister died in a car accident.

Deals with grief, sports injury, dysfunctional family, and addiction (through a secondary character). ( )