Rating: 5 out of 10
This was an pretty good story. It had an original plotline, which I found refreshing. DJ Schwenk, 15, is an overworked farm girl who decides to try out for her school's football team one day. DJ deals with numerous problems such as a family that doesn't communicate, a distant best friend, and...falling for the rival team's quarterback.
Let's start off with the things I liked about this book. The girl power aspect was fun, and so was the modern day version of the star-crossed lovers archetype. I also enjoyed how Murdock portrayed farm life for how it really was: waking up early, doing all the dirty work, and then going to sleep sore and tired. Unlike other text, where the characters have time to ride horses in their free time, go to festivals or county fairs, or actually have fun while doing chores, Murdock reveals how tiresome, dirty and life-consuming living on a farm really is. DJ barely has time to pass school. This book was very realistic, and I liked having characters and situations that I could relate to as a reader. Additionally, DJ was easy to like. Some characters in novels are either very annoying, or very frustrating. DJ tries hard at everything she does, and doesn't pity herself or complain. She knows what she wants, but doesn't just expect to get it. I enjoyed DJ's authentic voice that the writer used. It was was very interesting to read and, as a teenager myself, I could actually understand it well.
However, there were some parts of the story I didn't like. The book had many slow and even boring parts. It was also very predictable. I could have told you what happened at the end of Dairy Queen right after the first few pages. But besides that, this was a great read. Those who enjoyed the stories Throwing Like A Girl by Weezie Kerr Mackey, Pretty Tough by Liz Ligelaar, and The Off Season, also by Murdock will especially like this novel.
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