Fun read even if you are not a football lover
597913
I enjoyed reading about American football being played in Italy.  The description of the different places in Italy was excellent.
3136471
I should preface this review by saying that I am not a sports fan and not a football fan, and I was not looking forward to reading this book, which was recommended to me. So with all that in mind, no one is more shocked than I am by how much I loved this book.

The book is essentially an Alabamian-turned-New Yorker's experience taking a leave of absence from his job to follow the Alabama Crimson Tide football team in an RV. It is a funny and sometimes surprisingly poignant account of his time at home and away games. He introduces us to the people he met along the way, many of whom start out as comical caricatures and then surprise us with their complexity. Somewhat critical to the story is the fact that, even though the author is from Alabama and grew up following the Tide, he is almost universally viewed as an outsider because he lives in New York and introduces himself as a reporter, which affects many of his interactions.

If you do not like reading accounts of sporting events with mind-numbing detail about fumbles and touchdowns and interceptions (I do not), you will actually be OK with this book. The discussion of what actually happened in the games was limited to a few pages at most per game, and for the most part, you can skip ahead to find out whether the team won or lost without missing anything. The book is about southern football culture (which is basically a religion), and the games themselves are not actually all that relevant to the broader story.

A couple of things I do feel inclined to mention. First, the author can be a little bit sexist, occasionally expressing shock when good-looking college women are drunk or screaming profanities at the games. He is young enough to know that being obnoxious is not the exclusive provenance of 20-something frat boys, and I found these passages annoying.

Also, the author does occasionally touch on issues of racism among the fans, and while the book is obviously meant to be a mostly lighthearted account of his experience, he could've broached this subject with a little more introspection. He does talk about the incongruous logic of the racist fan, but he doesn't ever really touch on the exploitative nature of college sports or the deeply entrenched racism at some of the institutions featured in this book. I don't think this type of book demands an in-depth study of the issue, but I felt distinctly as though he was intentionally giving a very big issue only the most perfunctory mention.
2606630
Jordan Woods isn't your average high school gal. She's the captain of the football team. This is a story about a girl trying to make her dreams reality when the odds are stacked against her.

Jordan has wanted to play football almost her entire life. Her father, Donovan Woods, plays for the Tennessee Titans. He has never supported Jordan playing football. Football is Jordan's life. She wants nothing more than to kick butt at the championship game, impress the college scout that's coming to see her, and ultimately go on to play on the college team at Alabama. These dreams are within her grasp until a new guy named Tyler comes along and joins the team. He's also a high school football star and it seems he may be out to steal her position on the team as well as her heart.

- - -

There were only two things I didn't like about this book. One was the fact that every single player on the team seemed to adore Jordan. I really didn't find that realistic at all. I feel like there would be at least one or two guys who wouldn't want to follow instructions or take criticism from a female. Call me crazy, but this was an issue for me.

Second, all the cursing Jordan did. It's not the cursing itself, but why, it seems, there was so much of it. If you want to "de-girlify" your protagonist, making her curse like a sailor isn't the only way to do it.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed reading this story!

The characters were a whole lot of fun and I felt that they were realistic to what high school students/football players would be like. I enjoyed Jordan's group of guy friends and how they all interacted together. It was fun, funny, and entertaining. The friendships in this story were those that everyone hopes and wishes to have and be a part of.

The football. I always worry when I read a book that is football related. I am not a football fan, not really. I prefer hockey. ;) Even so, this book was a fantastic read, football included. I was pleasantly surprised that none of it was confusing and the football element was well done and enjoyable even for people who aren't fans and/or know nothing about football.

The romance. Oh goodness, it broke my freaking heart! There's a love triangle between Jordan, Ty, and one of Jordan's male friends. I was rooting for the friend the entire way, but it didn't seem like things were going to go my way. It was just a really intense web of feelings. It's all about Jordan coming to grips with the fact that she is a woman and has the feelings of a woman. She has to work through a small war going on inside her where one side says she's becoming a sissy and that her team won't respect her if she dates, while the opposing side is telling her that she should be able to be who she is and love who she loves without fear of judgment.

Catching Jordan had me hooked from beginning to end. I literally couldn't put it down! I read it in a day. I stayed up all night finishing it and I wasn't disappointed one bit with how the story panned out.

I would recommend this book to just about everyone. The cursing and sexual content makes this book more suitable for older teens rather than younger. It's a fresh, fast-paced read. It's emotion, fun, and life lessons all wrapped into one truly great YA Contemporary. You definitely need to read this one!
1029
I'm not a big fan of football, but Newton's Football catalyzed an interest in the dynamics of the game.
Who knew that the gridiron was a workshop for observing physics and evolution in action?
And over the holidays, I was able to toss a few zingers at my relatives, like "you know what the first football looked like?"
A fun read and football will never be quite the same for me.
1216169
When I first started reading this book, I thought it was going to go a certain way, that it was going to be a totally light-hearted romp through the world of football and the women who love the players. It was so much more than that! In fact, it was more full-bodied than I'd expected with a lot more depth to the story and characters. At the heart is the love story of Branch and Layla and though it may seem unconventional to some, it really is sweet in the long run. There's just something about Branch and the way e is with Layla that just gets to me. Lately, sad to say, I've read a few books where I didn't like one of the characters (usually the female one because she came off as too much of a bitch), which kind of spoiled the rest of the book for me - how could I truly love the book if I didn't love all the characters? I'm happy to say that is not the case with this one. I really liked all of the characters (well, except maybe Callum, the callous jerk), so that made the book so much more enjoyable for me. Definitely worth the read.
1509638
I loved this book. It was hard not to notice the passion with which Jon Gruden approaches football. It made this a fast read
4688862
I have never grown up in a place where football rules the school. Even in college if the football team won one game it was a victory. The Revenge Playbook takes a town that is football obsessed and  battles it with some serious girl empowerment. I loved how the book is fun but was also realistic. Everything didn't wrap up in a perfect bow because how could it.

I loved the four girls Peyton, Ana, Melanie Jane and Liv. We get to know more about each girl as we alternate from their perspectives between the past and present. The plot centers around the weeks leading up to the Scavenger Hunt and then the hunt itself. As each girl rehashes her own beef with the football team and why she wants revenge. Their goal is to steal the schools treasured 76 football and make the football team have to walk out onto the field naked. I think as the girls uncover and collide more with the football team, it becomes even bigger than that. They want revenge for themselves but for everyone that the team has an impact on negatively.

The book deals with a lot of different issues but it doesnt really get to in depth for each one. The date rape drug and slut shaming are at the forefront. With some discrimination against equality and IEPs scratching the surface. It reminded me of times of the news stories that felt like they were everywhere about college teams sexually assaulting people and it being covered up. Its sad and angering that it happens.

I liked how the girls bond over their plot and end up all becoming friends. I don't think they get to completely bare their souls simply because there is not enough time but I think after all this they certainly will. I would have liked to know more about Peytons situation with Karl. She had taken the first step of getting rid of him on her own but I liked how her friendship with the other girls really showed her she made the right choice.

We also get to see the different degrees of the football team. Some of the guys are just evil like Chad. Some are that stupid awkward where they thinking pushing a girl in the mud will make her think you're cool, like Casey. I actually wondered in the back of my brain if he would be different when not around his friends. Some are just good guys like Rey and Trevor but are just a part of the team because they want to play football.

I liked the ending everything is wrapped up well but not perfect. The ending made sense to me. Overall I did like the book, it definitely kept me intrigued and reading. It focuses on friendship more than anything else and I liked that. A little different read so if you are looking for something that is not so romance involved this a good choice.
3645988
This book is a combination biography sports tale and explanation/description of our Texas football culture S.C. Gwynne is a great Author. I read Comanche Moon first and that made me a fan of his. You don't have to be a football fan to appreciate the book, I am a casual fan and thought it was great. I am from Texas so a casual football fan in Texas might be a little more interested than others. I recommend this and Gwynne's other two books, which I have also devoured with relish. Rebel Yell, being the last one I read.
4761851
I wasn't sure how much I'd like this book because it had a lot to do with football and I don't know much about football, but it turned out that while there was football in the book, there was so much more to it! Stinson has an easy writing style and to learn about the other facets of Bill Dudley's life - and the choices he made, was fascinating. I highly recommend it!
263207
Aubrey works as a publicist for San Jose Hawks a football team with a strict no fraternizing rule. She has been attracted to Hawks star Flynn since she began working for the team. Flynn Is a  second string quarterback, who has focused on his football game at the cost of his personal life. This focus on the game has made him media darling. He and Aubrey hook up after a party and are caught by the media. Their "relationship " evolves from there.

I really enjoyed this book, it reversed a romance stereotyped, by making the man the virgin. The pacing and humor were great and supporting characters well rounded. I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys sport  or work place romances.

I was given an arc copy for an
2250480
This is a great book that leads into a great series and world of books. Football is not the subject of these books but it is the vehicle for the characters plot lines  I recommend it to everyone I talk to about books.  I did not enjoy football before reading these books but now, I have a new appreciation for the sport and actually enjoy watching an occasional game or two.
1422502
At first, I wasn't sure I would like this because it seemed the  emphasis was on football. I like football, but I didn't want an entire read on the subject. Since I  needed a new book  to read,  I ordered it on my Kindle, and feel in love. It's a multilevel subject on so many levels, I can only say you won't be disappointed. I really like this  series and this author!
599607
I'm giving this five stars, but bear in mind it's for its place within the "sports gossip" genre, not because it's one of the greatest books ever. It's entertaining, backstabby, snarky and full of loathing and bad apples - so five stars for being fun to read.

I'm not a Cowboys fan at all, which also helps. These aren't my heroes being dragged through mud of their own making, so I am happy to read all about their respective downfalls. That's the 'value' of a book like this - can the reader vicariously wallow in the excess and debauchery, and the answer is yes.

Most of the reviews have hit the high plot points - the whores, the drugs, Irvin stabbing guys, Emmitt being miserable, etc. All the stories you want to see are there.

To earn five stars from me, I have to feel like the writer is having fun with it, and Pearlman really is. So many of these sports books take themselves soooo seriously - please, it's a bunch of rich men living crazy lives with their own money. So I don't want to judge them - I want to laugh at them. Pearlman does a great job of interviewing to get the dirt, and without making himself a pretentious narrator trying to be above the fray.

This is simply a fun, comical read that won't take any brain cells or much extra thought on the readers part. We already knew the Cowboys of the '90s were crazy, and this is a look behind that curtain. But they were fun, and part of me would trade my being a fan of the passionless, all-business Patriots, for the insanity of the Cowboys.

It also made me want to read Pearlman's other books, at least the one on Clemens and maybe Payton, so that's also strong praise I can give it.
3868596
The One & Only  Emily Giffin
I may not know much about football logistics, but Emily Giffins character Shea had me getting the game, more than I had in all the years of watching it myself at your typical football party. So, for all of you that may dislike this novel for the mere fact that you do not like football, or Texas Loving Football fans; I suggest you read this, because it is not about the footballit is about the way life compares to it.  And, you do not need to understand plays, stats or anything else.  Shea Rigsby and Coach Clive Carr will tell you all you need to know.
The book begins with a tragedy that weaves a web throughout the entire book.
Shea Rigsby is at the core of this story about the circumstances surrounding love and loyalty intersecting.  I am sure a lot of people will judge this book for its morale epicenter, but that is exactly why I cherished it.  Emily Giffin went out on a ledge to bring us a book that would truly challenge our own personal ethics code.  Isnt that what a good book is all about, anyway!  Giving us all something to talk about!
This is not your typical run-of-the-mill romantic, easy-going, chick-lit novel.  She goes beyond that, as I gasped at certain parts because I was so tickled by her story telling.  She took turns introducing vivid characters that were unexpected.  Until the very last sentence I had no idea what was going to happen.  That is enough to keep you turning the page.
The bottom line is that Shea is a woman who knows what she wants, but; is she willing to lose her best friend, mother, job, and entire family in the process.
Heres to watching my next football game!
As Coach Carr said in the book; Youre either in our out.  No Fair-weather fans allowed
Isnt that a lot like life??
2477406
This is a fun summer read.  Not your typical Grisham lawyer novel.  This is about American football in Italy.  Whether you are a football fan or not, you will enjoy this book.
1675435
This is a great read for anyone interested in sports.  I also bought it for two young friends: one involved in college football in the South; the other a Patriots fan working in California. I received emails with lots of thank you exclamation points!! - both relating how much they were enjoying the book.  Upton is a great "color" guy - his stories are so interesting and enjoyable - I could even envision the day his father died - Upton on one side of the stadium realizing that the commotion on the other side involved his Dad.  He's intelligent and joyful in his outlook and Borges brings in the punch and flow.

This book takes you right to the stadiums, locker rooms, and owners' suites!
861767
Even if you're not a kid planning to be a walk-on athlete at a university like Florida, this book is STILL a great read that I -- as a fan -- highly recommend. I'm long past my college days, but I'm a huge Gator fan, and I found the insights and behind-the-scenes anecdotes on a major college football program fascinating. Brian did a great job of combining useful information for prospective college athletes with humorous stories that ultimately convey life as a walk on. I might not use this to walk onto a football team, but I WILL use it to get a real-life glimpse at the behind-the-scenes personalities of players and coaches I only knew through the TV. It's a really fun and engaging read.