My thoughts:What girl doesn't want to be surrounded by gorgeous jocks day in and day out? Jordan Woods isn't just surrounded by hot guys, though - she leads them as the captain and quarterback on her high school football team. They all see her as one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university. But now there's a new guy in town who threatens her starring position on the team... and has her suddenly wishing to be seen as more than just a teammate.
As a non-American, I have to admit that up until last year I had never even watched a game of football. Then I married a Patriots fan, and started getting lessons in everything from plays to the scoring system to fantasy football. Despite all his efforts, I still don't care much about football, so I was excited to see if Catching Jordan would be interesting even for me. It was.
Catching Jordan has not only one of the coolest girls in young adult literature, but also a fantastic cast of side characters. Jordan's friends from the football team each have their own distinct voice and personality, and I loved reading how they interacted both on and off the field. These boys are so darn supportive of their quarterback, and you can tell that they really care about her. Jordan's family, from her loving mother to her supportive brother, are described in such a warm familiar way that I almost felt part of the family myself during their dinners, and even her dad, who's trying hard to ignore the fact that Jordan is playing football, is so much more than the stereotypical "dad in the background".
The dialogue is what really brought me in to this story. Whether Jordan is hanging out at Joe's All You Can Eat Pasta Shack with J.J. or is out on the field with her team during practice, the dialogue sounds real. I don't know how many times I've read books that have made me think "Come on, who would actually talk like that in real life?". Catching Jordan had me thinking "Wow, I actually know these people in real life".
Catching Jordan is an incredible contemporary read about real friendship and true love, discovering who you are, and deciding on who you want to be. Definitely a must read for fans of contemporary young adult, and you don't even have to like football to love it!;)
Cover:
Very sweet, and I love the tagline: "There's no playbook for love".
My rating of this book:
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Full disclosure:
Review copy from Netgalley
Review copy from Netgalley
This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and online book stores like Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store has free shipping to about 100 countries.
I would probably have avoided this book with the football reference but it does sound good.
ReplyDeleteI think you had me at 'one of the coolest girls in young adult literature' - I cannot wait to meet Jordan!! Okay, I REALLY need to read this now. This sounds like such an amazing contemp that has nailed the characters, the dialogue, the relationships and those fabulous themes and messages we adore in contemp. Fab review!
ReplyDeleteWasn't this wonderful Nina!? I LOVED it!! LOVE LOVE!! I also don't care about football AT ALL! Haha. But I agree the characters are extremely well written they really bring the story to life!
ReplyDeleteGiselle
Xpresso Reads
Lol, I and football...yes I do not have a clue ;) But the book sounds good
ReplyDeleteI have no clue about football at all! But I really loved Catching Jordan.
ReplyDeleteI was a little put off by the cover (no girl who plays football would have such twiggy legs, just sayin), but this actually sounds really good! And I'm so sick of teenagers not sounding anything like real teenagers in books, so this should be a breath of fresh air. Great review! :)
ReplyDeleteThis book is not merely about a girl playing football. It's a book about a girl's relationship with her father. It's a book about a girl trying to find her place in the world. It's these layers of the story that make this book a compelling read.
ReplyDeleteJordan Woods is not your average girl with the average interests. Jordan plays football. She's really good. Captain of the football team good. I like her character a lot.
Once I started it I finished it in a few hours I could not put it down! Girls can connect with Jordan and the struggle for exceptance she goes through not only from her dad but also from the rest of the college football player
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