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thehmkane's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I'm still crying, so, you know it was good.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Police brutality, Alcohol, Medical content, Death, Grief, Racism, Alcoholism, Child death, Racial slurs, and Car accident
speterson47's review against another edition
4.0
Tre loves to play basketball, and read comics. However, basketball has been taking the forefront lately, especially after his basketball star brother has passed away tragically in a car accident. He wants to live up to the hype of his brother, and father before him, and help take his high school team to be state champions. First, he has to make the team. Great for fans of basketball, but also generally lovers of realistic fiction where stories focus on friendship and families overcoming obstacles.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, and Grief
Minor: Racism and Car accident
audreylee's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I dread sports books. I read them so I have new books to recommend to young patrons but I dread them. This book is all basketball, all the time. It is also all heart. Great friendships, a family who is actively surviving the eldest son’s death, and a community that just needs one win. This was fantastic. I gave a basketball novel five stars!!!😳
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Minor: Racism
ajoppen's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Death, and Racism
book_buddy_rob's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I’m on the fence with how I feel about this book.
I enjoyed the coming of age story for the most part and following the main character, Tre, as he navigates the pressure to succeed in basketball and live up to his parents and his reservation’s expectations.
I felt like this book does a good job of exploring themes of grief, generational trauma, and the pressure to be the best.
Where it falls flat for me a little bit though is the writing felt very basic. There were some good passages but for the most part I can’t say that this was the most memorable YA Contemporary I’ve read.
I appreciate the representation in here but there’s a part of me that is left having wanted more from this story.
Overall, it’s not a bad book and I enjoyed it for the most part but not the most memorable story.
I enjoyed the coming of age story for the most part and following the main character, Tre, as he navigates the pressure to succeed in basketball and live up to his parents and his reservation’s expectations.
I felt like this book does a good job of exploring themes of grief, generational trauma, and the pressure to be the best.
Where it falls flat for me a little bit though is the writing felt very basic. There were some good passages but for the most part I can’t say that this was the most memorable YA Contemporary I’ve read.
I appreciate the representation in here but there’s a part of me that is left having wanted more from this story.
Overall, it’s not a bad book and I enjoyed it for the most part but not the most memorable story.
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Racism, and Death
yourbookishbff's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Grief
Moderate: Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Racial slurs, and Racism
Minor: Car accident
cboddie's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
8th & up
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Alcohol
legalplanner's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Have you been looking for an indigenous own voices story about basketball players? Well don't look any further.
I was hooked as quickly as I started reading this. However, I will say there were some very heavy basketball moments and if you're not a fan of sports ball or not familiar with details of it, you could skim and be able to get away the general info.
HOWEVER, the basketball isn't the most important piece of this story. Graves executed the difficulty of being brown or any minority in a prejudice area perfectly. My heart rate rose when things were getting tense, or I felt like someone was going to mess something up. More importantly, I was in awe how Graves handled the stereotypes that most people have regarding indigenous persons. Those issues are beautifully woven throughout and as a reader it makes you question the things that we are still doing as a society and how change can come in the future.
I also loved that while I thought there was going to be romance there wasn't. Yeah I was mad at first I wanted our guy to get the girl. That wasn't the story that needed told. It was about him finding himself and moving through the journey, and because of that I was glad the romance wasn't as strong as I initially thought.
I absolutely encourage anyone who likes sports, the underdog, or own voices novels to give this one a shot.
I was hooked as quickly as I started reading this. However, I will say there were some very heavy basketball moments and if you're not a fan of sports ball or not familiar with details of it, you could skim and be able to get away the general info.
HOWEVER, the basketball isn't the most important piece of this story. Graves executed the difficulty of being brown or any minority in a prejudice area perfectly. My heart rate rose when things were getting tense, or I felt like someone was going to mess something up. More importantly, I was in awe how Graves handled the stereotypes that most people have regarding indigenous persons. Those issues are beautifully woven throughout and as a reader it makes you question the things that we are still doing as a society and how change can come in the future.
I also loved that while I thought there was going to be romance there wasn't. Yeah I was mad at first I wanted our guy to get the girl. That wasn't the story that needed told. It was about him finding himself and moving through the journey, and because of that I was glad the romance wasn't as strong as I initially thought.
I absolutely encourage anyone who likes sports, the underdog, or own voices novels to give this one a shot.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
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