The story feels flat. So many major things seem to happen off page. One chapter it's all "I don't think I could do that", and the next chapter is them doing exactly that. Or one chapter is preparing for something major, and the next chapter it's suddenly a week later and the major thing has had no consequences at all. Too much of the major character development and tension seemed to be happening off page, and it made the tension feel like a flat line through the whole book. I could not pinpoint a climax for you, there was no greater excitement in chapter 27 than in chapter 2.

I did like the characters, I think they had an interesting dynamic, but they were robbed of so much by the structure of the book. I enjoyed the banter most of all, and the pranks, but it wasn't enough to carry the story when so much of the story was left off the page.

I had high hopes for this one, but I'm left feeling like it was mediocre. I'm hoping it's like a pancake, you know with the first one always being a little disappointing, and I'm planning on giving the second book a try too, but I'm less hopeful now.

This is one of those books that knows what it wants to be, and does that job well.

If you are looking for a nice, easy read, or just something to lift your spirits and make you have a little more faith in humans, then this is a good pick. It doesn't dive too far into the 'bad humans' stuff, just enough that you get the gist, and then let's you focus on the people trying to do better. You get the good feelings (courage, hope, a bit of joy even) without having to sit through the trauma dump first, which I really appreciate.

I laughed, I cried, I kicked my feet in the air, and I felt lighter and less 'doom and gloom' when I'd finished than I have in a long time. Sometimes hope is the most radical step we can take towards a better world, and sometimes joy is revolutionary. Sometimes the team with the caring coach and the non bigoted players who genuinely support each other might actually have a chance of beating the team of slur-hurling douchebags and put them down a peg or two.