Blog Tour: Raving Review of We Are the Wildcats by Siobhan Vivian

Title: We Are the Wildcats
Author: Siobhan Vivian
Publication date: March 31, 2020
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Sports

Synopsis:

A toxic coach finds himself outplayed by the high school girls on his team in this deeply suspenseful novel, which unspools over twenty-four hours through six diverse perspectives.

Tomorrow, the Wildcat varsity field hockey squad will play the first game of their new season. But at tonight’s team sleepover, the girls are all about forging the bonds of trust, loyalty, and friendship necessary to win.

Everything hinges on the midnight initiation ceremony—a beloved tradition and the only facet of being a Wildcat that the girls control. Until now.

Coach—a handsome former college player revered and feared in equal measure—changes the plan and spins his team on a new adventure. One where they take a rival team’s mascot for a joyride, crash a party in their pajamas, break into the high school for the perfect picture.

But as the girls slip out of their comfort zone, so do some long-held secrets. And just how far they’re willing to go for their team takes them all—especially Coach—by surprise.

A testament to the strength and resilience of modern teenage girls, We Are the Wildcats will have readers cheering.

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As a novel solely focused on a field hockey team, We Are the Wildcats alternates between six of the teammates’ perspectives. The book focuses on a 24-hour time period, and Siobhan Vivian masters writing this short period of time into a very steady paced story that seamlessly flows.

As a very character driven book, I loved that each of the field hockey players provide a definitive voice through each of their chapters. Not only is the story focused on comradeship, but we delve into each of the girls’ backstories, focusing on their relationship with their family, friends, and their toxic Coach. The story steadily unravels as each character’s thoughts, doubts, successes, and even worries about the upcoming season are revealed.

The main element that I loved about We Are the Wildcats was the focus on female friendships. As a team, these girls have each other’s backs on the field, but throughout the pages, they also begin escaping that individual mindset of “putting yourself first.” As the chapters unfold, we delve deeper into the characters being there for each other in and off the field. I love that they surpass stilted or lack of communication, which was often offhandedly implanted by their Coach. If you are fan of determined and fierce female characters that have each other’s back, I highly recommend that you add We Are the Wildcats to your TBR.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Blogger Note: A huge thank to Simon Teen for inviting me on this blog tour and providing me a free copy of We Are the Wildcats to review.  All fangirling, statements, and opinions in this review are my own.

Blog Tour: Raving Review of The Midnight Lie by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Midnight Lie
Authors: Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date: March 3, 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy,

Synopsis:

Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society’s pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences.

Nirrim keeps her head down and a dangerous secret close to her chest.

But then she encounters Sid, a rakish traveler from far away who whispers rumors that the High Caste possesses magic. Sid tempts Nirrim to seek that magic for herself. But to do that, Nirrim must surrender her old life. She must place her trust in this sly stranger who asks, above all, not to be trusted.

Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s Trilogy, beloved author Marie Rutkoski returns with an epic LGBTQ romantic fantasy about learning to free ourselves from the lies others tell us—and the lies we tell ourselves.

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I am a huge fan of The Winner’s Trilogy, and once again Marie Rutkoski did not disappoint with her new novel The Midnight Lie. This novel is a beautiful sapphic fantasy filled with the most memorable characters. Rutkoski’s storytelling is very melodic and beautifully entrancing from page one. Focused on an orphan named Nirrim, the novel becomes a centerpiece for self-discovery, while Nirrim also tackles and confronts the abuse and the lies inculcated throughout her life. 

The complexity of relationships and the classism of Nirrim’s world are key components molded and manipulated throughout the book. Although Nirrim is seen as naive, innocent, and a knowledge seeker; her bravery, maturity, and ability to tackle and understand the threats around her, shine brightly throughout the pages. And while in prison for bravely returning a bird, Nirrim meets Sid–a very talkative, mysterious, seductive, and charming character that I loved as Nirrim’s character foil. The banter and scenes between Nirrim and Sid are humorous, sweet, and sexy. 

As the first book of a series, The Midnight Lie is such an engaging and fascinating read. I found Nirrim to be a very gifted and beloved heroine; I loved that her story is both emotionally and action driven. And after that jaw-dropping ending, I cannot wait to see how the series unfolds in the next book. 

Note: A huge thank you to Fierce Reads for inviting me on this amazing blog tour and providing me an ARC to read and review. All statements and opinions are my own. Please note that all quoted material is not final and may change in the final publication of the book.