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Second Impact: Making the Hardest Call of All
Kendall is football town, and Jerry Downing is the high school's star quarterback, working to redeem himself after he nearly killed a girl in a drunk driving accident last year. Carla Jenson, lead reporter for the school newspaper's sports section, has recruited Jerry to co-author a blog chronicling the season from each of their perspectives. When Jerry's best friend on the team takes a hit too hard and gets hurt, Carla wonders publicly if injury in the game comes at too high a cost in a player's life—but not everyone in Kendall wants to hear it...
288 pages, Hardcover
First published August 6, 2013
41 people are currently reading
733 people want to read
About the author
David Klass
35 books168 followersDavid Klass is the author of many young adult novels, including You Don’t Know Me, Dark Angel, and Firestorm (The Caretaker Trilogy). He is also a Hollywood screenwriter, having written more than twenty-five action screenplays, including Kiss the Girls, starring Morgan Freeman and Ashley Judd, Walking Tall, starring The Rock, and Desperate Measures, starring Michael Keaton and Andy Garcia. Klass grew up in a family that loved literature and theater—his parents were both college professors and writers—but he was a reluctant reader, preferring sports to books. But he started loving the adventure stories his parents would bring home from the library—particularly Jack London, Robert Louis Stevenson and Alexandre Dumas. After his sister twice won a story contest in Seventeen magazine, Klass decided he would win it too, and when he was a senior in high school, he did, publishing his first story, “Ringtoss,” in the magazine. He studied at Yale University, where he won the Veech Award for Best Imaginative Writing. He taught English in Japan, and wrote his first novel, The Atami Dragons, about that experience. He now lives in New York with his wife and two children.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidk...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidk...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
April 17, 2013
I didn't buy this at all, and because I didn't buy it, I can't appreciate what it was. The problem with the book is the set up and execution: it's told through two blogs written by a high school football player and a former high school soccer star, knocked out due to injury. While the premise sounds great -- high schoolers blogging for their school paper -- these are the lengthiest, most grammatically-proper, strangest blog posts. In other words, the blog convention fails big time.
Jerry has a second chance to make a name for himself. Last year, his big ego got to him and he got himself drunk at a party, got behind the wheel of a car, and hurt someone. But rather than be punished, he's given another opportunity to do well (football gets you privilege, is the message). He's at least VERY aware of this second chance and doesn't use it for evil. That's part of why he takes on blogging. He wants to share his experience.
Carla, our other blogger, has journalism in her future, especially now that a knee injury's sidelined her permanently. She blogs about the surgery she endures, and it's through this that she finds her passion in sports injuries and the sports recovery process. So much so that when a football player suffers a concussion at one of the early games, she reports on it. She reports on things she shouldn't be sharing, too.
This book explores not just sports culture, but it also explores ethics relating to journalism, medicine, and privacy of athletes to their own injuries. While it's interesting and sports enthusiasts will enjoy this, the convention and construct that add absolutely nothing to the story and make it inauthentic. These aren't real teen voices -- and yet, had the story not been told through these student blogs, it could have been a great pair of teen voices. Bonus points for NO ROMANCE in this book.
Give this to readers who want a more mature story after finishing Jordan Sonnenblick's Curveball (sports injuries and sports journalism are tie-ins) and those who enjoyed Bill Konigsburg's Out of the Pocket (football, the pressure of being a leader on the team, and the ethics of reporting and journalism).
Jerry has a second chance to make a name for himself. Last year, his big ego got to him and he got himself drunk at a party, got behind the wheel of a car, and hurt someone. But rather than be punished, he's given another opportunity to do well (football gets you privilege, is the message). He's at least VERY aware of this second chance and doesn't use it for evil. That's part of why he takes on blogging. He wants to share his experience.
Carla, our other blogger, has journalism in her future, especially now that a knee injury's sidelined her permanently. She blogs about the surgery she endures, and it's through this that she finds her passion in sports injuries and the sports recovery process. So much so that when a football player suffers a concussion at one of the early games, she reports on it. She reports on things she shouldn't be sharing, too.
This book explores not just sports culture, but it also explores ethics relating to journalism, medicine, and privacy of athletes to their own injuries. While it's interesting and sports enthusiasts will enjoy this, the convention and construct that add absolutely nothing to the story and make it inauthentic. These aren't real teen voices -- and yet, had the story not been told through these student blogs, it could have been a great pair of teen voices. Bonus points for NO ROMANCE in this book.
Give this to readers who want a more mature story after finishing Jordan Sonnenblick's Curveball (sports injuries and sports journalism are tie-ins) and those who enjoyed Bill Konigsburg's Out of the Pocket (football, the pressure of being a leader on the team, and the ethics of reporting and journalism).
September 1, 2013
I was so looking forward to this book. Gorgeous cover, and I'm a fan of both Klass's writings. And the topic is timely. But...it didn't really click for me until the final chapter.
I think the problem is the pseudo-blog format. For one thing, blog posts generally aren't as long as a full chapter in a book. Especially a sports blog for a high school. The set-up is that Perri Klass writes the chapters from journalist Carla's POV, and David Klass writes star quarterback Jerry's responses. Personally, I wish that they had stuck with alternating chapters told from Carla's and Jerry's perspective.
And, at least for the Carla parts, Perri Klass would have come across much more believable if the writing was in third person. She never sounded like an eighteen year-old to me. (Mixtape? Tape recorder?) Her blog entries had little to do with the actual high school games (isn't that what a sports blog would cover?) and instead focused on the medical issues. Don't get me wrong, all the medical detail was really interesting and important. It was the blog presentation that was unconvincing.
David Klass is more experienced at writing from a teen's point of view, and it shows. He's the one who understands the passion for playing sports. When he writes about a football game, it's exciting. The camaraderie of the team members, the genuine concern of the coach, the way a high school football team matters to a small town -- it all works. In my opinion, the book needed more from Jerry, and much less from Carla.
But, despite the relevant topic, the plot and characters seemed too much like contrivances for the message: Impact sports can cause permanent brain damage. Like many of those represented in this book, I love football and feel conflicted about enjoying something so dangerous to the young participants. And the Klass siblings do a great job of airing out all these contradicting opinions through the voices of characters.
Hopefully my disappointment in this book is linked to high expectations, and teens will find it a gripping, if controversial, read.
I think the problem is the pseudo-blog format. For one thing, blog posts generally aren't as long as a full chapter in a book. Especially a sports blog for a high school. The set-up is that Perri Klass writes the chapters from journalist Carla's POV, and David Klass writes star quarterback Jerry's responses. Personally, I wish that they had stuck with alternating chapters told from Carla's and Jerry's perspective.
And, at least for the Carla parts, Perri Klass would have come across much more believable if the writing was in third person. She never sounded like an eighteen year-old to me. (Mixtape? Tape recorder?) Her blog entries had little to do with the actual high school games (isn't that what a sports blog would cover?) and instead focused on the medical issues. Don't get me wrong, all the medical detail was really interesting and important. It was the blog presentation that was unconvincing.
David Klass is more experienced at writing from a teen's point of view, and it shows. He's the one who understands the passion for playing sports. When he writes about a football game, it's exciting. The camaraderie of the team members, the genuine concern of the coach, the way a high school football team matters to a small town -- it all works. In my opinion, the book needed more from Jerry, and much less from Carla.
But, despite the relevant topic, the plot and characters seemed too much like contrivances for the message: Impact sports can cause permanent brain damage. Like many of those represented in this book, I love football and feel conflicted about enjoying something so dangerous to the young participants. And the Klass siblings do a great job of airing out all these contradicting opinions through the voices of characters.
Hopefully my disappointment in this book is linked to high expectations, and teens will find it a gripping, if controversial, read.
Read
August 8, 2019This is a wonderful story of Jerry. Drunken driving accident and opportunity for writing blog chronically the game in school are two turning points.
Injuries are fatal in football. one of my colleagues had got knee injury in football and had undergone high expenditure sports surgery in a Mumbai Hospital. finally, she had to leave the job in his son's care. The boy also could not play football for almost four months.
It's a lovely story and keeps the interest of the reader.
Injuries are fatal in football. one of my colleagues had got knee injury in football and had undergone high expenditure sports surgery in a Mumbai Hospital. finally, she had to leave the job in his son's care. The boy also could not play football for almost four months.
It's a lovely story and keeps the interest of the reader.
May 23, 2013
Three stars: A book that opens a line of discussion on head injuries in sports.
For Jerry, his senior year has been a second chance to redeem himself. After a wild night of drunken partying and driving, he ends up in an accident. He loses his spot as starting quarterback and possibly his entire future. Luckily, he claws his way back. It is the start of his senior year, and Jerry is now contributing to the school's blog. He is reporting on his football games along with Carla. What he doesn't expect is to suffer a head injury and then watch as a fellow teammate is also clocked in the head. Carla attempts to learn more about the troubling facts of head trauma and she draws Jerry into her research. Is winning the game more important than the safety of a teammate?
What I Liked:
*I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the troubling trend we are seeing with head trauma in all sports. This book brings forth some research and data on concussions and head injuries that really makes you stop and think. The information is unsettling, and it makes you stop and think about the safety of football players and the future of the sport. I have a two year old son, and I am not certain that I would want him to play football after reading this book. This book raises some thought provoking questions, and I am sure it will help generate some discussion.
*I liked that Jerry was fighting his way back. After his disastrous drinking and driving episode during his junior year, he is incredibly grateful to be playing football again. He almost lost everything and he appreciates the second chance. I appreciated his character growth, he is now more humble and contrite while before he had the quarterback swagger and was under the delusion that he was untouchable. He certainly comes along way. I especially liked his final decision at the end when the game was on the line. It was not any easy choice, and I applaud him for it.
*Carla is another interesting character. She is a go getter and a bit of an overachiever. She is intelligent and driven and is determined to make a name for herself. When confronted with the powers that be when it comes to football, she refuses to back down and instead makes some questionable choices. Sure, she does not make the best decisions, but you have to admire her tenacity and courage. I especially appreciate the way that she continued to dig to uncover the truth behind head trauma.
*I liked the way this book exposes the die hard football mentality that sometimes gets in the way of the doing the right thing. In some schools, football is everything and often sacrifices are made that aren't always in the best interest of the rest of the students to ensure that football shines. There are some ugly truths in this one when it comes down to high school football programs, and you are left wondering at what point is the game more important? Is winning a championship worth sacrificing someone's long term health? Is it safe to even be playing high school football the way it is now? Read the book and make your own decisions.
And The Not So Much:
*This book is told in blog posts and emails. As a blogger, I was excited to see that this book utilized blog posts to narrate the story, but I must admit that it ends up making the story not believable. The reason being is that these blog posts start reading like a regular book with full conversations and all of that. There are even some details that I thought were too personal to put into a blog. While the idea is great, the execution falters. It would have been far more realistic to stick with a true blog approach and then perhaps utilize journals or even incorporate a traditional book format for the in between posts. Having the entire book told in blog posts and emails just doesn't work.
*I was disappointed that the whole scenario with Jerry's drunk driving episode was a bit glossed over. There is a bit of flashback as Jerry recounts some of the events that happen that evening, but once he gets to the accident, it cuts out. I was never clear as to what happened to the girl in his car. She was injured, but how severe were her injuries? There is some further detail on the repercussions and the aftermath, but I personally thought that this storyline needed much more development. Teenage drinking and driving is such an important issue, and I think the authors failed to make an impact.
*The situation with Carla and her principal gets rather ugly at the end. I was disturbed by his threats and I was wondering if that was even legal for him to threaten to submit untruths about her to her college choices. Can a school administrator really sabotage someone's future like that? Furthermore, Carla's actions also left me wondering about the legalities. What are the legal repercussions for taping someone without permission and then posting it on the internet? Obviously, there are far reaching consequences for this type of behavior and I wished that the authors made it clear what could happen if you engaged in this type of activity. I think this is an important part of the story that was not addressed.
*Finally, I so appreciated that this book draws attention to the troublesome topic of head injuries in not just football but other sports as well. I would love to see some resources at the end of the book for people looking to do more investigating on head trauma.
Second Impact while not a perfect read, brings forth some troubling truths when it comes to the predominant football culture in our country. Head trauma sustained repeatedly while playing football, can lead to detrimental health issues down the line. This book explores the importance of educating ourselves on head injuries. You will ask yourself at the end, do I want someone I know playing football? I hope this book starts some discussion and that more people become aware of the danger.
Favorite Quotations:
“That’s one of the reasons I made you show me your room; I think about how we’re all still living in our childhood rooms. Right now, you can look at them and see something related to the shells which shaped us as we grew. But someone who meets Jerry Downing next year and looks at your college room isn’t necessarily going to see any of that.”
“You have this kid and he’s the quarterback and he’s a star and it’s all good, and then one night the phone rings and you wonder, Do we really know our kid at all? And then you wonder, Is his whole life wrecked? And you stand by him, but maybe you don’t actually feel safe again.”
“Why did I get behind the wheel that night? Why didn’t I let someone else drive, or just stay at the party? I was the quarterback, the go-to guy, the leader of the pack, and things like alcohol that derailed other, lesser people had not effect on me. I was invulnerable, immune, all -powerful, and so when I said get in or get left behind, they piled in.”
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated. All quotations are taken from an ARC and may vary from the final version.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
For Jerry, his senior year has been a second chance to redeem himself. After a wild night of drunken partying and driving, he ends up in an accident. He loses his spot as starting quarterback and possibly his entire future. Luckily, he claws his way back. It is the start of his senior year, and Jerry is now contributing to the school's blog. He is reporting on his football games along with Carla. What he doesn't expect is to suffer a head injury and then watch as a fellow teammate is also clocked in the head. Carla attempts to learn more about the troubling facts of head trauma and she draws Jerry into her research. Is winning the game more important than the safety of a teammate?
What I Liked:
*I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the troubling trend we are seeing with head trauma in all sports. This book brings forth some research and data on concussions and head injuries that really makes you stop and think. The information is unsettling, and it makes you stop and think about the safety of football players and the future of the sport. I have a two year old son, and I am not certain that I would want him to play football after reading this book. This book raises some thought provoking questions, and I am sure it will help generate some discussion.
*I liked that Jerry was fighting his way back. After his disastrous drinking and driving episode during his junior year, he is incredibly grateful to be playing football again. He almost lost everything and he appreciates the second chance. I appreciated his character growth, he is now more humble and contrite while before he had the quarterback swagger and was under the delusion that he was untouchable. He certainly comes along way. I especially liked his final decision at the end when the game was on the line. It was not any easy choice, and I applaud him for it.
*Carla is another interesting character. She is a go getter and a bit of an overachiever. She is intelligent and driven and is determined to make a name for herself. When confronted with the powers that be when it comes to football, she refuses to back down and instead makes some questionable choices. Sure, she does not make the best decisions, but you have to admire her tenacity and courage. I especially appreciate the way that she continued to dig to uncover the truth behind head trauma.
*I liked the way this book exposes the die hard football mentality that sometimes gets in the way of the doing the right thing. In some schools, football is everything and often sacrifices are made that aren't always in the best interest of the rest of the students to ensure that football shines. There are some ugly truths in this one when it comes down to high school football programs, and you are left wondering at what point is the game more important? Is winning a championship worth sacrificing someone's long term health? Is it safe to even be playing high school football the way it is now? Read the book and make your own decisions.
And The Not So Much:
*This book is told in blog posts and emails. As a blogger, I was excited to see that this book utilized blog posts to narrate the story, but I must admit that it ends up making the story not believable. The reason being is that these blog posts start reading like a regular book with full conversations and all of that. There are even some details that I thought were too personal to put into a blog. While the idea is great, the execution falters. It would have been far more realistic to stick with a true blog approach and then perhaps utilize journals or even incorporate a traditional book format for the in between posts. Having the entire book told in blog posts and emails just doesn't work.
*I was disappointed that the whole scenario with Jerry's drunk driving episode was a bit glossed over. There is a bit of flashback as Jerry recounts some of the events that happen that evening, but once he gets to the accident, it cuts out. I was never clear as to what happened to the girl in his car. She was injured, but how severe were her injuries? There is some further detail on the repercussions and the aftermath, but I personally thought that this storyline needed much more development. Teenage drinking and driving is such an important issue, and I think the authors failed to make an impact.
*The situation with Carla and her principal gets rather ugly at the end. I was disturbed by his threats and I was wondering if that was even legal for him to threaten to submit untruths about her to her college choices. Can a school administrator really sabotage someone's future like that? Furthermore, Carla's actions also left me wondering about the legalities. What are the legal repercussions for taping someone without permission and then posting it on the internet? Obviously, there are far reaching consequences for this type of behavior and I wished that the authors made it clear what could happen if you engaged in this type of activity. I think this is an important part of the story that was not addressed.
*Finally, I so appreciated that this book draws attention to the troublesome topic of head injuries in not just football but other sports as well. I would love to see some resources at the end of the book for people looking to do more investigating on head trauma.
Second Impact while not a perfect read, brings forth some troubling truths when it comes to the predominant football culture in our country. Head trauma sustained repeatedly while playing football, can lead to detrimental health issues down the line. This book explores the importance of educating ourselves on head injuries. You will ask yourself at the end, do I want someone I know playing football? I hope this book starts some discussion and that more people become aware of the danger.
Favorite Quotations:
“That’s one of the reasons I made you show me your room; I think about how we’re all still living in our childhood rooms. Right now, you can look at them and see something related to the shells which shaped us as we grew. But someone who meets Jerry Downing next year and looks at your college room isn’t necessarily going to see any of that.”
“You have this kid and he’s the quarterback and he’s a star and it’s all good, and then one night the phone rings and you wonder, Do we really know our kid at all? And then you wonder, Is his whole life wrecked? And you stand by him, but maybe you don’t actually feel safe again.”
“Why did I get behind the wheel that night? Why didn’t I let someone else drive, or just stay at the party? I was the quarterback, the go-to guy, the leader of the pack, and things like alcohol that derailed other, lesser people had not effect on me. I was invulnerable, immune, all -powerful, and so when I said get in or get left behind, they piled in.”
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated. All quotations are taken from an ARC and may vary from the final version.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.
March 18, 2013
Cover Gushing Worthiness: I don’t really think much about the cover, but I do think it works well for the story.
Review: I admit it wasn't the cover that drew me to this book, but rather the synopsis. This is the first time I've heard and read anything by sibling duo David Klass and Perri Klass and I have to say I wasn't disappointed! I do hope they continue to write more books.
I’m a sucker for sports. I can’t say that I follow the NFL or any other American Football tournament, but I do follow the English Premier League and I’m aware of some of the issues soccer(English Football) faces such as: player behaviour;both on and off the pitch, tackling, refereeing, goal line technology, injuries etc. So when I read the synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it.
The two previous works of collaboration I’ve read are:Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan and Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. I enjoyed both books immensely and Second Impact is up there with both of them. In terms of the writing format of this book, I thought it was effective. The last time I read a book which was written in email/msn format was Cecelia Ahern’sWhere Rainbows End and I have to say I enjoyed Second Impact a tad bit more!
Written in a blog/email format Second Impact follows bloggers Jerry Downing; Quarterback for Kendall High’s football team and Carla Jenson; a former Soccer player and Sports Writer for Kendall’s High Newspaper Kendall Kourier. The two students blog about Kendall High’s football season from their own perspectives and its a season filled with lots of emotion and drama! Plot wise I enjoyed the story a lot, so much so that this book sits at the top of my favourite YA reads for the year thus far. I thought both Jerry and Carla had two very distinct voices and approached the sports from different angles. One focusing on the perspective of a player while the other focused on the game as a spectator and as a former athlete. The nice thing about this book was that the voices didn’t overrun each other. There was equal focus given to both of them. I enjoyed the amount of detail the Klass siblings used to describe and present the effects of Sports injuries. It was eye-opening to read about concussions, brain injuries and ACL reconstructions. I have to give a shout out to the authors for bringing attention to Physiotherapists. My grandma is a Physio and I think they are so underrated in the medical/sports field. So I was happy to see them get some attention.
Another aspect I really enjoyed about the book was its presentation if the American Football culture. It looked at its darker elements such as players playing while injured and winning at all costs, no matter what the consequences are for the athletes. However it also looks at Football’s positive elements such as its ability to bring the community together and give a sense of hope to people. While I adored this book there were a few things I found to be unsatisfying. First I found the ending to be unsatisfactory. I say this because I wanted one last response from Jerry. Having Carla’s email as an ending felt unfinished because I was desperate to hear if Jerry had something to say to her. I also wanted Jerry to explore the accident and talked to the girl he badly injured. I felt like his apology on a blog was not enough. I wanted to see her responses to him and I guess I just wanted to know more about her.
Character wise I liked Jerry and Carla a lot. Jerry was such a sincere and honest character. He appreciated his second chance and worked hard at redeeming himself from the accident. I also liked his passion for both football and writing. Another great thing about Jerry was that he wasn’t afraid to get into arguments with Carla. He would call her out when he thought she was crossing the line and she would do it vice versa.
Oh Carla Jenson, where do I even start with you? From all the YA literature I’ve read Carla is one of my favourite female characters. She is a passionate, no-nonsense, strong yet vulnerable at the same time type of character. I liked how she showed Jerry that she might live in a Mansion on the hill, but she still had a her own problems. Oh and massive props to Carla for going under the knife while being conscious! And for writing about her experience afterwards. Her sarcasm also made me laugh a bit. I also truly applauded her for having strong principles and standing up for them when necessary. She wasn’t afraid to call out football culture in Kendall when the game mattered more than the player's well-being. I seriously need to find more characters like her!
There isn't a lot of focus on Secondary characters in this book, but the ones that received attention were likable. I liked both Jerry’s and Carla’s parents. They both supported their kids when they needed it the most. I think my favourite secondary character was Dr.Klapper. I really appreciated his passion, compassion and honesty. He approached his job with so much enthusiasm despite the difficulties patients faced.
Another thing that I liked a lot about this book was there was no romance! As I was reading it I was thinking “please tell me that there isn't any romance in this book. please don’t fall for that trope, please just don’t Second Impact” and I was so glad it didn't. I appreciated that the authors didn't focus on romance in this book at least in the Uncorrected Galley version I read. I hope the published copy will exclude romance from the book. This book works perfectly without it.
This book isn't just about football and the culture that surrounds it. It’s also about journalism and ethics. Why are those who speak out always told to shut up? What is a story? What kind of information makes a story? What information should be included in a story? All those questions are important in the field of journalism.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Second Impact. I enjoyed it for the story and for the characters. You don’t need to be a football fan to appreciate this book. It’s definitely one of the best YA books I've read this year.
My Rating: 4.5/5
Would I recommend it? Yes
Second Impact is published by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and will be released on August 6, 2013. This Uncorrected Galley was provided by Netgalley. Thank You Netgalley for providing me with this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review: I admit it wasn't the cover that drew me to this book, but rather the synopsis. This is the first time I've heard and read anything by sibling duo David Klass and Perri Klass and I have to say I wasn't disappointed! I do hope they continue to write more books.
I’m a sucker for sports. I can’t say that I follow the NFL or any other American Football tournament, but I do follow the English Premier League and I’m aware of some of the issues soccer(English Football) faces such as: player behaviour;both on and off the pitch, tackling, refereeing, goal line technology, injuries etc. So when I read the synopsis for this book I knew I had to read it.
The two previous works of collaboration I’ve read are:Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan and Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn. I enjoyed both books immensely and Second Impact is up there with both of them. In terms of the writing format of this book, I thought it was effective. The last time I read a book which was written in email/msn format was Cecelia Ahern’sWhere Rainbows End and I have to say I enjoyed Second Impact a tad bit more!
Written in a blog/email format Second Impact follows bloggers Jerry Downing; Quarterback for Kendall High’s football team and Carla Jenson; a former Soccer player and Sports Writer for Kendall’s High Newspaper Kendall Kourier. The two students blog about Kendall High’s football season from their own perspectives and its a season filled with lots of emotion and drama! Plot wise I enjoyed the story a lot, so much so that this book sits at the top of my favourite YA reads for the year thus far. I thought both Jerry and Carla had two very distinct voices and approached the sports from different angles. One focusing on the perspective of a player while the other focused on the game as a spectator and as a former athlete. The nice thing about this book was that the voices didn’t overrun each other. There was equal focus given to both of them. I enjoyed the amount of detail the Klass siblings used to describe and present the effects of Sports injuries. It was eye-opening to read about concussions, brain injuries and ACL reconstructions. I have to give a shout out to the authors for bringing attention to Physiotherapists. My grandma is a Physio and I think they are so underrated in the medical/sports field. So I was happy to see them get some attention.
Another aspect I really enjoyed about the book was its presentation if the American Football culture. It looked at its darker elements such as players playing while injured and winning at all costs, no matter what the consequences are for the athletes. However it also looks at Football’s positive elements such as its ability to bring the community together and give a sense of hope to people. While I adored this book there were a few things I found to be unsatisfying. First I found the ending to be unsatisfactory. I say this because I wanted one last response from Jerry. Having Carla’s email as an ending felt unfinished because I was desperate to hear if Jerry had something to say to her. I also wanted Jerry to explore the accident and talked to the girl he badly injured. I felt like his apology on a blog was not enough. I wanted to see her responses to him and I guess I just wanted to know more about her.
Character wise I liked Jerry and Carla a lot. Jerry was such a sincere and honest character. He appreciated his second chance and worked hard at redeeming himself from the accident. I also liked his passion for both football and writing. Another great thing about Jerry was that he wasn’t afraid to get into arguments with Carla. He would call her out when he thought she was crossing the line and she would do it vice versa.
Oh Carla Jenson, where do I even start with you? From all the YA literature I’ve read Carla is one of my favourite female characters. She is a passionate, no-nonsense, strong yet vulnerable at the same time type of character. I liked how she showed Jerry that she might live in a Mansion on the hill, but she still had a her own problems. Oh and massive props to Carla for going under the knife while being conscious! And for writing about her experience afterwards. Her sarcasm also made me laugh a bit. I also truly applauded her for having strong principles and standing up for them when necessary. She wasn’t afraid to call out football culture in Kendall when the game mattered more than the player's well-being. I seriously need to find more characters like her!
There isn't a lot of focus on Secondary characters in this book, but the ones that received attention were likable. I liked both Jerry’s and Carla’s parents. They both supported their kids when they needed it the most. I think my favourite secondary character was Dr.Klapper. I really appreciated his passion, compassion and honesty. He approached his job with so much enthusiasm despite the difficulties patients faced.
Another thing that I liked a lot about this book was there was no romance! As I was reading it I was thinking “please tell me that there isn't any romance in this book. please don’t fall for that trope, please just don’t Second Impact” and I was so glad it didn't. I appreciated that the authors didn't focus on romance in this book at least in the Uncorrected Galley version I read. I hope the published copy will exclude romance from the book. This book works perfectly without it.
This book isn't just about football and the culture that surrounds it. It’s also about journalism and ethics. Why are those who speak out always told to shut up? What is a story? What kind of information makes a story? What information should be included in a story? All those questions are important in the field of journalism.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed Second Impact. I enjoyed it for the story and for the characters. You don’t need to be a football fan to appreciate this book. It’s definitely one of the best YA books I've read this year.
My Rating: 4.5/5
Would I recommend it? Yes
Second Impact is published by Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and will be released on August 6, 2013. This Uncorrected Galley was provided by Netgalley. Thank You Netgalley for providing me with this copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 28, 2013
Sports, while interesting and can be exciting, are something that I don’t have much knowledge about, or have read much about. I have read some sports-related books, like the Dairy Queen series, but never came across one that made me really think about the pressure and risk that come with playing a sport, especially playing one of the more violent ones. But thanks to Savindi’s beautiful review, I decided to pick up Second Impact. And man, this novel is thought-provoking.
Second Impact, told through blog posts and emails, is about Jerry Downing, Kendall high school’s star quarterback, who is currently trying to redeem himself after he severely injures someone in a drunk driving accident in the past year, and Carla Jenson, a reporter for the sports section in the school’s newspaper, who has asked Jerry to also blog about the football season. Things start heating up after Jerry’s friend Danny (who is also a player on the team) gets hit on the head hard enough to get injured. Carla starts blogging about the injuries that a person can suffer from because of playing sports and if it is really worth it. But some people want Carla to stay quiet.
I was expecting a thought-provoking read when I first decided to pick up this book, but I didn’t expect for the book to be this thought-provoking. The novel shows the risks that come with football (and any sport, really), but also showed the positive things about it. And for the journalism aspect of the novel, it showed that some stories must be honestly told, but that there are also lines that should not be crossed. Second Impact really got the gears on my brain turning. Is risking such horrible injuries worth playing the game? Should football be banned? Will it be banned? Should people keep quiet about some things? Why are people who say their opinions are ostracized? Are sports becoming too important? My mind was filled with thoughts and opinions by the time I got to the last page.
What I believe makes Second Impact so thought-provoking is how the story is told through two very different perspectives, with each perspective having a different view on things. Jerry being the one who loves football and thinks the risk is worth it, and Carla (who happens to be a former soccer player) being the one who questions the worth of playing a sport when there is such danger. Both of these perspectives have something great to offer and are very interesting. It also helps that both characters feel believable and realistic.
Jerry is a character that I found easy to love. He is passionate, hard-working, and very honest. He knows he has made a terrible mistake in the past and he really works at redeeming and proving himself. And his love for football and writing is absolutely contagious. I felt excited whenever he wrote about a football game and just really enjoyed the parts of the book that were told through his eyes as a whole.
Carla is also a great character that I found just as engaging as Jerry. When she is wanting to do something, she puts all she has into it (I still can’t believe she went through a surgery awake). She’s brave, strong-willed, and is a force to be reckoned with. Carla doesn’t hesitate when it is time for her to stand up for herself and to voice her beliefs to people. The writers did a job well done with her character.
It is undeniable that David and Perri Klass are great writers. They really know how to tell a story, make you pumped up, and think. And the prose is pretty strong also. But I couldn’t bring myself to love the format of how the story was told. I think that writing Second Impact though first-person narration and not with blog posts and emails would have been much better. This might be different for other people, of course, as the authors do an amazing job with the blog posts and emails– I just didn’t feel completely in love with the format.
Second Impact is an excellent novel about football and journalism that will keep a person reading until midnight (well, it kept me up ’till midnight). If you have read Dairy Queen and want to read something more serious and mature, this is the story for you. Or if you just want to read a book about sports, this book is for you. Or do you want a story that is extremely thought-provoking, again, this is for you. Second Impact will be able to appeal to all kinds of readers, I believe. I highly recommend it.
Second Impact, told through blog posts and emails, is about Jerry Downing, Kendall high school’s star quarterback, who is currently trying to redeem himself after he severely injures someone in a drunk driving accident in the past year, and Carla Jenson, a reporter for the sports section in the school’s newspaper, who has asked Jerry to also blog about the football season. Things start heating up after Jerry’s friend Danny (who is also a player on the team) gets hit on the head hard enough to get injured. Carla starts blogging about the injuries that a person can suffer from because of playing sports and if it is really worth it. But some people want Carla to stay quiet.
I was expecting a thought-provoking read when I first decided to pick up this book, but I didn’t expect for the book to be this thought-provoking. The novel shows the risks that come with football (and any sport, really), but also showed the positive things about it. And for the journalism aspect of the novel, it showed that some stories must be honestly told, but that there are also lines that should not be crossed. Second Impact really got the gears on my brain turning. Is risking such horrible injuries worth playing the game? Should football be banned? Will it be banned? Should people keep quiet about some things? Why are people who say their opinions are ostracized? Are sports becoming too important? My mind was filled with thoughts and opinions by the time I got to the last page.
What I believe makes Second Impact so thought-provoking is how the story is told through two very different perspectives, with each perspective having a different view on things. Jerry being the one who loves football and thinks the risk is worth it, and Carla (who happens to be a former soccer player) being the one who questions the worth of playing a sport when there is such danger. Both of these perspectives have something great to offer and are very interesting. It also helps that both characters feel believable and realistic.
Jerry is a character that I found easy to love. He is passionate, hard-working, and very honest. He knows he has made a terrible mistake in the past and he really works at redeeming and proving himself. And his love for football and writing is absolutely contagious. I felt excited whenever he wrote about a football game and just really enjoyed the parts of the book that were told through his eyes as a whole.
Carla is also a great character that I found just as engaging as Jerry. When she is wanting to do something, she puts all she has into it (I still can’t believe she went through a surgery awake). She’s brave, strong-willed, and is a force to be reckoned with. Carla doesn’t hesitate when it is time for her to stand up for herself and to voice her beliefs to people. The writers did a job well done with her character.
It is undeniable that David and Perri Klass are great writers. They really know how to tell a story, make you pumped up, and think. And the prose is pretty strong also. But I couldn’t bring myself to love the format of how the story was told. I think that writing Second Impact though first-person narration and not with blog posts and emails would have been much better. This might be different for other people, of course, as the authors do an amazing job with the blog posts and emails– I just didn’t feel completely in love with the format.
Second Impact is an excellent novel about football and journalism that will keep a person reading until midnight (well, it kept me up ’till midnight). If you have read Dairy Queen and want to read something more serious and mature, this is the story for you. Or if you just want to read a book about sports, this book is for you. Or do you want a story that is extremely thought-provoking, again, this is for you. Second Impact will be able to appeal to all kinds of readers, I believe. I highly recommend it.
May 23, 2016
Personal Response:
I thought that Second Impact was a very good book. One of the reasons I thought it was so good because it had sports in it and i love to read about sports. Another one of my reasons was because it was intense for a while and it had a diary that went along with it.
Plot:
This book was about a high school that was all about football they weren’t very good at any sports. The town's name is Kendall in Texas. Jerry Downing Is the starting quarterback for the team and he is trying to redeem himself after last year because of an incident that happened. Last year he was at a party with his friends and decided to drive home drunk with a girl from his class. He was driving and almost killed the girl after he ran into the stop sign. To continue the story he was in one of the rival games and he had to redeem himself somehow so that's exactly what he did. His team was down 21-0 and they really needed a big comeback. Downing ran himself in for two touchdowns and then there running back ran in for the other touchdown. Then they had the score tied up there were only a few minutes left on the clock. Downing had ran down the clock to two minutes and then they were first and goal. On first and goal downing had try to run it in but then it dramatically changed the middle linebacker on the other team crushed him and he fell down and didn’t move. The crowd went silent and then he eventually got carted off in an ambulance. He was really concerned to see if his team would win. They went on to win the game and that was half way through the season. Downing couldn’t play the rest of the season. He was really disappointed but he wrote a blog on the rest of the season and there team went on to win the state championship.
Characterization:
Jerry Downing is the main character. Jerry was a good kid in the book because what he did in the past I think had a major affect on his current life. Jerry was popular at his school and he was the best athlete at his school. He also only lived with his mom because his dad was in jail so I think that his dad had an impact on what he did with his life.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this any preteens to actual teen because they do talk about his relationships and stuff like that also. Also recommend it to any football lovers because that's the main theme in the book.
I thought that Second Impact was a very good book. One of the reasons I thought it was so good because it had sports in it and i love to read about sports. Another one of my reasons was because it was intense for a while and it had a diary that went along with it.
Plot:
This book was about a high school that was all about football they weren’t very good at any sports. The town's name is Kendall in Texas. Jerry Downing Is the starting quarterback for the team and he is trying to redeem himself after last year because of an incident that happened. Last year he was at a party with his friends and decided to drive home drunk with a girl from his class. He was driving and almost killed the girl after he ran into the stop sign. To continue the story he was in one of the rival games and he had to redeem himself somehow so that's exactly what he did. His team was down 21-0 and they really needed a big comeback. Downing ran himself in for two touchdowns and then there running back ran in for the other touchdown. Then they had the score tied up there were only a few minutes left on the clock. Downing had ran down the clock to two minutes and then they were first and goal. On first and goal downing had try to run it in but then it dramatically changed the middle linebacker on the other team crushed him and he fell down and didn’t move. The crowd went silent and then he eventually got carted off in an ambulance. He was really concerned to see if his team would win. They went on to win the game and that was half way through the season. Downing couldn’t play the rest of the season. He was really disappointed but he wrote a blog on the rest of the season and there team went on to win the state championship.
Characterization:
Jerry Downing is the main character. Jerry was a good kid in the book because what he did in the past I think had a major affect on his current life. Jerry was popular at his school and he was the best athlete at his school. He also only lived with his mom because his dad was in jail so I think that his dad had an impact on what he did with his life.
Recommendation:
I would recommend this any preteens to actual teen because they do talk about his relationships and stuff like that also. Also recommend it to any football lovers because that's the main theme in the book.
November 18, 2013
This book was full of information and on how two people try to solve an issue their high school has. Their school doesn’t understand the dangerous a second impact can do to a football player or any athlete. The school is more worried about winning the state championship and their players mental state about the game than their health. It is up to one person to put her opinion out there to the public and risk her future to save many athletes.
Carla is one of the main characters of “Second Impact.” She is the main athletics blogger for her school and one of the richest in her school. Carla is on a mission to get as much information about second impacts on athletes after a concussion. Jerry is another main character because Carla put him on the blog to talk about his team’s progress. He’s also the football team’s quarterback and doesn’t want to listen to any nonsense Carla has to say.
The main setting of this book is on the school’s blog because it is where Carla and Jerry state their opinions and where the public agrees with or criticizes them. Carla ruin’s her future on this blog just for stating the truth and her own opinion. The football field and also hospitals/ clinics have a big part in this book because it’s where players get injured and after are sent to the hospital for further assessment and face their faith of never being able to play again.
I believe the theme of “Second Impact” is to show athletes and inform the public of the possible consequences that could occur if they don’t get treated right after a concussion. They are not to just leave it be because they do not know what got banged up in their brain at impact.
I recommend this book to any high school student and adult because it has both a girl’s and boy’s point of view. They will enjoy it and learn new information on risks and hopefully learn from them and take action.
Carla is one of the main characters of “Second Impact.” She is the main athletics blogger for her school and one of the richest in her school. Carla is on a mission to get as much information about second impacts on athletes after a concussion. Jerry is another main character because Carla put him on the blog to talk about his team’s progress. He’s also the football team’s quarterback and doesn’t want to listen to any nonsense Carla has to say.
The main setting of this book is on the school’s blog because it is where Carla and Jerry state their opinions and where the public agrees with or criticizes them. Carla ruin’s her future on this blog just for stating the truth and her own opinion. The football field and also hospitals/ clinics have a big part in this book because it’s where players get injured and after are sent to the hospital for further assessment and face their faith of never being able to play again.
I believe the theme of “Second Impact” is to show athletes and inform the public of the possible consequences that could occur if they don’t get treated right after a concussion. They are not to just leave it be because they do not know what got banged up in their brain at impact.
I recommend this book to any high school student and adult because it has both a girl’s and boy’s point of view. They will enjoy it and learn new information on risks and hopefully learn from them and take action.
September 22, 2013
Told from alternate perspectives in a high school blog, Second Impact is a story about high school athletes dealing with injuries, some fairly serious, and meditates on whether or not those injuries should stop them from playing sports that they love.
This story never really grabbed me. While I appreciate the creative attempt made by the authors by telling the story through the blogs of Carla, a high school sports writer who is herself recovering from an ACL injury from soccer, and Jerry, the high school quarterback, leading his team to the state playoffs, the blog/e-mail format just didn't do the story justice. Hearing the characters' thoughts after the action had already taken place really slowed down the narrative and made it hard to care about either the characters or the action.
And while I also really appreciate the message of the book-- that brain injuries athletes suffer while playing sports can lead to serious, permanent consequences-- it felt way too preachy at times. Telling a story SHOWING athletes getting sports injuries and suffering consequences would tell the story AND allow readers to come to their own conclusions without being hit over the head (pun intended) with the message. I feel like there was a missed opportunity to grab readers, especially sports enthusiasts, as well as send a powerful message about sports injuries.
This story never really grabbed me. While I appreciate the creative attempt made by the authors by telling the story through the blogs of Carla, a high school sports writer who is herself recovering from an ACL injury from soccer, and Jerry, the high school quarterback, leading his team to the state playoffs, the blog/e-mail format just didn't do the story justice. Hearing the characters' thoughts after the action had already taken place really slowed down the narrative and made it hard to care about either the characters or the action.
And while I also really appreciate the message of the book-- that brain injuries athletes suffer while playing sports can lead to serious, permanent consequences-- it felt way too preachy at times. Telling a story SHOWING athletes getting sports injuries and suffering consequences would tell the story AND allow readers to come to their own conclusions without being hit over the head (pun intended) with the message. I feel like there was a missed opportunity to grab readers, especially sports enthusiasts, as well as send a powerful message about sports injuries.
March 27, 2018
Second Impact would not rank as one of my favorite nonfiction sports book, but it was a solid three stars. I think the theme of the story was that there are things bigger than sports down the road with personal health, and sometimes high school athletes just get caught up in there sports rather than looking ahead to the future. I also think that the author is trying to get these young high school athletes aware of the consequences of head injuries and there are more important things than just high school athletics in general.
Jerry is the star quarterback of the Kendall high school football team. He made a mistake, and it happened to cost him winning a state championship his junior year. Jerry was on a mission to take back his spot on the football team and get his team to the championship once again. But, with the game of football there are injuries. Injuries that can affect the rest of someones life. The football team will face its fair share of adversity off of the field and also on the field, but you’ll just have to read the book to find out exactly what happens.
Jerry is like the most popular guy in school. I mean, he’s the star quarterback for the Kendall High football team. In this book Jerry will have many different types of moments. He happens to expand his horizons inside and also outside of the school halls. He got along reletivly well with most characters during the book, but did have a small arument with a fellow school blogger named Carla. I relate to him very well because I play on a very succesful football team just like Jerry, so I know that everyone is watching him. I also know what it feels like to come up short on team goals, because I lost the state football championship this past year.
I just thought it was so intersesting how I’ve faced many of the same things as he has, like dealing with the pressure and having everyone watch you because you a big popular football player. I also thought it was so cool how I kind of think the same way as he does, like when you get your bell rung you think you’re fine but the possibility of having a concussion is also very high. I thought it was different the way the whole book was basically wrote in blog posts between Carla and Jerry. One thing I think the author got wrong was how Carla went to the hospital with Danny. I’ve had a concussion and also had many teamates get concussions and one thing is almost all parents would not let Carla go to the hospital to write a story that she was writing. Parents are so shaken and there is so much going on during that time I think the last thing a parent would do is let her into the room and hospital with them. The biggest issue that this book had in it, is a very hot topic in the sports world currently. Concussions are always going to happen with football, and that will never change. I thought the book did a very good job explaining what actually happens with concussions and trying to get back as quick as you can to play. The book affects me because I play football and I’ve had concussions. For young kids and high school kids concussions are a very big problem in this day and age.
My advice to the reader is to just think like a football player. I think the best way to read the book would be to put yourself into a football players shows to try and think the way they do dealing with concussions. Football players want to be on the field playing with there teamates as fast as they’re able to. I would suggest the book to people who play sports, specifically football players or someone who has suffered a concussion before.
Jerry is the star quarterback of the Kendall high school football team. He made a mistake, and it happened to cost him winning a state championship his junior year. Jerry was on a mission to take back his spot on the football team and get his team to the championship once again. But, with the game of football there are injuries. Injuries that can affect the rest of someones life. The football team will face its fair share of adversity off of the field and also on the field, but you’ll just have to read the book to find out exactly what happens.
Jerry is like the most popular guy in school. I mean, he’s the star quarterback for the Kendall High football team. In this book Jerry will have many different types of moments. He happens to expand his horizons inside and also outside of the school halls. He got along reletivly well with most characters during the book, but did have a small arument with a fellow school blogger named Carla. I relate to him very well because I play on a very succesful football team just like Jerry, so I know that everyone is watching him. I also know what it feels like to come up short on team goals, because I lost the state football championship this past year.
I just thought it was so intersesting how I’ve faced many of the same things as he has, like dealing with the pressure and having everyone watch you because you a big popular football player. I also thought it was so cool how I kind of think the same way as he does, like when you get your bell rung you think you’re fine but the possibility of having a concussion is also very high. I thought it was different the way the whole book was basically wrote in blog posts between Carla and Jerry. One thing I think the author got wrong was how Carla went to the hospital with Danny. I’ve had a concussion and also had many teamates get concussions and one thing is almost all parents would not let Carla go to the hospital to write a story that she was writing. Parents are so shaken and there is so much going on during that time I think the last thing a parent would do is let her into the room and hospital with them. The biggest issue that this book had in it, is a very hot topic in the sports world currently. Concussions are always going to happen with football, and that will never change. I thought the book did a very good job explaining what actually happens with concussions and trying to get back as quick as you can to play. The book affects me because I play football and I’ve had concussions. For young kids and high school kids concussions are a very big problem in this day and age.
My advice to the reader is to just think like a football player. I think the best way to read the book would be to put yourself into a football players shows to try and think the way they do dealing with concussions. Football players want to be on the field playing with there teamates as fast as they’re able to. I would suggest the book to people who play sports, specifically football players or someone who has suffered a concussion before.
February 5, 2018
The short version of my review and my opinion of the book told through emojis: 😍😲😦😬😐😮🙂
The long version of my review and my opinion of the book told through actual words:
You know how people say don't judge a book by its cover? I've been holding off on reading Second Impact for weeks because I didn't have so much time and there were a lot of books that I was more interested in. I'd never heard of David Klass, but IS THAT PAUL WESLEY ON THE COVER? I swear it's Paul Wesley as a huge Vampire Diaries fan.
I liked that there was no romance between Jerry and Carla (I'm not particularly fond of the names because they have negative connotations) because I totally expected some kind of quirky hookup. It stands out from other young adult books because of the lack of the romance and the strong focus on life and deep thoughts and controversy surrounding tackle football.
I had very mixed emotions about Second Impact because it was honestly a roller coaster of emotions and mixed opinions. At first, I was tentative, there were a couple bumps and falls along the way, but it turned out okay in the end. The ending seemed fitting for the book.
It was a messy and unpredictable book. The characters were odd and screwed up constantly but were passionate about their interests. The science lessons were fascinating to me, and I love the hidden meaning behind the title of the book.
I recommend the book to anyone who likes human biology, high school football, journalism, and a quirky story that doesn't have romance (for once).
with love,
Reenie
💋
The long version of my review and my opinion of the book told through actual words:
You know how people say don't judge a book by its cover? I've been holding off on reading Second Impact for weeks because I didn't have so much time and there were a lot of books that I was more interested in. I'd never heard of David Klass, but IS THAT PAUL WESLEY ON THE COVER? I swear it's Paul Wesley as a huge Vampire Diaries fan.
I liked that there was no romance between Jerry and Carla (I'm not particularly fond of the names because they have negative connotations) because I totally expected some kind of quirky hookup. It stands out from other young adult books because of the lack of the romance and the strong focus on life and deep thoughts and controversy surrounding tackle football.
I had very mixed emotions about Second Impact because it was honestly a roller coaster of emotions and mixed opinions. At first, I was tentative, there were a couple bumps and falls along the way, but it turned out okay in the end. The ending seemed fitting for the book.
It was a messy and unpredictable book. The characters were odd and screwed up constantly but were passionate about their interests. The science lessons were fascinating to me, and I love the hidden meaning behind the title of the book.
I recommend the book to anyone who likes human biology, high school football, journalism, and a quirky story that doesn't have romance (for once).
with love,
Reenie
💋
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2018
I am in 11th grade and here is what I thought of this book-
This story is fiction, is not part of a series, and is a high school reading level. The book takes place in Kendall, this town has a big passion for sports especially football. Kendall has a great football team and is led by their amazing quarterback Jerry Downing who has proven his skill throughout his high school career. However, Jerry lets his pride get the best of him and makes a decision that will impact a whole football season, he has to recover and move past that decision to lead his town once again. Carla Jenson loves to report about sports, she is the head reporter for Kendall and reports on the whole football season. Throughout the story these two characters bring a relatable role to the teenage audience because of how similar this story is to the real high school atmosphere.
Personally I enjoyed reading this book, I liked how it explained the atmosphere around high school football and it shows the realities of injuries that take place in football. I also liked how Carla Jenson reported on almost everything about the football team, like the games and what was happening to the players. One thing that I did not like was how the story mostly revolved around Jerry and the football team, I think the story could have talked about more things that were occurring in Carla’s life. This book inspired a positive team environment where most the characters were positive and strived to be the best. I think that this book would be great for the teenage audience, especially high school kids involved with sports or reporting.
This story is fiction, is not part of a series, and is a high school reading level. The book takes place in Kendall, this town has a big passion for sports especially football. Kendall has a great football team and is led by their amazing quarterback Jerry Downing who has proven his skill throughout his high school career. However, Jerry lets his pride get the best of him and makes a decision that will impact a whole football season, he has to recover and move past that decision to lead his town once again. Carla Jenson loves to report about sports, she is the head reporter for Kendall and reports on the whole football season. Throughout the story these two characters bring a relatable role to the teenage audience because of how similar this story is to the real high school atmosphere.
Personally I enjoyed reading this book, I liked how it explained the atmosphere around high school football and it shows the realities of injuries that take place in football. I also liked how Carla Jenson reported on almost everything about the football team, like the games and what was happening to the players. One thing that I did not like was how the story mostly revolved around Jerry and the football team, I think the story could have talked about more things that were occurring in Carla’s life. This book inspired a positive team environment where most the characters were positive and strived to be the best. I think that this book would be great for the teenage audience, especially high school kids involved with sports or reporting.
April 8, 2025
My initial thoughts on this book are, although I know nothing about sports talk and football, I was able to emotionally connect to this book through words of intellect rather than reading “conclusions” on sports medicine effects. I tabbed this book throughout reading, and found myself connected to a lot of what the authors were wanting to express. Emotional strength may just be the second tier to this book…just beside the aspect of sports injuries. I also found this book to be somewhat light-hearted and also humorous. I don’t normally laugh aloud when I read, but at times, I was laughing so hard I had to stop and check myself before the next page. (The soap comment)
In conclusion, the overall score I would give this book is a 3/5 stars, wholly because I felt as if a piece of the book was missing in a sense. A majority of the book was just building up to the climax, but then it sort of lost course, and the book fell short, leaving an empty gap of information towards the end. Or perhaps, maybe that’s just me not wanting to accept the reality of the situation that they lost and Jerry and Carla never became something. :(
P.s. Also I fucking hated the Carla slander, she was my favorite character!! (Besides her unethical actions lol)
In conclusion, the overall score I would give this book is a 3/5 stars, wholly because I felt as if a piece of the book was missing in a sense. A majority of the book was just building up to the climax, but then it sort of lost course, and the book fell short, leaving an empty gap of information towards the end. Or perhaps, maybe that’s just me not wanting to accept the reality of the situation that they lost and Jerry and Carla never became something. :(
P.s. Also I fucking hated the Carla slander, she was my favorite character!! (Besides her unethical actions lol)
October 13, 2017
The book i'm reading is “The Second Impact” and the person that wrote it, I always read his books.I like his books because he is a good writer and almost all of his books are about sports.
If people want to read about his books come to me and i will tell you want one you should get because the book I read this time is the last book i’m going to read about him because I read all of his books last year and they all good.
I’m going to tell what happens in this book.In the begin. He is playing football and he is being all happy in tell he gets hurt and he does not get to play football anymore because you can't play a sport when you are hurt if you try you are probably going to hurt yourself more then you are right now and that's why they don’t let you play sports when you are hurt. Then in the middle of the book he is all better to play football and then when it is time to play again they are in the playoffs and they have not lost a game in the playoffs and that’s how they are still in it and if they win one more game they will be in the champion game. At the end of the book they win the champion game and they get all hipper because they tried their hardest to get where they are now.
This is a good book so if anyone wants to read about sports they have to come to me because I know what books to pick from. The neek book review is going to be about sports because I like to play sports and to learn about them for I can get better or just to read or just to do something. So if they come to me and they want a book so tell them come to me and I will give them a book that they want I will give them it because i'm a nice person.
If people want to read about his books come to me and i will tell you want one you should get because the book I read this time is the last book i’m going to read about him because I read all of his books last year and they all good.
I’m going to tell what happens in this book.In the begin. He is playing football and he is being all happy in tell he gets hurt and he does not get to play football anymore because you can't play a sport when you are hurt if you try you are probably going to hurt yourself more then you are right now and that's why they don’t let you play sports when you are hurt. Then in the middle of the book he is all better to play football and then when it is time to play again they are in the playoffs and they have not lost a game in the playoffs and that’s how they are still in it and if they win one more game they will be in the champion game. At the end of the book they win the champion game and they get all hipper because they tried their hardest to get where they are now.
This is a good book so if anyone wants to read about sports they have to come to me because I know what books to pick from. The neek book review is going to be about sports because I like to play sports and to learn about them for I can get better or just to read or just to do something. So if they come to me and they want a book so tell them come to me and I will give them a book that they want I will give them it because i'm a nice person.
October 30, 2017
Carla and Jerry's dialogue--sports journalist meets quarterback--via blogs and emails--was a great format. While a bit unrealistic at times, that either of them would so eloquent, forthcoming, and essay-like in their exploration, the story was compelling enough to keep me with them. CTE dangers and the tribal pride of small-town football made this a page-turner for the second half. The first half was a bit slow to get going, but the character development was solid, and both Jerry and Carla's choices made perfect sense for the blows, literal and physical, that were dealt them. I respected both of their bold choices, very much, and wondered whether I as an adult could be so bold.
My biggest issue was with Carla's future; I thought it might be more hopeful and positive, but maybe I was expecting too much. I felt as if the book raised important questions about athletics, about safety, about speaking out and then let it fizzle a bit at the end. I want to know where Carla is headed.
My biggest issue was with Carla's future; I thought it might be more hopeful and positive, but maybe I was expecting too much. I felt as if the book raised important questions about athletics, about safety, about speaking out and then let it fizzle a bit at the end. I want to know where Carla is headed.
December 16, 2019
SECOND IMPACT is about a New Jersey high school football team out to win the state championship. Jerry is the star quarterback grateful to be back on the team after a drunk driving accident that had him on probation and doing community service work to regain the trust of the school and the right to rejoin his team. He wants to make his senior year one to remember. They blog and blogging gets a bit complicated when Jerry and then his friend Danny receive some hard hits on the playing field. Their injuries bring up the danger of playing football, especially the studies being done related to head trauma. Carla decides to do some in depth investigating into the dangers of football brain injuries. Jerry, believes she is overstepping the bounds of responsible journalism. This is the end of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2017
A lot of information was told through this book and it is very educational about concussions and other brain injuries as well as surgeries. This book is not just about football, it's also about journalism and ethics. Freedom of the press came up a lot, and right to privacy. If somebody exposed a real issue and a huge problem, does it really matter that they broke a law to get it? The ending was amazing, and really shows the main idea- a player's health is more important than the game. Second Impact teaches about teamwork, safety, and responsibility. Read more of my thoughts on this book at http://pagesforthoughts.blogspot.com/...
January 3, 2020
This book was very interesting in the way they made a story about a high school football team. They took a kid that made a very big mistake and he came back to bring his team to the championship game.
I would give this book 4 stars out of 5 because it dragged on some parts of the book that got boring.
My favorite parts were the parts where the games were being talked about.
I would give this book 4 stars out of 5 because it dragged on some parts of the book that got boring.
My favorite parts were the parts where the games were being talked about.
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January 21, 2020I enjoyed this book because it was something that interested me. Lots of books don't interest me but this one did. I liked the story to it about how Jerry Downing gets a second chance, something he never thought he'd get after he almost killed a girl in a drunk driving accident. I liked Jerry because he was very thankful that his city, school, and everyone stood behind him and supported him.
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January 21, 2020This book had a lot of good characters. The characters are Jerry, Kara, and Danny. This book is a lot like a movie where they discovered a lot about head injuries. The writing style was very good. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes football.
December 9, 2020
I loved the gripping characters and the dialogue, but there was never really any climax to the book. It felt like the author skipped from rising action to resolution, and even the resolution felt minimalistic.
October 24, 2018
I thought it was a good book about football and the structure of it was good.
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October 24, 2019i resently read the book second impact. this book is entertainging and alwas kept me on the edge of my seat. this book perfectly explains how football is tought of in high school.
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January 6, 2020Brings to awareness the cons of playing sports. Very good read, interesting and easy read.
February 27, 2019
It was a great book
August 13, 2013
Author: David Klass is a screenwriter and YA author. Peri Klass is a pediatrician and author.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Cover Art: I like to cover, although it will probably be more appealing to males since it looks to be a book about football at first glance. I hope it doesn’t eliminate the potential female readers.
Review:
I like the title, Second Impact. It reflects the medical terminology related to a second concussion as well as the football/sports theme.
I was really excited to read this book. As a School Nurse who is married to a football coach, the subject of head injuries is an almost weekly discussion in our house. I love that one of the authors, Perri Klass is actually a pediatrician. I was expecting very big things from this book. Did it deliver?
The story format is told using primarily blog posts from the two main characters and a few emails. This style of writing may not be appreciated by the older readers, but the actual YA readers may like it. I found that the blog posts actually read like a novel in some places. Would a teen blogger really put all the dialog and details into a blog post? Maybe not, but this format might attract some teen readers.
I liked both main characters. Carla, an aspiring journalist, is also a soccer player with an ACL injury. She is smart, tough and competitive. She also is willing to re-examine her actions and take responsibility for making mistakes. She is a character that readers will relate to.
Jerry is the Senior football quarterback, who was suspended from the team the previous year for an incident involving alcohol and driving. Jerry has had some time to consider his actions and he has a pretty mature perspective as a result.
The story starts with Carla’s ACL injury and proceeds on to sports injuries in general. There are a lot of topics that are discussed by the two bloggers, from drinking and driving, small town hero worship of student athletes, to the economy of their community and of course, head injuries.
This story is set in a small town that is dealing with economic hardships. As in many small towns (and maybe some larger cities), high school sports are a source of community pride and a main topic of discussion for many of the residents. I found this reflected in the comment posts from a“CrustyAlum”. He represented the “win at any cost” mentality that still exists today.
Bottom Line: Did it deliver? At first, I was a bit disappointed. I didn’t think that the book made enough of a statement about head injuries and the damage that can and does result. As I took a step back and considered the audience and the most frequent complaint I receive from my own teens, “I get it already-stop!” as I try to make my point to them, I reconsidered. Maybe the message is strong enough. The ending leaves you with a lot to think about. I plan to hand this book over to my own 17 year old jock (who suffered a concussion last year) and see what she and her friend have to say about it.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the ATRIA BOOKS GALLEY ALLEY. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Cover Art: I like to cover, although it will probably be more appealing to males since it looks to be a book about football at first glance. I hope it doesn’t eliminate the potential female readers.
Review:
I like the title, Second Impact. It reflects the medical terminology related to a second concussion as well as the football/sports theme.
I was really excited to read this book. As a School Nurse who is married to a football coach, the subject of head injuries is an almost weekly discussion in our house. I love that one of the authors, Perri Klass is actually a pediatrician. I was expecting very big things from this book. Did it deliver?
The story format is told using primarily blog posts from the two main characters and a few emails. This style of writing may not be appreciated by the older readers, but the actual YA readers may like it. I found that the blog posts actually read like a novel in some places. Would a teen blogger really put all the dialog and details into a blog post? Maybe not, but this format might attract some teen readers.
I liked both main characters. Carla, an aspiring journalist, is also a soccer player with an ACL injury. She is smart, tough and competitive. She also is willing to re-examine her actions and take responsibility for making mistakes. She is a character that readers will relate to.
Jerry is the Senior football quarterback, who was suspended from the team the previous year for an incident involving alcohol and driving. Jerry has had some time to consider his actions and he has a pretty mature perspective as a result.
The story starts with Carla’s ACL injury and proceeds on to sports injuries in general. There are a lot of topics that are discussed by the two bloggers, from drinking and driving, small town hero worship of student athletes, to the economy of their community and of course, head injuries.
This story is set in a small town that is dealing with economic hardships. As in many small towns (and maybe some larger cities), high school sports are a source of community pride and a main topic of discussion for many of the residents. I found this reflected in the comment posts from a“CrustyAlum”. He represented the “win at any cost” mentality that still exists today.
Bottom Line: Did it deliver? At first, I was a bit disappointed. I didn’t think that the book made enough of a statement about head injuries and the damage that can and does result. As I took a step back and considered the audience and the most frequent complaint I receive from my own teens, “I get it already-stop!” as I try to make my point to them, I reconsidered. Maybe the message is strong enough. The ending leaves you with a lot to think about. I plan to hand this book over to my own 17 year old jock (who suffered a concussion last year) and see what she and her friend have to say about it.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the ATRIA BOOKS GALLEY ALLEY. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
January 5, 2015
Special Report
Second Impact
David Klass and Perri Klass
Kendall is football town, and Jerry Downing is the high school's star quarterback, working to redeem himself after he nearly killed a girl in a drunk driving accident last year. Carla Jenson, lead reporter for the school newspaper's sports section, has recruited Jerry to co-author a blog chronicling the season from each of their perspectives. When Jerry's best friend on the team takes a hit too hard and gets hurt, Carla wonders publicly if injury in the game comes at too high a cost in a player's life—but not everyone in Kendall wants to hear it...
I liked Jerry's character. He was kind and caring. You could tell he cared for his friends and teammates. Stereotypically, you think quarterbacks are stuck-up jerks. In this case, Jerry is anything bit that. (The stuck-up one would be Carla really. I really don't like her.) Jerry cared for Danny. He made sure Danny didn't play when he had the signs of a concussion. That shows his kindness. You start to like Jerry. You feel for him. His rage. His delight.
The themes of this story was good. Teamwork. Sportsmanship. You read this book and feel those themes in the writing. I like those themes. People need to band together to be stronger. As one person, you can only do so much. You need to be together with other people. Also, there is the question of taking things too far. Not a theme but something I still wanted to mention. Carla takes things too far. Is her punishment just? Did she take it too far? What could she have done to stop?
There didn't seem to be much plot, though. There are only a few points. But then it's babbling for most of the beginning and middle. Only when we get Carla doing terrible things we have something. I feel like there could have been more changes. The plot seemed slow. And it wasn't very interesting. It could have been better.
I didn't like the drama. Ah. It was annoying. Carla was just too crazy. She took things too far. She forced drama to happen. When drama wasn't there. At all. Everyone in the book tried to avoid drama. But she just caused it left and right. I didn't like that. She could have left things. But she had to be nosy and find secrets.
And Carla was annoying. Really annoying. She was nosy. And spoiled. She stuck her head in things she shouldn't have. She was crazy. She was acting stupid. She didn't need to do that. She caused things. She acting very annoying. Whiny. She kept acting that way. She didn't change. Sure. She learned a lesson about pushing limits. I'm happy she learned a lesson. But she didn't change.
Weather:
Sunny with 50% chance of rain
3/5
Second Impact
David Klass and Perri Klass
Kendall is football town, and Jerry Downing is the high school's star quarterback, working to redeem himself after he nearly killed a girl in a drunk driving accident last year. Carla Jenson, lead reporter for the school newspaper's sports section, has recruited Jerry to co-author a blog chronicling the season from each of their perspectives. When Jerry's best friend on the team takes a hit too hard and gets hurt, Carla wonders publicly if injury in the game comes at too high a cost in a player's life—but not everyone in Kendall wants to hear it...
I liked Jerry's character. He was kind and caring. You could tell he cared for his friends and teammates. Stereotypically, you think quarterbacks are stuck-up jerks. In this case, Jerry is anything bit that. (The stuck-up one would be Carla really. I really don't like her.) Jerry cared for Danny. He made sure Danny didn't play when he had the signs of a concussion. That shows his kindness. You start to like Jerry. You feel for him. His rage. His delight.
The themes of this story was good. Teamwork. Sportsmanship. You read this book and feel those themes in the writing. I like those themes. People need to band together to be stronger. As one person, you can only do so much. You need to be together with other people. Also, there is the question of taking things too far. Not a theme but something I still wanted to mention. Carla takes things too far. Is her punishment just? Did she take it too far? What could she have done to stop?
There didn't seem to be much plot, though. There are only a few points. But then it's babbling for most of the beginning and middle. Only when we get Carla doing terrible things we have something. I feel like there could have been more changes. The plot seemed slow. And it wasn't very interesting. It could have been better.
I didn't like the drama. Ah. It was annoying. Carla was just too crazy. She took things too far. She forced drama to happen. When drama wasn't there. At all. Everyone in the book tried to avoid drama. But she just caused it left and right. I didn't like that. She could have left things. But she had to be nosy and find secrets.
And Carla was annoying. Really annoying. She was nosy. And spoiled. She stuck her head in things she shouldn't have. She was crazy. She was acting stupid. She didn't need to do that. She caused things. She acting very annoying. Whiny. She kept acting that way. She didn't change. Sure. She learned a lesson about pushing limits. I'm happy she learned a lesson. But she didn't change.
Weather:
Sunny with 50% chance of rain
3/5
February 2, 2016
I give the book "Second Impact" by David Klass a 10 out of 10. The way that David wrote the book and how he had the plot set up just had me to where I just couldn't put the book down. Having Jerry being the star quarterback and then have him become a part time journalist for the school paper made the story very different. Another thing that I enjoyed about the book is that the book was written in chapters it was written in Blog entries and emails between the two main characters. Having the characters having their own little flaws, temptation and peer pressure made the book so much better because as a middle school student I can relate to what the characters are going through. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes football. The book is based around football and if you love football as much as a do then you would love to read this book. I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes to write. The book intertwines journalism into the plot and the story which makes the book better because then you always have something to fall back on if the story gets boring. If you are interested in concussions and how they work then this would be a perfect book for you. Anyone in middle school would like it really because I found myself filling in the characters shoes I related to almost everything they did and thought.
A Brief overview of the book is Jerry Downing senior quarterback is now back on the field after last year being suspended for drunk driving. Jerry is now back and is more ready then ever. Jerry gets recruited onto the schools newspaper by Carla Jensen who is now one of Jerry's best friends. Carla tor her ACL while playing soccer and has been in rehab for the past 6 or so months. Carla and Jerry take on senior year with a bang and try to make it there best. Later in the season Jerry gets hit while playing football and is cleared by the doctors to play, but Jerry knows that he most likely had a concussion, but faked the doctors. With a big game coming up Jerry and his best friend Jerry take a morning run on game day and that night Danny gets it very hard and his taken to the hospital after blacking out. Danny claims he's all right he has everyone fooled, but Carla and Jerry. Carla gets herself in big trouble and could end all hope of going to a great college. Carla's wrongdoing could end the coach's career also. Wanna find out what she did? Well you have to read the book to find out. Honestly when I picked up the book I never thought that a author could mix Journalism, Football and Drunk Driving together but David Klass did it he proved me wrong.
A Brief overview of the book is Jerry Downing senior quarterback is now back on the field after last year being suspended for drunk driving. Jerry is now back and is more ready then ever. Jerry gets recruited onto the schools newspaper by Carla Jensen who is now one of Jerry's best friends. Carla tor her ACL while playing soccer and has been in rehab for the past 6 or so months. Carla and Jerry take on senior year with a bang and try to make it there best. Later in the season Jerry gets hit while playing football and is cleared by the doctors to play, but Jerry knows that he most likely had a concussion, but faked the doctors. With a big game coming up Jerry and his best friend Jerry take a morning run on game day and that night Danny gets it very hard and his taken to the hospital after blacking out. Danny claims he's all right he has everyone fooled, but Carla and Jerry. Carla gets herself in big trouble and could end all hope of going to a great college. Carla's wrongdoing could end the coach's career also. Wanna find out what she did? Well you have to read the book to find out. Honestly when I picked up the book I never thought that a author could mix Journalism, Football and Drunk Driving together but David Klass did it he proved me wrong.
May 7, 2014
Jerry Downing is Kendall, NJ High School's star quarterback and Carla Jenson is the lead reporter for the school's newspaper, the Kourier, and soccer player for Kendall's high school team who is currently sidelined with an ACL tear. It is because of this injury and the surgery that follows that Carla starts writing on the Kourier's blog about sports injuries. Jerry is also blogging on the site, mostly about playing football in general, but after a concussion during one of the games, he also starts researching and writing about sports injuries. As Kendall's football team continues winning and finds themselves in the state championship game, Jerry's best friend Dan is suffering from the effects of a previous concussion and won't admit it. Carla goes to the Internet, blogs about Dan, and gets in trouble for it. The principal makes her take the page down and punishes her by suspending her from reporting on any sports for a week. In the meantime, Carla and Jerry go to New York to visit a brain injury clinic where they learn the devastating effects of multiple concussions. As the football team gets closer to the championship game, the principal, the coaches, and the players decide they don't want to hear about the dark side of contact sports. Not now. Not when the championship trophy is this close. Not when the town and community can add another title to their list of accomplishments. So the question becomes, when does responsibility to the health of the players trump winning at all costs?
I was so excited to read this book! Concussions has become such a hot topic in contact sports; several students have been spending their phy. ed. and study hall time in the media center because, as they recover from sports-related concussions, they can't participate, can't watch a computer screen, can't be on their phone, can't read a book, and the list goes on and on. We struggle with what to do with them and they struggle to keep up with their schoolwork. I was hopeful that this book would do more to address this issue but because of the format which consists of blog posts by both Carla and Jerry and later on, emails between the two, I felt that the overall theme of concussions was overlooked. I also thought the very specific details of Carla's ACL surgery, the details of Carla's extravagant house and her dad's employment as president of the hospital, and more were unnecessary and took away from the storyline. I give this book an "eh, it was ok" rating overall.
I was so excited to read this book! Concussions has become such a hot topic in contact sports; several students have been spending their phy. ed. and study hall time in the media center because, as they recover from sports-related concussions, they can't participate, can't watch a computer screen, can't be on their phone, can't read a book, and the list goes on and on. We struggle with what to do with them and they struggle to keep up with their schoolwork. I was hopeful that this book would do more to address this issue but because of the format which consists of blog posts by both Carla and Jerry and later on, emails between the two, I felt that the overall theme of concussions was overlooked. I also thought the very specific details of Carla's ACL surgery, the details of Carla's extravagant house and her dad's employment as president of the hospital, and more were unnecessary and took away from the storyline. I give this book an "eh, it was ok" rating overall.
February 21, 2016
I read the book Second Impact over my winter break. This book is very different in a couple of ways. First this book was written by two authors, a brother and a sister. This was foreign to me, I had never read a book written by two authors. Another twist in this novel that I thought was cool was the style of writing David and Perri Klass used. Instead of using the usual standard writing styles the Klass siblings used a blog format between the star quarterback and the sports journalist for the school newspaper. I feel like the this style of writing really kept me engaged. Even though I like this writing style, there was one thing that annoyed me a little bit. In the blogs, which were written by high school students, there was perfect grammar with complex sentence structure and a high level of vocabulary. I realize this is a scholarly book, but in order for the blogs to seem a little bit more realistic there probably should have been less advanced grammar and vocabulary.
In this book, the Klass siblings do a good job of answering the essential question,what turning points determine our individual pathways to adulthood? Jerry Downing, the quarterback of his high school football team had it all. Then, one night, he made maybe the most impactful decision of his life. He was out at a party one night when he decided to get behind the wheel while he was intoxicated. Jerry was not only rising his life but other were in the car as well. After Jerry had crashed and damaged the lives of every one in the car that night, he said this, “Why did I get behind the wheel that night? Why didn’t I let someone else drive, or just stay at the party? I was the quarterback, the go-to guy, the leader of the pack, and things like alcohol that derailed other, lesser people had not effect on me.” This sentence is arguably the most important sentence in the whole book. This major turning point in Jerry’s life actually changed him for the good. It made him more aware of how precious life really is and it really impacted his future decisions for the better.
This was a decent book, it wasn’t great but I am a sports fanatic so this book clicked wth me. I am definitely glad I read the book but I would hesitate to pick it up a second time. I would recommend this book to sports fans, who would be interested to read a different style of reading. The blog format is hard to stick with at times, but in other occasions it helped me stay engaged.
In this book, the Klass siblings do a good job of answering the essential question,what turning points determine our individual pathways to adulthood? Jerry Downing, the quarterback of his high school football team had it all. Then, one night, he made maybe the most impactful decision of his life. He was out at a party one night when he decided to get behind the wheel while he was intoxicated. Jerry was not only rising his life but other were in the car as well. After Jerry had crashed and damaged the lives of every one in the car that night, he said this, “Why did I get behind the wheel that night? Why didn’t I let someone else drive, or just stay at the party? I was the quarterback, the go-to guy, the leader of the pack, and things like alcohol that derailed other, lesser people had not effect on me.” This sentence is arguably the most important sentence in the whole book. This major turning point in Jerry’s life actually changed him for the good. It made him more aware of how precious life really is and it really impacted his future decisions for the better.
This was a decent book, it wasn’t great but I am a sports fanatic so this book clicked wth me. I am definitely glad I read the book but I would hesitate to pick it up a second time. I would recommend this book to sports fans, who would be interested to read a different style of reading. The blog format is hard to stick with at times, but in other occasions it helped me stay engaged.
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