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Counterattack #5
Offside
Between finishing late school projects and looking after her brothers and sister, Faith Patel barely has time to play soccer. And when she's at practice, surrounded by girls who can afford to play in club leagues, she doesn't even feel like part of the team. So when Coach Berg starts to give Faith extra attention, she feels . . . really special. It might be crazy, but suddenly Faith has a crush on her coach. Can she keep her head in the game? The situation gets worse after Faith's frenemy Caitlyn decides that Faith's getting special treatment. Will Caitlyn tell the rest of the team―and make Faith into a total outcast?
109 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2013
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78 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 20, 2013
Initial reaction: Probably a solid 2.5 stars. It's easy to pick up and I imagine this would appeal to reluctant young adult readers, but for me - aside from the decent soccer plays, the interactions that Faith has with her family, and the interaction between Faith and Caitlyn coming to terms with each other, it didn't amount to that much. The student-teacher insinuated romantic subplot didn't really work for me - I found it contrived for drama.
On another note, I really wish that YA publishers would not whitewash their covers. Especially considering that in the book, the MC is noted as being darker-skinned. *sigh*
Full review:
M.G. Higgins' "Offside" is a novel that's part of a series of books called "Counterattack". I think all of them have to do with soccer, and it seems like they're by different authors. Considering that soccer (for the rest of the world: football) is my favorite sport ever, I thought this would be a fun read to pick up.
The story revolves around Faith Patel, a young woman who is a soccer star on the rise, lives with her mother and two younger siblings. The main plot of the story revolves around Faith playing more to her strengths, and gaining the attention of her coach. But then rumors start to fly around that her relationship with the coach might be something more. Faith isn't sure what to do with this news, and between other events in her life that surface - between her family and a rivalry with fellow teammate Caitlyn (who seems bent on carrying the idea that the coach is favoring Faith because of said "relationship"), it's quite a bit for the teen to swallow.
I'll start with the positive attributes - this book is such a quick read and it took me less than an hour to go through it. The narrative flows smoothly, a reluctant YA reader could pick this up and run with it. The attention the the characters is appropriate for the context and length of the book, but there was something that made me think it could've been more. I'm also glad to see that this revolved around the life of a character of color - a girl of Indian heritage noting her home life and given name notation (alongside her name of "Faith"). I do wish the publisher could've put an Indian model on the cover that reflected the character in the book. The attention to the sports plays in this book were quite sound and fluid, and I liked that aspect of the story - a young soccer fan would probably find it easy to follow in the scheme of the story.
On the note of the plot: I really wasn't as invested in the primary plotline of this as the secondary ones. The teacher-student insinuated relationship felt contrived and didn't mesh right with me - felt drawn out for drama's sake and unnatural. I was far more invested in the details of the game, Faith's home life (particularly her chemistry with her younger siblings), and Faith's insinuated rivalry with Caitlyn - which actually worked out better than I initially thought it would.
I thought it was worth the read, and I'm not opposed to seeing where this particular series of books goes, I just wished that the experience could've been a little fuller than what it was.
Overall score: 2.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Lerner/Darby Creek.
On another note, I really wish that YA publishers would not whitewash their covers. Especially considering that in the book, the MC is noted as being darker-skinned. *sigh*
Full review:
M.G. Higgins' "Offside" is a novel that's part of a series of books called "Counterattack". I think all of them have to do with soccer, and it seems like they're by different authors. Considering that soccer (for the rest of the world: football) is my favorite sport ever, I thought this would be a fun read to pick up.
The story revolves around Faith Patel, a young woman who is a soccer star on the rise, lives with her mother and two younger siblings. The main plot of the story revolves around Faith playing more to her strengths, and gaining the attention of her coach. But then rumors start to fly around that her relationship with the coach might be something more. Faith isn't sure what to do with this news, and between other events in her life that surface - between her family and a rivalry with fellow teammate Caitlyn (who seems bent on carrying the idea that the coach is favoring Faith because of said "relationship"), it's quite a bit for the teen to swallow.
I'll start with the positive attributes - this book is such a quick read and it took me less than an hour to go through it. The narrative flows smoothly, a reluctant YA reader could pick this up and run with it. The attention the the characters is appropriate for the context and length of the book, but there was something that made me think it could've been more. I'm also glad to see that this revolved around the life of a character of color - a girl of Indian heritage noting her home life and given name notation (alongside her name of "Faith"). I do wish the publisher could've put an Indian model on the cover that reflected the character in the book. The attention to the sports plays in this book were quite sound and fluid, and I liked that aspect of the story - a young soccer fan would probably find it easy to follow in the scheme of the story.
On the note of the plot: I really wasn't as invested in the primary plotline of this as the secondary ones. The teacher-student insinuated relationship felt contrived and didn't mesh right with me - felt drawn out for drama's sake and unnatural. I was far more invested in the details of the game, Faith's home life (particularly her chemistry with her younger siblings), and Faith's insinuated rivalry with Caitlyn - which actually worked out better than I initially thought it would.
I thought it was worth the read, and I'm not opposed to seeing where this particular series of books goes, I just wished that the experience could've been a little fuller than what it was.
Overall score: 2.5/5
Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher Lerner/Darby Creek.
October 28, 2013
Offside is about a girl named Faith, and her struggles to balance soccer, school, and home life. She never had friends so she didn't really have to worry about that. It is an unexpected turn of events for her when she starts crushing on her couch. She tries her hardest to try to get his attention. Then one day she finds out about his wife and kids, and is devesated. She even got closer to some of her teammates.
I really wasn't expecting to like this book at all, but it was actually pretty good.
I really wasn't expecting to like this book at all, but it was actually pretty good.
April 1, 2013
Faith Patel may only be an average soccer player—practically a benchwarmer for the Fraser High Copperheads—but it’s something she loves. More importantly, it’s one of her few refuges from the constant pressure of family and academics. Torn between her responsibilities to her younger siblings, and her mother’s insistence that she get the grades needed to get into a good school, she has to fight for the chance to play soccer, to take a little something just for herself. Worse, her obligations prevent her from having a social life, and she afford the time and money needed to pay on club teams like many of her teammates, further setting her apart.
Things get complicated when she develops a crush on her coach after he shows an interest in her wellbeing. Now Faith has to worry about what to do, how to approach the older man. Is it all in her head, or is there a real spark? And when one of her teammates finds out, will everything come tumbling down?
Offside is a strong, if fairly to-the-point, story about warring obligations and inappropriate crushes. Faith’s predicament is honest, believable, and just a little painful, as we see the desperate-for-a-break, stressed-from-all-sides young woman get caught between dutiful daughter and sister, and teenager in need of stress relief. It’s easy to identify with her yearnings, confusion, and desires.
However, the short nature of this book seems to keep the storylines from really going anywhere. What could have been a powerful way to explore the power dynamics between teen and adult, athlete and coach, fizzles, primarily present only in Faith’s mind. Coach Berg is pretty much an unknowing participant in the plotline, and we never get to see just what he thinks, or how he’d react. Likewise, the issue with Faith’s teammate and the potential blackmail/troublemaking also stays fairly mild, never going anywhere. While I’m definitely not advocating that the author take up what could be an intensely controversial or volatile issue, the fact remains that the storyline seemed ready to steam right into those troubled waters, before veering off into safe territory. Sadly, this book just doesn’t seem to reach its full potential, possibly due to its relative brevity, or an inability or unwillingness to push the boundaries.
Despite these shortcomings, Offside is a well-written story, with realistic characters and believable situations, featuring the sort of problems teens can undoubtedly relate to. While the storyline revolves around high school varsity girls’ soccer, detail-rich and featuring numerous scenes set on and off the field, it still touches on universal themes. At just over 100 pages long, it’s little more than an appetizer for some readers, but it might just be the right size to read on the bus after a game. The diverse characters and positive message, straight-forward without being heavy-handed, make this a worthwhile read. While not as strong as others I’ve seen in the series, it definitely has an appeal and a charm unto itself.
(Originally published at Schrodinger's Bookshelf )
Things get complicated when she develops a crush on her coach after he shows an interest in her wellbeing. Now Faith has to worry about what to do, how to approach the older man. Is it all in her head, or is there a real spark? And when one of her teammates finds out, will everything come tumbling down?
Offside is a strong, if fairly to-the-point, story about warring obligations and inappropriate crushes. Faith’s predicament is honest, believable, and just a little painful, as we see the desperate-for-a-break, stressed-from-all-sides young woman get caught between dutiful daughter and sister, and teenager in need of stress relief. It’s easy to identify with her yearnings, confusion, and desires.
However, the short nature of this book seems to keep the storylines from really going anywhere. What could have been a powerful way to explore the power dynamics between teen and adult, athlete and coach, fizzles, primarily present only in Faith’s mind. Coach Berg is pretty much an unknowing participant in the plotline, and we never get to see just what he thinks, or how he’d react. Likewise, the issue with Faith’s teammate and the potential blackmail/troublemaking also stays fairly mild, never going anywhere. While I’m definitely not advocating that the author take up what could be an intensely controversial or volatile issue, the fact remains that the storyline seemed ready to steam right into those troubled waters, before veering off into safe territory. Sadly, this book just doesn’t seem to reach its full potential, possibly due to its relative brevity, or an inability or unwillingness to push the boundaries.
Despite these shortcomings, Offside is a well-written story, with realistic characters and believable situations, featuring the sort of problems teens can undoubtedly relate to. While the storyline revolves around high school varsity girls’ soccer, detail-rich and featuring numerous scenes set on and off the field, it still touches on universal themes. At just over 100 pages long, it’s little more than an appetizer for some readers, but it might just be the right size to read on the bus after a game. The diverse characters and positive message, straight-forward without being heavy-handed, make this a worthwhile read. While not as strong as others I’ve seen in the series, it definitely has an appeal and a charm unto itself.
(Originally published at Schrodinger's Bookshelf )
March 3, 2013
My Rating: 2.5 out of 3 stars.
Disclaimers: I received a temporary e-arc of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I'm not receiving any compensation for reviewing this novel and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
An Overview of the Novel: Faith barely has time to follow her own dream of playing soccer. Her mom is busy working and that leaves Faith spending a lot of time baby-sitting. But she has soccer in her life and she's determined to do her best, even if she can't play club or feel like a part of the team.
Even worse is when Caitlyn starts feeling threatened by Faith. All Faith knows is she might have a chance to not feel like an outcast for the first time and she's going to take it.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: Let me start out by saying that I don't think I was the target audience for this novel at all. I thought this was going to be a YA novel; it was a middle grade novel. That right there was probably a little bit of a let-down.
Secondly, I played soccer and so I had really high hopes for this novel. I love novels that are about girl soccer players. Once again that probably wasn't fair either.
Having said that, let me get into what I think of this novel. I thought that the novel had an intriguing premise, Faith seemed like an intriguing character, and I thought the novel had great potential.
I wanted to like this one so badly. Honestly, I did, but it just fell flat for me. It just felt like it ended right when the story was really getting started and I never felt really connected to any of the characters. Things just felt so rushed.
However, in all fairness that could be because this was an MG book. I'm not as familiar with this genre. I do feel that I still would have been slightly disappointed with this novel just because I loved soccer so much.
Another downfall for the novel was that it resembled the movie Bend it Like Beckham, but was a weaker version of it. This novel just lacked the depth and character development that I like.
However, it was an interesting read and I don't regret reading it. However, I couldn't in good faith recommend it which is why I had to give it 2.5 stars. But who knows if I had been a middle-grade reader I might have enjoyed it more.
I also had problems with Faith crushing on her coach. It just seemed weird to me. She was just so young and I really didn't like that dynamic.
So why 2.5 out of 5 stars? I didn't hate it, but I can't in good faith recommend it to others. This was Higgins' debut novel and I hope she writes a more compelling sophomore novel.
The Wrap-up: For me this novel just struck out. However, if you like middle grade novels, you might like this one more than I did. I can't recommend this one to others, but I do hope that others who read this novel enjoy it more than I did. It had great potential, but just fell short.
Love,
Danica Page
Disclaimers: I received a temporary e-arc of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I'm not receiving any compensation for reviewing this novel and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
An Overview of the Novel: Faith barely has time to follow her own dream of playing soccer. Her mom is busy working and that leaves Faith spending a lot of time baby-sitting. But she has soccer in her life and she's determined to do her best, even if she can't play club or feel like a part of the team.
Even worse is when Caitlyn starts feeling threatened by Faith. All Faith knows is she might have a chance to not feel like an outcast for the first time and she's going to take it.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: Let me start out by saying that I don't think I was the target audience for this novel at all. I thought this was going to be a YA novel; it was a middle grade novel. That right there was probably a little bit of a let-down.
Secondly, I played soccer and so I had really high hopes for this novel. I love novels that are about girl soccer players. Once again that probably wasn't fair either.
Having said that, let me get into what I think of this novel. I thought that the novel had an intriguing premise, Faith seemed like an intriguing character, and I thought the novel had great potential.
I wanted to like this one so badly. Honestly, I did, but it just fell flat for me. It just felt like it ended right when the story was really getting started and I never felt really connected to any of the characters. Things just felt so rushed.
However, in all fairness that could be because this was an MG book. I'm not as familiar with this genre. I do feel that I still would have been slightly disappointed with this novel just because I loved soccer so much.
Another downfall for the novel was that it resembled the movie Bend it Like Beckham, but was a weaker version of it. This novel just lacked the depth and character development that I like.
However, it was an interesting read and I don't regret reading it. However, I couldn't in good faith recommend it which is why I had to give it 2.5 stars. But who knows if I had been a middle-grade reader I might have enjoyed it more.
I also had problems with Faith crushing on her coach. It just seemed weird to me. She was just so young and I really didn't like that dynamic.
So why 2.5 out of 5 stars? I didn't hate it, but I can't in good faith recommend it to others. This was Higgins' debut novel and I hope she writes a more compelling sophomore novel.
The Wrap-up: For me this novel just struck out. However, if you like middle grade novels, you might like this one more than I did. I can't recommend this one to others, but I do hope that others who read this novel enjoy it more than I did. It had great potential, but just fell short.
Love,
Danica Page
February 21, 2013
My Rating: 2.5 out of 3 stars.
Disclaimers: I received a temporary e-arc of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I'm not receiving any compensation for reviewing this novel and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
An Overview of the Novel: Faith barely has time to follow her own dream of playing soccer. Her mom is busy working and that leaves Faith spending a lot of time baby-sitting. But she has soccer in her life and she's determined to do her best, even if she can't play club or feel like a part of the team.
Even worse is when Caitlyn starts feeling threatened by Faith. All Faith knows is she might have a chance to not feel like an outcast for the first time and she's going to take it.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: Let me start out by saying that I don't think I was the target audience for this novel at all. I thought this was going to be a YA novel; it was a middle grade novel. That right there was probably a little bit of a let-down.
Secondly, I played soccer and so I had really high hopes for this novel. I love novels that are about girl soccer players. Once again that probably wasn't fair either.
Having said that, let me get into what I think of this novel. I thought that the novel had an intriguing premise, Faith seemed like an intriguing character, and I thought the novel had great potential.
I wanted to like this one so badly. Honestly, I did, but it just fell flat for me. It just felt like it ended right when the story was really getting started and I never felt really connected to any of the characters. Things just felt so rushed.
However, in all fairness that could be because this was an MG book. I'm not as familiar with this genre. I do feel that I still would have been slightly disappointed with this novel just because I loved soccer so much.
Another downfall for the novel was that it resembled the movie Bend it Like Beckham, but was a weaker version of it. This novel just lacked the depth and character development that I like.
However, it was an interesting read and I don't regret reading it. However, I couldn't in good faith recommend it which is why I had to give it 2.5 stars. But who knows if I had been a middle-grade reader I might have enjoyed it more.
I also had problems with Faith crushing on her coach. It just seemed weird to me. She was just so young and I really didn't like that dynamic.
So why 2.5 out of 5 stars? I didn't hate it, but I can't in good faith recommend it to others. This was Higgins' debut novel and I hope she writes a more compelling sophomore novel.
The Wrap-up: For me this novel just struck out. However, if you like middle grade novels, you might like this one more than I did. I can't recommend this one to others, but I do hope that others who read this novel enjoy it more than I did. It had great potential, but just fell short.
Love,
Danica Page
Disclaimers: I received a temporary e-arc of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I'm not receiving any compensation for reviewing this novel and the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
An Overview of the Novel: Faith barely has time to follow her own dream of playing soccer. Her mom is busy working and that leaves Faith spending a lot of time baby-sitting. But she has soccer in her life and she's determined to do her best, even if she can't play club or feel like a part of the team.
Even worse is when Caitlyn starts feeling threatened by Faith. All Faith knows is she might have a chance to not feel like an outcast for the first time and she's going to take it.
My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: Let me start out by saying that I don't think I was the target audience for this novel at all. I thought this was going to be a YA novel; it was a middle grade novel. That right there was probably a little bit of a let-down.
Secondly, I played soccer and so I had really high hopes for this novel. I love novels that are about girl soccer players. Once again that probably wasn't fair either.
Having said that, let me get into what I think of this novel. I thought that the novel had an intriguing premise, Faith seemed like an intriguing character, and I thought the novel had great potential.
I wanted to like this one so badly. Honestly, I did, but it just fell flat for me. It just felt like it ended right when the story was really getting started and I never felt really connected to any of the characters. Things just felt so rushed.
However, in all fairness that could be because this was an MG book. I'm not as familiar with this genre. I do feel that I still would have been slightly disappointed with this novel just because I loved soccer so much.
Another downfall for the novel was that it resembled the movie Bend it Like Beckham, but was a weaker version of it. This novel just lacked the depth and character development that I like.
However, it was an interesting read and I don't regret reading it. However, I couldn't in good faith recommend it which is why I had to give it 2.5 stars. But who knows if I had been a middle-grade reader I might have enjoyed it more.
I also had problems with Faith crushing on her coach. It just seemed weird to me. She was just so young and I really didn't like that dynamic.
So why 2.5 out of 5 stars? I didn't hate it, but I can't in good faith recommend it to others. This was Higgins' debut novel and I hope she writes a more compelling sophomore novel.
The Wrap-up: For me this novel just struck out. However, if you like middle grade novels, you might like this one more than I did. I can't recommend this one to others, but I do hope that others who read this novel enjoy it more than I did. It had great potential, but just fell short.
Love,
Danica Page
January 26, 2013
She's Got Books on Her Mind
Faith doesn't have the prospects the other girls in her soccer team have. She isn't very wealthy what wither her mom working night shifts to make ends meet without anyone to help her with her four children, well there is always Faith. Faith has been designated as her sibling's babysitter so her mom has some time to get some sleep between her shifts at the hospital. In exchange she gets to play soccer.
Faith is Faith Patel which means she's Indian which makes me oh so happy because hello! How many female Indian main characters have you met reading YA? The only problem is that I wish the book cover reflected her. Don't get me wrong, the girl on the book cover is very "I am woman. Hear me roar." but it would be nice if I can actually see Faith. Faith feels stressed out and like she's got the short end of the stick. Having to take care of your younger siblings - not fun. She's missed a lot of homework too but she doesn't even think she will be able to go to college so why bother?
Although Faith may sound annoyed that she has to take care of her siblings when something happens to one of them she shows a very caring side of her. Faith's very quiet so other on her soccer team may think she thinks she doesn't like them or maybe that she's even better than them. I don't know why the soccer team does this especially Caitlyn because have you never met a reserved person before? They are everywhere. You need to think about where that person's coming from. Caitlyn was her real trouble throughout the story. She would make snide remarks to her face. She's the one who got it in Faith's head that her coach, Coach Berg, liked her because he was letting her try out for another position on the team. When Faith started thinking that her coach liked her I couldn't help to laugh out loud. It was just so ridiculously funny. I mean this all in a good way. It's kind of sad that when someone was actually listening to her she felt that they must like her in a romantic way. It was like no one else had ever cared to bother to learn how she was feeling.
The book may have been just a little over one hundred pages but I really got a sense of who Faith is and what her story was telling me. I liked that it was just about a regular girl and like regular girls we tend to fall in love easily. I also liked it was about soccer which I played way back when. I wasn't good but it was nice to read about the action on the field. It made me reminisce. I don't know why but I think of this as a very "clean" book, one where girls can use to learn lessons from. I've read about the other Counterattack series and their summaries sound like that. I actually don't mind. They're very fun; light reads that I could see myself enjoying like I did with Offside.
Faith doesn't have the prospects the other girls in her soccer team have. She isn't very wealthy what wither her mom working night shifts to make ends meet without anyone to help her with her four children, well there is always Faith. Faith has been designated as her sibling's babysitter so her mom has some time to get some sleep between her shifts at the hospital. In exchange she gets to play soccer.
Faith is Faith Patel which means she's Indian which makes me oh so happy because hello! How many female Indian main characters have you met reading YA? The only problem is that I wish the book cover reflected her. Don't get me wrong, the girl on the book cover is very "I am woman. Hear me roar." but it would be nice if I can actually see Faith. Faith feels stressed out and like she's got the short end of the stick. Having to take care of your younger siblings - not fun. She's missed a lot of homework too but she doesn't even think she will be able to go to college so why bother?
Although Faith may sound annoyed that she has to take care of her siblings when something happens to one of them she shows a very caring side of her. Faith's very quiet so other on her soccer team may think she thinks she doesn't like them or maybe that she's even better than them. I don't know why the soccer team does this especially Caitlyn because have you never met a reserved person before? They are everywhere. You need to think about where that person's coming from. Caitlyn was her real trouble throughout the story. She would make snide remarks to her face. She's the one who got it in Faith's head that her coach, Coach Berg, liked her because he was letting her try out for another position on the team. When Faith started thinking that her coach liked her I couldn't help to laugh out loud. It was just so ridiculously funny. I mean this all in a good way. It's kind of sad that when someone was actually listening to her she felt that they must like her in a romantic way. It was like no one else had ever cared to bother to learn how she was feeling.
The book may have been just a little over one hundred pages but I really got a sense of who Faith is and what her story was telling me. I liked that it was just about a regular girl and like regular girls we tend to fall in love easily. I also liked it was about soccer which I played way back when. I wasn't good but it was nice to read about the action on the field. It made me reminisce. I don't know why but I think of this as a very "clean" book, one where girls can use to learn lessons from. I've read about the other Counterattack series and their summaries sound like that. I actually don't mind. They're very fun; light reads that I could see myself enjoying like I did with Offside.
January 5, 2013
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Lerner Publishing Group and Netgalley.)
All Faith Patel wants to do is play Soccer (or football to us British peeps), but most of her time is spent looking after her younger sister and brothers, as her mum works nights as a nurse and her father is dead.
When her coach suggests she play midfield rather than defence, she jumps at the opportunity, but another girl on the team (Caitlyn) is jealous and starts suggesting that maybe the coach is being nice to Faith because they are having some kind of affair.
This is totally untrue, but the more Caitlyn keeps suggesting it, the more Faith wonders if maybe the coach does have more than professional feelings towards her, and starts to develop a bit of a crush. She then somehow convinces herself that what Caitlyn is saying is true – Faith and Coach Berg are in love, so she tries to make a pass at him!
What will become of Faith and Coach Berg?
This book was a quick read, and totally reminded me of the film ‘Bend it like Beckham’ – about the Indian girl who wanted to play football/soccer. ‘Bend it like Beckham’ wasn’t quite so cringe-worthy though.
I found Faith a little odd to be honest. If someone had suggested that I was having an affair with a teacher, I would have then avoided him like the plague, not developed a crush, and when she then started wearing lip gloss and mascara to football practise, I have to admit that I cringed a bit.
When she then started thinking about ‘being’ with him, and asking him about what cologne he was wearing, I just couldn’t believe it, it seemed so wrong, and when she actually tried to convince herself that they were in love, and tried to get him to kiss her, I actually had to close my eyes and hide!
What made this even worse was that to me it was obvious that the coach didn’t have feelings for her. I was a little shocked at how stupid the coach was portrayed to be when he accepted Faith’s help doing some counting of sports equipment though early on in the book. He allowed her to help him take inventory of equipment when they were alone together. I can’t imagine that in this day and age any male teacher would allow himself to be alone with a female pupil un-chaperoned, as any allegation of any sexual harassment of any type would most likely immediately end his career, even if proved to be false.
Overall; this book was short, made me cringe, and made me laugh (and not in a good way).
5 out of 10.
All Faith Patel wants to do is play Soccer (or football to us British peeps), but most of her time is spent looking after her younger sister and brothers, as her mum works nights as a nurse and her father is dead.
When her coach suggests she play midfield rather than defence, she jumps at the opportunity, but another girl on the team (Caitlyn) is jealous and starts suggesting that maybe the coach is being nice to Faith because they are having some kind of affair.
This is totally untrue, but the more Caitlyn keeps suggesting it, the more Faith wonders if maybe the coach does have more than professional feelings towards her, and starts to develop a bit of a crush. She then somehow convinces herself that what Caitlyn is saying is true – Faith and Coach Berg are in love, so she tries to make a pass at him!
What will become of Faith and Coach Berg?
This book was a quick read, and totally reminded me of the film ‘Bend it like Beckham’ – about the Indian girl who wanted to play football/soccer. ‘Bend it like Beckham’ wasn’t quite so cringe-worthy though.
I found Faith a little odd to be honest. If someone had suggested that I was having an affair with a teacher, I would have then avoided him like the plague, not developed a crush, and when she then started wearing lip gloss and mascara to football practise, I have to admit that I cringed a bit.
When she then started thinking about ‘being’ with him, and asking him about what cologne he was wearing, I just couldn’t believe it, it seemed so wrong, and when she actually tried to convince herself that they were in love, and tried to get him to kiss her, I actually had to close my eyes and hide!
What made this even worse was that to me it was obvious that the coach didn’t have feelings for her. I was a little shocked at how stupid the coach was portrayed to be when he accepted Faith’s help doing some counting of sports equipment though early on in the book. He allowed her to help him take inventory of equipment when they were alone together. I can’t imagine that in this day and age any male teacher would allow himself to be alone with a female pupil un-chaperoned, as any allegation of any sexual harassment of any type would most likely immediately end his career, even if proved to be false.
Overall; this book was short, made me cringe, and made me laugh (and not in a good way).
5 out of 10.
December 18, 2012
Faith Patel loves soccer more than anything in the world, but with all of her responsibilities, like babysitting her brothers and sister after school and that pesky thing called “school”, Faith doesn’t get the chance to play as often as she’d like. A quiet girl—and even more so since the death of her father—, Faith wouldn’t be able to go out for coffee even her classmates invited her, but when her soccer coach begins paying more attention to her, all of a sudden, Faith wonders whether she could find love with him. Offside is a story about a girl’s soccer dreams and the challenges she must face to achieve them.
Story & Pacing: 7
I always enjoy reading stories where the main character is involved in some sport because I don’t think enough attention is given to the difficulties of maintaining a specific GPA while also excelling in an extra-curricular activity. I really enjoyed the fact that Faith is required to babysit and that she doesn’t get the chance to do many activities outside of school because of those responsibilities. I wasn’t a fan of the idea of Faith falling in love with her coach. While this does happen in some schools, the novel didn’t explore it enough to make it seem believable.
Characters: 7
Faith is a great character that many kids will empathize with. She comes from a semi-large family with no father, so as the eldest, she has to handle a lot of responsibilities. The idea that she changes her name from her Hindu one to the English translation is something I think newcomers to an English-speaking country would understand. The problem between Faith and Caitlyn seems too neatly resolved, but it does offer hope.
Setting: 7
I would have liked more information about the sport, considering the story revolves around the soccer game. Other than that, the school and field settings seem just fine.
Style & Writing: 8
It is easy to get into Higgins’ writing. Her prose is simple, but not choppy. Readers will have no trouble flipping through the pages quickly to find out what happens to her characters. I found no typographical or grammatical mistakes, which is always a good thing.
Learnability & Teachability: 7
Soccer fans will like this story. Middle-grade girls will also find no trouble feeling for Faith and understanding her troubles.
POTENTIAL TEACHABLES
Soccer rules and superstitions; substituting 5 junk foods for 5 healthy foods (like in Faith’s nutrition report); PowerBars and other nutritional supplements; Hindu names of Faith’s brothers and sister and their English translations.
Story & Pacing: 7
I always enjoy reading stories where the main character is involved in some sport because I don’t think enough attention is given to the difficulties of maintaining a specific GPA while also excelling in an extra-curricular activity. I really enjoyed the fact that Faith is required to babysit and that she doesn’t get the chance to do many activities outside of school because of those responsibilities. I wasn’t a fan of the idea of Faith falling in love with her coach. While this does happen in some schools, the novel didn’t explore it enough to make it seem believable.
Characters: 7
Faith is a great character that many kids will empathize with. She comes from a semi-large family with no father, so as the eldest, she has to handle a lot of responsibilities. The idea that she changes her name from her Hindu one to the English translation is something I think newcomers to an English-speaking country would understand. The problem between Faith and Caitlyn seems too neatly resolved, but it does offer hope.
Setting: 7
I would have liked more information about the sport, considering the story revolves around the soccer game. Other than that, the school and field settings seem just fine.
Style & Writing: 8
It is easy to get into Higgins’ writing. Her prose is simple, but not choppy. Readers will have no trouble flipping through the pages quickly to find out what happens to her characters. I found no typographical or grammatical mistakes, which is always a good thing.
Learnability & Teachability: 7
Soccer fans will like this story. Middle-grade girls will also find no trouble feeling for Faith and understanding her troubles.
POTENTIAL TEACHABLES
Soccer rules and superstitions; substituting 5 junk foods for 5 healthy foods (like in Faith’s nutrition report); PowerBars and other nutritional supplements; Hindu names of Faith’s brothers and sister and their English translations.
November 27, 2012
I get the feeling this book is geared to female, middle school age, reluctant readers. Since I am only one of those things, it just didn't appeal to me.
For starters, I hate novellas. I see a true art in crafting a short story since you only have a few pages to tell a captivating tale. But books that get published in the 100 page arena just seem lazy to me. The author wasn't driven or skilled enough to craft a deeper more complex story.
And this book rings true to that. It felt like watching a ABC Family sitcom. Short, rushed, and the drama was so overacted. The handling of the teacher/student romance topic was done at a very 12 year old level. All of Faith's thoughts and reactions were exactly like a pubescent girl. I'm sorry but having her have the occasional daydream about college doesn't make her seem any older than 12.
And the cover design drives me insane. I know "whitewashing" is one of the most prevalent things in YA cover art but this is just sad. Because it's like they really tried to find a slightly tan model to portray the very Indian main character. But still had to find the most white looking quasi-tan girl they could. Why do publishers think this will make a book more appealing? I'm brown and I read A LOT! I would like to see someone who looks like me on the cover of a book every once in a while.
All in all, Offside was a pretty big miss for me :(
For starters, I hate novellas. I see a true art in crafting a short story since you only have a few pages to tell a captivating tale. But books that get published in the 100 page arena just seem lazy to me. The author wasn't driven or skilled enough to craft a deeper more complex story.
And this book rings true to that. It felt like watching a ABC Family sitcom. Short, rushed, and the drama was so overacted. The handling of the teacher/student romance topic was done at a very 12 year old level. All of Faith's thoughts and reactions were exactly like a pubescent girl. I'm sorry but having her have the occasional daydream about college doesn't make her seem any older than 12.
And the cover design drives me insane. I know "whitewashing" is one of the most prevalent things in YA cover art but this is just sad. Because it's like they really tried to find a slightly tan model to portray the very Indian main character. But still had to find the most white looking quasi-tan girl they could. Why do publishers think this will make a book more appealing? I'm brown and I read A LOT! I would like to see someone who looks like me on the cover of a book every once in a while.
All in all, Offside was a pretty big miss for me :(
December 27, 2012
Do you remember that movie "Bend it Like Beckham" ? The film where the indian girl got to play soccer as she was amazing at it ? Even though the girl on the cover of Offside is white, I imagine as I read the story of her being Indian as her name is Faith Patel . Faith loves to play Soccer , it is her escape from her life as a babysitter and home-life, it is something she is good at . Though what happens when the coach starts offering Faith advice and she starts to take it the wrong way . Soon Faith has developed crushing feelings on her coach but it seems she's not the only one on the team to feel this way towards the coach. Can Faith get her head back into the game and focus on becoming the best soccer player she can be in order to help her recieve a college scholarship or will Faith soon discover that when someone is in love or in this case infatuation/lust that if you take your eye off the ball , everything else may crumble with it. A nice , quick and easy read that can show teen girls just how easy it can be to fall in love with a teacher or in the case of Offside - how fast it can be and dangerous to develop a crush on a married teacher.
October 30, 2013
I didn't know this was a novella when I started it. I usually don't bother reading novellas because I find they often lack depth.
Offside wasn't a bad read, but neither was it very memorable. I did enjoy the soccer aspects and I also liked how important family was in this novel.
The 'romance' aspect of this one didn't do it for me. I know lots of girls develop crushes on teachers, but Faith went a little crazy with it. I mean, she was fantasizing about cooking him breakfast every morning! Also, the ending felt super rushed, which likely has a lot to do with it being a novella.
Over, Offside was a quick ok read that I likely won't remember a few weeks from now. Read it if you're a soccer fan who likes novellas.
Offside wasn't a bad read, but neither was it very memorable. I did enjoy the soccer aspects and I also liked how important family was in this novel.
The 'romance' aspect of this one didn't do it for me. I know lots of girls develop crushes on teachers, but Faith went a little crazy with it. I mean, she was fantasizing about cooking him breakfast every morning! Also, the ending felt super rushed, which likely has a lot to do with it being a novella.
Over, Offside was a quick ok read that I likely won't remember a few weeks from now. Read it if you're a soccer fan who likes novellas.
Read
April 4, 2013Faith is a high school girl, who has made it on to the soccer team. Faith has to take care of her younger siblings plus blance school and soccer. She may be developing feelings for her coach and a jealous team mate finds out.
I finished this book in about two days. I liked how it showed a window into a world, where the older child is taking care of their younger silblings, well parents or parent is at work. I relate a little bit, I don't have to fully take care of my siblings, well my dad is out working,I just help out my mom. I think this book should be read by kids 6th grade and up because they have a understanding that it is only a crush. Overall it was a good book.
I finished this book in about two days. I liked how it showed a window into a world, where the older child is taking care of their younger silblings, well parents or parent is at work. I relate a little bit, I don't have to fully take care of my siblings, well my dad is out working,I just help out my mom. I think this book should be read by kids 6th grade and up because they have a understanding that it is only a crush. Overall it was a good book.
November 26, 2012
Offside is a fantastic read for reluctant female readers. Faith's story is a part of our present day culture, the older child who must step-up to assist their single parent in caring for their siblings while they work to support the family. Most of these children have to modify or give up on their own dreams. Offside has plenty of drama, and several surprises in that will keep the reader completely engaged and hoping that Faith can find her way in her challenging position. A fast, well written read.
January 11, 2013
Faith is just your average teen with her hands full of problems and a soccer ball at her feet. Between helping her single mom care for her younger siblings, being behind in her schoolwork and being teased by Caitlin life is hectic. All Faith wanted was to play soccer. Luckily for her Coach Berg saw her potential and moved her from the bench to midfield. If only all her problems could be solved so easily. M.G. Higgins has written a fantastic story that any teen girl can relate to. I would love to see more books with these characters.
October 9, 2013
The Book Offside is by a Lady named M.G Higgins. The book is realistic fiction. The book is about a girl who barely has time to play soccer because she was finishing school and taking care of her brothers. But when she goes to her practices she doesn't feel like she part of the team. So her and her coach have a little talk and Faith Patel has a crush on her coach. Now Faiths team mates think she get more attention and special treatment from the coach I would recommend this book to any soccer players or people who drama ....LOTS OF DRAMA
June 4, 2013
I read this title and Under Pressure from Lerner's new Counterattack series, six hi-lo books that focus on a high school girl's soccer team in North Carolina.
They weren't too bad, would I recommend them to all girls who want sports stories? No, however they definitely fill a needed niche.
They weren't too bad, would I recommend them to all girls who want sports stories? No, however they definitely fill a needed niche.
February 16, 2013
"Okay. That would be great."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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