Hello all! Now that the Euros are underway, I thought it might be fun to review a book that has a hint of sport in it- okay, okay it has next to nothing to do with sports (unless you’re one of those people that think dance is the same as sports- in which case, shame on you!) but the title of the book is vaguely sporty…. I guess…
Anyhoo, as the title of this blog suggests, this book was a bit hit and miss for me. And like the best sports games I’m gonna break it down really fast:
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The Hits
- It was a cool, slightly twisted idea. I’m a sucker for simple high-school-esque drama like this (yeah they’re in college but it’s very much high school mentality so whatever)
- It also felt like the equivalent of reading something like Step Up, which made a nice change for me
- I also liked how it engaged with men disrespecting women without being too preachy about it or getting over moralistic- because obviously men picking up women for sport is not cool and I was glad the author didn’t feel the need to explain that. Urang dealt with this deftly- the guys involved in the game were douches and that was that.
- And I liked who the Hit Man turned out to be- it was a great twist and I actually didn’t see it coming- which is always a plus.
The Misses
- It was a bit overlong and could’ve done with being shorter- which is an unusual thing for me to say about a quick read. I think it was the (somewhat unnecessary) flashbacks that made it feel longer.
- The characters and the romance were adequate enough but they were nothing to write home about
- There wasn’t enough space at the end to enjoy the fallout or the conflict- which meant the climax was a bit lacking.
- The ending seemed more than unfair in terms of who won the competition (I can’t say anymore cos it’ll be spoilery unfortunately). Again, it seemed like it was done to avoid conflict- which is disappointing because who doesn’t love a bit of conflict in books? I honestly don’t get why you would leave it out. It makes the whole thing a bit like a nil-nil draw (thought I may as well squeeze a football analogy in there 😉 )
Overall it was an enjoyable enough and fun if you’re into this kind of thing.
Rating: 3/5 bananas
And that’s the way to knock a review out of the park before dinner 😉 Now if you don’t mind I’m gonna see if I can catch the England match!
Oh I love this idea for a review. Sorry to hear that this book didn’t work out the way you wanted it too. Still seem like a fluffy read. Still going to add to my list. Maybe wait until the ebook is on sale on something.
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Thanks so much!! Ah it wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t perfect- yeah definitely- that’s how I got it- it’s worth reading when you’re in the mood to switch off
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That is very true. Sometimes you need to be in the mood to read certain books.
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Definitely!
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First — Dance is totally a sport! Those dancers are strong and talented. Second, great review. This one sounds cute. I love all those dance movies/TV shows. Although, your misses have me hesitating on whether I would want to read it or not.
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Well I definitely agree that dancers are strong and talented and many other things besides- but it’s more of an art form than a sport. Ahh thanks very much! Well it’s not a perfect book, but it’s a nice light read 🙂
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This sounds fun! I also love that you put reviews on the back burner for football – I do the same for hockey! The Stanley Cup playoffs are on right now, and I drop everything for an elimination game! (Sorry England lost today… 😦 )
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Thank you! haha well fortunately we didn’t actually lose, we drew 😉 – in all honesty though, I’m more into the tournaments that go on throughout the year so I’m actually not as fussed as you think. Plus I kind of expect it. Besides, all I care about right now is that Wimbledon is coming up! (Oh gosh, I got really carried away there- I love my sport :p )
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Doesnt sound like one that I would enjoy. But I love your creativity in the review. Haha
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hahaha that’s fair! It’s an acceptable read- but I can’t really give it an overly positive review
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This sounds . . . interesting, I guess? Not my type of book, but you’ve successfully piqued my interest as to how poorly the conflict, climax, and resolution are handled at the end. (I’m eternally baffled by books that fumble with maintaining the conflict, seeing as how the conflict is the soul of the book.) But I think I’ll learn from your experience and avoid this one unless I’m desperate. Great review! 🙂
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Yeah it was alright- but I don’t think you’d enjoy it at all! It’s far from a great book and doesn’t require too many brain cells- a bit like an awful rom com. So don’t bother with it if it’s not your thing- it’s not exactly revolutionary. Thanks! 🙂
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I’ll take your advice! 🙂
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Great idea for structuring your review. It was so easy to read and right to the point. I like the Step Up reference. For that reason, maybe I would read this one, but the lack of good characters and decent romance might be a problem for me. I would probably end up comparing it to the movie the whole time, wishing Channing Tatum were in the book. Lol.
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Ahh thanks!! haha yeah, I’m not gonna pretend it’s great, but it is enjoyable enough 🙂 haha I definitely wished Channing Tatum was in the book! It definitely would’ve spiced things up! And some visual aids would’ve been nice too 😉
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Haha! I know what you mean. I’m reading the Lux series and I’m dying to know what Daemon would look like as a real person. 😍
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haha Ooh I want to read that too- is it good?
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That cover is very captivating. A book without conflict is just so wrong! I mean conflict is in everything, from football (this in itself is a conflict football vs. soccer for Americans and…pretty much everyone else lol), to music, to cooking. Glad it wasn’t a total bust, though – great review.
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I know right- one of the reasons why I bought it- which is silly cos I have it on kindle, so the cover could always changed. Definitely! It was very close to having a major conflict, but then for some reason after confronting the person behind the list, nothing happened- I won’t say anymore cos of spoilers, but then some more annoying stuff happened to avoid conflict- I didn’t really get it- cos a cathartic slap really wouldn’t have gone amiss
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If dance is a sport, then I am an Olympic champion in behind-the-wheel-contortion :p Loved the format you chose for the review!
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hahahaha now that’s an olympic sport I’d like to see! thanks very much 🙂
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