I received this book for free from Library, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
We Are the Wildcats by Siobhan Vivian Published by Simon and Schuster on April 13, 2021
Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Social Themes, Friendship, Peer Pressure, Sports & Recreation
Pages: 384
Format: Hardcover, eARC
Source: Library, Publisher
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A toxic coach finds himself outplayed by the high school girls on his team in this deeply suspenseful novel, which unspools over twenty-four hours through six diverse perspectives.
Tomorrow, the Wildcat varsity field hockey squad will play the first game of their new season. But at tonight’s team sleepover, the girls are all about forging the bonds of trust, loyalty, and friendship necessary to win.
Everything hinges on the midnight initiation ceremony—a beloved tradition and the only facet of being a Wildcat that the girls control. Until now.
Coach—a handsome former college player revered and feared in equal measure—changes the plan and spins his team on a new adventure. One where they take a rival team’s mascot for a joyride, crash a party in their pajamas, break into the high school for the perfect picture.
But as the girls slip out of their comfort zone, so do some long-held secrets. And just how far they’re willing to go for their team takes them all—especially Coach—by surprise.
A testament to the strength and resilience of modern teenage girls, We Are the Wildcats will have readers cheering.
We Are The Wildcats by Siobhan Vivian has sports, friendship, and bonding. These elements adding up to a book that I loved reading. I love that Siobhan Vivian’s books tend to have feminist messages below the surface. As with the author’s previous books that I’ve read, I found this was another story that really resonated with me. And of course, I find that I want to read all the books that I haven’t yet picked up by Siobhan Vivian.
This book follows the West Essex Varsity Girls Field Hockey team – the Wildcats. The book opens with it being the last day of tryouts and then takes place over the next essentially twenty four hours up until the first scrimmage for the team. You see, the team is really good. They’ve won the state championships multiple times in a row — except last year. However, the girls are hopeful that this year they will bounce back and win the championships again — for Coach and for themselves.
Switching point of views between team captain Mel, her best friend Phoebe who is a powerhouse player, Ali the goalie, Grace and Lucia who are rookies, and Kearson who was temporarily on the team last season, We Are The Wildcats is immensely engaging and readable. We see the girls go from immense devotion to coach to realizing that actually he’s quite toxic and shady. The girls end up having a wild night with pranks and bonding and self discovery. Their night, and consequently the story, is not at all boring.
I can’t decide which girl’s story resonated the most with me. You see, I loved the glimpse I got into each Wildcat’s experience and story. Each girl was unique and had a different experience and circumstance. The impact was that it lends to a really fast pace especially as you are putting together the clues of why Coach is toxic. Also, what exactly happened last season. Additionally, I loved the sports aspect of We Are The Wildcats. It makes me want to read more sports books. Overall, this read was so compelling and worth checking if you’re in the market for contemporary about sportsmanship and the bonds of being on the same team.
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