The Revenge Playbook

by Rachael Allen

Working together to humiliate the revered high school football team that has been the source of their unhappiness, four teen girls make unexpected discoveries in their effort to steal the one thing the players most value.

• ISBN10: 0062281372
• ISBN13: 9780062281371
• Publish Date: 16 June 2015
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[bookishzelda]

I have never grown up in a place where football rules the school. Even in college if the football team won one game it was a victory. The Revenge Playbook takes a town that is football obsessed and battles it with some serious girl empowerment. I loved how the book is fun but was also realistic. Everything didn’t wrap up in a perfect bow because how could it.

I loved the four girls Peyton, Ana, Melanie Jane and Liv. We get to know more about each girl as we alternate from their perspectives between the past and present. The plot centers around the weeks leading up to the Scavenger Hunt and then the hunt itself. As each girl rehashes her own beef with the football team and why she wants revenge. Their goal is to steal the schools treasured ‘76 football and make the football team have to walk out onto the field naked. I think as the girls uncover and collide more with the football team, it becomes even bigger than that. They want revenge for themselves but for everyone that the team has an impact on negatively.

The book deals with a lot of different issues but it doesn’t really get to in depth for each one. The date rape drug and slut shaming are at the forefront. With some discrimination against equality and IEP’s scratching the surface. It reminded me of times of the news stories that felt like they were everywhere about college teams sexually assaulting people and it being covered up. It’s sad and angering that it happens.

I liked how the girls bond over their plot and end up all becoming friends. I don’t think they get to completely bare their souls simply because there is not enough time but I think after all this they certainly will. I would have liked to know more about Peyton’s situation with Karl. She had taken the first step of getting rid of him on her own but I liked how her friendship with the other girls really showed her she made the right choice.

We also get to see the different degrees of the football team. Some of the guys are just evil like Chad. Some are that stupid awkward where they thinking pushing a girl in the mud will make her think you're cool, like Casey. I actually wondered in the back of my brain if he would be different when not around his friends. Some are just good guys like Rey and Trevor but are just a part of the team because they want to play football.

I liked the ending everything is wrapped up well but not perfect. The ending made sense to me. Overall I did like the book, it definitely kept me intrigued and reading. It focuses on friendship more than anything else and I liked that. A little different read so if you are looking for something that is not so romance involved this a good choice.

[whisperingchapters]

This review was first published on Latte Nights Reviews.

This book makes girls feel empowered. I know when I read it, I felt like I could do anything. I have to say that I was hooked just by reading the dares that appeared on the first two pages. Knowing how worshiped these football players were and how everything they did, including bad or slacking in school, everyone would just turn a blind eye and let it pass, even the teachers! This aggravated me so much because the reality is that this happens nowadays and it is so unfair. The football team downgrades women's worth and pretty much diminishes them but we see four girls that have never been friends, except for two of them, join forces to try to bring down the football team to stop the slut-shaming, bullying, etc.

Rachael Allen did a fantastic job in writing this story. I believe she took a risk and she has succeed. I say risk because not many people are willing to put a story like this out there but she did and this gives you hope that you can also take a stand, make a change and fight for yourself and others. Even with the message included, this story is amazing and fun. Reading about the four girls doing the dares was hilarious. The supporting male characters, not the mean ones, were also a great addition to the story and also shows that not every guy in this world has ill-intent on others. What I wish I had gotten was an epilogue. The story ended on a good note but I felt something missing of it—a bit more closure, I would say. Nonetheless, I really recommend this book if you are looking for an empowering story with positive message and it is also fun and very enjoyable.