Gut Check

by Eric Kester

A darkly comic high-school drama about brotherhood, body image, concussions, and toxic masculinity from Boston Globe–bestselling adult author of That Book About Harvard.

Wyatt has wanted nothing more than to play football on Grayport's championship-winning team. But not for the fame, glory, or girls. It's his last chance to build a relationship with his older brother Brett, the star quarterback, before he leaves for college. Now that their team has gained national attention, a big win could be just what the small town needs in order to rebound from a fishing season that has been devastated by Red Tide. But when Brett suffers a terrible concussion, Wyatt must decide if keeping his brother's secret is worth risking his scholarship future.

Told with irreverent humor reminiscent of Carl Hiaasen, and a stark honesty about brotherhood and masculinity for fans of Andrew Smith, Gut Check explores the struggle of grappling with uncomfortable truths.

Genres: Sports, Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Family, Football

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 13, 2019

About the author

Eric Kester was born in Boston and attended Harvard University, where he wrote a column for the undergraduate newspaper, The Crimson. Now a featured writer for CollegeHumor.com, Eric has also contributed to the Boston Globe, someEcards.com, and Dorkly.com. His writing has been described as a perfect blend of Twain, Salinger, and Sedaris from critics such as his mom. He lives in Boston with his two sons, XBOX and PlayStation.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best thing I got from this book is the knowledge that you can get married at the Boston Public Library.

That is not contained as a plot point or background detail in this, which is about two brothers who play football, have body image issues, and get concussions, but it is something I learned when I googled the author, so it's still connected.

So a book indirectly convincing me that I will, unfortunately, actually have to get married someday (or at least stage a wedding) is nothing to sneeze at.

Otherwise, it introduced a bunch of important topics it wasn't willing to follow through on. There was a lot of promising stuff here about bullying, family, body shaming and image (for men, which you rarely see), CTE and sports injuries, the importance of local sports in poor communities...

But in the end, all that amounted to was a ton of info dumping at the start with no follow through.

A bummer.

Bottom line: I may not have gotten much from the book itself, but I got a good amount of positive reinforcement on my googling-authors habit.

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pre-review

in a move that will surprise almost no one..

review to come / 2.5ish stars

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tbr review

reading a sports book as an act of radical bravery

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challenging myself to read as many review copies as possible this month because i'm addicted to projects!

ARC 1: spaceman of bohemia
ARC 2: in search of us
ARC 3: aerialists
ARC 4: the sound of drowning
ARC 5: unleaving
ARC 6: the other side of luck
ARC 7: romanov
ARC 8: the storm keeper's island
ARC 9: gut check

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wyatt had been obscured by his football hero brother's shadow his whole life, but by some odd luck, he finally got the chance to stand alongside him on the field. He saw this as his opportunity to foster a real and genuine relationship with Brett, but as he got to know the man under the hero suit, he realized that, maybe, that connection he wanted, was there all along.

• Pro: This book was so funny! The humor ran the gamut, from nerdy and slapstick to witty and wry. It all worked for me and left me either smiling or in stitches.

• Pro: I laughed a lot, but my other emotions got a workout as well. Wyatt dealt with bullying, fat shaming, poverty, emotional abuse, alcoholism, and living in a dying town. That's a lot to chew on, but Kester navigated all the issues so thoughtfully and in a combination, which produced quite an emotional impact.

• Pro: Being in Wyatt's head was such a treat. This kid was a gem. I hated the way he always put himself down, but I loved his tender heart, the astute and keen observations he made, and how he was able to be this way despite the toxic environment he grew up in. He was easy to love and easy to root for, and I couldn't have asked for a better narrator.

• Pro: The heart of this book was the relationship between Brett and Wyatt. My happiness grew as their bond became more and more apparent. They had to deal with some tough situations, and seeing them lean on each other really tugged at my heart.

• Pro: No lie, I was wiping away happy tears as I read the last few chapters of this book. It was all so wonderful and heartwarming. My sappy self is still basking in the afterglow of all those feels.

• Pro: All I am going to say is that the cupcake scene was stupendous! That has got to be one of the most adorable scenes I have ever read. I laughed, I smiled, my heart grew three sizes. It was so good.

Never good bumping into our crush during a cupcake crisis of existential proportions.

Overall: I love football and sibling stories, and this one combined the two in a way that was perfection for me.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars: A football book that explores some tough issues, but it doesn’t follow through. 

Wyatt is used to being invisible. It’s Friday night in Grayport and the entire small town is at the big football game. Instead of being in the stands watching Brett, the star quarterback who happens to be Wyatts brother, Wyatt is below the stands wearing a ridiculous costume to sell rain ponchos. Things change the next year when Wyatt unexpectedly lands a place on the team. What follows is the agony of football from fat shaming, taunts and then the glory of winning. Then football gets dangerous when Brett is injured and refusing to tell. Will Wyatt dash the hopes of the town to save his brother?

What I Liked:

Gut Check is not your average football book. This book has a lot going for it. At times it is darkly funny, then sad and also serious. I appreciated the depth, the emotions, the humor and the exposure to the downsides of football. This was an informative, funny and entertaining read. 
Wyatt is a fun main character. When the book opens he presents himself as a pathetic, fat loser. He constantly pokes fun at himself especially when it comes to his weight. Beneath his curves, there is a kind, genuine boy who wants to step out of the shadow of his older brother and be seen. I adored Wyatt, and I found myself constantly cheering him on. I loved his successes and I also loved his defeats. 
I appreciated that the author captured the intensity, emotion and even the insanity when it comes to football in a small town. Grayport doesn’t have much going for it except for it’s championship winning football team. When Red Tide strikes killing the sea life and decimating the fishing boats, things get even worse. Football is all the town has. Then things take a serious turn when Wyatt and Brett are dealing with the repercussions of a serious injury. Is it right to put so much pressure on a young man when his health and life are in jeopardy? These are the intense questions the reader must grapple with. I loved that the author made you see things through different lenses. 
Surprisingly, even though the book takes on some serious stuff, it is funny. I loved the humor. It made me giggle out loud time and time again. 
I also appreciated the complicated familial relationships. Brett and Wyatt are completely different. They may share a room and their DNA but they rarely even speak. I loved how Wyatt idolized Brett, and I liked that he was willing to sacrifice everything to save his brother. I also loved how the boys formed a stronger more open relationship. 
The ending is bittersweet. I was happy to see Brett and Wyatt going in a new positive direction, but I was left wanting. 
And The Not So Much:

ARGH! What the heck! The final part of the book centers around Brett’s football injury and the book builds and builds to this climatic point and then all hell breaks loose. I was so disappointed that the author never finished that story line. It is such an important part of the story, and then there are no answers! What gives!!! What happened? Was he evaluated? What did they find out? I needed the answers. I couldn’t believe after all the coverage and the mentions of all the detrimental effects that type of injury could cause that we never get to see that story line completed. So frustrating!!!
Even though I know it doesn’t always happen, especially in real life, I found myself longing for some type of positive relationship between the boys’ and their father. That part of the story was dismal. 
I hated all the fat shaming in the book. Even though the author tries to make light of it, fat shaming is disgusting.

Gut Check was a book that started out strong for me. I loved the characters, the focus on football and the humor. Sadly, the book ended without completing several story lines, including one of the major ones centered around concussions. I wish the author had finished that story line. I was left wanting much more from this one. 

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 for this review. 

[Meagan Danielle]

After sitting on this read for a few days I have come to the conclusion that I can't in good conscience give this a fair rating.
While I did not connect or relate to the story or for the most part really enjoy my time with it, I have to keep in mind I am not the target audience. I am really glad this book exists for teenage boys who are coming of age and fighting the struggles of family, school, body image and in general just learning who you are.
No regrets in seeing this one through to the end.

[Brodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gut Check by Eric Kester is a great book to read and to involve yourself into a book that is so entertaining . It has a lot of funny moments in the book but there were some intense moments. Wyatt is the main character of the book and he lives in Graypoint. Eric Kester has written a really good book, the story of Wyatt and his dreams and goals and the struggles in his life. There’s some characters in the story that have a big impact in Wyatts life. The book navigates through topics of biology and the human body, the book keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. I recommend this book to anyone because it's just fun to read and jump into the life of a high schooler. Even if you don't like science it's still a really good book because you can learn things and if you learn something about your body it's just a great book.

[Kiera Beddes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I might have been off-put initially by the sporty nature of the book, but to do so is to miss so much of what makes it fantastic. Yes, it deals with football with a lot of swearing and locker-room talk, but it also deals with toxic masculinity, male body image, and complex interrelationships, issues that are tough to deal with on their own, but the author manages to do so in a humorous, thoughtful, and meaningful way. I love that this book allows boy readers to be smart, sensitive, and still be considered a man. This book is a perfect dramedy and I am here for it!

Other reads with similar vibes? I recommend LOSERS TAKE ALL by David Klass or FIRST & THEN by Emma Mills.

[Lupine Smile · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will review this book in two parts.

Part 1: Pages 1-100.
I am fat. I have fat parts. I am fatter than my brother. I am fat, fat, fat, and yes fat. I have rolls of fat. My fat continues to move after I stop. Did I mention that I am fat? By the way I am fat. (continue for 100 pages.) Sorry for the snark, but it really read like that.

Part 2: The rest of the book.
Really poor plot lines, dialog, and character development.

Summary:
This book could have been really good, but the story was so forced that it was very difficult to read.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly affecting story of a young man who’s playing varsity football in the shadow of his older brother - the senior QB - and an environmental calamity that’s sapping the strength of the hard scrabble town folk. Theres a drunk father, a sweet girl, and lots of football. Well worth reading for fans of YA that builds on a solid football foundation.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid choice for my high school boys who are looking for a new sports book. Humor, football, concussions, poverty, and parental addiction make this one a good choice. There are definitely sports books with themes that are more strongly presented, but Gut Check will appeal in an area where students are always looking for more choices.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small town where football is life and Wyatt’s older brother, the quarterback, is on track to be the town’s savior. And then there’s his no-good drunk of a father, his absent mother, and the 2nd coming of the Red Tide that threatens the whole town. My heart just aches for these two brothers. You just wish for anything else for them!

[Nick Duursma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so all over the place

[Braydon Nichols · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this book because it was about sports and it was competitive and told a good story. I would probably recommend the first part of this book because after chapter 4 it gets kinda boring in my appinion. i would recomend this to someone super into football and someone who reads boos at long periods of times because if you take a break reading this book you will get pretty lost.

I didnt like how it took forever to get to the climax and everything just felt slower than usual. I found it difficult to put the book down and come back and rememebr everything thats going on and understand whats going on with having to go back and look.

Over coming, it teaches the reader not to lie and to do things out of your comfort zone because you might really enjoy it, these are valuable lessons ecaue they all relaate to the real world and they make it so that way people will like you more and could find something you really enjoy if you just get ut for your comfort zone just a little bit.

[Kate Larkindale · Rating 5 out of 5]

So a book about football and football players in a small fishing town does not really sound like something I'd be into, but I loved this book!

Calling it comic (as the blurb does) is something of a stretch, to be honest. There's a lot of very dark stuff in this book, from the broken marriage of the protagonists' parents to the devastating natural disaster that has struck the town for the second time in these teens' short lives. There are funny moments though, and the narrator's sardonic view of his world offers some humor too.

Wyatt is the fat kid who has always lived in his older brother's shadow. Brett is a star football player whose season was cut short last year when a player from a rival team intentionally injured him. It's Brett's last chance to shine this year, with college scholarships on the line. Wyatt tries out for the team in an attempt to finally have a relationship with his brother after a lifetime of feeling that they have little in common.

He's surprised when he makes the team, and even more so when it turns out his bulk, which has long been cause for ridicule, proves valuable on the field. The team's season goes from strength to strength, generating a kind of town-wide pride that is much needed as the community's fishing industry is destroyed by a toxic algae.

So when Brett is concussed during a game, he swears Wyatt to secrecy, knowing the town is relying on him and the team to raise their profile on a national level and receive much-needed funding.

I enjoyed the relationship between the brothers in this book very much. They are very different people each responding to the darkness of their broken home in his own way. Brett initially seems cool and stand-offish, but as Wyatt, and the reader, grow closer to him, his quiet, considered manner is revealed to be his defence mechanism.

The insights into the male world of the locker room and football field are vividly drawn and the behaviour of these boys is often appalling, yet totally understandable in the context of their lives.

So I'd recommend this one, even if it doesn't sound on the surface like something you'd be into.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

With its focus on football and family, this relatable YA novel will attract quite a few readers who often feel that their lives and experiences are missing from most of the books that are published. The narrator, Wyatt Parker, has a distinctive voice, notable for its self-deprecation and lack of self-awareness, and even readers who aren't interested in books in which sports feature strongly will enjoy the book and root for Wyatt to find his place in the world. Wyatt's the younger brother of star quarterback Brett, expected to lead his high school team to greatness. The boys seem to have little to do with each other, peacefully coexisting in a house where their father slides further into his alcoholism and dreams of glory through Brett's accomplishments. Wyatt lacks the competition instinct his brother has, and although he'd love to be able to follow in Brett's footsteps, he is ungainly and overweight, which embarrasses him. Still, Wyatt tries hard and does make the Grayport football team. But he faces a tough dilemma when Brett is injured and suffers a brain injury but plans to continue to play the sport. Wyatt knows that to do so will endanger Brett's health, but the town and his father are depending on him. A football scholarship seems to be his only way out of the abusive family setting. To add to all this, red tide is killing all the fish and marine life, on which the town's citizens are dependent for a living. Although the ending is too good to be true and seemed a bit rushed to my taste, there are passages describing the Parkers' refrigerator, empty except for beer cans, and how the brothers subsist on jello and meals at soup kitchens and neighbors' houses that strike just the right note and make readers' own bellies ache with emptiness. While this isn't a perfect book, it covers some unfamiliar territory quite well. One of the most touching scenes concerns Wyatt's mother's inability to afford the more expensive and more flattering suit he tries on while shopping for the first suit he's ever even worn.

[KEAGAN]

Title: Gut Check
Author: Eric Kester
Wyatt is a big kid in highschool he has always tried to be on the football team but never made it. But something was different about this season he wanted to make it so bad so he trained hard all summer to be ready. So when tryouts came he thought he was ready. And after tryouts he had made it. Wyatt's brother was the quarterback of the team and was really good. And Wyatt's dad was also the all star quarterback in high school. Wyatt doesn’t live with his mother anymore his mom left his dad. The setting is in a small town named Grayport where fishing is how most people make there money. Wyatt has a lot of obstacles in the book but he never gives up. Wyatts football team rivals were from a town called Blackmore. And Wyatt has a really tough time in the book with a Blackmore player named Derek Leopold who is always trying to hurt the Grayport players. At the end of the book a really big game happens against Blackmore and lets just say it was a really good one. But Im not gonna give to many details so if you want to learn more read the book.
The setting in this book really shapes the charactors with Wyatts family not even being able to pay the eletrical bill. And when Red tide makes his family not have any money because his dad cant fish and make money. Red tide shapes the charactors in this book a lot. Wyatt has to go eat soup at a community thing for people who dont have any money for food. But if all this didnt happen the book wouldnt be very good if all these bad things didnt happen a lot of things wouldn’t of happend in the book.
My reflection on this book is pretty good I really enjoyed this book and I normally have a tuff time finding good books I like. I would tottally reccomend this book to anyone who likes sports or just wants a good funny book to read. Theres is one reason I wouldn’t reccmend this book and that is that it uses some foul language but if you cant get past that it is a great book.

[Owen Fownes · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this review, I'll reflect on my experience with Gut Check by Eric Kester, the contemporary sports novel that I picked up because I enjoy stories about high school athletes dealing with pressure and self-discovery. Gut check follows Wyatt, a talented high school football player who was struggling with a torn relationship with his father and the pressure to live up to his athletic potential. Wyatt’s talent on the football field has earned him a reputation, but he is dealing with personal issues that are affecting his performance and his relationships. As the story goes on, Wyatt confronts the emotional part of his father's expectations, the challenges of going through high school friendships, and his own fears about his future. Along the way, Wyatt learns very valuable lessons about self-worth, the true meaning of success, and what it really means to have the “gut check” necessary to face life's biggest challenges. Overall I would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars because it does an excellent job of portraying that emotional side of high school sports, especially the pressures athletes face from their families and peers. My experience reading the book was engaging and emotional, and I found myself really rooting for Wyatt as he navigated his struggles. What I particularly liked was how the author gave depth to Wyatt's internal battles and made the reader connect with him on a personal level. However, the pacing at times felt a little slow in the middle of the book. If you are thinking about reading this book, know that it's not just about football. It's about overcoming personal challenges and understanding that success isn't just about winning games. One of my favorite lines from the book is: “Sometimes, the hardest part is not the game itself, but the battle inside your head.” (Kester, 137) I really like this quote because it perfectly captures the struggles that Wyatt and athletes often face, showing that the mental side of sports can be just as important as the physical side.

[Nina O'Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adored this book. I laughed a ton, I got a little teary, and my heart broke a few times for this loveable character. Wyatt’s got a big heart and a big body that he’s not always proud of, but he’s also okay with it. Unless you are comparing him to his older brother, football quarterback and town star, Brett. His body fat is non-existent, he’s a town god, and is on track to make his mark until his arm gets severely broken in a game against cross-town rivals. One year later, Brett is back and ready to regain his team and one of his starting blockers happens to be his little brother, Wyatt. Wyatt doesn’t even know if he likes football and isn’t even sure how he made the team, but it’s the only thing that will connect him and his brother. His dad, also a high school football legend, gave up on his existence long ago because he wasn’t a star and all of his focus is on Brett. Wyatt’s not exactly upset about that, but it’d be nice to have other interactions with him other than picking him up and putting him to bed after he passed out on a twelve-pack of beer they can’t afford. And, after another red tide has the small fishing town bracing for an economic downfall things aren’t looking like they will change. As long as the town has football, they’re good.

A lot is happening for Wyatt in this less than 300-page story. He’s on the football team, made a few enemies (more like bullies), is talking to the girl of his dreams, dealing with only condiments in his fridge to eat, an alcoholic parent, a mom he misses, and a HUGE secret that could impact not only his brother’s future but the town’s too. Some silly moments managed to be unrealistic yet perfect for this story. Especially anything with his BFF, Nate. An easy recommendation to those who like sports stories with some heart.

[Zach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wyatt has been a nobody for a while. He is fat, short, and not very athletic. His brother on the other hand is the star quarterback for the school and everyone loves him. The first game of the season Bryce had 6 girls come to the game for him with his name and number painted on them. While Wyatt is the school mascot and nobody knows. He begins a journey where he is trying to become like his brother.
I enjoyed this book a lot. It was very straightforward throughout most of the book where you did not have many questions, but if you did they would quickly be answered. It was a little bit of a longer book which I liked. I liked it because when I start reading a book and get hooked on it I like to read it for extended periods. It was a charismatic book as well. Every time there was a joke you could hear the tone while reading which is one of my necessities when finding a good book to read. It is also informative not like a fact book but the author threw in some random little facts that I bet at least one you have not heard of before.
With all of these good qualities, there were some bad ones. For instance, the ending of the book was left on a mini cliffhanger. It's not like you can not inform what would happen after the book. There is just no absolute answer to the ending which I did not like. Lastly, I did not enjoy some of the little details they left out. The plot just kept going and going without giving the reader plenty of knowledge of the town and characters. I think the author should write a sequel explaining a little bit more while also continuing the storyline.

[Christian Duchscher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gut Check by Eric Kester ⅘ stars

(SPOILERS)

Gut Check is a moving book with lots of American football that displays real-world problems such as poverty and parental issues. Gut Check takes place in a town called Grayport which is known for its almost constant berating from the rain and the large amount of families who make their money by fishing. The main character, Wyatt Parker, Pushes himself to his limits to make it onto the football team as an offensive lineman so he can spend more time with his socially inactive borderline famous brother. The offensive lineman's job is to protect the quarterback which happens to be Wyatt’s brother Brett. Shortly after Wyatt makes it onto varsity football a disease infecting algae causing mass death which leads to the harbor shutting down and many families, including Wyatt’s, are left broke. The last time red tide struck Wyatt’s mother left because his dad turned into an uncontrollable alcoholic. Brett and Wyatt are striving to find a way out of Grayport in the future to escape poverty and their father. Wyatt and his best friend Nate cut a deal with a major ESPN broadcaster after football shuts down to save the town from poverty. But Brett is suffering a concussion and playing this game could end his life, putting Wyatt in a moral dilemma to save the town or his brother and leave his brother eternally in hatred towards him. They make it to the game and Wyatt snaps and runs to the medic to report a concussion but Brett does it himself. Then Nate randomly blows up a whale causing the stadium to flood ending the game and saving Brett and the town. Afterward, Wyatt makes Haley a cupcake while discussing. Lastly, He takes Brett to the Boston Museum to see art. Overall the book has lots of snippets surrounding Wyatt and his social struggles as he pushes through improving his relationships along the way.

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, there are comedic moments in this story, but there is also so much more-the sense of a hardscrabble town holding on against more adverse situations than anyone not living in one could imagine (Many towns in my part of rural Maine are in quieter, but no less desperate straights). Then, there's the evolution that Wyatt goes through, one involving addressing his self-dislike, fear and feelings of being odd man out in his family. As the story progresses, his thoughts about his brother, his best friend, Nate, and Haley, the girl he barely dares to like, move in interesting and more healthy ways. So too, does the relationship between Wyatt and his older football hero brother, Brett.
This is a great and emotional story about grit, friendship, broken families and survival in extremely adverse times. Read the book and wait for the completely amazing event at the end which saves the day. It reminded me of a 'Back To The future' stunt. This is a great choice for any library where teens (and adults) like real life fiction.

[Katie Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Wyatt is an amazing character, and his relationships ring true (even though his love interest situation is maybe not the most realistic). I love books where the weather is a significant character, almost to the point of flirting with magical realism. This book is in no way magical realism, but the descriptions of the weather gave me that same sort of feeling. As a high school teacher, the Parkers' home life hits pretty close to home, especially now with the pandemic causing so many people's jobs to be shut down, just like in the book with red tide. Honestly, I don't think this book would have hit so hard had I read it before coronavirus, so now is the perfect time to read it!
I really wish this book had a different cover, because man, that cover does not represent the story well at all. There is not one blue sky in the book!

[Tyler McPeek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was really good. This book is a book about brotherhood at it's finest. Along with sports and bad living conditions, this is a story about hope. I would definitely recommend it!


Wyatt Parker is the younger brother of a high school star QB. All he really wants is to get closer to his brother, so he is on the football field..... as the fat mascot. But when his brother gets injured, Wyatts life changes for the better. He is on the football team, doesn't have to wear the costume, and attracts the attention of his crush. But when history repeats itself and threatens everything he knows, Wyatt has to take drastic measures to ensure the safety of his brother, his family, and the town he loves.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't so sure at first that I was going to like this book. Honestly, I almost stopped reading. In part, it's due to the teen boy humor and language that I find unnecessary. But all of a sudden, I was hooked and had to know what happened. The more I read, the more I liked the story. The more I read, the more I hurt for Wyatt and Brett. The more I read, the more I rooted for the brothers. The more I read, the more I wondered how in the world this story could end without breaking my heart. The more I read, the more I laughed. The more I read, the more I hoped the end wasn't coming so quickly. Maybe there will be a sequel. I would read it!

[Carli · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. This is a solid mix of relationships and sports. Wyatt has lived his life in the shadow of his brother Brett, who is the varsity quarterback in a town that lives for football. Grayport is a poor fishing town on the brink of financial disaster when the red tide starts to appear, and the residents live for Friday nights. When Wyatt makes the team and misses a block, causing a hard hit to Brett, he is torn between honoring Brett’s wish that he not tell anyone about his brother’s headaches and getting his brother the medical attention he needs. Recommended for grades 8+.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I hope there is a sequel! It is extremely well written and fun, fast, and comical read - a real page-turner. I'm not that into football, but this book is about so much more. It's a meaningful story about brotherhood and coming-of-age in today's world, and the main character (Wyatt) is well developed, memorable, and lovable. At the same time, it's laugh-out-loud funny (seriously!). It's a brilliant young adult novel but honestly, an entertaining read for adults too. As I said, I hope there is sequel so I can read about Wyatt's next chapter.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read many novels about family relationships from a YA male perspective and Gut Check just does not measure up. Main character Wyatt is constantly ragging on himself because of his weight and I just wanted to say "we get it, already." The overall premise was good, but the plot twists to something so unrecognizable from the beginning that it seemed like a different book. Gut Check was a missed opportunity by the author to write a meaningful novel from a teenage male perspective and is not one I would recommend to other readers.

[David Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that this book was very good, and that everyone in their teens should check it out. It has lots of funny moments, aswell as serious, heartfelt moments. The character development wasn't the best, but still good nonetheless. The plot was very enjoyable, and the setting was very fitting. There is a very important message in this book, but you will have to read it to find out.

[Gerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Other favorable reviews on this site highlight the pleasures of reading this book and the enlightened treatment of issues important to a Young Adult audience. The book would be enjoyed by any young adult interested in sports, sibling relationships, body image and the awkwardness of teenage social relationships. It would be an excellent choice for any high school student with an assignment for a book review.

[Beth Bryden-miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great writing, solid relationships built. A little crude due to the realistic high school football player settings. Not sure if I'll get it for middle school since I'd put it at more of a 9th grade book. But I enjoyed the voice and pacing from the writer.

[Kate Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was reading the ebook version so I was honestly surprised when I got to the end of the story and it had finished so fast. I liked that it had a shorter story arc and while it covered a lot, it didn't feel as though the storylines were branching off in any way.