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Waiting on the Sidelines #1
Waiting on the Sidelines
Librarian note: alternate-cover edition of 9780615788746.
Nolan Lennox had things figured out. Named after a baseball legend, she enjoyed being the Tomboy, her closet filled with her brother’s hand-me-downs, cut-off jeans and soccer shorts. But when her first trip to high school results in a broken heart from the first boy to ever make her heart flutter and cruel words from an older girl she once thought a family friend, Nolan starts to question the very person she thought she was and wonders if her humble upbringing can compete with the afforded luxuries of her privileged peers.
Throughout the next four years, Nolan struggles to maintain herself throughout her path of discovery, learning just how cruel teenagers can be through the pressures of underage drinking, sexuality and class. And despite how life seems to continue to work against her, she still manages to listen to her heart, falling deeper and deeper for the guy the entire town adores, even if he only sees her as a friend. Can Nolan strike a compromise between her own integrity and the boy she loves? And can she make him notice her before it’s too late?
Reed Johnson came to Coolidge High School with a lot of fanfare. The son of a hometown football legend and the brother of a local football hero, Reed wore all the pressures of carrying a town without hope into the spotlight. Thankfully, he had the talent to back it up. But when he meets a girl who makes him think twice about exactly what being a hero means, he starts to wonder if following in his brother’s footsteps might be all wrong.
Nolan Lennox was everything that was opposite of expected. She didn’t flirt, she didn’t drink and she didn’t sleep around. Nothing about her was easy, but something about her made Reed want to try harder. Though she didn’t look the part, she seemed to be spending a lot of time in Reed’s thoughts, and he wondered if she could be the one who made it all worthwhile. But could Reed handle letting her down? And would breaking her heart break him beyond repair?
Waiting on the Sidelines explores young love to its fullest, exposing how real young heartbreak and passion is and how important it is to discover yourself and hold onto your own identity. The story follows two young characters as they deal with mature situations, including the prevalence of bullying and promiscuity in today’s high school setting. Ultimately, Waiting on the Sidelines is a story of hope, honesty and those powerful, first true loves—the ones worth holding onto at any cost.
Nolan Lennox had things figured out. Named after a baseball legend, she enjoyed being the Tomboy, her closet filled with her brother’s hand-me-downs, cut-off jeans and soccer shorts. But when her first trip to high school results in a broken heart from the first boy to ever make her heart flutter and cruel words from an older girl she once thought a family friend, Nolan starts to question the very person she thought she was and wonders if her humble upbringing can compete with the afforded luxuries of her privileged peers.
Throughout the next four years, Nolan struggles to maintain herself throughout her path of discovery, learning just how cruel teenagers can be through the pressures of underage drinking, sexuality and class. And despite how life seems to continue to work against her, she still manages to listen to her heart, falling deeper and deeper for the guy the entire town adores, even if he only sees her as a friend. Can Nolan strike a compromise between her own integrity and the boy she loves? And can she make him notice her before it’s too late?
Reed Johnson came to Coolidge High School with a lot of fanfare. The son of a hometown football legend and the brother of a local football hero, Reed wore all the pressures of carrying a town without hope into the spotlight. Thankfully, he had the talent to back it up. But when he meets a girl who makes him think twice about exactly what being a hero means, he starts to wonder if following in his brother’s footsteps might be all wrong.
Nolan Lennox was everything that was opposite of expected. She didn’t flirt, she didn’t drink and she didn’t sleep around. Nothing about her was easy, but something about her made Reed want to try harder. Though she didn’t look the part, she seemed to be spending a lot of time in Reed’s thoughts, and he wondered if she could be the one who made it all worthwhile. But could Reed handle letting her down? And would breaking her heart break him beyond repair?
Waiting on the Sidelines explores young love to its fullest, exposing how real young heartbreak and passion is and how important it is to discover yourself and hold onto your own identity. The story follows two young characters as they deal with mature situations, including the prevalence of bullying and promiscuity in today’s high school setting. Ultimately, Waiting on the Sidelines is a story of hope, honesty and those powerful, first true loves—the ones worth holding onto at any cost.
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First published April 14, 2013
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About the author
Ginger Scott
70 books3,558 followersGinger Scott is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Amazon-bestselling author from Peoria, Arizona. She was also nominated for both the Goodreads Choice and Rita Awards. She is the author of several young and new adult romances, including bestsellers The Moon and Back, The Varsity Series, The Hard Count, This Is Falling and Wild Reckless.
A sucker for a good romance, Ginger's other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. She has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for a hella long time. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://gingerscottbooks.com.
When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).
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A sucker for a good romance, Ginger's other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. She has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for a hella long time. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://gingerscottbooks.com.
When she's not writing, the odds are high that she's somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork 'em, Devils).
Sign Up for Ginger's Newsletter!
http://www.littlemisswrite.com/newsle...
Find Ginger online here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GingerScottA...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegingerscott
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorginge...
Website: https://www.littlemisswrite.com
Amazon: amazon.com/author/gingerscott
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ginge...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 672 reviews
June 21, 2017
4 stars!
Waiting on the Sidelines is a difficult book for me to review. I had very mixed feelings about this one. There were parts I loved, and overall it had that unputdownable quality I love. But...This book seriously made me ragey. So ragey in fact, I was venting to friends about it and giving my husband the death glare from across the room just for being a male. LOL. Only kidding- kind of… ;) I was infuriated with one of the characters throughout the book, but kudos to Ginger Scott for making me care so much and so deeply about these characters!
Nolan Ryan is a bit of a tomboy. She's into sports, she dresses for comfort, and she's named after a famous baseball player. None of those things have ever bothered her before. Until she overheard people teasing her for it at the start of her freshman year of high school. This sparked a bit of a change in Nolan. She stayed true to who she was as a person, but decided to make a little more effort when it came to her appearance.
Because of this, she found some of the guys in her school were now interested. That was all good and fine, but Nolan only has eyes for one guy. And his name is Reed Johnson. Reed is one of the popular guys. As a freshman, he was the quarterback for the varsity football team which put him on a whole different playing field. He and Nolan become friends their first year of high school. This book spans all four years.
I had trouble seeing Reed's love and devotion throughout the story. I know he's young, but I was ultimately frustrated with his behavior and heartbroken for poor Nolan throughout so much of the book. The highs were very high and the lows had me wanting to simultaneously cry and throw something. I'm really glad there is a second book, and I'm glad it's in dual POV. I need to be in Reed's head to see why he did the things he did and see that he truly changed.
I always say I love to feel when reading, and even though I didn't love all the feelings that this book put out there, it's safe to say it made me feel very strongly. If you like angsty stories, YA books, and friends to lovers- Waiting on the Sidelines is one I would recommend!
Waiting on the Sidelines is a difficult book for me to review. I had very mixed feelings about this one. There were parts I loved, and overall it had that unputdownable quality I love. But...This book seriously made me ragey. So ragey in fact, I was venting to friends about it and giving my husband the death glare from across the room just for being a male. LOL. Only kidding- kind of… ;) I was infuriated with one of the characters throughout the book, but kudos to Ginger Scott for making me care so much and so deeply about these characters!
Nolan Ryan is a bit of a tomboy. She's into sports, she dresses for comfort, and she's named after a famous baseball player. None of those things have ever bothered her before. Until she overheard people teasing her for it at the start of her freshman year of high school. This sparked a bit of a change in Nolan. She stayed true to who she was as a person, but decided to make a little more effort when it came to her appearance.
Because of this, she found some of the guys in her school were now interested. That was all good and fine, but Nolan only has eyes for one guy. And his name is Reed Johnson. Reed is one of the popular guys. As a freshman, he was the quarterback for the varsity football team which put him on a whole different playing field. He and Nolan become friends their first year of high school. This book spans all four years.
I had trouble seeing Reed's love and devotion throughout the story. I know he's young, but I was ultimately frustrated with his behavior and heartbroken for poor Nolan throughout so much of the book. The highs were very high and the lows had me wanting to simultaneously cry and throw something. I'm really glad there is a second book, and I'm glad it's in dual POV. I need to be in Reed's head to see why he did the things he did and see that he truly changed.
I always say I love to feel when reading, and even though I didn't love all the feelings that this book put out there, it's safe to say it made me feel very strongly. If you like angsty stories, YA books, and friends to lovers- Waiting on the Sidelines is one I would recommend!
October 10, 2021
Nice concept, bad execution. I got halfway through then realised I couldn’t care less about Nolan and Reed’s convoluted non-relationship. Basically, it was four angsty hormonal high school years with no fucking point to the plot.
March 11, 2019
***** 5 stars *****
I’ve reread again. To prepare myself for
. My review below is old, from 2014, but nothing changed, loved it as much as back then.
************************
This is not the type of book I usually go for, but holly hell, am I glad I picked this one. I read NA genre mostly and this one is YA, so there's no smut in here ladies, it is simply beautiful coming of age love story. This book was one of my favorites this year so far. It had all the things I love in a good romance: friendship, love, angst, betrayal, heartbreak, bitterness, hatred, second chances, forgiveness, affection, tenderness, warmth... I just could not put it down.
The book is written in heroine's POV. Nolan is a tomboy, who wears sports clothes, doesn't come from wealthy family and doesn't care what everyone thinks or says about her. That is until she meets Reed, "the golden boy", popular, handsome, rich quarterback, the first boy who makes her heart flutter and then breaks it without even realizing it. Then her insecurities come out and she feels self-conscious at the beginning of highschool.
The hero - Reed, I actually had love to hate realtionship with him. I mean you know he is a good man and that he deeply cares for Nolan but still manages to do stupid things to hurt her. I think it was mainly beacuse he was acting as people wanted him to and not as someone he wanted to be, instead of following his heart he fucked up, a lot. I was so pissed at him for almost the whole book and constantly wanted him to get his shit together but ended up falling in love with him. Thank God he finally comes to his senses and sees what or rather who is right for him. It just takes him so fucking long.
As I said, their journey to be together is long and full of angst but wonderful nonetheless. They start as lab partners, develop friendship and end as a couple. But still something always stands in their way to be happy. But don't worry because there's finally happy ending and no cliffhanger here. I liked how Nolan grew up, how she changed from ordinary girl to strong, confident young woman. I cheered for Reed to be a better man for her and in the end he does not disappoint. I truly loved this book and will definitely be reading the next installment. So, if you like friends to lovers, second chance romances and books full of anxiety but with HEA, this one is for you.
I’ve reread again. To prepare myself for
. My review below is old, from 2014, but nothing changed, loved it as much as back then.************************
This is not the type of book I usually go for, but holly hell, am I glad I picked this one. I read NA genre mostly and this one is YA, so there's no smut in here ladies, it is simply beautiful coming of age love story. This book was one of my favorites this year so far. It had all the things I love in a good romance: friendship, love, angst, betrayal, heartbreak, bitterness, hatred, second chances, forgiveness, affection, tenderness, warmth... I just could not put it down.
The book is written in heroine's POV. Nolan is a tomboy, who wears sports clothes, doesn't come from wealthy family and doesn't care what everyone thinks or says about her. That is until she meets Reed, "the golden boy", popular, handsome, rich quarterback, the first boy who makes her heart flutter and then breaks it without even realizing it. Then her insecurities come out and she feels self-conscious at the beginning of highschool.
The hero - Reed, I actually had love to hate realtionship with him. I mean you know he is a good man and that he deeply cares for Nolan but still manages to do stupid things to hurt her. I think it was mainly beacuse he was acting as people wanted him to and not as someone he wanted to be, instead of following his heart he fucked up, a lot. I was so pissed at him for almost the whole book and constantly wanted him to get his shit together but ended up falling in love with him. Thank God he finally comes to his senses and sees what or rather who is right for him. It just takes him so fucking long.
As I said, their journey to be together is long and full of angst but wonderful nonetheless. They start as lab partners, develop friendship and end as a couple. But still something always stands in their way to be happy. But don't worry because there's finally happy ending and no cliffhanger here. I liked how Nolan grew up, how she changed from ordinary girl to strong, confident young woman. I cheered for Reed to be a better man for her and in the end he does not disappoint. I truly loved this book and will definitely be reading the next installment. So, if you like friends to lovers, second chance romances and books full of anxiety but with HEA, this one is for you.
“I haven't honestly been interested in anyone since I met you. I don't know when it happened, but somewhere along the way I fell for you. I fell fucking hard.”
"I know you think I don't remember. I know you think I was probably too drunk, but it was the only moment of clarity I've had in months, Nolan. I love you. I meant it then, and I mean it now. I love you, with everything I've got. It's the only thing I've got."
ARC received on behalf of Ginger Scott from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2014
”Why does he say one thing and do another?”
This was me from the 50 percent mark till the end...
I really did enjoy the beginning of this story of young Nolan Lennox’s relationship with the star quarterback, Reed Johnson from their freshman year of high school into their freshman year of college.
Nolan was adorable in the beginning but somewhere along the way I got tired of the round and round of their relationship and the slutty chick that just keeps showing up in some aspect or another…ugh. Sadly, this one went from sweet and swoony to irritating and completely drawn out. Reed was out right cruel to Nolan so many times and together they were exhausting.
Perhaps I’m just too old for this
"And our relationship, I'm the one who destroyed that. OK?"
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”I love you, he said simply. “I fucked up. But I love you.”
May 1, 2022
the heroine really did wait on the sidelines for the whole 4 years of high school huh?
this book was literally filled with angst and, honestly, i was kinda addicted to it cuz the drama was just so good and frustrating and that's why i rated this a little high.
all fine and dandy right?
nuh uh!
Reed is literally one of the worst heroes i've ever read. yes, he was really sweet and kind and less of a man ho (slept with only 4 women those whole 4 years in high school) than a lot of other heroes in romance but imma just list down the things he did that made me wanna beat a 17 year old kid up:
- rubbed his OW shit all over Nolan's face.
- was in a relationship with Tatum for at least 1 or 2 years, i can't remember because i hated it, who was Nolan's bully and literally made it so obvious to Nolan he was having TONS of sex with her.
- when he believed Tatum's fake "accidental pregnancy" confession (it was a prank, but he still believed her even though he knew how much of a manipulative bish she is), and Nolan caught them hugging each other in an intimate way and when she confronted him, she told him EVERYTHING bout how she feels and did he grovel and fight for her? nope.
- instead of grovelling, he was petty af and kept rubbing OW shit on her face and ended up sleeping with one of the lifeguards where they both worked at, oh and he slept with this OWs friend too during a party... this was literally just days after she confessed her feelings btw.
- was that the end? nope. he literally made out with probably every girl in school in front of Nolan (thank goodness she was with OM though cuz I would hate this if she was alone and pining after this asshole).
- Reed started to get jealous about Nolan and OM and did he fight for her? nahhh he got drunk at a party and ended up sleeping with Nolan's best friend's sister, Calley (whose also friends with Tatum the ex), and this OW literally knew how much Nolan loved Reed so idk who i hated more. and what's worse is that Nolan literally went to the party (probably just a couple hours after he slept with OW) to take care of Reed because, well, she's kind of a doormat.
- during a school dance, Reed and Nolan are finally getting close and they hung out somewhere in the school to watch a movie or something and he left her alone telling her he'll come back. he didn't. he literally ditched her to dance/grind on some random OW.
- after the accident that left his arm broken (he's a QB), he treated her like shit, calling her a slut, shamed her bout her money problems telling her she can't afford to go to Stanford, and talked to Calley (OW who he slept with) knowing it would hurt her.
so yeah, he's literally like any other horny, weak, teenage fuckboy.
what's worse is that Nolan forgives him easily and doesn't make him grovel. she literally did the chasing the entire time.
again, i have no idea why i didn't give this a lower rating. this book was filled with teenage angst and i guess i was in the mood for it, so if you're in the mood, definitely recommend this.
this book was literally filled with angst and, honestly, i was kinda addicted to it cuz the drama was just so good and frustrating and that's why i rated this a little high.
all fine and dandy right?
nuh uh!
Reed is literally one of the worst heroes i've ever read. yes, he was really sweet and kind and less of a man ho (slept with only 4 women those whole 4 years in high school) than a lot of other heroes in romance but imma just list down the things he did that made me wanna beat a 17 year old kid up:
- rubbed his OW shit all over Nolan's face.
- was in a relationship with Tatum for at least 1 or 2 years, i can't remember because i hated it, who was Nolan's bully and literally made it so obvious to Nolan he was having TONS of sex with her.
- when he believed Tatum's fake "accidental pregnancy" confession (it was a prank, but he still believed her even though he knew how much of a manipulative bish she is), and Nolan caught them hugging each other in an intimate way and when she confronted him, she told him EVERYTHING bout how she feels and did he grovel and fight for her? nope.
- instead of grovelling, he was petty af and kept rubbing OW shit on her face and ended up sleeping with one of the lifeguards where they both worked at, oh and he slept with this OWs friend too during a party... this was literally just days after she confessed her feelings btw.
- was that the end? nope. he literally made out with probably every girl in school in front of Nolan (thank goodness she was with OM though cuz I would hate this if she was alone and pining after this asshole).
- Reed started to get jealous about Nolan and OM and did he fight for her? nahhh he got drunk at a party and ended up sleeping with Nolan's best friend's sister, Calley (whose also friends with Tatum the ex), and this OW literally knew how much Nolan loved Reed so idk who i hated more. and what's worse is that Nolan literally went to the party (probably just a couple hours after he slept with OW) to take care of Reed because, well, she's kind of a doormat.
- during a school dance, Reed and Nolan are finally getting close and they hung out somewhere in the school to watch a movie or something and he left her alone telling her he'll come back. he didn't. he literally ditched her to dance/grind on some random OW.
- after the accident that left his arm broken (he's a QB), he treated her like shit, calling her a slut, shamed her bout her money problems telling her she can't afford to go to Stanford, and talked to Calley (OW who he slept with) knowing it would hurt her.
so yeah, he's literally like any other horny, weak, teenage fuckboy.
what's worse is that Nolan forgives him easily and doesn't make him grovel. she literally did the chasing the entire time.
again, i have no idea why i didn't give this a lower rating. this book was filled with teenage angst and i guess i was in the mood for it, so if you're in the mood, definitely recommend this.
July 11, 2014
3.5 FOUR YEARS OF CHANCES stars
Waiting onthe Sidelines my kindle forever.
WOTS spans the four years of high school. A lot of drama filled moments shape these years. The back and forth between being friends and lovers mixed with heart break and anger follow Reed and Nolan as they try to figure out what kind of relationship they are destined with each other.
I have three teenagers in high school so I know all about how crazy high school can be at times. I have often teased them that I'm going to write my own young adult book because I feel like I'm living in my own real life young adult book.
WOTS is a coming of age story about giving another a ton of chances to your first love.
SERIES:
Going Long continues with this same couple into their college years.
**Complimentary copy courtesy of Ginger Scott via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
Waiting on
"But...I honestly have just got to get over this. I have spent half of my teenage years...high school...pining after a stupid boy and letting the same girl walk all over me."
WOTS spans the four years of high school. A lot of drama filled moments shape these years. The back and forth between being friends and lovers mixed with heart break and anger follow Reed and Nolan as they try to figure out what kind of relationship they are destined with each other.
I have three teenagers in high school so I know all about how crazy high school can be at times. I have often teased them that I'm going to write my own young adult book because I feel like I'm living in my own real life young adult book.
WOTS is a coming of age story about giving
SERIES:
Going Long continues with this same couple into their college years.
**Complimentary copy courtesy of Ginger Scott via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
December 21, 2020
This was just a horrible YA novel. The heroine is a complete doormat. She pines over him for 2 years while he dates her bully. They break up and he starts to see the heroine and they are ready to get together. Old gf tells him she is pregnant (she’s not) he blows of the heroine while still acting like he has a reason to hold onto her. He starts screwing around with other girls in front of her. He later confessed that during this month that he was supposed to be pining over her he slept with THREE other girls. One of whom was her best friends sister. He immediately starts defending himself and the sisters best friend because they were “so drunk” and “it didn’t mean anything”. He also confessed that he screwed the last girl on a night when he was calling her telling her how he wanted her. He demanded that she come and get him from the party. She does and takes care of him, tucking him in at home. He tells her he loves her. She stays to watch him and his dad ends up having heart attack. She literally saved his life. And he had just screwed this other girl. I do not understand how anyone would enjoy this book. Even after she saves his dads life he doesn’t stop making out with other girls in front of her. Year he got drunk one night and called her a whore accused HER of sleeping with other guys. He’s just a horrible hero. Of course she remains a virgin and waits for him. He barely grovels and she forgives everything. A waste of time!
October 12, 2015
4 Angst and Second Chance Stars
I LOVE Ginger Scott books. When you read Ginger Scott books, you will get an epic story. I’m talking about, massive drama, big love and Heroes you love to hate.
This will be an audio review of Waiting on the Sidelines. This is a standalone novel, however, there is a sequel which continues the story.
In full disclosure I am not a fan of angst. It’s something I’m slowly working on and I think I am making progress. I am liking it a bit more because come on, as much as I rant, pulling out your hair while you read is kind of fun. I mean, it makes the ending much more rewarding right? Waiting on the Sidelines reminds me a lot of how KA Linde writes. Very angsty and very romantic.
This is not an easy story to listen to, BUT I couldn’t imagine it any other way. I am glad I did the audio version because I GOT emotions, the pain, the hardships and EPIC love.
Nolan and Reed are two high school teenagers. The story is about their high school experiences. I LOVE high school reads. There’s something about young love that makes it so innocent and more intense. This book is YA, so there’s nothing hanky panky about it, BUT I really like that.
Nolan is a true fifteen year old. As much as I love reading my NA books where sixteen year olds are having relations, I love how sweet and naive Nolan is at first. She hasn’t even had her first kiss. I can completely relate! I didn’t have mine until I was nineteen. When Nolan and Reed first meet, Nolan has a mega crush on Reed.
Reed is the star football player and heartthrob of the school. He’s a “good” guy, but he’s also a teenage boy and full of hormones. He’s dating a mean girl and doesn’t really care as long as she puts out.
Nolan and Reed forge this odd friendship at first and I have to say, it’s addictive. Nolan’s unrequited love was painfully consuming to read. Nolan hides her feelings for Reed very well, but Reed’s girlfriend knows better and tries to make Nolan’s life not so great.
I couldn’t get over the Nolan and Reed dynamics. It was a roller coaster of feelings. There would be tender moments between Nolan and Reed, but something always happens and it’s like they make progress in their relationship and then take two steps back. This happens throughout the book.
Reed is the Hero you will hate. I’m just being honest. He’s not an easy character to read or love. I secretly like these Heroes because they don’t fit into the simple male hero box. You have to remember he’s a teenage boy and doesn’t understand his reaction towards Nolan is somewhat harmful.
I love how strong Nolan is and what type of woman she grows to be. She slowly gains her independence and stands up for herself. There are moments that I’m shouting at Nolan. She loves Reed so deeply she almost does everything and anything for him.
Nolan and Reed’s relationship isn’t healthy by any means, but that what makes this story even more vibrant. They play this dance of cat and mouse of who can hurt and love each other the most.
Waiting on the Sidelines is definitely for the angst lovers. You will be rooting for Nolan and Reed to the end of the book.
If you like angst, if you want a back and forth epic love story that is filled with tension, hate and love, then this one is for you.
Audio Questions
What did you love best about Waiting on the Sidelines?
Honestly, I love how each book Ginger Scott writes is completely different. She has this angst epic high school story and then she has her warming coming-to-age college series I love as well. You never know what kind of characters you will get and I love that.
What other book might you compare Waiting on the Sidelines to and why?
I would compare the writing style to KA Linde. That is the best way I can compare Waiting on the Sidelines to other books. Because of the angst and intense love story between the two main characters. Also, the main characters use secondary characters to hurt each other (very typical of KA Linde books).
Have you listened to any of Laura Darrell’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This is my first Laura Darrell’s narration and she has a very unique voice. It’s youthful but it’s not girly. I thought she fit Nolan perfectly. I didn’t want a too girly voice for Nolan. I also like Laura’s transitions to other characters. I am a fan of dual POV books, but from start to finish I enjoyed Laura’s voice. She was a great narrator.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I had reactions all over the place. I was happy, stressed, anxious and I pulled a lot of my hairs out, but I couldn’t image it any other way.
AMAZON
I LOVE Ginger Scott books. When you read Ginger Scott books, you will get an epic story. I’m talking about, massive drama, big love and Heroes you love to hate.
This will be an audio review of Waiting on the Sidelines. This is a standalone novel, however, there is a sequel which continues the story.
In full disclosure I am not a fan of angst. It’s something I’m slowly working on and I think I am making progress. I am liking it a bit more because come on, as much as I rant, pulling out your hair while you read is kind of fun. I mean, it makes the ending much more rewarding right? Waiting on the Sidelines reminds me a lot of how KA Linde writes. Very angsty and very romantic.
This is not an easy story to listen to, BUT I couldn’t imagine it any other way. I am glad I did the audio version because I GOT emotions, the pain, the hardships and EPIC love.
Nolan and Reed are two high school teenagers. The story is about their high school experiences. I LOVE high school reads. There’s something about young love that makes it so innocent and more intense. This book is YA, so there’s nothing hanky panky about it, BUT I really like that.
Nolan is a true fifteen year old. As much as I love reading my NA books where sixteen year olds are having relations, I love how sweet and naive Nolan is at first. She hasn’t even had her first kiss. I can completely relate! I didn’t have mine until I was nineteen. When Nolan and Reed first meet, Nolan has a mega crush on Reed.
Reed is the star football player and heartthrob of the school. He’s a “good” guy, but he’s also a teenage boy and full of hormones. He’s dating a mean girl and doesn’t really care as long as she puts out.
Nolan and Reed forge this odd friendship at first and I have to say, it’s addictive. Nolan’s unrequited love was painfully consuming to read. Nolan hides her feelings for Reed very well, but Reed’s girlfriend knows better and tries to make Nolan’s life not so great.
I couldn’t get over the Nolan and Reed dynamics. It was a roller coaster of feelings. There would be tender moments between Nolan and Reed, but something always happens and it’s like they make progress in their relationship and then take two steps back. This happens throughout the book.
Reed is the Hero you will hate. I’m just being honest. He’s not an easy character to read or love. I secretly like these Heroes because they don’t fit into the simple male hero box. You have to remember he’s a teenage boy and doesn’t understand his reaction towards Nolan is somewhat harmful.
I love how strong Nolan is and what type of woman she grows to be. She slowly gains her independence and stands up for herself. There are moments that I’m shouting at Nolan. She loves Reed so deeply she almost does everything and anything for him.
Nolan and Reed’s relationship isn’t healthy by any means, but that what makes this story even more vibrant. They play this dance of cat and mouse of who can hurt and love each other the most.
Waiting on the Sidelines is definitely for the angst lovers. You will be rooting for Nolan and Reed to the end of the book.
If you like angst, if you want a back and forth epic love story that is filled with tension, hate and love, then this one is for you.
Audio Questions
What did you love best about Waiting on the Sidelines?
Honestly, I love how each book Ginger Scott writes is completely different. She has this angst epic high school story and then she has her warming coming-to-age college series I love as well. You never know what kind of characters you will get and I love that.
What other book might you compare Waiting on the Sidelines to and why?
I would compare the writing style to KA Linde. That is the best way I can compare Waiting on the Sidelines to other books. Because of the angst and intense love story between the two main characters. Also, the main characters use secondary characters to hurt each other (very typical of KA Linde books).
Have you listened to any of Laura Darrell’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This is my first Laura Darrell’s narration and she has a very unique voice. It’s youthful but it’s not girly. I thought she fit Nolan perfectly. I didn’t want a too girly voice for Nolan. I also like Laura’s transitions to other characters. I am a fan of dual POV books, but from start to finish I enjoyed Laura’s voice. She was a great narrator.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I had reactions all over the place. I was happy, stressed, anxious and I pulled a lot of my hairs out, but I couldn’t image it any other way.
AMAZON
August 26, 2013
The Plot. I thought that the idea for this story was great and couldn’t wait to see how the rest of the book would turn out. For me, the book was way too long and drawn out. It seemed that there was just a lot of fluff added in and that the book was unnecessarily long. There was no real plot that I could tell or else there was no real climax. This book had no point to it. I felt like I was reading this long book about a girl who conformed to society and never stood up for herself. This book just didn’t do it for me and I was disappointed in how the book turned out.
Nolan. I don’t think that Nolan had any real qualities that I liked.She was just too much of a push over for me to appreciate her character. She just gave in and never stood up for herself. Some one in the book said her name was dumb and suddenly she hates her name and wishes it was different. Then some cute boy says she got her name a cool way and then she l-o-v-e-s her name. The back and forth of how she feels was just so confusing and annoying to read. I really didn’t like her character because she had no inner strength.
Reed. Reed was the most annoying character because of how he acted. I never got why Nolan liked him because there wasn’t anything special about him. He acted like every other boy out there and I didn’t like him. He also gave me whiplash with his feelings about Nolan. He wasn’t man enough to stand up for himself and do what he wanted to do. He had so many weakness and not many strengths.
Overall. This book had it’s up and it’s downs. Unfortunately for me this book had more downs than ups. I liked the idea but not the follow through so this book got pretty low scores.
Nolan. I don’t think that Nolan had any real qualities that I liked.She was just too much of a push over for me to appreciate her character. She just gave in and never stood up for herself. Some one in the book said her name was dumb and suddenly she hates her name and wishes it was different. Then some cute boy says she got her name a cool way and then she l-o-v-e-s her name. The back and forth of how she feels was just so confusing and annoying to read. I really didn’t like her character because she had no inner strength.
Reed. Reed was the most annoying character because of how he acted. I never got why Nolan liked him because there wasn’t anything special about him. He acted like every other boy out there and I didn’t like him. He also gave me whiplash with his feelings about Nolan. He wasn’t man enough to stand up for himself and do what he wanted to do. He had so many weakness and not many strengths.
Overall. This book had it’s up and it’s downs. Unfortunately for me this book had more downs than ups. I liked the idea but not the follow through so this book got pretty low scores.
December 2, 2018
READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG
I was fortunate to receive the audiobook for this story and I have to say that Laura Darnell did a tremendous job narrating the heroine Nolan. She has a young enough voice to make it credible and I really enjoyed listening to her bringing life to the characters.
In my last review of one of Ginger Scott's books I mentioned that I can rely on lovable heroes. This time it's the hero who made me feel utterly conflicted in WAITING ON THE SIDELINES.
Reed's immature actions and sometimes spiteful reactions didn't exactly endear him to me. I would have been able to explain it away if he'd had a good reason to be the way he was but he didn't. Nolan and Reed started out as friends with the heroine always carrying a torch for Reed. When the time came that Reed developed deeper feelings he dropped the ball not only once but numerous times and at some point I was wondering if Nolan wouldn't be better off without him. But (yes, there is a but): I saw glimpses of the characters I've come to love in this author's stories and I'm hoping that he will make up for all the crap he gave Nolan in the next book.
By now you're probably wondering why I still gave WAITING ON THE SIDELINES a high rating. And here is why: The book was told in the heroine's point of view and I felt like it was more her journey in this Coming of Age story than it was the hero's. Nolan grew so much from the beginning of her puppy love for Reed to the end when she knew she'd always love him but recognized the toxic relationship they'd had in the past. I loved Nolan - sure she had her moments, sometimes being immature as well but she owned it, learned from it and grew with it.
This story isn't easy - it's full of teenage angst and yet Ginger Scott managed to make me relate to the characters. Yeah it's been a while since I was in high school but I can remember the heartbreak back then. I need a little breather before I go into GOING LONG but I want to see how Reed is being redeemed. I expect more delicious angst!
May 15, 2019
4 Stars!!
First of all, I absolutely LOVE "young love"/"coming of age" romances. I have a real soft spot for second chance romances when the two MC have a long and complex history together, going all the way back to their childhood. I LOVE them and I can't get enough. Just so you know where I'm coming from.
So obviously, I absolutely LOVED this one!!
Ginger Scott writes so well and it is very clear that the characters in this book are very close to her heart. She weaved them so carefully across the pages and captured the drama, peer pressure, adventure, and longing of high school so well. I loved Nolan and Reed's friendship, I loved their falling in love, the passion captured in stolen glances and sarcastic teasing. And I loved all the doubts and insecurities, the analysis, and the hope that go along with being in highschool.
It was a swoon-worthy romance...and I lapped it all up!!
However, Reed just seemed to "fuck up" so many times!! I know love is blind, love is never having to say you're sorry, love is eternal, and so on and so on. But Ms. Scott could have edited out one or two "fuck-ups" ... you know, just for balance. With his background, his enormous talent (and the fame that goes with it), his poor judgement, and his incredibly bad luck... it's lucky he's not suicidal!
That being said, I've got part 2 already open and can't wait to read more! Surely, Reed will man up a little now that they're adults, right? Because I gotta say, I loved Reed (even the douche bag version) and I loved how well he loved Nolan ( but not in douch bag mode, of course!) He may not be everyone's favourite hero, but I thought he was pretty realistic (well, apart from all the bad luck!). I much prefer them raw and flawed and real, to superficial cut outs.
Also, I cant wait to revisit so many of the characters. Hats off to Ms. Scott for creating female characters that were both flawed and heroic. There was no slut shaming, virginal pedestals, or stereotypical female bashing at all (well, maybe Reed's mother was a little bit of an over-the-top caricature, but this nicely contrasted with Nolan's mother). Some female characters were nasty (really, really nasty), and some were insecure, and some were brave and strong and independent. And the same could be said for the male characters. What a lovely breath of fresh air!
The ending came much too fast...and it wasn't what I was expecting, so now I can't wait to curl up with more coffee and contnue the journey in part 2.
If you like young adult romances, and you don't mind a long and VERY winding road that leads to a HEA (hopefully) then this definitely for you.
First of all, I absolutely LOVE "young love"/"coming of age" romances. I have a real soft spot for second chance romances when the two MC have a long and complex history together, going all the way back to their childhood. I LOVE them and I can't get enough. Just so you know where I'm coming from.
So obviously, I absolutely LOVED this one!!
Ginger Scott writes so well and it is very clear that the characters in this book are very close to her heart. She weaved them so carefully across the pages and captured the drama, peer pressure, adventure, and longing of high school so well. I loved Nolan and Reed's friendship, I loved their falling in love, the passion captured in stolen glances and sarcastic teasing. And I loved all the doubts and insecurities, the analysis, and the hope that go along with being in highschool.
It was a swoon-worthy romance...and I lapped it all up!!
However, Reed just seemed to "fuck up" so many times!! I know love is blind, love is never having to say you're sorry, love is eternal, and so on and so on. But Ms. Scott could have edited out one or two "fuck-ups" ... you know, just for balance. With his background, his enormous talent (and the fame that goes with it), his poor judgement, and his incredibly bad luck... it's lucky he's not suicidal!
That being said, I've got part 2 already open and can't wait to read more! Surely, Reed will man up a little now that they're adults, right? Because I gotta say, I loved Reed (even the douche bag version) and I loved how well he loved Nolan ( but not in douch bag mode, of course!) He may not be everyone's favourite hero, but I thought he was pretty realistic (well, apart from all the bad luck!). I much prefer them raw and flawed and real, to superficial cut outs.
Also, I cant wait to revisit so many of the characters. Hats off to Ms. Scott for creating female characters that were both flawed and heroic. There was no slut shaming, virginal pedestals, or stereotypical female bashing at all (well, maybe Reed's mother was a little bit of an over-the-top caricature, but this nicely contrasted with Nolan's mother). Some female characters were nasty (really, really nasty), and some were insecure, and some were brave and strong and independent. And the same could be said for the male characters. What a lovely breath of fresh air!
The ending came much too fast...and it wasn't what I was expecting, so now I can't wait to curl up with more coffee and contnue the journey in part 2.
If you like young adult romances, and you don't mind a long and VERY winding road that leads to a HEA (hopefully) then this definitely for you.
October 10, 2021
I guess the book is a great portrait of high schoolers because they are all so annoying and stupid...
before adding this trilogy in my library - thank you audible plus- I didn't know it will be all about the same couple..but it was there and I am nothing if not stubborn so it was wth I guess I am listening to this...
the angst...the idiotic teens...
if you want that round and round going in a circle no actual plotline of four years of high school angst and drama - this is a book for you...
before adding this trilogy in my library - thank you audible plus- I didn't know it will be all about the same couple..but it was there and I am nothing if not stubborn so it was wth I guess I am listening to this...
the angst...the idiotic teens...
if you want that round and round going in a circle no actual plotline of four years of high school angst and drama - this is a book for you...
January 3, 2015
Wow, this book is bad. So bad.
I don't even know where to start.
So, the book covers approximately 4 years of Nolan's high school. Of course, when you have to cover such a long time (year by year) you'll end up writing a bad story. Everything is just mentioned. I feel as if there weren't any details or real descriptions. Just listing all that happened. That's horrible.
Then we have Nolan. Main character. And she is also so bad. From the start we read how she was always a omboy but when you say Tomboy, I imagine she'll be her own person, not trying to satisfy the others. But that's all she ever did. Trying to fit in, to be good for a boy...
And this relationship between them was also just stupid. There's no chemistry, they spent more time dating other people than with each other. She was supposed to be his perfect girl but we don't feel that he sees her that way.
So, to list the worst parts (even though I can't remember everything, it covered 4 f*** years).
1. she is dating Sean while clearly in love with Reed.
2. hottest guys fall for her. Yeah, cos she is that special.
3. Tatum bullies her and she does nothing. She even spit her and she did nothing. And also, I love how Reed doesn't love Tatum but she wants to be with him despite the fact that he doesn't want her.
4.Tyler - the almost rape thing. So stupid. So they wanted to get rid of him and they make him that way. While she is great going out wih a guy she doesn't want.
5. Reed and other girls. Ok, we get it. He's a star. He doesn't need to be with everyone.
6. The whole accident. What the hell. They broke up after and she was still taking shit from him and pining for him. And that wasn't the end. She sees him few months later, kisses him and still nothing. He still doesn't do anything to show his love.
And finally, he comes to her because of his article and suddenly they are back together.
Sorry, but this book is one of the worst. And unfortunately, I've read a fair share of shitty books.
I don't know who this author is, but please, don't write anything like this.
It has such high rating that it really makes me doubt people here. I mean, how can anyone give this book 5 or 4 stars??
I don't even know where to start.
So, the book covers approximately 4 years of Nolan's high school. Of course, when you have to cover such a long time (year by year) you'll end up writing a bad story. Everything is just mentioned. I feel as if there weren't any details or real descriptions. Just listing all that happened. That's horrible.
Then we have Nolan. Main character. And she is also so bad. From the start we read how she was always a omboy but when you say Tomboy, I imagine she'll be her own person, not trying to satisfy the others. But that's all she ever did. Trying to fit in, to be good for a boy...
And this relationship between them was also just stupid. There's no chemistry, they spent more time dating other people than with each other. She was supposed to be his perfect girl but we don't feel that he sees her that way.
So, to list the worst parts (even though I can't remember everything, it covered 4 f*** years).
1. she is dating Sean while clearly in love with Reed.
2. hottest guys fall for her. Yeah, cos she is that special.
3. Tatum bullies her and she does nothing. She even spit her and she did nothing. And also, I love how Reed doesn't love Tatum but she wants to be with him despite the fact that he doesn't want her.
4.Tyler - the almost rape thing. So stupid. So they wanted to get rid of him and they make him that way. While she is great going out wih a guy she doesn't want.
5. Reed and other girls. Ok, we get it. He's a star. He doesn't need to be with everyone.
6. The whole accident. What the hell. They broke up after and she was still taking shit from him and pining for him. And that wasn't the end. She sees him few months later, kisses him and still nothing. He still doesn't do anything to show his love.
And finally, he comes to her because of his article and suddenly they are back together.
Sorry, but this book is one of the worst. And unfortunately, I've read a fair share of shitty books.
I don't know who this author is, but please, don't write anything like this.
It has such high rating that it really makes me doubt people here. I mean, how can anyone give this book 5 or 4 stars??
June 2, 2018
You have GOT to be kidding me.
I rate books based on my emotional reaction to them and this one has just made me mad. That ending just did me in. We were starting to have a strong, mature girl who isn't ruled by her emotions. And in one fell swoop she's a silly immature girl again. I mean, I believe in forgiveness. But seriously?
Laura Darrell is so good as a narrator that I would have DNF'd this book at the 50% mark if I hadn't been enjoying her narration so much. That one star is actually a 1.5 rounded down and only because of the narration. I know I'm not in the majority here with my opinion but y'all. Y'all! Come on! Will I read the sequel? Take a guess.
I rate books based on my emotional reaction to them and this one has just made me mad. That ending just did me in. We were starting to have a strong, mature girl who isn't ruled by her emotions. And in one fell swoop she's a silly immature girl again. I mean, I believe in forgiveness. But seriously?
Laura Darrell is so good as a narrator that I would have DNF'd this book at the 50% mark if I hadn't been enjoying her narration so much. That one star is actually a 1.5 rounded down and only because of the narration. I know I'm not in the majority here with my opinion but y'all. Y'all! Come on! Will I read the sequel? Take a guess.
May 5, 2013
I was up late a couple nights ago and landed on this book which was free on Amazon. At first I thought I bet this book will be awful since it's free...well let me just say I WAS SO WRONG!!!This book is so good that I stayed up until 5 in the morning to finish it. I could not put it down. This story is about an awkward teenage girl who falls hard for her first crush but he only sees her as a friend. When he finally does notice her...life and other people get in the way. This book deals with real teen/high school issues like insecurities, bullying, sex and drinking but in a very realistic way. I loved Nolan. She reminded me so much of myself when I was a teen. She had values and respected herself without realizing it. When it comes to Reed, he was the typical popular high school guy who dominated the football field. I hated him sometimes OMG... Being like every average hormonal teenage boy he made stupid mistakes. Stupid big mistakes that almost cost him to lose Nolan. Like any boy at that age he did what was expected of him instead of listening to his heart. But through it all he did have great qualities that he allowed only Nolan to see. Near the end, some of his decisions were for Nolan's sake and I fell for him really hard at that point. I laughed, I cried and I just downright got upset but you can't help but fall for Nolan and Reed. Not just as a couple but their characters individually. They are both flawed, strong yet insecure and the author did an awesome job writing them.
Just pick up this book please. It's really like going back in time. I think I will read it again. The book ended well but I do want to see what happens to them next. I want to get inside Reeds head. Can't wait!!!
Just pick up this book please. It's really like going back in time. I think I will read it again. The book ended well but I do want to see what happens to them next. I want to get inside Reeds head. Can't wait!!!
April 14, 2014
(Source: I own a copy of this book.)
15-year-old Nolan is starting her freshman year at high school, and has a crush on a junior quarterback called Reed. This is the story of Nolan and Reed.
This book was so long! There was so much in there that didn’t need to be there, and I have to say that I lost interest pretty early on.
Nolan was an okay character, but I didn’t love her. She overreacted at times, she expected too much, she had very little confidence in herself, she allowed herself to be walked all over, and put up with terrible bullying without saying a word. I don’t know; I just didn’t like her much.
The storyline was long. In fact the whole darn book was long. If you notice how long the blurb was, the pages were even longer. It was like every page was twice as long as normal, and there was just so much in there that didn’t need to be in there. I felt like if someone had asked Nolan what colour her nail varnish was she would have told them the colour, shade, number, manufacturer, date of production, popularity, why she chose the colour, what everyone else thought to it, and what she planned to do with it next year. I mean really. Please, please, please, we don’t need to know so much detail, it detracts from the story.
There was romance, but I wasn’t really sure about it. Reed didn’t seem to be particularly interested in Nolan, even when he told her he was, and Nolan seemed happy to go out with other guys, who she wasn’t really interested in, just because she couldn’t have Reed. I just wasn’t sold on this partnership.
The ending was okay, and happy enough, the book was just so long that the story got lost, and I really don’t want to read the second book in this series now.
Overall; too long,
4.5 out of 10
15-year-old Nolan is starting her freshman year at high school, and has a crush on a junior quarterback called Reed. This is the story of Nolan and Reed.
This book was so long! There was so much in there that didn’t need to be there, and I have to say that I lost interest pretty early on.
Nolan was an okay character, but I didn’t love her. She overreacted at times, she expected too much, she had very little confidence in herself, she allowed herself to be walked all over, and put up with terrible bullying without saying a word. I don’t know; I just didn’t like her much.
The storyline was long. In fact the whole darn book was long. If you notice how long the blurb was, the pages were even longer. It was like every page was twice as long as normal, and there was just so much in there that didn’t need to be in there. I felt like if someone had asked Nolan what colour her nail varnish was she would have told them the colour, shade, number, manufacturer, date of production, popularity, why she chose the colour, what everyone else thought to it, and what she planned to do with it next year. I mean really. Please, please, please, we don’t need to know so much detail, it detracts from the story.
There was romance, but I wasn’t really sure about it. Reed didn’t seem to be particularly interested in Nolan, even when he told her he was, and Nolan seemed happy to go out with other guys, who she wasn’t really interested in, just because she couldn’t have Reed. I just wasn’t sold on this partnership.
The ending was okay, and happy enough, the book was just so long that the story got lost, and I really don’t want to read the second book in this series now.
Overall; too long,
4.5 out of 10
August 29, 2018
Through out this book, I reminiscing about my high school years. That girl i was. Tomboy, awkward, reclusive with a thick glasses, mouth braces, body issue and very ugly and un fashion short hair. God I remember that time, that I can not wait to be done from high school. I remember the bully, the mean girls, the popular group and the weird group.
I do not have best friend. And that is how I fall in love with books. Anyway, Nolan reminds me of me. Minus the bravery and the maturity of her. And Reed, he is the popular jockey character. The popular boy that get all attention and all the girls. Through out the book, Reed is a jerk. But.. again, I try to judge him as teenager. Being popular is difficult. The peer pressure and the image that is expected from him.
I do not see Reed as alpha male character on steamy romance. I look at Reed as popular teenager who on the bridge of losing whats good of him because of his popularity. And Nolan is the girl who pulls him up and save him.
Again I always love kick ass heroine. And Nolan is a kick ass heroine.
5 stars
I do not have best friend. And that is how I fall in love with books. Anyway, Nolan reminds me of me. Minus the bravery and the maturity of her. And Reed, he is the popular jockey character. The popular boy that get all attention and all the girls. Through out the book, Reed is a jerk. But.. again, I try to judge him as teenager. Being popular is difficult. The peer pressure and the image that is expected from him.
I do not see Reed as alpha male character on steamy romance. I look at Reed as popular teenager who on the bridge of losing whats good of him because of his popularity. And Nolan is the girl who pulls him up and save him.
Again I always love kick ass heroine. And Nolan is a kick ass heroine.
5 stars
May 19, 2016
First, the positives. I think Ginger Scott's writing style is very engaging and easy to read. There were a few editing errors, but they were easily overlooked.
Onto the negative: This story was so frustrating. I guess most authors think that first love is stupid love. And while that may be true most of the time (esp. when it occurs in high school), it doesn't mean I have to spend time reading about it. I get enough of immature behavior in my home life (the kids, LOL) that I don't need to spend my free time reading about it.
Reed is a major ass/idiot in this book and Nolan is so insecure. I was interested in the second book (where they'll hopefully make some better choices since they're in college), so I decided to read this one. It couldn't go by fast enough.
Onto the negative: This story was so frustrating. I guess most authors think that first love is stupid love. And while that may be true most of the time (esp. when it occurs in high school), it doesn't mean I have to spend time reading about it. I get enough of immature behavior in my home life (the kids, LOL) that I don't need to spend my free time reading about it.
Reed is a major ass/idiot in this book and Nolan is so insecure. I was interested in the second book (where they'll hopefully make some better choices since they're in college), so I decided to read this one. It couldn't go by fast enough.
January 18, 2019
This is the first book in this three book series which centres around Nolan and Reed.
Nolan is not most girls her age, she is named after a man and prefers sporting wear to dresses. She loves sport, whether she is participating or watching it. Now that she is in high school she is rethinking her clothing choices in an effort to ‘fit in’ a bit more.
High school plays an important part in the formative years of every young adult and sometimes it can be a cruel place to spend your days. When I say cruel, I mean some of the people there. Like the self proclaimed popular people who like to elevate themselves by putting other people down.
Nolan notices Reed in her first week at school and very quickly develops a crush on him. After working on a project together they become good friends, so much so that Reed often confides in Nolan, he really respects her opinion on any issues he has going on. He is the star quarterback and has to deal with a lot of pressure at times.
Nolan watches Reed flirt, make out and date other girls through their years at high school while pining for him to see her in a different light. He eventually does and when it happens it’s like all her dreams have come true. However, it is not smooth sailing for them.
Like a lot of young teens who are figuring things out there is doubt, jealousy and confusion at times. I had to keep reminding myself just how young they were as at times I got so annoyed with the things that happened. Especially saying one thing and doing another.
We follow these two, and their friends, as they navigate their way through high school and onto college. There are plenty of speed bumps along the way and if they can work through them they may just find their way back to each other.
Nolan is not most girls her age, she is named after a man and prefers sporting wear to dresses. She loves sport, whether she is participating or watching it. Now that she is in high school she is rethinking her clothing choices in an effort to ‘fit in’ a bit more.
High school plays an important part in the formative years of every young adult and sometimes it can be a cruel place to spend your days. When I say cruel, I mean some of the people there. Like the self proclaimed popular people who like to elevate themselves by putting other people down.
Nolan notices Reed in her first week at school and very quickly develops a crush on him. After working on a project together they become good friends, so much so that Reed often confides in Nolan, he really respects her opinion on any issues he has going on. He is the star quarterback and has to deal with a lot of pressure at times.
Nolan watches Reed flirt, make out and date other girls through their years at high school while pining for him to see her in a different light. He eventually does and when it happens it’s like all her dreams have come true. However, it is not smooth sailing for them.
Like a lot of young teens who are figuring things out there is doubt, jealousy and confusion at times. I had to keep reminding myself just how young they were as at times I got so annoyed with the things that happened. Especially saying one thing and doing another.
We follow these two, and their friends, as they navigate their way through high school and onto college. There are plenty of speed bumps along the way and if they can work through them they may just find their way back to each other.
September 17, 2018
1.5 stars
I realised about a half way through this book that most of the reason I was still reading it was so I could vent about it afterwards. Probably not a good thing.
So fair warning, this review will contain spoilers.
Let me start by saying that what drew me in the most about the write up was that the book seemed to take place across the 4 years of high school. Awesome, lots of time for teenagers to mature and relationships to grow right?
Wrong. So wrong.
Let's start with the MCs.
Nolan is absolutely nothing like the write up describes her. In the beginning I was fine with that, she was 14, starting off her freshman year of highschool by being made fun of behind her back by some popular kids. There's going to be some embarrassed tears. Okay, fine, understandable. But that's just it, she really doesn't grow at all throughout the whole novel. She takes everything people throw at her and only stands up for herself when things get bad enough for her friends to notice and tell her to buck up.
When she does finally stand up for herself it takes next to nothing for her to be feeling ashamed, embarrassed, and once and quiet as soon as someone is being an asshole again.
4 years people, this was 4 years of the same thing with zero character growth. She has no self esteem, honor or pride for herself.
She moons after Reed from the get go, which is fine. He's a golden boy, he's her friend and of course the most attractive boy she's ever seen, yada yada yada. So what does she do? She dates his best friend and watches him from the side lines.
Half the time she's touching or kissing Sean (the bff) is because she sees Reed with his girlfriend. She likes Sean, he's a "good one" in her eyes, but she still drags him along with no end in sight even though she knows it's wrong.
In the end she ends up ignoring him so much and being so short with him (while also staring at Reed every chance she gets, sometimes full out watching him) that Sean gets the hint and breaks it off.
Here I'm thinking FINALLY, something is going to start happen soon.
Nope!
At this point Reed finds himself newly single as well, and woohoo, they're both working at the same place all summer.
They finally seem to be making a bit of headway after two years, with plans to go on their first date. Yay!
Only not.
Nolan shows up at his house for their date to find him with his arms around the bitch ex girlfriend, kissing her neck. She of course loses it and takes off and is completely heartbroken.
What's does he do? He starts drinking. Goes into some black hole of depression that has all his friends worried about him, including Nolan, since she just loves him so much even now.
It comes out at a party when he's roaring drunk that the exgirlfriend is pregnant. He also (while all drunk) basically calls Nolan a whore sice she brought a friend from their work.
She of course is crushed, her heart firmly broken, blah blah blah.
She starts dating said friend from work. Why? Who the fuck knows. He continues his drunken spiralling for awhile while simultaneously making out with a bunch of different girls while she's around, all the while the whole 'watching each other with longing' thing continues.
She's getting physical with this new boyfriend while still thinking and missing Reed, thinking about how the most passionate kiss from her boyfriend isn't nearly as moving as the softest kiss she had with Reed before the baby thing.
Turns out the baby thing was just a lie by the vindictive ex girlfriend, but real nice to see how Reed handled the situation. Aka, being a drunk ass and screwing girls.
The next'conflict' pissed me off so bad.
Basically she's still dating this nice guy while mooning after Reed, he is back to his normal self after his downward spiral but is still always seen making out with girls. They have 'a moment' while watching a movie, which then leads to an argument about how OF COURSE he's going to be with other girls if he can't have her and just WHY is she still with the boyfriend?! Because obviously he can't explain his feelings or be with her while she's got the boyfriend.
She does some reflecting and decides she has to figure out what to do with the boyfriend. Except, at the dance that same night he is with a girl and she (of course) has her boyfriend with her, so they start this absolutely rediculous one upmanship game of touching their partners while staring at each other the whole time.
Seriously? These kids are fucked.
The solution to getting rid of the boyfriend? Oh, it's definitely not an actual conversation on how they're not working out. No, instead he apparently tries to force himself on her after she says no.
This is the person who has been a support to her, a friend and then very slowly progressed to a boyfriend. He's sweet, kind and charming and seems to care a lot about her. But apparently one night he just decides that's it, I'm getting some weather you like it or not?
It felt like a complete copout, a very quick means to an end to get rid of the boyfriend quickly.
And it's about at this point that I started hating this book and these characters.
I wish I could say the rediculousness ends here but it doesn't.
They do finally get together at this point. They're completely in love and everything is perfect in the world, yada yada yada.
Then the get into a car accident. Reed breaks his arm, which puts him off the rosters for most of his senior football games. Pretty devastating to the future he was trying to build. So what happens? He goes back in to his downward spiral of assholery, treats Nolan like shit and they break up.
I wasn't even surprised at that point. Honestly I just wanted her to move on at that point, like SO BAD. Of course she doesn't. They ignore each other for the last couple months of school, then everything kind of just starts over again. The looks, watching each other, joking with each other, longing', etc etc. He tells her he might stop in to her work to grab a burger at some point, she can't get her eyes off the door hoping he'll come through.
This was such a completely unhealthy relationship and I feel like neither one of them learned a damn thing throughout everything they went through.
They end up getting back together in the end, just in time to start a long distance relationship in college.
Sequel? No fucking thank you.
I realised about a half way through this book that most of the reason I was still reading it was so I could vent about it afterwards. Probably not a good thing.
So fair warning, this review will contain spoilers.
Let me start by saying that what drew me in the most about the write up was that the book seemed to take place across the 4 years of high school. Awesome, lots of time for teenagers to mature and relationships to grow right?
Wrong. So wrong.
Let's start with the MCs.
Nolan is absolutely nothing like the write up describes her. In the beginning I was fine with that, she was 14, starting off her freshman year of highschool by being made fun of behind her back by some popular kids. There's going to be some embarrassed tears. Okay, fine, understandable. But that's just it, she really doesn't grow at all throughout the whole novel. She takes everything people throw at her and only stands up for herself when things get bad enough for her friends to notice and tell her to buck up.
When she does finally stand up for herself it takes next to nothing for her to be feeling ashamed, embarrassed, and once and quiet as soon as someone is being an asshole again.
4 years people, this was 4 years of the same thing with zero character growth. She has no self esteem, honor or pride for herself.
She moons after Reed from the get go, which is fine. He's a golden boy, he's her friend and of course the most attractive boy she's ever seen, yada yada yada. So what does she do? She dates his best friend and watches him from the side lines.
Half the time she's touching or kissing Sean (the bff) is because she sees Reed with his girlfriend. She likes Sean, he's a "good one" in her eyes, but she still drags him along with no end in sight even though she knows it's wrong.
In the end she ends up ignoring him so much and being so short with him (while also staring at Reed every chance she gets, sometimes full out watching him) that Sean gets the hint and breaks it off.
Here I'm thinking FINALLY, something is going to start happen soon.
Nope!
At this point Reed finds himself newly single as well, and woohoo, they're both working at the same place all summer.
They finally seem to be making a bit of headway after two years, with plans to go on their first date. Yay!
Only not.
Nolan shows up at his house for their date to find him with his arms around the bitch ex girlfriend, kissing her neck. She of course loses it and takes off and is completely heartbroken.
What's does he do? He starts drinking. Goes into some black hole of depression that has all his friends worried about him, including Nolan, since she just loves him so much even now.
It comes out at a party when he's roaring drunk that the exgirlfriend is pregnant. He also (while all drunk) basically calls Nolan a whore sice she brought a friend from their work.
She of course is crushed, her heart firmly broken, blah blah blah.
She starts dating said friend from work. Why? Who the fuck knows. He continues his drunken spiralling for awhile while simultaneously making out with a bunch of different girls while she's around, all the while the whole 'watching each other with longing' thing continues.
She's getting physical with this new boyfriend while still thinking and missing Reed, thinking about how the most passionate kiss from her boyfriend isn't nearly as moving as the softest kiss she had with Reed before the baby thing.
Turns out the baby thing was just a lie by the vindictive ex girlfriend, but real nice to see how Reed handled the situation. Aka, being a drunk ass and screwing girls.
The next'conflict' pissed me off so bad.
Basically she's still dating this nice guy while mooning after Reed, he is back to his normal self after his downward spiral but is still always seen making out with girls. They have 'a moment' while watching a movie, which then leads to an argument about how OF COURSE he's going to be with other girls if he can't have her and just WHY is she still with the boyfriend?! Because obviously he can't explain his feelings or be with her while she's got the boyfriend.
She does some reflecting and decides she has to figure out what to do with the boyfriend. Except, at the dance that same night he is with a girl and she (of course) has her boyfriend with her, so they start this absolutely rediculous one upmanship game of touching their partners while staring at each other the whole time.
Seriously? These kids are fucked.
The solution to getting rid of the boyfriend? Oh, it's definitely not an actual conversation on how they're not working out. No, instead he apparently tries to force himself on her after she says no.
This is the person who has been a support to her, a friend and then very slowly progressed to a boyfriend. He's sweet, kind and charming and seems to care a lot about her. But apparently one night he just decides that's it, I'm getting some weather you like it or not?
It felt like a complete copout, a very quick means to an end to get rid of the boyfriend quickly.
And it's about at this point that I started hating this book and these characters.
I wish I could say the rediculousness ends here but it doesn't.
They do finally get together at this point. They're completely in love and everything is perfect in the world, yada yada yada.
Then the get into a car accident. Reed breaks his arm, which puts him off the rosters for most of his senior football games. Pretty devastating to the future he was trying to build. So what happens? He goes back in to his downward spiral of assholery, treats Nolan like shit and they break up.
I wasn't even surprised at that point. Honestly I just wanted her to move on at that point, like SO BAD. Of course she doesn't. They ignore each other for the last couple months of school, then everything kind of just starts over again. The looks, watching each other, joking with each other, longing', etc etc. He tells her he might stop in to her work to grab a burger at some point, she can't get her eyes off the door hoping he'll come through.
This was such a completely unhealthy relationship and I feel like neither one of them learned a damn thing throughout everything they went through.
They end up getting back together in the end, just in time to start a long distance relationship in college.
Sequel? No fucking thank you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2013
Waiting on the Sidelines by Ginger Scott is one of those book you pick up and stick to it until the end; and that is exactly what I did. I started it in the morning lazing in bed on a Saturday, and ended it that same Saturday just as I started it in. The only difference was that instead of the sun streaming through my window it was the moonlight illuminating my room.
As I read Nolan’s story I remembered a time when I was a young teenager same as her (Nolan,) dreaming about a certain boy, who certainty liked me. Yes, but not in the way I liked him. I was a friend in his eyes, but in mine he was so much more. Just like Nolan and Reed’s relationship, friendship was there, but the heart ache of Nolan seeing the boy she so desperately wanted date any other girl but her pretty much had her hurting…. I remember the same feeling as my “friend” dated other girls but me… But two year of waiting, wishing and longing he finally saw me more than just a friend!
The boy who did was in the locker room, getting ready to take home another girl, and my heart was breaking~ Nolan
As in Nolan and Reed’s relationship, Nolan longed for that boy that took her breath away. She conformed on seeing him on the sidelines as he dated a girl who bullied her, put her down in any given moment. But what really hurt Nolan the most was seeing the girl (Tatum) flaunt her relationship with Reed in her face, and not being able to do nothing more than watch them, and hope that one day she would be the one holding his hand… giving and receiving his kisses.
“I wanted to run to him and tell him how proud I was. Throw my arms round him. Have him swing me around in circles while I kissed him.”-Nolan
Waiting on the Sidelines is told by Nolan’s POV, she is the heroin of the story and from day one she is struck by Reed Johnson the “it” boy star quarter-backer of not only the school but of the whole town. Reed is your typical teenager, that is ruled by his hormones and sometimes acts and does things he thinks is acceptable in everyone else’s view, that leads Reed to do or say things he thinks is cool without thinking clearly on how a simple action or word will hurt someone else, and in most cases the person he hurt was Nolan.
“Did I just make an impression on the boy who is clearly our homecoming king?-Nolan
Nolan and Reed come from different social status. Reed on one hand lives in a big house, wears designer clothes, drives a nice car and has a fancy phone. Nolan on the other hand lives in a trailer, shops in K-Mart and pretty much uses her brothers hand me down clothes. Nolan never lets what other people say or think about her influence her, until she meets Reed. Everything changes in her-the tomboy wants the boy to see her as a girl, so she desides to change.
“He I mean she totally dresses like a dude,”-Reed
“We should tell people she’s a boy they’d totally believe it, classic prank!”-Tatum
And so the bully begins, Nolan will be an easy target, especially Tatum”s target, to bully her, for her clothing and her parent’s small bank account. But Tatum has an even bigger reason on why she will want to make Nolan’s life miserable and that reason is Reed.
I hate Tatum!
We witness Nolan and Reed go through high school, become friends then become more than that. But along the way there are set backs for them. We see them make mistakes, and in Reeds case, make mistake after mistake regarding Nolan.
Nolan is a girl with a true heart, I loved that about her. She was genuine, sensire, caring and loving. But at times she was too forgiving. I try to put myself in her shoes, and I know I ask why does she forgive so easily? I think I forget how it is to be a teenager and in love. Maybe I would have forgiven as easily as she did, and given Reed as many chances as she did. But I’m not going to lie when I say I wish she would have made him grovel on his last screw up (excuse my french). I think Reed had it too easy. He is a nice boy, but he was always doing something to jeopardize his relationship as a friend or lover with Nolan, and the truth is I was very much pissed with him. And at Nolan for just letting him get away with it.
That aside, I truly loved this story.This is a story of coming of age…. First love, first illusion, heart break and all the roller coaster of feelings a teenager go through the years of living and growing. Peer pressure, bullies..temptation, betrayal, lies…
Ahhh *sigh* just remembering all the emotions Waiting on the Sidelines put me through I can’t help but feel emotional again. As I looked through my notes to write this review I could not help myself but go back to the book, looking for passages, and quotes, finding myself lost in the story again…rereading it all over again.
I trully loved this story, even though it put me through so much! I was tangled up in the lives of these two characters. Nolan and Reed. I must give an applause to Ginger for writing a book that seeped through me…making me feel every single emotion the characters felt. I felt my heart ache, whenever Nolan’s did. I felt the sharp pain of betrayal and hurt she felt. I even felt Reeds hurting on an occasion or two.
There is depth and richness in the characters and in the development of the story as a whole. Ginger makes you feel and live in the pages as you go through them. The flow of witnessing the characters grow, transition from high school to collage is effortless. I can’t wait for more of Reed and Nolan’s story. Yes there will be a sequel coming out in October, but Waiting on the Sidelines finishes without a cliffhanger. I has a nice peaceful ending. But if you liked and enjoyed the book as much as I did you will be happy to have more of these characters!
AWESOME READ!!!!!!! A MUST READ!
4.5 FANTASTIC STARS!!!
http://thesubclubbooks.com/?p=13938
August 14, 2013
Read more reviews at What Danielle Did Next
I was in a reading slump of epic proportions when Ginger emailed me requesting a review of her book. I accepted despite my initial reaction being less than enthusiastic (JK Rowling could have announced a new Harry Potter book and my reaction would have been “eh”) but something about the premise intrigued me and I desperately hoped this book would pull me out of my slump.
It did more than that…it touched my heart. From the first pages to the last lines I was consumed by this book and its wonderful story of true teenage love. There’s no insta-love here! It’s a journey from those initial fluttering butterflies evolving into a deep and connected friendship that naturally progresses to consuming true love with all the ups and downs of life in between.
Spanning all four years of high school (I missed that part in the blurb lol) I was taken on a roller-coaster accompanied by realistic, compelling and wonderful characters that I grew to love as I watched them develop into adults over the course of this book.
Nolan Lennox is a tomboy, exceptional at sport and intelligent, she’s more interested in making the team than what the newest fashions are. When Reed Johnson transfers to her school as the hotshot new quarterback Nolan’s head is turned. Struggling to find her place in this new world filled with flirting and hormones, Nolan gradually opens herself up to the idea that there’s more to life than sport and grades and maybe love is just around the corner.
Nolan was without a doubt one of my favourite MC’s. Despite developing a crush on Reed pretty quickly she doesn’t automatically dump her friends and sacrifice her happiness and dreams for his. She holds her head. Their first encounter is less than impressive and Nolan doesn’t let it fester, she confronts him about it and at all times is more than capable of levelling the playing field and not letting him have the upper hand. Taking part in a school project, the two slowly develop a caring and mutually beneficial friendship.
Because the book takes place over such a long period we get a wonderful insight into high school life and friendships in small town America. Every character Scott writes is rounded and developed with exceptional care. As a foreigner I appreciated the meticulous care and detail Scott takes in developing her plot and world.
The story is a romance but it is so much more than that. It’s the story of a young girl becoming a woman and all the heartache and triumph that must be endured to succeed. Scott touches on some heavy subjects such as bullying, teen drinking, sex and shattered dreams with a sensitivity that is lacking in many other YA/NA novels.
The path to true love is never easy and obstacles are thrown in their way but at all times Nolan and Reed manage to work through their issues with maturity and find their way back to each other. Nolan, like any girl at times does hesitate when she’s treated not so nicely and contemplates sacrificing her self-worth to keep the peace but happily her level-headedness prevails with the help of her friends and family. The support network that is so vital for teenagers is displayed really well in this book and the cast of characters are recognisable in their roles that I remember myself and my own friends taking on when we were teens.
At times I admit I wanted to punch Reed when he allowed his emotions to dictate his behaviour, pushing Nolan away at times when both of them were clearly hurting and my heart raced as their world appeared on the brink of crashing down around them. The emotions stirred in me evoked memories of both teenage years and also more recent times as heartbreak, uncertainty and confidence wobbles aren’t over once you turn eighteen! The little moments, texts, whispers and hand-holding gave me butterflies (if you know me at all you know it’s the sweet romances that are my undoing) and I loved how everything was kept age appropriate. The characters behaved like teenagers rather than a bunch of forty-year-olds. There were a few gut-punching moments where I audibly gasped and wailed and flung the kindle down only to pick it up immediately hoping that all would turn out okay.
It’s rare to read a book where you feel you know these characters so well you can almost call them friends. It’s even rarer to read a book where a female character is so well-rounded and given the chance to develop into someone truly exceptional without sacrificing her worth, where love is not the end game but the icing on a cake made of individual dreams, success and confidence to be shared with someone truly worth the wait.
WAITING ON THE SIDELINES was a very special book for me; it tore me apart at times but always filled me with hope. It was comforting, captivating and truly a treasure.
I was in a reading slump of epic proportions when Ginger emailed me requesting a review of her book. I accepted despite my initial reaction being less than enthusiastic (JK Rowling could have announced a new Harry Potter book and my reaction would have been “eh”) but something about the premise intrigued me and I desperately hoped this book would pull me out of my slump.
It did more than that…it touched my heart. From the first pages to the last lines I was consumed by this book and its wonderful story of true teenage love. There’s no insta-love here! It’s a journey from those initial fluttering butterflies evolving into a deep and connected friendship that naturally progresses to consuming true love with all the ups and downs of life in between.
Spanning all four years of high school (I missed that part in the blurb lol) I was taken on a roller-coaster accompanied by realistic, compelling and wonderful characters that I grew to love as I watched them develop into adults over the course of this book.
Nolan Lennox is a tomboy, exceptional at sport and intelligent, she’s more interested in making the team than what the newest fashions are. When Reed Johnson transfers to her school as the hotshot new quarterback Nolan’s head is turned. Struggling to find her place in this new world filled with flirting and hormones, Nolan gradually opens herself up to the idea that there’s more to life than sport and grades and maybe love is just around the corner.
Nolan was without a doubt one of my favourite MC’s. Despite developing a crush on Reed pretty quickly she doesn’t automatically dump her friends and sacrifice her happiness and dreams for his. She holds her head. Their first encounter is less than impressive and Nolan doesn’t let it fester, she confronts him about it and at all times is more than capable of levelling the playing field and not letting him have the upper hand. Taking part in a school project, the two slowly develop a caring and mutually beneficial friendship.
Because the book takes place over such a long period we get a wonderful insight into high school life and friendships in small town America. Every character Scott writes is rounded and developed with exceptional care. As a foreigner I appreciated the meticulous care and detail Scott takes in developing her plot and world.
The story is a romance but it is so much more than that. It’s the story of a young girl becoming a woman and all the heartache and triumph that must be endured to succeed. Scott touches on some heavy subjects such as bullying, teen drinking, sex and shattered dreams with a sensitivity that is lacking in many other YA/NA novels.
The path to true love is never easy and obstacles are thrown in their way but at all times Nolan and Reed manage to work through their issues with maturity and find their way back to each other. Nolan, like any girl at times does hesitate when she’s treated not so nicely and contemplates sacrificing her self-worth to keep the peace but happily her level-headedness prevails with the help of her friends and family. The support network that is so vital for teenagers is displayed really well in this book and the cast of characters are recognisable in their roles that I remember myself and my own friends taking on when we were teens.
At times I admit I wanted to punch Reed when he allowed his emotions to dictate his behaviour, pushing Nolan away at times when both of them were clearly hurting and my heart raced as their world appeared on the brink of crashing down around them. The emotions stirred in me evoked memories of both teenage years and also more recent times as heartbreak, uncertainty and confidence wobbles aren’t over once you turn eighteen! The little moments, texts, whispers and hand-holding gave me butterflies (if you know me at all you know it’s the sweet romances that are my undoing) and I loved how everything was kept age appropriate. The characters behaved like teenagers rather than a bunch of forty-year-olds. There were a few gut-punching moments where I audibly gasped and wailed and flung the kindle down only to pick it up immediately hoping that all would turn out okay.
It’s rare to read a book where you feel you know these characters so well you can almost call them friends. It’s even rarer to read a book where a female character is so well-rounded and given the chance to develop into someone truly exceptional without sacrificing her worth, where love is not the end game but the icing on a cake made of individual dreams, success and confidence to be shared with someone truly worth the wait.
WAITING ON THE SIDELINES was a very special book for me; it tore me apart at times but always filled me with hope. It was comforting, captivating and truly a treasure.
February 16, 2024
This book was so frustrating for me.
I love these type of stories where the popular guy falls for the average girl in high school.
However, I did not believe or trust in the hero's "love" for heroine.
I love these type of stories where the popular guy falls for the average girl in high school.
However, I did not believe or trust in the hero's "love" for heroine.
September 15, 2013
3.5 stars
I would rate this higher but it has something in it that I can't stand. The constant back and forth angsty drama was just too much for me. Don't get me wrong, I was totally engrossed in this book and I get that they're in high school. But, it just went too far and Reed definitely let me down a few times. I was totally Nolan in high school in the fact that I had a mad crush on a guy that was never timed right. She goes through too much for some if the stuff she puts up with.
I will definitely read the next book, but I don't if I can take much more of the angst.
I would rate this higher but it has something in it that I can't stand. The constant back and forth angsty drama was just too much for me. Don't get me wrong, I was totally engrossed in this book and I get that they're in high school. But, it just went too far and Reed definitely let me down a few times. I was totally Nolan in high school in the fact that I had a mad crush on a guy that was never timed right. She goes through too much for some if the stuff she puts up with.
I will definitely read the next book, but I don't if I can take much more of the angst.
January 2, 2019
I really loved this book! I loved Nolan
Even though I'm looking forward to book 2, I don't have a lot of faith in Reed :(
Even though I'm looking forward to book 2, I don't have a lot of faith in Reed :(
![Profile Image for Michelle [Helen Geek].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1448463806i%2F5557851._CR0%2C13%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
December 30, 2013
12/30/2013 --
Overall Rating = 4.5 Stars
Book Cover / Book Blurb / Book Title = 2 / 5 / 3 = 3.5 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 4.5 Stars
Character Development = 4 Stars
Story Appreciation = 4.5 Stars
Worth the Chili = 5 Stars -- [$Free on Amazon, now $2.99]
335 pages
Teen angst perfection. A coming of age story that shouldn't be missed.
I wanted to end the year with one of my Amazon Freebies. I've had such good luck with them this year, wanted to end on a fab note for me while finding a new author/book that didn't cost me a damn thing. This was perfect.
I don't think I've read a YA this year. I've read a virtual TON of NA, but no YA. This. This book is what YA is all about. Nolan and Reed are two average kids going to school and figuring it all out. They have found their "One" in each other. Can they make it happen or will it just slip away?
The GOOD stuff:
1 -- This author writes a really nice story with wonderful characters. Nothing over the top. She gives these guys plenty of time to develop. You get to know them as they get to know each other. There really isn't anything unique about the story. What is unique is the author's ability to make you feel this. Takes you back to your own teen years. You've been in these same situations, or have had friends who have. These emotions are so real, so HUGE. A really great read.
2 -- The characters. I loved both Reed and Nolan and the entire supporting cast. They were real to me. I wanted to know what would happen next. I knew what would happen, but I wanted to see how Ms. Scott would tell it to us. Nice job.
3 -- So many times, when reading YA, the adults are real Asshats or are non-existent. This is NOT the case in this book. You must remember the target audience here -- teen readers. I think our author gives us really strong adults that make a positive impact.
4 -- No over the top behavior. What do I mean? We don't have drug use [remember the audience again], no obvious teen sexual activity - or at least not what I'm used to reading. It is eluded to, but not graphically told. There is teen drinking and alcohol abuse, but it is outlined as being a bad thing. She also balances this with comments about designated drivers and caregivers in party situations. I found this really well told and if I had a teen who was reading this or planning to read it, I wouldn't be concerned. My comments would be to the effect ..."you are in for a real treat. After reading, I'd love to talk to you about it. See what you think."
5 -- Something for everyone. I'm a grandmother and enjoyed this book. I got emotional in places and was taken back to my own teen years [late 70's]. I never felt like the writing was too immature for my enjoyment. Likewise, I think teens could read it with no issues.
As good as this was, there were a few "not so good" things:
1 -- The cover is awful. Title, not much better.
2 -- There were minor editing issues I found as I was reading. I mention this only when I'm required to read a sentence again because it's meaning was lost due to editing. Didn't happen often, but did happen.
3 -- Nolan was a bit annoying at times when she relied so much on other people to interpret Reed's actions or provide advice on next steps for them. I do think young girls/ladies do this more than they should. It annoys me when they do. So, accurate portrayal, probably, but still pretty annoying. It amazes me how insecure this age group is with each other. And, Reed is an Asshat. How does she know, when the going gets tough again he won't exit the train? He did it once and chances are, he will do it again. Just sayin'... Sad thing though, I'd probably forgive him too.
Really, REALLY enjoyed this book. I was pretty surprised. AND -- guess what? I have the ARC of #2 and plan to start it in just a minute. Yes. That good.
YOU will most definitely be Happy Reading this one, even if you don't like YA and this isn't saturated with meaningless sex!
Overall Rating = 4.5 Stars
Book Cover / Book Blurb / Book Title = 2 / 5 / 3 = 3.5 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 4.5 Stars
Character Development = 4 Stars
Story Appreciation = 4.5 Stars
Worth the Chili = 5 Stars -- [$Free on Amazon, now $2.99]
335 pages
Teen angst perfection. A coming of age story that shouldn't be missed.
I wanted to end the year with one of my Amazon Freebies. I've had such good luck with them this year, wanted to end on a fab note for me while finding a new author/book that didn't cost me a damn thing. This was perfect.
I don't think I've read a YA this year. I've read a virtual TON of NA, but no YA. This. This book is what YA is all about. Nolan and Reed are two average kids going to school and figuring it all out. They have found their "One" in each other. Can they make it happen or will it just slip away?
The GOOD stuff:
1 -- This author writes a really nice story with wonderful characters. Nothing over the top. She gives these guys plenty of time to develop. You get to know them as they get to know each other. There really isn't anything unique about the story. What is unique is the author's ability to make you feel this. Takes you back to your own teen years. You've been in these same situations, or have had friends who have. These emotions are so real, so HUGE. A really great read.
2 -- The characters. I loved both Reed and Nolan and the entire supporting cast. They were real to me. I wanted to know what would happen next. I knew what would happen, but I wanted to see how Ms. Scott would tell it to us. Nice job.
3 -- So many times, when reading YA, the adults are real Asshats or are non-existent. This is NOT the case in this book. You must remember the target audience here -- teen readers. I think our author gives us really strong adults that make a positive impact.
4 -- No over the top behavior. What do I mean? We don't have drug use [remember the audience again], no obvious teen sexual activity - or at least not what I'm used to reading. It is eluded to, but not graphically told. There is teen drinking and alcohol abuse, but it is outlined as being a bad thing. She also balances this with comments about designated drivers and caregivers in party situations. I found this really well told and if I had a teen who was reading this or planning to read it, I wouldn't be concerned. My comments would be to the effect ..."you are in for a real treat. After reading, I'd love to talk to you about it. See what you think."
5 -- Something for everyone. I'm a grandmother and enjoyed this book. I got emotional in places and was taken back to my own teen years [late 70's]. I never felt like the writing was too immature for my enjoyment. Likewise, I think teens could read it with no issues.
As good as this was, there were a few "not so good" things:
1 -- The cover is awful. Title, not much better.
2 -- There were minor editing issues I found as I was reading. I mention this only when I'm required to read a sentence again because it's meaning was lost due to editing. Didn't happen often, but did happen.
3 -- Nolan was a bit annoying at times when she relied so much on other people to interpret Reed's actions or provide advice on next steps for them. I do think young girls/ladies do this more than they should. It annoys me when they do. So, accurate portrayal, probably, but still pretty annoying. It amazes me how insecure this age group is with each other. And, Reed is an Asshat. How does she know, when the going gets tough again he won't exit the train? He did it once and chances are, he will do it again. Just sayin'... Sad thing though, I'd probably forgive him too.
Really, REALLY enjoyed this book. I was pretty surprised. AND -- guess what? I have the ARC of #2 and plan to start it in just a minute. Yes. That good.
YOU will most definitely be Happy Reading this one, even if you don't like YA and this isn't saturated with meaningless sex!
November 3, 2013
5 heartbreaking stars.
I do not usually do the lists of my favorite books, but if I do Waiting on the Sidelines would probably be in top three indie books in 2013. Wow what a story.
Waiting on the Sidelines is contemporary YA romance novel that contain all the usual elements of the genre, name it, it has it: cliques, popularity issues, young love, breakup and make ups, friendships, first sex, underage drinking, bullies, etc. It is also a big coming of the age story and unlike YA novels the author is taking the reader on the ride through the four years of heroine’s life, and what a life that is.
The story follows relationship between Nolan Lennox and Reed Johnson and it is told from Nolan’s POV. Their relationship is so full of ups and downs, sweet and bitter things, friendship, love and hatred. Not just the relationship but the whole story is strong and full of surprises. This is a fast paced story, and the story line flows easily. There are no boring places or places that I wanted to skip; on the contrary I was fully emerged in the story from the very beginning.
So, the main characters are Nolan and Reed. They meet right before the start of their high-school. She is poor (lower middle class), he is a son of one of the biggest car salesmen, but they have so much in common, so very soon they became friends and start to move in the same circle. Nolan is beautifully written character, she is aware of her social status, but she is not ashamed of it (maybe a little, but nothing significant), she has wonderful relationship with her family and friends, but she is so much more. There were moments when she seems weak but on the very next page she showed that she is strong and that she have spine. As a story progress she is becoming stronger and more beautiful inside and outside. On the other hand Reed is a whole a different story. Because the I couldn't hear his side of the story, some of his actions and reactions toward Nolan I considered more than rude, and there was a time when I thought that he does not deserve her at all (nor as a friend and even less as a girlfriend). But toward the end his actions became clear and he turns out to be a nice guy after all. Secondary characters are also great (even the evil witch Tatum – she is there for a reason) and they all bring in a special dimension to the story. It would not be the same without them.
Waiting on the Sidelines is a marvelous story that should be widely promoted, translated, made into a 4 part mini-series. It is an indie pearl with which I am truly fascinated by and I cannot wait to read the second one in the series.
Note: this story contains underage drinking, mild sex scenes, and attempt of force seduction.
At the very end I would like thank Ginger Scott for providing me this book via Net Gallery and for being the first author that grant me an access to the book through this webpage.
I do not usually do the lists of my favorite books, but if I do Waiting on the Sidelines would probably be in top three indie books in 2013. Wow what a story.
Waiting on the Sidelines is contemporary YA romance novel that contain all the usual elements of the genre, name it, it has it: cliques, popularity issues, young love, breakup and make ups, friendships, first sex, underage drinking, bullies, etc. It is also a big coming of the age story and unlike YA novels the author is taking the reader on the ride through the four years of heroine’s life, and what a life that is.
The story follows relationship between Nolan Lennox and Reed Johnson and it is told from Nolan’s POV. Their relationship is so full of ups and downs, sweet and bitter things, friendship, love and hatred. Not just the relationship but the whole story is strong and full of surprises. This is a fast paced story, and the story line flows easily. There are no boring places or places that I wanted to skip; on the contrary I was fully emerged in the story from the very beginning.
So, the main characters are Nolan and Reed. They meet right before the start of their high-school. She is poor (lower middle class), he is a son of one of the biggest car salesmen, but they have so much in common, so very soon they became friends and start to move in the same circle. Nolan is beautifully written character, she is aware of her social status, but she is not ashamed of it (maybe a little, but nothing significant), she has wonderful relationship with her family and friends, but she is so much more. There were moments when she seems weak but on the very next page she showed that she is strong and that she have spine. As a story progress she is becoming stronger and more beautiful inside and outside. On the other hand Reed is a whole a different story. Because the I couldn't hear his side of the story, some of his actions and reactions toward Nolan I considered more than rude, and there was a time when I thought that he does not deserve her at all (nor as a friend and even less as a girlfriend). But toward the end his actions became clear and he turns out to be a nice guy after all. Secondary characters are also great (even the evil witch Tatum – she is there for a reason) and they all bring in a special dimension to the story. It would not be the same without them.
Waiting on the Sidelines is a marvelous story that should be widely promoted, translated, made into a 4 part mini-series. It is an indie pearl with which I am truly fascinated by and I cannot wait to read the second one in the series.
Note: this story contains underage drinking, mild sex scenes, and attempt of force seduction.
At the very end I would like thank Ginger Scott for providing me this book via Net Gallery and for being the first author that grant me an access to the book through this webpage.
October 21, 2018
This book ripped my heart out time and time again. Poor Nolan! She loved him so much and he just kept messing things up. I wanted to hate him but I just couldn’t. This is such a perfect example of young love and the soul sucking kind it is. The kind of love that consumes you and breaks your heart. I was totally enveloped in this story
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