Whatever Life Throws at You
Book Feature
Book Description
Publication Date: October 7, 2014 | Age
Level: 12 and up | Grade Level: 9 - 12
Life loves a good
curveball…
Seventeen-year-old Annie
Lucas's life is completely upended the moment her dad returns to the major
leagues as the new pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals. Now she's living
in Missouri (too cold), attending an all-girls school (no boys), and navigating
the strange world of professional sports. But Annie has dreams of her own--most
of which involve placing first at every track meet…and one starring the Royals'
super-hot rookie pitcher.
But nineteen-year-old Jason
Brody is completely, utterly, and totally off-limits. Besides, her dad would
kill them both several times over. Not to mention Brody has something of a
past, and his fan club is filled with C-cupped models, not smart-mouthed high
school "brats" who can run the pants off every player on the team.
Annie has enough on her plate without taking their friendship to the next
level. The last thing she should be doing is falling in love.
But baseball isn't just a
game. It's life. And sometimes, it can break your heart…
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Gr 10 Up—Bone cancer ended his professional baseball career during his rookie season, but when Jim Lucas is offered the opportunity to become a pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals, life changes overnight for his 17-year-old daughter, Annie Lucas. Annie quickly learns the other side of pro baseball--families that smile and appear wholesome before the camera, but hardly speak to one another off camera, with media constantly in tow looking to catch players' kids doing something wrong. Annie finds true friendship in Lenny London, the daughter of a Royal, and Jason Brody, a 19-year-old rookie pitcher with a scandalous past. When Annie's father discovers that she and Jason have been secretly dating for months, he orders Annie to end all communication with him. In the end, Brody proves himself to Annie's father and their relationship earns his seal of approval. While characters are likable and the plot allows readers an all-access pass into the lives of professional athletes and their families, the numerous anf frank sex scenes between Annie and Jason make this a pick best suited for older teens.—Nicole Knott, Watertown High School, CT
Review
"Wow. This book. AMAZING! I'm going to try my best at putting words together to tell you how much I loved this book. I just want to scream at everyone and say READ THIS BOOK!! That should work right? LOL." - Raenell (Book Babes Unite)
"I'm so glad I found this one, and once again I'm reminded of my love for baseball players... there's just something about them! If you're looking for a wonderfully told romantic drama in the NA/YA genres, definitely grab this one as soon as you can. I'm positive you'll love it as much as I did!" - Jaime Arkin (Fiction Fare)
"An addicting and gritty story about family, friendships, falling in love, and choosing to follow your own path. Whatever Life Throws At You is a story that combined my love of sports, and YA romance in a way only one other YA author, Katie McGarry, has done." - Mundie Moms
"Loved this one! Great characters, great plot! I need me some Jason Brody!" - Princess Bookie
"I seriously almost typed "she knocked this one out of the park!" before catching the horrible baseball pun. How how about we just go with this was an awesome read! instead?" - Allison (Allure of Books)
"I'm so glad I found this one, and once again I'm reminded of my love for baseball players... there's just something about them! If you're looking for a wonderfully told romantic drama in the NA/YA genres, definitely grab this one as soon as you can. I'm positive you'll love it as much as I did!" - Jaime Arkin (Fiction Fare)
"An addicting and gritty story about family, friendships, falling in love, and choosing to follow your own path. Whatever Life Throws At You is a story that combined my love of sports, and YA romance in a way only one other YA author, Katie McGarry, has done." - Mundie Moms
"Loved this one! Great characters, great plot! I need me some Jason Brody!" - Princess Bookie
"I seriously almost typed "she knocked this one out of the park!" before catching the horrible baseball pun. How how about we just go with this was an awesome read! instead?" - Allison (Allure of Books)
Julie Cross is the International Bestselling author of the Tempest
series, a young adult science fiction trilogy which includes Tempest, Vortex,
and the final installment, Timestorm (St. Martin's Press). She's also the
author of Letters to Nowhere (8/13), a mature young adult romance set in the
world of elite gymnastics, as well as several forthcoming young adult and new
adult novels with publishers like Entangled, Sourcebooks, HarperCollins, and
St. Martin's Press/Thomas Dunne Books.
Julie
lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She's a former
gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former Gymnastics Program Director
with the YMCA. She's a lover of books, devouring several novels a week,
especially in the young adult and new adult genres. Outside of her reading and
writing credibility's, Julie Cross is a committed--but not talented--long
distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather
survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym
shoe addict. You can find her online via twitter, her personal website, email,
facebook, Goodreads, or co-moderating the YAwriters section of reddit.
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