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Waiting on the Sidelines eBook Ginger Scott

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Waiting on the Sidelines eBook Ginger Scott

3.5 stars -- Well crap. I can't even tell you how bummed I am right now. This book started off AMAZINGLY. Like, I stupidly started it at midnight (I know, but I couldn't get my brain to sleep), and then I proceeded to stay up til 4am reading -- THAT kind of amazingly. Like, amazingly enough that I gushed on Facebook about it. But little things that bothered me kept building up and building up until I was left with an ending that was so unsatisfying for me. I'm so sad right now. :(

OK, so we're going to sprinkle the good with the bad, b/c each aspect of the story had both for me.

Nolan was initially my kind of girl. I love reading about insecure heroines (I know, kind of weird, but I can relate). But she was so strong in other ways as well. And this was truly a coming of age story. She made some cringeworthy decisions at times, but it also felt authentic to a teenage experience (even if I don't want that to be true). She bowed to peer pressure on occasion, right from the very start...she wasn't immune to the horrible things other teenagers can say and do. I actually loved this part. Because you know what? Not every teen girl is strong and can brush that stuff off. Especially early on in high school. And I did get to see some growth there, she had strong moments and weak moments and vacillated between them in the way that often happens when a person is growing up. So while I *hated* some of the things she did (mostly wrt her romantic relationships), I initially forgave her because I expected growth and change. The problem is, I didn't quite get enough growth and change to satisfy me. Mostly wrt her relationship with Reed. So while I actually celebrated the growth we did see -- I adored the passion she developed with Nancy, and her memoir was beautiful -- it wasn't enough to make up for what ended up being a very unhealthy relationship that she continually pursued.

And that's where the major problem lies for me in this book. I ended up hating the romance. There were glimmers in the beginning that had me sooooo excited. I truly felt Nolan's crush on Reed, and I could even see his feelings for her. I found it so intriguing to read about Nolan's high school journey and how her relationship with Reed changed over those years. I kind of liked that it was initially unrequited, but that there was a strong friendship there. But at a certain point I wanted to see more of what was keeping them interested in each other. Again, I wanted growth and change, and I didn't quite get that. Reed had these glimmers of goodness, and the summer after sophomore year looked like it was going to be amazeballs! I had so many tummy tingles, and I had forgiven him for his teenaged choices earlier. I was just happy. I knew it wouldn't last, but I was not expecting what happened. Or rather, I sort of was, but this time I was disappointed (there had been some other predictable plot choices earlier on, but I was fine with them). The main reason I was disappointed was lack of communication. I *hate* when the whole reason things don't work is a lack of communication. It's so unrealistic to me that Reed wouldn't have yelled out the reason right away. Or that someone else wouldn't have told Nolan.

And at that point, the romance spiraled out of control for me. Not saying there weren't good moments, but it stopped being enough. Reed was a dick. I could forgive earlier moments, but when he continued to make horrible and hurtful choices without learning and changing, his apologies didn't end up feeling sincere. I felt like Nolan bent over backwards for him, and that's just not healthy. It made Nolan look a bit more doormat-like, and it made Reed more and more unredeemable.

(This paragraph might be a bit spoilerish, so please stop reading if you haven't read the book and still want to) I still held out hope though. I sincerely did. I vacillated between two major desires for an ending. I WANTED that redemption for Reed, or I wanted it to not be a HEA for Reed and Nolan. And I got neither. I actually was leaning more towards the second scenario, and then this book really would have been more of a coming of age. I wanted Nolan to realize that while she might love Reed, it wasn't healthy for her and it never would be. I wanted her to love herself more. I wanted her to go to College and find a better love, and know that Reed would be her first, but that she deserved better. BUT, if I couldn't have that, then I wanted Reed to understand that he needed help. Because he did. He was unhealthy. He had goodness in him, but he wasn't treating Nolan well. I at least needed him to truly change and make a grand gesture. A hat is not a grand gesture. And he should have been mortified that he had made Nolan believe she was at fault. I needed to *see* him change before I could give him another chance.

(OK, end spoilers) I enjoyed a lot of the secondary characters though. I found her best friends to be interesting, and I almost wish she had listened to them more (especially Sienna, she seems to have a good head on her shoulders). I really loved Sean (and eventually Becky), and that *really* pleasantly surprised me. And I loved most of the parents in this story. Nolan's were actually pretty good people, and pretty tapped into her. And then there was Buck. I wanted more from him for *Reed*, but I guess I can't say what kind of conversations they had since we never had Reed's POV. But I LOVED what he was for Nolan. He was a big pleasant surprise.

So yeah. A super strong start, but for me it was mired with an unhealthy relationship, an unredeemable hero, and too many problems that boiled down to communication. So, basically, bummer. And reading the bad reviews for the next book, it sounds like more miscommunications, so I won't be continuing on.


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Waiting on the Sidelines eBook Ginger Scott Reviews

Nolan has never really fit in the way other girls do. She’s not entirely without friends, but she’s not the eyelash-batting socialite defines most teenage girls. She’s a tomboy, prefers sporty to dressy, and enjoys her lower middle class life without worrying about what other people say and think. Until she meets Reed. In one day he sets her heart to fluttering and then sends it crashing to the ground, and he doesn’t have a clue. The next four years is an emotional roller coaster of friendship, insecurity, teenage angst, first love, mean girls, heartbreak, and growing up — and it’s just incredible.

Reed is every bit a teenage boy. He’s smart and clueless, ruled by his hormones and distracted by his heart, capable of incredible sweetness and unbelievable stupidity, and when I wasn’t hating him, I was absolutely in love with him. It’s obvious he cares for Nolan, first as a friend and then as so much more, but he’s just a kid, too, and he makes plenty of mistakes along the way.

It’s really not possible for me to sum up the story accurately, at least not in any way that truly describes how great it is. There are so many moments to love, and listing them all out here would just ruin the magic. But if ever there were a book that perfectly accounted for every bit of awkwardness and wonder that is high school life and love, Waiting on the Sidelines is it. Forget my review and just buy it, borrow it, read it over a stranger’s shoulder… Doesn’t matter how you get to it, but definitely read it. This just might be my favorite YA ever.
4 needed more backbone stars!!

I love everything Ginger Scott writes. I love angst. I love the friends to lovers story lines... it is one of my favorites. I really even loved this book. My biggest complaint is why can't our heroine have more of a back bone!!

Waiting on the Sidelines is a wonderfully sweet story of Nolan and Reed. It is their journey of friendship, heart break, growth, tough decisions, and young love. The supporting characters add so much to this story as well.

Nolan is a tomboy turned popular girl who is the quintessential girl next door. She is pure and innocent and quirky, and oh so likable. Lets not forget that she has outgrown her tomboyish looks and has turned into a beautiful young lady... one that seems to attract lots of male attention. However, the only attention she is interested is from the boy who seems not only out of her league, but completely off limits.

Reed has it all, the family name, money, popularity, athleticism, and of course good looks. He is the starting quarterback his freshman year. He has the most popular girl on his arm, and is generally just a nice guy.

This is a hard review to write because I do not want to include spoilers. I will say I love Nolan's personality. Her quirkiness, her friendliness, and especially how humble she is. However, just let me say the fact that she acts like little more than a door mat drives me insane. She is a girl, and as such shouldn't come with balls, but I wanted to scream at her to grow some man sized lady balls throughout the whole book.

I loved Reed, except when I hated him, only to love him again. He is quite irresistible... except when he isn't, then you just want to punch him in his perfect face.

This book kept me up through the night to finish. It is a great story... if you like angst... and can tolerate stupid boys, bullies, and a girl who needs lady balls!
3.5 stars -- Well crap. I can't even tell you how bummed I am right now. This book started off AMAZINGLY. Like, I stupidly started it at midnight (I know, but I couldn't get my brain to sleep), and then I proceeded to stay up til 4am reading -- THAT kind of amazingly. Like, amazingly enough that I gushed on Facebook about it. But little things that bothered me kept building up and building up until I was left with an ending that was so unsatisfying for me. I'm so sad right now. (

OK, so we're going to sprinkle the good with the bad, b/c each aspect of the story had both for me.

Nolan was initially my kind of girl. I love reading about insecure heroines (I know, kind of weird, but I can relate). But she was so strong in other ways as well. And this was truly a coming of age story. She made some cringeworthy decisions at times, but it also felt authentic to a teenage experience (even if I don't want that to be true). She bowed to peer pressure on occasion, right from the very start...she wasn't immune to the horrible things other teenagers can say and do. I actually loved this part. Because you know what? Not every teen girl is strong and can brush that stuff off. Especially early on in high school. And I did get to see some growth there, she had strong moments and weak moments and vacillated between them in the way that often happens when a person is growing up. So while I *hated* some of the things she did (mostly wrt her romantic relationships), I initially forgave her because I expected growth and change. The problem is, I didn't quite get enough growth and change to satisfy me. Mostly wrt her relationship with Reed. So while I actually celebrated the growth we did see -- I adored the passion she developed with Nancy, and her memoir was beautiful -- it wasn't enough to make up for what ended up being a very unhealthy relationship that she continually pursued.

And that's where the major problem lies for me in this book. I ended up hating the romance. There were glimmers in the beginning that had me sooooo excited. I truly felt Nolan's crush on Reed, and I could even see his feelings for her. I found it so intriguing to read about Nolan's high school journey and how her relationship with Reed changed over those years. I kind of liked that it was initially unrequited, but that there was a strong friendship there. But at a certain point I wanted to see more of what was keeping them interested in each other. Again, I wanted growth and change, and I didn't quite get that. Reed had these glimmers of goodness, and the summer after sophomore year looked like it was going to be amazeballs! I had so many tummy tingles, and I had forgiven him for his teenaged choices earlier. I was just happy. I knew it wouldn't last, but I was not expecting what happened. Or rather, I sort of was, but this time I was disappointed (there had been some other predictable plot choices earlier on, but I was fine with them). The main reason I was disappointed was lack of communication. I *hate* when the whole reason things don't work is a lack of communication. It's so unrealistic to me that Reed wouldn't have yelled out the reason right away. Or that someone else wouldn't have told Nolan.

And at that point, the romance spiraled out of control for me. Not saying there weren't good moments, but it stopped being enough. Reed was a dick. I could forgive earlier moments, but when he continued to make horrible and hurtful choices without learning and changing, his apologies didn't end up feeling sincere. I felt like Nolan bent over backwards for him, and that's just not healthy. It made Nolan look a bit more doormat-like, and it made Reed more and more unredeemable.

(This paragraph might be a bit spoilerish, so please stop reading if you haven't read the book and still want to) I still held out hope though. I sincerely did. I vacillated between two major desires for an ending. I WANTED that redemption for Reed, or I wanted it to not be a HEA for Reed and Nolan. And I got neither. I actually was leaning more towards the second scenario, and then this book really would have been more of a coming of age. I wanted Nolan to realize that while she might love Reed, it wasn't healthy for her and it never would be. I wanted her to love herself more. I wanted her to go to College and find a better love, and know that Reed would be her first, but that she deserved better. BUT, if I couldn't have that, then I wanted Reed to understand that he needed help. Because he did. He was unhealthy. He had goodness in him, but he wasn't treating Nolan well. I at least needed him to truly change and make a grand gesture. A hat is not a grand gesture. And he should have been mortified that he had made Nolan believe she was at fault. I needed to *see* him change before I could give him another chance.

(OK, end spoilers) I enjoyed a lot of the secondary characters though. I found her best friends to be interesting, and I almost wish she had listened to them more (especially Sienna, she seems to have a good head on her shoulders). I really loved Sean (and eventually Becky), and that *really* pleasantly surprised me. And I loved most of the parents in this story. Nolan's were actually pretty good people, and pretty tapped into her. And then there was Buck. I wanted more from him for *Reed*, but I guess I can't say what kind of conversations they had since we never had Reed's POV. But I LOVED what he was for Nolan. He was a big pleasant surprise.

So yeah. A super strong start, but for me it was mired with an unhealthy relationship, an unredeemable hero, and too many problems that boiled down to communication. So, basically, bummer. And reading the bad reviews for the next book, it sounds like more miscommunications, so I won't be continuing on.