A good book with a great message about one of my favorite sports. Story went a little deeper than I thought it would. All in all, would recommend.

Me: I'm really feeling over YA books right now.

Also Me: *binge reads four five-star YA books in a row*

This was excellent.

The ending is a fairy tale, and I still loved it. I loved Michigan (wished she hadn't kept her stiff upper lip as long as she did), and her brother Trent was the Best character in the book, hands down. The kid switched his number when she did so that they would continue having the same number.

I liked the reality of her team being disbanded, and how the team goes away into their separate paths, but reunites when they are needed again.

And I loved how it came full circle in the end, fairy tale though it was.

There are a ton of trigger warnings for assault, hazing, sexual harassment and sexual assault here. Please be gentle with yourself.

3.75 stars.

I did not know what i was going into, and thought it would be cute, fluffy and funny. But man. This was ...what can i say? This was very good. I was a bit worried for the 30% part of it, but i wanted to continue. Michigan is a girl who wants to play hockey, and wants to show that she`s good at it. Lots of drama, jerks, bullying, lots of emotions. I really felt for Michigan. As she said it "this girl got some balls."

I got this eARC from Netgalley

I will not be giving feedback on this book as I couldn’t really get into it but I think others may enjoy it.

I loved this hockey driven story. It’s such an excellent character portrait and was just such a thought provoking and heart wrenching story.

Me? Rating a sports book 5 stars? Okay, it’s happened before with Running With Lions by Julian Winters. And the All For the Game trilogy by Nora Sakavic. So I guess I do tend to like sports books if they have a good cast of characters. Michigan vs the Boys proved that point.

A big deal of the book focuses on the boys’ team hating the fact that Michigan joined their team (after her team was cut for budgetary reasons). Which was unfortunate because she’s a really good player, but because she’s a girl, she’s automatically seen as inferior in most of the boys’ eyes. Like they keep saying that women are more ‘emotional and prone to rages’ or whatever but who’s out trashing the streets when their favourite sports team loses? Who gets upset when a girl tells him “No”?

That really riled me up and annoyed me to high heaven. I attended an all-girls’ school from Gr. R to Gr. 12 so the only time I had to deal with boys in the classroom was in Drama (Gr.10 – 12). And even then I only liked 2 of them and either would sit by them or sit by the girls. I know for a fact that if my parents put me in a co-ed school I would be in the principal’s office at least once a week for fighting with the boys. I just had no patience for them! One reason why I never dated in high school (another because I was too busy reading to find time for a relationship 😆).


I kept wanting to reach into the book and throttle the boys or at the very least, check them into the boards (I checked this term with my friend who loves ice hockey 😄) – and check them hard so they stay out of the match. Like they ABSOLUTELY wouldn’t treat another male team member the way they treated Michigan – but because she’s a girl, she gets Gatorade spilled in her bag and is hit hard on the ice. I don’t even want to go on about all the times I wanted to shout at most of the boys. It would mean this review would be more than 5 thousand words, because that’s how much it enrages me. Avery Gardiner (the goalie) is like the only decent enough person on the team but even he doesn’t stand up to the others (but I believe he’s also a newbie, so that means he doesn’t quite have the same stature as the others).

Coach Henson (of the boys’ team) angered me so much. He played favourites all the time and wouldn’t listen to Michigan when she came to him with her concerns. He tells her he doesn’t want her playing a centre role because it’s ‘easier to hide you on the wing’ (the wing being her current position) when what he really means is that his ‘boys’ on the team don’t want a female player playing a centre position. Henson would rather keep the boys happy than be a stronger team. Oh! And also making Michigan SIT at the front of the bus and keeping a row between her and the boys… because she’s instantly going to give each of the boys a lap-dance, right? That’s how girls work?



Michigian’s relationship with her younger brother, also a player (but not at her school), was really sweet to see! It was quickly shown that they love each other and he supports her whole-heartedly – I was hoping that it would be like that and not ‘younger brother thinks she should stop because she won’t be as good as the boys’.

Michigan knows what she wants. She has goals set and she has her eyes set on the prize. I love that for her, for any character I’m reading. I want to know what they want. She’s very passionate about hockey and shows that clearly enough so we have no choice but to love her.

I sort of didn’t expect there to be a romance. I thought this would focus solely on Michigan and all that she has to endure. But there was a romance and it ended up being sweet and something I could root for.

As for her friends, I didn’t really think much of them. They did support Michigan and was there for her – but it just felt a bit lackluster, I think? Like I do get that they were all extremely busy, but I feel that the friends we were shown should’ve featured more? That’s just my thoughts. And I didn’t like Brie, her best friend, either. Too self-centred for my tastes.

All in all, it’s a really good book. Not only is it an important issue to speak about, it’s also great to see girls in sports! I definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for sports in a book, a character who knows what she wants, or maybe what not to do if you’re a guy and a girl joins your team.

Michigan vs the boys it's one of those books that will make you feel everything out there. As a woman, I can' stress enough how important this book is to me. It deals with athletes, sexism, harrasment, patriarcy, etc.... It explores what it means to be a young woman living in a men's world.
There are some trigger warnings so proceed with caution. I have to admit that sometimes it was a struggle to read the story because the abuse Michigan goes through is really detailed and heartbreaking. It impacted me in ways i was not expecting but it feels real and sad. The writing is beautiful and I like how the author handled such a sensitive topic. I can't say much else without spoiling the book but it's one that will stay with me for a really long time.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I love a contemporary teen book about hockey and especially a strong girl who plays hockey. Good read, teens will enjoy if they can get past a name like Michigan.

I had very high expectations for this, having seen a couple of other reviews before I read it.

I really liked this story. I loved Michigan as a character and how she was able to take charge of her own life. I loved how real it all felt, even when it came to the hazing stuff. It felt realistic and true, which made the reading experience a good one. The book is populister with a lot of characters, and I mean /a lot/, so many of them weren’t too fleshed out.

I felt a few times that the book reminded me a lot of Bear Town, but the set up is also somewhat similar with a small town hockey team, incredible pressure to perform and skate well. But the story is also different enough that it did not feel like I was reading the same story, and honestly I think they compliment each other rather well.

You don’t have to be a hockey fan to enjoy this book, because while hockey plays a big part, the story is ultimately one of growing up, believeing in yourself, standing up for yourself and finding yourself. It was so good and I really needed a good book.

I've got quite some complicated feelings about this; it was honestly a great book yet there were various parts where I was like ummm. This book was frustrating to read because I felt bad for Michigan and what she had to deal with. I know that was is the point but it doesn’t mean it’s easy to read about. I also feel like all the characters in this story just feel very basic and bland, I never connected with any of them. And Michigan’s love interest Jack was just too perfect and their romance just felt so insta-love. I could not really wrap my head around their love. I couldn’t root for their relationship. I appreciate the message this book brings. Also, the writing made me fly through it and there were some funny bits sprinkled here and there. With that being said this book was lacking character depth. The was overall enjoyable.

I was hoping to read this one soon and had heard some good reviews. But, I lost the arc of this 2019 netgalley arc. But I am hopefully reading a finished copy soon.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the advanced reading copy of Michigan vs. The Boys by Carrie S. Allen.

Michigan vs. The Boys is a story of toxic masculinity. Michigan is a young hockey player that’s girls team loses funding. Through hard work and determination she makes a place for herself as a teammate on the boys team. Michigan constantly has to prove herself to her teammates who think less of her.

Michigan is easy to relate to and her story is one that deserves to be told. The constant harassment she endured is incredibly frustrating and difficult to read about. From not being afforded the same luxuries as the boys on her team like an appropriate locker room to the abuse she faces from her team. Michigan shows her teammates and young readers (especially female) that their voice matters.

Michigan is fortunate to have a strong support system that not all girls in her situation have. She has a family that is as dedicated to her as she is to hockey. She has friends (mainly female) that take it upon themselves to be her protectors. She also has a boyfriend to confide in.

The ending doesn’t feel totally believable but I’m glad it’s the ending Michigan got.

This isn’t a book just for young adult readers but all readers. It opens your eyes to the injustice that young girls and women face on a daily basis when they fit into a space that’s thought of as for boys/men.

Carrie S. Allen weaves an incredibly well crafted story that it’s hard to believe this is her debut. I will read anything she writes in the future.

I love the idea of a female being able to play on the male team, and Michigan was such a great character! I'd definitely recommend this one for sports fans and contemporary readers.

First of all, let me tell you that I have never read a book so fast in my life. I love to take my time because I get antsy after a while and need to move around and focus on something different. I had this book done in 1 1/2 days. Literally a record for me. LOL.
Second of all, when I requested to read this book, I was NOT expecting the direction this Author went. I was so mad. Mainly because this is a reality for women around the world. However, it was a story that needs to be told. Over and over again. Michigan is strong and fierce. She handled herself so well. She is more than a role model for the girls in her story, so many girls in real life could take this story and run. Don't ever let a man tell you that you're incapable of anything. Dont ever let a man make you feel less than. And most certainly don't EVER let a man put his hands on you! Who run the world? GIRLS! 10/10 recommend this book!

I purchased this book for my library and did a read along with a student. The subject matter is hard, but we really enjoyed being able to talk with one another about.

An amazing book. The plot of a young
girl fighting against sexism and harassment. Michigan is such a well developed character. Though there were some intense moments within the book, I'm glad it wasn't softened or filtered. I'm guessing is a very realistic depictions of what women in sports deals with.

I went into this book expecting something along the lines of Beartown. What I got was so much more!

This is a book that will stick with you for awhile and I intend to recommend it to many.

I can't begin to say how much I loved this book. I didn't expect much though, and it exceeded all of them.
Michigan is such a heroine eeep. I love the determination and her passion of hockey. To get such punches and still continue would require some very great will power, and Michigan proved herself to all.
I think this book is full of hope and a message of encouragement to all women players who doesn't get enough exposure, who are shunned and not even given a chance. The theme played so well in this book and I absolutely loved it.
The book also has enough abuse that could co be triggering. It made me cry, no kidding. Michigan's hardwork and get struggles made me cry so much towards the end.
I love this book and it's beautiful and would wholeheartedly recommed!

I love hockey, so this book interested me right from the description. It reminded me a bit of Fredrik Backman's book Beartown, though the writing style was quite different.

One of my new favorites. This book didn't have a second where you weren't on your toes waiting to see what comes next!