This was a cute story at its heart. I enjoyed the main cast of characters and the plot progressed well throughout the story.

This was such a thoughtful, moving, well-developed exploration of gender, sports, sexuality and friendship—a story at times raw but ultimately empowering.

Sorry, but this book is too violent for me. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

A great story of a lesbian athlete slowly working through her anger issues and confronting her own views on misogyny, while showing her small rural town that girls should be able to play on the football team with the boys.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This story is set in rural Oregon where life revolves around ranching, church, and sports. Mara lives to play basketball and is kicked off the team for aggression, and her only way back to being on the team is to prove to her coach that she can play a team sport without fighting. To prove herself she tries out for the football team and is joined by four other young women. An engaging story that explores the harassment the women face by their fellow male football players, and coming to terms with your sexuality when it does not fit with your parents and communities expectations. An achingly relatable story.

Wow. Wow wow Wow. What a great story!

I will be the first to admit I did NOT enjoy the beginning. I’m not sure why, I just personally found it difficult to engage. But I’m so glad I stuck with it! This story is first and foremost a girl empowerment story. What happens when one girl inspires 4 others to play football? This book happens. I love that Mara struggles and tries so hard to separate herself from the girls by consistently saying “I’m not like them.” We obviously know that she’s going to learn to rely on her female teammates, but the love and respect she gains for them is inspiring. I also fell in love with Mara and her journey of self acceptance in this book. I can’t wait to share another girl centered sports story in my classroom!

I’m so happy this book exists and kids growing up today have so much great representation in their books! Growing up queer is tough, and I really appreciated the lens of this story.

Mara was our typical annoying highschool mail characther but her growth alone will get this book 5 stars. I ABSOLUTLY loved it.

Did I enjoy reading this book? Yes, I did. Did I enjoy that there were representation in their book? Yes, I did. Did I enjoy reading about heavy topics discussed in this book? No, I did not. I understand that we all go through things as we grow up. But lately, more and more books are discussing heavy topics that I need to decompress. I really don't need to be attack while I'm trying to escape from the world.

This is truly an underrated gem! A stand out YA contemporary!

When Mara is kicked off the basketball team for a fight, her coach gives her an ultimatum: join and play a fall team sport without fighting and she can rejoin the basketball team for the new season. Volleyball is the only fall sport with a female team, but that's not really Mara's style. So, she decides to go out for the football team instead and sparks a movement of female-empowerment that she most definitely didn't intend. All Mara wants to do is play football, not make a political statement. But, as the season plays out, Mara's preconceived notions surrounding gender, sexuality, and friendship are all flipped on their head.

There was so much to love about this story. Mara is a relatable, flawed character who I found to be very realistic and true to her age. I loved seeing her character growth throughout the story as she learns how to be herself in her own skin, stand up for herself, while also learning that she's not always correct and that all the girls around her are actually just as awesome as she is.

I also thought the romantic elements in this story were so sweet. There's some major enemies-to-lovers vibes in this story which I loved!

I also appreciated that the HEA in this book didn't include Mara coming out. In queer YA contemporaries, it seems there's always a scene of the main character coming out and, even if there are obstacles, being better off for it in the end which... isn't always realistic for many people. It was a breath of fresh air seeing this middle ground of an HEA that was more like a "happy for now" which didn't necessitate the character coming out to her parents and everyone in her town.

While the whole premise is learning that she is like other girls, the amount of "i'm not like other girls" in this book was so annoying. There is so much stereotyping and either/or stuff in this book. Would love more queer female sports books like this but this. wasn't great.

after getting into a fight with another player, mara’s status on the basketball team is in jeopardy. to prove to her coach she’s a team player, she has to join another team sport. so she decides to join the boys’ football team—she’s always been one of the boys anyway. but her actions inspire four other girls to join the team. which kicks off a movement she doesn’t want to be part of. because she’s not like them.

this book perfectly captures coming of age.

because coming of age is realizing the boys you’ve grown up with might not be who you think they are. that they are no strangers to toxic masculinity, and you being a girl makes you a target. that your best friend isn’t who you see him as, but maybe just an ass.

it’s realizing that you’re not without blame yourself. that you’ve spent your life with an internalized misogyny that you learn to unpack and you realize the girls you hold yourself apart from aren’t so bad at all. that standing with them is something you can be proud of.

coming of age is having a plan to come out later in college, but that plan shaking up. it’s finding a queer mentor for the first time and seeing the person you can be. it’s knowing there’s a future for you out there. that you can survive the now, because they were you before. and they made it.

it’s learning that the home you’re so desperate to leave might be home a little longer. that staying where you are can let others know that they have a place here. that they don’t have to leave to find themselves. to come of age as you are, where you are.

i loved this book. it’s everything i love about queer ya contemporary. sports and character development and an unlikely love interest.

and hey siri, play the man by taylor swift.

cw: homophobia, violence, underage drinking, sexism, bullying, sexual assault

I liked this but there were times when Mara was annoying and the plot was a bit over the top. Mara's mom made me incredibly sad because I've known people like her. I really liked how Mara went from having virtually zero female friends to having a little gang of them.

Wow. I wish I could have read this book as a teen—there weren't many openly and wonderfully queer books like this out back then. Will be recommending it to those who love sports and books that address internalized misogyny.

sadly, before i could download this title, netgalley took it off their catalog. that means i can’t review this one. HOWEVER, i will be checking in with my library to see if i can get a copy and review it that way

I really enjoyed this book, with it's character growth and plot development, it was a win for me. I found myself not wanting to put it down, just needing to devour more and further myself along in the story. All in all, definitely one I would recommend - I loved it.

Absolutely adored this. We need more butch lesbians in queer YA, and this one also took on internalized misogyny in a way that felt so poignant and necessary. Will highly recommend!

A beautiful story that touches on strong topics many high schoolers deal with. Sexuality, self-identity, body image, and peer pressure. Can I just say, WOMEN RULE? I love how the Elkhorn Five became the biggest thing in their small town. Women must always stick together. I love how Mara comes to realize that. She learns that she's just gotta accept herself for who she is, and the right people (*cough Carly cough*) will come by her. Some of the characters I just wanted to slap. Like, I understand the town they live in is very religious and are not as progressive, but I mean COME ON. Really loved the ending though, so the frustration definitely keeps you on your toes for a happy finish. A MUST READ!

LIKE OTHER GIRLS was an...interesting read. We have our queer protagonist who has anger management issues, and rather than taking the reader through a journey in which Mara (the MC) realizes how her anger issues may be dangerous/more than they seem, we get her self-justifying every punch, tackle, and imagined violence to other people. Granted, this makes Mara more realistic, but also it just turned me off. It could be a great read for other people - I just personally don't enjoy the gratification of violence.