I really wanted to like this because I was so intrigued by the setting and world of that time ... but the characters were so unlikeable, and the action was slow.

I really enjoyed getting to learn about Effa Manley and read this fictional book about her. It was written well and enjoyed the overall feel of the book. I was invested in what was going on and thought the overall feel worked in the genre. I enjoyed the way Kaia Alderson wrote this and left me wanting to read more. It uses the baseball element in a way that worked and thought it was a great element to this.

I love baseball and learning about women history should have remembered. I was so excited to read this book for those reasons, and it unfortunately fell flat for me.

There isn't much baseball, and I never understood why Effa liked baseball at all. This YA book is extremely heavy on the telling with no showing to even hint at backing up the telling. For example, the book opens at a baseball game with Effa not caring what's happening on the field until she happens to catch a homerun ball. Then we are told she falls madly in love with baseball at that exact moment. But her actions suggest she loved the attention of catching the ball, not the sport. And baseball doesn't really come up again save a few mentions until halfway into the book.

The writing is extremely confusing, which makes getting to know Effa's character quite difficult. One example: We read marrying her husband "was, hands down, the smartest thing Effa had ever done." And four sentences later, we read, "But at the same time, she was convinced that she made a huge mistake" in marrying him.

Reading about Effa on the Baseball Hall of Fame's Web site is far more informative, I thought, about what she contributed to the sport, what she accomplished and why she is an inspiration. I really didn't learn much about her by reading this book, and the lack of baseball really was disappointing to me. Plus, the YA writing and confusing storytelling made finishing the book a struggle, unfortunately. Maybe I'm not the target audience.

I received a free advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The description, title, and cover all led me to believe that the focus of this book would be Effa's role in the world of baseball. However, it wasn't until halfway through the book that the sport became a central part of the story. I found Effa a more sympathetic character during the second half of the book, as she tried to make her way in a man's world. During the first half, though she got involved in fighting for the rights of others, getting her name in the papers for her efforts seemed to be of equal importance to her as effecting change. That made it hard for me to root for her. And while baseball had a smaller than anticipated role in this story, romance had a bigger part. I did not enjoy wondering whether Effa would prove unfaithful to her husband.

Thank you to William Morrow and to NetGalley for the early read.

Effa Manley's story told in In a League of Her Own was one I was not familiar with before reading this novel. Alderson did a very commendable job bringing her struggles and the time period to life. While I think there are some edits that could be done to help with pacing, I found the topic very interesting and appreciate this novel for diving into a less covered time and audience in history.

Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for a chance to read this book before publication in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED Sisters in Arms so I was so excited to read In A League of Her Own by @kaiawrites

At first, I thought it started out slow but in the end I really enjoyed this book and the writing. Effa was a very ambitious woman who had big dreams in a man power world. She was a woman of color who faced discrimination because of gender and race, but that didn’t stop her from accomplishing what she set out to do! She had the courage to fight for women of color in hopes of employment and fair treatment for them. It was a very empowering book and shows what the world was like In the early 1900’s as a woman.

If you love books based off real women who made an impact, read this one! Fun fact: She was the first woman to be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame. 3.5/5 ⭐️

When I first heard Kaia Alderson was coming out with a new book I was so excited because I loved Sisters in Arms. I really wanted to love this book as much as her first, I mean woman empowerment and baseball how perfect? The pacing was just a little off for my liking. I'll admit I had never heard of Effa before reading this book, and I do think the reader really gets to know her throughout. That being said I felt that the book was an easy quick read and I did enjoy it. It just wasn't necessarily what I was expecting. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Thank you @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the eARC of In a League of Her Own by @kaiawrites in exchange for an honest review!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 In a League of Her Own brings a whole new love and appreciation for baseball. I will admit that I had never heard of Effa Manley, the first and only woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, a female entrepreneur ahead of her time and a civil rights activist. I am eternally grateful for this beautiful book written by Kaia Anderson so that I could have a proper introduction and deep dive into Effa Manley’s life! And what a remarkable life it was. The journey back into the past is remarkably written and gives an honest look at what was like for black people at this time. In A League of Her Own is a fantastic read and a wonderful journey through a deserving history that is not represented enough.

4.5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram well ahead of publication!

DNF at 22%

I’m not saying this is a bad book because it has A LOT of potential, which is why I rated it 3 stars even without finishing it!

I wanted to love this one so bad, especially with all of the black women power AND baseball. However, I wasn’t a fan of the pacing. I felt like things were skipped over and rushed along. The timeline jumped around a little too much for me to comprehend. I think this may just be a me thing, but I caught myself skimming the paragraphs in hopes that the plot would grab my attention. Also, what little of the romance that I read felt very rushed to me. And I really didn’t connect with the relationship because I didn’t have time to get to experience them getting to know each other.

I just don’t think I can get past the pacing issue, but I feel like this is going to be the right book for so many people!

Please give this book a shot because it’s going to be someone’s next favorite book.

Thank you to Kaia Alderson, William Morrow, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest voluntary review!

DNF @ 30%

Unfortunately I think this is a case of “not necessarily a bad book, just not the book for me”
I picked up this book under the assumption that it would be mainly about baseball. However, 30% into this book and there really hasn’t been any development in that story line and honestly not much happened at all. I think the pacing just wasn’t what I was looking for. It was told in short segments that didn’t add a whole lot to the plot and didn’t really keep my interest. I did think it was well written I just wasn’t invested enough to finish the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the ARC

In a League of Her Own by Kaia Alderson
I received an eBook ARC to read and review and to give my honest opinion of.

First, I first learned of this book in the back matter of "Sisters in Arms" which is also written by Kaia Alderson. I knew I wanted to read it, and hoped it would be put on NetGalley. Yeah, it was.

Okay. to the review.

This book was quite good, but it wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting more about Effa and being a female baseball owner. of a Negro League team. So much of the time was spent with Effa wishing she were still making hats. It turns out, Effa did a fair bit of advocating for the Black women of her time. Trying to help them get hired at the stores in their neighboorhoods where the shite owned stores were...

The story of her second husband, Abraham Manely is woven throught the book. There are some things that seem not quite finished about that relationship.

There is a scene near the end of the book that you'll want to watch out for if like me, violence against women can trigger your PTSD.

I do recommend thsi book for reading. It's worth it.