I loved this! The combination of a queer coming of age story with a little secret romance and a lot of community support is perfection. This book combines the angst of being a teenager and feeling out of place with the desire to hold on to things that no longer fit in a way that is incredibly relatable. I love this friend group so freaking much. I couldn't keep all the football players straight, and definitely not the theater kids, but that feels like a feature and not a bug. The way Grace names people thinks like tarot let me know she struggles to keep everyone straight too. There are some tough parts to this book, but thats true of life, especially when you're trans. This is such an impressive debut, and I look forward to reading more from Zeller in the future.

I enjoyed this book but I also have a few mixed feelings too. I thought it was a very realistic in it's portrayal of both the teen experience and the trans experience. I REALLY appreciated all the nuance that was acknowledged in this book. I also really appreciated the small slights the trans main character experienced that felt true to life. Sometimes queer books love to feature on big powerful moments of bullying, prejudice, and discrimination and this book has some of that, but it also does a great job of showing how all the every day little things that the people around you do, even those with good intentions, can chip away at you.

My mixed feelings about the book are mostly about how unlikable the MC is. I don't think she started out unlikable at first, but the further into the book we went, then less I liked her and the less I wanted to root for her. I'm not totally opposed to unlikable main characters, however, I find myself approving of unlikable characters in lit fic more than any other genre and I feel like that's because those stories are less likely to be about the individual characters and their arcs and more likely to be about bigger sweeping statements and commentary on humanity, society, etc.

Of course real people are as complicated as Grace is in this novel so I can absolutely forgive her flaws, but contemporary YA novels are often made up of generous doses of idealism and fantasy (in the not real life sense, not the wizards and dragons sense). Deviating from this norm isn't inherently bad, more something I'm not really used to which probably detracted from my enjoyment more than I would have liked it to.

That being said, there's also something a bit refreshing when all the characters have a flaw or two.

And I would say that the character development here is good. And not just for our main character. Even the characters who had really small roles and little to no development felt genuine, such as Grace's father.

I also want to complement the pacing of this book which was PERFECT. The story unfolded with timing that was interesting and not too predictable.

I recommend this for those looking for sincere queer stories.

CN. Transphobia, Homophobia

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

I am a simple trans gal. You show me a new book with a trans character and I want to read it. If only they were all as good as One of the Boys.

Grace Woodhouse is a high school girl relatively recent to her transition. Last year she was the star kicker of the football team, but she was incredibly unhappy with where she was at. When her old teammates ask her to rejoin the team her already complicated school year becomes even more complex. Thankfully, she has friends, new and old that have her back.

This book destroyed me in so many wonderful and positive ways. I was beyond moved by the support and defence Grace receives from the majority of the people in her life and welled up a number of times.

My somewhat guarded gushing about this book led to an amusing exchange that made me stop and think:

Brina: Third of the way in and loving it. It's a little nicey nicey, but we're allowed that as a treat.

Willow: Love that we see pleasant things as a cheeky treat lmao

Like, this is such a good point. We are allowed to have books about trans characters that are positive and fun. Sure, Grace experiences transphobia, homophobia, and other trials and tribulations over the course of the book, but this is a narrative about her finding her own feet and her kith and kin that support her, and that's beautiful.

An incredibly easy to read YA novel with so much heart and a brilliant exploration of a trans experience.

Wonderful stuff!

I loved this book! The characters strength and resilience were beautiful to read. As a native upstate/western/central New Yorker I loved all the local references too! It also resonated with me as a trans person that has done things that were typically thought of as something that only people of my assigned gender at birth do.
I listened to the audiobook version and liked the voices the narrator used for the different characters.

*4.5
I received this arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. It sounded good, but sports books are usually a hit or miss for me. What I did not expect was how much I absolutely loved it. As a trans masc person, I both saw myself in grace, while also learning more about the experience of trans women. This book felt like a sucker punch, in the best way possible.

Something I absolutely need to mention is the use of 2nd person narration in some chapters. It is something that is so hard to do right, but when it is done right it is done well. I have only ever seen 2nd person narration used well once before, but damn was it used well in this too. it had the perfect effect of feeling like Grace could be you, and and made you feel like you were in her shoes a lot more, even if you were not a trans woman. This was probably one of my favourite things about this book, and I absolutely loved it

Last I have to mention the narration. The ARC I received was specifically an audiobook ARC, and I am so grateful that it was. Jen Richards did an absolute amazing job at embodying Grace. I also adored that they actually chose a trans woman to be the narrator for this. It was really great.

This was a great dive into a YA sports book. I loved how there were people with a wide range of reactions to Grace playing football to showcase the good, the bad, and the ugly. There are not enough books that address Trans athletes. Seeing Grace early in her transition and wanting to be there for the team she played with for three years prior really showcased how trans athletes just want to play the game.

I was actually surprised how much sports terms and plays were in the book. I've read several sports books that you really don't need to know the game to understand. It didn't impact my understanding too much, I just don't have a particular interest in football. That was no reason to rate it lower and was my only issue (but that's a personal issue, LOL).

I would recommend this read, and the audiobook was very good. Grace is a lovely person who I rooted for the whole time!

I didn't expect to enjoy a book ostensibly about American football (a sport which I, a non-American, could not really care less about), but boy, am I glad I stuck around. I really enjoyed listening to this as an audiobook and felt that Jen Richards did a great job conveying Grace's thoughts and feelings in a realistic-teen-girl way. I found Grace's character especially compelling, and I truly felt for her as she struggled to balance her old life and the comfort of playing a sport she was good at with the people she was (mostly) used to with her new life and friends while remaining true to her identity. While the beginning of the book was pretty football-heavy and a little dry for my taste, what really got me interested a couple chapters in was the exploration of Grace's journey (including her former relationship) up until that point and the introduction of her ex to the story. I thought the exploration of Zoe's sexuality really fleshed her out as a character and added depth to the story overall, and there's nothing I like better than a coming-of-age story mixed in with ANOTHER coming-of-age story. I especially resonated with Grace's desire to just be left alone to play ball and help out her team, and I felt that that sentiment rings true to the trans experience (at least for me): what we so often want the most is to be free to live our lives the way we want without feeling like we're being scrutinized under a microscope.

This was such a powerful book. Absolutely loved it. Levine Querido is an amazing publisher--I have loved every book I've read from this publisher.

I listened to One of the Boys by Victoria Zeller while road-tripping last week and really enjoyed it!! I don’t have the experience of being trans or especially with being a trans athlete, so this book was very eye-opening for me regarding the details and experiences of what that is like (or at least could be like as I wouldn’t think any two experiences are exactly the same). It also did a great job of keeping the same aspects of high school, and that age in general, that many people can recognize and relate to. Thank you to RB Media for the advance listening copy!

I also thought the narration and audio production was also done well and had no issues listening to it!

This was really good. I really enjoyed the main character and the group of friends. I enjoyed the plot too. I almost felt like I was back in high school. I really could picture it all. It wasn't always easy to read but even those parts were great. Friendship was really at the core of this book and they were so layered and I could feel it all. It was quite a short book and I was captivated from beginning to end. I also liked the different family dynamics. I also enjoyed the football aspects, it was such an original take on the sport and I loved seeing it through that angle. So, yeah, this was such a good debut and I'm looking forward to reading more books by Victoria Zeller.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

4.5 stars

One Of The Boys is the debut of Victoria Zeller, and a fantastic one at that. Now, admittedly, I am the furthest from being a football fan, so some of the more technical football moments during the games eluded me a bit. BUT that being said, I really enjoyed the story here. Grace's story feels so real, raw, and genuine. It's a realistic depiction of transitioning and being a teenager. I really loved how the author pointed out the frustration of the conversations around "what do you identify as?" when Grace is simply a girl. That is such a real experience as a trans person that seems small on the outside, but is a much bigger frustration on the inside. It points out the issues in many conversations us trans people have with cis people, even if they are well meaning. Overall, I really enjoyed this. Grace's story is a journey of transness, self-discovery, and self-acceptance. I honestly feel that so many people could read this and find something that resonates with them.

I listened to the audiobook for this, and it was amazing! I really love when we get trans voices actors for trans stories. It adds an extra level of authenticity to the reading experience. Jen Richards really knocked it out of the park with this one (not me over here using a baseball metaphor for a book about football).

I really enjoyed One of the Boys. There are a lot of books about finding yourself again as a member of the queer community but so few about the trans athlete experience. Victoria Zeller did a fantastic job combining the two. There was a lot of football speak that I didn't understand but I found it interesting and refreshing. (Some books are windows, after all.)

I didn't really care for this. The actual story was great and I loved the characters but I didn't care for the writing style. I also found this to be pretty unrealistic. I wish this was how things were but unfortunately the world we live in isn't nearly this nice. I will say this novel is definitely needed right now.

There are so many feelings that will sit with you while reading this book. For me, there were moments where the pacing lagged, but with this we also see the vivid depth of Zeller's characters. She has given us a wonderful mixture of fierce, heartfelt advocacy and teen rom-com goodness.

I really love how Zeller writes for the young adult audience. YA voice can be silly and full of attitude, but there is also an underlying steadiness and maturity that is hard to put into words. Zeller nails it, and Jen Richards' narration is simply phenomenal.

One of the Boys follows Grace Woodhouse as she enters her senior year of high school after finally transitioning.
A former kicker on her high school football team, Grace is now just trying to figure out how to be a girl in a world that thought she was a boy for the last 17 years.
Boys shows our main character (a presumably white AMAB) grapple with suddenly having her privileges ripped out from under her. The story does a fantastic job showcasing how choosing not to care about politics is a privilege and demonstrating how different lived experiences can be when you're suddenly a minority.
Boys deals with issues such as the idea of passing, attraction after transition, gender norms, growing as a person, and the strength of found family.
Including a tearjerking "oh captain, my captain" scene, Boys is a coming of age sports story every teen should read. Absolutely beautiful and highly recommend.

This was such a good audiobook. The moment I started listening to it, I couldn't stop. Victoria Zeller crafted a captivating story and Jen Richards did such a wonderful job with narration.

Thank you NetGalley and RBmedia for letting me listen to this for free!

Thanks to RBMedia and Recorded Books for the audioARC of this book.

This book deals with the aftermath of a high school (American) football player coming out as a trans girl, and her choice to keep playing.

Being an openly trans girl in a macho sports environment isn't easy, but Grace has great friends, teammates and classmates who stand up for her. That was the best part about this book for me; how her friends and acquaintances come together to show their support, again and again.

There are some hurdles and transphobic comments Grace has to deal with, but most of the people around her are Good.

The football scenes were very long and descriptive, which was pretty boring for someone who hasn't seen a single football match and does not understand the rules at all.

Grace was not always Grace, to the outside world. But inside she always was. When she transistioned she decided that she was going to leave all the "boy" things behind and focus on who she is on the inside. But what she failed to realize is that she was a football player down to her very soul.

One of the Boys has got to be one of the most moving YA books I've read this year. Ms. Zeller brought to life the struggles that a young trans woman would need to deal with if she were a football player in today's world. The struggles that Grace goes through are real, raw, and well brought to page.

Jen Richards did an exceptional job reading this book and putting feeling behind the amazing words that Ms. Zeller put to page.

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

There were a lot of high moments in One of the Boys. Graces' dedication to her sport and her team, her unwillingness to further compromise her self while navigating the world she used to be in and the one she is in now. Grace and her newly out trans high school athlete experience go through all the standard high school troubles, just with her own layer. There are parties, ex's, jerks and friendships that come and go.

This was a very cute YA book and Grace was both likeable and a realistic character. The author handled discrimination in a real way and didn't shy away from the harsh experiences Grace goes through. I'd solidly recommend this being in a middle/high school library shelf.

Thanks to Netgalley for an early ARC, all thoughts are my own.