
TITLE: Dangerous Play
AUTHOR: Emma Kress
PUBLISHER: Roaring Brook Press
RELEASE DATE: August 3rd, 2021
GENRES: YOUNG ADULT FICTION—Contemporary
Blurb
A fierce team of girls takes back the night in this propulsive, electrifying, and high-stakes YA debut from Emma Kress.
Zoe Alamandar has one goal: win the State Field Hockey Championships and earn a scholarship that will get her the hell out of Central New York. She and her co-captain Ava Cervantes have assembled a fierce team of dedicated girls who will work hard and play by the rules.
But after Zoe is sexually assaulted at a party, she finds a new goal: make sure no girl feels unsafe again. Zoe and her teammates decide to stop playing by the rules and take justice into their own hands. Soon, their suburban town has a team of superheroes meting out punishments, but one night of vigilantism may cost Zoe her team, the championship, her scholarship, and her future.
Perfect for fans who loved the female friendships of Jennifer Mathieu’s Moxie and the bite of Courtney Summer’s Sadie.
Review
Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
I think Dangerous Play does an excellent job of spreading awareness about a lot of problems. The book touched on a lot of topics like sexual assault, rape, which were difficult to discuss but the author managed to bring out the emotions of the characters and their feelings regarding these topics in an impressive way. Also, I love how female friendships are being more and more represented in books and Dangerous Play does a wonderful job for it.
I loved how the main character, Zoe was written. She seemed like a normal girl who was neither perfect nor wrong but struggling through what life had given her, just like the rest of us. I enjoyed to read how a group of very different girls came together while forming the team of field hockey and how they stuck with each other till the end. Although the descriptions of field hockey games became a bit too descriptive, they added to the thrill of the games and showed how these matches impacted the lives of these girls on the team.
Overall, it’s a perfect blend of female friendships, sports, and just struggling through high school. I would definitely recommend it.
About Author

Emma Kress is a graduate of Vassar College, Columbia University’s Teachers College, and the Vermont College of Fine Arts’ Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program. An educator of over 20 years, Emma was a finalist for New York State Teacher of the Year in 2014. Before teaching, Emma worked in social services helping survivors of sexual assault. Now, she lives with her family in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Giveaway Information
Up for grabs, we have ONE (1) finished copy of Dangerous Play by Emma Kress. This giveaway will be open to U.S. residents only and will run from August 22nd to August 30th at 12 AM CST. To enter, click the link below!