Fun & Meaningful | Book Review: The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen

“In this poignant and hilarious novel, Rachael Allen brilliantly explores the nuances of high school hierarchies, the traumas sustained on the path to finding true love, and the joy of discovering a friend where you least expect.

Don’t get mad, get even!

In the small town of Ranburne, high school football rules and the players are treated like kings. How they treat the girls they go to school with? That’s a completely different story. Liv, Peyton, Melanie Jane, and Ana each have their own reason for wanting to teach the team a lesson—but it’s only when circumstances bring them together that they come up with the plan to steal the one thing the boys hold sacred. All they have to do is beat them at their own game.”

Touchdown!!

(That header encapsulates the entirety of my football lingo).

The Revenge Playbook has everything I want in in a YA contemporary: awesome friendships, lightness with depth and tingly romance. I absolutely LOVED this book.

The story is told in a “back in time” and “in real time” format. “In real time” involves four girls – Liv, Ana, Melanie Jane and Peyton – participating in a crazy scavenger hunt and the “back in time” tells the events that led to the girls meeting and performing the hunt.

The book also rotates perspectives between the girls. Each has their own unique voice, and I enjoyed what each one added to the story.

More so than any YA novel I’ve read this year, The Revenge Playbook focuses on female relationships. What each one means to the other and how their lives interconnect is the real focus of the story.

Plus, how the girls try to right wrongs their town has caused by worshipping their football team is such an important and needed message. Super amazing girl power, all around.

Don’t get me wrong – there’s some romance at play in the story for sure, but it isn’t the driving force behind the plot, and I appreciated that so much.

The Revenge Playbook is also just FUN! It has revenge and laughter and an epic scavenger hunt!!!

I loved the story, characters and theme. They all worked together so well to create something moving and special.

OVERALL::

If you enjoy reading about female empowerment, besties, crushes and silliness, look no further. The story is both fun and meaningful. I wholeheartedly loved The Revenge Playbook, and I highly recommend it to lovers of YA contemporary!