Players

To say this book is a page-turner would be an understatement. Set in a Catholic high school, the basketball team is determined to win the Miami All-City trophy. What should be an easy task, suddenly seems unattainable when new kid Noah is added to the roster. His moves are good, but his intentions aren't. After all, basketball isn't a one man show. When mysterious things begin to happen to his teammates--tampered medications, a gun in a locker, and the sudden departure of a key player--team captain, Corey, is the last to realize that Noah is behind it all. The book will keep you hooked up until the final buzzer, when Noah's launches a last ditch effort to get back at the squad. Joyce Sweeney certainly knows how to keep the reader engaged. --Reviewed By Kerry O'Malley Cerra

Players Book Review Players written by Joyce Sweeney, is an awesome book to read for all ages. Sweeney uses the innocence of a high school basketball team to show how one person's evil can destroy many lives if that person is not stopped. The themes of deceit, mistrust, and extreme competitiveness are recurrent throughout the novel. Many high school players want to be the best in their sport. They always want the spotlight to be on them. In Players, one of the main characters, Noah, is way too competitive. For example, Noah goes to great lengths to get a couple people off of his new basketball team just so he could have a starting position at his new school. The quote "You found out he was [gay]" (186) was said by Corey, another member of the team. Noah found out one of the starters on the team was gay so he blackmailed him. He told him if he didn't quit the team that he would tell everyone. In addition, Noah plants a gun in Luke's locker so Luke would get suspended and he could have the starting center spot on the team. Noah has a chronic lying disorder that is caused by his competitive nature. This eventually catches up to him. If Corey had just sat back and not done anything to stop this madman, Noah would have gotten away with this and ruined many lives. It is good to want the spotlight and to want to be the best, but tearing others down to build yourself up is never the right thing to do. During the time Noah is running around making everyone's life miserable, he is actually really nice to the people he is using. For example, Noah secretly becomes good friends with Corey's sister on the internet. He tricks "Renee" into thinking he is some goth freak which Renee happens to like. At the end of the novel Noah uses this trust he has with Renee to kidnap her and almost kill her. This causes her to have to go through therapy because of her "too trustful" attitude. It is a nice gesture to be nice to someone you don't know, but trusting them before you really know them can be a bad decision. In addition, Corey is also tricked by Noah. Noah gives Corey some pills before there first basketball game to give to Luke. Luke's neck is hurting. Corey, not even knowing Noah at the time, gives Luke the pills and thinks nothing of it. Luke faints during the first period. Corey's trust is misplaced when he does this. Corey knows that Noah really wants Luke's position, but doesn't think twice about giving him the pills. Being overly trustful to a new friend can be a dangerous thing. Anyone can relate to this novel because of the competitive nature in our youth and because everyone has trusted someone they shouldn't have. Everyone knows the old cliché "you can't judge a book by its cover". Noah put on a good act, but was eventually discovered. Finally, the novel shows how if we are not in control of our competitiveness, it can lead to harmful things.

great mystery although there are only a few major possibilities in this book it still keeps you socond guessing even after you think you know what's going on. even though the book is great from the beggining till the end, the ending is by far the best part of the book. i know, i know, the ending in a lot of mysteries are the best because you find out who or what did whatever and then you can recollect parts of the book and everything'll make since, but in this book joyce sweeney saves most of the action for the end of this book. you may not of heard about joyce sweeney before, but this book brings out the true genious in her.

Joyce Sweeney depicts perfectly the lives of 5 young, talented, athletic boys. They all have a goal; the All-City Championship. I play and enjoy basketball very much, and I like to read books about how to get better, biographies on players, and just books in general about basketball. This book was by far the most captivating and most enjoyable one to read. Players was so interesting and so real, I was drawn in and couldn't put it down. I would stay up late during weeknights and read. I've NEVER done that before. It even has adventure in it! Some of the parts were so thrilling I even got goosebumps. If you want a GREAT book about basketball, choices, life, and relationships, this is your book. I think I'll even read it one more time and experience it all over again!!

. . . to enjoy this book. But if you are one, you'll like it even better. When Noah, a transfer from another school, tries out for the Corey's school team, he seems like a dream come true -- a high scorer to complete the roster and help them win the championship. But Corey's best friend, Luke, suspects there's more to Noah than that. And by the time Corey begins to realize that Luke may be right, it may be too late to save the team . . . and Luke. Diabolical Noah is a great character -- just when you think he couldn't be any more horrible, he tops himself! But just as important are the relationships between the team members. And readers will find sinister plots, setups, and car chases enough to keep them turning pages until it's over. I read it in one night! Bet you will too. Also, check out Sweeney's Free Fall, for the same kind of exciting story.