Title: The Revenge Playbook
Author: Rachael Allen
First published June 16, 2015
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Rating: 3.8
Overview
Four high school girls from different worlds unite with a common goal – revenge. Liv is tired of the rumors that threaten her relationship with her boyfriend, while Peyton is done with being underestimated.
Melanie Jane is the gorgeous girl who breaks hearts, but she’s not invincible. Ana is the outcast who no one talks to after a party gone wrong.
They may have nothing in common, but they share a desire to teach the school’s football team a lesson. In a small town where football is king, the girls come up with a plan to steal the one thing that the boys treasure the most.
All they need to do is outsmart them at their own game. Join them on their mission for justice in this thrilling novel by Rachael Allen.
About the Author
Meet Rachael Allen, a scientist by day and a young adult author by night. She recently won the 2019 Georgia Young Adult Author of the Year Award and has written several books, including “Harley Quinn: Reckoning” (forthcoming, RHCB ‘22), “17 First Kisses,” “The Revenge Playbook,” “The Summer of Impossibilities,” and “A Taxonomy of Love.” Her book “A Taxonomy of Love” was even selected by the Junior Library Guild and was among the 2018 Books All Young Georgians Should Read.
Rachael resides in Atlanta, GA with her husband, two children, and two dire wolves. She loves homemade peach ice cream, traveling, and stories that allow her to immerse herself into another person’s world.
When she’s not writing, Rachael loves to read young adult novels and is represented by the talented Susan Hawk of Upstart Crow Literary. She once received writerly advice on a post-it from Laurie Halse Anderson, which was a dream come true for her.
Rachael is also an avid football fan and enjoys playing flag football, watching pro football (go Falcons!), and playing fantasy football with her family. She has even held a human brain before, but don’t worry, it was during anatomy lab.
While Rachael may write about fearless protagonists and rebellion against the establishment, she is admittedly a bit of a wuss when it comes to horror movies. However, she loves reading about strong female leads, anything STEM-related, neurodegenerative diseases, and makeover montages (though not necessarily all in the same book).
Some of her favorite authors include Laini Taylor, Raina Telgemeier, Becky Albertalli, Jason Reynolds, Aisha Saeed, Libba Bray, Kara Taylor, Elizabeth Acevedo, Adam Silvera, Nina LaCour, E. Lockhart, Nicola Yoon, Julie Murphy, and Sarah Dessen.
Editoral Review
The Revenge Playbook by Rachael Allen is a young adult contemporary novel that was first published on June 16, 2015. Allen is a well-known writer and editor whose works have been featured in various magazines and newspapers, including the New York Times and Teen Vogue.
In this book, she skillfully crafts a gripping tale of revenge, friendship, and resilience against the backdrop of a high school. The Revenge Playbook tells the story of four teenage girls named Liv, Caitlin, Peyton, and Trixie, who have all been wronged by the school’s football team.
The boys in the team are infamous for cheating and sexually exploiting girls, and their victims have no means of fighting back. The four girls eventually come together and hatch a meticulous plan for revenge.
The book follows their journey as they assemble their playbook, execute their plan, and deal with the repercussions that follow. Allen’s writing style is clear, concise, and engaging.
She deftly weaves together different perspectives and storylines, building tension and suspense throughout the book. The characters are all well-developed, each with their own distinct personality and motivations.
Liv, Caitlin, Peyton, and Trixie are strong, smart, and resourceful, and readers will root for them as they take on the school’s power structure. One of the strengths of The Revenge Playbook is its exploration of complex and timely themes.
The book tackles issues like sexual harassment, assault, and consent head-on, without shying away from the uncomfortable truths. It is a powerful reminder of how pervasive these issues are and the devastating impact they can have on individuals and communities.
Another strength of the book is its pacing. The Revenge Playbook moves at an engaging pace, keeping readers hooked from beginning to end.
The action is well-distributed throughout the book, building up to a satisfying climax without ever feeling rushed. Despite these strengths, the book has a few limitations.
The Revenge Playbook is primarily written from the perspective of the four female protagonists and does not give much insight into the motivations or thought processes of the male football players. It also has some predictable plot twists that may not surprise experienced readers.
Nevertheless, The Revenge Playbook is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary young adult fiction. It is a gripping and empowering tale of female friendship, resilience, and justice, with important messages that are all too relevant today.
It deserves a rating of 4.5 out of 5, and I would highly recommend it to any reader, particularly young women and teenage girls.
