Face-Off (Book One) [Kindle Edition]

Stacy Juba (Author)

Book Description

Stacy's adult mystery novels also 99 cents this week!  Head-to-Head, Skate-to-Skate, It's Winner Takes All! What might have been a dream come true has turned into a nightmare. Brad's twin brother T.J. has gotten himself out of the fancy prep school his father picked for him and into the public high school Brad attends. Now T.J., the bright light in his father's eyes, is a shining new star on the hockey team where Brad once held the spotlight. And he's testing his popularity with Brad's friends, eyeing Brad's girl and competing to be captain of the team. The whole school is rooting for a big double-strength win...not knowing that their twin hockey stars are heating up the ice for a winner takes all face-off. Equivalent to 110 pages in print form, the length is ideal for teens and middle-graders, as well as adults seeking a novella read. Also available as an Audible audiobook performed by Maxwell Glick. 

Re-issue of the hockey classic, originally published when the author was a teenager. This young adult novel has entertained thousands of young readers and appeared on many reading lists. Among its many honors:

- The Hockey Hall of Fame's Junior Education Program included Face-Off on its recommended reading list for the junior and intermediate levels.

- Best Books for Young Teen Readers: Grades 7-10 by John T. Gillespie - Recommended in the sports category.

Editorial Reviews

Review

• "Hockey fans will be attracted by the cover and held by the game descriptions, and those who like realistic fiction will appreciate the complexity of the boys' home life, with battling parents, hero-worshipping younger siblings and a father who expects too little of one twin and too much of the other. A good read for both proficient and reluctant readers." Booklist

• "Lots of action and emotional upheaval ensure that this will be a popular book for boys as well as girls. This reviewer's YA Book Review Group gave it nine points out of a possible ten for 'Good Read' status." VOYA

• "With lots of sports action, the book has appeal for reluctant readers." Kliatt

About the Author

Thousands of readers have been captivated by the books of Stacy Juba. Stacy published her first book, a young adult novel, at age 18 and she hasn't stopped writing since. She has authored books for adults, teenagers and children. Stacy has written about high school hockey players, reality TV contestants targeted by a killer, an obit writer who solves a cold case, teen psychics who control minds, teddy bears learning to raise the U.S. flag, and lots more. Her titles include Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim for adults; Dark Before Dawn and Face-Off for young adults; and The Flag Keeper and the Teddy Bear Town Children's Bundle for children.

Product Details

• File Size: 256 KB
• Print Length: 110 pages
• Publisher: Thunder Horse Press; 2 edition (September 6, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005LQ99F0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,402 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great sports novel for young readers! December 25, 2011

By Christina (Ensconced in YA) TOP 500 REVIEWER

Format:Kindle Edition

I received this book from Librarything in exchange for an honest review.

Apparently, this is a reissue of a book that was written when the author was only 16. I was very impressed with all the hockey lingo and thought it was very well done. The twins interaction and the difficulties with the parents were very real. I was moved by all the relationships and how they evolved over time.

I thought it was wonderful how the twins worked out a majority of their issues, but it almost seemed too easy for a long standing resentment, a fierce sibling rivalry, just to fade away. Of course, perhaps this is just the calm before the storm!

I enjoyed reading this book a lot, and believe that sports fans and younger readers will really like it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good read March 13, 2013

By Deja Love

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The plot was wonderful if you love hockey. I would recommend this book to any young adult looking for a good quick read

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Have the original. May 10, 2013

By canyonero44

Format:Paperback

Although I have not read the updated version; the original was awsome. Even if you are not a hocky fan you will love this book. I can't wait for part two.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars great book for the whole family April 13, 2013

By Laura Fabiani

Format:Audible Audio Edition

Brad and TJ are fraternal twin brothers who love playing hockey. Their father has aspiring goals for TJ attending an Ivy League university and therefore places him in a private high school, whereas Brad goes to the local public high school, until the family's financial situation changes, and TJ must now transfer to public school. All of this causes resentment on both sides, with TJ feeling pressure from his father to perform and Brad feeling he isn't as good as his brother. Things heat up when TJ becomes the new kid in Brad's school and is vying for captain of the hockey team. With their parents on the verge of a break-up and pressure mounting in the hockey rink, Brad and TJ will have to face-off and pull together to win.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this re-issue of a book initially written in 1992 by the author when she was sixteen and published when she was eighteen. The storyline and plot flow smoothly as the author builds the characters of two teens in the midst of problems both in the family and at school. The dialogue is realistic and the teens sound like teens, no surprise since the author wrote this when she was a teen. I'm not a hockey fan but I could easily see how much the author knows about hockey and the game, making it even interesting for a mom like me who doesn't have any kids playing the sport.

Maxwell Glick, the narrator, does a good job of changing tones when voicing all the different boy characters in this novel. I could distinguish the subtle pitch in TJs voice that was slightly different from Brad who was more of a hot-head.

This is a YA novel about hockey, family and brotherhood. This book is a quick read and ideal for anyone who likes hockey within a school setting or who just likes a good clean YA read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing YA story...great way to encourage boys to read March 7, 2013

By K. Eccleston

Format:Kindle Edition

Face-Off by Stacy Juba
Reviewed by Katherine Pegg Eccleston, YATR Reviewer

Face Off is the story of twin brothers who are dealing with high school, hockey, family, and growing up. It is a hockey story, but it is so much more than just a sports book.
Brad and his twin brother T.J. were attending separate schools until financial difficulties forced TJ to attend public school with his brother. The two boys are very competitive with each other and the sibiling rivalry is intense. Throughout the book, the boys learn how to be teammates and brothers.
I am a huge hockey fan, so the cover and synopsis of this book caught my attention right
away. The hockey scenes in the book were important but the book focused on the twins learning more about each other and themselves. In the beginning of the book, Brad and TJ could barely stand each other but by the end of the book they were working together and respecting each other both on and off the ice. I loved how the twins matured throughout the book and became confident young men.
I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. It's refreshing to find a YA book that focuses on a male audience. I can definitely see why The Hockey Hall of Fame's Junior Education Program included Face-Off on its recommended reading list for the junior and intermediate levels.

Disclaimer - I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars My Home Away From Home & Mera's YA Book List Review April 26, 2012

By N. K. Richards

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm a HUGE hockey fan, and it's not everyday that I get the opportunity to read about my favorite sport. When a great story line element is thrown into the mix--suspension--you can bet I will love it. I'm a new fan of Juba's, but it's like I've been reading her writing for years. What I like most about it is that she can make two POVs completely different. I find that hard to do in my own writing and I don't see it executed in many other books so well, but Stacy Juba has proven that it is possible. I also want to commend her on the dialogue. As one of the hardest things to do when righting YA, Stacy Juba really makes high school dialect seem normal, which, as we all know, isn't so normal at all.

The tension is real. That is the utmost truth. I've come across certain books and many high rated novels that I can never seem to get excited for. Half of the time I can't even figure out what the climax is about, mostly because it was such a let down. Face-Off was a little on the softer side for me, as it had no connection to my usual readings. Nonetheless, it was a special read and reminded me of how one's love for writing can start off so simple and blossom into something wild and unimaginable within years of experience and learning. It's a good message that Stacy Juba gives out, a rare one indeed that is neither present nor hidden in most stories. The climax was there and so in your face that you couldn't miss anything.

More About the Author

Thousands of readers have been captivated by the books of Stacy Juba. Stacy published her first book, a young adult novel, at age 18 and she hasn't stopped writing since. She has authored books for adults, teenagers and children. Stacy has written about high school hockey players, reality TV contestants targeted by a killer, an obit writer who solves a cold case, teen psychics who control minds, teddy bears learning to raise the U.S. flag, and lots more. Her titles include Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim for adults; Dark Before Dawn and Face-Off for young adults; and The Flag Keeper and the Teddy Bear Town Children's E-Book Bundle for children.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#69 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Suspense

#85 in Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense

#69 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Suspense

#85 in Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense