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It's the Fall of 2000 and three female basketball players are looking forward to a bright future at the United States Military Academy at West Point.  Dani McNalley, a dynamo on the court and in the classroom, takes college by storm, easily breaking any stereotypes her classmates might have about an African-American woman's right to be at the prestigious institution.  Hannah Speer's gentler nature threatens to fold under the pressure of homework, sports practice, and military drills.  With God by her side, however, she knows that nothing is impossible.  An unbeatable athlete at her high school, Avery Adams is finding herself to be a small fish in a big pond.  Sure, she can attract a male (or ten) without the tiniest effort, but can she prove her real worth, on the court and off?  As the trio deals with a demanding coach, exhausting physical and mental strain, as well as the added stress of being female on a mostly-male campus, they come to rely heavily on each other.  They know the unbreakable bond they formed at West Point will be the one thing that sustains them through everything that comes next.

As adulthood creeps in, with jobs, deployments, and relationships getting in the way, the three struggle to stay close.  When tragedy strikes, however, they must come together to lift up one of their own.  Will the strength of their friendship carry them through or will their sorrow and grief tear them even further apart?

Since most of what I hear about West Point and women in the military concerns sexual harassment, I was interested to get a broader perspective through Claire Gibson's debut novel, Beyond the Point.  Although the author did not attend the college, she lived at West Point for a number of years while her father was on its faculty.  She also interviewed dozens of female soldiers about their experiences in order to get an authentic insider's view.  The result is a novel that pays powerful tribute to these brave, determined women who fight prejudice, ridicule, and sexism in order to graduate from military academies and serve their country.  It also riffs on themes like friendship, family, and faith.  Although I didn't feel super connected to any of the women at the core of this novel, I still found their various stories intriguing enough that I read all 490 pages of Beyond the Point without becoming bored.  In the end, I didn't love the novel, but overall, I liked it and felt like it was a valuable read.

(Readalikes:  Hm, nothing is coming to mind.  You?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Beyond the Point from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

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On September 16, 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Selective Training and Service Act into law.  While military conscription had occurred in The United States before, this was the first time it had happened during peacetime.  The law required all men between the ages of 21 and 35 to register for the draft.  As the probability of the U.S. entering World War II became more evident, the law was expanded to include all men between the ages of 18 and 45.  Females were not included.  

But what if they had been?  

What if women were not only required to register for the draft, but also allowed to voluntarily join the military and serve in combat roles?  What if they, like their male counterparts, were given the chance to prove themselves on the front lines during World War II?  How would it have changed things, both during the conflict and afterward?  

These are the questions asked in Front Lines, the first novel in a new alternate history YA series by Michael Grant.  In it, we're introduced to three ordinary women whose lives change irrevocably because of a 1940 ruling which allows them to enlist in the military.  Two years later, 16-year-old Rio Richlin, a farmer's daughter from California, lies about her age in order to sign up.  Not only does she want revenge against the enemies who killed her soldier sister, but she wants to do her part to serve her country.  Frangie Marr, a 17-year-old black girl from Oklahoma, wants to be a doctor.  It's a pipe dream, of course, but one she might be able to realize—to some degree, at least—by getting medic training and experience in the Armed Forces.  Besides, her family desperately needs the money she can earn as a soldier.  Knowing her double minority status will make her a particularly vulnerable target, Frangie signs up anyway.  Rainy Schulterman, an 18-year-old Jewish woman from New York City's Lower East Side, wants her chance to outwit the Nazis who are systematically murdering her people in Europe.  Training to be an intelligence officer is a challenging but fulfilling way to use her smarts against the seemingly unstoppable enemy.  

As Rio, Frangie, and Rainy make their way through enlistment, boot camp, advanced training, and war itself, they'll find challenges and difficulties around every corner.  Not only will they battle flagrant discrimination, but they'll also endure the pain, fatigue, fear, homesickness, and self-doubt that plagues every soldier.  Along the way, however, they'll discover the vast potential that lies within each of them—and the courage to unfurl it in defense of the country they love.

I'm always intrigued by World War II novels, especially those written for teens.  The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak, Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein, and Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys all stand out as excellent stories that bring the conflict, with all its inherent drama, to life.  Even among these titles, though, Front Lines stands out.  Its unique premise makes it different from the rest.  While the story itself may not be all that original, Grant keeps it exciting by throwing plenty of conflict into the characters' paths.  The front lines action doesn't begin until 3/4 of the way through the book, but the first 300 pages still managed to keep my attention.  More or less.  Yes, it feels long in places and no, it isn't as mesmerizing as I wanted it to be, but I still enjoyed Front Lines.  I'm looking forward to the next installment.

(Readalikes:  Reminded me of Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein; Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith; and Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for violence, blood/gore, language (no F-bombs—the word "fug" is used as a substitute), and sensuality/sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Front Lines by Michael Grant from the generous folks at HarperCollins.  Thank you!