Leverage, Joshua C. Cohen
Leverage, Joshua C. Cohen
3 Rating(s)
List: $22.95 | Sale: $16.07
Club: $11.47

Leverage

Author: Joshua C. Cohen

Narrator: Kirby Heyborne, Richard Powers

Unabridged: 13 hr 22 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/17/2011

Synopsis

Part Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger, part Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, this debut YA novel tells the incredibly powerful story of bullying and how—taken to the extreme—it can wreak havoc on the lives of teenagers.Kurt is a talented but emotionally damaged football player. Danny is a rising star on the gymnastics team, an outsider in a school where the football team rules. But the two form an unlikely friendship, and when one of the gym team is viciously assaulted by the quarterback and his cronies, Kurt rises to his defense and challenges the entrenched stereotypes of high school sports.Reminiscent of the early work of Markus Zusak, this is that rare book that authentically captures the voices, fierce loyalties, and harsh justice of teenage boys.

About Joshua C. Cohen

Joshua C. Cohen was a walk-on for the University of Wisconsin-Madison gymnastics team and, after college, danced professionally in both the classical and modern disciplines. Since retiring as a dancer, he has worked as an editor in the financial industry and is currently a senior SEC editor for Thomson-Reuters. He and his wife live in New York City.

About Kirby Heyborne

Kirby Heyborne is a musician, actor, and professional narrator. Noted for his work in teen and juvenile audio, he has garnered over twenty Earphones Awards. His audiobook credits include Jesse Kellerman’s The Genius, Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother, and George R. R. Martin’s Selections from Dreamsongs.

About Richard Powers

Richard Powers has published thirteen novels. He is a MacArthur Fellow and received the National Book Award. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Overstory, and Bewilderment was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Miriam still reading! on September 22, 2021

5 stars audio and story. Even though a lot of the parts pissed me the fuck off! Fucking hate bullying jocks and stupid fucking coaches who cover for them. Bastards!......more

Goodreads review by Marita on March 26, 2012

WOW, WOW, and triple WOW! This is the most intense and powerful book I have ever read, and I have read A LOT. When I heard it was a male version of Speak I thought I'd give it a read, especially since I'm writing something with a similar topic (although a very different story). But, this is so much......more

Goodreads review by Patricia on March 28, 2011

It is hard to know where to exactly begin... Joshua C. Cohen's debut novel is anything and everything BUT disappointing. I honestly cannot come up with a negative thing to say about this amazing, outstanding, one of kind, unique novel. There is so much to say about this book that I am going to have......more

Goodreads review by Nuzaifa on January 21, 2016

THE REVIEW - Visit wordcontessa.com for more reviews. One of the biggest misconceptions of anabolic steroid usage is that it is solely used by athletes as a performance enhancing drug. But in fact, half of the users of steroids aren't even athletes. These “mirror athletes” use steroids in order to ac......more

Quotes

“Sports novels don’t hit much harder than this…Well-drawn alternating perspectives…Sports fans will love Cohen’s style: direct, goal oriented, and filled with sensory detail.” Booklist (starred review)

“Cohen’s debut offers a timely look at bullying…The central tragedy is gripping, as is Kurt’s heartbreaking past.” Publishers Weekly

“This powerful novel is thought-provoking and well-written, and it’s about as dark and disturbing as YA literature gets.” School Library Journal

“A great read for the high school student or advanced middle school reader…Cohen writes very well in the perspective of the two high school students…The story is catchy and will keep readers interested.” VOYA

“Kurt and his struggles are heartbreakingly real, and readers will pull for him long after the story ends.” Kirkus Reviews

Awards

  • Booklist Top 10
  • Book Riot Pick
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