March 6th 2018 by Aladdin
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline
Jalen DeLuca has been helping professional baseball player James Yager by telling him which pitches are coming. In return, JY tweets about how the "luck calamari" at Jalen's father's restaurant is what has restored his luck. The general manager thinks that what JY is doing is cheating, and once the player gets back to a comfortable position, he tells Jalen he doesn't need his help, especially since Cat, Jalen's friend and "agent", wants $10,000 per game for the help. JY offered $500. Jalen is also struggling on his traveling baseball team, where the coach's sons are horrible to him, and he doesn't get much play time. After one game where he does get put in, he gets scouted by another team, but he turns the offer down because there is not room on the team for his best friend. The restaurant continues to do well, but Jalen must work through issues with his "job" as well as his own baseball career, all while wanting desperately to find the mother who abandoned him.
Strengths: Jalen and Cat are a fun pair, and Jalen and his father's struggles with poverty and then a way out of poverty are realistic and gripping. There is plenty of baseball for fans of the game as well. The book ends on a cliffhanger, so book three must be in the works.
Weaknesses: The whole "baseball genius" thing seems forced to me, and I wish this were a stand alone.
What I really think: Definitely will purchase, although football and basketball books are still in higher demand.
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