The Perfect Shot

I must admit, I had not heard of this book before it appeared during a search for YA novels. The jacket sounded interesting, so I ordered it. I usually have stacks of books to read and this would have taken its place on the bottom. But something grabbed my attention as I read the flap once again: Alphin was not just telling the story of one young man's struggle to fit in, be a hero, and win the girl - like so many stacks of YA's. She was rambling through the back roads of lives and history, picking at scabs, and scars, and bones, unraveling tales and mysterious happenings through decades of lies, cover-ups, and misdeeds. I am always in the mood for a read that can't be put down - and this one is one of those! Its genuine, and brings all of us back to the place where "but for the grace of God go I." Where we need to understand that things are still not right in our world. Discrimination. What shame we still carry on our backs. I found a strong, daring, defiant young man in Brian. I would have wanted him for my son, my friend. He reminds me of a line from Ted Kennedy's eulogy for his slain brother, Robert, "He saw wrong and tried to right it." That is Brian. He wouldn't walk away. He couldn't walk away.

I read this book based on a student recommendation. What a welcome surprise. This author deserves much more recognition for her talent. I look at and read Young Adult books all the time, but I knew nothing of this book.The Perfect Shot is a wonderful look at teen life and the struggles human beings go through when dealing with a loss. This book is also an experienced look at the struggles young adults go through when trying to figure out what their place is in this world.The book does all of the above and accelerates the plot with a suspenseful ending that will leave the reader wanting to read whatever this author produces.This book is a gem of a Young Adult book. This is a definite must-read.I am now going to backtrack and read this author's other books, one of which is an Edgar Award winner.

I enjoyed the ending the first time I read this book, but since I've read more and more thriller books it seems as if you can see the ending coming from a mile away. Also, some of the subplots seem to move too quickly with out any real explanation so it leaves the reader feeeling unsatisfied and questioning the novel. Not a bad way to spend a lazy afternoon though.

This book was given as a gift for a young teenager. He indicated he enjoyed reading it. Always try to find age appropriate books for the holidays.

This book shows today's issues with the world. Unfair justice, racial discrimination. I couldn't put this book down. Brian has to go through many difficult choices in this book while learning new things among the way on how people are judged on how they look or act. Would recommend this to anyone.

I'm in 7th grade. It was a group book. I loved it. It was so good. I loved it sooo much that I finished it a week before we where supposed to! I got caught up in this book and couldn't stop reading. Elaine Marie Alphin wrote a AMAZING book!!

It was surprising at the end never would think it would be recks or Brian would get shot and couldn't play basketball

Summer reading for an 11th grader. Good book with a mixture of adventure and current issues. Delivered on time.

It isn't the best novel you will ever read, but it is pretty good for what it is, the author did her research about basketball and it shows and she also did it about history.A simple and easy to read story that has great attention to detail.