I'd heard so many good things about Winger, that I ran out and picked up a copy. Ryan Dean West (who plays wing on his Rubgy team, hence the nickname 'Winger'), is a fourteen-year-old junior attending a prestigious (read: for rich kids) prep school. He feels out of place constantly, as he's two years younger than all his classmates. He's crushing on his best friend Annie, who also sees him as the cute, little boy. And he's stuck rooming with the ruby team's biggest bully. Should be a fun year. 
 Winger's voice is incredible-blunt and humorous; sometimes repetitive, but very authentic. He had me laughing out loud one moment and lamenting the next. He's easy to root for, but besides his goal of winning over Annie, the book doesn't have a very obvious plot. Still, it's an enjoyable read. I found myself slowly falling in love with the full cast of characters, and there's an tragic twist at the end that broke my heart. I felt it was a tad rushed and deserved more focus and resolution, but don't want to say much else for fear of spoilers. If you're a fan of boarding school settings, and looking for an honest, unique voice, pick this one up! 
 Originally reviewed here.