We Are the Wildcats Blog Tour: How to Cure a Book Hangover Post

We Are the Wildcats
Author: Siobhan Vivian
Genre: YA Contemporary
Release Date: March 31, 2020
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BYR

Description:

A toxic coach finds himself outplayed by the high school girls on his team in this deeply suspenseful novel, which unspools over twenty-four hours through six diverse perspectives.

Tomorrow, the Wildcat varsity field hockey squad will play the first game of their new season. But at tonight’s team sleepover, the girls are all about forging the bonds of trust, loyalty, and friendship necessary to win.

Everything hinges on the midnight initiation ceremony—a beloved tradition and the only facet of being a Wildcat that the girls control. Until now.

Coach—a handsome former college player revered and feared in equal measure—changes the plan and spins his team on a new adventure. One where they take a rival team’s mascot for a joyride, crash a party in their pajamas, break into the high school for the perfect picture.

But as the girls slip out of their comfort zone, so do some long-held secrets. And just how far they’re willing to go for their team takes them all—especially Coach—by surprise.

A testament to the strength and resilience of modern teenage girls, We Are the Wildcats will have readers cheering.  

Praise:

“Poignant, timely and thrilling, We Are the Wildcats is the perfect read for all of us who are ready to bite back.”

— Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’

“We are the Wildcats is a tour-de-force. By the novel’s end, I was devastated to leave these characters behind. This is a powerful story that will stay with you long after the last page is turned."

—Morgan Matson, author of the New York Times bestseller Save the Date

 

How to Cure a Book Hangover

Book hangovers are the worst. It can be hard to describe to someone who has never experienced one, but finishing a book that leaves your head spinning, your heart broken, pissed off, completely confused, or any other intense emotions is rough. It's like you feel all this emotion from the previous book that you feel hollowed out. If I don't fix mine quick enough, I find myself in a serious reading slump. So how do you cure a book hangover? There are lots of things that can help, but I think ultimately it's a personal cure. It's not going to be the same for everyone and your jam might be completely different from someone else's. That's fine! Here are some ideas to help cure a book hangover:

1. If you're up for reading something new but you're not quite sure what you want - try looking online for some recommendations. I love getting on Goodreads to find books that I hadn't heard of before or titles that are getting a ton of buzz. You're sure to find something that piques your interest.

2. If you're feeling up to diving into another book - pick a different genre. If you just finished a romance then opt for something on the other side of the spectrum - like a thriller, mystery, or fantasy (or whatever you like). Going to a whole new genre will usually pull your mind in another direction.

3. If you're still in love with the book and don't want to let go - try another book by the same author. Even better would be to read something else the author has written in a different genre. You'll still get the same writing style and feel, but the story should be a big change of pace.

4. If you feel like reading but don't want to jump into something new - try reading a favorite. When I get in a really bad book slump or hangover, I go back to something easy to read that I really love - usually Harry Potter - until I'm ready for something fresh.

5. Take a little bit of time to process the book and your emotional reaction to it.  When I hit this roadblock, I like to binge-watch some TV that I love or that I've been wanting to watch or catch up on. If you're not into TV series, try a new movie you've been dying to see or have a movie marathon of your faves. Time is always a good way to heal and sometimes it'll be the only thing that works.

6. I mentioned this first, but I'm going to mention it again - go online. There are some great websites out there to find great books and recommendations, and even more fun ones that have quizzes (if you like that sort of thing!) like this one: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/how-to-cure-a-book-hangover/

If you have a book hangover, remember that it's actually a good thing. You just finished reading an AMAZING book that has changed you. Those are rare and should be celebrated. Be sure to share your thoughts and feelings in a review or recommend it to others so we can all check it out! Happy Reading!

Siobhan Vivian is the author of the young adult novel We Are the Wildcats, as well as Stay Sweet, The Last Boy and Girl in the World, The List, Not That Kind of Girl, Same Difference, A Little Friendly Advice, and the Burn for Burn trilogy, cowritten with Jenny Han. A former editor for Alloy Entertainment, she received her MFA in creative writing at the New School. She teaches creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh. Visit her at SiobhanVivian.com.