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The Off Season Audiobook
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(3.01) - 5,282 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Life is looking up for D.J. Schwenk. She's in eleventh grade, finally. After a rocky summer, she's reconnecting in a big way with her best friend, Amber. She's got kind of a thing going with Brian Nelson, who's cute and popular and smart but seems to like her anyway. And then there's the fact she's starting for the Red Bend High School football team--the first girl linebacker in northern Wisconsin, probably. Which just shows you can't predict the future. When something tragic happens, a season that once looked so promising, is suddenly thrown way off course and D.J. realizes her life will never be the same. This hilarious, heartbreaking and triumphant sequel to the critically acclaimed Dairy Queen takes D.J. and all the Schwenks from Labor Day to a Thanksgiving football game that you will never forget.
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"Sometimes, after a successful first novel, its sequel may fall flat. This certainly is not true in the case of Catherine Gilbert Murdock's sequel to Dairy Queen. In The Off Season, we find D.J. Schwenk coping with even more challenges than ever, many of which could topple someone twice her age. While we know that D.J. has real style and substance, this time we find her to be more of a hero than ever. Once again, she rises to the occasion, providing the stability for her injured brother to move on with his life. A loyal friend, she stands behind her friend, Amber; and, because she believes in honesty, she refuses to look at her boyfriend through rose-colored glasses, realizing that he might not have the character she thought he had. Through it all, D.J. handles herself with the candor and composure her readers have come to love. Written with the same skill and intelligence as her first novel, this is another Murdock winner that you won't want to put down until the very last page"
— Rhonda (5 out of 5 stars)
The Off Season Listener Reviews
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" Just as good as, or better than, the first one. The characters are appealing. "
— Magda, 2/14/2014 -
" This is the story of D.J. Schwenk. She is a teenage girl living on a dairy farm in northern Wisconsin with her parents and 3 brothers. She is big and plays football for her high school, as well as basketball. She gets a new boyfriend, a popular boy who goes to a different high school in another town. Things suddenly go downhill when her brother is injured and she is needed to take care of him. The narrator is very good. She has great Wisconsin accent, which must be difficult to do. "
— Frederick, 2/9/2014 -
" good :P "
— Hannah, 2/5/2014 -
" DJ is one of my favorite young female protagonists. Great book. "
— Rosanne, 2/2/2014 -
" I really like this author for young adults. This is the kind of book that I hope my high school daughter would read. Strong female lead who loves her family, realizes she doesn't need a boyfriend, and learns that fitting in in high school isn't the most important thing in the world. "
— Katie, 1/18/2014 -
" Loved it. An awesome sequel to the first book. It had me laughing out loud and crying in some parts too. Great book! "
— Rebecca, 1/16/2014 -
" DJ breaks up with Brian, Her brother Win is hurt "
— Chi-yen, 1/15/2014 -
" I admit I was disappointed in the ending. It was very true-to-life and there are some great lessons learned, but I kinda wanted the happily-ever-after...one of the main characters just never learns their lesson. "
— Candi, 1/10/2014 -
" The book was really good. I liked the first book better. It is an interesting and different book, but I liked it! "
— Stephanie, 12/25/2013 -
" D.J. sounded almost bitter about Brian at the end. :( "
— Annerooo, 12/5/2013 -
" I read all 3 books and they are amazing, I gotta tell you. Though there's no action or suspense in it, it's a ver emotional and passionate book. Don't ask me why. It just is. "
— Jasmin, 11/30/2013 -
" Loved this one as much as I did the first one. Now I've GOT to buy the third one which is the last one. "
— Shannon, 11/26/2013 -
" I love this series about a tough farmgirl who plays on the boys' football team. DJ isn't in touch with her emotions, but is forced to be as everything in her life falls apart. The audio book was especially fun to listen to because the reader had such a convincing midwestern accent. "
— Laura, 6/27/2013 -
" This sequel wasn't as fun to read as the first, but still pretty good. I was glad it wasn't just about her playing football, but had a lot of other issues as well. "
— Esiobhanmitchell, 5/27/2013 -
" This was a good book. The only critique i would have to say is that it was a lot of things going on and i couldn't help but feel a little drowed by all the events going on in this book but overall really good book and good message as well. "
— Kerry, 5/18/2013 -
" Juliana, my 13 year-old granddaughter recommended this author. This book continues the story of D.J. Schwenk, only female on the football team. It's a good story--it addresses friendship, family relations, dating and sexuality in a positive manner. "
— Ritawurtz, 11/17/2012 -
" This book was wonderful. I thought it was much better than the first (Dairy Queen). I really liked the insight; I really liked how the author described what was happening in the family. "
— Carrie, 11/7/2012 -
" I love her books!!!! They're really good! "
— Sloan, 11/6/2012 -
" I loved things weren't just perfect in the end. I also like the jock bend to this chick lit. "
— Laura, 8/14/2012 -
" D.J.'s strength is tested in many ways in this sequel to Dairy Queen. D.J. is a wonderfully drawn character and the plot is well-placed. Overall, an enjoyable book. "
— Nina, 3/11/2012 -
" could have been way better. too much boring drama "
— Kathryn, 3/8/2012 -
" DAIRY QUEEN 4 LIFE! "
— Mrs., 11/28/2011 -
" This book was definitely good, and the main character DJ has definitely grown and gotten to know herself better since the first book, but the books move incredibly slowly, which makes reading it a little on the boring side! "
— Dana, 10/23/2011 -
" I am listening to this again, just to refresh my memory. "
— Kristin, 10/22/2011 -
" Catherine has done it again, this was the most wonderful sequel she could have ever done. It had the ups and downs, and it revealed D.J. as the strong, funny heroine that everyone loves. I sort of didn't like the ending with Brian, or the D.J. Basketball thingy, but the rest was amazing! "
— Kirthi, 9/21/2011 -
" The first in the series was great, to me, this one just didn't compare. Her writing style bothered me and it overall had more of a preachy feel. I thought the first book was much more subtle and DJ much more admirable. "
— Esther, 6/30/2011 -
" Not as good as the first one, but still entertaining. And I still love Wisconsin. "
— Becky, 6/18/2011 -
" I found it, the second book in the Diary Queen series! By the time I was finished I went back and re-re-re read it. I love Murdock's novels, it is a must read to all persons. "
— Brenda, 6/16/2011 -
" I had forgotten how much I liked this book's predecessor--Dairy Queen. It felt so good to be back in DJ Schwenk's world.<br/><br/>I do not love the cover. It's stupid. DJ looks nothing like the blonde. Wondering if cover designer even read book. "
— Katie, 6/9/2011 -
" Just as good as the first one! "
— Allie, 6/8/2011 -
" You know you're into a book when something good or surprising happens and you catch yourself almost telling your significant other about it. Not like "a thing happened in the book," but like something that happened to someone you both know. "
— Emily, 6/7/2011 -
" Never like to see relationships fall apart. "
— Dee, 6/6/2011 -
" i liked the first one more... "
— Deena, 6/3/2011 -
" D.J.'s strength is tested in many ways in this sequel to Dairy Queen. D.J. is a wonderfully drawn character and the plot is well-placed. Overall, an enjoyable book. "
— Nina, 5/30/2011 -
" A dazzling to sequel Dairy Queen! "
— Emma, 5/25/2011 -
" D.J. is so tough .! I love it :) "
— Caryl, 5/16/2011 -
" I liked this book better than the first one, aside from the gut-wrenchingness of it. It's well written, and not nearly as annoying as Dairy Queen. The character has grown and so has the author! "
— Samantha, 5/12/2011
About Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Catherine Gilbert Murdock lives in Philadelphia with her husband, two brilliant, unicycling children, several cats, and a one-acre yard that she is slowly transforming into a wee but flourishing ecosystem.
About Natalie Moore
Ellen Archer has narrated numerous audiobooks and has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards, as well as the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. She is an actress, and singer with a degree in opera performance from the Boston Conservatory. She has performed extensively on the New York stage and in regional theaters.