I really enjoy these stories -- it was so nice to get to catch up with the Saleem family and hear more of their story. The wedding sounds like a wild ride, and it's interesting to see Zayd become a more confident basketball player. ( )

Basketball on and off the court take on exciting twists in a novel for sport fans.

Zayd is now on the team, just where he always hoped to be. But nothing's going quite like he expected it would. The team's unbeatable season the year before seems like a forgotten dream as they lose game after game. To make matters worse, Adam, the team captain and best player, is thinking about switching to football. Zayd finds himself lost as all others begin to look to him for direction. But then, even his family seems to be doing odd things with the wedding coming up.

I did read the first book in the series and suggest starting with it before hitting this one, since much of the character grounding happens in book one.

Zayd's enthusiasm dies quickly in this book and his disappointment is tangible. He never comes across as a whiner either. Zayd is simply at a loss and insecure now that the coach expects more from him. The emotions are real without being over-emphasized, and it's something kids will easily identify with. Especially when it comes to the problems with his best friend, as Adam chooses a different road. There's a lot changing, and it's exactly this which the book looks at.

The author does a nice job at balancing Zayd's family life with his sport one, while building in a wonderful parallel. While Zayd is having trouble in his new leading position, his uncle is having similar problems when it comes to the wedding organization. It's a clear message without feeling preachy.

Like in the first book, the basketball moments come across smoothly and spot on. Zayd is in the game as any boy his age would be. The traditions of the Pakistani wedding also fall subtly in along the sidelines, giving the story a nice flair while gently informing the reader about the culture.

In other words, this is again an interesting read sport fans are sure to enjoy, and the short length makes it easy to read.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed this enough to want to leave my honest thoughts. ( )