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5 CDs
6 Hrs, 5 Mins.
ISBN: 9781593164317

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Over The End Line: A Novel [5CD]
[LL252]

Author:  Martino, Alfred C.
Narrator:  Todd Licea
Awards:  N/A

Kyle Saint-Claire is everything Jonny Fehey wishes to be: a star on and off the soccer field, a brain, and one of Millburn High’s most popular students. Jonny unhappily accepts his lesser social status—but then he scores the winning goal in the county soccer championship and everything changes. Jonny is invited to a victory party with the in-crowd, and alcohol flows freely as toasts are raised in his honor.

But in his moment of glory, a classmate is raped and Jonny's world begins to unravel. Through years of friendship, Kyle and Jonny have always stood up for each other, but suddenly their friendship is tested. All their training together, pain and dedication become meaningless; Jonny’s preconceived notions are shattered; and someone is out for revenge.

Exciting sports action and a misguided sense of justice combine in a suspenseful tale of popularity and entitlement—and an ending that Jonny never saw coming.

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AUTHOR
Soccer and wrestling have been a part of Alfred C. Martino‘s life for thirty years. He has played soccer at the youth, high school and college club levels. In wrestling, he has competed on the midget, junior high, high school (Millburn, NJ), and collegiate (Duke ’86) levels, as well as coached Millburn’s youth program for five years. He has worked as a staff reporter for the El Segundo Herald (CA) and The Beach Reporter, a combined weekly circulation of 80,000, covering high school and professional sports, including the local high school wrestling teams. He currently lives in Jersey City, NJ.

AUTHOR ON YOUTUBE
Seminar at Washington Township (NJ) High School - Part 1
Seminar at Washington Township (NJ) High School - Part 2
Washington Township High School Video Ad For Seminar

AUTHOR WEBSITE
AlfredMartino.com

TITLES FROM ALFRED C. MARTINO
Pinned
Over The End Line

NARRATOR
In addition to narrating audio books, Todd Licea is an acting instructor, as well as a veteran of the theater. His performing credits include work in film, television, audiobooks, and commercial and videogame voiceovers.

REVIEWS
Audiofile
"This story of adolescence involves sports, the quest for popularity, first love, and all the accompanying emotions. Jonny and Kyle are neighbors in a New Jersey town where sports and tradition are everything. Their lives are a study in contrasts—Jonny's dad has left his family while Kyle is a sports hero with a comfortable home. Narrator Todd Licea is spot-on as the book opens with Jonny awakening drunk and unable to recall anything. Licea ably portrays the school's “haves” and “have nots” and the fine line in sports between glory and oblivion. Jonny has a crush on Annalisa who is, from Italy. As they romantically recite poetry, the lovely accent Licea gives the young Italian enhances the presentation—and Jonny's feelings! This is an excellent coming-of-age story."

David Perrotta, MLIS, 'Just Press Play' - The Playaway Content Blog,
"The story should be engaging even for reluctant readers (I performed a pretty successful test on my reluctant nephew). There's some profanity, a little bit of discreetly described teen sex, and a fair amount of high-school partying, early-eighties style. This rough stuff is presented frankly enough to catch the interest of teen readers, but it's not glorified. The audio production is expertly narrated by Todd Licea."

'Ms. Yingling Reads' Blog (msyinglingreads.blogspot.com), Karen Yingling, Middle School Librarian
"Jonny and Kyle have always been friends even though Kyle has the popularity that Jonny craves. Jonny is on his way to being a top soccer star and being popular, but all that changes after a drunken party when a girl is attacked by several of the soccer players and Jonny is too drunk to stop them. Riveting, interesting, and nuanced..."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Martino is a deft hand at limning the on-and off-field rivalries that drive the young men who can't grasp life beyond the drama of senior year, and readers will want to watch the pressure build right up to the final explosion."

P.K. Foster, Teacher/Librarian, 'Kiss The Book' Blog (http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/)
"Jonathan Fehey wakes up with a terrible hangover and no clear memories of what happened the night before, only echoes of whimpers bouncing around his head. Thus opens this cautionary tale of seniors where being accepted into the inner circle and being a great soccer player are paramount... I enjoyed this story, with its insights about high school sports, the self-consciousness of teenagers, and the creepiness of its ending."

Booklist
"Using soccer as the omnipresent backdrop for the story, Martino forces both his characters and readers to address difficult questions about the meaning of true friendship, the pervasive influence of sports in high-school culture, and the subservient, worshipful role of teenage girls within that culture. While the novel may not have as much soccer action as sports enthusiasts crave, the drama, authentic setting, compelling characters, and gripping issues will make this a popular choice for teens who appreciate books by Chris Crutcher and Carl Deuker."

VOYA (Voices of Youth Advocates)
"Rating: 4Q • 4P • S Martino, author of the acclaimed novel Pinned (Harcourt, 2005/VOYA April 2005), begins the story with a tremendous first chapter. The descriptions of grueling practices and soccer action are raw and genuine, but these descriptions never overpower the narrative. Teens, especially those who are involved in sports or feel invisible at school, will feel a kinship with Jonny. Some high school athletes may even feel empathy toward Kyle and the scrutiny he endures. The author's portrayal of a graphic sex scene and use of explicit language add to the novel's tension. Martino sets out to touch upon issues such as "the meaning of friendship, the power of the celebrated athlete, and the interactions between teen guys and girls." He succeeds in dealing with these issues in a compelling manner."

Catherine Zaharris, Media Specialist, Lemoore (CA) High School
"Well I just finished your new book. It was a busy summer and I had not had time to pick it up. I just bought three copies for our library. I LOVED IT!!! I think that it appeals to both girls and boys. I have given a copy to a couple of our soccer players to read. I think that you wrote a great cautionary tale. The ending was surprising, and rather tragic, but I like books that end that way. I am not a fan of a neat happy ending, sometimes life isn't like that."

Lexi Marie, 'Another Page Is Used' Blog (anotherpageisused.blogspot.com)
"Rating: 5 Stars (out of five)! Review: I really loved Over the End Line. I'm not even really sure what to say about it or the author, Alfred C. Martino. I think that you really have to read the book to understand everything that happens and really get the effect of events and different situations on all of the characters, not just the main ones. My favorite part of this book had to be the ending. I didn't see it coming AT ALL. I thought, oh it's gonna have a sort of happy ending. Boy was I wrong! When I got to the point where I only had 20 pages or so left, I skipped the end and read the last line. Which didn't help. I still had no idea what was going to happen. I really loved this book. It was pretty much amazing. I'm so happy I got to read this. I will definitely end up reading Over the End Line again. With everything that happens, how can you not?"

The Hudson Reporter
"The writing is well crafted and true to life."

School Library Journal
"The author is obviously knowledgeable about soccer, and his descriptions of the passion that young men bring to the game are genuinely engaging."

Kirkus Reviews
"Jonny Fehey begins his senior year concerned that Kyle Saint-Claire has changed and their friendship is dissolving. Kyle, loaded with charisma, is one of New Jersey ’s top soccer talents, while Jonny’s role is as a hardworking backup. Martino opens with a great hook: Jonny is hungover and disoriented, covered with vomit and unable to shake his conviction that something horrible happened at a party. Flashing back to the previous August, readers learn of Jonny’s frustration at seeing his friend become a larger-than-life hero, his anger at bad-boy teammate Erik Maako and his interest in new girl Annalisa. Jonny triumphs in a championship match, but the subsequent nighttime drunken free-for-all results in stunning violence. The author includes a wealth of soccer action but stops the details short of overwhelming the story. Jonny’s convincing narration reveals a sympathetic character with authentic teen issues he cannot control."

The Reading Tub
"The author creates incredibly clear images of everything. You don't have to be a soccer player to understand the story... it was as if you were viewing the games on television! The complicated relationship between Kyle and Johnny is very realistic. It is a perfect example of a story in which the characters are not divided easily in to the popular kids vs. the poor mistreated ones. The ending is terrific, original, and unexpected. The language and the some of the contents are not suitable for young children, so this book would be best for those over 13. If you're a fan of soccer or drama, buy this book."

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