Best Fiction 2022 Indie Reader Discovery Awards
Kirkus Best Indie Books 2022
"Eye-opening and engaging; a triumphant mashup of underdog sporting contest and teen drama." -
Kirkus Reviews
"A YA masterpiece that belongs on every teen's smartphone-an instant classic." -
IndieReader
Class struggle. On the street and over the board.
Urban high school kid Moses Middleton hoped that chess competition could be a ticket out of mediocrity, but everything goes pear-shaped after a disastrous tournament. That's when he meets Viktor, a mad Russian grandmaster who agrees to coach the team by revealing the secrets of Soviet chess.
Together with his crew -- charismatic psychopath P.D. Morales, gifted violinist and expert fencer Esther Toussaint, shy anime fan Maggie Wang, and the new boy, Albanian chess wizard Zamir Hoxha -- Moses vows to take the world of New York City scholastic chess by storm. But trouble's on the way, in the form of neighborhood bullies, a vengeful vice principal, racist gentrifiers, the snooty rich kids from Galton Prep, and, worst of all, a sexual predator who could destroy a young woman's life and the team's newfound solidarity.
Perfect for young fans of The Queen's Gambit, this "YA masterpiece" (
Indie Reader
) combines humor, drama, and social insight.
Praise from Amazon and Goodreads reviewers:
★★★★★ Fabulous read. This has it all: Great characters, witty dialogue, wonderful ending. It's brilliant.
★★★★★ The universe of PUSHING PAWNS is one I'd like to inhabit, with characters I'd love to befriend.
★★★★★ Touching, real and yet hopeful in these anxious dark times, and beautifully written.
★★★★★ Readers will find themselves cheering the chess club on through their triumphs.
★★★★★ A story of friendship, challenges, teamwork, and loyalty. It is a high-quality YA read.