Stand Off by Andrew Smith

Stand Off is the sequel to Winger, Andrew Smith's amazing introduction of Ryan Dean West.  I loved Winger with a passion, one of my favorite books ever, so I have been greatly anticipating the sequel since Smith announced it on Twitter many months ago.  I was not disappointed.  Ryan Dean is back for his Senior year at Pine Mountain, scarred by the horrible tragedy of the previous school year.  Not only does he have to deal with the memories, he is now the roommate of a Ryan Dean replica in the form of 12 year old Sam Abernathy.  Watching Ryan Dean fight his demons is both heartbreaking and inspiring as he figures out who he is and who he really wants to be.  I loved it almost as much as I loved Winger!

From Amazon:

Ryan Dean West is back to his boarding school antics in this bitingly funny sequel to Winger, which Publishers Weekly called “alternately hilarious and painful, awkward and enlightening” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

It’s his last year at Pine Mountain, and Ryan Dean should be focused on his future, but instead, he’s haunted by his past. His rugby coach expects him to fill the roles once played by his lost friend, Joey, as the rugby team’s stand-off and new captain. And somehow he’s stuck rooming with twelve-year-old freshman Sam Abernathy, a cooking whiz with extreme claustrophobia and a serious crush on Annie Altman—aka Ryan Dean’s girlfriend, for now, anyway.

Equally distressing, Ryan Dean’s doodles and drawings don’t offer the relief they used to. He’s convinced N.A.T.E. (the Next Accidental Terrible Experience) is lurking around every corner—and then he runs into Joey’s younger brother Nico, who makes Ryan Dean feel paranoid that he’s avoiding him. Will Ryan Dean ever regain his sanity?

From the author of the National Book Award–nominated 100 Sideways Miles, which Kirkus Reviews called “a wickedly witty and offbeat novel,” Stand-Off is filled with hand-drawn infographics and illustrations and delivers the same spot-on teen voice and relatable narrative that legions of readers connected with in Winger.