Shauna Cross

The book opens up in the most mild manner way - Bliss Cavendar talking about how she assumes that she is really adopted - there is no way she is the daughter of pageant mom, Brooke, or the non-confrontational father, Earl. Born and being raised in Bodeen, Texas - and hour's drive from Austin, yet vastly left behind in the modern age - Bliss thinks of nothing but escape. Her best friend Pash, a straight-A honor student, also dreams of escape in different ways. Together they wreck havoc - as much as is possible in Bodeen. During a family shopping trip, however, Bliss picks up a flier for a Roller Derby match. Begging Pash to take her, the two encounter a world full of misfit girls and hot boys. Heaven for the achingly different Bliss Cavendar, an absolute hell on earth for mother Brooke.

The book is written with true knowledge of the subject, toned down just a tad. Just a tad. Having met and seen Roller Derby girls - women - in action while reporting on The South Texas Rolleristas, I know how completely intimidating these people can be, but how awesomely sweet they are in reality. It makes sense since Cross has partaken in the sport where no man is woman enough to play - see what I did there? The book offers little challenge as an adult - it took me a few days to read because I made an attempt to pace myself with it - and I imagine it wouldn't be too hard for its target audience to knock it out of the park. But it's still an in depth look of how teenagers felt, feel and will probably always feel in the future. So lace up those skates, amigos, you're in for a ride.

God, that was such a horrible way to end that. Seriously.… (more)