Derby Girl by Shauna Cross

If punk rock were a sport run by surly chicks on roller skates, the result would be Roller Derby. Every one of the Derby Girls is completely gorgeous in her own way: There are skinny girls, chubby girls, short girls, girls with big butts, girls with big boobs, girls with no boobs, girls with tattoos, girls without--and the crowd adores them all. In short, it's the most Bliss-friendly activity I've ever seen, so refreshingly anti-pageant. I'm a total convert.


Bliss Cavendar, daughter of a beauty pageant fanatic and therefore subject to all the horrors that entails, is doing her best to survive high school. She hates her town, hates her job, and hates all things pageant-related. The only bright spot in her life is Pash (as in passion), her crazy best friend who always manages to cheer her up.

That is, until Bliss finds herself in possession of a flyer for a Roller Derby competition. She doesn't know what it is about the flyer, but she knows she must attend this event. Together with Pash, she drives up to Austin, Texas, and immediately falls in love with everything about the sport. She takes a chance and ends up making the team as the newest member of the Hurl Scouts, led by Malice in Wonderland.

Under the name Babe Ruthless, Bliss skates her way to victory and everything that she loves. She meets a guy she's crazy about and life seems like it couldn't get any better. But Bliss had to lie about her age to get in, lie to her parents about where she's been going, and now the dates for one of the most important matches and the pageant her mother will kill her if she doesn't participate in are on the same day. Bliss learns pretty quickly that a good thing can just as easily turn around and leave us face down on the track.

Derby Girl by Shauna Cross was a great read. I picked it up at the library after finding out that the movie "Whip It" (which I adored) was based off a book. True to form, it was wonderful and a pretty quick read. Bliss is the type of girl I can easily identify with in many ways, even if I don't hold the same opinions with certain things. I found myself cheering her on from the get-go. (A fellow hater-of-pink? Success.)

I would definitely suggest this book for any girl (or guy) who likes a good coming-of-age tale. I seem to be a rather big fan of that sub-genre and this is a pretty good addition to that category. The only criticism I would give is that the narrative could use a bit more description. Otherwise, it was easily read and I tore through it.

Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥


This time I follow Malice's advice. I think of Brooke, and Corbi, and all the cranky customers who never tip--all of it--and just as Robin goes low to pass, I throw my hip and shoulder and--bingo--I make contact. Robin slams to the track as I skate away.