Whip It

Whip It is a fantastic book! I wanted to read it before seeing the movie, and let me tell you it does not disappoint. From the very first page, I was laughing hard enough to embarrass myself in public. It's hard to describe to non-reading friends how something as simple as letters and words can be strung into sentences and thoughts that can have such a strong effect on a person, but if you read Whip It and don't bust out guffawing and snorting at totally inappropriate moments then you'd better check your pulse, baby. Bliss Cavendar - damn that's a great name - and she's a phenomenal character... character being the operative word here. She doesn't fit in at all in Bodeen, but Bliss is totally comfortable with herself - a real rarity for a teenage girl. She is thoroughly authentic, with an original voice and genuine understanding of who she really is. I fell in love with her, and with all the delightful misfits orbiting around her. Shauna Cross is an amazing storyteller. She "gets" small-town Texas as only a native can. The relationships she writes are so fresh and dynamic, you just can't help becoming absorbed in their lives. The story is incredibly engaging and just... FUN! It's wonderful to reading something so witty and enjoyable after a hard days work. Whip It is a real treat!

I read this a while before the the movie came out & man did it make me want to strap on a pair of skates & take a ride! SUCH a fun book! I adored the characters & the story & was sad when it ended. I hope Shauna Cross writes something else because this was a HOOT of a book for young & old alike!

While wandering through the young adult section of my local library, I came across DERBY GIRL. I had seen the book in the bookstore on other occasions but never bought it. I picked it up at the library and took it home with me. Not knowing what to expect, I started reading, and was instantly enthralled by the life of Bliss Cavender. Fans of A & E's Rollergirls will especially enjoy this book. Bliss is too big for Bodeen, Texas. Bliss is a sixteen-year-old high school student that can't wait to get out of her small town. Her mom is obsessed with beauty pageants, and expects Bliss to follow in her footsteps. However, Bliss is better known for receiving the "certificate of participation" rather than the tiara. She is more comfortable in her 80's thrift store T-shirts rather than teased hair and evening gowns. On a shopping trip to the big city of Austin, Bliss snags a flyer advertising Roller Derby. In her younger days, Bliss was pretty good on four wheels, and she hatches a plot with her friend, Pash, to sneak back to Austin (an hour from Bodeen) for try-outs. After a shaky start on skates, Bliss soon remembers the feel of the wheels under her feet and is totally addicted. Sneaking out twice a week under the guise of an SAT-prep course, Bliss soon becomes Babe Ruthless and a fan favorite for the Austin Roller Derby scene. Covering the topics of fitting in, parental disagreements, first love, and finding out who you are meant to be, DERBY GIRL does not disappoint. The story moves quickly without any needless sidelines to interrupt the plot. Ms. Cross's style is hip and spunky. She uses many slang phrases as well as abbreviations to keep in touch with the teen audience. Bliss is a lot of fun and independent. It's refreshing to read a story where the lead character is comfortable with who she is meant to be and stays true to herself the entire way through the story. Reviewed by: Jaglvr

I read Derby Girl one evening after work. It had been a rough day and this was a perfect read to lift my spirits. I fell in love with the characters and the relationships each of them has with one another. It is a quick, easy read and I finished it feeling satisfied and excited by the story! I look forward to more books by Shauna Cross. She is a talented writer and storyteller.

In what is sure to be a YA/Young Adult genre book to resonate with precocious pre-teen/teen girls in small towns everywhere, this book mines familiar coming-of-age rites for its lead character's story arc. Bliss is feeling trapped by her mom's idea of what her mom wants her to be (which is partly the mom unknowingly trying to relive her past through her daughter) but she's finding that growing up and breaking off on your own isn't as easy as it might first seem. What makes this book fresh is its uncompromising look at real emotions and real world stuff through a teenager's eyes, as well as having the roller derby world as the catalyst to Bliss' self-discovery.