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blue_reader's review against another edition
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I disliked the two main characters so much. They were spoiled brats and feels too stupid to be explained as 'they are teens'. The relationship is so toxic that it's funny this is a romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Vomit
katiethepenguin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Blood, and Murder
macaroniapie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Homophobia and Misogyny
toofondofbooks_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
"Trouble Girls" is a sapphic YA novel about two best friends who are about to go on a road trip, but after a night of unthinkable violence, they end up on the run from the law.
This book was an extremely quick read with engaging characters and an action packed story. I thought that the chemistry between the two main characters was electrifying and their devotion to each other unlike anything I've seen in YA recently. Even when things were at their worst, I never questioned their love for each other, it's the kind of love that was not only romantic, but familial. You can tell that they aren't going to let each other go without a fight. The way that things unfolded, especially their relationship, was realistic in most aspects, but there were some things that I thought were weird about the journey. However, I can't really explain that without giving away spoilers and I try to keep these spoiler free.
I really thought it was cool and kind of claustrophobic how it felt like I was with these girls the whole time. When they expressed being too hot, or hungry, or thirsty, or dead tired, it felt like I could feel it, too, which is something I don't always experience. I liked how the ending left things open for interpretation, which is also really all I can say about that.
Something that really stressed me out was the lack of chapters. There aren't any chapters, it's just continuous, separated by page breaks. It was still a good and easy read, but I really, really would have preferred chapters. It made my head hurt.
Extra points for the beautiful cover.
This book was an extremely quick read with engaging characters and an action packed story. I thought that the chemistry between the two main characters was electrifying and their devotion to each other unlike anything I've seen in YA recently. Even when things were at their worst, I never questioned their love for each other, it's the kind of love that was not only romantic, but familial. You can tell that they aren't going to let each other go without a fight. The way that things unfolded, especially their relationship, was realistic in most aspects, but there were some things that I thought were weird about the journey. However, I can't really explain that without giving away spoilers and I try to keep these spoiler free.
I really thought it was cool and kind of claustrophobic how it felt like I was with these girls the whole time. When they expressed being too hot, or hungry, or thirsty, or dead tired, it felt like I could feel it, too, which is something I don't always experience. I liked how the ending left things open for interpretation, which is also really all I can say about that.
Something that really stressed me out was the lack of chapters. There aren't any chapters, it's just continuous, separated by page breaks. It was still a good and easy read, but I really, really would have preferred chapters. It made my head hurt.
Extra points for the beautiful cover.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Dementia, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse and Drug use
Minor: Cancer
misscatw's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I first heard of this last September on Twitter with the line: "sapphic YA reimagining of “Thelma and Louise”. Just seeing that made me want to read it, being a fan of the film and sapphic stories.
Having finished the book, I found it was a beautifully written story of survival in the wake of incredible circumstances. Both main characters, Trixie Denton and Lux Leesburg, have experienced sexually-based trauma and in the wake of Lux's sexual assault and Trixie stabbing her attacker, the girls are forced to run for their lives. They spend the rest of the book on the run from the law, travelling west away from their hometown and lives in Blue Bottle, West Virginia. Along the way, they find that they have become the face of a #MeToo movement in the fallout of the attack, transformed by the media into these figures when they didn't ask for it.
I did like reading this book, even with its harsh topics as it deals with misogyny, rape/sexual assault, homophobia and abuse. I felt like these topics were handled well, highlighting how widespread misogyny is in the world, how it affects the perception of women in the media and can take a toll on those who experience it. While I did like the way the writing style portrays a particular aesthetic around these girls on the run, there were elements of the writing which I did not like and hindered my enjoyment of the book. It is written as one long text with no chapters, just page breaks, which I do not like - I prefer a good chapter structure. The pacing is off in parts, with it dragging through the middle of the book and only including little points of action. Also, I did not like the ending as it came to an abrupt conclusion and seemed quite open-ended since we don't find out what happens to the girls in the end. Personally, I am not a fan of open-ended conclusions as I like a good, clear ending.
We are told the story through Trixie's POV, getting to really know her character. We see a deep distrust of men - she frequently refers to them as "hogs" or "hog men" - a devotion to her best friend and love Lux, and a girl who cares about the women in her life, especially her mother, who she has to take care of. However, we get all this insight into Trixie's character but little into Lux. We know that she's a keen photographer who loves makeup, little trinkets and taking photos of everything she sees. It feels a little unbalanced with the characterisation here, since we see so much of Trixie and so little of Lux. I would have preferred it if the book was written from both their POVs so we could get an equal insight into their characters and see the events of the book from both their perspectives.
Overall, this was a great read that featured some flawed, messy characters in a situation that were not - and could not be - prepared for. They make some bad decisions along the way, but that is realistic, because they are young (seventeen, both of them) and inexperienced, in a situation beyond their control. They become known as The Trouble Girls, girls fighting back against misogyny and those who represent and perpetuate it (rapists, misogynists).
Having finished the book, I found it was a beautifully written story of survival in the wake of incredible circumstances. Both main characters, Trixie Denton and Lux Leesburg, have experienced sexually-based trauma and in the wake of Lux's sexual assault and Trixie stabbing her attacker, the girls are forced to run for their lives. They spend the rest of the book on the run from the law, travelling west away from their hometown and lives in Blue Bottle, West Virginia. Along the way, they find that they have become the face of a #MeToo movement in the fallout of the attack, transformed by the media into these figures when they didn't ask for it.
I did like reading this book, even with its harsh topics as it deals with misogyny, rape/sexual assault, homophobia and abuse. I felt like these topics were handled well, highlighting how widespread misogyny is in the world, how it affects the perception of women in the media and can take a toll on those who experience it. While I did like the way the writing style portrays a particular aesthetic around these girls on the run, there were elements of the writing which I did not like and hindered my enjoyment of the book. It is written as one long text with no chapters, just page breaks, which I do not like - I prefer a good chapter structure. The pacing is off in parts, with it dragging through the middle of the book and only including little points of action. Also, I did not like the ending as it came to an abrupt conclusion and seemed quite open-ended since we don't find out what happens to the girls in the end. Personally, I am not a fan of open-ended conclusions as I like a good, clear ending.
We are told the story through Trixie's POV, getting to really know her character. We see a deep distrust of men - she frequently refers to them as "hogs" or "hog men" - a devotion to her best friend and love Lux, and a girl who cares about the women in her life, especially her mother, who she has to take care of. However, we get all this insight into Trixie's character but little into Lux. We know that she's a keen photographer who loves makeup, little trinkets and taking photos of everything she sees. It feels a little unbalanced with the characterisation here, since we see so much of Trixie and so little of Lux. I would have preferred it if the book was written from both their POVs so we could get an equal insight into their characters and see the events of the book from both their perspectives.
Overall, this was a great read that featured some flawed, messy characters in a situation that were not - and could not be - prepared for. They make some bad decisions along the way, but that is realistic, because they are young (seventeen, both of them) and inexperienced, in a situation beyond their control. They become known as The Trouble Girls, girls fighting back against misogyny and those who represent and perpetuate it (rapists, misogynists).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
bookcrushin's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was an intense read, I kind of enjoy the revenge fantasy of it all, but also it is a lot of trauma, so be sure to check CWs to read safely.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, and Alcohol
melaniereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an arc of this book.
On a weekend trip, best friends Trixie and Lux run into trouble at a bar and the night ends in violence. The girls go on the run as wanted fugitives, and they have to deal with harsh truths and realities as they leave behind the only life they've ever known, and only have each other to hang onto.
I so badly wanted to love this book, but it just didn't grip me the way I had hoped it would. I felt like the pacing was quite slow, and I didn't feel like I knew the characters enough to really care about them. The important things that happened were kind of glanced over in the writing to make way for more reflection from Trixie, which is fine, but makes for a read where it feels like you're always waiting for the action to start.
The most interesting part of this book for me was the discussions of sexual assault, the forum posts, and where the girls went with that. I thought those parts made some really good points and was an important topic.
I was not a fan of the ending of this book, personally.
Pub Date: June 1, 2021
On a weekend trip, best friends Trixie and Lux run into trouble at a bar and the night ends in violence. The girls go on the run as wanted fugitives, and they have to deal with harsh truths and realities as they leave behind the only life they've ever known, and only have each other to hang onto.
I so badly wanted to love this book, but it just didn't grip me the way I had hoped it would. I felt like the pacing was quite slow, and I didn't feel like I knew the characters enough to really care about them. The important things that happened were kind of glanced over in the writing to make way for more reflection from Trixie, which is fine, but makes for a read where it feels like you're always waiting for the action to start.
The most interesting part of this book for me was the discussions of sexual assault, the forum posts, and where the girls went with that. I thought those parts made some really good points and was an important topic.
I was not a fan of the ending of this book, personally.
Pub Date: June 1, 2021
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Violence, Dementia, and Murder
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Toxic relationship
caidyn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Wow, what a debut. I'm one of the minority who hasn't watched the movie Thelma and Louise. I know, I know. But it's such a cultural thing that I know what it's roughly about and I know the ending that it's famous for. And this book was excellent. I've had it on my radar for ages and I'm so grateful that Wednesday Books granted me access to this ARC. Because after reading around 15% of it, I preordered it because I knew I needed to own it. I really loved Lux and Trixie. The complicated relationship, the wrestling with sexuality, the past that was so underwritten and gorgeously done. It was a fantastic book and I can't wait to see what this author does next.
Wow, what a debut. I'm one of the minority who hasn't watched the movie Thelma and Louise. I know, I know. But it's such a cultural thing that I know what it's roughly about and I know the ending that it's famous for. And this book was excellent. I've had it on my radar for ages and I'm so grateful that Wednesday Books granted me access to this ARC. Because after reading around 15% of it, I preordered it because I knew I needed to own it. I really loved Lux and Trixie. The complicated relationship, the wrestling with sexuality, the past that was so underwritten and gorgeously done. It was a fantastic book and I can't wait to see what this author does next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Murder
giulsisnothere's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! Tw: sexual harassment, abuse, terminal illness, homophobia, vomit, alcohol and weed consumption, mention of conversion camp, misogyny, teen pregnancy, murder Trixie and Lux are excited to finally get out of their town for the weekend but a night of violence changes everything and the girls will have to try survive on their own. I LOVED this book! I could really feel the anxiety the two girls felt while they were escaping from the media and the cops. At times I had to put down the book and just breathe. Trixie was passionate, impulsive and hopelessly in love with her best friend Lux. At first I was rooting for them, but reading further I realized their relationship was quite toxic because they completely isolated themselves from the rest of the world and they wouldn't let anyone into their little bubble. I really loved the description of the places and I really felt like I was travelling alongside with Trixe and Lux. The book was fast-paced and a total page-turner and I ended up devouring it in less than three days. I highly recommend it to fans of Courtney Summers and those looking for an intriguing YA thriller! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, and Vomit