Bird Books - "Girls in Trucks" by Katie Crouch

My roommate and I both love to read. I have stacks of books sitting around my room waiting to be read (or re-read) and she has to be one of Barnes and Noble's biggest financial backers.  That being said, we rarely pick up the same type of books.  She gravitates more towards the supernatural and fantastic and I tend to lend to the dark and weird (a la Palahniuk and Vonnegut).  Nevertheless, when someone puts a book in my hand and says "read this, you'll love it" I find it nearly impossible to turn them down (if for no other reason than I believe that the books people recommend to you tells a lot about their perception of you - accurate or not).  So, when my new roomie (since July) and lifelong best friend (since the first day of kindergarten) told me that I needed to read Katie Crouch's novel "Girls in Trucks" I was a bit skeptical, but completely curious.  

"Girls"  sat a top the pile on might nightstand for several weeks until I finished the (sub-par and therefore not reviewed) British chick lit I was reading at the time.  I expected it to be a light, fun, perhaps slightly contrived read, and the first few chapters seem to affirm this assumption.  However, after making it to the half-way point, I realized that the girlish, summery, bare-footted cover was highly deceiving and was certainly not one to judge by.  Sure, this can easily be described as a coming-of-age story, and it definitely has its funny/endearing/girl power moments, but it approaches difficult topics (such as cancer, love,  sex, unplanned pregnancy, aging, sexuality, infidelity, etc.) with a direct tone and a dark wit that left me surprised (and occasionally blushing).  I would have never picked this book up off the shelf - everything from its cover, to its tag line ("a story of good girls and bad decisions"), to Ms. Crouch's young, pretty, smiling author photo screams 'teenie bopper' to me - but I am very glad that it found its way into my hands.  Definitely give this (and any book recommended by your best friend) a chance - I'm reasonably confident you won't be disappointed (especially if your expectations are as low as mine were). 

Only one more day until the weekend lovies!

Amanda