First published 2009
Bliss Cavendar stares at another rhinestone tiara in small-town Bodeen, Texas. Her mother pushes beauty pageants and Miss Bluebonnet competitions, but Bliss cranks indie rock and dreams of escape. When she discovers a roller derby league in Austin, everything changes. She joins a team of tattooed women who slam into each other on wheels for sport and sisterhood. The rink becomes her refuge from pageant pressure and small-town expectations. Bliss learns to throw elbows, take hits, and find her place among the derby girls. She meets cute boys in bands and navigates the gap between her two worlds. Her mother wants crowns and sashes. Bliss wants speed and freedom on eight wheels. The collision between family duty and personal rebellion plays out both on the track and at home, where Bliss must decide which version of herself she wants to become.
Genres: fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, sports
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, intimate
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Austin, Bodeen, Texas
Period: 21st-century
256 pages · Kindle Edition · Square Fish