Review: Truth and Consequences
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 24, 2014
Teenager Nev is a former gymnast whose life has undergone startling transitions. She gets uprooted to live with her aunt and cousin in northern California when her father dies and her mother succumbs to a debilitating illness. Not only is she disoriented in this new place, but she's also overwhelmed by guilt. Just what secrets hide behind that guilt?Nev's cousin Livvie is on a competitive cheer team, X Factor, and Nev's tumbling expertise makes her a shoo-in for the team. At first Nev balks at joining the Diamond Girls squad because tumbling in a gym sparks painful memories of her mother. But by flying through the air again, she slowly finds her footing, and her recovery is a beautiful thing.It's cool to catch a glimpse into the world of competitive cheer -- a world the author clearly knows. The cheer coaches are so demanding and vulgar that I thought they were football coaches:"Flyers! Pretend you've got a dollar bill stuck between your butt cheeks, and squeeze it 'til it screams!""I don't care if you rip your pee pees, I want those toe touches up past your ears!"Ew. LOL. Luckily the coaches have a soft side, and Nev forms some close friendships with her teammates.Nev's first encounter with a boy is charming playah Eli. Although Eli is supposedly dating Nev's new friend Erin, Eli hits on Nev non-stop. Nev doesn't want to hurt Erin's feelings by telling her, but is also uncomfortable keeping his skeezeball behavior quiet.Another boy, Bodie, is cold and rude to her. Too bad she tingles with good feels every time he's around. But Bodie also has a checkered past, and maybe he is more attracted to her than he seems. I love how they share pieces of themselves, gradually unfurling their truths as they both face the consequences of their actions. They both feel damaged beyond repair but relish in the chance to be normal with each other."For a minute, I was just a regular girl, he was just a regular boy, and we were both enjoying the moment."Nev has a biting sense of humor:"I was pretty darn sure he had a thing for my hair, and there was a good part of me that wanted to pull a Marcia Brady and never wash the stuff again because he'd touched it."Marcia, Marcia, Marcia! Nev's attempt to heal, supported by Bodie, also packs an emotional punch, and I found myself tearing up in parts.The story has a solid message about the dangers of drunk driving. My one complaint was Bodie's term of endearment for Nev: Doll Face. It got a little repetitive for me.Ex-Factor is book one in the Diamond Girl series, and thankfully it's a short wait for the release of book two: Unbreakable. Roundoff-back handspring-double full!