Trouble Girls is a fun and thrilling YA version of Thelma and Louise

Trixie and Lux are in trouble and on the run in Julia Lynn Rubin’s Trouble Girls. They were supposed to go on a nice little vacation before school started but nice was never really in the cards for them. They end up going to a bar for a little fun and end up on the run for murder.

They travel across America, hiding away in hotels when they can afford them and their car when they can’t. They also meet a few people along the way who “help” them steal cars, shoplift, and hide away from the law.

As their journey continues, they find out that being away from their normal lives isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be but sometimes, being with the person you love the most, no matter the circumstances, can make what couldn’ve been the worst experience, the absolute best.

First off, the relationship between Lux and Trixie is beautiful. It’s not perfect. They fight and makeup and get irritated with each other. But the love they have for one another, first in their friendship and then when they tell each other their feelings, is wonderful.

Trouble Girls by Julia Lynn Rubin is available now

Trixie is the tougher of the pair. She’s rough around the edges and doesn’t mind letting you know. In my opinion, she’s more prepared for this road trip than Lux is. But that’s not to say she doesn’t have her soft spots. Lux is one of her soft spots as is her mother and her co-worker, Judy. Those are the people Trixie misses the most when Lux and her go on the run.

Lux is definitely the softer one. She loves taking photographs and doing makeup and when they need disguises, she’s the one that makes sure they’re barely recognizable. But she’s also not to be messed with. There’s a point in the book where Trixie is trying to keep their financial situation away from Lux and Lux is not having it. She wants the truth. No matter how bad it is.

Together, they fit perfectly. They’re protective of one another, accept each other’s mistakes, and do what they need to do to take care of each other. A bond between two people can’t be much stronger than the one between these two.

They go through hell, violence, creepy dudes, shady women, and starvation together before the end.

And speaking of the ending, it is probably the only part of the book I wanted a little bit more from. It stopped too soon. I wanted a minute more. Where it stops makes it feel unfinished to me. Usually, I like open endings but something about this one felt like a couple of pages were cut out and the end was missing.

As for trigger warnings, there is a sexual assault and a stabbing in the first half of the book so be careful while reading.

If you love young adult books with messy characters, romance, and road trips, Trouble Girls is the book for you.

Trouble Girls is available now in hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats