Title: Done Dirt Cheap
Author: Sarah Nicole Lemon
Format: Hardcover
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 336
Date Published: March 7, 2017
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Date Published: March 7, 2017
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Description:
Tourmaline Harris's life hit pause at fifteen, when her mom went to prison because of Tourmaline's unintentionally damning testimony. But at eighteen, her home life is stable, and she has a strong relationship with her father, the president of a local biker club known as the Wardens.
Virginia Campbell's life hit fast-forward at fifteen, when her mom "sold" her into the services of Hazard, a powerful attorney: a man for whom the law is merely a suggestion. When Hazard sets his sights on dismantling the Wardens, he send in Virginia, who has every intention of selling out the club -- and Tourmaline.
But the two girls are stronger than the circumstances that brought them together, and their resilience defines the friendship at the heart of this powerful debut novel.
Tourmaline Harris's life hit pause at fifteen, when her mom went to prison because of Tourmaline's unintentionally damning testimony. But at eighteen, her home life is stable, and she has a strong relationship with her father, the president of a local biker club known as the Wardens.
Virginia Campbell's life hit fast-forward at fifteen, when her mom "sold" her into the services of Hazard, a powerful attorney: a man for whom the law is merely a suggestion. When Hazard sets his sights on dismantling the Wardens, he send in Virginia, who has every intention of selling out the club -- and Tourmaline.
But the two girls are stronger than the circumstances that brought them together, and their resilience defines the friendship at the heart of this powerful debut novel.
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THE REVIEW
Reviewer: Sam
Reviewer: Sam
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Source: Purchased from Barnes and Noble
If I were to high-concept pitch this novel, I'd say it's Katie McGarry's Thunder Road series meets Emma Cline's The Girls. Folks, if that's not enough to catch your interest... \_(:/)_/.Source: Purchased from Barnes and Noble
So. Did I enjoy it? YES. Would I recommend it? YES! But I'm really kinda struggling to put my finger on why. Like any dream, the harder I try to put my finger on the specific, the quicker it slips and slithers away. Not in a frustrating way: it's alluring, and I'm already sensing a reread in my future. I want to re-feel all the feels and re-fit all the puzzle pieces.
But you're here for the why, right? So I'mma do my best: It could be the breezy, enigmatic vibe that kisses every aspect of this story - the characters, the pacing, the setting, the stakes. It could be the nuanced characterization of the female protagonists. It could be the unexpected (and perhaps inevitable) bond that develops between them - two young women alone in an oil-slick and unforgiving world. It could be the hard-edged and forbidden (*ahem* really-super lickable) love interests. It could be the motorcycles. (Because MOTORCYCLES.) It could be the mystery. Friends, it could be the sexy swagger of Lemon's words on page. (Uhuh. Girl knows what she's doing. 'Nother book, please!)
In summary (because you probably definitely need one after trying to make sense of the word-mess that is this post), get your hands on a copy of this book if you like edgy, fast-paced, high-stakes reads; if you like heroines who bite (metaphorically, obviously), super-sexy guys on bikes, families with secrets, and/or narratives of finding peace and one's place in an often-cruel and ever-complicated world. Get your hands on this book if you want something new, something fresh... something really-super badass.
☆☆☆☆
(I'm THIS close to awarding that fifth star because THAT COVER. It's glorious, no? And it totally captures the feel of the narrative.)