Trouble Girls - by Julia Lynn Rubin (Paperback)

About the Book

When Trixie picks up her best friend Lux for their weekend getaway, she is looking to escape for a little while, to forget the despair of being trapped in their dead-end Rust Belt town and the daunting responsibility of caring for her ailing mother. When a single night of violence derails their trip, they go from ordinary high schoolers to wanted fugitives. Trying to stay ahead of the cops and a hellscape of media attention, the girls grapple with an unforgiving landscape, rapidly diminishing supplies, and disastrous decisions at every turn. Transformed by the media into the face of a #MeToo movement they didn't ask to lead, Trixie and Lux realize that they can only rely on each other, and that the love they find together is the one thing that truly makes them free. --

Book Synopsis

"A fiery thriller." --Kikrus

"Breathless." --School Library Journal

A queer YA reimagining of Thelma & Louise with the aesthetic of Riverdale, for fans of Mindy McGinnis and Rory Power.

Love on the dark side of freedom

When Trixie picks up her best friend Lux for their weekend getaway, they're looking to forget the despair of being trapped in their dead-end rustbelt town. The girls are packing light: a supply of Diet Coke and an '89 Canon to help Lux frame the world in a sunnier light; half a pack of cigarettes that Trixie doesn't really smoke, and a knife she's hanging on to for a friend that she's never used before.

But a single night of violence derails their trip, and the girls go from ordinary high schoolers to wanted fugitives. Trying to stay ahead of the cops and a hellscape of media attention, Trixie and Lux grapple with an unforgiving landscape, rapidly diminishing supplies, and disastrous decisions at every turn. As they are transformed by the media into the face of a #MeToo movement they didn't ask to lead, Trixie and Lux realize that they can only rely on each other, and that the love they find together is the one thing that truly makes them free.

Julia Lynn Rubin takes readers on "a blistering, unapologetic thrill ride" (Emma Berquis) that will leave them haunted and reeling. Trouble Girls is a "a powerful, beautifully-written gut punch" (Sophie Gonzales).

Review Quotes

"A fiery thriller wrought with dramatic tension and social commentary." --Kirkus

"This breathless Thelma & Louise road trip features vivid characters and intricate worldbuilding." --School Library Journal

"A beautifully written and deeply thoughtful variation on the classic trope of the criminal duo on the run. Like the main character, Trixie, this book will leave you with no regrets." --Dana Mele, author of People Like Us

"A wild getaway full of grit and glitter, joy and heartache, devastation and empowerment." --Emma Lord, New York Times bestselling author of Tweet Cute and You Have a Match

"A love story that sings with rage and resilience." --Hannah Capin, author of Foul Is Fair

"A dark and delicious road trip story perfect for our time." --Demetra Brodsky, author of Last Girls

"With twists, turns, and a prickle of unease that follows the reader from beginning to end, Trouble Girls promises to keep the pages turning." --Ashley Schumacher, author of Amelia Unabridged

"A blistering, unapologetic thrill ride. You can't help but fall in love with these messy, complicated, unforgettable girls." --Emma Berquist, author of Missing, Presumed

"I wanted to fill their gas tank and buy them a bag of groceries. I rooted for Trixie and Lux so hard. You will too." --Lygia Day Peñaflor, author of All of This Is True

About the Author

JULIA LYNN RUBIN received her MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from The New School in 2017. A lover of film, psychology, and literature, Julia has been writing creatively since first grade, and her short stories have appeared in publications such as the North American Review. She currently lives in Brooklyn, where she is currently freelancing while working on her next book. Julia is the author of Burro Hills and Trouble Girls.