Harsh Pink
by Melody Carlson
Published by Think Books (August release)
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Reviewed by Laura V. Hilton
Reagan Mercer is the new girl in town. She was a cheerleader in her old high school in Boston, and now she's trying to fit in at her new high school. She won a coveted spot on the cheerleader squad and accidentally bumps Kendra Farnsworth from the line-up. Instantly, Kendra and the other cheerleaders are A-list enemies.
Reagan's mother is threatening to put Nana into a nursing home, and Reagan doesn't want that to happen, so she volunteers to take complete care of Nana. But Nana's Alzheimer's seems to be getting worse. Every day she comes home to find the house a complete mess--and one day a neighbor finds Nana wandering around in her garden, unable to remember where she lives.
Reagan knows how to play the 'nice game' and soon the other cheerleaders befriend her. Kendra is her best friend. But Reagan learns that acceptance in the popular group isn't everything its cut out to be. Can Reagan make the right choice about friendship?
Harsh Pink is the most recent book in the True Colors series, and the only one I've read to date. I sympathized with Reagan at first, but as the book went on I began disliking her. However, the book ends well, and that makes a big difference.
Once I started reading Harsh Pink, I couldn't put it down. I couldn't wait to see how the story turns out. I was bit surprised with the ending, but it was still good. The faith message is almost nonexistent until the end of the book. This is a book that my eleven year old will enjoy reading.
Armchair Interviews says: Teenagers being teenagers, and learning lessons.