College life examined in "Number 6 Fumbles"

Everyone's heard the phrase, "These are the best years of your life." The validity of this statement is brought into harsh light by first-time author Rachel Solar-Tuttle in her book "Number 6 Fumbles."\n"Number 6 Fumbles" tells the story of Rebecca (Beck) Lowe, a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, and her quest to find herself in her hectic college routine. Beck is a typical college student who spends her days with her art history books and her nights with vodka and grapefruit juice.\nBeck has always been the "fun" friend. She's always got the plans, and she seems very happy-go-lucky.\nBut her life is turned upside down when she sees No. 6 on the football team fumble the ball and sees how the fans react. She begins to wonder what would happen if she "fumbled the ball" in her own life.\nShe feels she has nowhere to go and no one to talk to. Her parents are very overbearing and are constantly pressuring her to succeed. She feels her roommates only care about her as a party companion. And she has no man in her life.\nThis becomes a huge issue for Beck, as she struggles to find "the one" through a series of hurtful lies and blurred one-night stands.\n"Number 6 Fumbles" does a nice job of showing the reality of college life. University students will be able to draw parallels to their own lives, and sympathize with the characters.\nThis book touches on several issues facing Beck and her peers, including self-respect and the need for stability. The importance of sex is questioned after she loses her virginity to a freshman. She begins to feel that it's nothing she should care about and becomes less protective of herself.\nShe wonders about being a woman and if life is meant to be painful for her after she meets Kate, a girl whose boyfriend abuses her. Even in this petty world that Solar-Tuttle creates, there are momentsof true friendship, especially in Beck's friend Phoebe. When these issues become too much, Phoebe is usually there to try to make sense of it all.\nAnyone who's ever questioned his place in this world or felt that one fumble could ruin his life forever will appreciate this book. It is a nicely-written account of how college can be both the best and most hellish years of our lives all at the same time.\nBut you don't have to take my word for it…