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Rebel Belle #1
Rebel Belle
Harper Price, peerless Southern belle, was born ready for a Homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper's destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength and lethal fighting instincts.
Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.
With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.
Just when life can't get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she's charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy and possibly Harper's least favorite person. But things get complicated when Harper starts falling for him—and discovers that David's own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.
With snappy banter, cotillion dresses, non-stop action and a touch of magic, this new young adult series from bestseller Rachel Hawkins is going to make y'all beg for more.
345 pages, Hardcover
First published April 8, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,592 reviews
April 10, 2014
Once again, my chest tightened, and there was that weird fluttering sensation that was like butterflies. But it couldn’t be butterflies. I did not have butterflies over David Stark.25% of the way in, I was sure I would give this book a 4, but I ended up wanting to fling this book at Harper's head. This book may be really, really cute, but overall, it's just an overextended love triangle without much of a plot. Nothing of importance happens in this book.
This was not a bad book by any means. I absolutely adored the main character, the relationships and the friendships were wonderfully written, the high school kids were just plain cute. But seriously, there was no fucking point to the love triangle, and I wanted to bash my head in every time the WONDERFUL BESTEST BOYFRIEND EVER Ryan clashed with BROODING HIPSTER ASSHOLE (with a heart of gold) David.
Not since Unearthly has a love triangle been so dragged out to agonizing nonresolution until the very fucking end. There was no fucking point to this love triangle. Why did it need a love triangle? Why could she not protect one guy and be his friend while remaining with her current boyfriend?! Why?!
If you don't mind the love triangle, I would recommend this book, because it was seriously sweet, as in the "I just ate a half pound of French chocolate truffles, but who cares, bitches, they're TRUFFLES!" sort of sweet. It was the good kind of sweetness. This book is so lighthearted and cute. But that love triangle, man!
The Summary:
“So, Harper Jane Price. Are you ready to accept your destiny?”It's silly, but if Harper hadn't forgotten her lip gloss, this never would have happened.
Harper Jane Price, Southern Belle extraordinaire, is perfect. She has a great life (let's not talk about her dead sister), a loving, wonderful boyfriend Ryan, fantastic friends, adoring parents, and a bright future.
Southern Belles are beautiful on the surface, sure, but what you might fail to notice upon first glance is that they have a backbone made of steel. Harper is one of those "I don't know how she does it" type of gal. Great grades, school president, popular, admired. Until the night it all starts to unravel. Until the night she forgot her lipgloss at the homecoming dance. Because then she had to borrow her friend's lip gloss. Because she stepped into the bathroom, only to encounter her school janitor, Mr. Hall, bloody and battered.
His breath was coming out in short gasps, and there was a dark red stain spreading across his expansive belly. There was no doubt in my mind that he was dying.Before dying, Mr. Hall breathes an ice-cold breath of air into Harper's lungs (ew), and whispers to her...
“Look after him, okay?” he said, his eyes looking glazed again. “Make sure he’s...he’s safe.”WTF?! So there's Harper, in her Homecoming outfit (which cost over $1k), hovering over a dead man. SHIT. And to make it worse, at that moment, her history teacher barges in. Not only does he insult her...
“I really can’t think of a worse choice,” he said, still smiling, “than the bimbo who wrote a paper on the history of shoes for my class.”But he tries to kill her!! He doesn't exactly succeed, because somehow Harper finds the strength in herself to kick his ass.
The sword was still poised in the air when I came to an abrupt stop and sunk the heel into his throat, right under his jaw.He really shouldn't have called her a bimbo.
So crap, what the fuck is all this?! Before he died, Mr. Hall muttered something about a "Pal," and some vague shit about protection. After Googling this shit, Harper theorizes that the "Pal" means Paladin (Thank you, World of Warcraft, really!). So the only thing Harper has to figure out now is who she's meant to protect.
Mr. Hall hadn’t been a superhero. He’d been a Paladin, and that was . . . different, right? And what—or who—had been his noble cause?She'll figure it out eventually. Meanwhile, there's school to deal with. Not to mention asshole hipster extraordinaire David Stark. Everyone has a thorn in their life, and David Stark is Harper's pain in the ass. He's the only skinny-jean wearing hipster in the entire school, and ever since childhood, David's mission has been to take Harper down. Currently, he's on the school paper, writing vicious articles about her, and this latest one is the last fucking straw.
What was mine?
Under the picture of me and Bee, there was a smaller caption: Homecoming Queen misses crowning under mysterious circumstances. My eyes darted over the rest of the article as my heart started pounding. “...hiding in the boys’ room...violently ill...tension between the ‘Queen Bee’ and her underling, Bee Franklin...this reporter...”Harper Price is PISSED, and she's going to murder that asshole. Except she can't.
Whatever the reason, my right hand shot up to slap David Stark across the face.Well, fuck. It turns out that Harper is a Paladin chosen to protect David. And as much as she hates him, she can't hurt him. In fact, she has to protect him with her life. What will become of Harper's life? Her relationship with her friends, her wonderful boyfriend? Is she prepared to give it all up to protect David?
Half an inch from David’s cheek, my hand stopped in midair. And it wasn’t because I had some crisis of conscience, either. It was like my hand hit an invisible wall right by his head.
I withdrew my hand. “No, thank you.”Well, we all know that it's not that simple. But Harper already has so much on her plate. How is she going to deal with David...while trying to maintain her relationship with Ryan?!
Saylor and David both stared.
“I appreciate your offer very much,” I continued. “But I’m afraid I have to refuse.”
“But you’re always arguing with him. Or talking about him. Or competing with him. And sometimes I wonder how you can be so obsessed with someone you supposedly hate.”And Ryan is so understanding. He's trying to understand WHY she's spending so much time away from him. Harper is so busy sneaking around with David talking about being a Paladin that she just doesn't have any time for the perfect Ryan anymore. And Ryan really is perfect.
“I love you,” he said at last. “You know that. But it’s...it’s like we’re speaking two different languages most of the time. Harper.” He tugged on my hand. “If there’s something going on with you, you can tell me, okay?”Even as he suspects something's going on between David and his girlfriend...
“You guys seemed pretty...intense yesterday,” Ryan said, dropping my hand.THAT'S THE ENTIRE FUCKING BOOK.
“Yeah, we were intensely arguing over him writing that stupid article,” I said even as I had a sudden vision of me and David, laughing in his car. Hugging. God, we had hugged.
The Premise: The Paladin thing is just...strange. This is pretty original, in that I've rarely seen the concept of the Paladin used, and to be honest...it doesn't quite work. It's just a protector, nothing more. Someone assigned to protect a person, and the concept was not convincing. The mythology behind it wasn't well-drawn enough to be truly attractive, and overall, I just found the concept rather baffling. This book completely lacks Hex Hall's magic in that sense. It is an urban fantasy that's too light on the fantasy, with almost no relevant action at all.
Harper: She is just a fabulous narrator.
The quintessential Steel Magnolia. She reminds me a little bit of Mac in the Fever series. Before you go running away, I have to make a case for Harper. She is young, she is 17, and she is so utterly competent. Think of Harper as Mac 4.0. Harper has none of Mac's immaturity, on the contrary, Harper is astoundingly capable. She is cheerleader, class president, Homecoming organizer, she's in the Future Business Leaders of America, she's got great grades, she's got a gentle nature, she holds it all together. Most of it had to do with the fact that she's trying to get over her sister's death. Harper organizes away her grief with perfection. So much that her parents worry about her.
And the next time I did school stuff in the middle of the night, I just did it in my closet with the door locked. Honestly, what is wrong with this country when striving for excellence means you need antidepressants?I absolutely loved Harper. She is never judgmental, she is a Southern Belle with none of the annoying characteristics, and honestly, I hate to generalize, but if you've got an Y chromosome, you're probably not going to like this book because Harper is so adorably girly.
THE MOTHEREFFING LOVE TRIANGLE:
Ryan was a good guy. He always had been.
Harper has a boyfriend, Ryan, and he is absolutely perfect. Handsome, smart, he has supported her throughout her family tragedy. He has stood by her while she joins 1000000 school committees, waiting patiently for her to make time for him. She's been in love with Ryan since 3rd grade, and it took her 6 years to get him. They've been dating for a couple of years, and Ryan is an absolute darling. He is an utter gentleman.
He lowered his head and kissed me, albeit pretty chastely. PDA is vile, and Ryan, being my Perfect Boyfriend, knows how I feel about it.He gets along with her friends.
“Ladies,” Ryan said, nodding at Amanda, Abigail, and Mary Beth. “Let me guess. Y’all are...plotting world domination?”Her parents adore him. He truly is a wonderful guy. He's concerned about her, about all the pressures Harper places on herself.
“No,” Amanda told him, deadly serious. “We’re talking about Cotillion.”
“Ah, world domination, Cotillion. Same difference,” Ryan replied with an easy grin, and this time, all three girls giggled, even Amanda.
And Harper adores him. Until David Stark steps into the picture.
She and David have known each other since they were children, too, it's a small Southern town, y'all. Harper and David have been each others' nemesis their entire lives, since the cradle, almost.
He and I had loathed each other since kindergarten. Heck, even before that. Mom says he’s the only baby I ever bit in daycare.It followed through to middle school.
“I’m sure you’d hate to miss everyone’s felicitations.”He's taken to writing vicious articles attacking her leadership in school, and implying that she was pregnant. But the instant Harper gets "assigned" to protect him...suddenly, something fucking changes!
David had beaten me in the final round of our sixth-grade spelling bee with that word and now, all these years later, he still tried to drop it into conversation whenever he could.
For one horrifying second, I thought he was going to kiss me. I wasn’t really sure how I’d react if he did.AND SO THE APOCALYPSE BEGINS. Who will it be? Will it be Ryan, lovely boyfriend Ryan who's waiting patiently on the side while Harper gets all her school shit and secret Paladin shit together? Or will it be David?!
But it was only a hug. And if I maybe spent a second or two thinking that he actually smelled really nice, or that he was much more solid than he appeared, so what?
Still, I had to admit, yellow was a good color on him. It brought out the gold in his hair, and—SO WHO WILL SHE MOTHERFUCKING CHOOSE?! Wonderful, neglected Ryan, or asshole-with-a-heart David? And will she ever stop being a motherfucking terrible girlfriend?!
I stopped myself. The gold in his hair? Since when did I care about David.
“But, God, Harper, sometimes I feel like your whole life is a checklist, and I am way down at the bottom. And, you know, every once in awhile, you throw me a bone to keep me happy.”
I flinched at that, hard. Not only because it was insulting, but because it was way too close to the truth.
March 18, 2014
Girls night in!
And by that, I mean me, this book and the cat, but shh...
This book is pure entertainment. Silly, hilarious fun. I've suddenly realised how hard it is to review a book like this because I cannot lay out the details of some amazingly complex plot... or tell you about the deep philosophical journey you will be taken on... or talk about a rich new fantasy world. This book has none of those things. And yet, it is easily one of the most enjoyable books I've picked up in a long while.
Rebel Belle is a kind of paranormal, chick-lit comedy thingymabob. I suppose humour is one of the most subjective things, but I'm fairly sure most readers will eat this up like strawberry flavoured ice cream covered in rainbow sprinkles. It reminds me of a young adult, sillier version of the Sookie Stackhouse books (back when they were actually good). But, despite all of that, it really isn't formulaic at all. In fact, this book does quite a lot of new things with the characters, the friendships and the romance, which set it apart from many other YA books and made sure I would have to get my hands on the sequel as soon as possible.
I felt like I had stepped into a nightmare. Five minutes ago my main concern had been whether Salmon Fantasy would clash with my pink dress. Now I was cradling a dying man on the bathroom floor while some crazy person pounded on the door.
Harper Price is the very definition of a Southern belle. She's cheerleading captain, homecoming queen, president of this, that and everything, she has the hottest boyfriend and the most popular friends, and she never EVER says the F-word. That is... until the fateful evening when she finds herself in a strange battle for her life. A battle which ends with Harper acquiring some rather unusual abilities. After that, Harper's perfect little world starts to get very strange indeed. And I 'effin loved it!
I think Harper is the main reason this book was so good for me. I like characters like her because she wasn't born some gun-toting badass. She's very... girly. Whatever you want to take that to mean. It's possible that some of you won't like her - just as a lot of people didn't like Mac from the Fever series - but I find myself drawn to female characters that are like Harper, you could call them ditzy perhaps, but they show they are able to adapt when the circumstances call for it. They prove that even the blonde cheerleader with the fluffy pom poms can kick ass and save the day. That even the girls who go to parties with their friends, have crushes on boys, trip over their own feet now and then, and have big dreams and ambitions - even they can be superheroes when they find themselves in hot water.
“We’re not dead,” he said, almost like he was talking to himself. “How did we not get dead?”
I smiled at him and squeezed his arm. “Because I’m awesome.”
And she is awesome. And hilarious. Both because of the witty things she says and thinks, and also because of some of the embarrassing predicaments she finds herself in. I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book, which is rare.
It might be light and fluffy but, make no mistake, Rebel Belle is an excellent girl power book. Friendship is extremely important to Harper and there's no casual slut-shaming of the best friend or hidden jealousies lying under the surface. Plus, the main plot line of the book is that Harper is supposed to protect the "Oracle" with her powers and the Oracle is a guy. Interesting and refreshing subversion of gender roles; I'm not going to say too much about their relationship but I really liked how that was handled too.
In the end, Rebel Belle is mainly a book about a young women who discovers that her life isn't headed down the perfect little path she'd laid out for herself. It's about growing up and adapting to new situations and making the best of what life throws your way. It's a compelling message decorated with pink icing and a lot of laughs. I don't think I can say much more to convince you, so I'll finish with a quote from a funny scene:
I picked up the nearest weapon I could lay my hands on: a stapler. I lifted it, going for “menacing.” I admit it lacked a certain elegance, but hey. It was worth a shot. David placed his hand on my arm and pushed it back down.
“What?”
“Just . . . that’s embarrassing for all of us,” he replied.
And by that, I mean me, this book and the cat, but shh...
This book is pure entertainment. Silly, hilarious fun. I've suddenly realised how hard it is to review a book like this because I cannot lay out the details of some amazingly complex plot... or tell you about the deep philosophical journey you will be taken on... or talk about a rich new fantasy world. This book has none of those things. And yet, it is easily one of the most enjoyable books I've picked up in a long while.
Rebel Belle is a kind of paranormal, chick-lit comedy thingymabob. I suppose humour is one of the most subjective things, but I'm fairly sure most readers will eat this up like strawberry flavoured ice cream covered in rainbow sprinkles. It reminds me of a young adult, sillier version of the Sookie Stackhouse books (back when they were actually good). But, despite all of that, it really isn't formulaic at all. In fact, this book does quite a lot of new things with the characters, the friendships and the romance, which set it apart from many other YA books and made sure I would have to get my hands on the sequel as soon as possible.
I felt like I had stepped into a nightmare. Five minutes ago my main concern had been whether Salmon Fantasy would clash with my pink dress. Now I was cradling a dying man on the bathroom floor while some crazy person pounded on the door.
Harper Price is the very definition of a Southern belle. She's cheerleading captain, homecoming queen, president of this, that and everything, she has the hottest boyfriend and the most popular friends, and she never EVER says the F-word. That is... until the fateful evening when she finds herself in a strange battle for her life. A battle which ends with Harper acquiring some rather unusual abilities. After that, Harper's perfect little world starts to get very strange indeed. And I 'effin loved it!
I think Harper is the main reason this book was so good for me. I like characters like her because she wasn't born some gun-toting badass. She's very... girly. Whatever you want to take that to mean. It's possible that some of you won't like her - just as a lot of people didn't like Mac from the Fever series - but I find myself drawn to female characters that are like Harper, you could call them ditzy perhaps, but they show they are able to adapt when the circumstances call for it. They prove that even the blonde cheerleader with the fluffy pom poms can kick ass and save the day. That even the girls who go to parties with their friends, have crushes on boys, trip over their own feet now and then, and have big dreams and ambitions - even they can be superheroes when they find themselves in hot water.
“We’re not dead,” he said, almost like he was talking to himself. “How did we not get dead?”
I smiled at him and squeezed his arm. “Because I’m awesome.”
And she is awesome. And hilarious. Both because of the witty things she says and thinks, and also because of some of the embarrassing predicaments she finds herself in. I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book, which is rare.
It might be light and fluffy but, make no mistake, Rebel Belle is an excellent girl power book. Friendship is extremely important to Harper and there's no casual slut-shaming of the best friend or hidden jealousies lying under the surface. Plus, the main plot line of the book is that Harper is supposed to protect the "Oracle" with her powers and the Oracle is a guy. Interesting and refreshing subversion of gender roles; I'm not going to say too much about their relationship but I really liked how that was handled too.
In the end, Rebel Belle is mainly a book about a young women who discovers that her life isn't headed down the perfect little path she'd laid out for herself. It's about growing up and adapting to new situations and making the best of what life throws your way. It's a compelling message decorated with pink icing and a lot of laughs. I don't think I can say much more to convince you, so I'll finish with a quote from a funny scene:
I picked up the nearest weapon I could lay my hands on: a stapler. I lifted it, going for “menacing.” I admit it lacked a certain elegance, but hey. It was worth a shot. David placed his hand on my arm and pushed it back down.
“What?”
“Just . . . that’s embarrassing for all of us,” he replied.
June 9, 2023
Super fun and funny read
March 20, 2016
“I had just killed a teacher.With my shoe.”
Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Hart of Dixie and ancient Greece.Katerina approves.
So,Harper is a perfect southern lady,waiting to be crowned Homecoming Queen,when she finds the school janitor dying in the girls' bathrooms and said janitor passes her some weird mojo by kissing her and her History teacher attacks her and she goes ninja.Not your typical Homecoming night,right?Confused and panicked,Harper finds out that she became a Paladin,a warrior and protector, and every bizarre thing that happens in her life evolves around David.freaking.Stark.
“He and I had loathed each other since kindergarten.Heck, even before that. Mom says he’s the only baby I ever bit in daycare.”
I have to be honest,I loved this book!It was super funny and sweet,combining kickass action with high school drama and some major aww and ohh and what?? and go girl! moments!Rachel Hawkins definitely knows how to keep you glued to Harper's story,it's fast paced and makes you smile!
Rebel Belle is a refreshing YA novel because for once,the girl doesn't depend on the boy to save her or guide her through the crazy stuff she experiences.On the contrary,David is the one who needs saving and is equally lost and scared (but he gallantly tries to hide it) and so,so cute.I want to hug him.
If you're looking for prophecies and crazy teenage witches and greek mythology woven with southern charm and likable characters,do not hesitate to read Rebel Belle!
January 14, 2015
I LOVED THIS. Here's my full review!: http://youtu.be/kZ-woVqnwkQ
March 11, 2014
Goes down like a cool glass of sweet tea on a hot summer's day. SO much fun! If you love Hex Hall or other lighthearted, funny paranormal books, you'll certainly enjoy this.
Full review, ARC giveaway, and hummingbird cake recipe posted to the blog!
http://www.themidnightgarden.net/2014...
Full review, ARC giveaway, and hummingbird cake recipe posted to the blog!
http://www.themidnightgarden.net/2014...
April 15, 2018
4.5 STARS
Well, that was fucking awesome. Er, sorry. I mean, effing awesome. Not sure the MC of this novel would approve of my swearing in a review.
You see, Harper Price is a southern belle, raised on good manners and tradition. Sure, she might be a little vain, and more than a little self-centered, but that doesn’t necessarily make her a bad person. In fact, she has a sort of self-deprecating sense of humor that makes it pretty hard to hate the girl, regardless of her snobbery.
She reminds me a lot of one of my all-time favorite female leads: Mac, from the Fever series. She’s exactly what I imagine Mac to have been like in high school. She’s your classic over-achiever. Top of her class, head of innumerable school clubs, charity volunteer extraordinaire, you name it.
Her life is the high school dream your parents tried to get you to believe in. She’s popular, has an incredibly loyal best friend, a dreamy boyfriend, is a shoe-in for prom queen, and will most likely be valedictorian to boot.
That is until the night of the homecoming dance, when a school janitor locks himself in a bathroom with her and then kisses her before bleeding to death in her arms. As if this isn’t weird enough, immediately afterward, one of her teachers breaks down the bathroom door and tries to kill her. With a scimitar.
DAFUQ?
Er, sorry, Harper.
I mean, DAEFF?
From that point on her life gets a little crazy. Turns out that janitor was some kind of legendary soldier charged with protecting one of her fellow classmates, and he managed to pass his powers onto Harper through that kiss.
Oh, and the boy he was charged with protecting, David, happens to be her biggest rival. They’ve competed against each other since they were in diapers. Literally.
“…he and I had loathed each other since kindergarten. Heck, even before that. Mom says he’s the only baby I ever bit in daycare.”
Regardless of their animosity, I loved them together. It was obvious from the get-go that these two had chemistry. And passion. And I especially loved that David was anything but your typical, brooding YA “hero”.
“The door swung open, and David stood there, dressed in a yellow sweater and his green corduroy pants. He looked like he should be on PBS, talking to a puppet about the alphabet.”
*falls over laughing*
I spent most of this book cackling like a loon and hoping that these two would get over their loathing and realized they were perfect for each other.
What follows after homecoming is a hilarious tale of the two of them coming to terms with what they both are. This book was filled with fantastic world building, imaginative yet believable lore, and a cast of characters that you can really root for.
I just…GAH.
I loved it. I truly did. These kids aren’t idiots. Sure, they’re a little naïve, but they learn from their mistakes, and where a lot of authors would add drama and angst into this storyline (because Harper has a boyfriend that SERIOUSLY factors into the ending of this book), THIS author did not. For which I am eternally thankful.
This was so good that Hawkins is now on my auto-buy list.
You should give this book a chance. It might just restore some of your faith in the YA category.
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September 8, 2017
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads
I was born and raised in the South. My husband was too, but he’s not a real Southerner—his father is from San Francisco, and his mother is from Michigan. They moved to Georgia from up north a few years before the hubs was born, bringin’ their Northern and West Coast ways with them.
Not that there’s anything wrong with Northern or West Coast ways; they just aren’t Southern.
Still aren’t, b/c even after 30+ years of living in the South, there are times when I’ll say or do something, and my husband will be completely bewildered. Or bothered. For example, he particularly dislikes it when I say, “I suwannee.” But I do say it. Regularly. Perhaps even more often than I usually would b/c sometimes it’s fun to bother your husband.
*smiles winsomely*
The point is that it is a truth universally acknowledged that your family has to have lived in the South for several generations before you are really and truly Southern, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Ms. Hawkins is really and truly Southern, b/c REBEL BELLE captures that essential Southern-ness better than anything I have read in a long, long time.
It was positively delightful.
I laughed so hard and so often that I was grateful to be reading in the privacy of my own home, AND I read all of it in one sitting. It was that good. Once, I even laughed so hard that I cried. My husband thought I was having a fit. Maybe I was . . .
But if I was, I couldn’t help it.
With Harper tossing out one-liners left and right, and her crazy great aunts being . . . well, crazy great aunts (and also the source of the longest and loudest laughter), I don’t see how I could possibly be blamed for the perceived hysteria that this book induced.
So stop looking at me like I’ve lost my mind, m’kay?
And this book has more to offer than just humor. Harper is a character that is easy to connect with whether you’re from the South or not. I’m sure that many of you know someone that deals with grief by making herself too busy to think (or you may even be that kind of person yourself), and that is exactly what Harper is struggling with. She’s the Head Cheerleader, the President of Future Business Leaders of America and the Student Council, Captain of the Debate team, etc.
So the last thing she needs is to have superhero-like abilities unceremoniously thrust upon her and the accompanying biological imperative to protect her archnemesis David Stark (a HIPSTER *gasp of horror*).
Unfortunately for Harper, that is precisely what happens . . .
There weren’t many problems with this book, and the problems I did have weren’t huge. The Big Bad was a little flat; I didn’t understand her or her motivations. She just kind of showed up, this megalomaniac, narcissistic teenager, wrecking havoc wherever she went. And aside from David, who can’t really be considered a secondary, and Harper’s best friend Bee, the other secondaries were also a little bit underdeveloped. Based on the ending, however, I’m hopeful that we’ll learn more about them in the future.
But overall REBEL BELLE is sheer perfection for what it is—yummy good brain candy. There are still real problems and obstacles to face, but you don’t become bogged down with trials and tribulations. Harper is a clever girl, capable of thinking on her feet, and if those feet happen to be wearing a pair of fantastic heels—what of it? I highly recommend this book to anyone in need of something lighter and fluffier than the standard Urban Fantasy, YA or otherwise, and I can’t wait to see what the next installment brings.
I was born and raised in the South. My husband was too, but he’s not a real Southerner—his father is from San Francisco, and his mother is from Michigan. They moved to Georgia from up north a few years before the hubs was born, bringin’ their Northern and West Coast ways with them.
Not that there’s anything wrong with Northern or West Coast ways; they just aren’t Southern.
Still aren’t, b/c even after 30+ years of living in the South, there are times when I’ll say or do something, and my husband will be completely bewildered. Or bothered. For example, he particularly dislikes it when I say, “I suwannee.” But I do say it. Regularly. Perhaps even more often than I usually would b/c sometimes it’s fun to bother your husband.
*smiles winsomely*
The point is that it is a truth universally acknowledged that your family has to have lived in the South for several generations before you are really and truly Southern, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Ms. Hawkins is really and truly Southern, b/c REBEL BELLE captures that essential Southern-ness better than anything I have read in a long, long time.
It was positively delightful.
I laughed so hard and so often that I was grateful to be reading in the privacy of my own home, AND I read all of it in one sitting. It was that good. Once, I even laughed so hard that I cried. My husband thought I was having a fit. Maybe I was . . .
But if I was, I couldn’t help it.
With Harper tossing out one-liners left and right, and her crazy great aunts being . . . well, crazy great aunts (and also the source of the longest and loudest laughter), I don’t see how I could possibly be blamed for the perceived hysteria that this book induced.
So stop looking at me like I’ve lost my mind, m’kay?
And this book has more to offer than just humor. Harper is a character that is easy to connect with whether you’re from the South or not. I’m sure that many of you know someone that deals with grief by making herself too busy to think (or you may even be that kind of person yourself), and that is exactly what Harper is struggling with. She’s the Head Cheerleader, the President of Future Business Leaders of America and the Student Council, Captain of the Debate team, etc.
So the last thing she needs is to have superhero-like abilities unceremoniously thrust upon her and the accompanying biological imperative to protect her archnemesis David Stark (a HIPSTER *gasp of horror*).
Unfortunately for Harper, that is precisely what happens . . .
There weren’t many problems with this book, and the problems I did have weren’t huge. The Big Bad was a little flat; I didn’t understand her or her motivations. She just kind of showed up, this megalomaniac, narcissistic teenager, wrecking havoc wherever she went. And aside from David, who can’t really be considered a secondary, and Harper’s best friend Bee, the other secondaries were also a little bit underdeveloped. Based on the ending, however, I’m hopeful that we’ll learn more about them in the future.
But overall REBEL BELLE is sheer perfection for what it is—yummy good brain candy. There are still real problems and obstacles to face, but you don’t become bogged down with trials and tribulations. Harper is a clever girl, capable of thinking on her feet, and if those feet happen to be wearing a pair of fantastic heels—what of it? I highly recommend this book to anyone in need of something lighter and fluffier than the standard Urban Fantasy, YA or otherwise, and I can’t wait to see what the next installment brings.
March 5, 2018
"When you die in a hundred years, they'll probably write on your gravestone, 'Here Lies Harper Price - Damn It, She Still Had Stuff to Do!”
First of all,
Second,
This book was probably the hugest disappointment I've had since when I was 3 and found out you don't get a candy tree if you plant gummy bears.
I decided to read it because I've been told the main character is both girly and a badass and, in all honesty, I'm soooo done with authors shoving down our throats the same kickass female characters who despise dresses and everything pink-ish.
As if wearing make-up or adoring ballet flats makes you less of a modern woman.
Anywhoooo...
The point is, I've had my reasons to dive into this book feeling like I was about to get some quality girl power action, and instead I found myself with a fistful of cringey moments and the urge to snort some chili pepper in order to feel something.
Let me be clear.
Even if I’m not going to spend any word on the matter, the book itself is not even that bad.
The writing is sort of nice and funny in its own frilly way, and I could easily bypass the teenage angst, the plot holes, the cheesy romance and the inaccuracy of the facts.
Heck, I could even momentarily forget about how rushed and anticlimactic (and flipping absurd, jesus fries) the ending was…
But I could never, ever, ever forgive the author for failing what could have been a pleasant book with one of the worse main characters I’ve read about in the last two years.
Since it’s only fair to give credit where credit is due, I’ll start this rant by saying that I firmly hate double-standards, and I recognize that Harper has some flaws (things like being so confident and inconsiderate to the point it gets annoying, for example) that could be seen as positive or charming traits if she were a male character.
I don’t hate her for these things.
I hate her because Harper Jane Price is an uptight, selfish and immature kid who’s the farthest there is from the Badass & Girly hero she’s supposed to represent.
I get it, we have to deal with the homecoming queen who comes from a wealthy family, the perfectionist who’s got nothing but straight A+ on her school curriculum, the southern belle who dreams a white wedding with flowers and butterflies, who magically has the chance to turn her life upside down and do
I promise, I get it.
But still, her nauseating holier-than-thou attitude and inclination to thinking her farts smell like Chanel n. 5, made her almost insufferable to the point I considered dropping the book halfway through it.
I don’t care if you’re a princess or a peasant, I don’t care if you wear pearls or kombat boots, just don’t be a stupid prick about it.
I was so happy to read about a girl who stands out for herself, so happy to relate to someone who shamelessly likes all her girly things and is able to throw powerkicks at the same time, but the case here was different.
Harper changed her behavior way too suddenly.
She was (almost) cool as long as she was fighing and embracing her destiny as a Paladin, but as soon as boyfriends (plural intended), friends, shoes and school duties were involved, she became the spoiled kid that made me roll my eyes forever (yes, they’re still rolling).
I can’t help but think it would have been better to mix these two aspects of her personality together, rather than separating them clearly in two different sides.
Also, with fact is that, with characters like this one, you’d usually expect a development of some kind, at some point. Our dear Miss Price, on the other hand, has the special ability to become more and more hateful, childish and exasperating as the story goes on.
Now, I have no idea what southern belle actually are or how they should behave, but according to my beloved Wikipedia, they should be judgy binches who treat people outside of their clique like absolute shit.
Exhibit 1:
Exhibit 2 (and this was probably the final nail in the coffin):
”In fact, if I decided to do something so low-class as get a tattoo, […]”
Well, fuck you, too.
I mean, it's totally okay if you don't like them, but by saying this is basically like affirming that every single person who has a tattoo is a bag of shit.
Ugh, so darn shallow!
So yeah, lasses and lads.
This is what kept this book from gaining more than those two miserable stars.
I also feel incredibly frustrated about that cover, because it’s incredibly pretty, but this book doesn’t deserve it.
At all.
As I said before, it makes me a bit sad to give Rebel Belle such low ratings, because the story in general isnt’t even destined for the dump, but I swear I’d rather roll on glowing embers than reading this book once again.
Farewell, Rachel Hawkins.
May our path cross again.
Possibly, under luckier and better bookish circumstances.
Until then, me and my tattoos will be more than happy to avoid Harpy, erm, Harper Jane Price and her inner ugliness like the plague.
Lol
January 7, 2015
A lot of people raved about this book and recommended it to me, but for some reason I still wasn't expecting much out of this book.
SO GLAD IT SURPRISED ME. It was seriously SO much better than I was expecting.
I loved Harper's voice in this. She wasn't over-the-top southern like in some books i've read *cough*BEAUTIFUL CREATURES*cough* but she was the perfect mixture of sassy and awesome and hilarious and southern.
The story was really original too! I mean there were some typical YA novel cliches, but the overall storyline is pretty fantastically original. I definitely haven't read anything like this book!
OVERALL. SO GOOD. EVERYONE READ IT NOW BECAUSE SO GOOD AND ENJOYABLE AND FANTASTIC.
I am so glad this is going to be a series. YAAAAS.
SO GLAD IT SURPRISED ME. It was seriously SO much better than I was expecting.
I loved Harper's voice in this. She wasn't over-the-top southern like in some books i've read *cough*BEAUTIFUL CREATURES*cough* but she was the perfect mixture of sassy and awesome and hilarious and southern.
The story was really original too! I mean there were some typical YA novel cliches, but the overall storyline is pretty fantastically original. I definitely haven't read anything like this book!
OVERALL. SO GOOD. EVERYONE READ IT NOW BECAUSE SO GOOD AND ENJOYABLE AND FANTASTIC.
I am so glad this is going to be a series. YAAAAS.
April 13, 2019
"LOOKING BACK, none of this would have happened if I'd brought lip gloss the night of the Homecoming Dance."
Honestly, I didn't know what to expect when I decided to read this. I read it for the pink cover I needed for the color challenge I was doing. I had heard it was funny but worried it was going to be cheesy. Instead it ended up being a lot of fun.
I started out not caring much for Harper, the main character. She came off as a typical sheltered private school rich kid, vapid and self-centered. She had some redeeming qualities though. She was super smart and involved in school activities (even if that was self-serving). She also didn't like to cuss or show PDA, which is rare for a teen. The other main character, David, starts off acting like a tool towards Harper, so I wasn't his biggest fan either. Of course we later find out not all is as it seems, and everything changes. Harper starts caring about people other than herself, and David stops being such a jerk, allowing some emotional attachment to the characters to start building up. There are other characters, a boyfriend, a best friend, and some family members, but none of them seemed to really matter. Saylor was important but the book was in Harper's point of view and they didn't interact with each other much.
The plot was definitely interesting. It was cliche in a few places but original in others. I liked how the girl was physically powerful, and in charge of protecting the male character, who was fragile. I also liked how the boyfriend wasn't the center of her life (he was barely in the book), and how sex wasn't the basis of their relationship. They made out a couple of times but it was downplayed and glossed over. I also liked how Harper obeyed her parents, even when she felt they were being unreasonable. Most YA involves teens rebelling but the main character was just trying to be a good kid. After a bit I really started to root for her. I would've liked having more answers but I guess not having them made it a bit more realistic. In real life you tend to figure it out as you go. The mythology was different as well. It introduced a story from history that I was unfamiliar with. The author tweaked it, added some fantasy, and made it her own.
I thought this was cute and spunky. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a laid back, fun read. There was violence, but since there's no sex or drugs, or other heavy subjects, and almost no cussing, I consider this suitable for kids as young as 6th grade. My 6th grader is reading it now, and so far she loves it.
"And then he placed his palm in mine."
Honestly, I didn't know what to expect when I decided to read this. I read it for the pink cover I needed for the color challenge I was doing. I had heard it was funny but worried it was going to be cheesy. Instead it ended up being a lot of fun.
I started out not caring much for Harper, the main character. She came off as a typical sheltered private school rich kid, vapid and self-centered. She had some redeeming qualities though. She was super smart and involved in school activities (even if that was self-serving). She also didn't like to cuss or show PDA, which is rare for a teen. The other main character, David, starts off acting like a tool towards Harper, so I wasn't his biggest fan either. Of course we later find out not all is as it seems, and everything changes. Harper starts caring about people other than herself, and David stops being such a jerk, allowing some emotional attachment to the characters to start building up. There are other characters, a boyfriend, a best friend, and some family members, but none of them seemed to really matter. Saylor was important but the book was in Harper's point of view and they didn't interact with each other much.
The plot was definitely interesting. It was cliche in a few places but original in others. I liked how the girl was physically powerful, and in charge of protecting the male character, who was fragile. I also liked how the boyfriend wasn't the center of her life (he was barely in the book), and how sex wasn't the basis of their relationship. They made out a couple of times but it was downplayed and glossed over. I also liked how Harper obeyed her parents, even when she felt they were being unreasonable. Most YA involves teens rebelling but the main character was just trying to be a good kid. After a bit I really started to root for her. I would've liked having more answers but I guess not having them made it a bit more realistic. In real life you tend to figure it out as you go. The mythology was different as well. It introduced a story from history that I was unfamiliar with. The author tweaked it, added some fantasy, and made it her own.
I thought this was cute and spunky. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a laid back, fun read. There was violence, but since there's no sex or drugs, or other heavy subjects, and almost no cussing, I consider this suitable for kids as young as 6th grade. My 6th grader is reading it now, and so far she loves it.
"And then he placed his palm in mine."
April 16, 2014
This book exceeded my expectations! It's such a fun and thrilling ride. If you're interested in hearing more of my thoughts check out my video review here: http://youtu.be/NnE1bM57JK0
Um... I DID NOT SEE THAT PLOT TWIST COMING. I'm going to have to do a book talk for this one! So much to talk about.
Um... I DID NOT SEE THAT PLOT TWIST COMING. I'm going to have to do a book talk for this one! So much to talk about.
August 9, 2016
I deem it appropriate to start the year with a good laugh, so: welcome 2016. Let's get started.
"I was bringing this by to say sorry for yesterday. To both of you" I added as Saylor moved forward. "You know, for the... the car driving and the recklessness, and the-the grabbing..."
With my free hand I started making this clutching gesture. I was talking about grabbing David's shirt, but it looked like I was milking a cow.
Or worse."
This was racy. And yes, I admit it: I laughed like an idiot. Here and in so many other moments that I lost count of them. And I enjoyed it. I enjoyed a high school drama.
It's a new year, guys.
In my defense I say there were superpowers. Kind of. Superpowers are always a good excuse. Kind of.
•The protagonist of this story, Harper Price, is perfect. Homecoming queen, impossibly high grades, owner of the BBE (Best Boyfriend Ever) aka Ryan Bradshaw. It won't take but a decent amount of nastiness to make her the nightmare and the dream of every teenage girl ever existed.
Except she's not.
I was sure I was going to have problems with her -beauty queens are not exactly my prototype of favorite main character- but instead I found myself thinking more than once that she is likeable. More than likeable. She's the kind of girl you'd love to have as a friend. She may seem perfect and good at everything she does, and I won't say she is not, but she's not only that: she can get all awkward and ill-at-ease, and if I started to call her names when she almost freaks out for forgetting the lipstick at home, I couldn't help warming to her during the rest of the book. She is competitive, tough, determinate, and she simply doesn't quit. She is the girl, or part of the girl, I'd like to be and try to be.
•Of course the plot is not really intricate, and there aren't who-knows-what impredictable plot-twists, but I was expecting none of them. I expected a funny story with easy-going, nice characters, and I got them. Or better, I got more, because this book is also deliciously written. I wasn't prepared to that, but I loved Hawkins' storytelling: being told in first person, Harper also plays as narrator, and she is incredibly good at it. Lovable.
➽ Sure, it's not perfect -there are some really silly moments that spoiled my fun a little, but looking to the story as a whole they appear as minor flaws. I am so thrilled about the sequel -I already miss Harper. See? She's like a good friend, I told you.
And in case you're wondering, yes, I have a thing for David. What? He's cute. And smart. Smart and cute. Don't try to say you didn't fall for him too, because you don't fool me.
"I was bringing this by to say sorry for yesterday. To both of you" I added as Saylor moved forward. "You know, for the... the car driving and the recklessness, and the-the grabbing..."
With my free hand I started making this clutching gesture. I was talking about grabbing David's shirt, but it looked like I was milking a cow.
Or worse."
This was racy. And yes, I admit it: I laughed like an idiot. Here and in so many other moments that I lost count of them. And I enjoyed it. I enjoyed a high school drama.
It's a new year, guys.
In my defense I say there were superpowers. Kind of. Superpowers are always a good excuse. Kind of.
•The protagonist of this story, Harper Price, is perfect. Homecoming queen, impossibly high grades, owner of the BBE (Best Boyfriend Ever) aka Ryan Bradshaw. It won't take but a decent amount of nastiness to make her the nightmare and the dream of every teenage girl ever existed.
Except she's not.
I was sure I was going to have problems with her -beauty queens are not exactly my prototype of favorite main character- but instead I found myself thinking more than once that she is likeable. More than likeable. She's the kind of girl you'd love to have as a friend. She may seem perfect and good at everything she does, and I won't say she is not, but she's not only that: she can get all awkward and ill-at-ease, and if I started to call her names when she almost freaks out for forgetting the lipstick at home, I couldn't help warming to her during the rest of the book. She is competitive, tough, determinate, and she simply doesn't quit. She is the girl, or part of the girl, I'd like to be and try to be.
•Of course the plot is not really intricate, and there aren't who-knows-what impredictable plot-twists, but I was expecting none of them. I expected a funny story with easy-going, nice characters, and I got them. Or better, I got more, because this book is also deliciously written. I wasn't prepared to that, but I loved Hawkins' storytelling: being told in first person, Harper also plays as narrator, and she is incredibly good at it. Lovable.
➽ Sure, it's not perfect -there are some really silly moments that spoiled my fun a little, but looking to the story as a whole they appear as minor flaws. I am so thrilled about the sequel -I already miss Harper. See? She's like a good friend, I told you.
And in case you're wondering, yes, I have a thing for David. What? He's cute. And smart. Smart and cute. Don't try to say you didn't fall for him too, because you don't fool me.
May 13, 2020
baby's first unpopular opinion!
i read this book a hundred years ago (in 2015), back when i uncritically read everything and enjoyed it, and also i wasn't dead inside, and also i was occasionally pleasant to be around (possibly).
and still i didn't like this book.
i don't remember too much of it, to be honest. the cover does look like i could design it on canva using pinterest-sourced images and that one font everyone uses in their blog headers (this is a call out for me, too. i have not entirely avoided the siren song of tumblr aesthetics). so that's not a point in its favor.
overall this is a cool-adjacent idea (even though to be honest, i'm not that into the whole i'm-girly-AND-powerful-wow-give-me-not-like-other-girls-points concept - those 2 things are so obviously not mutually exclusive), which, like every paranormal / urban fantasy book from the early 2010s, grants itself a love triangle and that dumb romance becomes its downfall.
if love triangles were any fun to read about, every YA fantasy would still contain them.
bottom line: why can't we judge books by their covers again?
(this is part of a project i'm doing in which i write reviews of books i read a million years ago, because it's not like i've got anything else going on.)
i read this book a hundred years ago (in 2015), back when i uncritically read everything and enjoyed it, and also i wasn't dead inside, and also i was occasionally pleasant to be around (possibly).
and still i didn't like this book.
i don't remember too much of it, to be honest. the cover does look like i could design it on canva using pinterest-sourced images and that one font everyone uses in their blog headers (this is a call out for me, too. i have not entirely avoided the siren song of tumblr aesthetics). so that's not a point in its favor.
overall this is a cool-adjacent idea (even though to be honest, i'm not that into the whole i'm-girly-AND-powerful-wow-give-me-not-like-other-girls-points concept - those 2 things are so obviously not mutually exclusive), which, like every paranormal / urban fantasy book from the early 2010s, grants itself a love triangle and that dumb romance becomes its downfall.
if love triangles were any fun to read about, every YA fantasy would still contain them.
bottom line: why can't we judge books by their covers again?
(this is part of a project i'm doing in which i write reviews of books i read a million years ago, because it's not like i've got anything else going on.)
November 20, 2016
THIS IS COMING FROM A TRUE SOUTHERN GIRL! PLEASE GO READ REBEL BELLE!
This book is the definition of a GNI (girls night in) book! I wanted a good rom com book to read for a lazy night in..... SO I decided on rebel belle to be my date for the evening, so of course I had to set the mood.... I poured myself a glass of sweet tea, lit some pumpkin candles, and threw on a light blanket and got right into reading it..... and lets just say that Rachel Hawkins didn't disappoint me on this book date.
There was an amazing balance between action, comedy, and romance (come on how can you not love a guy wearing a dr. who shirt).
I know at this point in time I would normally make some kind of comment about how the book kind of just started... no real build up, background story, or long drawn out family history etc. etc., but I can't. For this story having it just start worked out so well.
I loved the way Rachel Hawkins found a kind of comical way of Harper get her powers because its not very often in ya books does a girl get ninja skills from a janitor planting a kiss on her! I loved all the characters, every action scene, and plot twist was perfect!
I will not lie though I thought this book looked a little to cheese for me, bc of the cover being head to to pink and pearls, BUT NO IT WAS AWESOME!!! I can't wait to read what I'm hoping will be a trilogy.
This book is the definition of a GNI (girls night in) book! I wanted a good rom com book to read for a lazy night in..... SO I decided on rebel belle to be my date for the evening, so of course I had to set the mood.... I poured myself a glass of sweet tea, lit some pumpkin candles, and threw on a light blanket and got right into reading it..... and lets just say that Rachel Hawkins didn't disappoint me on this book date.
There was an amazing balance between action, comedy, and romance (come on how can you not love a guy wearing a dr. who shirt).
I know at this point in time I would normally make some kind of comment about how the book kind of just started... no real build up, background story, or long drawn out family history etc. etc., but I can't. For this story having it just start worked out so well.
I loved the way Rachel Hawkins found a kind of comical way of Harper get her powers because its not very often in ya books does a girl get ninja skills from a janitor planting a kiss on her! I loved all the characters, every action scene, and plot twist was perfect!
I will not lie though I thought this book looked a little to cheese for me, bc of the cover being head to to pink and pearls, BUT NO IT WAS AWESOME!!! I can't wait to read what I'm hoping will be a trilogy.
April 17, 2018
4 stars.
I loved it! But man, Hex Hall was waaaay better!
THAT COVER IS QUITE FABULOUS. Its like the girly version of Macbeth. (Knife/Crown)
I loved it! But man, Hex Hall was waaaay better!
THAT COVER IS QUITE FABULOUS. Its like the girly version of Macbeth. (Knife/Crown)
March 7, 2015
------
*I need a
COVER!
March 8, 2019
“So, Harper Jane Price. Are you ready to accept your destiny?”
I withdrew my hand. “No, thank you.”
On her Homecoming night, soon to be its queen Harper Price experiences very unfortunate encounter in girl's bathroom involving wounded school janitor who kisses Harper before bleeding to death, scimitar wielding history teacher who tries to kill her immediately afterwards and to top of it all Harper experiences a sudden rush of kick-ass powers, which results in Harper killing her teacher with one very sharp and very much pink shoe.
After that, her lifes turns out to be absolutely effing crazy:
1. She's a Palladin.
2. David Stark, her lifelong rival and obnoxious school reporter, is the one she should protect.
3. Her whole life is going to change.
"Then I remembered my Professor Giles X could be watching me right now, and probably wouldn’t approve of me slinging rocks at the guy I was clearly supposed to protect.''
Rebel Belle was such an entertaining read! The subtle humor and Harper's voice sit absolutely well with me. Her character is like a wonderful mix of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (from the few episodes I've seen) and Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl. She's a Southern belle who needs to be always in control of her life, works hard and tries to be perfect in everything in hope of making up for what happened to her sister. Harper loves fashion and dresses, which in no way affect the fact that she's clever, headstrong and very hard working. I liked the fact that she loved fashion but was quite bad-ass, how resourceful and in control she always was, even when lots of people underestimated her for the simple fact that she loved pink, make-up and clothes. I also loved how a certain typical fantasy roles were reversed in this book.
The writing style was swift, to the point and fitting the story. Fast paced plot made it incredibly easy book to read. There is an interesting paranormal aspect involving magic and superpowers, but overall Rebel Belle feels more like a contemporary read mixed with little bit of paranormal elements.
"David’s grin slowly faded and his fingers fiddled with the edge of his T-shirt, pulling it up over his bicep a little. Since when did David Stark have biceps? How did you get any muscle tone when all you did was type and be annoying?”
Aside for the amazing heroine - who is one of the best things about this book - I liked all of the other characters as well.
“He and I had loathed each other since kindergarten. Heck, even before that. Mom says he’s the only baby I ever bit in daycare.”
I really enjoyed the kind of hate-to-love relationship Harper and David Stark had going.
Harper had a boyfriend beforehand (who was, to my relief, not an asshole to the MC just to make David seem more appealing), but I wouldn't mark this case entirely as a love-triangle. This book was actually surprisingly angst-free. David did suffer a little bit of special-snowflake syndrome, but fortunately, it didn't get obnoxious.
He reads, has peculiar sense of fashion, loves Lord of the Rings and even through all his sarcasm, is an absolute huggable cutie pie of a human being.
This book has also a great family dynamics. No missing parents, which is certainly a bonus! The MC's parents actually have a say in her life. Harper's aunts are awesome trio of old ladies, and I also liked the frienship aspect - her relationship with Bee was another great addition to the story.
“Go,” she said, giving me a friendly shove. “Get your ninja on.”
I reached out to link my pinkie with hers. She squeezed it back. Smiling sheepishly, Bee ducked her head, blond hair swinging over her collarbone. “I forgive you for being a bizarre combination of totally perfect and totally weird.”
All in all, laugh out loud read with some Gossip Girl elements and some kick-ass superpowers. The heroine is a wonderful Southern belle/overachieving Homecoming queen with love for fashion, great ambitions and newly gotten superhero calling. Rebel Belle is definitely worth getting into when you're tired of heavy books and want something light, uncomplicated, relaxing and entertaining.
“I picked up the nearest weapon I could lay my hands on: a stapler. I lifted it, going for “menacing.” I admit it lacked a certain elegance, but hey. It was worth a shot. David placed his hand on my arm and pushed it back down.
“What?”
“Just . . . that’s embarrassing for all of us.”
How I (not so surprisingly) imagined Harper:
I withdrew my hand. “No, thank you.”
On her Homecoming night, soon to be its queen Harper Price experiences very unfortunate encounter in girl's bathroom involving wounded school janitor who kisses Harper before bleeding to death, scimitar wielding history teacher who tries to kill her immediately afterwards and to top of it all Harper experiences a sudden rush of kick-ass powers, which results in Harper killing her teacher with one very sharp and very much pink shoe.
After that, her lifes turns out to be absolutely effing crazy:
1. She's a Palladin.
2. David Stark, her lifelong rival and obnoxious school reporter, is the one she should protect.
3. Her whole life is going to change.
"Then I remembered my Professor Giles X could be watching me right now, and probably wouldn’t approve of me slinging rocks at the guy I was clearly supposed to protect.''
Rebel Belle was such an entertaining read! The subtle humor and Harper's voice sit absolutely well with me. Her character is like a wonderful mix of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (from the few episodes I've seen) and Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl. She's a Southern belle who needs to be always in control of her life, works hard and tries to be perfect in everything in hope of making up for what happened to her sister. Harper loves fashion and dresses, which in no way affect the fact that she's clever, headstrong and very hard working. I liked the fact that she loved fashion but was quite bad-ass, how resourceful and in control she always was, even when lots of people underestimated her for the simple fact that she loved pink, make-up and clothes. I also loved how a certain typical fantasy roles were reversed in this book.
The writing style was swift, to the point and fitting the story. Fast paced plot made it incredibly easy book to read. There is an interesting paranormal aspect involving magic and superpowers, but overall Rebel Belle feels more like a contemporary read mixed with little bit of paranormal elements.
"David’s grin slowly faded and his fingers fiddled with the edge of his T-shirt, pulling it up over his bicep a little. Since when did David Stark have biceps? How did you get any muscle tone when all you did was type and be annoying?”
Aside for the amazing heroine - who is one of the best things about this book - I liked all of the other characters as well.
“He and I had loathed each other since kindergarten. Heck, even before that. Mom says he’s the only baby I ever bit in daycare.”
I really enjoyed the kind of hate-to-love relationship Harper and David Stark had going.
Harper had a boyfriend beforehand (who was, to my relief, not an asshole to the MC just to make David seem more appealing), but I wouldn't mark this case entirely as a love-triangle. This book was actually surprisingly angst-free. David did suffer a little bit of special-snowflake syndrome, but fortunately, it didn't get obnoxious.
He reads, has peculiar sense of fashion, loves Lord of the Rings and even through all his sarcasm, is an absolute huggable cutie pie of a human being.
This book has also a great family dynamics. No missing parents, which is certainly a bonus! The MC's parents actually have a say in her life. Harper's aunts are awesome trio of old ladies, and I also liked the frienship aspect - her relationship with Bee was another great addition to the story.
“Go,” she said, giving me a friendly shove. “Get your ninja on.”
I reached out to link my pinkie with hers. She squeezed it back. Smiling sheepishly, Bee ducked her head, blond hair swinging over her collarbone. “I forgive you for being a bizarre combination of totally perfect and totally weird.”
All in all, laugh out loud read with some Gossip Girl elements and some kick-ass superpowers. The heroine is a wonderful Southern belle/overachieving Homecoming queen with love for fashion, great ambitions and newly gotten superhero calling. Rebel Belle is definitely worth getting into when you're tired of heavy books and want something light, uncomplicated, relaxing and entertaining.
“I picked up the nearest weapon I could lay my hands on: a stapler. I lifted it, going for “menacing.” I admit it lacked a certain elegance, but hey. It was worth a shot. David placed his hand on my arm and pushed it back down.
“What?”
“Just . . . that’s embarrassing for all of us.”
How I (not so surprisingly) imagined Harper:
November 11, 2015
Looking back, none of this would have happened if I’d brought lip gloss the night of the Homecoming Dance.
That is the first line of the book. With just that, I already started having bad feels about it. My interest even died with that sinple first line. The ironic thing is... what Harper the perfect Belle says is true: If she hadn't forgotten her goddamned lip-freaking-gloss, there would have been no story.
But really, was there a story? If I remember well, the book started with Harper and her friends at Homecoming party, she forgot her stupid lip gloss, went to the bathroom to put it on, and things started getting weird for fuckery's sake - meaning, everything that happened screamed that the author was trying too hard to make you laugh. All she got from me was:
And my expression only varied from that to this:
…in a very short span of time.
You already know how slim my patience is when it comes to immature or stupid heroines. Since this book was narrated by someone who possessed both traits, it’s no surprise that I ended up despising her. Her way of talking (exactly like Anna from Anna and the French Kiss) was enough of a reason to hate her, but what really put me off was her taboo towards strong words. Let me show you some examples of what she said:
“Oh, this is some bullshit,” I whispered. That’s when I knew I was seriously freaked out. I never curse out loud, not even in private. It’s just not ladylike.
She said the actual word. Saylor Stark said the F-word.
There is everything wrong with the first quote. If it contained an ounce of truth, what do you dumb-ass think all women are? Please, even if not all teenagers swear, they’re not scandalized by it, and less even diminish others for doing so. The worst part of that, though, is that she has the stereotyped idea that ladies must not swear because that makes them not-ladies.
Speaking of stereotypes… Why did all the teenagers here felt formulaic? All the girls obsessed over clothes, make-up, and boys, and all the boys were the typical non-caring. Jesus, not all teenagers are like that! where I studied, it’s true that some people were like that, but it’s never okay to generalize. As a matter of fact, it was a minority the ones who gave more importance to those things than studies.
Furthermore, the plot (if you consider it a plot) was beyond ridiculous. Let’s say… After what happened with the lip gloss, the janitor came with a sword to Harper, then the History teacher came, she defended herself by killing him and she got superpowers out of the blue. Wtf? What irked me is, as I said, that it tries so hard to be all funny. Harper even jokes about the death of that teacher. Because that’s right: She kills him, and she does not feel shocked, guilty, or pleased or anything about it – she just shrugs it off and jokes about it, and that’s just so unrealistic and enraging.
Oh, but things get worse. There’s a love triangle, and it takes over the book. And to make it more cliched, it’s between Harper, her boyfriend, and a guy with whom there was mutual hatred. It’s even more annoying because she says things like this:
I had not almost kissed him, I reminded myself. He had almost kissed me, and if he had, I would have pushed him away and made all sorts of shocked sounds, and not kissed him back, even a little bit. I was positive of that.
She sounds as if she’s trying to convince herself there are no feelings, when we, non-idiotic readers, already know she will end up blushing at everything said boy says or does. Much predictable, huh?
Now, as final words, picture what I said in my pre-review: Your mother baked a delicious cake on Sunday, but not all of it was eaten that day so they put it in the fridge. Some days after, there’s only one slice left, and you remember how delicious the cake was. You go open the door, pick it, and when you’re going to take the first bite you notice there’s mold in it. That feeling you get at that moment – that utter underwhelming sensation and the anger because why didn’t we eat it before? – that is how I feel about this book.
And Harper, I have some final words for you:
________________________________
Pre-review (November 9th, 2015):
What a goddamn awful book. Do you know how I feel? Picture this: Your mother baked a delicious cake on Sunday, but not all of it was eaten that day so they put it in the fridge. Some days after, there's only one slice left, and you remember how delicious the cake was. You go open the door, pick it, and when you're going to take the first bite you notice there's mold in it. That feeling you get at that moment - that utter underwhelming sensation and the anger because why didn't we eat it before? - that is how I feel about this book.
More detailed review to come.
October 22, 2015
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Who would have thunk you could be at your homecoming and end up taking someone out with the heel spike of your pink shoe..among other things.
All Harper wanted was to get her crown and have a good time with her friends and boyfriend Ryan. But..that wasn't going to happen. Here is a tip, if you forget your lipstick, don't borrow from anyone else and run off to the bathroom to apply... there are weird things that happen in bathrooms. Unless of course you really want to become a Paladin and have to protect the boy you loathe the most :)
When Harper finally figures out she has become a Paladin and has to protect David Stark, she is not happy. Nope. Nope and Nope. But it's not like you can give it back so onward she goes.
At the moment, I really hated that my superpowers prevented me from shaking the crap out of him. I settled for balling my fist up in front of his shirt and pulling him down to meet my eyes. "David, look around you. This? This is crazy-sauce. And if you know anything that could help me figure out why I'm suddenly Wonder Woman, I need to know it right. Effing. Now."
I can't tell you what they find out that David is.. you will have to read the book. He is something or other and some crazy stuff goes down with all kinds of the kids and some adults in the book.
I enjoyed the story line and I loved Harper's southern charm..er.. snark!
I look forward to reading the next book, I didn't even know I would like this book so much, but that's how it goes right?
They do mention a Hummingbird Cake in the book so I'm going to give you the recipe like a good belle :) Enjoy!
HUMMINGBIRD CAKE
Total Time:
2 hr 5 min
Prep:
50 min
Inactive:
20 min
Cook:
55 min
Yield:
10 to 12 servings
Ingredients:
Unsalted butter, for greasing
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup pecan pieces
3 ripe bananas, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
For the Frosting:
2 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each), at room temperature
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour.
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop. Toss with the bananas, pineapple and 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl.
Whisk the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on high speed until thick and light, 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the vegetable oil.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold to make a thick batter. Fold in the pecan-fruit mixture, then transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are firm and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack, 25 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the butter until combined. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about half of the frosting on top, then cover with the other cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
Who would have thunk you could be at your homecoming and end up taking someone out with the heel spike of your pink shoe..among other things.
All Harper wanted was to get her crown and have a good time with her friends and boyfriend Ryan. But..that wasn't going to happen. Here is a tip, if you forget your lipstick, don't borrow from anyone else and run off to the bathroom to apply... there are weird things that happen in bathrooms. Unless of course you really want to become a Paladin and have to protect the boy you loathe the most :)
When Harper finally figures out she has become a Paladin and has to protect David Stark, she is not happy. Nope. Nope and Nope. But it's not like you can give it back so onward she goes.
At the moment, I really hated that my superpowers prevented me from shaking the crap out of him. I settled for balling my fist up in front of his shirt and pulling him down to meet my eyes. "David, look around you. This? This is crazy-sauce. And if you know anything that could help me figure out why I'm suddenly Wonder Woman, I need to know it right. Effing. Now."
I can't tell you what they find out that David is.. you will have to read the book. He is something or other and some crazy stuff goes down with all kinds of the kids and some adults in the book.
I enjoyed the story line and I loved Harper's southern charm..er.. snark!
I look forward to reading the next book, I didn't even know I would like this book so much, but that's how it goes right?
They do mention a Hummingbird Cake in the book so I'm going to give you the recipe like a good belle :) Enjoy!
HUMMINGBIRD CAKE
Total Time:
2 hr 5 min
Prep:
50 min
Inactive:
20 min
Cook:
55 min
Yield:
10 to 12 servings
Ingredients:
Unsalted butter, for greasing
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup pecan pieces
3 ripe bananas, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
For the Frosting:
2 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each), at room temperature
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour.
Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until fragrant and toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop. Toss with the bananas, pineapple and 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl.
Whisk the remaining 2 1/4 cups flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a separate bowl with a mixer on high speed until thick and light, 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the vegetable oil.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture, then gently fold to make a thick batter. Fold in the pecan-fruit mixture, then transfer the batter to the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are firm and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool in the pans on a rack, 25 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the butter until combined. Sift the confectioners' sugar over the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about half of the frosting on top, then cover with the other cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
April 1, 2018
Rating: 4.5
Full Review
This book is like legally blonde but instead of the main character, Harper, realizing she’s smart, she realizes she’s got superpowers.
Plot : 17-year-old Harper Price was in school for homecoming, where she was to be crowned queen. She goes to the bathroom to apply some lip gloss (I think) and as she’s in the bathroom, the school’s janitor comes in and before you know it, he passed his powers to her. Apparently, he was something called “Paladin” which Harper is now. Now Harper finds that she has all this power and what’s worse? She now has to protect the boy she’s hated since she was little.
Thoughts!
- I found the plot interesting and unique. I don’t think I’ve read many books with a male damsel in distress (a woman being the protector of a guy who has zero fighting skills). I think the only other one I can think of is Vin/Elend from the Mistborn Series. So it was cool seeing the girl being the sole protector
- I also enjoyed the southern belle-turned-superhero plot. Harper goes from worrying about dresses, school functions and the perfect boyfriend to worrying about protecting her archenemies from being killed.
- I loved the comedy aspect of it. I laughed quite a lot of times, especially during Harper’s inner monologues. She reminded me of all the girls in the high school shows/movies I loved
- There was a love triangle which made me weary but I respected how it was handled. I expected a “Current-boyfriend-turns-A-hole-to-make-way-for-new-love-interest” situation but it was not like that at all and I really appreciate that.
- Harper doesn’t like people swearing/cursing which I related to bc same lol
If you’re looking for a fun, no-stress read, I recommend this.
Initial Thoughts
This was such a fun easy read and I laughed so much. Who knew a book about a southern belle with superpowers could be this enjoyable?
RTC
Full Review
This book is like legally blonde but instead of the main character, Harper, realizing she’s smart, she realizes she’s got superpowers.
Plot : 17-year-old Harper Price was in school for homecoming, where she was to be crowned queen. She goes to the bathroom to apply some lip gloss (I think) and as she’s in the bathroom, the school’s janitor comes in and before you know it, he passed his powers to her. Apparently, he was something called “Paladin” which Harper is now. Now Harper finds that she has all this power and what’s worse? She now has to protect the boy she’s hated since she was little.
Thoughts!
- I found the plot interesting and unique. I don’t think I’ve read many books with a male damsel in distress (a woman being the protector of a guy who has zero fighting skills). I think the only other one I can think of is Vin/Elend from the Mistborn Series. So it was cool seeing the girl being the sole protector
- I also enjoyed the southern belle-turned-superhero plot. Harper goes from worrying about dresses, school functions and the perfect boyfriend to worrying about protecting her archenemies from being killed.
- I loved the comedy aspect of it. I laughed quite a lot of times, especially during Harper’s inner monologues. She reminded me of all the girls in the high school shows/movies I loved
- There was a love triangle which made me weary but I respected how it was handled. I expected a “Current-boyfriend-turns-A-hole-to-make-way-for-new-love-interest” situation but it was not like that at all and I really appreciate that.
- Harper doesn’t like people swearing/cursing which I related to bc same lol
If you’re looking for a fun, no-stress read, I recommend this.
Initial Thoughts
This was such a fun easy read and I laughed so much. Who knew a book about a southern belle with superpowers could be this enjoyable?
RTC
June 22, 2017
4.25 stars
Buddy read with Kat!
Oh my god, this was so much fun! Me and Kat should've just picked this book a while ago!
I loved all the characters, I loved the romance; I found it adorably hilarious; and I loved the cool little plot!
Ahhhh!
I loved this book! As if you can't already tell. It's so funny, it's been a while since I laughed this hard while reading a book.
One thing that made me love this book more was how the romance stuff happened. Harper is already in a relationship, and no, there was no cheating, her boyfriend is so sweet, and I really like him
Overall, this book was such a wonderful treat, and I think I'll continue on with the series!
Buddy read with Kat!
Oh my god, this was so much fun! Me and Kat should've just picked this book a while ago!
I loved all the characters, I loved the romance; I found it adorably hilarious; and I loved the cool little plot!
Ahhhh!
I loved this book! As if you can't already tell. It's so funny, it's been a while since I laughed this hard while reading a book.
One thing that made me love this book more was how the romance stuff happened. Harper is already in a relationship, and no, there was no cheating, her boyfriend is so sweet, and I really like him
Overall, this book was such a wonderful treat, and I think I'll continue on with the series!
April 5, 2014
*4.5*
I adored this book~
It's a cute, funny, realistic book that packs a huge punch!
This book almost reads like contemporary, but has an underlying fantasy plot.
I really loved the characters. The main character Harper is a southern girl, who is very dedicated to her school, studies, friends, boyfriend, and community. If that isn't enough to handle, she is thrown into the position of the Paladin and discovers a whole magical world she never knew existed.
I really loved reading about Harper and it was very interesting seeing her try to deal with this new life. The other characters were great as well, no one was who they seemed to be. My first impressions of the characters weren't that great, I thought Harper was a little bitchy, and David (who is Harper's arch nemesis, but becomes a critical person in her life) was a jerk and annoying. However, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed getting to know them all, and at who they turned out to be!
There is a bit of romance and I have to say at points I was a little aggravated with it. Although, in the end, I love how it turned out and I was pleasantly surprised by the development of the romance and characters.
I think one of the best things about this book is how realistic it is, I felt like the characters dealt and reacted to everything in a feasible way. The complexities of the situation were really explored.
The pacing was also great, I liked that the fantastical elements were introduced and explained early on. Throughout the story there are questions and answers and everything is building up to a crazy ending.
The writing is super easy to read and I thought some of the jokes were so so funny!
I would say that much of the book is predictable, but there were definitely some curve balls.
Overall, it's a slower story with a lot of character and plot development, but an easy, fun read!
I don't think it is a book for everyone. However, if you like a witty and determined main character, who does have some faults, but ultimately goes through a lot of growth, as well as some romance drama, along with a little weird and crazy, then I think this might be a book for you!
Thank you to Penguin Publishing for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review!
I adored this book~
It's a cute, funny, realistic book that packs a huge punch!
This book almost reads like contemporary, but has an underlying fantasy plot.
I really loved the characters. The main character Harper is a southern girl, who is very dedicated to her school, studies, friends, boyfriend, and community. If that isn't enough to handle, she is thrown into the position of the Paladin and discovers a whole magical world she never knew existed.
I really loved reading about Harper and it was very interesting seeing her try to deal with this new life. The other characters were great as well, no one was who they seemed to be. My first impressions of the characters weren't that great, I thought Harper was a little bitchy, and David (who is Harper's arch nemesis, but becomes a critical person in her life) was a jerk and annoying. However, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed getting to know them all, and at who they turned out to be!
There is a bit of romance and I have to say at points I was a little aggravated with it. Although, in the end, I love how it turned out and I was pleasantly surprised by the development of the romance and characters.
I think one of the best things about this book is how realistic it is, I felt like the characters dealt and reacted to everything in a feasible way. The complexities of the situation were really explored.
The pacing was also great, I liked that the fantastical elements were introduced and explained early on. Throughout the story there are questions and answers and everything is building up to a crazy ending.
The writing is super easy to read and I thought some of the jokes were so so funny!
I would say that much of the book is predictable, but there were definitely some curve balls.
Overall, it's a slower story with a lot of character and plot development, but an easy, fun read!
I don't think it is a book for everyone. However, if you like a witty and determined main character, who does have some faults, but ultimately goes through a lot of growth, as well as some romance drama, along with a little weird and crazy, then I think this might be a book for you!
Thank you to Penguin Publishing for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review!
October 21, 2016
Well. . . after having so many of my lovely goodreads friends encouraging me to read this book, I have finally given into peer pressure!
Rebel Belle is quite an unusual book. Harper Price, our protagonist, is the town’s golden girl: Southern belle, Homecoming Queen, SGA president, and 4.0 GPA student. But what this golden girl doesn’t know is that her life is going to take a drastic detour (and all because she forgot her lipgloss. Ugh, don’t you just hate when that happens?)
I don’t want you to be fooled by my rating. I actually quite enjoyed this book. It was hilarious (this girl can kick some serious butt and still manage to look fabulous). Harper is such a fun main character. Her commentary and censoring of swear words (me too, girl, me too) is literally the best thing ever.
So the plot was interesting and actually quite unique. I was intrigued while I read the story but I still felt like something was missing (I’m not quite sure what is it, so don’t ask me - still trying to figure it out myself).
I enjoyed the banter between the characters, it was easy, realistic, and hella entertaining to read.
The plot twist was like ‘whoa, didn’t see that one coming’ and I’m not entirely sure if it’s going to make the series more interesting or more forced. Idk, I guess that is yet to be seen.
I’m hoping the next books will continue along with the hilarity and original-ish plot (I’ve heard a lot of reviews saying that the coming books are kinda a downgrade in comparison AND I’m really hoping that’s not the case.)
“It's always going to get better someday. Sometime in the future, things won't be so crazy.”
3.5 stars!!
February 23, 2017
The only reason I did not put this book down after the first 30 pages was that I wanted to be wrong. I wanted my friend to be right in saying that this was the best book she read this year. I wanted to prove that I could like books with this type of cover and content, but I failed. Let's face it I prefer my characters complex and my plot twisty ( If that's a real word).
January 18, 2020
You might not know this about me, but I’m actually not a huge girly girl. I don’t really like pink, I don’t wear makeup, I wouldn’t dream of casually wearing heels, and I think beauty pageants are just ridiculous. Instead, I usually rock jeans and a nerdy t-shirt, spend my time reading fantasy books or gaming with my guy friends, and I swear worse than my brother. So just looking at this cover had me a little hesitant, and when I read the summary, I was ready to chuck this book in the fire. But, through the sheer power of will and the overwhelming fear of being murdered by my reader friends if I didn’t finish this book, I started the first page. And didn’t put the book down once. Yeah, you heard me. I busted this book in a few hours, finishing at about one in the morning, very alarmed to see it was that late because I hadn’t even noticed the time passing. I liked this book. I liked this book with its pink cover and perky heroine and silly dresses and lighthearted magic stuff. It was actually kind of… cute.
In Rebel Belle, we meet Harper, the sort of girl that I probably would have avoided in high school. She’s head of practically every club or leadership related thing in the school, she says cutesy little things instead of swearing, she spent over a thousand dollars on her Homecoming dress and she keeps her lips perfectly glossed at all times. Right off, I did not like Harper one bit. But as the pages flew by, she started to grow on me. Under that perfect, perky exterior, Harper had a tough, loyal, fun side to her that I adored. She ends up getting super Paladin powers from her janitor, and suddenly she can kick ass. Like, really kick ass. Like, she stabbed someone in the throat with her heel. Suddenly, girly shoes became a lot more interesting to me. She was fierce and strong and confident, and I love how self-sufficient she was. This girl doesn’t need anyone, and I loved it. Harper actually had more layers than I expected, an unending arsenal of witty comebacks, and a whole lot of spunk.
Then we meet David, the boy that Harper is supposed to protect with her new-found powers. Because he may or may not be very very special. The only problem is, they absolutely despise each other. I mean, they hate each other with a fiery passion. David is the hipster guy that wears corduroy pants and writes stories for the school newspaper, occasionally pointing out bad things about Harper, which is unacceptable. But when they are forced to work together, she realizes that David might not be so bad after all. I adored David. Let’s just say that it takes a special kind of guy to deal with Harper. And he is such a cutie, I almost couldn’t handle it. Did I mention that he likes Doctor Who and Lord of the Rings and probably a plethora of other adorable nerdy things? Cue the wistful sighing. Anyways, David has some secrets of his own, but most importantly, under those layers of v-necks and striped sweaters, he has a big heart of gold.
One of the only problems I had with this book was the big fat love-triangle that was determined to drag itself out through the whole book. Harper, of course, starts to deal with some questionable feelings about David, all while she is dating the most perfect boyfriend possible, Ryan. And Ryan is a good guy and a pretty awesome boyfriend, I’ll give him that. The things is, as far as love triangles go, this is probably the type that I find to be the most acceptable. Where the girl has a steady boyfriend then meets the new guy and starts to like him. That’s an okay thing to happen and a lot less annoying than two guys suddenly taking an interest in a girl and fighting to the death over her. No thanks. The problem in this book though was that it just went on and on. And I get that Harper has this weird thing with having to be the best and keeping things perfect, so possibly not liking her perfect boyfriend is scary and all, but she should have dropped him from like page one. Watching her run back and forth between the two of them got frustrating after like the first ten times it happened.
As far as the plot goes, it was really cutesy and fun. Rachel Hawkins really has a way of making her books just an enjoyable, lighthearted read while still making you care about the characters and I love it. Since I adored the characters and their interactions, it made the book a million times better. The only problem was that not a whole lot really happens. The beginning took right off with Harper getting her powers and killing a guy, then finding out what all she could do and a few things including a car chase. I mean, it was a great start and it really draws you in. But then, things start to slow down. Now I obviously loved this book and raced through it, but once I was done, there was kind of that moment where I looked back and realized not a whole lot actually happened. Most of the book is just character interaction and trying to solve a few mysteries and a few bad guys trying to do bad stuff, but not a whole lot besides that.
Also, the whole Paladin, while original, was a little lacking. I enjoyed it just because it was a new thing I’d never read about, but there just wasn’t really anything about it to make it unique or memorable. Basically, Harper being a Paladin just meant that she has super fighting skills now and a strong urge to protect David from harm. So while I did like the magic elements in this book, everything seemed kind of mashed together with no clear connection. We are given some back-story to the whole Paladin thing, but it wasn’t really strong mythology and seemed a little discombobulated. But by the end of this book, it feels like there are still lots of things that Harper and David don’t know yet, so maybe we will get more explanations in the next book, and hopefully, it can bring the mythology together a bit better.
The thing about this book though is that despite the few things that I didn’t like, I still had a great time reading this book. I was giggling and cheering and covering my eyes at the embarrassing parts. I loved Harper and David and their friends and the little Southern town they live in and all the people in it. This book is definitely a cutesy book, but it still won me over purely because it is so cute and fun. Honestly, if you have any girly bone in your body, something about this book will probably appeal to you, as long as you can deal with the few technical issues.
In Rebel Belle, we meet Harper, the sort of girl that I probably would have avoided in high school. She’s head of practically every club or leadership related thing in the school, she says cutesy little things instead of swearing, she spent over a thousand dollars on her Homecoming dress and she keeps her lips perfectly glossed at all times. Right off, I did not like Harper one bit. But as the pages flew by, she started to grow on me. Under that perfect, perky exterior, Harper had a tough, loyal, fun side to her that I adored. She ends up getting super Paladin powers from her janitor, and suddenly she can kick ass. Like, really kick ass. Like, she stabbed someone in the throat with her heel. Suddenly, girly shoes became a lot more interesting to me. She was fierce and strong and confident, and I love how self-sufficient she was. This girl doesn’t need anyone, and I loved it. Harper actually had more layers than I expected, an unending arsenal of witty comebacks, and a whole lot of spunk.
Then we meet David, the boy that Harper is supposed to protect with her new-found powers. Because he may or may not be very very special. The only problem is, they absolutely despise each other. I mean, they hate each other with a fiery passion. David is the hipster guy that wears corduroy pants and writes stories for the school newspaper, occasionally pointing out bad things about Harper, which is unacceptable. But when they are forced to work together, she realizes that David might not be so bad after all. I adored David. Let’s just say that it takes a special kind of guy to deal with Harper. And he is such a cutie, I almost couldn’t handle it. Did I mention that he likes Doctor Who and Lord of the Rings and probably a plethora of other adorable nerdy things? Cue the wistful sighing. Anyways, David has some secrets of his own, but most importantly, under those layers of v-necks and striped sweaters, he has a big heart of gold.
One of the only problems I had with this book was the big fat love-triangle that was determined to drag itself out through the whole book. Harper, of course, starts to deal with some questionable feelings about David, all while she is dating the most perfect boyfriend possible, Ryan. And Ryan is a good guy and a pretty awesome boyfriend, I’ll give him that. The things is, as far as love triangles go, this is probably the type that I find to be the most acceptable. Where the girl has a steady boyfriend then meets the new guy and starts to like him. That’s an okay thing to happen and a lot less annoying than two guys suddenly taking an interest in a girl and fighting to the death over her. No thanks. The problem in this book though was that it just went on and on. And I get that Harper has this weird thing with having to be the best and keeping things perfect, so possibly not liking her perfect boyfriend is scary and all, but she should have dropped him from like page one. Watching her run back and forth between the two of them got frustrating after like the first ten times it happened.
As far as the plot goes, it was really cutesy and fun. Rachel Hawkins really has a way of making her books just an enjoyable, lighthearted read while still making you care about the characters and I love it. Since I adored the characters and their interactions, it made the book a million times better. The only problem was that not a whole lot really happens. The beginning took right off with Harper getting her powers and killing a guy, then finding out what all she could do and a few things including a car chase. I mean, it was a great start and it really draws you in. But then, things start to slow down. Now I obviously loved this book and raced through it, but once I was done, there was kind of that moment where I looked back and realized not a whole lot actually happened. Most of the book is just character interaction and trying to solve a few mysteries and a few bad guys trying to do bad stuff, but not a whole lot besides that.
Also, the whole Paladin, while original, was a little lacking. I enjoyed it just because it was a new thing I’d never read about, but there just wasn’t really anything about it to make it unique or memorable. Basically, Harper being a Paladin just meant that she has super fighting skills now and a strong urge to protect David from harm. So while I did like the magic elements in this book, everything seemed kind of mashed together with no clear connection. We are given some back-story to the whole Paladin thing, but it wasn’t really strong mythology and seemed a little discombobulated. But by the end of this book, it feels like there are still lots of things that Harper and David don’t know yet, so maybe we will get more explanations in the next book, and hopefully, it can bring the mythology together a bit better.
The thing about this book though is that despite the few things that I didn’t like, I still had a great time reading this book. I was giggling and cheering and covering my eyes at the embarrassing parts. I loved Harper and David and their friends and the little Southern town they live in and all the people in it. This book is definitely a cutesy book, but it still won me over purely because it is so cute and fun. Honestly, if you have any girly bone in your body, something about this book will probably appeal to you, as long as you can deal with the few technical issues.
May 1, 2014
Well, well well.
In the sense of being a little bit decent after the review I am going to give I have rounded up the rating to 3 stars.
So I don't want to say. I didn't like this book because the characters weren't funny enough, and actually, Harper and David as a couple were adorable but I am kind of disappointed still. I know because I've read Hex Hall, Ms. Hawkins first book, and I know how awesome of a story she can provide and this time I just think it fell flat.
The premise of the book isn't that strong to begin with and the whole story of Paladins and Oracles and Mages just didn't really make a lot of sense to me. I think it was weak and not very interesting. And some times even, dare I say it, boring. I really wanted to get into it but it was hard to get into the fighting scenes between people I didn't even know were good or evil, and I just got tired.
But I liked David and his sense of style. And even though Harper would be too shallow to be my bestie, she wasn't so bad. And I liked the whole haters-to-lovers storyline.
And by the way, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHY DAVID CALLS HARPER 'PRES'? I think I missed it and I'm too lazy to go back and look for it ):
In the sense of being a little bit decent after the review I am going to give I have rounded up the rating to 3 stars.
So I don't want to say. I didn't like this book because the characters weren't funny enough, and actually, Harper and David as a couple were adorable but I am kind of disappointed still. I know because I've read Hex Hall, Ms. Hawkins first book, and I know how awesome of a story she can provide and this time I just think it fell flat.
The premise of the book isn't that strong to begin with and the whole story of Paladins and Oracles and Mages just didn't really make a lot of sense to me. I think it was weak and not very interesting. And some times even, dare I say it, boring. I really wanted to get into it but it was hard to get into the fighting scenes between people I didn't even know were good or evil, and I just got tired.
But I liked David and his sense of style. And even though Harper would be too shallow to be my bestie, she wasn't so bad. And I liked the whole haters-to-lovers storyline.
And by the way, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHY DAVID CALLS HARPER 'PRES'? I think I missed it and I'm too lazy to go back and look for it ):
April 2, 2019
3.5 stars
A cute and funny paranormal/urban fantasy read much like the Hex Hall series. It was enjoyable, sometimes silly and often times unbelievable but still fun to read. I think it’s amusing that the least expected girl, (Harper), much like the “queen bee” striving to become the perfect high school teen becomes the heroine of the story while the person to be saved is the geeky boy (David) she is supposedly in war with since pre-school. I think that what makes the plot different and the story likable.
I do feel bad for the other boy, (Ryan), because even though he is the most popular guy in school, he is more than half decent. I look forward to what happens to him in the next book and what happens to that twisted ending involving these three characters.
A cute and funny paranormal/urban fantasy read much like the Hex Hall series. It was enjoyable, sometimes silly and often times unbelievable but still fun to read. I think it’s amusing that the least expected girl, (Harper), much like the “queen bee” striving to become the perfect high school teen becomes the heroine of the story while the person to be saved is the geeky boy (David) she is supposedly in war with since pre-school. I think that what makes the plot different and the story likable.
I do feel bad for the other boy, (Ryan), because even though he is the most popular guy in school, he is more than half decent. I look forward to what happens to him in the next book and what happens to that twisted ending involving these three characters.
May 22, 2018
3.75 stars
I can practically feel myself slowly crawling out of a hole labelled "slump"
After 7 days of not being able to finish a single book I started, I stumbled across Rebel Belle, well more like every where I looked everyone was reading this and I tried to ignore it until I couldn't anymore, and finally, I finshed a book.
This book is about a homecoming-queen turned spiderman, getting all those cool assassin powers, and having to protect a guy she hates.
That's about as non spoilery a summary you can get.
This book was awesome tbh, I mean she kills a guy with a pink sparkly shoe (not a spoiler, literally happens on like the 8th page), why wouldn't I want go read about that.
The ship in this book was the cutest thing ever, if you know me, you know I love hate-to-love relationships, and David and Harper were precisely that, if you didn't get that from the non spoilery summary. Plus it was a slow burn romance, I cant count the number of times I squealed lol.
But I guess this was a light read?? because there were many things I tried to settle with, knowing it was a light read and light reads don't go in depth on topics, but I really couldn't just not think of it.
Minor spoilers from here, major are marked
Firstly, she kills a guy, next day is perfectly fine, no one just goes from "stab stab" to "fixing their makeup" Like I get it, she had a few nauseous moments, but even in self defense, she killed him and she saw a person die but she focused more on her "superhero powers" and forgot all about it. I mean its not every day that a seventeen year old homecoming queen kills her history teacher, so I would've just liked it if it was given just a tiny bit more attention tbh.
In the end of the book
So yeah I don't think Light reads are mainly my thing but this was a good book though.
So um read it? okay bye.
I had just killed a teacher.
With my shoe
I can practically feel myself slowly crawling out of a hole labelled "slump"
After 7 days of not being able to finish a single book I started, I stumbled across Rebel Belle, well more like every where I looked everyone was reading this and I tried to ignore it until I couldn't anymore, and finally, I finshed a book.
This book is about a homecoming-queen turned spiderman, getting all those cool assassin powers, and having to protect a guy she hates.
That's about as non spoilery a summary you can get.
This book was awesome tbh, I mean she kills a guy with a pink sparkly shoe (not a spoiler, literally happens on like the 8th page), why wouldn't I want go read about that.
The ship in this book was the cutest thing ever, if you know me, you know I love hate-to-love relationships, and David and Harper were precisely that, if you didn't get that from the non spoilery summary. Plus it was a slow burn romance, I cant count the number of times I squealed lol.
But I guess this was a light read?? because there were many things I tried to settle with, knowing it was a light read and light reads don't go in depth on topics, but I really couldn't just not think of it.
Minor spoilers from here, major are marked
Firstly, she kills a guy, next day is perfectly fine, no one just goes from "stab stab" to "fixing their makeup" Like I get it, she had a few nauseous moments, but even in self defense, she killed him and she saw a person die but she focused more on her "superhero powers" and forgot all about it. I mean its not every day that a seventeen year old homecoming queen kills her history teacher, so I would've just liked it if it was given just a tiny bit more attention tbh.
In the end of the book
So yeah I don't think Light reads are mainly my thing but this was a good book though.
So um read it? okay bye.
June 23, 2014
4.5 for me!
This book was just AWESOME. It loved it from the begining to the end, and OH GOD, THE END.
Harper is an amazing main character and I really enjoyed reading in her POV. She's hilarious and so adorable <3. She made reading this book an awesome and funny experience. I hadn't loved a narrator so much since Vampire Academy's Rose Hathaway!
Overall, this book is really funny, I laughed out loud at many scenes! I never got bored while reading :). And GOSH, really, the ending was REALLY GOOD, I didn't expect it at all (I'm talking about Ryan here).
The only thing that frustrated me of this book was the love triangle :(. Ugh, I really like Ryan and I was so sad for him because I knew Harper would fall for David :(. I MEAN, I totally SHIP Harper and David, but POOR RYAN! He is such a good boyfriend (and a good boy!) and he deserves a happy ending. I hope he gets it.
I can't wait for the next book <3.
This book was just AWESOME. It loved it from the begining to the end, and OH GOD, THE END.
Harper is an amazing main character and I really enjoyed reading in her POV. She's hilarious and so adorable <3. She made reading this book an awesome and funny experience. I hadn't loved a narrator so much since Vampire Academy's Rose Hathaway!
Overall, this book is really funny, I laughed out loud at many scenes! I never got bored while reading :). And GOSH, really, the ending was REALLY GOOD, I didn't expect it at all (I'm talking about Ryan here).
The only thing that frustrated me of this book was the love triangle :(. Ugh, I really like Ryan and I was so sad for him because I knew Harper would fall for David :(. I MEAN, I totally SHIP Harper and David, but POOR RYAN! He is such a good boyfriend (and a good boy!) and he deserves a happy ending. I hope he gets it.
I can't wait for the next book <3.
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