SUMMARY
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.
Jaime’s Thoughts
Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
4.5 stars!!
Rachel Hawkins says Rebel Belle is Legally Blonde meets The Terminator and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe it.
Harper Price is what some might call a Southern Belle. When we first meet her, she’s set to win Homecoming Queen … but first, she needs to apply lipstick. What is meant to be a simple trip to the restroom turns into a fight to the death and who she thought was the school janitor transferring powers to her with a whispered word of Paladin.
Harper’s life was already crazy… juggling college applications, her boyfriend, all the committees she’s on and Cotillion have kept her insanely busy, but it keeps her mind off some of the issues going on at home. Dealing with the stress that David Stark’s existence causes is just one more thing she doesn’t have time for… but he’s the one who is there when she first gets her powers and then suspicions confirmed, David is the person she’s meant to protect.
I hurried out of the lobby and turned the corner into the English hall, so I didn’t see the guy in front of me until it was too late.
“Oh!” I exclaimed as we bumped shoulders. “Sorry!”
Then I realized who I’d bumped into, and I immediately regretted my apologetic tone. If I’d known it was David Stark, I would have tried to hit him harder, or maybe stepped on his foot with the spiky heel of my new shoes for good measure.
I did my best to smile at him, though, even as I realized my stomach was jumping all over the place. He must have scared me more than I’d thought.
David scowled at me over the rims of his ridiculous hipster glasses, the kind with the thick black rims. I hate those. I mean, it’s the 21st century. There are fashionable options for eyewear.
“Watch where you’re going,” he said. Then his lips twisted in a smirk. “Or could you not see through all that mascara?”
To say that they dislike each other would be an understatement! Ultimately Harper comes to a couple realizations that are hard to swallow… the first, maybe she and David don’t really hate each other as much as they say and the second… her life will never be the same.
David is just as driven as Harper is and I loved the competitiveness between the two … I have this picture of a total hipster when I think of him and I love it! You know that phrase there is a thin line between love and hate… these two embody it!
Hawkins has a way of writing her teen characters that make me want to be friends with them all. Harper Price steals the show in this story. She’s everything you would imagine a southern belle to be. But what I love most about her is her charm and wit. Her inner monologue had me laughing out loud with every turn of the page. From critiquing Paladin uniforms, to creating a flow chart of the situation she finds herself in, I loved every second of her story.
As usual, Hawkins writes an engaging, witty story that will have you turning the pages as fast as you can. I loved the small town feel that she portrays here and I’m so excited for how this story ended. If you’re looking for something light and funny, with snarky characters and a unique plot … if you loved Hex Hall you’re going to love this one too. Definitely pick it up when it’s out in 2014! All of you people sad because some of your favorite serie’ are ending … do not fret, there are some new amazing ones coming in 2014 and I definitely count this series among them.
View all my reviews
Recent Comments