As the final entry on this week's Saturday Pages I have the book that was chosen as May's book in the Read Discuss Repeat Virtual Book Club!
I was both drawn to and unsure about this book, but after reading a few reviews for it, like Wendy's at The Midnight Garden and Stephanie at Inspiring Insomnia, I voted for it on the book club poll and crossed fingers so it'd be the one picked to be read!
Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Rebel Belle was one of those books that I wanted to read but I was sort of doubtful at the same time... It sounded interesting but I feared it'd be too much "Mean Girls" and fluff for me.
But when it was chosen as Read Discuss Repeat Virtual Book Club for May, I had the perfect excuse to read it! Thankfully I loved them book and though it has fluff, it also has amazing humour that had me giggling, snorting and chuckling every other page! I remember reading in a review
that this story was like Buffy in the South (minus the vampires) and I have to agree, Buffy was also a very popular girl in high school and not someone you'd expect to go kicking arse at night in a cementery!
The first chapter starts with a bang and it shows you who Harper Price is, with what she shows, what she hides and what is thrown onto her! Harper is an overachiever that is trying to shine on her own right, leaving some events from the past behind and is one of the very popular girls at school. She has a hate-hate relationship with David, the guy in charge of the school newspaper, but she doesn't seem to be one of the "mean girls" that steps on people to be on the top.
But, everything changes when the night that she's gonna be crowned Homecoming Queen... the most bizarre chain of events happen and she ends up with a destiny and a mission and a new set of abilities to fulfill it.
If I had to describe this book using just one word, it'd be "fun". It was a blast reading it! There are plenty of action scenes, some information about the world building, fuffliness for balls and events, witty banter and a very confused Harper that doesn't know how to juggle everything that has come into her life now!
I really liked the idea of the Paladins and Charlemagne and all the background for Harper's abilities and mission and I think that there's much more than we've just seen so far. All the fighting and training reminded me of Buffy, and that's how I'd describe it: Southern Buffy without the Vampires (at least for now, no vampires in this book!).
Something I really appreciated was how much of Harper's family was in the book, mainly her mum and aunts. Her family dinamics are important on who Harper is, who she has become and how she deals with everything. Her three aunts were both adorable and hilarious and I loved seeing them pop up in the pages.
The romance was a bit more complex than I was expecting... mostly because it isn't a love triangle but it is but it isn't, the banter between Harper and David is quite fantastic and that twist at the end made me go " holy shitzu, ha!!".
With plenty of action and humour and fluff without making it ridiculous, Rebel Belle is a book I really enjoyed and very much recommend. Well deserved 4 stars!
View all my reviews
I was both drawn to and unsure about this book, but after reading a few reviews for it, like Wendy's at The Midnight Garden and Stephanie at Inspiring Insomnia, I voted for it on the book club poll and crossed fingers so it'd be the one picked to be read!
Rebel Belle by Rachel HawkinsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Rebel Belle was one of those books that I wanted to read but I was sort of doubtful at the same time... It sounded interesting but I feared it'd be too much "Mean Girls" and fluff for me.
But when it was chosen as Read Discuss Repeat Virtual Book Club for May, I had the perfect excuse to read it! Thankfully I loved them book and though it has fluff, it also has amazing humour that had me giggling, snorting and chuckling every other page! I remember reading in a review
that this story was like Buffy in the South (minus the vampires) and I have to agree, Buffy was also a very popular girl in high school and not someone you'd expect to go kicking arse at night in a cementery!
The first chapter starts with a bang and it shows you who Harper Price is, with what she shows, what she hides and what is thrown onto her! Harper is an overachiever that is trying to shine on her own right, leaving some events from the past behind and is one of the very popular girls at school. She has a hate-hate relationship with David, the guy in charge of the school newspaper, but she doesn't seem to be one of the "mean girls" that steps on people to be on the top.
But, everything changes when the night that she's gonna be crowned Homecoming Queen... the most bizarre chain of events happen and she ends up with a destiny and a mission and a new set of abilities to fulfill it.
If I had to describe this book using just one word, it'd be "fun". It was a blast reading it! There are plenty of action scenes, some information about the world building, fuffliness for balls and events, witty banter and a very confused Harper that doesn't know how to juggle everything that has come into her life now!
I really liked the idea of the Paladins and Charlemagne and all the background for Harper's abilities and mission and I think that there's much more than we've just seen so far. All the fighting and training reminded me of Buffy, and that's how I'd describe it: Southern Buffy without the Vampires (at least for now, no vampires in this book!).
Something I really appreciated was how much of Harper's family was in the book, mainly her mum and aunts. Her family dinamics are important on who Harper is, who she has become and how she deals with everything. Her three aunts were both adorable and hilarious and I loved seeing them pop up in the pages.
The romance was a bit more complex than I was expecting... mostly because it isn't a love triangle but it is but it isn't, the banter between Harper and David is quite fantastic and that twist at the end made me go " holy shitzu, ha!!".
With plenty of action and humour and fluff without making it ridiculous, Rebel Belle is a book I really enjoyed and very much recommend. Well deserved 4 stars!
View all my reviews
Amazing review sweetie :D I am glad you liked this book. That you thought it was fun :) I need to read my copy soon; as I am excited to read it too ;p Ack. Unsure about love triangle? DO NOT APPROVE, lol :D I hope I will like the romance ;p
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carina!! I do hope you'll give it a try!! =D
DeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed this one c: I really do agree, Rebel Belle was quite the fun and enjoyable light summer read. Harper was easily my favorite part of the story. I loved the fact that her girly and overachiever status was highlighted, it was refreshing to read a story narrated by somebody like her as we don't really see much of that in YA. Harper was also a very strong character but not in the typical way of things. I'm also very intrigued by the Paladins and Charlemagne side of things. I hope we get to see more of it in future installments of the series.
ReplyDeleteLovely review <33
Thanks Larissa!
DeleteI do hope the world building will expand in the next book and the humour will continue!
Woah, this book sounds fantastic! I've heard that it has some really good humour in it and I want to read it even more because it's kind of like Buffy :) Great review Pili!
ReplyDeleteYay for Buffy! I do hope you'll check it out, Jeann! Let me know what you think if you end up reading it!
DeleteThank you!!
To say it came out with 4/5 and you wasn't that drawn to it says to me that it was pretty good! :)
ReplyDeleteI really like the look of this one. It has such a fun synopsis and I really like the look of the heroine.
I am not too big on this cover though! It is far to pink for me!
GReat review lovely & I am glad you enjoyed! :) xxx
Alex @ The Shelf Diaries
I loved the cover, Alex! I made cupcakes for it before even reading the book! ;)
DeleteI hope you'll check it out! Thank you!
Wow, this is the first review I read about this book because I didn't know it was Rachel Hawkins I didn't like the cover a lot...
ReplyDeleteWell, thanks for this amazing review! now I cannot wait to read this book, it sounds totally fantastic!
Yay, Lis! I hope you'll like it when you read it! =D
DeleteRebel Belle didn't captivate me as much, but the humour deserves an A+!! I'm definitely going to get myself a copy of Hex Halls =)
ReplyDeleteAlicia @ Summer Next Top Story
I haven't read Hex Hall, I guess I really should read them too!
DeleteYay, I'm glad you liked this as much as I did! "Buffy from the South" - lol, very true.
ReplyDeleteYep, I had such a blast reading it!! =D
DeleteYou recommended this one to me on Twitter, so I'll have to add it to the list! Fun, humorous, no love triangle, plenty of banter... okay, I'm more sold now. I'll see if I'm my library has it!
ReplyDeleteWait. This reminds me that I have Solving For Ex as my June read. I think I have it on the 11th? Or maybe sooner. I have to check O_O
ANYWAY, AWESOME CUPCAKES LADY!! I'll just sit here and pretend I'm not itching to jump through the screen and get one... heh ;D
Alyssa @ The Eater of Books!
Hehehehe *pushes books again*
DeleteI hoe you'll start Solving for Ex soon, it's really a great contemporary and you know I'm not big on contemporaries!! ;)