Review: Rebel Belle

WARNING: The following blog posts contain spoilers for the novel under review, ranging from mild to heart wrenchingly major. If you have yet to read this novel and dislike being spoiled, leave now and return upon completion.

If you HAVE read this novel (or just don't give a crap about spoilers), then continue on.

But don't say I didn't warn you.

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Confession time: like The Truth About Forever, I've already read this week's book. (Although I haven't read it fourteen times, that's for sure.) But with the recent release of its sequel, I decided that now was as good a time as any to give it a quick reread.

So, without further ado, here is my review on Rebel Belle, by Rachel Hawkins!

THE PLOT-Y BIT

Southern belle Harper Price is a lot of things--student council president, head cheerleader, and cotillion debutante. But after a strange run-in at the dance, Harper receives the most badass ninja skills she's ever seen--far greater and deadlier than any self-defense class could teach her. She discovers that she's now a Paladin, an ancient warrior charged with protecting a certain individual.

To her dismay, said individual is David Stark--school newspaper editor and arguably her least favourite person.

Harper is thrown head-first into a world of swords, oracles and mages, struggling to keep her footing as she throws her new Paladin duties in with her already-overflowing schedule. Already in over her head, her possible feelings for David don't make things any easier--and neither does the mysterious prophecy looming over their heads, hinting at the possibility that David's own powers could very well destroy the Earth.

THE REVIEW-Y BIT

First things first: humour? Absolutely on point. The dialogue is excpetionally witty, especially between Harper and David. The chemistry between them was outstanding, and I have to say that I am an absolute sucker for characters who bicker like these two do.

Hawkins made an excellent choice on setting, as well. Her descriptions of Magnolia House and the other large, grand houses had just the right amount of detail. She also did a great job of establishing a small town setting; as someone who hails from a fairly small city, herself, it felt very real and very accurate. Small towns have a special kind of vibe from them, and that vibe was definitely present in this book. The action was well described, as well, and fast paced enough to hold my attention and keep me on edge.

I loved the narrating style, really I did. I loved how it genuinely sounded like Harper was telling us the story later on. The only problem with this, though, is that there were a few minor inconsistencies. Harper says right off the bat that she doesn't like swearing, and won't include it in her story because it's her story, and that's all fine and dandy...but I noticed, on several occasions, that she included words that weren't exactly family friendly. She never dropped the F-bomb--that, at least, remained consistent--but "shit" was a word that was used a couple times throughout the text. It's a small thing, a nitpicky thing, but something that stuck out to me nontheless.

And although it was cute, her using "eff", and other variations, instead of the actual word...it got a little annoying, eventually, with her having to point out whether or not the person said the actual word. (This was a trend that continued throughout the second book, but we'll get to that next time.)

Hawkins ended her chapters really well. Like, really well. No matter what point of the story, she somehow always managed to leave the chapter on a cliffhanger. So pro tip: never tell youself that you'll stop at the end of a chapter. 'Cause you won't.

And finally, my favourite topic of any new review: character development. Harper's devleopment was slow, but noticeable. I enjoyed watching her grow and mature into her powers and the responsibility that came with them. Even after all was said and done, she still had much more room to grow--which is fitting, since she still has two more books to do so.

All in all, this excellent mix of fast-paced fight scenes, fantastic elements molded with a good sense of reality, and a dash of exceptional humour makes this a perfect read to kickstart a new series.

THE STAR-Y BIT

Five stars. Completely enjoyable, even a second time around.


Until later,

- Justyne