Review: Lady Renegades by Rachel Hawkins

WEDNESDAY REVIEWS ARE BACK! Didja miss me? 'Course you did.

This week's book is the THIRD AND FINAL BOOK in the Rebel Belle series, so if you haven't read the first two...well, this is your final chance to leave. (Alternatively, I also reviewed the first two here and here, so you can check those out if you've read either of those.)

Like the previous instalment, I read this book promptly. In five hours. (I may not have started with that intention, and yet, here we are.) Hawkins' writing was on point, as per usual. Her writing is smooth and simple, which makes for a quick and satisfying read. She doesn't overcomplicate anything, plot or otherwise, which I think benefits the reach of her audience.

Overall, the ending--while predictable--was decent. I feel like it wrapped up the story quite well, bringing it full circle in a way that I always appreciate, because it can often be hard to do without coming off as super hella cheesy. So A+, Hawkins. You did good.

What I didn't like, however, was the climax. I felt like the book (and the series as a whole) was building up to something much bigger than what we got. I mean, yes, it was devastating, and it killed me emotionally (and maybe physically), but it wasn't as big as I was hoping. It wasn't as epic. I know I just finished praising the book for its simplicity, and while that is one of its strong suits, but I feel like the series as a whole was trying to build up to something bigger, and it ended up just falling short.

Also: did I miss something? What was that "extra something" that Ryan included in Harper's magic tattoo? I feel like they introduced it and referenced it several times, but nothing ever really came of it. (If it did, clearly it was vague / inconsequential enough for me to overlook.)

AND FINALLY. We have spent the whole series dancing around Harper's refusal to use swear words, which I praised in the first book, and started to find repetitive in the second. It all lead up to that one moment, that one scene in the woods, where she broke down and used the f-bomb several times in the span of a minute and a half. I loved that scene, I live for that scene; I feel like it was a great way to show just how fed up and tired she was of the whole situation. But it would have been a hundred million times better if Hawkins had JUST. USED. THE ACTUAL. WORD. Your audience can handle it, girl, I'm sure of it.


ANYWAY. All in all, it was a great read, and a solid 4 from me.

Until later,

- Justyne