Rebel Belle

By Rachel Hawkins

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.

“As surprising as it is delicious.”—BCCB, starred review 
 
“Fun with a twist of supernatural and Southern charm.” —VOYA

“The romance, coming-of-age aspects, and a well-drawn heroine with a crackling wit will lure in readers.” —Booklist

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
• Release date: Apr 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781101603338

Rachel Hawkins

Rachel Hawkins is the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs, Reckless Girls, The Villa, The Heiress, and The Storm as well as multiple books for young readers. Her work has been translated into over a dozen languages. She studied gender and sexuality in Victorian literature at Auburn University and currently lives in Alabama.

Book preview

Chapter 1

LOOKING BACK, none of this would have happened if I’d brought lip gloss the night of the Homecoming Dance.

Bee Franklin was the first person to notice that my lips were all naked and indecent. We were standing outside of our school, Grove Academy. It was late October, and the night was surprisingly cool; in Pine Grove, Alabama, where I live, it’s not unheard of to have a hot Halloween. But that night felt like fall, complete with that nice smoky smell in the air. I was super relieved that it was cold, because my jacket was wool, and there was nothing more tragic than a girl sweating in wool. I was wearing the jacket over a knee-length pink sheath dress. If I was going to be crowned Homecoming Queen tonight—and that seemed like a lock—I was going to do it looking as classy as possible in my demure pink dress and pearls.

Are you nervous? Bee asked as I rubbed my hands up and down my arms. Like me, Bee was in pink, but her dress was closer to magenta and the bodice was covered in tiny sequins that winked and shivered in the parking lot lights. Or maybe that was just Bee. Unlike me, she hadn’t worn a jacket.

Our dates, Brandon and Ryan, were off searching for a parking place. They had been annoyed that Bee and I had insisted on not showing up until the thirty minutes before the crowning, but there was no way I was going to risk getting punch spilled on me or my makeup sliding off my face (not to mention the sweatiness! See above, re: wool jacket) before I had that sparkly tiara on my head. I planned on looking fierce in the yearbook pictures.

Of course I’m not nervous, I told Bee. And it was true, I wasn’t. Okay, maybe I was a little bit anxious . . .

Bee gave an exaggerated eye roll. Seriously? Harper Jane Price, you have not been able to successfully lie to me since the Second-Grade Barbie Incident. Admit that you’re freaking out. She held up one hand, pinching her thumb and forefinger together. Maybe a leeeeeetle bit?

Laughing, I caught her hand and pulled it down. Not even a ‘leeeeeetle bit.’ It’s just Homecoming.

"Yeah, but you’re going to get all queenly tonight. I think that warrants some nerves. Or are you saving them for Cotillion?"

Just the word sent all the nerves Bee could have wanted jittering through my system, but before I could admit that, her dark eyes suddenly went wide. Omigod! Harper! Your lips!

What? I asked, raising a hand to them.

They’re nekkid, she said. You are totally gloss-less!

Who’s ‘nekkid’?

I looked up to see the boys walking toward us. The orange lights played up the red in Ryan’s hair, and he was grinning, his hands in his pockets. I felt that same little flutter in my stomach that I’d been feeling since the first day I saw Ryan Bradshaw, way back in the third grade. It had taken me six years from that day to make him my boyfriend, but looking at him now, I had to admit, it had been worth the wait.

My lips, I said. I must’ve wiped off all my gloss at the restaurant.

Well, damn, he said, throwing his arm around my shoulders. I’d hoped for something a little more exciting. Of course, no lip gloss means I can safely do this.

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.

Hope you girls are happy, Brandon said when we broke apart. He had both of his arms wrapped around Bee from behind, his hands clasped right under her . . . um, abundant assets. Bee was so tall that Brandon’s chin barely cleared her shoulder. We had to park way down the effing road.

Okay, I should probably mention right here that Brandon used the real word, but this is my story, so I’m cleaning it up a little. Besides, if I honestly quoted Brandon, this thing would look like a Cops transcript.

Don’t say that word! I snapped.

Brandon rolled his eyes. What the hell, Harper, are you, like, the language police?

I pressed my lips together. I just think that the F-word should be saved for dire occasions. And having to park a hundred yards from the gym is not a dire occasion.

So sorry, Your Highness, Brandon said, scowling as Bee elbowed him in the ribs.

Easy, dude, Ryan said, shooting Brandon a warning look.

Ignoring Brandon, I turned to Bee. Do you have any lip gloss? I completely spaced on bringing any.

My girl forgot makeup? Ryan asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Man, you are stressed about this Queen thing."

No, I’m not, I said immediately, even though, hello, I clearly was. But I didn’t like when people used the S-word around me. After all, a big part of my reputation at the Grove was my ability to handle anything and everything.

Ryan raised his hands in apology. Okay, okay, sorry. But, I mean, this is obviously pretty important to you, or you wouldn’t have spent over a grand on that outfit. He smiled again, shaking his head so his hair fell over his eyes. I really hope your tastes get cheaper if we get married.

I hear that, man, Brandon said, lifting his hand to high-five Ryan. Chicks gonna break us.

Bee rolled her eyes again, but I didn’t know whether it was at the guys or the fact that my outfit was over a thousand dollars (yes, I know that’s a completely ridiculous amount for a seventeen-year-old girl to spend on a Homecoming dress, but, hey, I can wear it, like, a million times provided I don’t gain five pounds. Or at least that was how I rationalized it to my mom.)

Here. Bee thrust a tube into my hand.

I held it up to read the name on the bottom. ‘Salmon Fantasy’?

That’s close to the shade you wear. Bee’s long blond hair was woven into a fishtail braid, and she tossed it over her shoulder as she handed me the lip gloss.

I wear ‘Coral Shimmer.’ That is very different.

Bee made a face that said, I am only tolerating you because we’ve been best friends since we were five, but I kept going, drawing myself up to my full height with mock imperiousness, And Salmon Fantasy has to be the grossest beauty product name ever. Who has fantasies about salmon?

People who screw fish, Brandon offered, completely cracking himself up. Ryan didn’t laugh, but I saw the corners of his mouth twitching.

So witty, Bran, I muttered, and this time, when Bee rolled her eyes, I had no doubt that it was at the guys.

Look, she said to me, it’s either Salmon Fantasy or naked lips. Your choice.

I sighed and clutched the tube of lip gloss. Okay, I said, but I’m gonna have to find a bathroom. If it had been my Coral Shimmer, I could have put it on without a mirror, but there was no way I was slapping on a new shade sight unseen. Ryan pulled open the gym door, and I ducked under his arm to walk into the gym. As soon as I did, I could hear the opening riff of Sweet Home Alabama. It’s not a dance until someone plays that song.

The gym looked great, and my chest tightened with pride. I know everyone, even Ryan, thinks I’m crazy to do all the stuff I do at school, but I honestly love the place. I love its redbrick buildings, and the chapel bells that ring to signal class changes. I love that both my parents went here, and their parents before them. So yeah, maybe I do stretch myself a little thin, but it’s completely worth it. The Grove is a happy place to go to school, and I liked to think my good example was the reason for that. And it meant that when people thought of the name Price at Grove Academy, they’d think of all the good things I’d done for the school, and not . . . other stuff.

Instead, I focused on the decorations. I’m SGA president—the first-ever junior to be elected to the position, I should add—so Homecoming activities are technically my responsibility. But tonight, I’d delegated all of the decorating to my protégée, sophomore class president, Lucy McCarroll. My only contribution had been to ban crepe streamers and balloon arches. Can you say tacky?

Lucy had done a great job. The walls were covered in a silky, shimmery purple material and there were colored lights pulsating with the music. Looking over at the punch table, I saw that she’d even brought in a little fountain with several bistro tables clustered around it.

I scanned the crowd until I saw Lucy, and when I caught her eye, I gave her the thumbs-up, and mouthed, Nice!

Harper! I heard someone cry. I turned around to see Amanda and Abigail Foster headed my way. They were identical twins, but relatively easy to tell apart since Amanda always wore her long brown hair up, and Abigail wore hers down. Tonight, both were wearing green dresses with spaghetti straps, but Amanda’s was hunter green while Abigail’s was closer to seafoam.

The twins were on the cheerleading squad with me and Bee, and Abi and I worked together on SGA. Right behind them was Mary Beth Riley, wobbling on her high heels. Next to me, Bee blew out a long breath before muttering, Maybe no one will notice if she wears tennis shoes under her dress.

Despite Bee’s low tone, Mary Beth heard her. I’m working on it, she said, glaring at Bee. I’ll get better by Cotillion.

Since Riley came right after Price alphabetically, Mary Beth would be following me down the giant staircase at Magnolia House, the mansion where Cotillion was held every year. So far, we’d only had two practices, but Mary Beth had tripped and nearly fallen directly on top of me both times.

Which was why I’d suggested she start wearing the heels every day.

Speaking of that, Amanda said, laying a hand on my arm. Even under her makeup, I could see the constellation of freckles arcing across her nose. That was another way to tell the twins apart; Abi’s nose was freckle free. We got an e-mail from Miss Saylor right before we left for the dance. She wants to schedule another practice Monday afternoon.

I bit back a sigh. I had a Future Business Leaders of America meeting Monday after school, so that would have to be moved. Maybe Tuesday? No, Tuesday was cheerleading practice, and Wednesday was SGA. Still, when Saylor Stark told you there was going to be an extra Cotillion practice, you went. All the other stuff could wait.

I’m so sick of practice, Mary Beth groaned, tipping her head back. As she did, her dark red hair fell back from her ears, revealing silver hoops that were way too big. Ugh. "It’s Cotillion. We wear a white dress. We walk down some stairs, we drink some punch and dance with our dads. And then we all pat ourselves on the back and pretend we did it just to raise money for charity, and that it’s not stupid and old-fashioned and totally self-indulgent."

Mary Beth! Amanda gasped, while Abigail glanced around like Miss Saylor was going to swoop out of the rafters. Bee’s huge eyes went even bigger, and her mouth opened and closed several times, but no sounds came out.

It is not! I heard someone practically shriek. Then I realized it was me. I took a deep breath through my nose and did my best to make my voice calm as I continued. "I just mean . . . Mary Beth, Cotillion is a lot more than wearing a white dress and dancing with your dad. It’s tradition. It’s when we make the transition from girls to women. It’s . . . important."

Mary Beth chewed her lip and studied me for a moment. Okay, maybe. Then she shrugged and gave a tiny smile. But we’ll see how you feel when I’m ‘transitioning’ into a heap at the bottom of those stairs.

You’ll do fine, I told her, hoping I sounded more convinced than I felt. I’d spent months preparing for my Homecoming coronation, but Cotillion? I’d been getting ready for that since I was four years old and Mom had shown me and my older sister, Leigh-Anne, her Cotillion dress. I still remembered the smooth feel of the silk under my hands. It had been her grandmother’s dress, Mom had told us, and one day, Leigh-Anne and I would wear it, too.

Two years ago, Leigh-Anne had, but for my Cotillion, I’d be wearing a dress Mom and I had bought last summer in Mobile.

Babe! I heard Ryan call from behind me.

As I turned to smile at him, I heard one of the girls sigh. Probably Mary Beth. And I had to admit, striding toward us, his auburn hair flopping over his forehead, shoulders back, hands in his pockets, Ryan was completely sigh-worthy. I held my hand out to him as he approached, and he slipped it easily into his own.

Ladies, Ryan said, nodding at Amanda, Abigail, and Mary Beth. Let me guess. Y’all are . . . plotting world domination?

Mary Beth giggled, which had the unfortunate effect of making her wobble even more. Abigail had to grab her elbow to keep her from falling over.

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.

Turning his attention to me, Ryan raised his eyebrows. So are we just going to stand around and listen to this band butcher Lynyrd Skynyrd or are we going to dance?

Yeah, Brandon said, coming up next to Ryan and grabbing Bee around the waist. "Let’s go turn this mother out."

He pulled her out onto the dance floor, where he immediately flopped on his belly and started doing the worm. I watched Bee dance awkwardly around him and wondered for the millionth time why she wasted her time with that goofball.

My own much less goofy boyfriend took my hand and started pulling me toward Bee and Brandon, but I pulled it back and held up the lip gloss. I’ll be right back! I shouted over the music, and he nodded before heading for the refreshment table.

I glanced over my shoulder as I walked into the gym lobby and was treated to the sight of Brandon and one of the other basketball players doing that weird fish-catching dance move. With each other.

Since we’d gotten there so late, most everyone who was coming to the dance was already inside the gym, but there were a few stragglers coming in the main gym lobby doors. Two teachers, Mrs. Delacroix and Mr. Schmidt, were also in the lobby, undoubtedly doing purse and pocket checks. Grove Academy was really strict about that sort of thing now. Two years ago, a few kids smuggled in a little bottle of liquor at prom and, later that night, got into a car accident. My sister—

I cut that thought off. Not tonight.

It was strange to be in the school at night. The only light in the lobby came from a display case full of participation trophies with Ryan’s name on them. The Grove was excellent in academics, but famously crappy at sports, even against other tiny schools. I know that sounds like sacrilege in the South, but just like any other expensive private school, Grove Academy was way more invested in SAT scores than any scoreboard. We left the football championships to the giant public school across town, Lee High.

I’ve been up at school at night a few times, and it’s always creepy. I guess it’s the quiet. I’m used to the halls being deafening, so the sound of my heels clicking on the linoleum seemed freakishly loud. In fact, they almost echoed, making me feel like there was someone behind me.

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 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 twenty-first 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?

I would’ve loved nothing more than to tell him to kiss my ass, but one of the responsibilities of being a student leader at the Grove is being polite to everyone, even if they are a douchebag who wrote not one, but three incredibly unflattering articles in the school paper about what a terrible job you’re doing as SGA president.

And you especially needed to be polite to said douchebag when he happened to be the nephew of Saylor Stark, president of the Pine Grove Junior League; head of the Pine Grove Betterment Society; chairwoman of the Grove Academy School Board; and, most importantly, organizer of Pine Grove’s Annual Cotillion.

So I forced myself to smile even bigger at David. Nope, just in a hurry, I said. Are you, uh . . . are you here for the dance?

He snorted. Um, no. I’d rather slam my testicles in a locker door. I have some work to do for the paper.

I tried to keep my expression blank, but I have one of those faces that shows every single thing that goes through my mind.

Apparently this time was no exception, because David laughed. Don’t worry, Pres, nothing about you this time.

If ever there were a time to confront David about the mean things he’s written about me, this was it. Of course, those articles hadn’t exactly mentioned me by name. I seriously doubt Mrs. Laurent, the newspaper advisor, would let him slam me directly. But they’d basically said that the current administration is more concerned with dances and parades than the real issues facing the Grove’s students, and that under the current administration, the SGA has gotten all cliquey, leaving out the majority of the student body.

To which I say, um, hello? Not my fault if people don’t attempt to get involved in their own school. And as for the real issues facing the Grove’s students? The kids who go here all come from super nice households that can afford to send their kids here. We’re not exactly plagued with social problems, you know? Which you’d think David would get. He’d lived in Pine Grove practically his whole life, and not only that, he lived with his Aunt Saylor in one of the nicest houses in town.

Or maybe David’s issues had nothing to do with social injustice at the Grove and everything to do with the fact that 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.

But before I could reply, the music stopped in the gym.

I checked my watch and saw that it was a quarter till ten. Crap.

David gave another one of those mean laughs. Go ahead, Harper, he said, sliding his messenger bag from one hip to the other. I know. A messenger bag. And those glasses. And he was wearing a stupid argyle sweater and Converse high-tops. Practically every other boy at the Grove lived in khakis and button-downs. I wasn’t sure David Stark owned any pants other than jeans that were too small.

Only a few more minutes until your coronation, he said, running a hand through his sandy blond hair, making it stand up even more than usual. "I’m sure you’d hate to miss everyone’s felicitations."

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. Counting to ten in my head, I reminded myself of what Mom always said whenever I complained about David Stark: His parents died when he was just a little bitty thing. Saylor’s done her best with him, but still, something like that is bound to make anyone act ugly.

Since he was a tragic orphan, I made myself say Have a nice night through clenched teeth as I turned to head to the nearest bathroom.

He just shrugged and started walking backward down the hall, toward the computer lab. You might wanna put some lipstick on, he called after me.

Yeah, thanks, I muttered, but he was already gone.

God, what a jerk, I thought, pushing the bathroom door open.

If my shoes had sounded loud in the gym lobby, it was nothing compared to how they sounded in the bathroom. Like the dress, they were a little ridiculous, more for their height than their cost. I’m 5'4, but I was tottering around 5'8 on those bad boys.

Looking in the mirror, I saw why Bee had been so horrified by my naked lips. My skin is pale, so without lip gloss, my lips had kind of disappeared into my face. But other than that, I looked good. Great, even. The makeup lady at Dillard’s had done a fabulous job of playing up my big green eyes, easily my best feature, and my dark hair was pulled back from my face, tumbling down my back in soft waves and setting off my high cheekbones.

Yeah, I know it’s vain. But being pretty is currency, not just at the Grove, but in life. Sure, I wasn’t staggeringly beautiful like my sister, Leigh-Anne, had been, but—

No. Not going there.

I unscrewed the tube of Salmon Fantasy, shuddered again at the name, and started applying. It wasn’t as pretty as my Coral Shimmer, but it would do.

I had just slathered on the second coat when the bathroom door flew open, banging against the tile wall so loudly that I jumped.

And scrawled a line of Salmon Fantasy from the corner of my mouth nearly to my ear.

Oh, dammit! I cried, stamping my foot. Brandon, what—

I don’t know why I thought it must be Brandon. Probably because it seemed like the sort of moron thing he’d do, trying to scare me.

But it wasn’t Brandon. It was Mr. Hall, one of the school janitors.

He stood in the doorway for a second, staring at me like he didn’t know who—or what—I was.

Oh my God, Mr. Hall, I said, pressing a hand to my chest. You scared me to death!

He just stared at me with this wild look in his eyes before turning around and slamming the bathroom door shut.

And then I heard a sound that made my stomach drop.

It was the loud click of a dead bolt being thrown.

Mr. Hall, the tubby janitor, had just locked us in the bathroom.

Chapter 2

OKAY. Okay, I can handle this, I thought, even as panic started clawing through my chest.

Mr. Hall, I started, my voice high and shaky.

He just waved his hand at me and pressed his ear to the door. I don’t know what he heard, but whatever it was made him turn and sag against the wall.

And that’s when I noticed the blood dripping on his shoes.

Mr. Hall! I cried, running toward him. My heels slid on the slick tile floor, so I kicked them off. I got to Mr. Hall just as he slumped to the ground.

His face was pale, and it looked all weird and waxy, like he was a dummy instead of a person. I could see beads of sweat on his forehead and under his nose. 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.

I knelt down next to him, my blood rushing loudly in my ears. It’s gonna be okay, Mr. Hall, I’ll go get someone, everything is gonna be fine.

But just as I reached for the dead bolt, he reached out and grabbed my ankle, pulling me down so hard that I landed on my butt with a shriek.

Mr. Hall was shaking his head frantically.

Don’t, he gurgled. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose, like he was trying to calm down. Don’t, he said again, and this time, his voice was a little stronger. Don’t open that door, okay. Just . . . just help me get to my feet.

I looked down at him. Mr. Hall was pretty substantial, and I didn’t think there was any way I was lifting him off that floor. But somehow, by slipping my arms under his and bracing myself against the wall, I got him up and propped against the door of one of the bathroom stalls.

Once he was up, I said, Look, Mr. Hall, I really think I should get help. I don’t even have a cell phone with me, and you—I looked down at the sticky red circle on his stomach—you look really hurt, and I think we should call 911, and—

But he wasn’t listening to me. Instead, he opened his shirt.

I braced myself for a wound on his stomach, but I wasn’t prepared to see what looked like a bloodstained pillow.

With a grunt, Mr. Hall tugged at something on his back, and the pillow slid from his stomach to land soundlessly on the floor.

Now I could see the gash, and it was just as bad as I’d thought it would be, but my brain was still reeling from the whole Mr. Hall isn’t fat, he just wears a fake belly thing. Why would Mr. Hall pretend to be fat? Was it a disguise? Why would a janitor need a disguise?

But before I could ask him any of this, Mr. Hall groaned and slid to the floor again, his eyes fluttering closed.

I sank with him, my arm still behind his back. Mr. Hall! I cried. When he didn’t respond, I reached out with my free hand and slapped his cheek with enough force to make his head rock to the side. He opened his eyes, but it was like he couldn’t see me.

Mr. Hall, what is going on? I asked, the acoustics of the bathroom turning my question into an echoing shriek.

I was shaking, and suddenly realized how cold I was. I remembered from Anatomy and Physiology that this was what going into shock felt like, and I had to fight against the blackness that was creeping over my eyes. I couldn’t faint. I wouldn’t faint.

Mr. Hall turned his head and looked at me, then really looked at me. Blood was still pulsing out of the gash that curved from under his khaki slacks around to his navel, but not as much now. Most of it seemed to be in a big puddle under him.

What . . . what’s . . . your name? he asked in a series of soft gasps.

Harper, I answered, tears pooling in my eyes, and bile rushing up my throat. Harper Price.

He nodded and smiled a little. I’d never really looked at Mr. Hall before. He was younger than I’d thought he was, and his eyes were dark brown. They were beautiful, actually.

"Harper Price. You . . . run this place. Kids talk.

Reviews for Rebel Belle

[lou_intheberkshires · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

4.5 stars for this very engaging assassin teen thriller. Horrible cover doesn't convey the important historical element.

[jennybeast · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Recently I read a story that wanted to be Buffy and failed to pull it off. This one succeeds -- or at least, doesn't suck at the attempt. ('Cause there's no true Buffy, like Buffy.) At least Harper Price is true to her Homecoming queen, lip-glossed, fashion-conscious self, no matter how many unexpected powers or evil, future-controlling warlords come her way.

[bookbrig-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Funny, plenty of action, a bit of sparky romance, and a great audio book. If you want something light and satisfying, this would be a perfect summer read.

This was my "audio book" for the Read Harder challenge.

[amandanan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars

Not quite as amazing as I remember the Hex Hall trilogy, but a great story, nonetheless. I find Hawkins so refreshing in the YA fantasy world. She seems to always find something that others haven't really written about yet.

That said, Harper was somewhat annoying. The story about her sister was wrapped up in 2 sentences, her parents were practically nonexistent, and I felt the last 20% of the book was rushed.

[Alicegs · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have to say that what I liked most about this book was not only the theme but also how different the male character is from the rest of the young adult novels. At least in terms of the guy, they break away from the clichés. However, what I didn't like at all was the love triangle theme. I HATE LOVE TRIANGLES, especially if the third person doesn't matter in the story. Poor guy, I feel sorry for him because he doesn't deserve how the protagonist treats him, but anyway. It's not bad. (Translated from Spanish)

[roses7184_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mmmm... I drank this book down like a big ole' glass of Southern Sweet Tea. Just like the cover that houses it, this story is positively saccharine. I like to call these books my "book candy". A little fluffy around the edges, but with definite potential to keep me reading on.

Harper Price is a one of a kind narrator. The epitome of a Southern Belle, this girl admittedly grated on my nerves at first. With her perfect shoes, her pristine dresses, and her inability to use "impolite language", I wasn't sure I would be sold on her. Let me tell you, Harper kicked my behind for that thought. I soon fell in love with her sass, and her ability to think on her feet. I loved the way that she always had a one-liner to throw back at her attackers. Who needs to cuss when you have a sharp wit? Not Miss Harper Jane Price.

Add in the fact that this book is all about Paladins, Mages and Oracles in the modern day South? You have my attention. I giggled along as Harper first came into her powers. Felt for her as she tried her best to keep everything as shiny and perfect as before, even when things around her were falling down. By the ending, you couldn't have pried me away from this book. The story line might have been a little padded with fluff, the secondary characters a little less than fleshed out, but I was willing to overlook all that. Especially once I discovered that this is the first in the series. More please? Now.

If I had to choose one thing to nitpick about, and thus the reason this didn't get a full five stars, it's the love triangle. Honestly though? Even that wasn't terrible. I've suffered through worse. I am pleased to say that I actually liked both Ryan and David, each for their own reasons. I'd love to complain more, but I actually saw why Harper liked both of them. I'd have a hard time choosing too. Especially when you're someone who was raised to be perfect in every way imaginable. I've got your back girl!

So yes, I admit I wavered back and forth on this a bit while listening to the audio book. In the end though, it was totally worth it. I've fallen in love with the Southern charm, and Harper's personality, and everything that has yet to come. This bookworm is on board for whatever comes next!

[emptxhearty · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The truth is I loved it, mainly because of the plot. I have never read a book with paladins and oracles. It's really quite good, and I have really liked the characters.

Although it's true that Harper is quite... pink and a little trivial, I have become fond of this character.

And David... ah, my beautiful David, who makes me sigh just by imagining him. GOD this character has captivated me like no one else, I truly love him very, very much.

So yes, I loved it. (Translated from Spanish)

[tiffy_reads · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a quick fun read that hooked me from the first chapter. Southern belle Harper is used to being the best at everything she's does and has. That includes her friendships and relationships. With one exception David Stark, the school paper reporter who she has loathed since she was little. When a janitor at the homecoming dance Harper's life is turned upside down. Things start to crack in her perfect life and people who were friends are suddenly not her ally and the person she hates is.

[scatlett-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Buffy meets Legally Blonde with a spritz of Steel Magnolias.

[seriesousbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I just loved this book! It entertained me from start to finish and always had my full attention. I'll admit, I wasn't sure what to make of Harper when the book first started but I truly grew to love her as a character and a narrator. Her wit and expressions had me in stitches! I laughed, I swooned and I definitely almost cried. The plot was great. It just had everything I love in a YA read.

[srsharms · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

THAT WAS CUUUUUUUUUUUTE

[leahlo89 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm not going to lie. I didn't want to read this book. The cover and the synopsis sounded so ridiculous that I thought there was no way I would like this book. Spoilers below!!

OMG I was wrong. I LOVED this book! Harper is a fantastic heroine. She is a true sassy strong southern lady who kicks butt when she needs to. David is my new tweed wearing boyfriend. Seriously, the dude is snarky and dresses like a hipster and has a map of Middle Earth in his bedroom. I love him! And I love them together... Waaaay more than Harper and Ryan. #teamdavid

The plot twists at the end were killer and I cannot wait for the rest of the series!

[composingcomposer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First I'll start by saying that if I'd known this was the first book in the sequel I probably wouldn't have started it. Be that as it may, I'm sort of grateful I didn't know, because it was really good.

I like Harper. I probably wouldn't have liked who she was at the start of the book, but because everything changed for her so quickly, she changed into someone who I liked better pretty quickly. She's smart, snarky, funny and fashionable. I don't care about fashion at all, but it's pretty rare for me to read a book with a girl who loves fashion, and it was nice for a change. I liked how she didn't like cussing (neither do I,) and I liked how she did everything in her power to make it work with Ryan. I wasn't very appreciative of Harper's relationship with Ryan, because I knew it wasn't going to work, but I liked that she still tried to force it to work, because I think that that is a genuine action that many girls would take. Even though she rejected her 'destiny' at first, I was very surprised by how quickly Harper took her new abilities in stride.

I liked David. He was interesting and snarky enough to make a good match with Harper. I liked that he was so fashion blind that he actually created his own fashion. I liked that he wanted to help Harper when she was sick at the beginning of the book, even though they hated each other. I liked his awkwardness.

We didn't see enough of Bee for me to really get attached to her. She was the stereotypical loyal best friend. I liked her because Harper liked her, and she seemed like a good person. In light of the end of the book, I hope that we get some more character development from Bee in the next one.

I liked Ryan well enough, although he did annoy me with his half-serious jokes about wanting to 'help Harper out of that dress,' and his attempts to control her. I understand that she was ignoring him to the point that his trying to get her attention was understandable, but the way that it was presented made him seem annoying and controlling.

Harper's aunts were funny. They were unique, and they gave me the distinct impression that they knew more than they let on. That impression probably isn't true, but they certainly did remind me of the Fates.

Harper's parents were nice, especially her mother, but given how anxious her mother was whenever Harper was doing something non-supernatural, it did seem odd that she wasn't at all suspicious when she was doing something supernatural (not including the pool incident.)

Saylor was interesting, but we didn't get to know her very well. As with Bee, I was disappointed that we didn't see more character development, given the ending. Other people may disagree with me, but I actually like it when I'm attached to a character if they die, so I'm actually upset about it. That's not to say I like it when my favorite characters die (I'm looking at you J.K. Rowling) but if characters do die, I like to know them

I also really liked the stories about Harper's sister, but I wasn't sure where the story was going with it. Harper's needing to show the world that she isn't her sister, and her parents' fears, and her desires to protect her parents by not dying were all important things, but they weren't quite enough to make the this detail necessary... Now it could be foreshadowing... Foreshadowing that I don't like because I don't want Harper to pull a Tris.

[auntie0nanuuq · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Oh my this was a light, delightful, funny YA Fantasy book, that now has a sequel!

Harper Price is an over-achieving Southern Belle w/ the perfect life: boyfriend, parents, & friends.

She is at the prom, about to be crowned Queen, when she goes to the bathroom in order to put on lip-gloss. There she finds the janitor dying, as she bends over to check him, he pulls her close and gives her a kiss of icy cold breath.

Immediately, her history teacher barges in w/ a scimitar and tries to kill her, but she saves herself by shoving the heel of her shoe into his carotid artery.

She leaves the bathroom to get help from her friend(s), and when she returns the bathroom is empty & spotlessly clean.

Much to her dismay, Harper has become a Paladin and it is her duty to protect the Oracle, who just happens to be her nemesis, David....

What is worse it will all come to a head in the midst of Cotillion.......

I found this book to be fast paced, funny and filled with action. I liked the characters, they were not over-written or campy....

I am already reading the sequel "Miss Mayhem"

[kristymk18-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Actual Rating: 3.5 stars

This book was so cute, quirky, and entertaining. I first wanted to read Rebel Belle when I saw the cover reveal what seems like ages a go. I am so glad I finally got the book, because it didn't disappoint.

Harper is an intelligent over-achiever who accidentally gets sucks into a world of Paladins and oracles while trying to maintain her already overbooked "perfect" life. As she struggles with letting some things go in order to be the protector she is meant to be, she also must reconcile with her school "nemesis," David. Things are not always what they seem in her Southern town and I love being inside Harper's head as she navigates her way through these discoveries and the adjustments that come with her new duty.

[ericanneri · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was not expecting this story to be this kick-butt. Looking at the cover I thought it would be about some catty southern belles, however, to my pleasant surprise, there was a lot more superhero action and butt whooping in the book than I thought. It was a pleasant read and a good break from my deep fantasy fiction phase. I also did not realize that Rachel Hawkins was also the author of Hex Hall, another series that I absolutely adored. The story was also refreshing in the sense that I did not see some of the events coming, like the ending (which I will not spoiling, but just saying that come out of nowhere!). I would recommend this book to anyone in a reading slump or as a quick fun read.

[thelibraryhag · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Harper Price rules the school. She is a highly motivated Southern Belle who works hard to be the it girl in her small Alabama town. But when fate puts her in the wrong place at the wrong time, Harper gets an assignment she did not see coming. Now she is a Paladin assigned to protect the Oracle who happens to be her nemesis at the school.

This was just so good. Harper is believable and the reluctant super hero. And the small southern town setting rings true. (I'm from the south). Harper reminds me of Buffy, one of my favorite TV characters ever. She is trying to live a normal life and that really just is not going to happen. And there is a really nice twist at the end that I did not see coming. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[jwarbler-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

MY FAVORITE TROPE "WE ONLY FIGHT BECAUSE WE SECRETLY LIKE EACH OTHER" IS THE WHOLE PREMISE OF THIS BOOK I AM SO HAPPY. Also, Harper is a really interesting heroine, and I want more of her in my life.

[bookaholiccat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A light, fun and easy read... just what I needed.

[madamewho · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book! Can't wait to read the sequel. Hawkins is near the top of my "buy everything she writes" list.

[mirandalg14 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Super fun read! It had an original twist to the supernatural powers theme, which was really refreshing. I haven't read a Rachel Hawkins that I didn't like.

[caitlinac · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Read my full review here.

There’s doesn’t seem to be much hype surrounding this book, but whenever someone discusses it, I always heard good things. I wanted to read something lighter than most fantasy novels are, and this was the perfect dose of charm and comedy.

The best part of the story is our MC, Harper. She considers herself a lady in the more traditional sense of the word, and so conducts herself like one. I love how she tells us, as the narrator, that she’s editing out the f-word because it simply isn’t polite. It makes it seem like she’s actually in direct conversation with us. I also like that she’s brainy and a perfectionist because a lot of YA characters seem to not be bothered about school at all, so this is a change of pace. And, hello, her reactions to everything are hilarious. She is excited when she thinks she’s a superhero (she’s such a nerd), and she makes references to a lot of various stories like Batman, Marvel, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

And that’s the thing with this book: while it’s obviously a fantasy novel, it seems so realistic apart from that. Harper is constructed as a normal teenager. When she learns being a Paladin means she’ll probably die protecting David, she decides she wants to live rather than accept her impending death. It’s so refreshing! And while she does eventually decide to fulfill her duty, she still refuses to succumb to the fate of every Paladin; she refuses to die.

David is pretty much a mess, and he’s rude to Harper - really rude - for a bit, but he does apologize for that and begin treating her better. And the fact that he held her hair for her when she was getting sick was sweet (even thought what he did after wasn’t sweet). He's also really funny, and I could easily see the chemistry between him and Harper once they started being friendly to one another.

My favourite part of this book, though, is just how funny it is. It made it so easy to fly through this book. While there are tense scenes, scenes with danger and sadness and anger, there’s much more wit. I adore it.

Overall, Rebel Belle is a wonderfully refreshing and funny read. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

[margaraawr-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Looking back, none of this would have happened if I’d brought lip gloss the night of the Homecoming Dance.”

Actual Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Rebel Belle is hilariously engaging and just plain old fun. Rachel Hawkins' fans will have a new series to fangirl over, I mean to watch out for!

Brief Summary:

Harper Price is what you can call a perfectionist. She has a 4.0 GPA, a perfect and hot boyfriend (Ryan Bradshaw) and she is the president of many clubs or organizations. Her biggest problem at the moment is being crowned as homecoming queen. Because of a lip gloss dilemma, she excused herself to go to the restrooms. A bloodied and exhausted janitor suddenly enter the restroom, kissed her, i mean blown some air to her mouth, before he died and passed superpowers to her. She became a Paladin, a person sworn to protect The Oracle. Just when she thought things can't get any weirder, she found out that the person she is assigned to protect is no other than David Stark, a guy she loathed since kindergarten, or did she really?

The characters:

“Bruce Wayne's parents get killed and he goes to Tibet or whatever, and Superman is an alien, and Spiderman had that radioactive spider. Me? I [Harper] kissed a janitor in the school bathroom.”

Harper. And as usual, Ms. Hawkins delivered a heroine that is fun, smart, silly and crazy but could be a little annoying sometimes. It's so much entertaining to be inside Harper's head. I can't help but love her. I also liked that she used "effed up" instead of going all the way to curse. Kind of a model student, really!

“I [Harper] 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.”

Pffft. :))))

David. The fact that he uses mean efforts to draw Harper's attention to him is so not original. Heh. How many times did I see those things happen? But you see, I liked him, too. I liked that he's shy, innocent at times and quite adorable.

The love triangle is totally unnecessary. David is great but I don't really see anything wrong in Ryan. They're both admirable. Aww. I am kind of wary on how Hawkins will write love triangles, really. (I was very much disappointed on the love triangle in the Hex Hall series. Totally friendzoned, the other guy there.) I'm glad that the relationship problems was sorted at the last part of this book.

“The great thing about best friends is that they know you really well. And the terrible thing about best friends is that they know YOU really well.”

I just LOVED the female friendship between Harper and her bestfriend, Bee! It's totally real and different than most books I've read. I am so tired of bestfriends where one is secretly jealous of the other! This book has something so unique, noncompetitive relationship between two girls.

The ending:

Ugh. No, no, noooo. Why in the world did that happen?? And really?!? How awkward can things get? But that twist made the next book more intriguing and appealing to me. I want to know how this story would go! I am looking forward to this book's sequel though because annoyed or not, I enjoyed this one. :)

[lifeshiddengems · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was an extremely fun, bad-ass book! I loved that Harper, as well as some of the other characters, went through a lot of character development. I enjoyed reading about the growing relationship between Harper and David. Their romance was nicely paced, and their conversations were sarcastic and adorable. Some moments in this book were predictable, but the ending of this book was so awesome and unexpected (at least for me). I'm really looking forward to reading the next book!(:

My Goodreads: fantasticalcatherine

[acargile-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This novel is a fun supernatural novel.

Harper Price is very motivated to succeed. She is involved in everything at her school because she loves her school and wants it to be a great place for the students. Knowing she'll win Homecoming Queen, Harper dashes to the restroom to put lip gloss on. While performing this important task, the janitor comes into the restroom and locks the door. He's oozing blood. She tries to help him, but he won't let her open the door. He apologizes and then "kisses" her; really, he passes his powers on to her. She is now a Paladin. When one of her teachers forces his way in, he tries to kill her because he knows that the janitor made her the next Paladin. She has to kill him and is shocked to discover she's got some pretty amazing fighting abilities. She quickly discovers that she is the guardian of the one boy in school she most dislikes, David Stark.

Lying to her best friend and boyfriend as to why she’s not around and why she spends time with the guy she can’t stand, Harper also has to train for her big night as a Paladin when David and her future will be decided.

This is a lot of fun to read with several laugh out loud parts. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: This was a great read full of action, witty characters, and humor. I am a hug fan of Rachel Hawkins and this is another great book to add her wonderful collection of stories

Opening Sentence: Looking back, none of this would have happened if I’d brought lip gloss the night of the Homecoming Dance.

The Review:

Harper Price is the perfect picture of a southern belle. Born and raised in a small wealthy town in Georgia, Harper grew up with dreams of attending Cotillion and grow up to be a beautiful young women. But not all dreams are meant to come true. It is Harper’s senior year and she is getting ready to attend the homecoming dance with her dreamy boyfriend. It is pretty obvious that she is going to be homecoming queen, but right before the crowning she realized that she forgot to put on lip gloss. She runs to the bathroom to apply the much needed gloss to her nekkid lips and her life changes forever.

She leaves that bathroom as a Paladin; a person with superhuman powers that make her a lethal fighter and fierce guardian. She is charged with protecting a very important person that holds the fate of the world in the palm of his hands. Unfortunately, that person is the boy she has despised since they were in kindergarten; it is none other than David Stark. But the more Harper gets to know him the more she realizes how wrong she was about him all these years, and falling for him is starting to become inevitable.

Harper is such a funny and sweet girl with a great personality. She is polite in every way possible, but becoming a Paladin has really put a wrinkle in her perfect life. She wants everything to remain as normal as possible, but she soon realizes that is impossible. I found Harper to be really charming and honestly it was very entertaining being inside her head. Her life isn’t nearly as perfect as she paints it to be and I loved that she has some pretty big flaws, it made her easier to relate to.

David Stark is a total jerk most of the time, but there are moments when he can be such a sweet guy. He is very competitive and that is really the main reason he and Harper have had such a hard time throughout the years. They were always competing against each other and once they join up as a team they are quite a force to be reckoned with. They have undeniable chemistry and I am really interested to see how their relationship develops in the next book.

Rebel Belle is a wonderful story with action, humor, romance, and adventure. From the first chapter you are thrown into this suspenseful story that just keeps getting better the more you read. The characters are engaging and so easy to root for. The pacing was done perfectly and I never felt a drag in the story. I have been a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins ever since I read her Hex Hall series a few years ago and I think that this is a great addition to her fantastic collection of books. I am really looking forward to reading more in this series and I would highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a great YA paranormal read.

Notable Scene:

I cleared me throat and picked up my book bag. As I turned to go, David called out, “Harper?”

“What?”

He took a minute, like he was trying to decide if he should say whatever it was he wanted to say. I wondered if he felt like I had, like he didn’t want to say something hateful, but I’d made him.

“You know, all the articles aside, I actually thought you were better than this,” he finally said. “Nice to know that you are just another high school bitch.”

Maybe it was that his words were so close to what Dr. DuPont had said right before he nearly murdered me. Maybe it was because a little part of me felt like David might be right. Or maybe it was because I just really didn’t like being called names. Whatever the reason, my right hand shot to slap David Stark across the face. I didn’t even consider my new superpowers, and if those new powers would mean David’s head would go flying off.

But it didn’t matter. Half an inch from David’s cheek, my hand stopped 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.

FTC Advisory: Putnam Juvenile/Penguin provided me with a copy of Rebel Belle. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.