Today's book review is of Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins, a brand new release that just hit bookstores earlier this month. I read this book as part of the Booksplosion Read Along group on Goodreads, an online book club that reads a book together every month. I went into Rebel Belle not knowing what I thought of the plot, which I'd heard described as "Legally Blonde meets The Terminator." I'm a huge Elle Woods fan, but The Terminator is not really my thing. I do happen to love the pink and girly cover, complete with the rose gold lettering on the spine. If I was judging Rebel Belle simply on presentation, it would get a five out of five stars!
As for the story, it is definitely something quite new. Our protagonist is Harper Price, a perfect, southern belle who is about to be crowned Homecoming Queen the night we meet her. Harper realizes she forgot to wear lip gloss to the dance (which is totally not acceptable), so she borrow's her best friend's and heads to the bathroom to quickly apply it before the crowning ceremony. Then, something weird happens.
I won't give too many other details, since I personally think it is more fun to discover Rebel Belle's twists and turns along the way. Let's just say that Harper is given superpowers through the kiss of her high school's janitor right before he dies at the hand of her history teacher. The remainder of the novel follows Harper as she learns what these new powers mean, and how she must live the rest of her life.
Overall, I really enjoyed Rebel Belle. The story was a bit slow at first, but got progressively better and faster with each chapter. I was, however, quite disappointed with the myriad of grammatical errors throughout the book. The story is told in first person from Harper's point of view. Harper speaks to the reader as if she is telling a story, and perhaps Hawkins made the artistic decision to keep the language of the book colloquial. But the number of sentences ending in prepositions is staggeringly high, and I also noticed a handful of comma mistakes. Despite the fun story, these errors were distracting, and I ended up with a sour taste in my mouth. I'm also shocked that many other reviews neglect to mention the grammar whatsoever.
Nonetheless, I do recommend Rebel Belle for its unique story and great characters. The book is light and funny, but also contains some great action. I would definitely label it a summer read. Rebel Belle is also the first book in a new series. I don't think I'll be continuing on with it, as I was satisfied with the ending, and would prefer to leave the story as depicted in the last few scenes. If you like action mixed with fantasy mixed with southern belles, give Rebel Belle a shot. And, if you've already read it, please share your thoughts with me in the comments!
You can purchase Rebel Belle on Amazon HERE.
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