Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

Miss Mayhem
by Rachel Hawkins

hitting shelves April 7, 2015
from Putnam Juvenile

description:
Life is almost back to normal for Harper Price. The Ephors have been silent after their deadly attack at Cotillion months ago, and best friend Bee has returned after a mysterious disappearance. Now Harper can return her focus to the important things in life: school, canoodling with David, her nemesis-turned-ward-slash-boyfie, and even competing in the Miss Pine Grove pageant.

Unfortunately, supernatural chores are never done. The Ephors have decided they’d rather train David than kill him. The catch: Harper has to come along for the ride, but she can’t stay David’s Paladin unless she undergoes an ancient trial that will either kill her . . . or connect her to David for life.

My thoughts:  Nothing can keep me away from the continuing story of Harper, David, and Bee, the fun crew from Rebel Belle---not even this slightly silly cover. LOL Maybe it will grow on me. Rebel Belle was such a fun read, definitely one of my favorites this year and that ending was quite a cliffhanger, so I can't wait for this second installment. 

Rachel Hawkins Event Recap & Signed Rebel Belle Giveaway!

In an adorable little bookshop called Face in a Book, I was fortunate enough to meet one of my very favorite YA authors.  She was glowing and witty, there was lots of giggling around the whole room.  Yes, dear readers, Rachel Hawkins is just as funny in person (funnier, actually!) as the hilarious personalities she instilled in her characters. 

There was lots of  excitement in the air as this was the actual kick-off tour stop for her newest book, Rebel Belle.  Her entire sitting area was adorned in pink lollipops, tiaras, and pearls. She actually brought long strands of lovely pearls for her guests (making a hilarious crack about being surprised she made it through airline security with them without having an officer try to break one open in suspicion of finding drugs), which was such a fun idea, as her character often wears them in the book.  She answered a few quick question about all of her titles, the Hex Hall series, School Spirits (she assured us that there are no sequels in the works for this one), and Rebel Belle. She talked about cliffhangers, wild train adventures with Allie Carter, and being taught to smile for the camera by Maya Angelou.

She graciously signed all of our books, also stamping each copy of Rebel Belle with a cute little pink high heel shoe.  She was very casual with the crowd, upbeat, and animated and we all had a fantastic time!

Now, as I always try to do when I get to go to signings, I bought myself a finished copy, so I'm giving away my ARC---and, of course I got that signed for you, too!  Plus, LOOK at the adorable Rebel Belle posters that were handed out! Had one signed and I'm giving that away, too! :D

Enter below! One winner gets the signed ARC and signed poster of Rebel Belle!

•US addresses only

•must be 13+ or have parent permission

•Ends 5/1/14

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Becky's View: Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins
♦publisher: Putnam Juvenile
♦release date: April 8th, 2014
♦hardcover, 384 pages
♦intended audience: Young adult
♦series: Rebel Belle, book 1
♦source: from publisher for honest review

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.

Review: With Rebel Belle, Rachel Hawkins kicks off another fantastic series full of kick-butt action and characters to completely win me over.  I was so sad when the Hex Hall series ended and even sadder when we were teased with School Spirits, only to discover it would be a stand-alone.  So Rebel Belle has been at the top of my anticipation list for what seems like forever now.  And I can giddily say that there was not even the tiniest bit of disappointment.

At her recent book signing, Hawkins admitted to wanting these new characters to be as far from Hex Hall’s Sophie and Archer as possible…and she definitely accomplished that.  Rebel Belle introduces us to Harper Price, homecoming queen and over-achieving valedictorian hopeful, and also to David Stark, seemingly ruthless school reporter, constantly disheveled without a lick of fashion sense, and Harper’s biggest academic competition.  They’ve been at each other’s throats since grade school, never a kind word between them.  Suddenly Harper has the powers of a Paladin literally “thrust” upon her, which involve crazy ninja fighting skills and an undeniable instinct to protect one being, an Oracle…who just happens to be David.

Mostly the story deals with Harper’s challenge in facing this new crazy life while trying not to lose the whole life she’d built for herself before.  She has great friends, a sweet romantic boyfriend, loves her family (especially her rambunctious aunts) and her town.  She fears putting her life in danger because her parents have already suffered the loss of one child.   How can she be willing to lay down her life as a Paladin without losing everything else she holds dear?

One more thing Rachel Hawkins just seems to excel at is giving her main character the most awesome best friends.  This time around, we have Bee---I seriously wanted to hug this girl a few times throughout the story.   There was one moment where Harper gets cruelly “kicked while she’s down” and Bee is right there, not with fists but with her sharp Southern sass and a look that could kill, putting Harper’s attacker right back in her place, and I literally wanted to cry out of love.

This story takes mythology, assassins, tiaras, southern manners, head-butting, cotillions, and romance and mashes it up into one big fun, action-packed, sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartfelt read. I can’t recommend it, or any other of Rachel Hawkins’ books, enough!

 Visit Rachel Hawkins online:  Tumblr  •  Twitter •  Facebook

Purchase Rebel Belle: Amazon  •  BookDepository  •  Indiebound

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It lets us all gush about what soon-to-be released books we are jumping-up-and-down excited for.

Rebel Belle
by Rachel Hawkins

hitting shelves April 8th, 2014 from Putnam Juvenile

description: 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.

My thoughts: It's Rachel Hawkins. That's really all I need to know.  Her books have never failed to make me laugh and cry and just fall in love with all the characters.