I need you to image the fabulous Elle Woods from Legally Blonde. Image her stylish clothes, her positive attitude, her brilliance and her ‘do what you believe in mentally’. Is her picture in your mind yet? I hope so; now imagine her southern, accent and brown hair. Now to that southern Elle Wood, blend her together with Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Congratulations! You’re currently seeing Harper Price, the protagonist from Rebel Belle a book by Rachel Hawkins.

Rebel Belle is very hard to explain, so bare with me. There is this girl named Harper and she is the definition of a southern belle. She is class president, head cheerleader, homecoming queen, and the school’s queen bee. On the night of her homecoming prom she finds herself in a really weird situation with the school’s janitor and her history teacher. The janitor isn’t a janitor at all, he is actually a Palidin; a protector.  And the janitor has been stabbed and about to die when he passes his powers to Harper. Harper, against her will, becomes a Palidin. Then Harper is placed in a confusing and complicated situation where she obtains strange new powers and has no clue what they are for or what she should be doing. (Like possibly saving the world and the boy she has hated since kindergarten)

I dove into this book thinking it was going to be super girly and possibly hating Harper. I was wrong. Yes, there are some girly elements to the book because that is who Harper is, a girly girl. Thankfully, it doesn’t distract from the story nor become super annoying, because of all the action packed scenes. (Remember what I said about Buffy.). All the girlyness was overshadowed by how kick-ass Harper was and how she handled every situation.

The characters were fantastic, and many of them, like David Stark, were super funny. There were multiple times were I was giggling like an insane person and I would get funny looks from the people around me. They didn’t understand.

Like most YA novels now a days there is a romance, and a slight love triangle. The triangle was not overwhelming like most novels, but hinted at. Thankfully, it was a hinted triangle and not actual one (Thank the Hawkins). Also, the romance was not a key point to the story. I repeat: romance was not the main element! (Hallelujah). Harper is with and mentions her boyfriend, Ryan, several times through out the novel, but it is not: Ryan this, Ryan that, Ryan Ryan Ryan, OMG Ryan. It more like: Oh damn my date with Ryan is today, I need to protect David, oh damn we are being chased, I need to learn how to sword fight in heels, where is my lip-gloss?

If you want try something new and magical, my dear reader, go get a copy of Rebel Belle. And after you have finished reading Rebel Belle let me know your thoughts, feels and reactions.