Lady Renegades by Rachel Hawkins (Rebel Belle book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Rebel Belle and MIss Mayhem, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“High heels. Higher stakes.”

“Just as Harper Price starts coming to terms with her role as David Stark's battle-ready Paladin, protector, and girlfriend—her world goes crazy all over again.  

Overwhelmed by his Oracle powers, David flees Pine Grove and starts turning teenaged girls into Paladins—and these young ladies seem to think that Harper is the enemy David needs protecting from.  Ordinarily, Harper would be able to fight off any Paladin who comes her way, but her powers have been dwindling since David left town, which means her life is on the line yet again.

Now, it’s a desperate race for Harper to find and rescue David before she backslides from superhero to your garden-variety type-A belle.” - Goodreads.com

Ryan and Bee helped David escape the wards put in place by Saylor around Pine Grove not knowing they were to help him, not contain him. Harper is devastated and is determined to find him. When her Paladin powers escape her the night another Paladin attacks her, she realizes that David believes that she is trying to kill him. With his growing Oracle powers gaining strength and spiraling out of control, Harper is in a race to find David before it is too late.

Can Harper find David? Who helps her in the journey? Does she keep her Paladin powers? Will it be too late for him? Can he be David or will his Oracle powers survive? What secrets did Saylor hide? Will the mystery of his parentage be discovered? What happens when Harper realizes the only way to stop the Oracle is death?

Visit Rachel Hawkins’ website.

Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins (Rebel Belle book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Rebel Belle, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the series for you.

“Some titles aren’t won - they’re earned.”

Since the disastrous night of the Cotillion, Harper Price, David Stark and Ryan Bradshaw have been trying to fulfill the duties of the roles that have been forced upon them. David is an Oracle and his “aunt” Saylor protected him, literally with her life. When she died, she passed on her powers as Mage to Ryan. With Harper as his Paladin, a superpowered warrior, and Ryan by his side, David hasn’t had a substantial vision since that night. A spell was cast at the Cotillion that intensified his powers, which included the ability to make more Paladins. David has no idea that Harper and Ryan have been working to keep his visions to a minimum and insubstantial.

While on a “mission” to keep a couple of Harper’s friends from a less than successful future marriage, David is struck by a substantial vision. All he will tell her is that they need to go, now. Harper sends Ryan a text to meet them at the twins’ house. It is an emergency. Ryan is waiting on them when they arrive and Harper fills him in on what he has missed. She has him alter the twins’ memories so that they don’t recall witnessing David’s vision. David is in a hurry, insisting that they need to leave right away. He drives the three of them out into the country and stops where a burnt plantation home once stood. In it’s place now is a beautiful replica that Harper can sense the magic surrounding it. Turns out that David has led them to the Ephors, the very group that Saylor died to protect him from.

The three walk inside the house. They are staring at a painting when a voice behind them says that it is titled, “The Oracle Speaks”. Standing behind them is a man in his forties, dressed in a suit. He informs them that the Ephors can help David with his visions. Harper reminds them about Saylor’s warnings but David asks Alexander where Bee is. Harper’s thoughts immediately turn to her missing best friend. The four of them move into a study to talk about the vision. Alexander states that the Ephors want to help David learn about his powers as the Oracle. He notices that David has grabbed Harper’s hand and finds it interesting. No other Oracle and their Paladin had a romantic relationship. With all of the visions, there isn’t time. Harper tells Alexander that the three of them have everything under control. That’s when Alexander drops the bomb that Harper isn’t a full Paladin.

Harper must undergo the Periamos ritual. She doesn’t have a choice in the matter and her test began when she arrived. Should she fail, a new Paladin will come forth, one that has already started her training. All three turn around and see Bee walk into the room. She looks completely unharmed. They rush her and David is stricken when he realizes that he cannot see either girls’ future. Alexander says that it would be an unfair advantage during the Periamos. Harper attempts to argue but Alexander cuts her off. She will have to complete three mental or physical tests by the end of the moon cycle. Either she will live or die at the end. Bee is her replacement should she fail. If Harper is successful, Bee will no longer have her Paladin powers. David accepts Alexander’s offer of help because he feels that they really need it.

Will Harper survive the Periamos? Can David trust Alexander or will Harper’s fears come true? Who is Alexander? What visions does David have of the future? Can Harper and David’s relationship survive?

The trilogy will finish out with a third yet untitled book sometime in the future.

Visit Rachel Hawkins’ website.

Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

“A lady never starts a fight… but she’ll finish it”

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

Harper Jane Price is the perfect Southern belle. She is anticipating being crowned Homecoming Queen for Grove Academy. Arriving fashionable late for the dance, she enters the school with her longtime, handsome boyfriend, Ryan, her best friend, Bee and Brandon, Bee’s boyfriend. While waiting on the boys to finish parking the car, Bee remarks that Harper’s lips are nekkid. Knowing that she must remedy the situation before the Queen is announced, she tells Ryan that she will be right back. Walking through the quiet hallways of the school, she bumps into her worse enemy, David Stark. He has repeatedly slammed her in the school newspaper. Harper is the SGA president and he thinks she is too cliquey instead of being concerned about social issues. Having loathed him since daycare, he was the only child she ever bit; she attempts to be civil since his aunt is in charge of the Cotillion. Sparring with one another, they notice that the music has stopped. David tells her to run along and fix her lip gloss for her crowning. They part ways and Harper heads for the bathroom. She is applying the second coat of gloss when the door slams open. In stumbles the school custodian, Mr. Hall. He locks the door behind him.

Harper notices that he is bleeding heavily from his abdomen. She tries to help him. Mr. Hall opens his shirt and removes a pillow. She then notices the rest of his appearance. He is wearing an elaborate disguise and turns out to be quite handsome. None the less, he is still mortally wounded. He asks her name and comments that she runs the school. He needs her to protect and make sure that he is okay. The door begins to rattle and Mr. Hall says that he is there; he apologizes to Harper and presses his mouth onto hers. Struggling, she feels something icy flow into her mouth and down her throat. Harper begins to slip into darkness and thinks her parents will be devastated to lose another daughter. Harper regains her strength and looks at Mr. Hall’s wound. She thinks it could have been made with a medieval sword. Harper is about to leave when she remembers that she dropped her lip gloss in the sink and goes back to get it. Good thing because the door explodes inward.

She looks up to see her World History teacher, Dr. DuPont, in the doorway, holding a medieval sword. He enters and puts the sword against her neck. With her newfound strength, she grabs the sword and lowers it. Then, she head butts him. Dr. DuPont laughs remarking that he passed it onto her. He says that a worse choice couldn’t be made. After all, she wrote her paper on the history of shoes. He remarks that she is going to use her new super powers to become head cheerleader. She already is and kicks him in the jaw, knocking him down. The fight isn’t over and Dr. DuPont strikes back. He picks up the sword and Harper thinks that she is going to die. Dr. DuPont is saying something about a Paladin when she notices one of her stilettos. She grabs the shoe and uses the heel to stab him in the carotid artery. He dies and Harper gets cleaned up. With two dead bodies in the bathroom, she hears the announcement for the Homecoming Queen Nominees. Running, she realizes that she is going to be sick and heads into the boys’ bathroom. Throwing up in one of the stalls, a boy cries out. He comes up behind her, holding her hair back. He gets her some wet towels. She turns around to find that the mysterious boy is none other than David Stark. 

David makes a comment about her being pregnant but she glares and says no. She thanks him but he is curious about her being sick. He knows that she hasn’t been drinking but with that gleam in his eye, she knows that he is looking for something to contribute to her downfall. He turns to go but Harper stops him. He cannot see what’s left of the girls’ bathroom. She thanks him again and he is out the door. Hearing him walk away, Harper is confused. Looking out the door, she sees no sign of the battle she was just a part of. Harper is shaken and makes a high pitched sound. David comes back to check on her. He is genuinely concerned by her dishelmed appearance. Before she can tell him what happened, Bee and some other girls bust in. Harper was crowned Homecoming Queen and they have brought her the tiara. The girls and David trade barbs and he leaves. Harper tells them that she was sick. When Ryan takes her home, she asks him about schizophrenia since he wrote a paper on it for AP Psychology. He admits that he copied a paper his older brother wrote. They argue but soon make up. Harper is distracted, especially when Ryan apologizes her ripping her dress. (She actually tore it in the fight with Dr. DuPont) Ryan goes home and Harper sets out to prove if the night’s events really happened or if she is truly crazy. After discovering that she has been gifted with agility, super strength and impeccable fighting abilities, she scours the Internet for more information.  In one article, she notices the word Paladin. It is what Dr. DuPont called her in the bathroom. She finds out that Paladins are warriors and protectors, “charged with safeguarding a specific person or place.” She begins to wonder what Mr. Hall and now she must protect.

Why did Dr. DuPont kill Mr. Hall? What happens when Harper finds out that David Stark is the person she must protect at all costs? Why is he so important to need protection? Who is out to harm him? Will Harper to able to assume her new role? How will it affect her social life? Can she and David put aside their differences to work together? And are they really enemies or is something else brewing beneath the surface?