Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins

 

I've had Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins on my reading wishlist since like 2014 when it was first published. Rebel Belle is the first novel in a young adult fantasy trilogy. Eventually, I ended up adding the unabridged audio version of Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins and the subsequent novels in the trilogy to my 'to be read' pile about two years ago. Rebel Belle is nicely narrated by Amy Rubinate.

I've decided that 2025 has become the year I start and finish the entire Rebel Belle trilogy. I finished listening to Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins on Easter morning and started listening to Miss Mayhem (book two of the Rebel Belle trilogy) by Rachel Hawkins later that same day.

Let's begin by stating that I had high hopes for Rebel Belle based on the publisher's summary and the hype/reviews for this novel by other readers. I will also state here and now that I wasn't as enamored with this novel as I'd hope I would be when all was said and done. If I had not purchased the follow up novels to Rebel Belle, I'd have skipped reading them altogether.

I generally like young adult books. I also find the fantasy genre can be fun and entertaining. The plot is interesting for Rebel Belle and the fantasy aspect was fine overall. The main character for Rebel Belle, Harper Price, is a high school student who has everything going for her... Harper is head cheerleader, class president, homecoming queen, popular with almost the entire student body, involved in many social activities including cotillion, an excellent student, and dating the popular jock. Harper is an overachiever and almost too perfect, in my opinion. Essentially, Harper's life is a cliche.

At the start of Rebel Belle, Harper is attending prom night with her boyfriend, and is about to be crowned homecoming queen. Harper goes to the ladies room to reapply lip gloss just before the crowing happens, when she comes across a scene so unlikely to happen. Harper is turned into a paladin, a sort of knight with special abilities and strength, and she will have to protect an oracle, someone with psychic abilities. This event drastically changes Harper's life in more ways than she can even imagine. Throughout Rebel Belle, Harper learns about her special powers as a paladin, what they mean, how to use them, who the oracle is, and a host of other things.

I was less then impressed with the overall execution of Rebel Belle. I felt it was slow in parts. Certain scenes could have played out differently for more entertaining reading. 

Additionally, I was annoyed by the fact that Harper, and the rest of her high school friends with boyfriends, all assume that they will marry their high school sweethearts and live happily ever after. Really??? This book was published in 2014. I'd have thought the idea of marrying one's first love in high school would not have been a topic or at least one that was not emphasized so much in this novel. Maybe it's just me? I don't know.

Below is the publisher's summary for Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins from Chirp's website:

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.

I am giving Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins a rating of 2.5 stars out of 5 stars. 

Until my next post, happy reading!!

NYC's Morgan Library and Museum Celebrates 100 Years and Historic Librarian, Belle da Costa Greene!!

 

The Morgan Library and Museum celebrates one hundred years. A current exhibit at the Morgan Library and Museum celebrates the life and career of Belle da Costa Greene. Belle da Costa Greene was the inaugural director of the Morgan Library and Museum, She is "widely recognized as an authority on illuminated manuscripts and deeply respected as a cultural heritage executive, Greene was one of the most prominent librarians in American history."

Watch the above video to learn more about the life of Belle da Costa Greene.

Alta Journal's California Book Club Featuring Author, Ishmael Reed and His Novel, Mumbo Jumbo

 

I've become a huge fan of Alta Journal's California Book Club over the years. They offer a superb selection of amazing author guests lined-up throughout the year. One author each month is featured in the California Book Club and the author is joined by host John Freeman along with a guest moderator/interviewer.

On Thursday, April 17th, from 5-6pm PDT, author, Ishmael Reed discussed his novel, Mumbo Jumbo and answered questions from guests attending virtually.

This was a fun virtual event to attend. I've been meaning to read Mumbo Jumbo for a few years now and I'll have to grab it and read it for sure now.

Bookish Quote of the Day!!

 

Throwback Thursday - Revisiting Posts I Published Here on My Blog in 2014!!

 

Below are ten random posts I shared here on my blog in 2014! I thought it would be interesting to share some of the blog posts I posted back in 2014 that caught my attention and would be interesting to revisit today.

1. Dr. Gay Hendricks & Tinker Lindsay Book Signing & Discussion

I truly enjoyed attending this live, in-person author event at The Sacred Space in Summerland, California! The joys of attending in-person author events is always an amazing experience and this event was magical!

2. Hercule Poirot's Real-Life Model May Have Been Discovered!

Agatha Christie's character, Hercule Poirot, has always been one of my favorite fictional characters! So, I enjoyed discovering that there may have been a real life model for the character of Hercule Poirot.

3. Maya Angelou Passed Away at Age 86

Maya Angelou is one of my favorite poets!! I had the honor of hearing her speak live twice in the past. What a treat to hear Maya Angelou sing, dance, recite her own poems, and share stories from her life. It's difficult to believe it has been nearly 11 years since her passing.

4. All Aboard!! A Reading List For Train Travel

Train lovers may enjoy this reading list!!

5. Do YOU Love San Francisco?? Read These 16 Books!!

If you've left your heart in San Francisco, then check out the above 16 books.

6. A College Library Without Books?

How can you even call it a library without books? It seems strange to call a place a 'library' without physical books.

7. Literary Halloween Costumes For Duos

These literary Halloween costumes for duos is a fun idea!!

8. Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site

It was a delight to discover that the Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site is located in the town of Danville, which is just north of where I reside. Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site is where Eugene O'Neill wrote some of his most famous plays.

9. The Marilyn Monroe Reading Challenge?

Up until October 2014, I never knew that Marilyn Monroe even had a 430 books in her personal library!! There's even a reading challenge out there for people who want to read all 430 books Marilyn Monroe had in her personal library.

10. Top Ten Fictitious Biographies

Fictitious biographies is just a fun topic! It was fun exploring this topic again.

Murder at the Estate Sale by Lily Charles

 

I enjoy reading or listening to cozy mystery novels quite a bit. I have found myself in the mood for reading them this year in between listening to some of the nonfiction books I've already listened to earlier this year.

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Murder at the Estate Sale by Lily Charles, which is well narrated by Janet Metzger. Lily Charles is a new to me author and Murder at the Estate Sale is the first novel in the 'Molly & Emma Booksellers' series. Lily Charles also happens to be the pen name of writing duo Charlene Ball and Libby Ware.

I really enjoyed listening to Murder at the Estate Sale. As I already stated, this cozy mystery is well narrated by Janet Metzger. I loved the writing, the plot, and the two main characters, Molly and Emma. The entire premise of this novel revolving around two main, female characters, who are booksellers whom stumble across a murder at an estate sell in the first chapter was definitely a lure for me. Who can resist a book about books? 

Molly and Emma make a great team. They are opposites, yet have a lot in common, Emma is more shy/reserved and very organized, while Molly is less reserved and more of a fly by the seat of ones pants kinda of woman. Both women are very smart and knowledgeable about books and the topic/subject of the occult.

Occultism/occult books plays a large part of the plot/storyline for Murder at the Estate Sale. In fact, the start of each chapter begins with a specific book title being mentioned. Each of the books mentioned falls into the occult genre and is simply highlighted at the start of each chapter.

As I mentioned earlier, the writing is excellent for Murder at the Estate Sale. I enjoyed the storyline very much and how the plot unfolded. Whodunnit was a surprise for me as there was a twist at the end of the novel. I don't like guessing whodunnit too early on in a novel. But being surprised by a plot twist is even better! I liked this novel.

Below is the publisher's summary for Murder at the Estate Sale by Lily Charles, which I discovered on the author's website:

When Molly O’Donnell, long-time antiquarian bookseller, and Emma Clarke, new to bookselling, meet at an estate sale, they are both there for the books. But Emma hears a cry, ignores a “Do Not Enter” sign, and discovers the dead body of notorious book thief Buck Hubbell in the basement. She calls Molly, who joins her and finds a slip of paper with a warning written in Elizabethan script that hints at black magic.

Adventurous Molly and cautious Emma seek to discover who murdered Buck and to unlock the meaning of the mysterious note. Their search leads them to a hidden library full of occult books. Suspects abound among booksellers and practitioners of the black arts. Attracted to each other yet wary of involvement, Molly and Emma create an alliance to get to the bottom of the warning note, find a missing book of spells—and solve a murder.

I am giving Murder at the Estate Sale by Lily Charles a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Three New to Me Little Free Libraries in Pleasanton, California!!

Last weekend, my hubby and I found three new to us Little Free Libraries in Pleasanton, California!! All three of them were very cute and filled to the gills with books for readers to discover and enjoy.

The only downside for me was that two of the Little Free Libraries were filled entirely with children's books and the third Little Free Library was filled with mostly children's books and a few adult books mixed in for the adults. I am thrilled to see that there are LFLs devoted entirely to children's books and promoting literacy to youngsters. However, since I do not have children, so I wasn't able to exchange any books at the first two LFLs.

Additionally, I am very blessed to have my husband join me on my Little Free Library expeditions. My husband always enjoys the journey of finding LFLs even though he himself is not an avid read and book nerd like myself.

P. S. Excuse my messy hairdo... I'd been wearing a hat to shade my face, but had decided to take the hat off so one could see my face better.

The Case of the Velvet Claws by Erle Stanley Gardner

 

The Case of the Velvet Claws by Erle Stanley Gardner is the first novel in the Perry Mason series. There are 57 novels in the Perry mason series, which is an impressive number of novels for a series!

I recently wanted to read a book by Erle Stanley Gardner, so I decided to listen to the unabridged audio version of The Case of the Velvet Claws, which is excellently narrated by Alexander Cendese.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised at how much I truly enjoyed listening to The Case of the Velvet Claws. It contains wonderful characters, a tight storyline, excellent writing, and a few plot twists too. The Case of the Velvet Claws is definitely a hard-boiled novel... so, if this is appealing to you, then check out The Case of the Velvet Claws! I will definitely be listening to more novels in the Perry Mason series.

Below is the publisher's summary for The Case of the Velvet Claws by Erle Stanley Gardner:

Thanks to a bungled robbery at a fancy hotel, the already-married Eva Griffin has been caught in the company of a prominent congressman. To protect the politico, Eva's ready to pay the editor of a sleazy tabloid his hush money. But Perry Mason has other plans. He tracks down the phantom fat cat who secretly runs the blackmailing tabloid -- only to discover a shocking scoop.

By the time Mason's comely client finally comes clean, her husband has taken a bullet in the heart. Now Perry Mason has two choices: represent the cunning widow in her wrangle for the dead man's money -- or take the rap for murder.

I am giving The Case of the Velvet Claws by Erle Stanley Gardner a rating of 5 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Stealing the Show: A History of Art and Crime in Six Thefts by John Barelli

 

I listened to the unabridged audio version of Stealing the Show: A History of Art and Crime in Six Thefts by John Barelli, which is well narrated by Mack Sanderson.

Listening time for Stealing the Show: A History of Art and Crime in Six Thefts by John Barelli is 5 hours, 41 minutes.

Stealing the Show: A History of Art and Crime in Six Thefts by John Barelli is an excellent read! If you're a lover of nonfiction, the history of art and art crime, then this book is for you. I found Stealing the Show: A History of Art and Crime in Six Thefts to be very interesting. John Barelli is the former chief security officer at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art for almost 40 years and he writes his book with the candor and expertise.

Below is the publisher's summary for Stealing the Show: A History of Art and Crime in Six Thefts by John Barelli from Chirp's website:

When he retired as the chief security officer of New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, John Barelli had spent the better part of forty years responsible not only for one of the richest treasure troves on the planet, but the museum’s staff, the millions of visitors, as well as American presidents, royalty, and heads of state from around the world.

For the first time, John Barelli shares his experiences of the crimes that occurred on his watch, the investigations that captured thieves and recovered artwork, the lessons he learned and shared with law enforcement professionals in the United States and abroad, the accidents and near misses, and a few mysteries that were sadly never solved. He takes listeners behind the scenes, introduces curators and administrators, walks the empty corridors after hours, and shares what it’s like to get the call that an ancient masterpiece has gone missing.

The Metropolitan Museum covers twelve acres in the heart of Manhattan and is filled with five thousand years of work by history’s great artists known and unknown: Goya, da Vinci, Rembrandt, Warhol, Pollack, Egyptian mummies, Babylonian treasures, Colonial crafts, and Greek vases. Over the years, John helped make the museum the state-of-the-art facility it is today and created a legacy in art security for decades to come.

Focusing on six thefts but filled with countless stories that span the late 1970s through the twenty-first century, John opens the files on thefts, showing how museum personnel along with local and sometimes federal agents opened investigations and more often than not caught the thief. But of ultimate importance was the recovery of the artwork, including Celtic and Egyptian gold, French tapestries, Greek sculpture, and more. At the heart of this book there will always be art—those who love it and those who take it, two groups of people that are far from mutually exclusive.

I am giving Stealing the Show: A History of Art and Crime in Six Thefts by John Barelli a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!

Bookish Quote of the Day!!