jennifervu's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this book, as I do with all of Jen Calonita's books. Everything was refreshingly fun and simple, like a break from the other heavy, serious books. One thing that bothered me is how UNLIKE reality this is. I don't know any state senators to save my life and the mean girls in school just aren't like that. There are more examples that I forget to mention but this book really plays on stereotypes. But like I said, this is an easy fun book that shouldn't be taken too seriously. <3
brendaclay's review against another edition
3.0
Since her single mom died in an accident, Izzie has lived with her grandma in the boardwalk town of Harborside. When her grandma's Alzheimer's becomes too severe, Izzie is whisked away to live with distant relatives in high-society Emerald Cove. Her new family includes Mira, a Gossip Girl the same age as Izzie, and they don't exactly hit it off. I read a lot of YA novels that could be ABC Family pilots, but this one takes the cake in both good and bad ways. While I enjoyed it, I found it kind of flat and formulaic.
kristaallysa's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun, quick read full of all the drama we love to hate. Due to her grandmother's deteriorating condition, Izzie is forced to move in with a distant uncle's family. Her uncle is nice, but he's a politician and cares more about what his campaign manager says will look good in the press than the needs of his family. Izzie's new family is also very wealthy and spends money like it grows on trees. In addition to family drama, this book is full of private school angst and a queen bee set on ruining Izzie's existence. This plot may read like something you'd see in a gossip magazine, but Calonita writes well and keeps the story interesting. Plus, unlike many books in this category, the characters aren't super flat. Most of the characters have a variety of different aspects to their personalities and confused, sometimes conflicting motivations. Belles is a good book for when you just want to escape and not have to think. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
puggers13's review against another edition
3.0
I thought this was a lighter, good read. I liked Mira's character development. Ultimately, I enjoyed reading it!
mdudley826's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this story. It was an easy read and I could not put it down!
emilyanne3000's review against another edition
4.0
Belles is an entertaining read. The characters and settings are vibrant, and there is a good, strong message about being yourself, not judging, and having guts. I am looking forward to the next book.
Belles starts off by meeting Izzie Scott and Mira Monroe (Also known as Isabelle and Mirabelle). Izzie is a sweet girl who lives in a poor town, Harborside, where she swims and has ice cream with her friends each day. Her home life isn't so good though. Her grandma has medical issues and on somedays doesn't even know she has a granddaughter. Izzie is only narrowly avoiding foster care.
Mira Monroe is a snobby rich girl who hangs out with other girls like herself. Of course, she doesn't mean to be snobby, it is just the way things are in Emerald Cove, the glamorous part of North Carolina. Mira is best friends with one mean girl, Savannah, and turns a blind eye to her friends cruel comments and actions. Mira is a good girl at heart, just she has no guts.
One day Izzie gets the bad news that her Grandmother is moving into a nursing home. She is sent off to some distant relatives she didn't know she has, the Monroes. Izzy doesn't fit in to Emerald Cove, especially after she makes enemies with Savannah. Even Mira plots with her friends behind Izzies back. She blames Izzie for the changes happening in her family and social life.
Throughout the book there are a lot of good messages. When Izzie is judged unfairly, and laughed at because of where she came from, we learn to not judge without backstory and evidence. We learn to have guts to stand up to not-so-much friends. And to do what you want to do, not what others tell you to do.
I love how Mira grows throughout the story, she becomes not so afraid of being herself. Izzie helps her a lot with this. She sees how Izzie is real, not like her friends. A lot of Mira's attitude in the beginning of the book is caused by the society around her. She doesn't know how to act any other way. Emerald Cove is kinda a snobbish place, but I hope Izzie and Mira can change it. Especially since there are a lot of good people in Emerald Cove, just the mean ones hold the reins.
This book has secrets, blackmail, mean girl plotting, and the hopes of two budding romances. It kept me reading with all it's drama, good messages, and real characters. I highly recommend this book.
4/5 stars
Belles starts off by meeting Izzie Scott and Mira Monroe (Also known as Isabelle and Mirabelle). Izzie is a sweet girl who lives in a poor town, Harborside, where she swims and has ice cream with her friends each day. Her home life isn't so good though. Her grandma has medical issues and on somedays doesn't even know she has a granddaughter. Izzie is only narrowly avoiding foster care.
Mira Monroe is a snobby rich girl who hangs out with other girls like herself. Of course, she doesn't mean to be snobby, it is just the way things are in Emerald Cove, the glamorous part of North Carolina. Mira is best friends with one mean girl, Savannah, and turns a blind eye to her friends cruel comments and actions. Mira is a good girl at heart, just she has no guts.
One day Izzie gets the bad news that her Grandmother is moving into a nursing home. She is sent off to some distant relatives she didn't know she has, the Monroes. Izzy doesn't fit in to Emerald Cove, especially after she makes enemies with Savannah. Even Mira plots with her friends behind Izzies back. She blames Izzie for the changes happening in her family and social life.
Throughout the book there are a lot of good messages. When Izzie is judged unfairly, and laughed at because of where she came from, we learn to not judge without backstory and evidence. We learn to have guts to stand up to not-so-much friends. And to do what you want to do, not what others tell you to do.
I love how Mira grows throughout the story, she becomes not so afraid of being herself. Izzie helps her a lot with this. She sees how Izzie is real, not like her friends. A lot of Mira's attitude in the beginning of the book is caused by the society around her. She doesn't know how to act any other way. Emerald Cove is kinda a snobbish place, but I hope Izzie and Mira can change it. Especially since there are a lot of good people in Emerald Cove, just the mean ones hold the reins.
This book has secrets, blackmail, mean girl plotting, and the hopes of two budding romances. It kept me reading with all it's drama, good messages, and real characters. I highly recommend this book.
4/5 stars
emjrasmussen's review against another edition
In Belles, the scandal runs high, the drama runs higher, and the money runs highest. Jen Calonita's tale is wonderfully soap opera-esque in a sophisticated, fabulous way, and the backstabbing events in this novel will ring true with many teens, but in this story, everything is taken to the level of the extremely privileged. I often felt my heart breaking for Izzie when her classmates judged her even more harshly than the average high schoolers might, and found myself cringing at the situations only a girl in her situation could get herself into. Anyone who has ever been in a position similar to Mira's will feel for her as well, as she tries to choose between her cousin and her friends.
All of this is set off perfectly by Calonita's amusing use of stereotypes. Phrases like "All EC girls…" and "People from Harborside…" were used frequently, providing a perfect irony when the characters' actions defied these statements, and contrast between the two groups of people, both the facts and ideas about them, that adds that interesting extra layer to the plot.
This book focuses more on Izzie's acclimation to her new home rather than the big secret mentioned in the synopsis, so, despite my expectations of a stronger mystery storyline, nothing regarding the secret happens until the very end. I did not find this disappointing, though; when it was finally revealed, I was shocked, because I somehow did not see that coming. Belles leaves plenty of room for the next novel, Winter White, to deal with the aftermath, which actually works very well.
The only concern of mine was the author's tendency to tell readers about the characters rather than let them find out for themselves through thoughts, action, and dialogue. I got to know all of them very well, but they always seemed a bit two-dimensional. I would have liked a little less "Mira was…" and more "Mira did…"
Despite my wishes for better characterization, I really liked this first book in a new series from and author I adore. I have high hopes for the sequel, and with any luck, there will be fewer character descriptions, since we have already been introduced to the people in the story. If you are not too picky about your protagonists and want a great drama, I definitely recommend Belles.
This review originally appeared at www.foreverliterary.blogspot.com.
All of this is set off perfectly by Calonita's amusing use of stereotypes. Phrases like "All EC girls…" and "People from Harborside…" were used frequently, providing a perfect irony when the characters' actions defied these statements, and contrast between the two groups of people, both the facts and ideas about them, that adds that interesting extra layer to the plot.
This book focuses more on Izzie's acclimation to her new home rather than the big secret mentioned in the synopsis, so, despite my expectations of a stronger mystery storyline, nothing regarding the secret happens until the very end. I did not find this disappointing, though; when it was finally revealed, I was shocked, because I somehow did not see that coming. Belles leaves plenty of room for the next novel, Winter White, to deal with the aftermath, which actually works very well.
The only concern of mine was the author's tendency to tell readers about the characters rather than let them find out for themselves through thoughts, action, and dialogue. I got to know all of them very well, but they always seemed a bit two-dimensional. I would have liked a little less "Mira was…" and more "Mira did…"
Despite my wishes for better characterization, I really liked this first book in a new series from and author I adore. I have high hopes for the sequel, and with any luck, there will be fewer character descriptions, since we have already been introduced to the people in the story. If you are not too picky about your protagonists and want a great drama, I definitely recommend Belles.
This review originally appeared at www.foreverliterary.blogspot.com.