Belles
Belles
By Jen Cantolina
Published by Poppy
Published on April 10, 2012
Summary taken from Goodreads:
Fifteen-year-old
Isabelle Scott loves her life by the boardwalk on the supposed wrong
side of the tracks in North Carolina. But when tragedy strikes, a social
worker sends her to live with a long-lost uncle and his preppy
privileged family. Isabelle is taken away from everything she’s ever
known, and, unfortunately, inserting her into the glamorous lifestyle of
Emerald Cove doesn’t go so well. Her cousin Mirabelle Monroe isn’t
thrilled to share her life with an outsider, and, in addition to dealing
with all the rumors and backstabbing that lurk beneath their
classmates’ Southern charm, a secret is unfolding that will change both
girls’ lives forever.
The Cover: This cover is why I wanted to read the book- it is gorgeous! Now that I have a finished copy- it is even more so! I love the book when you take the half book jacket off- it is gorgeous! The flowers are absolutely beautiful! I can't wait to see what the second book (Winter White) looks like!
The Characters: The author handles a large number of characters with ease in this book. There are Isabelle's friends from the boardwalk, the Monroe family, Mira's friends, Isabelle's new friends, people in the town, other parents- whew! I didn't feel confused for one minute about all the characters. The author did a fabulous job of making each character have their own separate personality. I loved that Isabelle wasn't a pushover. She really was a teen who had seen a hard life, and felt completely lost. I enjoyed reading about the differences between the two towns and the community. I didn't like Mira's character (which I am sure was what the author intended), but I am hoping that I will get to know her better in the second book.
The Story: This was an excellent contemporary book! I couldn't stay away from it! This book would make a fabulous show on tv- I can already picture it! The story moved at a fair pace- conversation really takes the main show in this novel. There are few action scenes, mainly at the end of the novel. This doesn't make the book feel slow, however. The author did a fantastic job making me care about all of the characters. The "surprise" ending I called from the beginning, but that didn't make it any less emotional. I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for the sequel, Winter White.
