Imagine this. You are home coming queen (with the ideal high school boyfriend by your side). You are at the school dance, ready to be seen and to take your position as the perfect southern belle in the middle of the dance floor. Everything is just right -- except -- oh NO! You forgot your lip gloss. You run to the bathroom, intent on applying the perfect salmon pout. And then, all of the sudden, the school janitor runs into the ladies room and locks the door. There is blood everywhere! The janitor grabs you and pulls you in for -- OMG -- a KISS! He breathes an eerie cold wisp into your mouth and then -- DIES! The door slams open and here comes your history teacher -- with a SWORD! He is ready to attack and you suddenly feel strangely alert. The next thing you know... YOU ARE A NINJA! 
 If this sounds like the most randomly fun and entertaining first chapter EVER, then get ready to read REBEL BELLE, a hilarious young adult novel that unites an awesome mix of quirky contemporary and paranormal action -- all while keeping things totally unique and realistic through a great mix of surprisingly down-to-earth characters who are just trying to get a grasp on the sudden weirdness that has just become their lives. 
 The two things I loved most about this book were the ongoing hillariousness that jumped out on every page and the realistic, relatable way in which the characters reacted to the craziness around them. This is definitely the funniest novel I've read in a while, and I would probably compare it most to the PARANORMALCY series by Kiersten White, which was probably the last set of books that kept me smiling in quite the same way. (I haven't yet read the HEX HALL series, so unfortunately I can't really speak on those -- although, I will definitely add it to my immediate TBR list based on the awesomeness of Rebel Belle!) 
 I don't want to give any spoilers so I won't list my favorite individual moments of funniness -- but trust me. THIS BOOK IS HYSTERICAL! For sure! 
 I really did enjoy Harper's outlook and her intention to try and balance her life as a perfect, popular student with that of a ninja entrusted with a human life -- forever. Some young adult paranormal stories just feel so unrealistic in the way that the protagonists are able to immediately adapt to their new superpowers and to seamlessly weld their pre and post paranormal lives into a seamless identity. Harper definitely has her fair share of lame excuses, awkward and encounters, and existential crises before halfway accepting her fate (near the very end of the book). 
 Oh, and I TOTALLY did not realize that REBEL BELLE is the first in a series -- or else I may have waited. Because now .... I just have to WAIT .... and WAIT... and WAIT!!! 
 ---- Reread 5/7. Still love it. Ready to start book 2!