| Title | : | The Rebel of Raleigh High (Raleigh Rebels #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 377 |
| Publication | : | First published April 27, 2019 |
Silver
Hit me.
Kick me.
Hurt me.
Hate me.
There’s nothing that the students of Raleigh High can do to Silver Parisi anymore. Over the past year, she’s had to endure more pain and suffering than most people are asked to bear in their lifetimes. She’s a pariah, an outcast, a ghost. She’s also never been one to take shit lying down, though…despite what half the football team might say.
With only one hundred and sixty-eight days left of the school year, it won’t be long until graduation, and Silver’s planning on skipping town and leaving Raleigh firmly in her rearview mirror…
Until he comes along…
Alex
Orphan.
Degenerate.
Reprobate.
Deviant.
Alex Moretti’s earned most of his labels, and he’s not ashamed of a single one of them. He’ll earn far worse before he’s finished with his new found ‘friends’ at Raleigh High. Having spent years being ground down under the boot heel of society, it’s time for a little payback. And if exacting revenge upon the heads of the Raleigh elite means he can also help the beautiful girl who hovers in the shadows, then that’s all for the better.
Oil and water. Fire and ice. The differences between Silver and Alex are broader than any chasm. To reach one another, they must take a leap of faith and fall into the divide.
And falling?
Nothing good ever came from falling.
The Rebel of Raleigh High (Raleigh Rebels #1) Reviews
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DNF @ 30%
I'm bummed, cause I was really excited about this book.
But we just didn't get on with each other.
It's probably just me, because I have several trusted GR friends who read and loved this...but this thing read like an amalgamation of cliched teenage movies coupled with an onslaught of cliched contradictions and hypocrisy.
The high school kids all act like jaded adults with the life experiences of a poor man's Sopranos. The evil kids at school are - shocker (that's sarcasm) - the football team and the head cheerleaders (who actually have the added cliche of naming their own slut-shamed group "The Sirens") who run the school.
Both the main characters lambaste pretty much all the other characters in the book for being judgmental and "ignorant" and yet here is an example of one of the "Hero's" inner narratives:"Jacob really has to be the stupidest person fucking person I have ever met. Or maybe not. Maybe he really is this sure of himself. Either way, he seems to be missing all the warning signs where I'm concerned: the rap sheet; the tattoos; the motorcycle; the murder in my eyes whenever I look at the piece of shit. I'm gonna go right ahead and blame this one on Instagram. They made guys like me popular. They made it fashionable to look like me, to dress like me, to talk like me and walk like me. But these Insta famous fuck boys have no idea what the hell they're doing..."
Wait a minute...
So, Jacob is a small-minded asshole...because he didn't judge you to be a dangerous person who should be considered warily...based on a motorcycle and tattoos? And a supposed rap sheet that hasn't been made known to other characters yet, and which the reader only knows to contain grave digging and making use of an improper toilet?
You can't have it both ways. Someone can't be small-minded and judgmental...and then be derided for not being small-minded and judgmental.
The "Hero" also derides another character for doing something stupid and decries, hello it's the 21st century. Yeah, dude, it is the 21st century. Motorcycle + tattoos + rolling up a t-shirts sleeves a la James Dean (that is legit how the main character is described wearing his t-shirt) does not an automatic badass make anymore. Pretty much everyone I know (myself included) is covered in tattoos. And I'm a boring, nearing middle-aged, white woman who lives in suburban Southern CA. In other words: NOT badass.
I felt like the author just threw out a lot of cliches and let a lot of characterization ride on them. It felt lazy and dated.
There is also the allusion to the main female character's gang rape by the football team. Which her cliched absentee parents don't know about...which apparently the police don't know about (or following the cliches in this book, I'm betting if she did report it, the police are probably "owned" by the baddie football player's dad and thus buried it (someone please let me know if I'm right)...for which she apparently received no treatment...for which no one believes her...before which she was a lauded "Siren" and after which she is now considered a school pariah.
Basically it felt like a wannabe dark 10 Things I Hate About You, but with Joey Donner replaced by a rape-y football team...
...and Patrick Verona a little more tatted up.
Add that to the main male character working at a bar (as a 17-year-old) that has a "kink" club in the basement (because lord forbid we have a romance book without a bdsm element), and the fact that most of the adults read like caricatures of different teen movie characters, and I just have no interest in continuing this alphabet soup of a book.
But then again, maybe I'm just reading it wrong. -
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Blurb:
Silver
Hit me.
Kick me.
Hurt me.
Hate me.
There’s nothing that the students of Raleigh High can do to Silver Parisi anymore. Over the past year, she’s had to endure more pain and suffering than most people are asked to bear in their lifetimes. She’s a pariah, an outcast, a ghost. She’s also never been one to take shit lying down, though…despite what half the football team might say.
With only one hundred and sixty-eight days left of the school year, it won’t be long until graduation, and Silver’s planning on skipping town and leaving Raleigh firmly in her rearview mirror…
Until he comes along…
Alex
Orphan.
Degenerate.
Reprobate.
Deviant.
Alex Moretti’s earned most of his labels, and he’s not shamed of a single one of them. He’ll earn far worse before he’s finished with his new found ‘friends’ at Raleigh High. Having spent years being ground down under the boot heel of society, it’s time for a little payback. And if exacting a revenge upon the heads of the Raleigh elite means he can also help the beautiful girl who hovers in the shadows, then that’s all for the better.
Oil and water. Fire and ice. The differences between Silver and Alex are broader than any chasm. To reach one another, they must take a leap of faith and fall into the divide.
And falling?
Nothing good ever came from falling. -
The ink on the backs of Alex's hands really are an accurate representation of him: A wolf and a rose-savage and wild. Beautiful and tender.
THE REBEL OF RALEIGH HIGH: Is the first, full length dark, romance novel by Callie Hart.
Get ready for Alex: The Rebel of Raleigh High' he's going to shake this school up 🙌Unpredictable, Unputdownable, Unique, Unexpected. Utterly captivating!! 🙌
Raleigh High is run by the entitled football jocks and the mean girls who think they fart gold coins. But one boy you don't want to cross is Jacob Weaving and his two minions. These boys are pure evil.
Those guys are untouchable. Their families own the school. They own the whole town. Hell, they even own the cops. if you fuck with them, there'll be hell to pay, and it won't be any of them settling the bill.
Nine months ago seventeen year old Silver's life changed drastically and in the blink of an eye her so called friends turned their backs on her. Scrub that, the whole school turned their backs on her. Now she's cast aside like yesterday's trash. She's the most hated girl at school. She's counting the days down until she can leave highschool behind her One hundred and sixty nine days to go.
Alex is the new boy in town with a rap sheet and tattoos maring his body, he's like a knight in shining armor riding in on the back of a harley he looks like he's off the series Sons of Anarchy. He has to keep his head down if he has any chance of taking his ten year old brother Ben under his wing as soon as he reaches eighteen.
One girl that he sits next to in class catches his eye. She's the girl everyone ignores. The one no one seems to see. It's like she's a ghost walking the hallways. it doesn't take long before he's told to keep away from her. He didn't heed all the whispers. She's a pariah, an outcast, a ghost. He sees her.
The oversized t-shirts she wears are a shield. A defense. She uses all that extra fabric to hide her body from hungry eyes.
Alex has got Jacob Weaving in his sights. He's going to pay for what he did to Silver. He won't see what's coming.
There will come a day when Jakey Boy's crown slips, and I'll make sure the whole school is on hand to witness it. His fall from grace will make Silver's decent look like she tripped and landed on the world's most comfortable feather mattress.
I never told her, but I vowed to myself about three seconds after meeting Silver that I was going to make Jake and anyone else who had a hand in hurting her pay.
I went into this ignoring the dark tag attached to this book, I even did the dark little happy dance, glad that I'd be getting that little dark fix, but as I’m reading and getting caught under the heroine’s and hero’s spell as their budding romance sparks nothing prepared me for all the hurt and darkness that was slowly creeping up on me. It’s not by any means an easy read. It’s graphic, even I had to get up and clear my head, admittedly I even welcomed doing the mundane chore of housework.
And admittedly I even shed a little tear 😢Silver's story is a hard pill to swallow.
And yet again being cloaked in a false sense of security as all hell breaks loose within the halls of Raleigh High, my palms got sweaty, my heart started beating erratically, cursing the author over the unfairness of the path she was leading me down, only to breathe a big sigh of relief when the storyline changed course.
I went into this one wondering how the author could spin this tale to make it stand out above all the other bullying books out there, also questioning how she would incorporate the dark aspect that's tagged to this story, and believe me she went above and beyond any bully book I've read..
I'm glad the author decided to do an extended epilogue, because it needed it, and sitting here gbsmaked over everything I'd just read I'm really wanting the next book to not be too far away.
On a side note let it be noted how much I loved her dad..He brought a wee bit of lightness that this story needed.
* Teaser used is off the authors facebook page *
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I just finished this book and I have to say that I actually did become quite enthralled with it. There were times it seemed like not much was happening but then something major would take place and suck me right in! I’m going to answer a question a lot of readers have been asking me, I feel that this story is not a young adult genre. Yes, it takes place in high school.... they are seniors ( 17-19 years old). The content is for mature readers though... this is my humble opinion! The subject matter at times is very dark and intense. I would warn readers that there are definite triggers that involve violence, sex, and bullying.
I don’t want to give the wrong idea about this read.. there are some great moments with some special characters! Alex is the hero, and I adore him! He’s had a rough time growing up and he is a rebel; but he has a heart of gold, and under his tattoos, he is a teddy bear! Silver, the heroine; was a little harder to take for me. She had experienced a severe traumatic situation... and I felt awful for what she endured and for what she was enduring at school with the bullies who were at one time her “friends “. The thing with Silver though is the author tried to make her to be too tough, and she got over her experience a little too fast. Even in saying that though, I totally fell in love with Silver and Alex together!
All in all, for me I was into this book. I went in expecting darker themes though. I love Callie Hart’s writing and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for Alex and Silver in the next book!! -
Highschool bully books seem to be the trope de jour, and this one intrigued me big time, so I knew I had to squeeze it in between my ARCs. And I liked it a lot. It was maybe a TAD slow in parts, but overall it was a great read. There were two heavy topics tackled that might be triggers for people so I will add a trigger warning at the end of this review, but I thought both were handled with care. 
However, I am never a fan when something extremely traumatising happens to a character, and the aftermath swept under the rug. I kind of felt that way about what happened to Silver. I found it very hard to believe that she wouldn't have had some lasting mental issues, especially with ZERO therapy. Also, what about physical injuries? You can't tell me that even the most distracted parents wouldn't have noticed their daughter sporting some serious bruises. What about her brother? He didn't notice either??!! It was all a bit far-fetched and I wish the author would have fleshed out that part of the story more.
Still, as I said, I enjoyed it. The hero was fantastic. Sweet. Protective. The heroine was great. It was low angst (couple wise), and there was really no OW or OM drama. And I am looking forward to see what happens next for this couple.
SPOILER TRIGGERS
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3 Stars
The story didn’t feel like a young adult one, it was like I was reading an adult book. Even though I liked Alex but I couldn’t understand Silver. Yes, I liked her confidence and her tough behavior but I don’t think she behaved like someone who went through that trauma. She was tough (don’t get me wrong, I like that type of behavior but at some point, it was too much). Another thing was she was attracted to Alex quickly and so easily! I think it was a bit too insta-love for my taste (again considering what she went through). Told in dual POV, 1st person. It's the first installment in the "Raleigh Rebels" and it's not cliffy. Overall, it was an okay read and hope you enjoy it more than me! -
What a mess. This was riding a low 3 until the last 10%.
I rarely read HS drama/romance because they always have out dated references/stereotypes. This was no exception and everythign was soooo cliche I thought Molly Ringwald was gonna pop up at any time and yell "WHY ARE YOU RUINING MY LIFE!"
Seriously... authors..... update your fucking tropes. Good god, how unoriginal do you have to be for the main villains to be.....*dramatic pause*....... the head cheerleader and the football jock?!
(holds for applause)
This was just all over the place. Not only was everything contrived and outdated, but also completely tasteless. There was an entire chapter dedicated to the brutal sexual assault of the heroine. Was it ever dealt with? Not even a little bit. But instead of dealing with these real life issues, the author chooses to write ridiculous scenes with...
-slut shaming
-sterotypical high school parties
-plastic as fuck secondary characters that acted like cartoons.
And on top of all this, there was ZERO chemistry between the MC's. The "I love you's" came really quick after what felt like a really short time. AND OF COURSE we need a heroine that says "he cant be with me because im so broken" over and over and over again. God, I really hate that line. Overused and what the hell does it even mean?!!? "Broken" heroines are the type of fictional female characters that need a man to pick them up and be whole person.
*****huge spoiler ahead*****
And what about the school shooting scene?!?! Completely 100% tasteless on how it was played out. With everything going on in the world right now, I think its absolutely ABHORRENT that this author uses a school shooting to bring her book to a climactic end. This author wanted a dramatic ending while not being responsible for the after math of a horrific AND VERY REAL TRAGEDY. It was a cheap trick and I dont find it "creative" or "thrilling" to read about in a book that was overall a chore to read.
Needless to say, I wont be reading the next in this series. I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because the writing wasnt completely terrible.
Safety:
-Heroine was a virgin when she was raped and abused by 3 of her classmates and has had no prior sexual experience before being with the Hero
-Hero was known to be a ladies man or whatever
-No OW/OM drama
-No other people after meeting each other
-No seperation.
Quick side note: Silver is a hella dumb name for a book character. #sorrynotsorry -
Not your typical bad boy meets awkward girl story
I really liked this book though most of it was not all that original, I have read stories before where the girl used to be in with the popular crowd and something happened between her and her besties or a traumatic event happened to make her a loner that was just waiting for her senior year to end so she could hightail it out of dodge. Then the bad boy comes to town and picks her instead of all the popular girls vying for his attention.
This book has all that, though I could read that formula over and over if the author does it well. The bad boy has to be smokin hot, which Alex definitely is. He is full of tats despite his young age, he looks like he is 21, works in a strip club, lives on his own, has a killer body and rides a Motorcycle. He had to switch schools because after digging up the grave of the jerk foster dad who beat him, he was caught pissing on the dead body.
Silver is a loner at her school and a pariah and catches his attention right away. Like I said, this story has more twists and turns than the standard bad boy story with jealousy and possessive behavior. There is much more action and drama. It held my attention throughout and surprised me with some unexpected events!
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Different from anything she’s ever written before, Callie Hart astounded me with this dark, young adult narrative. It ensnared my attention. Enthralled me. Shredded me to bits. I’m still in tatters—my heart exhausted and emotions wrenched from the hard subject matter weaved through the chapters. For the endless heartache that afflicts the characters. It is depicted in brutally honest terms, with grit and angst intense and unrestrained in deliverance your senses will be chaotic from overload.“I’m not going to force you to fall for me, Silver. You’ve already been forced to do too much. But don’t blame me if I try and change your mind.”
The Rebel of Raleigh High isn’t an easy read—the raw, vicious nature and malicious intentions of some characters, though kind of cliche, is reminiscent of real life situations and runs deeper, more depraved than expected. Silver Parisi’s ferocious resilience and headstrong determination, despite her harrowing experiences with callous rumours and sexual assault followed by continuous mistreatment is an admirable testament to this heroine’s steadfast courage.“I also happen to think that you’re the most beautiful fucking thing I have ever witnessed with my own two eyes. I am watching you just as much as you’re watching me… and I don’t trust myself to look away.”
But the genuine beauty of this romance is witnessing the transformation of Alex and Silver. Within a school full of innumerous assholes, the insensitivity becomes somewhat overwhelming. Somehow amongst the adversity, Alex and Silver bare their souls, forging an unwavering connection of truth, honest affection and fierce strength that can’t be rattled or dismantled. Rebellious and flawed, these authentic characters find solace together—a beautiful reminder that there’s brightness within darkness. Someone will eventually believe your truth when everyone else won’t.
If you want a read that features a heroine with unbelievable perseverance; a fierce, protective hero with a hidden caring side; romance that will shred your heart, succumb your emotions to erratic chaos and make you feel everything for the characters, I recommend The Rebel of Raleigh High. It is intense, though somewhat long in certain sections, is still beautifully written and all-consuming.
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For some reason I couldn’t remember why I stopped reading this halfway through a couple of years back. Now I know why. It was the 17-year-old protagonist’s lack of common sense and her apparent inability to use the internet as demonstrated by the following harebrained belief:
“But you’re a guy,” I say, wincing. “ That kind of shit is TORTURE for you. Doesn’t it cause INTERNAL DAMAGE or something? If you get TURNED ON and then can’t do anything about it?”
🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Since I disliked almost everything about this book, it’s faster to just give a very short list of things I actually did like:
😂 The relationship and entertaining dialog between Silver and her father:“Dearest daughter… middle-aged? How old do you think I am?”
I smirk wickedly. “From the crow’s feet and all that salt and pepper in your hair, I’m gonna say sixty-seven.”
Dad’s face is a mask of mock outrage. “Witch. Get up. Now, before I pay your brother to come in and fart all over you.”
🖤 The principal‘s speech talking about the loss of his father spoke to me and my own loss:“All I wanted was my father back. Grief was a long, lonely road for me. I didn’t want to be consoled. I didn’t want to feel better, because feeling better somehow felt like a cared less.”
🖤 The observations on youth and growing up the dad of Silver‘s guitar student makes:“The thing you really need to treasure, the only thing you should value above anything at your age is the complete and utter lack of responsibility. No mortgage. No bills. No taxes. No impossible decisions, or people looking to you for comfort. Shit gets real, Silver, and it gets real fast. Nothing in here really changes.” He taps the side of his head. “You start finding grey hairs. You notice a few more lines on your face. Your back starts to ache when you sit down for too long. But everything else… the whole ‘older and wiser’ line . . . Don’t believe a fucking word of it. It doesn’t matter how old any of us get. We’re still all fumbling around in the dark, pretending like we know what the fuck is going on. What the fuck we’re supposed to do. But when we climb into bed at night, we’re still gripped by the same sense of panic we felt when we were teenagers. Believe me. We are all just making this shit up as we go along.”
So, yeah, this book had potential. All the more disappointing it fell flat on its face - curtesy of the flat/chlichéd characters, the clichés about bad boys, the abuse by high school students which makes Mean Girls look like a rainbow/unicorn type of situation, injustice that drives you up the wall etc.
You might have guessed it: I won't be continuing with this series.
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Trigger warning: explicit gang rape, mass shooting -
I’m jaded and rotten down to my core, and Silver is an innocent. She’s good.
Ok. So I’m a little torn on how to rate/review this one, because I felt that the underlying message of how strong the heroine remained even though everyone was treating her AWFULLY, was amazing. The fact that she was making decisions for herself, and trying to stay strong was endearing. I also loved the vibe between her and the hero, even though it was a bit quick once it started I liked the foundation and would have LOVED it had it been built a bit more.
My main negatives are that the story is a bit slow in parts, and that the dark parts didn’t really make me feel anything. They are heartbreaking events, but I didn’t feel heartbroken. It just felt like reading a menu with a bunch of choices on it that I didn’t like.
Please realize that these are ONLY my opinions. I’m sure that someone will feel all the feels while reading this book. I just didn’t and I wanted to and fully expected to. That being said. If more is written I will 100% read it to find out what is going on with the main characters, because I did like and root for them! -
Man
This was not enjoyable. Not even a little. The insta love was too...INSTA. That being said, If it were not for the strength of character the hero had, this story would have been nothing but tragedy and ugliness.
First, the book cover. I find it tasteless considering the content of the book.
The cloud of the constant bullying makes everything in the book as grey as the well documented Washington weather. There is no sunshine in this story. And even during the few occasions of happiness, the horizons is constantly looming and ugly. It was stressful reading.
Worst part?
I was very annoyed at how the author handled (Or did not handle) Any and ALL the major issues in this book. Its a fucking ploy and I don't like being played to get me to keep reading. CH should have at least given SOMETHING. But she gave exactly nothing, Not a fan. Not Impressed.
The book was just too much trauma. A page long retelling of a gang rape? It was horrible. The OUT OF NOWHERE school shooting? WTF? ok... How better to wrap up shit and not deal with the the other shit the author shoved at us in this story. Uh.... NO!
The only saving grace of this book really?? You wanna know? Was the dad. He was fucking awesome. he was funny, real and he saved every scene he was written into.
This is not a bully romance. This is a tragedy bomb. It was not a fun a read. It was an everywhere read. And frankly, it lacked direction and a semblance of resolution. -
5 stars!
Wow, Callie Hart! Just wow. I am struggling to find the words for this one, but what an amazing read! Dark, dramatic and intense, sweet, sexy and romantic, this book is unexpected and exciting, and I couldn’t put it down. I was completely captivated and it kept me madly turning pages until I finished it at 2am. I loved it!
First and foremost – yes, this book is about high school students. The main characters are both 17, but this is NOT a young adult book. There are dark themes, strong sexual content and triggers galore (bullying, sexual assault and violence – all graphically occurring on the page), but it’s fantastically written and all of that dark intensity fits really well within the high school setting.
Silver Parisi is a high school senior counting down the days until the school year is over. She was once a princess of the school, but one devastating event changed all of that, and her friends all turned on her. She is now the school outcast – constantly bullied and belittled, school is a living hell for her and it takes all of her strength just to get through every day.
Alex Moretti is new to Raleigh High. He is tall, dark and gorgeous, covered in tattoos and rides a motorcycle. He has a bad attitude and a devastating smirk and is instantly cast as the bad boy – which isn’t far from the truth. He’s been through his own hell, and his close calls with the law have him walking a thin line so that he can graduate and put his family back together.
Silver and Alex come from completely different worlds but they recognise something in each other. Both outcasts in their own way, they are dealing with more than the average high school student, and their brokenness and strength draws them together in a way that neither of them could have anticipated, and their journey together is absolutely beautiful!She crooks an eyebrow at me, and I mirror her expression, making her smile.
Fuck. Me. Dead.
I made her smile.
…
God, how am I ever going to be worthy of this girl? I have no clue, but I'm gonna figure it out if it kills me.
Both Silver and Alex have been through so much, and though they are only 17, they come across as much older. Their thoughts, feelings and language are very mature, as is the way their relationship develops, and though it’s fast, I felt it right along with them as they opened up to each other and fell hard and fast.“Is this the part where you pretend you’re late for something, make your excuses and you leave?” I whisper.
Alex huffs out a shallow, soft burst of laughter. “No, Dolcezza. This is the part when I realize you’ve stolen my fucking soul and I have no chance of ever getting it back.”
And together they are a powerhouse. They have great chemistry, they are open and honest with each other, and they hold nothing back. There is graphic sexy time which fits well with the story, but so much more than that, they support and strengthen each other, forming a true connection which means the world to both of them.It was a boy with a clean record, a winning smile and a glorious halo who broke me. Ironically, it’s the boy with the rap sheet, a body full of ink and the dangerous glint in his eye who’s putting me back together.
It’s a beautiful, beautiful love story that is sweet and sexy, with that tingly anticipation that we all love in a romance, along with a whole lot of swoon, and I loved them together so much.“Don’t you dare let me go. Loving you is the only thing that makes any sense right now.”
But more than just romance, it’s also a fantastic character story as we see so clearly how both Alex and Silver have had to adapt to cope with all they’ve been through, their present situations, and their unfolding family drama (shout out to Silver’s fabulous father and the family dynamics which bring add so much to the story), while working towards the futures they want so badly. There is so much that they are both dealing with, and their world is about to get a whole lot more complicated, with secrets revealed, vengeance sought, and a devastating twist which will change everything.
My heart ached for them as it all played out, and I couldn’t put my book down. I was so drawn into their lives and all that was happening with them, and I felt everything right alongside them. It’s emotional and unexpected, and that ending certainly packs a punch!
It doesn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger, but there is definitely more story to be told, and I can’t wait for the next book to see how Alex and Silver’s story ends.
Such a great read, I loved it! 5 stars.
An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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I'm gonna be extra short with this one - why?
cause this is the kind of book you really need to experience for yourself without any input from a side and really reflect on what works for you and what doesn't.
basically, I give the book 3.75 stars mostly cause it's Callie Hart's writing. There's nothing to add so it could be more brilliant, cause she is, a heluwa brilliant writer BUT here, this story had some misses in the structural scheme that it really affected on the storyline and the main parts of the plot...
first of all, Callie here deals with difficult and heavy subjects that won't leave anyone without a gasp, sorrow and even shock...and she actually did work these events with care if that is even possible...BUT in the great scheme of the story, these events could NOT really complete the whole package, it was lacking in those finest threads that you need to pull the round about and wrap up the final package...
I found the relationship between the main characters a bit hasty (considering the horrid event that happened to the heroine, I felt she really didn't have the time to recover before she suddenly gave it all to the bad boy, she tried to avoid from the start) BUT aside from the fact that this "bad boy" is actually in appearance only and NOT in his actions, he's more, so much more than it meets the eye...BUt I just somehow needed more from them both, it felt rushed and a bit unfulfilling, so that was a minus, for me...and I needed exactly that thing to be extra STRONG and POTENT cause basically these two are the CORE to bear the whole messy part that surrounds them.
Then, that second horrid event that happened, nearing the end of the book, poured the shock after shock but honestly for me, it appeared almost out of nowhere. I didn't think it had any crucial substence to delivering a point, I don't know what to say and not sound like heartless bitch or smth in those lines...BUT I never got the closure...(explaining: I thought that the second event was as sudden and a bit abrupt cause I felt that I wasn't given the deeper explanation of WHY did the character reacted like that, I didn't see it coming and I couldn't really picture the reason (other than the medical one) for the extreme horrid rampage delivered by the mentioned character), can't say more and won't cause of the possible spoilers...
I found like I didn't get what I needed, the epilogue especially, it was again, rushed and explained in sentence or two just stating the facts for the wide time span...
That's why I said that each and everyone of you needs to read and ponder on this book...it's somewhat a very intimate and personal journey.
Yes, the author gives an insight into the next book in the series (which was another question mark above my head thinking why?) this could have been a bloody fantastic standalone on its own) where she's would give us the "closure" which should have been the gratifying moment of completion for this story.
anyway, like I've said Callie writes fantastically and the very puls of the story is the rebel aka Alessandro "Alex" Moretti in the very title. -
3.5-4 ⭐'s
This story has some horrible events that have happened to the couple and it definitely sucked me in wanting there to be some happiness for them. I have to say that the prologue almost threw me off...WTH??
These events have obviously shaped both Alex and Silver and that draws them to each other. I found Alex to be surprisingly complicated and at the same time, very straightforward. I'm not sure a real guy would say the things he said however...at least not so early in a relationship.
And it takes them a while to actually have a relationship. Silver's been through a lot and doesn't trust many people but Alex is persistent.
Then this crazy ass drama happens. I'm not a fan of taking real life traumas and incorporating them into fictional stories. It seems disingenuous...and this one was a bit far fetched. I think it would have helped to have more information about the person who did all that.
Surprisingly the story ends unfinished, yes, there will be a second book about the couple. At the end of the story, the author says it's coming out in June. Revenge at Raleigh High has a tentative release date of June 27th. *fingers crossed*. (I need to know what happens!) -
This book is full of triggers. Sexual assault in graphic detail, gun violance,bully, social status, mental health issue.
I am torn between 3 and 4 stars for this book. At the end i decided to give it 3 stars as neutral.
Lets start with what i like. Silver. Now she is a kick ass heroine. She takes no prisoner that type of girl. What happened to her should break her but instead she is determine to take back control and herself even in her darkest hour. And the author done a good job on portraying her with such bravery.
While Alex character, i want to see more of his dark past. What is the effect on him witnesing such horrible incident when he was young. When Alex and Silver collide, they ignite like a fire. Both are broken but yet find a strenght in themselves to move on.
What i do not like is the plot. I feel that the author blending in what happened to Silver and solved it with gun violance. This does not sit well with me. I wish there us more respectful plot to bring closer to Silver past without bringing in another tragedy. The gun violance is just a plot to make Alex a hero instead of bad boy.
I am aware this book is part of series. And i hope in the next book,there is more respectful solution for Silver's past. And for that i settle with 3 stars.
3 stars -
Not my favourite by this author but definitely a story that has you on edge with its dark and intensely heavy subject matter. It’s the story of Silver and Alex total opposites but both broken by the experiences life has thrown at them.
Silver was the victim of a horrific assault that has left her the school outcast. Once a reigning Queen now she exists on the fringes a ghost just counting the days till she can graduate and leave high school behind. Alex is a tatted up motorbike riding bad boy who’s on his last chance joining the school senior year he instantly notices Silver and feels drawn to her.
These two connect and fall hard with Alex now wanting to slay Silvers demons. This is the first book in a trilogy and it didn’t pull its punches. Though I did struggle to connect somewhat and I’m not sure why. I did like both Silver and Alex but I think maybe there was too much going on especially with the unexpected direction this then went.
I know the story is yet to conclude but I think I’m out I’m just not feeling it though this was well written. Be aware this story does have some dark triggers and it does go into detail here. Overall this was not quite what I was expecting but it definitely made for an intense experience.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com -
Okay, so the beginning kind of threw me off and then I just kept on reading - and meh. I wanted to like it more than I actually did.
The Rebel of Raleigh High was just filled with characters that annoyed me. The popular kids, who just happen to be the villains, were just meh. I hated their little group name and basically everything about them. In it, you will meet an asshole named Jacob. Well, not just any ole asshole you could meet any day of the week. No, he was a small minded asshole and I feel like that's even worse. Besides him, you will also meet Alex - who is the dashing hero in this book. He's meh but better than Jacob in a way? Then there's Silver, who was also meh and I just didn't care anymore about these three.
Other than that, there was a hint of romance somewhere in the book but it just felt so insta to me and I hate that shit so much. I don't even want to talk about it or them.
Overall, I was just bored with everything. I was intrigued at some points in the book but then something stupid would come around and I would just be annoyed again. Again, I wanted to like this book but yeah - I didn't. -
The Rebel of Raleigh High
By: Callie Hart
4.5 Stars
I devoured this one! I’m telling you, Callie Hart delivered to us a standalone book (although we all will be knocking on her door for more…) that is full of triggers, darkness and heart stopping scenes.
Hello to my new favorite Book Boyfriend, Alex Moretti!!! I’m telling you, even though he’s pretty young, he packs quite the punch. He is definitely the boy your mother warned you to stay away from in High School. But did we ever listen to our mothers?
Silver Parisi is barely surviving her senior year of High School. Counting down the days until graduation. Although there was a day when Silver ruled the hallways. Not so much anymore. Graduate and get the heck out of town is her plan now a day.
That is until Alex shows up at school. Tattooed, Leather Jacket and roared into the parking lot on his Indian motorcycle. Swoon……
This is an action packed book! A whole lot of story jammed into this one. You can’t stop turning the pages to find out what will happen next. -
This is my favourite Callie Hart book to date.
It’s absolutely brutal in parts - definitely not for the faint of heart - but it’s also an extraordinarily beautiful love story. There are definite triggers in this one but I will say if you can handle them then you should read it. Stories like this NEED to be told.
Silver is a fierce character. She survived every girls worst nightmare & still holds her head up against the worst her school mates can dish out. I adored her!
Alex, well he is the epitome of Bad Boy - but that is definitely not all there is to him. He’s kind, smart and fiercely loyal. Not to mention HOT AF!!
Add in a great group of supporting characters and I found myself devouring this book in one session. Definitely recommend if you like your NA to come with a side of dark.
I received an arc of this book. -
4.5 stars
The Rebel of Raleigh High is the newest release from Callie Hart that takes place in High School. Let me start by saying that HS and teen drama hasn't always been my thing. First I haven't been in HS for more years than I like to remember and second I went to an all girls Catholic School way boring. So anyway I have been really enjoying these books. They're steamy, full of drama, and situations that no young person should ever have to go through. In this book we have Alex and Silver. Alex is the bad boy who is one mistake away from jail and Silver a young girl who was at the top of the food chain at school until one terrible party changes her life forever. I loved this book, it brought out all my emotions. Alex was a great H, although young he is mature beyond his years and is really loving under it all. Silver went through a lot that night and her nightmare never ended, she felt it daily until she meets Alex. I loved how Alex brought out a more confident Silver and helped her finally start healing. The ending was so sad, my heart broke for Leon. Although what he did was completely unacceptable, his anger and pain was understandable. I'm looking forward to more of this couple.
***ARC Provided by Author*** -
“You’re a void, Alex. A vast, beautiful fucking black hole that sucks everything into it and gives nothing back. Ever. Even the goddamn daylight can’t escape you. A dark cloud follows you wherever you go. It’s impossible to miss. You see everything. You judge everyone. You think you know everything. And, underneath all of that, you feel nothing.”
Grave robbing opener?☑️
Brooding and brutal alpha male? ☑️
Beautifully broken but still standing heroine? ☑️
This dark romance is everything you never knew you were missing and more. After the horrifying and tragic events of his childhood Alex has become hardened to the horrors that is life. Wearing a mask he evaluates before he acts as he needs to play the long game, desperately trying to reunite with his blood and in the process he has end up growing up far too quickly. Finding himself in a new school as a last ditch effort before he ends up behind bars Alex has to figure out a new game plan and adapt to his new surroundings. Meeting the woman who watches silently from the peripheral sparks something within him and he is powerless against the need to know more.
Silver, once part of the in crowd, she is now an outsider looking in. Nine months ago something terrible happened and she’s been ostracised by her so called friends and her life is a living nightmare. Her school is run by wealth and a blind eye is easily bought so the perpetrators live freely and still run the show. Far from down trodden, Silver steels her spine and faces the daily horror without letting them claim victory but are her lonely days about to end? The new comer is whispered about with his ink and bike, his coldness keeping people at arms length. Can Silver let guard down for someone who recognises her broken pieces and wants to help make her whole again no matter what the cost?
I am awestruck by the twist I just didn’t see coming... speechless at how much I totally hated certain characters and how my heart hurt for the small boy that loved through such horror to become the amazingly swoon worthy man we meet in this story. His tattoos are a story of pain and survival and his choices were hard ones and yet he sees something no one else has and is brave enough to stand up for the innocent. Alex has firmly become one of my favourite characters and I’m hoping we get lots more of him! Silver crushed me, she was so naive then so amazingly defiant and strong. Refusing to be broken, refusing to be nothing. I admired her strength and her constant fight just to keep going. Alex breathes life back into her and she makes him see his own worth. They are fractured but find wholeness with each other. I loved this story from start to finish. Was gripping my kindle so hard I thought I had cracked the screen- you will know the moment when it comes! And just couldn’t get enough of them. Totally one to read for 2019 this delivers a page turning read to satisfy a black heart 🖤
A five star fearless read.
~*~ Reviewed on the Behalf of Obsessed by Books ~*~ -
Gahhh I’m a huge lover of Callie Hart books, this woman NEVER fails to deliver a belter.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
Whenever I hear a new book announcement from Callie I just know I have to read it, I’m addicted to her books, her stories and her characters and The Rebel of Raleigh High is no different.
Callie has a knack for writing books that touch your soul. Books that feature every day situations, books that cover topics that are hard to read about but you do it anyway because they pull you in and consume you.
The shit that Silver goes through is heartbreaking and that’s putting it lightly. This woman is so damn strong and beautiful and without a doubt my absolute favourite female of Callie’s.
I have a huge amount of love for Alex. He can see through bullshit and I love that the most. He’s closed off and keeps himself to himself. He’s a badass biker with tattoos for days. One that you too will instantly love when you read this book.
There’s a part at the end of this book that felt like it delivered a kick in the gut. The twist at the end is insane and delivers so many feels you just can’t deal with it.
The Rebel of Raleigh High is a fun and heartbreaking read. A read that’ll hook you from beginning to end and it’s without a doubt one of the best releases of 2019! -
A girl who is bullied in high school and a bad-boy who joins her school and becomes her knight ... this is actually a really good recipe and with the correct execution, this book could have been really good ...
This book also finishes on a cliffhanger ... which is not disclosed in the blurd ... and it should have been ...
Its also not precisely a dark romance ... the romance beween the main characters is straight forward ... its the other elements in the book which are dark ....
h who is popular and a cheerleader is gang raped by 3 football players ... her friends turn against her and her teachers ignore the rumours ... her parents are unaware ... the h has grown up in a secure and happy home but is unable to confess to her parents ... but why? she grew up in a secure environment ... its also unbelievable that her parents would not have heard some rumours from somewhere ...
H joins her school and from first glance is a bad boy type ... he joins the football team but starts dating the h ... he also promises to stand by her ...
The high schoolers in this book are really vicious and apparently the whole school, including teachers and counselors are involved in covering up what happened to the h at the hands of the high school athletes ...
To clarify before, I am not saying there has to be a reason for someone raping a person in real life; a crime is a crime and there are no justifications or reasonings ... that being said, in fiction we normally see popular kids bullying the social outcast ... in this book, h was part of the in crowd, a cheerleader and self-admittedly, a regular spoilt little princess ... not to mention she was attracted to her rapist who was the school popular guy ... she was also a very pretty girl ... the popular guy was more likely to date her and bully someone else on the side than to do this to the h .... It just didn't make sense to me ....
Then we have the main incident, a random act of violence (school shooting), the guy was the discarded ex of h's former bestie who was now involved with rapist football champ (who had erectile disfunction happening while raping h - I wonder how he managed to climax with the mean bestie but leaving tha aside) ... so the shooter dies, H is injured but survives and the mean ex-bestie is sent away in disgrace (without facing the music for bullying the h as well) ...
Its at this point that author discloses that book is ending on cliffhanger ... she plans to disclose her rape to her parents during a dinner with H ... the villains remain free ...
This book was mix of drama and over the top, I really don't know how many stars to give ... so I am not giving any ... -
Well this was SO much darker than I anticipated, but I loved it.
Major trigger warnings: rape, drugging, school shooting, and deaths -
Worth it.
Sometimes not reading the blurb and going in blind with a book is good, cause that way you’re not prepared for what will happen.
So I’m glad I did cause it was worth it. Worth the W T F look I have on my face and the unknown is priceless. Callie Hart again wows me with this book and even though I took away the one star (I didn’t but I had to) and only cause I felt disconnected from Silver (there its how I felt). -
Callie delivers a purposeful story which carries all the dangers of a tornado within. It's electric, dangerous and chaotic to say the least. And its set in a complicated ecossytem of savage High school-Raleigh High !! It might've been set in a jungle, you'd think. Same jungle rules apply here. There's the predators, the preys, the posse of hyenas and the same old here mentality to follow the biggest pride.
"It was as though I was a caterpillar, happy, learning and growing, and then without warning I began to transform into something else.
There has been no chrysalis, though, no cocoon to hide away inside, safe, until I’m ready to reemerge into the world, new and fresh and complete.
No, all of my transformations have taken place out in the open, in public, for all to see, and the process has been horrific."
Silver Parisi is a senior, trying to hide in plain sight. She's bullied & hassled daily and it's becoming more and more difficult for her to face her school & peers everyday.
She's been destroyed at the the hands of her so called friends, broken beyond repair. Until Alessandro Moretti lands with a huge roar, riding his iron steed into the school. unlikeliest of a couple, they repel each other like Like-Poles. Till situations turn them around and they fight attraction now like unlike-poles.
Even though I generally steer away from high school romances and drama, I couldn't put this book down. The characters may be all seventeen But The emotional factor is all mature and adult. There's enimity, jealousy, betrayal & revenge.
There's life lessons to be learnt, both by youngsters and adults.
It's a very interesting and depraved look in the small town life where money shouts and humanity whispers.
Where bullies smother voices and victims dig deep to find courage.
Where prejudices blind the eyes and integrity gets blindsided.
"It was a boy with a clean record, a winning smile and a glorious halo who broke me. Ironically, it’s the boy with the rap sheet, a body full of ink and the dangerous glint in his eye who’s putting me back together."
I loved the plot building, setting of some scenes and the raw emotions that manage to hook you instantly. Writing is very taut and Callie has a flair for keeping readers engaged throughout.
4.5 stars for Dolcezza Passerotto
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OH. THAT. BOOK....
If you think you know what The Rebel Of Raleigh High is about, you are going to be really surprised. I personally prefer the characters to be older but I couldn't not read Callie Hart's new book. So here we are... and once again it's a win!
Teenagers. High school. Trouble. But that's only the beginning...
Silver is the black sheep of her school. Since a tragic night 9 months ago, she has been cast out by her friends. Being bullied is her new reality. But Silver is strong, fierce and resilient; she doesn't back down.
Everything about Alex screams bad boy. The new student of Raleigh High is blunt and determined. And he is also the guy that will make you swoon. Seriously swoon.
Callie Hart perfectly handled the emotions and feelings of her teenage characters. Between Alex and Silver's pasts, the tone is clearly dark, even if the equilibrium between sweet moments and gritty ones was amazingly handled. Silver's misery, loss, despair and fight touched me.
Slowly but surely, the storyline takes us deeper and deeper into the tragedy. And that's when the magic operated. Even though all the signs were there, the outcome left me speechless. I'm bowing to the audacity and the genius it took the author to explore such a terrible matter. The suspense captivated me, the emotions broke my heart. And the final twist blew my mind.
I VOLUNTARILY REVIEWED AN ARC COPY OF THIS BOOK. THANK YOU!!! -
So many twists and turns!
This review is going to be on the short side. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I wrote this one up and had to delete everything because of huge spoilers. I feel this is one that is best if you went in blind but I also feel this is one that some may need a warning before heading in. If you have triggers, I highly recommend you read the spoiler area right after this paragraph. If triggers don't bother you then ignore the spoiler section and keep reading my review.
~TRIGGER SPOILERS IN THE PARAGRAPH BELOW~
The Rebel Of Raleigh High by Callie Hart is the first book in the Raleigh Rebels series. I do have to warn you all that this book does come with some hefty triggers such as If you find triggers in content like this, I highly recommend you not read this book. The triggers displayed are detailed in ways that caused even me to feel the effects of the material. My heart hurt throughout the entirety of this story.
About The Rebel Of Raleigh High:
Silver was once a member of the cheerleading squad, she had the popular friends and the perfect lifestyle. Until nine months ago when her world was turned upside down due to a horrendous act of violence. Now Silver finds herself the butt of every joke and called every vial nasty name, all because she tried to get justice.
Alex Moretti, is the new kid with a bad track record. He's the typical bad boy rebel with tattoos and a motorcycle. Half the school fears him while the other half wants him. But this rebel bad boy only has eyes for one lady. Silver. He'll do whatever it takes to learn all of her secrets, but at what cost.
My Thoughts:
Holy Hell! I am blown away by the outcome of this novel. This is your typical Jock/outcast stereotypical high school Mature YA novel. We have a girl who gets thrown out of the it club after a vial and disgusting thing happens to her. Of course no one believes this girl because Jocks rule the school. I was so angry! I hated Jake, Kacey, and Zen! I nearly crashed my kindle into concrete just so I could be done with these three horrible characters! I have so much pent up rage for people like these three.
The highlight, and main reasoning on how I still have a kindle is simple. Alex Moretti! This man is a godsend. He's a total badass with the way he stood up for Silver. Gah, I freaking love characters that seem so bad on the outside but underneath the shield they have a heart of gold.
I had mentioned earlier about trigger materials. Let me touch upon that again. My heart nearly exploded in my chest! While I was expecting one of the triggers, the other came flying out of left field. I did not see the last trigger coming. My heart legit dropped to the fucking floor! I was terrified and I've never felt fear like that while reading. Talk about adrenaline!
At the halfway point I was going to rate this one 3 stars, that quickly changed with the ending details. I rated this one four stars because I was blown away by that ending. I legit couldn't stop reading, my heart was invested by this point. I did not predict that ending whatsoever. I'm still completely stunned.
I can't wait to see what else Callie Hart has up her sleeve with this series!
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3 stars
I really didn’t get on with the last book that I read - which also happened to be YA - so it was a risk for me picking up another teenage drama straight after. But, I’d seen the reviews and this book sounded really interesting to me, so I went for it.
Mostly I did enjoy the book, but towards 70% I really started to need some happiness to offset the sadness and we just didn’t get any. There are large excerpts in the book that detail the character's pasts and the traumas they have been through and it all just got a little too much doom and gloom for me. Also, instead of giving certain characters their comeuppance and then wrapping up the story, the author took us into cliff-hanger. Which I wasn't expecting.
Now, whilst I found the storyline depressing, I did love the main characters. Silver and Alex were made for each other and I really liked their relationship at the start. They were drawn to each other, both outcasts in their own ways, yet both were strong genuine characters. They came together and helped each other fight their demons - I loved how Alex protected Silver.
“It was a boy with a clean record, a winning smile and a glorious halo who broke me. Ironically, it’s the boy with the rap sheet, a body full of ink and the dangerous glint in his eye who’s putting me back together.”
I will read the second book, mainly because I loved Alex and Silver so much, but also because I need them to find some happiness as they’ve both been through so much; it’s really hard to believe that these characters are only seventeen, though.
Oh - I also wasn't keen on the school shooting; I know it's topical right now but it felt a little bit too casually thrown in for my liking and the identity of the shooter was baffling. Said character was supposedly a good guy - probably the only good guy (besides Alex) - in the whole book!
