The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove

Feb 11, 2013 Kira rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, made-me-want-to-choke-myself, made-no-sense, lost-the-will-to-live, lolwut, books-to-use-as-weapons

Who remembers that little 1974 video adaptation of The Happy Prince? Well, of course I don't remember the original release, but I saw it when I was little. I thought it was so awesome, just like everyone else, but then...but then...

Then I read the original short written by Oscar Wilde. Let me prelude this by saying that I love Oscar Wilde; he's one of my favorite authors and people. There. I said it.

Now, there's a sneaky little bit of Hide Your Gays going on in the OVA. The swallow is voiced by...more

35 likes · like · see review

Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, mystery-thriller-crime-suspense

Reviewed by Jo for Book Chick City.

This is a modern retelling of Macbeth, with Natalie Hargrove obsessed with being crowned the next Palmetto Princess. She has always been popular, and works hard to maintain her position as 'Queen Bee' in school. Her handsome boyfriend, Mike is not very interested in becoming Palmetto Prince, but to Natalie he must, and she'll take care of anyone who stands in his or her way.

This sounded like a really interesting premise to a book, and I was excited to read it....more Reviewed by Jo for Book Chick City.

This is a modern retelling of Macbeth, with Natalie Hargrove obsessed with being crowned the next Palmetto Princess. She has always been popular, and works hard to maintain her position as 'Queen Bee' in school. Her handsome boyfriend, Mike is not very interested in becoming Palmetto Prince, but to Natalie he must, and she'll take care of anyone who stands in his or her way.

This sounded like a really interesting premise to a book, and I was excited to read it. Having read Lauren Kate's 'Fallen' and not being very impressed I was curious to see how her debut book, now being reissued, would fare.

Natalie is a very unlikeable character, and the reasons behind her actions are totally unjustified. Her boyfriend Mike felt flat and weak, and he was almost being used as a puppet by Natalie. The only character I kind of liked met an early demise! I suppose Natalie is supposed to be disliked anyway, but after reading her backstory I wondered if the author meant for us to feel some sort of sympathy and understanding for her. I felt none at all.

The writing for me was not very good either. It was bland, and felt too safe. Natalie could have been a really multi-dimensional character, the tagline mentions 'Cruel Intentions' so I was expecting a Sarah Michelle Gellar type of twisted, nasty and well, cruel character. We get a weak carbon copy.

The reason I kept on reading until the end was so I could properly review this book for Book Chick City. If I wasn't, then I don't think I would have even finished. The ending again, it felt like we were supposed to feel sad and I only felt happy I had finally finished. I know this probably sounds mean, and I really don't mean to! I just could not get on board with any aspect of the book.

VERDICT:

With a tagline promising, 'Cruel Intentions meets Macbeth', it was a disappointing read and a struggle to finish and I didn't really care enough what happened to the characters. I know Lauren Kate has a huge following for her 'Fallen' series but I just cannot seem to like her writing or stories. Perhaps I'll give them another go.
(less)

10 likes · like · see review

Mar 11, 2011 Gemma rated it 2 of 5 stars

I do not respect Lauren Kate as an author.

She is a chameleon type, mimicing whatever style seems to be selling. With Fallen, her writing was bland, as were the characters and premise, all wrapped up with a pretty cover. Just like all the other Twilight knockoffs.

This one was clearly written before she realized that rewriting Twilight was where the money is. It has that "I wanna be trendy" feel to it, like the Alphas series, or Private. The main character, Natalie, was... a firm character, unlik...more

15 likes · like · see review

Oct 10, 2011 Sita Sargeant rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, teen-romance, young-adult, reviewed, nl

I got this ages ago when I was at the coast with my Mum (and her friend) and my two younger sisters (and their two friends) My friend who was supposed to come had bailed on me (she was sick) so I was in for a week of spending time with 4 kids under the age of 11. It was a painful experience. We were in Big W and I was bored, as a normal person would be. We were looking for something and my mum kept finding stuff she liked.

description

So I convinced my mum to buy a few books for me. This was one of them. I...more

14 likes · like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Samantha Clanton aka "Harlequin Twilight" for TeensReadToo.com

There are a few things that Natalie Hargrove wants out of her time at Palmetto High School, but the big one is becoming Palmetto Princess and her boyfriend, Mike, to be Palmetto Prince. And Natalie Hargrove will do anything she has to do to make sure this happens.

When Natalie finds that Mike is at major risk of losing the battle for the crown to the one person Natalie hates, Justin Balmer, we find out just what she will do...more Reviewed by Samantha Clanton aka "Harlequin Twilight" for TeensReadToo.com

There are a few things that Natalie Hargrove wants out of her time at Palmetto High School, but the big one is becoming Palmetto Princess and her boyfriend, Mike, to be Palmetto Prince. And Natalie Hargrove will do anything she has to do to make sure this happens.

When Natalie finds that Mike is at major risk of losing the battle for the crown to the one person Natalie hates, Justin Balmer, we find out just what she will do to make sure that her dreams come true. But what's the cost of fame within the high school setting? And what's that cost when the person she's battling is the one person who has the power to take her down?

Now, when I got this book I hadn't actually read the synopsis about it. All I knew was that it was Lauren Kate's debut novel, I loved the cover, and I wanted to read it before I read FALLEN (out now). But I'm glad. I was totally shocked and surprised at the twists and turns in THE BETRAYAL OF NATALIE HARGROVE - and I loved it!

It was a shocking and fun ride to take with Natalie, and let's just say the ending shocked me even more. This is a very Cruel Intentions (1999 Reese Witherspoon/Ryan Phillippe/Sarah Michelle Gellar movie that was totally awesome, which ironically contained a character with the last name Hargrove) kind of story, and that made it even more enjoyable.

The main thing I fault this novel for is that it seemed like some of the characters were just around to move the story along, and then once their job was done you didn't really see them again, or they just got a side mention. But this being a quick read, I can understand why it was like that, so I don't hold that too much against it.

It seems like with all the talk surrounding FALLEN that THE BETRAYAL OF NATALIE HARGROVE has been lost in the shuffle, or will be, but I hope that doesn't happen. I really enjoyed Natalie, Mike, the Bambies, and even JB, and the journey they took me on, and I think other people will, too. It's a story of blackmail, desire, darkness, and deeds that are so dark it would make Nyx shiver.

Natalie messed with the Fates - and you just don't mess with the Fates!(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 18, 2012 Katya rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone looking for a new experience

Shelves: 2012, antiheroes, dramarama, horrible-best-friends, holy-hell, oh-come-on, so-so, teen-lit

"The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove" is Lauren Kate's debut novel (prior to Fallen by about... a month, if Goodreads is anything to go by). I took it out of the library because... well, honestly, I don't know why I took it out.

Sorry. I lie. I'm in my exam period and I needed something to counterbalance all the academic texts I was reading.

Given how much I liked her other books, you might imagine what expectations I had when I went into this one. Well, dear readers, my reaction at the beginning, th...more

6 likes · like · see review

May 17, 2013 Pinkie Pie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read this review and more like it at Pretty Deadly Reviews.

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is nothing like Kate's later books, the Fallen series. The writing in Natalie is superior, the characters fuller and more true to life, the story more interesting. Everything about Kate's debut novel is 100 times better than her later books and I am so so happy for it. The premise of Natalie seemed so interesting, a modern day re-imagining of Macbeth set in a South Carolinian high school. I am glad it was...more Read this review and more like it at Pretty Deadly Reviews.

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is nothing like Kate's later books, the Fallen series. The writing in Natalie is superior, the characters fuller and more true to life, the story more interesting. Everything about Kate's debut novel is 100 times better than her later books and I am so so happy for it. The premise of Natalie seemed so interesting, a modern day re-imagining of Macbeth set in a South Carolinian high school. I am glad it was written well as it is now one of my favorites.

Natalie Hargrove is the most popular girl in Palmetto High, and so she is a shoe-in for the school's homecoming equivalent, Palmetto Princess. It's her boyfriend, Mike's, very relaxed attitude towards the whole thing that really drives Natalie up a wall. See, her nemesis, a boy named JB who she has a sordid history with, is in the running for Palmetto Prince as well and there is simply no way Natalie will be sharing the stage with that sleazeball.

So after a wild party one night Natalie and Mike decide to pull a prank on JB that will ruin his reputation in this church-loving town. But the prank goes horribly awry when JB winds up dead in the morning. From here we get to watch Natalie slowly becoming unhinged.

The madness in Natalie is really what made me love this book. She was such a rich, full of life character. She really stuck out in this sea of wimpy heroines, especially those from 2009 (ahem, Bella.) She worked really hard to overcome her trailer park, imprisoned dad, gold-digger mom past, even if she was a bit shortsighted, and suffered from having a one track kind of mentality. But she was really smart and witty and her exasperation and frustration were amusing. Her Juicy Fruit addiction is something I could certainly relate to. She was a bit snobbish, which was a surprise once I read a little more of her other-side-of-the-tracks backstory, but whatever.
The other characters were great, too. Baxter, Double D, Tracy, the Dick. None of the secondary characters had a chance at falling into the background noise, and I loved that. All too often secondary characters are just shells used as plot devices, but I often found myself wishing there had been a book about them, too.

As far as the Macbeth retelling goes, there were a few missed ideas. I don't really want to get into it because it will be spoilery. But one glaring difference was that JB's death was accidental, where Duncan's death was not not not an accident. This change shakes up the motivations for all the players but I think it was done well. I know other reviewers were pissed off about this, but I thought that even though Kate changed it, effectively changing the whole story, that it was acceptable, and like I said, done well.

This book does have a lot of sexual references, fade to black scenes, a little graphic foreplay. There's also underage drinking as well as drug use. It didn't feel over the top at all. In fact it fit so well with the characters and my experience in high school that I didn't think twice about it until now.

Overall, I really, really loved this book. It's nice and short, about 250 pages, so I finished it in a few hours. Natalie's character was thoroughly entertaining, and while there were a few key details lost in translation from Macbeth to The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove I found myself saying "I loved this!" out loud in the middle of the night. By myself. I only wish I had read it sooner.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Rowan - Ombre Angeliche rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Natalie Hargrove ha tutto ciò che una ragazza può sognare. In apparenza la sua vita è perfetta. Ha un fidanzato che la ama, è bellissima e tutti la ammirano. Manca una sola cosa per renderla felice: vincere il titolo di Principessa della Palmetto High School. Natalie sogna di farsi incoronare come coppia reale insieme al fidanzato Mike da sempre, ma quando tutto sta finalmente per realizzarsi qualcuno le metterà i bastoni tra le ruote, e uno scherzo innocente si trasformerà in tragedia, cambiand...more Natalie Hargrove ha tutto ciò che una ragazza può sognare. In apparenza la sua vita è perfetta. Ha un fidanzato che la ama, è bellissima e tutti la ammirano. Manca una sola cosa per renderla felice: vincere il titolo di Principessa della Palmetto High School. Natalie sogna di farsi incoronare come coppia reale insieme al fidanzato Mike da sempre, ma quando tutto sta finalmente per realizzarsi qualcuno le metterà i bastoni tra le ruote, e uno scherzo innocente si trasformerà in tragedia, cambiando per sempre la vita di Natalie.
Devo ammetterlo: sono rimasta piacevolmente sorpresa da questa lettura! Avevo già letto (e detestato) la saga di Fallen, della stessa autrice, e di conseguenza non avevo intenzione di comprare Princess, soprattutto dopo aver visto la cover italiana, che fa pensare ad un fantasy, quando di fantasy non c'è proprio niente.. tuttavia la trama mi aveva incuriosita, e quando ho avuto la possibilità di comprarlo usato mi sono finalmente decisa a leggerlo. Bè.. mi è piaciuto moltissimo!
Con The betrayal of Natalie Hargrove, titolo originale del libro, ci troviamo catapultati in un'atmosfera alla Gossip Girl, nella Palmetto High School, dove i pettegolezzi sono all'ordine del giorno. La protagonista, Nat, è la classica ragazza ricca, la più popolare della scuola abituata a comandare ed essere adulata, ma l'autrice è riuscita a darle spessore e renderla così reale che mi è davvero piaciuta. A dire la verità ho apprezzato tutti i personaggi, e mi ha sorpreso il modo in cui, sebbene ognuno abbia un ruolo fondamentale e ben pensato, la storia giri sempre e solo intorno a lei, la protagonista indiscussa, che trova sempre il modo di essere al centro di tutto.
Lo stile è semplice e scorrevole, ma l'ho trovato bello e non troppo banale.. perfetto per una lettura piacevole e leggera, ma anche interessante! Infatti la storia prende una piega diversa quando, a causa di uno scherzo, alla Palmetto si consuma una terribile tragedia che riguarda Nat e Mike molto da vicino.
Certo, non è che tutto a un tratto il libro si trasformi in un thriller, ma le vite dei protagonisti si riempiranno all'improvviso di agenti della polizia, alibi, soffiate e prove da occultare.. e ciò che ho davvero apprezzato è stato il finale, che ovviamente non vi svelerò. La conclusione inevitabile ma sorprendente della vita di Natalie Hargrove, Principessa del liceo, e di un segreto che sperava nessuno scoprisse mai.
So che molte lettrici non hanno apprezzano questo primo romanzo della Kate, ma io ne sono rimasta davvero coinvolta, e mi sento di consigliarlo a chi cerca una lettura interessante e senza pretese, soprattutto se amate le serie TV come Gossip Girl o Pretty Little Liars: incoronazioni, balli, vendetta, droga, omicidi.. impossibile lasciarlo a metà!(less)

like · see review

Nov 02, 2012 Elaine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i love books with twisted protagonists, and i was expecting this book to be one of those. the premise was promising and suggesting Natalie as that kind of character. it turns out there were barely wicked scenes in this book, and Natalie is not half the mastermind she tells she is. the book also lacks details, and was dragging at times [typical for Lauren Kate]. somehow i felt like the plot could've deepen if Kate cut out the make out scenes and replaced them with some action/mystery ones.
i liked...more

like · see review

Oct 18, 2012 Jasmin rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'm 21. I haven't grown out of YA novels (or children's books) no matter how much Elizabeth Chadwick or Shakespeare I read and I don't think I ever will. I picked this book mostly due to the cover and in an attempt at reading something new. I'm also trying to conquer my fear of the thriller/horror/supernatural genre (I dove head first with Jackson Pearce's Sweetly and I wanted something a little less terrifying.) It sucked. I couldn't read it. I was reduced to skimming through. Other users have...more

like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 Lissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

My review is split in to five sections: Writing, Plot, Worldbuilding, Characters, and X-Factor. Each section comprises of either half or one star, except X-Factor which can utilise two whole stars.

For anyone who is confused as to why I would read a book by an author I didn’t particularly trust and whose other books I’d hated with a loathing passion – suck on my 4 star rating! You can NEVER know if you’ll enjoy a book before reading it.

Writing .5
The writing overall was pretty decent. I can’t help...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 30, 2011 Read2review rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-for-read-2-review

** For the full review please check out www.read2review.com **

I have to say that I think this book was simply breath taking! Lauren Kate is a relatively new author in the paranormal romance genre but she is fantastic. I would recommend her Torment series to everyone. Again that series is amazing! However back to the book in hand…

The first three chapters were a little slow as they spent time to let us know the back story of the main character Natalie, her boyfriend and her past. Chapter 4 onwards...more

like · see review

Sep 24, 2011 Kay.Anne rated it 2 of 5 stars

Natalie Hargrove is hungry for power. Growing up on the wrong side of town is hard. With no father Natalie’s mother went from man to man getting what she needed to make a good life for her daughter. The current man, The Duke and his daughter Dala are an embarrassment to the future Palmetto Princess. After years of plotting Natalie won’t let anything drag her back down. At the annual Mardi Grass party everything begins to crumble. The perfect reputation she’s worked for is falling. I’ve never rea...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 16, 2011 Amaris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(view spoiler)...more

like · see review

Sep 10, 2011 Alicia rated it 1 of 5 stars

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is, in a word, awful. Literally the only redeeming feature for me was the beautiful cover - I want that dress so badly!

Firstly, Natalie was utterly unlikeable by anyone's standards and gets right on your nerves from the very first page, even when you learn of her background, which I assume is supposed to make you sympathetic towards her but fails utterly in that respect. Natalie is utterly selfish, manipulative, unbelievably vain and ruthlessly ambitious, but w...more The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is, in a word, awful. Literally the only redeeming feature for me was the beautiful cover - I want that dress so badly!

Firstly, Natalie was utterly unlikeable by anyone's standards and gets right on your nerves from the very first page, even when you learn of her background, which I assume is supposed to make you sympathetic towards her but fails utterly in that respect. Natalie is utterly selfish, manipulative, unbelievably vain and ruthlessly ambitious, but with no real motive - I get that she's supposed to be a modern-day version of the delightfully evil and twisted Lady Macbeth, but at least she had a character and personality that can be easily dissected! I'd also like to think that Kate is mocking high school and the 'Queen Bee' culture, but unfortunately I seriously doubt she is, evidenced by the chapter titles, which are laughably over-dramatic - The Valour of My Tongue, Nothing in his Life Became him Like the Leaving of it and An Absolute Trust to name but a couple.

I think Kate kept trying to be funny, but the weak attempts at humour made me like Natalie, who is the only point of view we are graced with, even less. Also, I found no point to the prologue which serves only to confuse the reader by being too vague and 'poetic' and borrow ideas from Twilight. The writing was abysmal, the dialogue clunky, the pacing exceedingly drawn out with awful characters that you honestly couldn't care less about and the high school setting of promiscuous thirteen-year-olds (well, maybe a bit older, but still) and events extremely unrealistic, not to mention difficult to get through (and fairly confusing if you do), even with skipping pages - thank god it was such a short book!

In short, I can't recommend this 'novel' to anybody, not even my worst enemy (though it would be an excellent form of torture) - I really didn't like it, especially as it could have been much better, and I'm no longer looking forward to reading the Fallen series.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Aug 06, 2011 Raya rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

How did I come about to read this book? Being on Kaua'i facing 2 flights and a 3 hr. lay over prompted a last minute purchase in poorly stocked Walmart, that's how.

The beautiful cover of this book lured me, the story sounded ok and the fact that there was nothing else I wanted to read lead me to purchasing this book.

First of all, this book is trashy - not too many swear words but so much teen sex, drug and alcohol abuse. Very imoral. I WOULD NEVER let my kids read a book like this. Books like...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 22, 2011 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Easy read, filled with all the reasons we need to remember that the grass only looks greener on the other side because they use paint.

Natalie grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Her childhood was riddled with abuse and as such she grew up much too quickly. She learned grown up lessons, and the wrong ones at that, from a mother who was immature and would rather be "besties."

First, I want to say that everyone who has been so disturbed or put off by the fact that Natalie was obsessed with beco...more Easy read, filled with all the reasons we need to remember that the grass only looks greener on the other side because they use paint.

Natalie grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Her childhood was riddled with abuse and as such she grew up much too quickly. She learned grown up lessons, and the wrong ones at that, from a mother who was immature and would rather be "besties."

First, I want to say that everyone who has been so disturbed or put off by the fact that Natalie was obsessed with becoming the Palmetto Princess has missed the entire point of this book. Being the Princess was a goal for Natalie, an accomplishment that she has left her rotten past behind her. It was her focus throughout the book because without that goal, her past has defeated her. Everyone might as well know she's the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, that her father didn't die but was in jail, that her mother is a gold digger, and that once upon a time when she was still fresh and innocent she was deemed a slut merely because of where she lived. So yes, she was obsessed with her goal, even more so after accidentally causing the death of Justin.

We get to see a huge dynamic of how someone who has caused pain, even brief and fleeting, can effect self-esteem dramatically. Natalie's relationship with Justin was played out to be an I hate you relationship (on Natalie's part), and yet there are moments when you can see how he still gets to her. There is definitely a part that cares.

We also get to see Natalie's relationship with her boyfriend, Mike. They love each other with all the passion of youth and first love, but neither seem to know how to make anything work when there is stress. In so many ways this made me sad because even though Natalie "grew up" early and she and Mike were close to being of legal age...the world they lived in had them so emotionally stunted that at the first sign of hardship they fell apart.

The panic and bad choices we see made when a prank turns deadly felt real to me. I don't know about plotting to frame someone else for Justin's death, but keeping silent and trying to hide your activities is something I can definitely see happening. I can also see the sleazy cop using whatever he could to get to Natalie.

The end is a bit of a let down. I wish Mike had shown more moral fortitude and come forward. But I guess we're left wondering about Mike.

All in all, it was a good read, a bit on the high-strung side, but good never-the-less.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 03, 2011 Cecilee Linke rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: young adults

I hadn't ever heard of this book until I saw it for only $6 at a local bookstore. The cover looked interesting as well as the plot synopsis on the back of the book, and I decided to give it a try.

The story was better than I thought it would be. Yes it's still high school drama, but the main characters were intriguing and well-developed and the story sucked me in a few chapters into the story. The basic plot is this: Natalie Hargrove is the Queen Bee of the very wealthy Palmetto High School in Ch...more I hadn't ever heard of this book until I saw it for only $6 at a local bookstore. The cover looked interesting as well as the plot synopsis on the back of the book, and I decided to give it a try.

The story was better than I thought it would be. Yes it's still high school drama, but the main characters were intriguing and well-developed and the story sucked me in a few chapters into the story. The basic plot is this: Natalie Hargrove is the Queen Bee of the very wealthy Palmetto High School in Charleston, South Carolina. She rules the place as one of the most popular girls in school, and she knows it. I think everyone reading this has probably known girls in school who were like this. I was reminded of several popular, mean girls I went to school with as I read this story. Natalie is determined to be crowned the Palmetto Princess at the end of her senior year, and for her longtime boyfriend Mike King to be crowned the Palmetto Prince. (Palmetto Princess and Prince is basically prom queen and king respectively) This is something she has set her sights on for years and she is determined to get it no matter what.

However, one of her rivals for the Palmetto Prince is Justin Balmer, a boy with whom Natalie has a history. See, Natalie is not exactly who she says she is. She has a past that she wants to keep hidden, and she has done a good job of hiding her past until her senior year. And Justin is a part of that history. One night at a party, Natalie and Mike decide to play a prank on Justin to dash any hopes of Justin being chosen as the Palmetto Prince. Unfortunately, that prank goes wrong, and the rest of the novel is spent with Natalie and Mike trying to cover up what they have done. You also get to see how this once confident queen bee slowly begins to unravel as she tries to come to terms with what she and her boyfriend did. I won't give away what happens, but let's just say this story will make you want to know just how Natalie and Mike are, or aren't, going to get away with their fatal prank.

As mentioned earlier, the main characters were intriguing. Reviews of this book have compared it to Macbeth and I can see some parallels. Like Macbeth, we have a strong female character who drives the story along (Natalie) and a male character who begins to regret what he has done (Mike). For me, that's where the similarities end. Natalie comes across as very snarky and self-obsessed (her descriptions of how great she looks and the way she looks down on anyone who crosses her path), but also vulnerable. Here is someone who acts very confident on the outside, but inside, she is terrified of being discovered as a fraud. The character of Mike was interesting too, as he was determined to become Palmetto Prince, but didn't have much of Natalie's determination. Other than those character traits, I found Mike to be a bit bland, and what he does at the end of the story will definitely shock you. I know I didn't see it coming.

All in all, I would recommend this book mostly to young adults, since the story takes place in high school and involves 17-18 year olds. I myself am 26, so I'm a little out of the target age range, but I still enjoyed the story. I also found it a relatively quick read, having begun it yesterday evening and finished by midnight. (less)

1 like · like · see review

Jun 19, 2011 Sandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a seriously twisted story. Natalie Hargrove is the most popular girl at her school and is practically a shoe-in for Palmetto Princess (aka prom queen). As she and her longtime boyfriend Mike prepare to become high school royalty, something goes terribly, terribly wrong and Natalie flounders to fix it.

Natalie is a deplorable character; she's selfish to the core, but that's what drew me into the story. When something goes wrong of Natalie, she doesn't fess up and move on, she tries to fix...more

3 likes · like · see review

May 21, 2011 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you've been reading much Young Adult fiction lately, you'll be familiar with love triangles. You might even be sick of them. But "The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove", a standalone contemporary novel by "Fallen" series author Lauren Kate, deals with that problem in an unusual way - the secondary love interest, green-eyed Justin, is dead. Not zombie-dead or vampire-dead. In-the-ground, exit-stage-left dead. This doesn't stop him haunting every corner of the book, completely outshining Natalie's o...more If you've been reading much Young Adult fiction lately, you'll be familiar with love triangles. You might even be sick of them. But "The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove", a standalone contemporary novel by "Fallen" series author Lauren Kate, deals with that problem in an unusual way - the secondary love interest, green-eyed Justin, is dead. Not zombie-dead or vampire-dead. In-the-ground, exit-stage-left dead. This doesn't stop him haunting every corner of the book, completely outshining Natalie's own boyfriend Mike.

Natalie Hargrove is Lauren Kate's smartest and darkest protagonist yet. A small town Southern girl born on the wrong side of the tracks, in the wrong trailer park, she's spent years plotting her way into the richer side of town. She's gained a hot, rich boyfriend and a place at the top of elite Palmetto high school's social ladder. Then she accidentally kills Justin, the gorgeous green-eyed reminder of all her past mistakes. Now her relationship, her social status, and her carefully-crafted life depends on making sure the police don't find out she's behind it.

The American high school culture is fairly extreme compared to British schools, but easy enough to adapt into if you've seen enough American movies. I wasn't a huge fan of the plot - it gets off to a quiet start, setting up the stakes well, but the climatic scene felt awkward and unnatural. I'm also getting really tired of conveniently physic friends.

Where this book really shines is as an example of a strong character 'voice'. Natalie is my favourite of Kate's characters so far, way above Lucinda Price from Fallen. The first person writing lets you know the reasons behind her occasionally cruel actions, and little details are picked up that only she would pick up: first their fashion sense, then the state of their hair and how it could be improved, then their eyes and make-up or accessories. Lauren's also good at using her environment to bring out character details - check out how she blends a bit of family back story with a description of Mike's mother:

"from the seamless skin around Diana's eyes when she smiled […] it was obvious someone had discovered the perks of having a son with an endless supply of botox."

Oh, and that cover? Not bad at all, fits perfectly with Lauren Kate's other books and does a great job working in the main character's fondness for the colour purple. A huge improvement on the original American cover. The new American cover is better, but I think the UK one fits with "Fallen" and "Torment" much more smoothly.

"Betrayal" is a short read, but definitely worth picking up if you enjoyed Lauren Kate's other books "Fallen" or "Torment", or the portrayals of popularity in books like Lauren Oliver's "Before I Fall" and Chuck Palahniuk's "Invisible Monsters".

Disclaimer: The copy used in this review was won in a competition run by Random House.
Click here to read my review of Lauren Kate's paranormal romance, "Fallen". (less)

1 like · like · see review

Apr 21, 2011 (´*•.¸ღBexღ¸.•*´) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Natalie Hargrove wasn't always Queen bee at Palmetto high. At one point in time she was on the wrong side of the tracks in this small Southern town. When her father went away and her mom moved them over the tracks and into a new life, Natalie took control. She had everything, the perfect boyfriend, the power, and a past she tries so hard to forget. Now Natalie and her boyfriend running for Palmetto Prince and Princess and there is only one person standing in their way to the top. At a Mardi Gras...more Natalie Hargrove wasn't always Queen bee at Palmetto high. At one point in time she was on the wrong side of the tracks in this small Southern town. When her father went away and her mom moved them over the tracks and into a new life, Natalie took control. She had everything, the perfect boyfriend, the power, and a past she tries so hard to forget. Now Natalie and her boyfriend running for Palmetto Prince and Princess and there is only one person standing in their way to the top. At a Mardi Gras party Natalie convinces her boyfriend to help her play a prank on J.B., but when that prank goes horribly wrong Natalie has to try to pick up all the pieces.

This book was so much better than I thought it was going to be. I had read only a couple reviews about it and none of them praised it too highly. Honestly though, this book was quite a read. It reminded me a bit of the Blue Bloods series from Melissa de la Cruz, minus the vampires (but still bloodthirsty). Mind you I didn't technically finish Blue Bloods, but from what I did read these seem like a similar class of people. Natalie is so driven by her need to win Palmetto Princess that she gets so wrapped up in things when they don't go according to plan. I loved hearing about Natalie and all she overcame to get to where she was and I appreciate that she didn't turn out a necessarily "good person". The fact that she wasn't inherently good added greatly to the story and turned it away from being a sob story about how a person can never be more than they were. The writing was a bit more flowery than it needed to be especially at the beginning of the story. Lauren used a lot of descriptive words that didn't really add to the situation or to the story. Also, Tracy seemed a little bit above and beyond. I guess she was part of that good 'ole Southern mystery; the wise oracle. She didn't really seem to fit in on a high school level, though I did enjoy her, she just seemed a little out of place.

I really liked the ending even though it was sudden and abit bit unresolved, but I liked finding out about JB a bit more and what had actually happened between him and Nat. For those of you who did not notice all the chapter titles (Something Wicked this Way Comes, Thriftless Ambition, More Potent Than the First) are all lines from Macbeth. So, in keeping with Macbeth I'd say it worked out quite nicely with the twist and turns, Tracy (the oracle) and the way the story ended. All in all I was impressed with this story. It had the right levels of betrayal, desire, and secrets.
(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Feb 15, 2011 Novel Novice rated it 4 of 5 stars

These days, Lauren Kate is one of the most popular authors in YA for her best-selling Fallen series. But her first book is actually the lesser-known, wickedly delicious novel The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove — and I’m so glad I picked it up!

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is sort of like a cross between the story of Lady Macbeth and “Jawbreaker” (that 1999 movie with Rose McGowan). It’s got plotting, scheming and social-climbing — mixed in with a prank gone horribly wrong, and all set in a weal...more These days, Lauren Kate is one of the most popular authors in YA for her best-selling Fallen series. But her first book is actually the lesser-known, wickedly delicious novel The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove — and I’m so glad I picked it up!

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is sort of like a cross between the story of Lady Macbeth and “Jawbreaker” (that 1999 movie with Rose McGowan). It’s got plotting, scheming and social-climbing — mixed in with a prank gone horribly wrong, and all set in a wealthy high school and an upper class, Southern community. Kate’s modern twist on the tale of Lady Macbeth is a guilty pleasure read, and it’s done with the utmost finesse.

First of all, Kate gets mad props for simply adapting the Lady Macbeth story for a modern audience (and kudos for focusing on Lady Macbeth, not her sniveling husband). Besides the daunting task of adapting this classic character from Shakespeare, Kate’s also faced with the task of writing about an extremely unlikeable character. Lady Macbeth is not a good person — and neither is Kate’s Natalie Hargrove. And yet, she still has moments where she feels real. She’s not completely void of emotion, and there are reasons for her behavior — most notably, her obsession with wealth and social status. (All is revealed in due course!)

But by the time The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove has reached his dramatic finish, everything feels right. Justice may not have been served in the traditional sense — but there’s a sense of closure and rightness in the ending. It all works.

For Shakespeare fans, it’s also fun to see how Kate has adapted parts of Macbeth and worked in subtle references to the play (such as the name of the lingerie shop in one scene). And since it’s not an exact adaptation of Macbeth, Kate is free to take liberties with the story. But through it all, The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove remains true to the spirit of what Shakespeare wrote — and his influence is evident throughout Kate’s book.

All in all, The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is a completely entertaining, satisfying book to read. I loved seeing how Macbeth worked its influence over Kate’s story of high school scheming — and couldn’t stop turning the pages to find out how the spiraling turn of events would end. And hopefully, it’ll keep YOU turning the pages, too.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 28, 2011 Ashlie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm one of those readers that, if I really like an author, feels the need to get my hands on anything and everything they're written. Enter Lauren Kate. I fell in love with Daniel & Luce's story when I read Torment & Fallen a few months ago. When I meet Lauren for an interview tomorrow, I can't go in there without having done my homework. :)

Natalie was annoying, yet relatable. No, I never played a trick on someone where it got them hurt or killed, and I was never as provocative or manip...more I'm one of those readers that, if I really like an author, feels the need to get my hands on anything and everything they're written. Enter Lauren Kate. I fell in love with Daniel & Luce's story when I read Torment & Fallen a few months ago. When I meet Lauren for an interview tomorrow, I can't go in there without having done my homework. :)

Natalie was annoying, yet relatable. No, I never played a trick on someone where it got them hurt or killed, and I was never as provocative or manipulative as she was, especially for a high schooler, but I worked hard to become more than I was born into. Natalie didn't necessarily work hard to get where she was, it was more or less her mother's cunning that pulled her onto the right side of the tracks, but she worked hard to keep what she had gained. The truth is, everyone has ghosts, no matter where you come from or what you have (or haven't) been through. What Natalie made me think of is to keep your life CLEAN, that way the ghosts that sneak up on you aren't necessarily bad ones.

I liked Mike, but I think his backbone needs some work. He wanted to do the right thing, and even tried to stand up against Natalie's persuasion, but in the end she made her bed. Mike should have talked her into telling the truth instead of her talking him into shifting the blame.

My biggest annoyance with this book is how grown up this book was for a high school setting. I felt that maybe a college background would have been more appropriate. Seriously, I don't remember that much sex and promiscuity going on when I was in high school, and Lauren is older than me. However, it's her world to write as she wishes, and I still enjoyed the story. It served it's purpose: it was entertaining. There were times when I couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what would happen next, and there were a few pages that I wanted to skip (those weren't often though.) I was also bummed that there was a lot of what I felt was inappropriate language, again, it was something I felt that was more fitting for college kids than high schoolers.

Darla's power shift-attempt towards the end was interesting, so was Kate Richards. What a butt-head Kate. I would have really liked a longer epilogue, I still have so many questions about what happened, but maybe I can get answers from Lauren tomorrow :)
(less)

3 likes · like · see review

May 17, 2010 Missy (Missy's Reads & Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm one of those people that, once I discover an author that has a great book, I like to read what ever else they have available. I had read Fallen a while back, and looked up on Lauren's website to see if she had any other books available. When I saw The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove and read the blurb ... I hesitated.
I'm not a huge fan of the "popular" people, or people that do harmful things to get ahead in life - it's never been my thing. So, I guess it was a blessing in disguise when I won a...more

5 likes · like · see review

Mar 21, 2010 McKenzie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Natalie will be Palmetto Princess. It's as simple as that. The only problem is, her boyfriend, Mike, might not get the crown of Prince so easily. He up against Justin who's basically a shoo-in. Natalie decides to pull a prank of Justin, ruining his reputation and, therefore, his chance at the crown. Her prank, however, ends up with Justin dead. Now Natalie has to face what she's done, or rather, run away from her troubles.

While you won't get anything substantial out of The Betrayal of Natalie Ha...more Natalie will be Palmetto Princess. It's as simple as that. The only problem is, her boyfriend, Mike, might not get the crown of Prince so easily. He up against Justin who's basically a shoo-in. Natalie decides to pull a prank of Justin, ruining his reputation and, therefore, his chance at the crown. Her prank, however, ends up with Justin dead. Now Natalie has to face what she's done, or rather, run away from her troubles.

While you won't get anything substantial out of The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove, it's definitely a guilty pleasure read. I went in expecting that, so the smutty, crazy kids of Palmetto were enjoyable in their over-the-top antics. Natalie wants to be crowned with her boyfriend and she'll do anything, quite literally, to get the crown. She didn't intend on killing Justin, but now that he's dead, she has to confess or cover up. And guess what the spoiled princess does? Covers it up.

This book had a bit too much anticipation for me. I don't mind some, but I do like a bit more resolution before the last three pages. I felt as though the story was dragged out through the entire book, and the ending was caught of nowhere. The ending was rather abrupt, and just as Natalie did, the author seemed to run away from any real resolution. The end took the easy way out, and I was unhappy with that.

That said, I did enjoy the wild stories of Natalie and her fellow classmates. It's fun to escape into a world with no limits every once in awhile. Their traditions were wild and slutty. What I found even more humorous was the fact the Natalie attempted to remain classy during all of this, as if there was any class left.

Natalie was a bit of a troublesome, headache-inducing character. She ran away from her problems instead of facing them head on. The rest of the characters were intriguing, especially Kate and the creepy officer. Wild times... I enjoyed this book, but it's definitely not a reread. Check it out if you're in the mood for some trashy lit - in a good way.(less)

like · see review

Feb 18, 2012 Becky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have had this in my locker at work for quite a while but never got round to it. As I read the other Lauren Kate books this week and I wanted a nice short book I decided to bring it home and read it.
At approx 235 pages, it is really short and it didn't take me that long to read, but in some places it felt like it was taking a long time. I found it wuite hard to really get into the story.
Natalie has spent years working towards being crowned Princess at school, she has a boyfriend of 3 years and...more I have had this in my locker at work for quite a while but never got round to it. As I read the other Lauren Kate books this week and I wanted a nice short book I decided to bring it home and read it.
At approx 235 pages, it is really short and it didn't take me that long to read, but in some places it felt like it was taking a long time. I found it wuite hard to really get into the story.
Natalie has spent years working towards being crowned Princess at school, she has a boyfriend of 3 years and things seem to be going right, but she is hiding secrets from her past and she works harder at everything than anyone can imagine, But when a prank goes wrong and someone ends up dead she gets involved in Blackmail, lies and more and more trouble. Her past also starts to catch up with her.
To be honest I couldn't make myself care about Natalie, she was a nasty piece of work really and I had no sympathy for her at all, she never stops to think about other people, everything she does is for her own gain and she doesn't care who she hurts. There were a couple places where I think you were supposed to sympathise with her, bits that showed more of her situation and make you re-think, but it didn't happen for me, I just wanted to tell her to grow up.
As for her boyfriend, what is he a man or a mouse, he literally jumps through hoops for her, not 'My goodness woman you've killed someone, who on earth are you?', but 'sure, we should hide it all, nothing should stop you from being a princess, come on i'll help you frame someone else." I mean seriously? would that ever happen? I just don't know.

Saying that it wasn't all bad, the whole High school set up was god and I liked the descriptions of the 'Bambi's' and the way the cliques worked. Also Darla Duke was a nice little character, you weren't ever sure when she was going to pop up or why.
The writing is as usual descriptive and easy flowing which creates a clear image in your head of the scene and parts of the plot were quite good, I just didn't believe that she wouldn't be challenged more.
Also there is quite a lot of sex talk in this book, as I said it's quite a small book but the amount of references in it was shocking. Didn't think it was particularly needed either. Don't get me wrong, I don't completely object to a reference here or there if it is necessary to the story and isn't too detailed, but with this I was shocked by how much was in it. I'm quite innocent minded and these bits made me feel a little bit uncomfortable.

This review makes it sound like i totally hated the book, well I didn't. I wouldn't say it was amazing and I was glad I got it out of the library but there were bits I really enjoyed and there were some twists in the story that got me interested, so overall this book was a bit of a 'on the fence' book. Not great but not really bad.(less)

like · see review

Jun 05, 2011 Rachel McCarthy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-bookshelf

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

1 like · like · see review

Feb 09, 2011 Kelly Hager rated it 3 of 5 stars

This has been compared to Heathers and Cruel Intentions, but more than anything else, it reminded me of Macbeth. (Looking at the author's website, it looks like that's intentional.)

Natalie Hargrove wants nothing more than to be named to the Palmetto Court with her boyfriend, Mike. (It's basically prom king and queen but a much bigger deal.) She's got no real competition on the girls' end, but Mike could potentially lose to a guy named Justin who, incidentally, Natalie HATES. So she and Mike play...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 15, 2010 Mandy Moody rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, young-adult

I recently read Fallen and Torment by Lauren Kate. When I learned that The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove was her first novel, I thought I'd pick it up, too.
The Fallen books are quite different from Betrayal - which is a fairly straightforward rags-to-riches, riches-to-evil tale. Though I was surprised by the completely different feel of Betrayal, I enjoyed it just as much as I did the Fallen books :)

Natalie Hargrove grew up on the wrong side of the tracks with an alcoholic mother and an abusive f...more I recently read Fallen and Torment by Lauren Kate. When I learned that The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove was her first novel, I thought I'd pick it up, too.
The Fallen books are quite different from Betrayal - which is a fairly straightforward rags-to-riches, riches-to-evil tale. Though I was surprised by the completely different feel of Betrayal, I enjoyed it just as much as I did the Fallen books :)

Natalie Hargrove grew up on the wrong side of the tracks with an alcoholic mother and an abusive father. In her early teens, though, all that changed. Daddy went to jail and momma began her profitable cycle of marrying for money. By the time Natalie is a senior at Palmetto High, she and her mother are firmly entrenched in the right part of town and it's society. Natalie is involved with Mike - the most desired, popular boy at school and momma is about to marry one of the wealthiest (if dorkiest) men in town. On top of that, Nat is poised to win Palmetto Princess, her towns over-blown version of Homecoming Queen.
Unfortunately, things begin to fall apart. Natalie's father gets out of jail and begins harassing her with text messages. She learns that Mike may not win Palmetto Prince - Justin, a boy Nat dislikes - is instead the front runner.
Then the opportunity presents itself to play a prank on Justin - making him look like a lecherous fool in front of the entire town and sending his Palmetto Princess votes Mikes way, instead.
The prank goes terribly wrong, of course, and Justin ends up dead. Here begins the descent into evil as Natalie and Mike try to cover up their part in Justins death and push the blame onto someone else.

I thought the main characters were well developed. Natalie and Mike both had unexpected depth. Though the majority of the secondary characters (Tracey, Double D, Slutsky, Kate, Baxter) were pretty one-dimensional and flat.
I thought Mike and Natalie's relationship was surprisingly sweet and authentic. It made the difference in the book for me, taking it from 2.5 stars to 3.5 stars, though it still didn't quite merrit rounding up. A fun, quick read.(less)

like · see review

Nov 05, 2009 Kari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-review-from-publisher-author, read-teen

This was a nice twist on the typical unintentional death now cover it up kind of story. Set in a small southern town where there is a right and wrong side of the tracks- filthy rich verse trailer trash, this novel focuses on the rich side of things and I found it to be a somewhat refreshing take on your typical high school drama. It was in there but it wasn't too overbearing, likely because it is the rich snobby kind. What they stress over and why is different and I did enjoy it.There are severa...more This was a nice twist on the typical unintentional death now cover it up kind of story. Set in a small southern town where there is a right and wrong side of the tracks- filthy rich verse trailer trash, this novel focuses on the rich side of things and I found it to be a somewhat refreshing take on your typical high school drama. It was in there but it wasn't too overbearing, likely because it is the rich snobby kind. What they stress over and why is different and I did enjoy it.There are several surprising events and turns, many of them coming at just the right moments to keep the reader from getting too bored or distant from the story.

The book is written from Natalie's perspective and I feel her character was developed nicely. She starts out seemingly shallow, stuck up and arrogant but her background, her motivations, and her desires are revealed in a way that, looking back, is logical but helps move the story along and pull the reader through the story's events right with Natalie. She starts out as a well to do member of the rich society- and everything that comes with it from obsessing over things like winning a crown to her appearance and who her boyfriend is- but becomes something much more by the end.

Mike and Natalie's relationship was another good aspect of this book- now seniors, they have been together for 3 years, completely happy until one event starts to tear them apart. The length of time they had been together is, of course, unique for any high school, but especially this hypersexual, rumor driven one. I really enjoyed how Mike played a big role but he was also somewhat if a minor character in terms of how he was in the story- it was a refreshing blend for me.

Although the book did start out a little slow, really, don't the majority of books? The stage for everything was set nicely, and many characters were introduced right from the start and it all lead up to what I felt to be a really great, heart felt ending. The final closing lines were perfect in my opinion- I really did enjoy how the book seemed to end but then the reader got an even deeper look into Natalie's background- something that had been hinted at the entire story and finally, there it was. I actually enjoyed the way it split off from how the book was seemingly going to end, jumping back several years for a flashback, before returning to the epilogue. It was a unique writing style that I did enjoy.

Overall, I give this book 4 stars. There were some moments where it was shallow for me but of course it had to be in this story. The writing is good- not amazing and it didn't captivate and wow me, but the story as a whole did draw me in. Everything was set up very well and followed a great path.(less)

like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
What a depressing ending	31	87	Jan 11, 2013 10:21pm
Goodreads Librari...: Possible incorrect page count?	4	51	Oct 10, 2011 03:40pm

title link	preview: The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove
avg rating	preview: The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove Goodreads rating: 3.21 (2901 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6413473-the-betrayal-of-natalie-hargrove?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1304987219l/6413473.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6413473-the-betrayal-of-natalie-hargrove?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove by Lauren Kate[/url]

The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (12)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Lauren Kate

Books by Lauren Kate

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About The Betrayal of N...

Quotes from The Betrayal of Natali...