Lori’s parents have just yanked her out of her home in the big city of Philadelphia and they are moving to Civil War crazy Gettysburg. Lori does not want to leave her senior year of high school to move out in the middle of nowhere to help her parents run the B&B they just bought. Lori has the gift of being able to see and communicate with ghosts. Unfortunately, Gettysburg has a lot of ghosts in its past. Nathaniel is a Civil War solider who is trying to get Lori to figure out who murdered him during the war because he knows he was not killed in battle. Lori begins to fall in love with Nathaniel and she is confused by her feelings toward Evan, the current grounds keeper of the B&B. Lori is on a deadline to try to solve the murder of Nathaniel. It has to be wrapped up by the end of Battle of Gettysburg re-enactment, to coincide with the correct historical time.

This is a YA historical romance. There is nothing objectionable or inappropriate for a public or school library. The romance is very tame, so it’s appropriate for younger readers. I think the author captures the spirit of people who participate in re-enactments in the Gettysburg area. I think is also captures the attitude of the people who live there and cater to the tourists who show up every year. It’s a light and easy read. The ghost part is not very scary.

I would consider this book an additional purchase for a school library. It would appeal girls looking for Civil War ghost/romance books. I do think the plot kept moving and the mystery was intriguing. It was not completely predictable until the author started unveiling the details of events. Readers will like both Nathaniel and Evan, Evan being the better choice since he is still alive. This would be a good book to put on a list of fiction books to read during a Civil War unit in history. ( )

Lori Chase has grown up living in hotels managed by her parents. When they announce that they have bought an aging one themselves and the family is moving from downtown Philadelphia to Gettysburg, She's upset for several reasons. She wasn't involved in the decision, she'll lose her friends and she's going to have to spend her senior year at a new school without knowing anyone.
When she arrives, she discovers the whole town is obsessed with the Battle of Gettysburg, even to the point of staging a four day reenactment of the battle. However, it's that level of obsession that will help her parents get a running start in their new business.
Lori meets some interesting people in the process of getting unpacked and figuring out what room she wants. Her choice is the small room at the top of the inn, just under the attic. Her first introduction is to odd and grumpy housekeeper Bertha, whose even stranger husband, Old Dryden is the bumbling handyman. There are two other people on the staff, Charlotte, a couple years older than Lori, who shares a secret talent with her, and Evan, the teen who mows lawns and strikes her as a bit arrogant.
Her most interesting discovery is Nathaniel Pierce, a ghost who was a couple years older than she is when he was murdered during the Battle of Gettysburg. He's been reappearing every year during the reenactment in hopes he'll meet someone who can help him solve the mystery of who killed him. Lori has been able to see ghosts for years, but hasn't said much to others because she's not comfortable with this ability. When Charlotte tells her she sees them as well, it's a big relief.
How Lori helps solve not one, but two mysteries while escaping some very scary situations, along with her budding romances with Nathaniel and Evan, make this a real page turner for teens and tweens who like a good mystery with a bit of history and romance. I particularly like how the author made Nathaniel be able to appear as a real person when around Lori. ( )

"Rebel Spirits" by Lois Ruby was not my most favorite type of book, however it does teach you some historical background about the 1700's. Lorelei Chase falls in love with a ghost named Nathaniel Pierce who was shot after a battle. His soul cannot rest until he finds out who really killed him that night and it is Lorelei's job to solve the mystery before July 4th. Will she be able to help Nathaniel rest in peace, or will he never actually know how he died? This book started out interesting with suspense, until I got about halfway through. This is when the book started to bore me, as there wasn't really much action going on. However, this book may appeal to others and if you have a fondness for reading about ghosts and/or mysteries than this book is for you! ( )

Amazon Description:
Haunted by history. Bound by mystery.

Lori Chase doesn't know what to think about ghosts. She may have seen a few in the past, but those were just childish imaginings . . . right? Only now that she is living in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, spirits seem to be on everyone's mind. The town is obsessed with its bloody Civil War history, and the old inn that Lori's parent run is supposedly haunted by the souls of dead soldiers.

Then Lori meets one such soldier -- the devastatingly handsome Nathaniel Pierce. Nathaniel's soul cannot rest, and he desperately needs Lori's help. Because Nathaniel was not killed in the famous battle. He was murdered. Lori begins to investigate the age-old mystery, stumbling upon shocking clues and secrets.

At the same time, she can't help falling for Nathaniel, just as he is falling for her . . . .

Opinions:
Rebel Spirit is a young adult paranormal story about a girl, Lori, who can see ghosts. She moves to Gettysburg with her parents where she meets a ghost claiming he was murdered during the Civil War. With only a few days, Lori must find out who his murderer was while stumbling through a mystery happening at the inn now. Although reading this book as an adult, I find it enjoyable and appropriate during the 150 year anniversary of Gettysburg this summer. For those afraid of ghost stories because they are too scary, don’t be with this one. If you like a little mystery with your stories, then try this book. The Civil War and its era is touched upon by a few stories through the characters, but not overwhelmingly educational (as in – this is not textbook writing.) I would probably have seen myself reading this book during junior high or early high school.

Characters:
The story is written in first person through the eyes of Lori. Lori and her parents move to Gettysburg because of their recently bought bed and breakfast. Lori had previous experiences with spirits but nothing as the extent she experiences in Gettysburg. Lori is a spunky girl who loves baseball, her dog, and her friends/family. She overcomes her skittishness of her abilities when she meets Nathaniel – a union soldier who was murdered during the Battle of Gettysburg. Nathaniel needs Lori to solve his murder before midnight on July 3rd. If not, he cannot come back until the next year’s battle anniversary. Although moving away from her best friend, Jocelyn, Lori meets some new friends who help her with this mystery: Charlotte, who works at her inn, can also see ghosts. Evan, who does the yard work, gets on board by providing interesting information on the war and the people at the inn. There are also some weird characters who may or may not be up to no good. I think Lori is relatable to other teenagers with her interests and attitude. One out of character moment for me was with Lori’s parents and the cemetery – near the end of the book. I won’t go in detail due to spoilers, but it went against a scene prior to that one with Lori and her parents.

Plot:
The plot moved along well and centered around discovery who Nathaniel’s murderer could be. Along this course, Lori discovers some suspicious behavior happening right then and there at the inn. Could things be connected? Will she discover the murderer before Nathaniel disappears for another year? Well, you’ll have to read it to find out. All I’ll say is that there is a slight twist at the end. One thing that I would have liked to see was a little more conversation between Lori and Charlotte near the end.

The Bottom Line:
Overall I enjoyed this book. It was a nice young adult read that had ghosts, mystery, and Civil War aspects. If you like these things, then you might want to try this book. ( )