Hex Hall By Rachel Hawkins (Our Book of the Month choice)
Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 336 Pages
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Book Summary: Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It's gotten her into a few scrapes. Her non-gifted mother has been as supportive as possible, consulting Sophie's estranged father--an elusive European warlock--only when necessary. But when Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it's her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, a.k.a. witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.
By the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tagalong ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire on campus. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number-one suspect.
As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.
My Review: This book is a highly entertaining masterpiece that grabs you at the first page and doesn’t let go until you have finished it, leaving you wishing the second installment was already available. Full of wit and humor on every page, Hex Hall provides a fresh breeze in the crowded supernatural genre.
Sophie Mercer is sent to Hecate “Hex” Hall after exposing her powers as a (half-breed) witch during her prom. Like Sophie, all of the other students at Hecate were sent there after their powers had gone awry in public and are in need of reform. Sophie soon finds herself surrounded by Prodigium consisting of faeries, shape shifters, warlocks, fellow witches, and the sole vampire who serves as her roommate. Sophie also quickly begins to fall for the most attractive male student at Hex Hall; a warlock named Alex. However, he is already taken by the most attractive and seemingly perfect female student at Hex Hall, Elodie. The unusual occurs, and Elodie and her witch ‘coven’ are practically begging for Sophie to join them.
As the story progresses, their reason for wanting to include Sophie to join them so badly becomes clearer and Sophie finds herself stuck in the center of a situation leading back to her family history. Several bodies begin appearing and Sophie’s roommate is automatically blamed, being so that the bodies have been drained of blood and her roommate is a vampire. But Sophie knows better. The bodies are a part of something way worse than the acts of a sole student.
Hawkins had me laughing throughout the whole novel, and the action kept up the pacing beyond expectations. There were many twists and surprises that I definitely did not see coming. I cannot wait to resume indulging myself in this fantastic storyline once Demonglass is released next year! Loved it!
Rating: ++++
Favorite Excerpt: “She looked down at my hot-pink lounge, and her mouth twisted into a little pucker of disgust. She placed her hand on the back of the chair and my spell fell away in a shower of pink sparkles until my lounge became a perfectly respectable light blue love seat covered in big pink cabbage roses.
"Better," she said crisply, sitting down beside me.
"Now Sophia, would you care to tell me why you’re here by the pond instead of reporting to your next class?"
"I’m experiencing some teenage angst, Mrs. Casnoff," I answered. "I need to, like, write in my journal or something." (Page 129)
Cover Comment: In my opinion, this cover couldn’t be any better. It displays both sides of Sophia Mercer; the normal teenage girl, and the powerful witch. AWESOME.
Series: Yes. Book two of The Hex Hall series, Demonglass, will be published in March, 2011.
Book Source: Own. Won the hardcover along with an awesome T-shirt. Thanks to Disney.
Hawkins had me laughing throughout the whole novel, and the action kept up the pacing beyond expectations. There were many twists and surprises that I definitely did not see coming. I cannot wait to resume indulging myself in this fantastic storyline once Demonglass is released next year! Loved it!
Rating: ++++
Favorite Excerpt: “She looked down at my hot-pink lounge, and her mouth twisted into a little pucker of disgust. She placed her hand on the back of the chair and my spell fell away in a shower of pink sparkles until my lounge became a perfectly respectable light blue love seat covered in big pink cabbage roses.
"Better," she said crisply, sitting down beside me.
"Now Sophia, would you care to tell me why you’re here by the pond instead of reporting to your next class?"
"I’m experiencing some teenage angst, Mrs. Casnoff," I answered. "I need to, like, write in my journal or something." (Page 129)
Cover Comment: In my opinion, this cover couldn’t be any better. It displays both sides of Sophia Mercer; the normal teenage girl, and the powerful witch. AWESOME.
Series: Yes. Book two of The Hex Hall series, Demonglass, will be published in March, 2011.
Book Source: Own. Won the hardcover along with an awesome T-shirt. Thanks to Disney.
I loved this book. It was so much fun to read!
ReplyDeleteI thought this was a great book as well!!
ReplyDelete