April's review of 'Spell Bound' by Rachel Hawkins

Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins 
Publication Date: March 13, 2012
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Number of Pages: 336
Format: Hardback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Description:  Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

 The final installment in the series pick up right where Demonglass had left off. All Sophie wanted to do was to find her mom. Cal had told her that she's with the Brannicks, which confuses Sophie. The Brannicks is an Irish family of women who hunt the supernatural. Putting her faith in Cal, she finds herself in the middle of the Brannicks compound. And the first big twist of the book is thrown at us, Sophie's mom is a Brannick and has been on the run from them all these years. 

Cal and Sophie's dad eventually find the way to the compound. And they set out for their long journey. And Archer isn't too far behind. I wouldn't say there's really a love triangle with Cal, Sophie, and Archer. Her heart clearly belonged to Archer. I just couldn't really hardcore ship Sophie and Archer. In this book everything comes to a full circle. There was a big sacrifice that just made me want to cry my eyes out. But other than that I was very satisfied with the ending.   

Rating: 4/5

April's review of 'Demonglass' by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass (Hex Hall #2) by Rachel Hawkins
Publication Date: March 22, 2011
Publisher:  Hyperion Books
Number of Pages: 368
Format: Hardback
Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Description:  Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

Sophie is determined to go through the removal to get rid of her powers. Too bad that nobody is on her side. Summer is approaching, and her dad has come up with a deal. Sophie gets to spend the summer in the England countryside with her dad. If Sophie still wants to go through the removal process when summer is over she can. Sophie puts in the deal that Jenna has to come, and is surprise to find out that Cal is also coming. And not only is she spending the summer with him, but they are betrothal to each other. The surprises doesn't stop there. When they finally get to their new summer home, Sophie is more shock to see that there are two demon teenagers there. 

Even though her crush, Archer, is working with the Eye, and would kill her in a minute, she just can't get over him. And secretly hopes that she runs into him since there's been sightings of him in London. In the first book I was all for Team Archer. But his involvement in the Eye, well I couldn't see any happy endings for these two. And I think Sophie is very stupid for still being in love with a guy that try to kill her. I fell in love with Cal in this book. 

What a book without a problem? Someone is raising demons. The reveal who is raising them will make your jaw drop. Nonetheless this book was amazing. 

Rating: 5/5

  

Jen's review of "Spellbound" by Rachel Hawkins

Spellbound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Publication date: March 13th, 2012

Publisher: Hyperion

Number of pages: 327

Format: Hardcover

Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Description: Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.

Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.

Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

In the final installment to Hex Hall and Demonglass, comes a new and exciting story that takes us through Sophie's life one and final time.
When we left her in Demonglass, Cal had told her to go to the Brannicks, even though she has no idea why. She just wants to find her mom, but why would her mom be with the Brannicks?
We enter this story pretty much where the previous novel left off and Sophie finds herself on the floor of the Brannicks.
She soon discovers that things are worse than they anticipated, and that her whole life as a witch/demon she had been taught the the Brannicks, The Eye were the bad ones, not even realizing the ones telling them this stuff is the real culprit.

The journey that Sophie goes on in this story is one that will change her entire life forever. She finds love again, after so much time thinking it was wrong. There are tragic events that occur that shake the core of who Sophie is, and makes even more discoveries about her family that she couldn't have predicted even if it was the last option in the world.

While there was some moments I didn't like or approve of in regards to her decisions and actions, but I slowly overlooked it eventually.
I wouldn't really go as far as to say that she was torn between Archer and Cal, because it was obvious to me where her heart lies, but I think in some moments she might have confused love with  --  LOVE.
But I loved the way the book ended. It kind of felt like going full circle with the first book. And I couldn't imagine a better ending.

We also see some of the characters from Demonglass, and discover the true plan the sisters plan to do with Hex Hall. Their true intentions is something that takes you back to the first book and everything begins to make sense.

I was happy to see Archer again, as he is my favourite character after Sophie. Things did not look well for him in the previous book and had no idea what was going to happen to him.
I was pleasantly surprised by some of the events that happened, but it was the kind of things that I hoped would happen.

As we trail toward the end of the series, it gives you a sense of satisfaction, but some of the new characters has the potential to hit off a spinoff. It's all up to Rachel Hawkins.
I can't wait to see what she has planned next.

                       Rating: 5/5

Jen's review of "Demonglass" by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass (Hex Hall #2) by Rachel Hawkins

Publication date: March 22nd, 2011

Publisher: Hyperion

Number of pages: 359

Format: Hardcover

Buy:  Amazon | The Book Depository

Description: Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

In the second installment to Rachel Hawkins "Hex Hall" trilogy, comes an action-packed adventure that takes Sophie and her friends on a journey which will change their lives forever.
After the events from Hex Hall, six months have gone by as Sophie waits for her father to come and collect her so she can get the removal, in which means she'll no longer have these powers that she hates.
When he does arrive he doesn't agree with what she wants to do, but instead, gives her a compromise that may be too good to pass up, so she agrees to his terms.
Sophie, Jenna and Cal along with her father then fly off to London where they stay in this castle-like house that would put anything else to shame.

What Sophie discovers in London changes everything she thought she knew. About her dad. Hex Hall and most importantly, herself.
Not to mention she can't escape the Eye. It's reported there was sighting of a certain boy in London, but it's the question about whether or not she'll bump into him... was part of the reasons she wanted to go there was because she knew she could see him? Even just a glance?

I really loved this sequel to Hex Hall. There was a lot more action involved compared to the first book. Now that we know and understand the characters, things get even more interesting.
I even came to like Cal, but also kinda felt bad for him because it was fairly obvious that Sophie just would never feel the same way that he does. It would always be Archer in her eyes. Her heart. In every aching bone in her body. He was there, even when he wasn't there.

Sophie also grew stronger. Not only as a person, but also as a demon as she dealt with things pertaining to what she was, and how not everyone is as capable of staying strong as she. There are others who have no control and just pure demon.

We also have villians in this book, and I say that as plural. I would think there is one person more evil than the other, but nonetheless they are together in this plan.
The truth behind what is really going on back at Hex Hall will shock you, or maybe it won't, to a point where you can't believe something like this is going on.
And this little plot it also goes back to the attacks in book 1 with the friends of Elodie's and what really happened to them.

And last, but not least we come to the relationship between Sophie and Archer. It's no shock that I adore them to pieces, and how the ending to Hex Hall tore me to shreds. I wondered what would happen with them in this book, and I was glad that Archer wasn't gone forever. In this book, you discover more to him than we knew before. More than you thought you knew about him.. and it just makes you love him even more (or, well it did for me).
They find themselves in quite the situation when they come face to face, and it's almost a romeo and julie-esque type situation. They are from two different entities who hate the other, but together they can't help how they feel for one another. What are two teenagers to do? Love has no boundaries. Love just is.

I can't wait to read the final book in this trilogy, and I just know it's going to be just as awesome as this one was.

                                                   Book Rating

Jen's review of "Hex Hall" by Rachel Hawkins

HEX HALL (Hex Hall #1) by Rachel Hawkins

Publication date: March 2nd, 2010

Publisher: Hyperion

Number of pages: 336

Format: Hardback

Buy: Amazon | The Book Depository

Description: 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 student 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.

Meet Sophie Mercer. 16 years old. Witch.

If only that was the only part of the story.

Sorry...

After a love spell gone wrong, Sophie gets sentenced to a place where there are others 'freaks' like her. This school, or prison, Sophie likes to refer to it as contains kids of all kinds. Witches, faeries, shifters and even vampires.

When a witch coven tries to covert her, finding out she has a vampire for a roomate and then developing feelings for a hot, yet unavailable warlock....Sophie might wish her life was simplier.
This story is jam packed with all sorts of crazyiness. We have ghosts along with the all the other supernatural creatures at Hex Hall.
Sophie gets a history lesson and by the end of the book she'll start to wonder whether she knew who she really was to begin with, and she discovers who really sent her to this hell of a school, and that admission won't earn her any points with the people there.

I found Sophie to be a strong character. She grew up as normal as possible, especially with a mother who was human, but things didn't stay that way when she came into her powers that she didn't quite understand or know what to do with.

We have a hot boy crush. Archer.
Who doesn't love him? He is sort of mysterious in his book, and you don't quite understand him or the things he does in this book, and by the end of it... you'll start to think.. that maybe you, nor did Sophie know him at all.
The two of them have a little... beginning of a romance going on, but it's also kind of difficult when he has a girlfriend, who seems to hate her.. the feelings seem to be mutual though.

This book was thrilling and I loved it from the very first page. I like that we get to see different types of creatures. I adore the friendship between Sophie and her roomate, the vampire. Her relationship with Archer, and even the scenes between her and the ones she dislikes. It makes for interesting reading.

The plot is interesting. It's one of those books where once you start and the more you get into the story you cannot stop until you have finished.
For the first book in a trilogy.. Rachel Hawkins did an amazing job, and I have a feeling that Book 2 will be just as great, if not even better.

                                                            Rating: 5/5