Review: Hex Hall

I'm just running around in frantic disbelief, wonder, book hangover-ishness because I have read Cruel Beauty.

How do I describe the pain? Ah, but not now. That's for a different post, a whole review one to be specific, where I will expound and blabber all about that beautiful book.

Not really relevant to this post, buut I had to get it out.

Also, I recently did a guest post at Bunnita's book blog, Worth Reading It?, which if you want you can check out here. It's a Top Ten Books of 2014 piece wherein I kinda, sorta tried to explain my deep love for certain books."Tried" is the key word. ;)

Now you probably hadn't guessed this by the way I'm darting off into all kinds of topics but this is a review post so I present *drumroll* the review.

Publication Date: February 1, 2011
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 323
Source: Library
Format: Paperback
Series: Hex Hall #1

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. 



The cover of this book really confused me at first. Because 1) when I looked at it, I held it upside down and then proceeded to ask my sister why the heck it opened that way before realizing my mistake [and eventually I noticed the title letters were backwards...] and 2) why is there a random cat? I have nothing against cats, but...you know. Reason rules, people.

Unless it's, of course, a perfectly stinking adorable tabby kitten.

This is a book (not about cats) that's about a highschooler who is a witch. Now Sophie (the witch) is not the best at hiding her talent and to be honest I think most of the time she uses it for perfectly good reasons but there's no reasoning with the COUNCIL, for god's sake.

She gets sent to a boarding school in Georgia for "troubled" kids like herself meaning magicky in some way. Where she meets the resident bad boy right off. I'm not trying to be mean, but when I "saw" Archer (which name apparently makes Sophie think of drinking tea and talking in a British accent) I sighed.

I mean, come on. The rebellious but secretly really sensitive and understanding and deep (oh, yeah, and of course smokin' hot) guy is way too overused in YA fiction. Besides, Archer immediately reminded me of Noah from The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. And I liked Noah better.

Sophie, on the other hand, was completely hilarious. I had such a fun time reading the story from her point of view because she really had a way of narrating the story like no other-- a little sarcasm, a little exaggeration. For example, when she arrives in Georgia to start her oh-so-glamorous boarding school life (this is one book that did NOT make me want to have that experience) this is what she says:

I completely understand. I live in southern America too (not as far south though) and the humidity is not kind. I wouldn't be able to survive wearing those wool uniforms Sophie had to wear. In the summer no less. Ew.

Sophie has a crush on Archer which is completely obvious in the first few chapters, even though she feebly "tries" to resist at first. Which is fine. Even though he was a lesser Noah clone. But then there's this time they make out and she thinks to herself well it might not be too bad to lose her v-card in a basement. Which first, gross. And second, ohmigosh GROSS. I'm not even going to get into the mess of discussing the age appropriate for sex and all that junk. THEY JUST FRICKIN MET. Like half a semester ago, okay?! I don't think that's a good message to be sending to any readers around Sophie's age.

The romantic aspects of the book were the only parts that I really had a problem with. I really liked the way that Sophie didn't join the "it group" and stood up for her friend. Friendship rules! And I'm so happy this book stuck with that. I also loved reading about the different kinds of kids like fairies, witches, warlocks, etc. Oh demons too. I know right.

I learned that apparently weres and shapeshifters aren't the same thing. *adds to mental pile of knowledge* Dragonflies also substitute as phones for fairies apparently. Coolio. Basically, learning all about the different powers that each group had was really interesting. 

There's also mystery intertwined throughout the book which delivered a plot twist towards the end with a magnificent slap to my face. I had to re-read it. Did not expect what happened to happen in the least. At all. Can you tell I sat there for like five minutes thinking this ".....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"?

Hex Hall was filled to the brim with modern slang and definitely had that contemporary feel. It also had that awesome feel. Go read it. Now. Your life depends on it.

I actually searched desperately for the second book on my online library but alas it only exists at the physical library. Recommended for readers who like contemporaries, witches, sass, owning disgusting cliques, and vampires. Did I mention vampires?

My Rating:

Disclaimer: I was not reimbursed for this review in any way. I have written it solely for the entertainment of the readers of this blog and myself.