Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins - Review

Hex Hall
Author	Rachel Hawkins
Published Date	2010
Genre	Paranormal Romance/Fantasy
Preceded By	N/A
Followed By	Demonglass

Summary

Sophie is a witch. After a love spell gone awry, she is sent to reform school for Prodigium, magical beings including faeries and werewolves. She is put in a dorm room with the most hated girl in school, Jenna (a vampire), and is falling in love with the current boyfriend of one of her enemies. Not to mention the ghost-girl that keeps following her around.

Then something starts attacking the students - a particular coven of witches. When Jenna is accused, it's up to Sophie to solve the mystery.

Review

Hex Hall was an amazing book. It was funny and fast paced and I found myself laughing and wanting to throw the book across the room at the same time, but not out of annoyance. I didn't want to bang my head against the wall at any point whilst reading.

The main character, Sophie, was very likable and relatable. She didn't say annoying things or things that didn't need to be said. I actual didn't find myself being annoyed at any of the characters. I did, however, feel some detachment to Jenna, but I can't exactly pin-point why. Maybe it's all the pink...

The ending really threw me, too. Usually, I can tell when something like that is going to happen, but I didn't pick up on it. Props go to Rachel Hawkins.

Hawkins didn't really steer too much away from typical, fantasy-land, and in this way, she was able to focus more on the mystery and the setting than info-dumping, assuming that her readers understand that faeries have wings and vampires drink blood. However, she did spice things up a bit with an organization that everyone is fully aware of as bad, plus a Council (which is nothing new, but serves as an interesting point)

There was, of course, some typical YA-type action - girl falls in love with the most wanted boy in the school, and now! he's falling in love with her! But why?! She's thinks she's a freak/ordinary/clumsy/awkward!

You get what I mean. But, there is a reason that has become typical - it sells and I think it's forgivable. I only realized it in retrospect, not while reading. Extra points to be given.

If you can't tell from above, there was romance. I was all for it, too. Granted, he was the guy all the girls wanted (well, except for maybe one ((*wink, wink*))). There was also some catty, teenage girl antics running about. Nothing that wasn't tolerable or understandable.

I think this is an excellent read if you're wanting something light, but still unique and interesting. There are some cool aspects in this novel that set it apart. It's a refreshing mythology for me, even coming from a Harry Potter obsessed childhood (let's be honest, still obsessed). If you're concerned it going to be anything like Harry Potter, though (what with the "boarding school" and the magical creatures), don't be alarmed. This book is unique in its own right, with aspects that I totally enjoyed reading about.

-Havityia

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