Book Review: Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1) by Rachel Hawkins
Media Type: Audio Book
Title: Hex Hall
*Series: Hex Hall #1
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Run Time: 7 hours 11 minutes
Release Date: June 29, 2012
Source: Library
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Content Screening: Mild Violence
HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart
Recommended to: Readers who enjoy paranormal reads that are on the lighter side.
Add it on: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
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 tag-along 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.
First off, I can’t exactly say that Sophie Mercer’s story is light. There are definitely sinister things happening at her school, and terrible fates do definitely befall some of her fellow classmates. However, I think what kept this buoyant was the fact that Sophie is just so easy to fall in love with. She’s sweet, sassy, and pretty much the type of teen girl that I’d love to be friends with. Despite her situation, and the funk that it threatens to push her into, she keeps looking for the good. In other words, Sophie was real. Not overly sad, not overly excitable, just a Prodigium who really wanted to fit in and have a good school experience.
Even the “mean girls” in this book weren’t over the top, which was nice. I know we all love to hate a good mean girl character, and Sophie’s bullies aren’t any exception to that rule. However it was nice to see that they also had some substance to them as well. I can safely say, without risk of spoilers, that I finally came to care about these girls in the end. It says a lot that I not only powered through this audio in a matter of days, but that I’m also eagerly waiting for the next book to hit my library app. I need to find out what happens next.
For keeping me smiling, and guessing, this book gets a big four stars from me. I needed something in the YA genre that wasn’t full of swoon-worthy, brooding boys and this was just perfect. Highly recommended.
FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.
