Book Review - Hex Hall

Hex Hall
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Series: Hex Hall #1
Genres: Paranormal | Young Adult
Release Date: March 2nd 2010
No. Pages: 323
Source: Borrowed
Rating:

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.

So this book has been on my TBR pile for about half a year. (I was very out of the loop with reading before last year so I didn't know about it till summer maybe) and I had to read it for a few of the challenges (of which there are many) that I signed up to this year. And in all honesty I'm not that sure what I thought of it. I mean don't get me wrong, it was an easy read and I enjoyed parts of it but it was a bit all over the place.

The story is based around Sophie, a young witch who after a series of spells gone wrong, was sent to attend Hecate Hall aka Hex Hall with other Prodigium's (witches, fairies, shape shifters, vampires). After just one day Sophie finds herself up against the schools popular girl Elodie and friends, when she refused to join their coven of dark witches. Sophie also finds herself falling for a Warlock named Archer who also happens to be Elodie's boyfriend.

Sophie's only real friend at the school is her roommate Jenna, the only vampire student in the school, and someone who is being suspected of murdering a classmate which just happened to be her former roommate. Previously cleared under lack of evidence, the finger is being pointed at her again when 2 more girls nearly share the same fate, and Jenna and the only other vampire in school (a teacher) is sent away until things are cleared up leaving Sophie all alone.

Sophie, who didn't know anything about her father side of the family (or anything about her father for that matter), learns more than she cares to know at times and after meeting the ghost of her great grandmother, Alice, she starts to hope that things will be better, and when given the opportunity, decides to take magic lessens for Alice. While taking the lessons Sophie finds out what she really is and the book ends with trying to come to terms with that.

What did I think? there is a lot more to the book then what I just summarised (probably very badly at that. It's going to take me a while to get back into the swing of things) but I'm trying not to give too much away.

When I read a book in a series, I tend to wait till I have all of the books before starting it as I become obsessive with it, but even if I wasn't sticking to a schedule I can honestly say I don't think I would be picking the 2nd one up just yet. Like I've all ready said, it was good. But I found it to be predictable and also just really reminded me of Harry Potter, but not as good haha.