“A Book Set in High School” 2015 Challenge; HEX HALL by Rachel Hawkins

Thank God for Goodreads!  I’m trying to read books for this challenge that I haven’t read before, and the only common books I know of that are based in High School, I’ve already read.  Therefore, one quick Google search for “Books set in High School”, and BAM, there was one of Goodreads’ Top 20 Lists.  That’ how I found this book.  It starts in a normal High School, but she quickly gets transferred to a Boarding School housing kids from ages 13-18.  Most of the kids are High School age, and they’re in a school, so I’m counting it!

 

HEX HALL by Rachel Hawkins
Book 1 in the Hex Hall Trilogy

BOOK 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 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.

 

MY REVIEW

5 out of 5 *Stars*

I loved this book!  It was fun, witty, and I found myself smiling through the entire thing.  Yes, it’s a young adult novel, so does the fact that I want to go to Hecate Hall, befriend Sophie Mercer, and crush on Archer Cross make me juvenile?  The reader is right there with Sophie throughout all the teenage drama, and student murder mystery.  There were twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting and I read the entire book in less than 24 hours because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. 

I was reading through a lot of the other reviews for this book, and people beat down on this book, stating that it lacked originality.   It was said that it was as if Harry Potter, Twilight, and Vampire Academy was blended together, you would get Hex Hall.  I say, who cares? Yeah, there were similarities, but they worked for the other books, why not this one?  Any girl that grew up wanting to be a witch or do spells is going to love this book.

Right after I read this, I reserved the next one in the series at the library.  I had to get it before the high of reading a good book wore off.  There was only one problem.  I am a very busy person, and I only have the time to read books that are on my reading challenge. The “Trilogy” section of my challenge has already been filled, and now I’m here plugging these two other books in where I can.  Stay tuned to find out where I put them. 

8 books down, 44 to go!
Happy Reading, Everyone!