Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1)
By Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Disney Hyperion

To Sum It Up:

Sophie Mercer is a witch, and her magic doesn’t always work the way she wants it to. She’s been to nineteen different schools, and when her latest spell goes awry, she’s sent to Hecate Hall, a sort of reform school for other Prodigium (witches, warlocks, fae, and shapeshifters) students. Even at Hex Hall, though, Sophie can’t escape trouble. A group of mean witches wants her to join their coven, and almost everyone suspects her vampire roommate of being behind a series of attacks on their classmates. Sophie is at Hex Hall to learn to control her powers, but it may actually be the most dangerous place for her.

Review:

It can’t be easy trying to compete with a certain über-popular series set in a magical boarding school, but Hex Hall carves out a nice little niche for itself. This was a quick read with a mostly breezy tone, though it also didn’t shy away from going dark when it needed to.

For me, the book’s greatest appeal was its humor. From Sophie’s overdone love spell that backfires horribly at the beginning of the novel to her failed attempts to magically create a non-hideous dress for a school dance, I was very amused while reading this. Sophie herself is a pretty sarcastic protagonist, and her snark-laden exchanges with Hex Hall’s resident hot guy, Archer Cross, are especially entertaining. I don’t know—I wasn’t particularly impressed with Archer. He’s sharp with a one-liner and dreamy to look at, but I wasn't exactly swooning over him. I did think it was hilarious how he and Sophie, after getting off to a rocky start when they first met each other, ended up being punished together, assigned to inventorying the school’s storage room of unwanted magical items, thanks to their sadistic teacher, the Vandy (loved her nickname).

Almost from the moment she sets foot in Hex Hall, Sophie is beset by a trio of witches who want her to complete their coven. Elodie, Anna, and Chaston are your archetypal mean girls, and Sophie sees them for what they are. I really liked that about her, but I also thought that she should have figured out who the culprit was behind the attacks on some of Hex Hall’s students a little sooner. To me, piecing the clues together didn’t take too much of an effort. And, despite Sophie being 16, the book sometimes had a youngish feel to it; not all of the time, because it ventured into decidedly young adult territory in some places. At other times, though, I felt like I was reading a book written for a slightly younger audience.

Still, I enjoyed reading this, and it left some very intriguing loose ends that I’m eager to find out more about. I’m also curious about Cal, the groundskeeper (not janitor like Sophie mistakenly calls him); I have a hunch that there’s an interesting story there. Plus, Sophie is a likable, funny character, which gives me further motivation to continue the series.

All in All:

Hex Hall isn’t an overly challenging read, but it is a fun one. The standout aspect for me was the humor, which made the book very much worth a read even if the premise wasn’t entirely novel.

Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1)
By Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Disney Hyperion

To Sum It Up:

When a simple love spell takes a turn for the worse, Sophie Mercer is exiled to Hex Hall, a reform school for the least desirable members of Prodigium society. Having lived in the human world with her non-gifted mother all her life, Sophie is not prepared for all the different students at Hex Hall, and she is definitely not prepared for her first day there. As if getting attacked by a werewolf, sniffed by a shapeshifter, and made fun of by an incredibly handsome and arrogant warlock isn't enough, Sophie also has to deal with her new roomie, who just happens to be a vampire, and a clique of beautiful dark witches who insist that Sophie join their coven. To top it off, there's been a mysterious string of murders, and the prime suspect is the only vampire student on campus. But Sophie can handle it; she is a witch, after all.

Review:

Hex Hall was a surprisingly good book. Although I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, I do it all the time, most recently with Hex Hall. I can't tell you how many times I walked past this book and scowled at the cover. To me, it just wasn't appealing. It didn't look like the kind of book that was supposed to be about witches. Eventually I caved, curiosity getting the better of me, and I picked up the book. And, it is safe to say, I was wrong. Hex Hall was an enjoyable book. It was one of those easy reads that gets you back into the groove of a certain genre, in this case, witches.

Sophie was a funny, easy-going character, and I liked watching her grow as a witch. Though at some times she was stupid and vain in a way that only spoiled teenage girls can be, Sophie was all right. The other characters in this book were very intriguing. I liked how Hawkins didn't limit herself to one supernatural character. She let her creative mind take charge and included characters ranging from fairies to shapeshifters to supernatural hunters. The whole concept of a reform school for these creatures was beyond interesting; it was hilarious. The teenage angst mixed in was great, too! The main guy, Archer Cross, gave me a good laugh. First, his name was funny (come on, Archer?!) and secondly, he was a very sarcastic wizard. I looked forward to all the parts of the book where he played a big role, and I don't think I spent as much time as I should have trying to figure this guy out. Though in my defense, I was trying to piece together other parts of the puzzle.

Surprisingly, nothing really bugged me about this book. I thought the writing was fast-paced, and the characters weren't unbearable. The story itself had a good hook and was deeper than a one plot kind of book. Then why, Allison, isn't this book marked five stars? Well, the book was good—it was all right. And that right there is your problem. The book didn't stick out for me. In a few months I'll forget the names of the main characters and eventually parts of the plot. I think the Harry Potter references in this book made me like it more than I would have originally. But that's me, and in the end, I'm glad I caved and read it.

All In All:

Hex Hall was a good book. I think anyone who enjoys reading about the supernatural or even good old high school drama will like reading this book. I borrowed Hex Hall from the library and will kindly return it. I feel no urge to go run out and purchase a copy. For that, Hex Hall, I thank you. Demonglass, the sequel to Hex Hall, is happily sitting on my dresser at home.