Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Hex Hall
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Published: March 2, 2010 by Hyperion
Pages: 323/Hardcover
Series: Hex Hall #1
Source: Local library


Summary: 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 tagalong 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.

***You are about to experience the most fan-girly review I've ever written***

Review: I don't know why I waited so long to read this. If people's soulmates were books this would be mine. I can not think of a single thing wrong with this book. It is utter perfection.

Sophie was such an awesome girl! She was hilarious and made me want her as my best friend. It was easy to relate to her because she acted like a normal person. Shew wasn't an over-dramatized version of teenagers. She was spot on. Jenna was also wonderful. If I could I would have them both as my friends. They are possibly the best friends I've seen in a YA book. Archer seemed to start out as the typical bad boy who ignores those who are "beneath him", but he really did grow on me after learning more about him. 

I was never bored in this book. There was never a dull moment and the mystery surrounding all the weird attacks made me really excited to get to the end. I was quite surprised by the ending and I don't even care if it was a little cliche, because this book was SO GOOD! It was also super wonderful that Sophie already knows she's a witch. It saved a lot of the back story and you didn't have to go through the initial discovery and Sophie dealing with it. You just got to start the story!

I loved that the romance wasn't the main focus of the story. I like a good romance, but it's also good to have something different take the forefront. Think of the romance as being a side dish to the epic feast that was Hex Hall. I also liked that Sophie started out as just having a crush on Archer. It was so much more believable and relate-able than the "instant connection through the locking of eyes".

The writing was also wonderful! Hawkins had a way of writing simply but still moving the story along at a very fast pace. It didn't drag, but it wasn't so fast that you couldn't keep up. 

Hex Hall is a book filled with amazingness. The characters, the story, the writing. Everything. It was all fantastic and if you haven't read it yet than you must do so...IMMEDIATELY. Now in order to share the greatness and funniness that this book has to offer I will share with you some of my favorite quotes from Hex Hall. 

"'It's okay, baby!' he shouted after her. 'I don't need eyes to see you! I see you with the eyes of my heart, Felicia! My HEART!'"

-Pg. 8, Hex Hall

"But this room looked like it had been decorated by the unholy lovechild of Barbie and Strawberry Shortcake."

-Pg. 33, Hex Hall

"I scowled. Being manipulated has always been one of my least favorite things. Right up there with snakes. And Britney Spears."

-Pg. 134, Hex Hall