Book Review: Hex Hall

Good evening everyone! Today I'll happily be reviewing Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. It is the first book in the Hex Hall series.  

Title: Hex Hall

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Series: Hex Hall #1

Publisher: Hyperion Books

Original Publication Date: March 2nd 2010

Format Read: kindle

Genre: YA Paranormal

Purchase: Amazon

Find on Goodreads

Description from Goodreads:

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.

I've been wanting to read this book for a while now as it kept popping up everywhere with a few places even suggesting it might be the book for me, based on other books I've read. Boy were they right! I really liked this book, it might even be love. I'm sure part of it is because Rachel Hawkins clearly grew up around the same time I did and shares the same wonderful sense of humor I do.  

Like the description states, you follow Sophie, who does quite have a handle on her magic. She discovered she was a witch at the age of 13. She's gotten into trouble a few times, but so far her absent father has been able to get her out of it. But, on prom night when Sophie tries to help out a girl by pulling off a little spell, it goes off a little TOO well. The fall out is that her father can no longer protect her and she is sent off to live at Hex Hall until she is 18. 

However, once Sophie arrives she quickly realizes exactly how woefully unprepared she is to live at such a place and just how ignorant she is about her powers and the world of witches, warlocks, faeries, and shapeshifters. She quickly ends up being the target of mean girls and bumbles her way into trouble. Thankfully, she has one refuge, her room and her roommate, Jenna. Jenna herself is an outcast, the only vampire student at the school. 

This isn't just your regular school book though, there is more to the story. There is a mystery as a few of the students have ended up dead, appearing to have been drained of their blood. Who is there number one suspect? Why Jenna, of course. Sophie just knows that Jenna wouldn't do such a thing, so she works to try to figure out who really did it. 

There is also some budding romance, a ghost, some awesome pop culture references, as well as some surprising twists and turns to the story. It is a pretty fast read, although that could have been because I was so into the story, that I just kept reading, and reading, and reading...

I highly recommend checking out this book and I think Rachel Hawkins has just added herself onto my list of go-to authors. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

My Rating: