Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

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 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 (barnesandnoble.com).



Rachel Hawkins has got it goin' on! This is her debut novel and what a way to start! I ate this book up and am hungry for more!

From the very beginning I liked the MC, Sophie. She starts the book out by doing something nice for someone, only to have it backfire. Poor girl. Then she has to go to a run-down reform school for other "gifted" teenagers. I love Sophie's sense of humor and I really love that she would rather be friends with a vampire because the vampire is a good person than chose to be apart of the "In" crowd just to be cool.

I really like Archer's character but I kept wanting to suddenly find out that he was dating Elodie for some other reason than he liked her. I was in the same boat as Sophie on that one.

Cal...sigh. How can I like a character that was hardly in the book? Well, I keep thinking he is going to play a major role in the future. I think he might be the one chosen for Sophie to marry (remember the arranged marriage convo?). Am I crazy? Maybe. But, I definitely think he is at the school to protect Sophie. I can't wait to see what comes of that!

Speaking of what's to come...What's going to happen with Archer? What about the ending? The ending is crazy good.

The writing is really great, each chapter's end makes you beg for more, the mystery keeps things interesting and Sophie's personality and love intrigues make the book memorable. Can't wait to read the next book in the series, Demonglass!

Overall:5/5



Fabulous cover also!

Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

So far, I've managed to survive. You would think after being kidnapped as a child, imprisoned in my teens and released to become a poison taster, I would have endured enough. But no. The discovery of my magical abilities—powers forbidden in Ixia—has resulted in an execution order. My only chance is to flee to Sitia, my long-lost birthplace.

But Sitia is unfamiliar. I'm treated like an enemy—even by my own brother. Plus I can't control my powers. I want to learn about my magic, but there isn't time. A rogue magician has emerged and I'm targeted as his next victim.

Will my magical abilities save me…or be my downfall (barnesandnoble.com)?

I must say that I was a little disappointed with this one. This is the second book in the Study trilogy. It is still a good book but not nearly as good as Poison Study.

In this book Yelena is in Sitia. One majorly bad thing, for me at least, is that Valek is missing for most of the book. When he shows up it gets a lot better. New characters are introduced, one being Cahil. I think that he is supposed to be "into" Yelena but I am just not felling it. The interactions between them are not all that great.

Yelena also meets her family in this story but I felt like those interactions were weak as well. I didn't really like the character development of her brother either. Shouldn't we have spent more time getting to know him? They are in the same place for most of the story but he is hardly mentioned.

I don't really like where Yelena's character development has gone. She was locked in a dungeon and tortured for years in the first book. Now all of the sudden she is saving the world, over and over again? I am just glad that Snyder didn't make her a master magician right away (maybe in the future she will). That would be laying it on a little thick. Maybe by the third book Yelena will be Queen of both world's? I will have to read on to find out...

All-in-all this is a sequel and definitely worth reading if you liked Poison Study but don't expect it to be as good as Poison Study.

Almost a four! But overall: 3/5

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have a room in the palace--and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust--and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...(barnesandnoble.com)

This book is enthralling! I was hooked from start to finish and could not put it down! My favorite things about the book are: the time setting, the world created, Valek, Yelena, Ari and Janco.

The time setting is awesome. I love when a book is set when there is no electricity. Don't ask me why, I just do. The world that Snyder created is really cool. I get really excited when a book starts out with a map that the author created, like this book did. I don't think I could ever be creative enough to create an entire world and a map to go along with it.

Valek is hot. Throughout the book Valek is such a great male character. Sigh. He is stoic, smart, a fighting machine. I really love how he loves Yelena. Yelena's character is so strong and smart I can't help but loving her too. She has gone through so much and I really like how she fesses up to what she's done and doesn't rat anyone out. She want's to take care of things on her own. My favorite thing about her is that she wants to learn and she's hardworking.

Ari and Janco are the brother you have always wanted! They teach Yelena so much and protect her and are there for her when she needs them.

This book is truly great.

Overall: 5/5

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

To save her mother’s life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters—never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family’s past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he’s willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City—whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the third installment of bestselling series the Mortal Instruments (Barnesandnoble.com).

So I am pretty sure this was supposed to be the last book in The Mortal Instruments series but there are now going to be at least three more books in the series. Book four will be out in 2011, book five in 2012 and book six in 2013. I am kind of excited to see how the rest of the series goes!

I thought that this was the last book when I was reading it and some things happened leaving it open for another book in the series so I am really happy there is going to be another book. Book four is called City of Fallen Angels. I read the sneak peak and it is awesome!

Back to City of Glass...It was intense, it was awesome. I really need some new adjectives.

Spoiler Alert:

We find out that Clary and Jace really are not brother and sister. Yay! But she still did kiss her brother. I hate to say this again but what's up with that? Did she really have to kiss her brother? He knew he was her brother too. I think he is love with her or something but not in a brother and sister kind of way. It's a little demented. I guess he is part demon...

End of Spoiler Alert.

This book has action, romance, some humor and great characters. I really like Jace, Isabelle, Alec and Magnus. I like Clary's character but I get kind of annoyed how she can't ever really fight. She does have some other abilities that are cool but I like a main character that can fight. That's just personal preference though. Oh, and I like Simon too. He's turning into a little player.

I am expecting to see more of the Downworlders in the next books. More of the faeries and vampires. It's going to be great.

This book is rad (working on my adjectives) and if you haven't read this series you definitely should!

Overall:5/5