Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Release date: March 2, 2010

Publisher: Hyperion

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 323

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Ebook available from: Barnes & Noble | Amazon

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 put off reading Hex Hall for quite a long time. This was because I really didn't believe I'd like it. My mistake!  I thought it was a whole lot of fun to read, and cannot wait to get myself the next one.

Sophie was pretty darn cool. I like that she's just a normal, gooby person. This is oh so very much like me. She makes some rather witty comments, which I do not do, but she's just so normal. She's got problems, albeit some are rather different from mine, but her reactions and methods of dealing with them are practically identical to me. I find it hard to believe a teenager reacting like an adult to situations, and Sophie most certainly does not.

I really found pretty much all of the other characters to be very engaging and well done. Jenna was probably the most awesome. She was just so different from most of what I read, and she goes through a lot of things most teenagers obviously don't see, and she handles it very admirably. I do not hold her wallowing against her in the least. Archer slowly becomes very interesting to read about, and I sure hope we find out more about him in the next book!

Hex Hall really is just an easy, fun, relaxing read, and the writing reflects that. It's very based in modern culture and doesn't strive to be more complex or high brow than its subject, which I appreciate. The overall tone and feeling of the book is FUN. We have fun reading about Sophie and her obnoxious retorts. We enjoy seeing the banter between her and Archer. We secretly giggle when the mean girl gets her just desserts. You can't come out of Hex Hall without feeling good, and sometimes that's really just the perfect read.

Risk a paper cut? While not being a philosophical or earth-shattering novel, Hex Hall is easily one of the most enjoyable books I've read recently.