Review: Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins
Hardcover, 327 pages
Published: March 13th 2012 by Hyperion Book CH
Source: Purchased; Signed by author (Thanks, Marla @ Starting the Next Chapter!)
Buy the Book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads: Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.
Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. Now Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies—the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium. Or at least that’s what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery. The Brannicks know an epic war is coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending. But without her magic, Sophie isn’t as confident.
Sophie’s bound for one hell of a ride—can she get her powers back before it’s too late?

Finally. The answers to all my questions and an ending to the evil cliffhanger in Demonglass. The waiting for this book has been torturous because of that. Nevertheless, this book delivers a ride that makes it all worth it.

The book picks up right where Demonglass left off, quite literally. It felt like I had just turned the page and fell right back in line with the story. Sophie's snarkness makes you feel right at home by this time in the series. This time we get to see if Sophie makes it all worth it. The lost friends, heartache, and scars needed to stand for something. She is put to the test in loyalties, strength, and intelligence to prove it. And yes, we can't forget about our boys, dear Archer and Cal. You all know there's a decision to make...but is it one that she makes herself or is made for her? Hmm... You need to read the book to find out! Don't worry, there's lots of "foreplay" and sly exchanges between the three leading up to the culmination of that decision. We get to see the old gang in this one as well, including my favorite friend, Jenna. Also, there's an introduction of the Brannick women. These ladies, I'd probably be beat for calling them that, truly make the book for me. Being only mentioned in the previous books, I never thought they would play such an integral role in the story. I wish I could have a book only about them, that's how awesome they are!

Since it starts at the cliffhanger, you land right in the groove of the previous action. After that, it just never stops. The book leaves little breathing room between major events. It keeps hitting harder and harder until the end. I put the book down and went "whooo..." because I didn't realize I needed air. If you have the time, this is definitely a "one-sitter." You will feel like you've ran a marathon by the end, but there is this wonderful sense of contentment afterwards. There are some huge twists that you will either love or hate, but the results are worth it. I am sad that it has ended, but it was a great final book in an amazing series!

Review: 4/5 for The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan

Hardcover, 513 pages

Published October 4th 2011 by Hyperion Book CH
Source: Purchased
Buy the book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

Seven half-bloods shall answer the call,
To storm or fire the world must fall.
An oath to keep with a final breath,
And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

Percy is confused. When he awoke from his long sleep, he didn't know much more than his name. His brain fuzz is lingering, even after the wolf Lupa tol him he is a demigod and trained him to fight with the pen/sword in his pocket. Somehow Percy manages to make it to a camp for half-bloods, despite the fact that he has to keep killing monsters along the way. But the camp doesn't ring and bells with him. The only thing he can recall from his past is another name: Annabeth

Hazel is supposed to be dead. When she lived before, she didn't do a very good job of it. Sure, she was an obedient daughter, even when her mother was possessed by greed. But that was the problem - when the Voice took over he mother and commanded Hazel to use her "gift" for and evil purpose, Hazel couldn't say no. Now because of her mistake, the future of the world is at risk. Hazel wished she could ride away from it all on the stallion that appears in her dreams.

Frank is a klutz. His grandmother says he is descended from heroes and can be anything he wants to be, but he doesn't see it. He doesn't even know who his father is. He keeps hoping Apollo will claim him, because the only thing he is good at is archery - although not good enough to win camp war games. His bulky physique makes him feel like an ox, especially infront of Hazel, his closest friend at camp. He trusts her completely - enough to share the secret he holds close to his heart.

Beginning at the "other" camp for half-bloods and extending as far as the land beyond the gods, this breathtaking second installment of the Heroes of Olympus series introduces new demigods, revives fearsome monsters, and features other remarkable creatures, all destined to play a part in the Prophesy of Seven.

Riordan just keeps getting better and better for me. I couldn't wait for this book because I got to see how Percy was doing in this new adventure with the new set of characters. Needless to say, I was not disappointed. Riordan brought the original Percy legacy into the mixture and combined it beautifully with a new one.

Riordan's characters and their individual tweaks are some of my favorite of all time. The newbies on this end of the new series are my picks so far. The new members we were introduced to in The Lost Hero were interesting and made good additions to the Percy family, but I found I could relate more to these. I think my favorite part of the book was the backgrounds of the new characters, especially Hazel. The twists and turns in her life turned out to have a greater impact than what I originally thought. Frank, I adore him. His back story is so rich and it makes him a wonderful character to follow. Sometimes I did have problems keeping up with who is who on the Gods side because of the alternate names, but it wasn't that bad, just different. It wouldn't be an issue for most people, but I've never delved deeply in the histories of the Greeks or Romans.

The plot is as enjoyable as the first book, but there were a few pitfalls for me. It flows at a good pace, but there are spots I wanted it to speed up to fit the scene. It felt anti-climatic like this in quite a few areas. The perspectives that the characters' back stories gave on the plot really good twists and turns. However, Percy's amnesia is a sinker for me. It wasn't as bad for me in The Lost Hero, but this storyline with it aggravated me at times. I think this may be a "just me" issue, because amnesia stories sometimes have that affect on me. I'm sure it was not a problem for others. I love the way this book and the first book of the series connect in plots. It will make the third book in the series, The Mark of Athena, very interesting in plot aspects. I can't wait to see how the characters will interact with each other and the world that they are in now...

Review: 5/5 for The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published August 2nd 2011 by Hyperion Books CH
Source: Purchased, Signed by author
Buy the Book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

The Near Witch is only an old story told to frighten children.

If the wind calls at night, you must not listen. The wind is lonely, and always looking for company.

And there are no strangers in the town of Near.
These are the truths that Lexi has heard all her life.
But when an actual stranger—a boy who seems to fade like smoke—appears outside her home on the moor at night, she knows that at least one of these sayings is no longer true.
The next night, the children of Near start disappearing from their beds, and the mysterious boy falls under suspicion. Still, he insists on helping Lexi search for them. Something tells her she can trust him.
As the hunt for the children intensifies, so does Lexi’s need to know—about the witch that just might be more than a bedtime story, about the wind that seems to speak through the walls at night, and about the history of this nameless boy.
Part fairy tale, part love story, Victoria Schwab’s debut novel is entirely original yet achingly familiar: a song you heard long ago, a whisper carried by the wind, and a dream you won’t soon forget.

Just by reading the synopsis alone I knew this was going to be a different kind of fairy tale. The idea behind it is different compared to a lot of books I've read lately and it was really refreshing. It has some of the best writing I've seen in a while. It is absolutely beautiful in many parts of the book. Descriptions and details make this book. It will feel like you are walking through the scenes with characters. The musical and story-telling attributes in this book will melt your heart.

The town's setting is a little different than what I am used to, but it really gives a great base for the story to build on. Lexi is a very genuine character; what you see is what you get with her. She has many personality traits that I admire: loyalty to herself and family, ingenuity, and resourcefulness. Her relationship with both her parents and sister is one to be admired by all. It also plays key parts in the plot of the book because of the lengths that her mother would go for her, the wonderful influence her father has on her life, and the absolute trust of her sister. On the other hand, Lexi's love interest and their relationship is interesting, but I'm not completely sold on it. It has its complexities, but is just slightly over the top. It is not something that I consider detrimental enough to drop a "sticky", but just enough for me to notice. A factor in this may be the length of the book. It's a short book compared to many others and I guess things just have to happen quicker.

I loved the concept and layout of this book. For the length of the book, there are many, many depths to it. The plot flows fluidly through the stories and songs of Near and keeps you entertained and glued till the last page. It has almost the perfect balance of romance, trials and tribulations, and creepiness that kept me mesmerized and enthralled. Yes, I said creepy. Was I expecting that? Ha. No. That was definitely a bonus for me. It fits so well in the plot, it's almost hidden...until it jumps out at you!

I could not recommend this book enough to everyone of all ages. It's storyline, details, mystery, and creepiness make for an amazing combination and a great read.

Review: 5/5 for Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Hardcover, 359 pages

Published March 1st 2011 by Hyperion Books CH
Source: eBook, purchased
Buy the Book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

From Goodreads:

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

Sophie's journey continues as she comes into her own, but not as a witch and instead a demon. The book centers around her trials and tribulations during this phase of her life. I see the similarities between an actual teen learning to grow and mature like I did in Hex Hall. However, it was taken to another, and much higher, level this time around. Not only does Sophie go through this process, I guess I could call it "professional growth" in a way, but also some that tax her personal growth limits. In the first book she has typical issues of a teen. In this one, however, Hawkins adds in supernatural elements and individuals to really give Sophie a ride.

Sophie deals with some of the same issues with her powers as in the first book, but everything seems to just be..different with her. Her father tries to explain the many reasons why she shouldn't go through the Removal and wants her to understand herself better. Unfortunately, it takes Sophie going through some harrowing events to understand just this. She learns of other demons that ultimately become her friends and this does help her father's case to a point. However, it is events with Archer that basically slaps Sophie back to reality and out of the tunnel vision. All of these incidents fly back to back of each other and leads the reader deeper and deeper into the story and book. There is definitely no lack of action in this one! There are the great "run-for-your-life" and "ok-I-have-to-stop-and-think-about-that-twist" events galore, which makes me very happy. About that ending though... Ha. Yeah. It got me and did a really good job of it. *evil grin* I kept clicking on my Nook to go to the next page...and it wouldn't turn. I honestly thought it had locked up. Then I realized that it was actually the last page of the book! This is the true definition of a cliffhanger. It felt like I had just had the ground pulled out from under me. It was magnificent!

Sophie grows a lot during this short amount of time. I could almost literally see her mature after some of these things happen to her. She comes into her own and I can accept her now as the "leader of the pack" that she was born to be. Before now, I thought she was still very "young" mind-wise, but she becomes worldly for her age. Our dear Jenna shines more in this book and I am so tickled to see more of her. She is a great and lovable character and truly throws her own spin on things in both her and Sophie's life. And Archer, as hot as ever. I won't give too much away, but big decisions come into play with both him and Sophie and it can affect pretty much everything in their lives.

Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Hardcover, 323 pages

Published March 2nd 2010 by Hyperion Book CH
Source: eBook, purchased
Buy the Book: Amazon : B&N : Goodreads

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.

Boarding schools, misfit main character, and magic....how could that combination not be great, right? Well, that's exactly what this story is! Hawkins waits no time to snag the reader from the very first page of the book. Sophie has issues just like any other teen and this makes her really likable by a majority of readers. However, she also has some pretty major magical issues on top of this. It is this combination that beckons for the readers attention to see how she deals with the day to day life and issues that is thrown at her. Hawkins' humor and wit are superb with Sophie! There were many times that I caught myself laughing because I was either thinking that I would say that same thing in that situation or caught off guard for the fact that I had not thought of that! This bits scattered throughout the book and a great story kept me addicted to the end.

The idea behind this book reflects on real life examples. This concept is why it appeals so greatly to many people. These characters are all teens that deal with similar, if not identical, issues as non-magical teens. They have experimented, fought amongst themselves, and even skipped class. The only difference with these teens is the fact that there are more serious consequences for stepping out of line and it can only take one incident to be sent to "alternate" school. Hecate "Hex" Hall is the result of the ill-minded actions of these magical teens. The situations and issues they deal with before and after arriving at the school are so familiar to things I've seen and experienced it would have been difficult to not finish this book. The plot flows so well I could not have anyways. There are equal opportunities through it for action, heartbreak, happiness, and my favorite in this book, sarcasm. Combine all this and it makes a plot that does not short-change the reader in any form.

The characters are really well written in my opinion. I realize that this is just my opinion, but the personalities of these characters are so real to me. Each has their own issues and attributes that are fairly balanced and interestingly spread out through the group. While I usually do relate to at least one character in a book, it is not often that it is the main character. Sophie experiences many situations that I could honestly view happening to me. Many times I thought to myself, "Yep, that's exactly what would have happened to me and that is exactly what I would have said." This girl has been through so much and she uses sarcasm to come to terms with it all. Yes, that is all too familiar for me. Combine that with the outball friend and a crush on the most impossible guy to get and you get my high school education. There is a true friendship between Sophie and Jenna. Their understanding of what it is to be a friend and what to/what not to put up with has great balance, making them a solid force against the world around them. Archer is a whole other aspect of Sophie's life. This relationship enhances the plot so well. The ups, downs, and twists absolutely shape and shift it in all the right directions.

Overall the book was definitely a win-win for me. The intricate combination of the characters personalities, different perspective of subject matter and Hawkins' superb writing makes this an amazing experience for all that would read it.