Review: Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Spell Bound
Author:: Rachel Hawkins
Genre: YA, Supernatural, Romance, Action, Adventure, 3rd in series
Star Rating: 5/5 stars

Taken from Goodreads, "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?"

'Spell Bound', the third and final book (?*) in the fantastic Hex Hall series, can best be described as a whirlwind.  After the crazy cliffhanger found in 'Demon Glass', should I have expected any less?  As expected, Rachel Hawkins has treated us yet again to another funny, engaging, entertaining romp into Sophie's crazy world.

While it isn't without flaws, I had a great time reading 'Spell Bound' and that to me is one of the most important things that can be said about reading.  Without going into plot details (b/c who am I to spoil it for you!), I can say that you won't be disappointed in terms of entertainment value!

I'm giving this book five stars, but want to point out one thing that 'felt funny' about 'Spell Bound'.  The main issue I had was that this story, 'Spell Bound',  felt more like the third book in a four book series instead of the last novel in a trilogy.  There was a big set up (ie: the last few pages of 'Demon Glass') to what should be a big bang conclusion.  When we finally get to that conclusion, however, it doesn't seem as climatic as it should.  Loose ends are tied up, but not in the big bang sort of way I expected based off the other two books in the series.

The plotting issue nonewithstanding, I enjoyed this book immensely.  I can definitely say that Sophie's story is one that will stick with me and will be a 'go to' series for those looking for good YA reads!  'Spell Bound' gets 5 out of 5 stars.

(On a sidenote, I must petition Rachel Hawkins to continue on with this world she's created.  I'd love more books in this series, even if they don't involve Sophie and her gang!)

*I don't ever really recall this series being toted as a 'trilogy', so I'm not sure if this is the end all/be all of the Hex Hall series.  I know the author mentioned something about 'ending Sophie's story', but there are still so many stories to tell!  For that reason, I have inserted the ?'s, because it just doesn't feel like the end just yet!

What are your thoughts on 'Spell Bound'?  Share them in the comments!  (Spoilers ARE allowed in the comments, so newbies, you have been warned!)

2010 Highlights-- A Year in Review

2010 has been quite a year, hasn't it? Who would have thought this little blogging adventure would become what it is today? It's kind of amazing. 2010 has not only been a year of discovering new hobbies, but also a year of some great reads and some excellent opportunities.

Here, dear readers, is Brooke's Box of Books 2010 Highlights-- A Year in Review.

First Book Read in 2010:

'The Seven Rays' by Jessica Bendinger

My Favorite Debut Novel or Stand Alone Read of 2010:

'Hex Hall' by Rachel Hawkins

Runners Up:

'Knightley Academy' by Violet Haberdasher

'The Grimm Legacy' by Polly Shulman

'Birthmarked' by Caragh M. O'Brien

'Tigers Curse' by Colleen Houck

'Nightshade' by Andrea Cremer

'Matched' by Ally Condie

Best New Book in a Series of 2010:

'Empire of Night' by Justin Somper

Runners up:

'Guardian of the Gate' by Michelle Zink

'Spirit Bound' by Richelle Mead

'City of Ships' by Mary Hoffman

'Mockingjay' by Suzanne Collins

Most Irritating Read of 2010 (aka The Book I Read Like There Was No Tomorrow, but Wanted To Ring the Characters Necks Half the Time):

'Torment' by Lauren Kate

Runner up:

'Spells' by Aprilynne Pike

The 'At Least I Tried To Like It' Book of 2010:

'Shiver' by Maggie Stiefvater

Runner Up:

'The Dark Divine' by Bree Despain

Last Book Read in 2010:

'The Iron Queen' by Julie Kagawa

And there you have it-- my favorite and not so favorite reads of 2010.  In total, I will have read 63 new books this year, which is roughly a book a week.  Geez Louise!  That's quite a bit, I think!

Now that you've seen my list, I want to know what you think of the slew of books that came out in 2010...  What was your favorite?  What was your least favorite?  Share your comments below!

Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Hex Hall
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Release Date: March 2010
Genre: YA, Supernatural, Romance, High School
Perfect for: those looking for something new in their supernatural romances

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Mercer is a witch, at least half witch.  When a love spell goes drastically wrong at her school prom, Sophie is sentenced to Hex Hall (aka reform school for monsters) for her remaining years of school.  Mingling for the first time with other supernatural creatures like the fae, werewolves, shifters, and even a few vampires, Sophie finds out that she has a lot to learn about the magical world she was born into. To add to it, Sophie finds herself falling for a boy who is perfect, but unavailable.  When dark witches start being attacked, Sophie finds her vampire roommate accused and starts looking for answers;  Answers that will lead her to an even bigger secret about who she truly is and how powerful she could become.

I almost judged this book by its cover.  I admit it, I saw this in the bookstore and passed it by because I wasn't a fan of the cover art.  It wasn't until I stumbled upon this book as an ARC that I decided to give it a shot, not knowing it was the book I passed up a few days earlier.  Well, needless to say, 6 hours after opening the front cover of 'Hex Hall', I finished, having read it cover to cover in practically one sitting, wanting more!

Let's start off first with the story/voice.  Told from Sophie's point of view, 'Hex Hall' moves quickly.  The writing style is similar to Carrie Jones 'Need' or Lauren Kate's 'Fallen' and has a good mix of witty dialogue, light action, steamy moments, and quirky pop culture references. The writing flowed nicely from chapter to chapter and (for me) had an addictive feeling to it similar to when I read 'Twilight' or 'Fallen'.

The characters are likable and entertaining to read.  Sophie is your typical strong female heroine.  Her past, largely unknown to her, should make for an interesting series.  I loved Archer, the hot bad boy of 'Hex Hall'.  So many things can play out when it comes to him.  I'm excited to see what happens between him and Sophie in future books.  And then there is Sophie's roommate Jenna...  She could have easily been annoying, but is actually pretty likable.  Maybe it's because, unlike some other sidekicks, her character actually has a role to play in the story more than just confidante.

A quick warning to readers-- it has a cliff hanger ending.  You'll want more!  Overall, I loved this book and can't wait for the next installment. It should appeal to the vast majority of YA supernatural romance readers.  Take my advice-- ignore the cover and give this book a shot!