Hex Hall

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 start to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.

What a stellar debut from Hawkins! I picked this book up and couldn't put it down. It flowed like a dream. Not once did I question who Sophie was or have any confusion about characters or their relationships to each other.

I loved the world setting - reminiscent of Harry Potter in a way, with regular humans and Prodigium, but SO not a Rowling rip-off. "Hex Hall" was an interesting place, full of complex and varied characters. Sophie is fantastic and believable and I cannot, CANNOT wait to see what happens to her next. Her love interest is smoking hot and the twist in their potential relationship is HUGE!

After the major revelation and twist at the end...what can I say? WOW. I am holding my breath until book 2 comes out.