Saturday 24 April 2010

Book Review & Giveaway: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins.


Product details:
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's
Paperback, 336 pages
Release date: April 1st 2010.
Rating: 3½ out of 5
Series: Hex Hall Book 1.
Age group: Young Adult.

        Witches, vampires, magic...welcome to Freak High.

In the wake of a love spell gone horribly wrong, Sophie Mercer, a sixteen-year-old witch, is shipped off to Hecate Hall, a boarding school for witches, shapeshifters and faeries. The traumas of mortal high school are nothing compared to the goings on at "Freak High." It's bad enough that she has to deal with a trio of mean girls led by the glamorous Elodie, but it's even worse when she begins to fall for Elodie's gorgeous boyfriend, Archer Cross, and frankly terrifying that the trio are an extremely powerful coven of dark witches. But when Sophie begins to learn the disturbing truth about her father, she is forced to face demons both metaphorical and real, and come to terms with her own growing power as a witch.

Having been a big fan of the movie The Craft,  the UK TV series Hex, and generally all things witchy, I was really looking forward to reading this one.  Hex Hall was a quick, fun read, but I felt that this was maybe more suited to a younger teenage audience, and was a little lacking in the crossover appeal for adult audiences that so many young adult books have at the moment.  That said, I mostly enjoyed reading it, and I really loved the ending which was full of unexpected twists.

I really liked Sophie as a leading character, and I felt that she was somebody that all of us could identify with.  Who hasn’t been the new girl in a group at one time or another? Hawkins portrays Sophie’s sense of loneliness and alienation in her new school very well, and it makes her close friendship and loyalty to her vampire friend  Jenna very believable.  I also loved Sophie’s sense of humour which added a little comic relief to the tense moments in the book.  There is a large cast of characters in the book, and while I didn’t really feel like I got to know them all, I did love the ‘mean-girls’ element of the dark witches led by Elodie.  That girl definitely reminded me of Regina George at times!

I always like a little romance in my fiction, and I love a good looking leading male, so I enjoyed the flirtation between Sophie and Archer. Now, he’s one with a lot of secrets, and I hope to find out more about  him in the next Hex Hall book, Demonglass, due for release March 2011.

The ending was definitely the highpoint of the book for me where secrets are revealed and certain characters may not be what they seem.  A few times I thought I knew where the story was headed, but then it would go in a completely different direction.  I always try to figure out plot twists, so I love it when I end up being totally surprised at the end of a book.

All in all I thought this was a good debut, and a fun read! I’m looking forward to the next installment. 



I'm giving away a copy of Hex Hall to one lucky winner!
You must be a follower to enter.
(remember to follow with google friend connect at the right-hand side of the blog!)
Contest is open INTERNATIONALLY.
Contest will end: Monday 3rd May.
Winner will be picked using random.org


FILL OUT THIS FORM TO ENTER
**Contest closed**

25 comments :

  1. Great review! Sophie sounds nice. :)
    Awesome giveaway! Yay! I've been dying to read Hex Hall! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  2. Awesome review, sounds like a keeper!! Thanks so much for the giveaway!

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  3. Great review! Glad you liked it! I am also looking forward to the next book in the series! :)

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  4. Glad to hear you liked this! I'm not sure it's my type of book, but I do love a fun and light read once in a while.

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  5. I loved this book and am looking forward to more from Hawkins. I also enjoyed your review.

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  6. I read so many good reviews and also a so-so reviews about this one. But, it worth a sometime to kill reading..Great giveaway!

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  7. Awesome review and giveaway! Thanks!^O^

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  8. I love The Craft, too =D And the cover kinda looks like the movie poster, no?

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  9. I've been wanting to read this one for a while now :)

    Thanks for the opportunity!

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  10. I've been dying to read this novel! Fabulous review! I'm really excited about this contest =)

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  11. Just saw that you were a fan of witchy-type stories, and I wondered if you had tried Cate Tiernan's Sweep/Wicca series? It's currently being republished with 2/1 (the first being Book of Shadows and the Coven) - I've got a review of the first here, if you'd like to check it out.

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  12. Hi Lana! I know of Cate Tiernan, but I don't know that series of books. Will check them out for sure. Thanks for the tip!

    Also, thanks to everyone who entered the competition so far! Keep spreading the word! :)

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  13. Great review! I've been hearing so much about this book lately! I entered the contest, but if I don't win I'll definitely have to find a copy of this book to read over the summer!

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  14. Great give away and thanks for making it international Never sure on these forms whether to enter my real life name or the name I'm following you under I put my follower name - hope thats allright? ;0)

    Thanks

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  15. ^ That's fine, Pagecrawler. :) Doesn't really matter what name you use on the form as long as I have an email address to contact whoever wins!

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  16. Nice to meet you, Leanna! I'm dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.

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  17. I would really like to win this !

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  18. Cool review and thank you for mentioning Archer...love interests are always a big drawcard for me (well, the BEST souorce of drama, anyway, LOL). :) Thanks for the giveaway and HUGE kudos for making it international!! :)

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  19. Thank you for the chance to win this book! :)

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  20. I have been wanting to read Hex Hall since the first review I read. Thanks for this opportunity to enter. I filled out form

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

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  21. haha! I totally agree Emma Kate. A hot love interest is always a good thing! Also, all my contests will be international. They kinda have to be since I live in Ireland, and book blogging is kinda non-existent over here. ;-)

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  22. Hi, I found you on Goodreads, with a link to this contest. Everyone I know has read this book except me. Hmm maybe this will be my chance.
    Nice blog! I will come back to visit.

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  23. Thanks! Glad you like the blog. :) Good luck in the contest!

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