Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TWO BOOKS!

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?

From Goodreads 

I fell in love with Sophie Mercer the minute Hex Hall fell into my lap. It was so awesome that I even took it on 7th grade book talks with me. And then came Demonglass. This one kicked up the story a notch & left be pining for the "sure to be amazing" conclusion. Now it has arrived. 

Picking up with the agonizing ending of Demonglass, we follow Sophie as the is plunked into a whole new reality. It's almost impossible to believe that just barely a year ago this incredibly talented & smart-witted young woman believed herself to be an ordinary witch. Come to find out that she is actually a demon & that her school is under attack from those who would create more demons as a "defense" against the murderous and dangerous Brannick clan & L'occhio de Dio. The truth is harder to comprehend when Sophie discovers that her magic has been locked down and learns that she is a Brannick herself. 

Not all is as it has been presented in the magical world, which leaves a lot of questions to be answered. Despite personal losses, she trudges on with the unwavering support system she has come to call a family. Her last fight will not just be for herself, but for all those who have suffered unnecessarily. 

I have to say that while I completely understand why the book ended the way it did, I still found myself kind of disappointed. I know, I know... I seem to want it to end my way or not at all, but I get it. Rachel did what she thought best & most fitting for her characters and their respective stories. She stayed true to their personalities and beliefs, ultimately making sacrifices that prevent me from ever wanting to bean author.

This book was also quite quickly paced with so much going on, at times it is hard to get a handle on it all. Once you think things are beginning to get sorted out, something else comes hurtling at your head. Despite all the plot twists & turns, I was supremely impressed by how Rachel tied up all the loose ends possible while still leaving the ending open-ended enough to possibly one day revisit this world.

As it stands, Spell Bound is a fabulous book end in a fun series. I will truly miss Sophie & her world, but that's the beauty of books. You can always revisit the ones you love.

Waiting on Wednesday: Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

As always on Wednesday, I'm featuring a lovely book that I am simply drooling over the ability to read...soon. This one is the third (and most likely final) installment in the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins, so be aware of the spoilers in the summary below. Check out my thoughts on the first two books Hex Hall & Demonglass. That's right ladies & gents I'm talking about Spell Bound due on a bookshelf near you March 13th. I hate to see a good thing end, but Rachel has said that she'd love to continue writing in the universe, so maybe it won't be goodbye after all. Anywhoodle, on to the goodness!

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?

From Goodreads

How amazing does that sound for a finale? I really have enjoyed the characters & universe that Rachel Hawkins has created. Sophie is a fun gal & her sidekicks are pretty awesome too. Here's hoping she can bring it to a thrilling close.

What are you waiting on this week?

Demonglass (Hex Hall #2) by Rachel Hawkins

MAJOR SPOILERS for Hex Hall. You have been sufficiently warned.

As if killing her demonic grandmother, watching a friend die & losing the boy she loved to a society bent on destroying her kind wasn't enough, now Sophie Mercer is spending her summer vacation in England at the council headquarters...with her dad. Fortunately James is feeling generous, allowing Sophie's pink-loving, vampire best friend Jenna tag along. Oh and he's also bringing along the dashing healer Cal.

Sophie is stunned on her arrival because, despite being assured that she and her father are the only demons now in existence, there are two teen demons at Council Headquarters. Daisy & Nick have no clue how they came to exist as demons because they have to recollection pre-demon existence. What they do have plenty of is attitude & scorn. Along with her new friends, Sophie begins learning how to control her powers & harness their energy. Things are bumping along, and Sophie's starting to accept her abilities & stop obsessing about going through the removal, when the last thing she expected happens. Archer Cross, the leading weapon of The Eye, drops back in to her life. Luckily he doesn't want to hurt her, he wants to educate her... on more than one thing.

Will Sophie be able to figure out where the demons are coming from without creating too much mischief with Archer or will the nemeses collide before they can uncover the truth?

You know how there is this stigma on the second book in a series that it always seems to just be filler with no real meat to it? Well this book defies that stigma... with vengeance! Rachel Hawkins has continued her incredible work in Sophie Mercer's world & has woven an imaginative tale that continues the pre-existing storyline arch. Getting deeper into the meat of the magical world, Demonglass follows Sophie to England where she makes all sorts of trouble that we love about her! Such an indomitable spirit, Sophie truly is a heroine in the making. I enjoy watching her struggle and grow as a character throughout her novels.

We learn more about the other starring characters as well. This time Jenna takes a bit more of a back-seat role to Cal, Sophie's family, & magical history in general. Fitting the puzzle pieces together surrounding each character's actions really shed light onto previous situations in the series. It was like a light bulb moment of "OH!!!" that was very fun to experience.

Rachel's writing style continues to be phenomenal & so approachable that it's hard to put the book down! I will leave you with my favorite sarcastic quip from Sophie & remind you that this terrific book is set to be released March 1st!

Why had my life suddenly become a Nancy Drew mystery from hell? pg. 268 of uncorrected advanced proof.

Book graciously provided by Around the World Tours.

Waiting on Wednesday: Demonglass (Hex Hall #2)

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Many of you may remember how much I LOVED Hex Hall by the fabulous Rachel Hawkins. But did you know that the sure-to-be terrific sequel Demonglass is coming out in three short weeks on February 15th?! Obviously, if you haven't read the first book READ NO FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS!!! Fair warning.

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

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?

From Goodreads

After the whirlwind ride that was the first book, this one seems to build upon subplots only hinted at in Hex Hall. I am truly looking forward into delving into Sophie's true nature as she must confront the reality of her existence & everyone else's too. This series seems to be taking off quite well & I am looking forward to a deeper understanding of the inside workings of this magical world. Rachel's writing has bewitched me & I love it!! What are you waiting on this week?