Book Review: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Title:  Demonglass

Author:  Rachel Hawkins
Publisher:  Hyperion Books
Genre: YA / paranormal
Hardcover: 359 pages

Summary from Goodreads: 
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?

• Overall rating: 7/10

To buy this book: IndieBound | The Book Depository | Powell's | Amazon

Add this book to your: Goodreads | Shelfari | Library Thing | Visual Bookshelf

Rachel Hawkins' Demonglass picks up six months after the conclusion of Hex Hall.  Sophie is awaiting word from her father, the head of the Council, regarding her request to undergo the Removal process.  When he arrives, her father persuades her to spend the summer with him at the Council headquarters in England before making a final decision about the Removal, and they set off for England with her friends Jenna and Cal in tow.  Sophie is shocked by the grandeur of the expansive Abbey where they will be staying, but the beautiful and luxurious setting does not necessarily mean she'll have a peaceful summer vacation in the English countryside.  Instead, she finds herself hunted by the Eye, keeping secrets from her best friend, and unsure who to trust in this fun sequel to Hex Hall.

What I Liked:

-     Sophie's sense of humor is my favorite part of this series.  She has a sarcastic reply to lighten almost any uncomfortable situation, and her snarkiness helps make this book an entertaining, fast read.
-     Cal plays a much larger roll in this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed his interaction with Sophie.  He is kind, compassionate, and good with his hands.  Plus, he really does have the best power ever.  Demonglass put me firmly on Team Cal.
-     I enjoy Sophie and Jenna's friendship.  They complement each other well, and I like that they both try to be supportive and encouraging even when dealing with tricky situations or disagreements.
-     A number of new characters are introduced in this book, and they add some exciting twists to the story.  I also liked that characters from the first book played unexpected roles in Demonglass, specifically Elodie, Cal, and Mrs. Casnoff.
-     Demons, witches, warlocks, werewolves, vampires, and ghosts ... this series has a wide variety of paranormal creatures.
-     I enjoyed learning more about Sophie's long-absent father.  Sophie gains a better understanding of her abilities in this book, and I look forward to discovering what the third book has in store for her.

What I Disliked:

-     I found myself distracted by comparing certain aspects of this story to other book series, like Evernight, Harry Potter, and Twilight.  
-     I was a fan of Sophie and Archer's chemistry in Hex Hall, but I didn't find their chemistry nearly as compelling in Demonglass.  Perhaps that was because of Archer's minimal page-time, Cal's abundant charms, or the general seriousness of the situation keeping Sophie and Archer apart, but their Romeo & Juliet-style romance felt a bit forced to me this time around.
-     The second book in a trilogy can sometimes be more frustrating than fulfilling since none of the major conflicts will be resolved until the final book, and unfortunately this book felt that way to me.  The conclusion definitely leaves readers hanging in a huge way. 

Demonglass is an entertaining sequel to Hex Hall.  Fans of paranormal novels that blend suspenseful and romantic elements with a hefty dose of humor, like Kiersten White's Paranormalcy, will want to pick up this series.  If you would like to learn more about Demonglass, or Rachel Hawkins' upcoming projects like Rebel Belle and the Hex Hall spinoff series she plans to start writing this summer, please visit her website, blog, or twitter.  Or check out the Hex Hall facebook page.

Read the first chapter of Demonglass here!

Teaser Tuesday: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

My teaser:

"The woman was Elizabeth, and with her soft gray hair and little round glasses, I thought she looked like someone's nana; but when I went to shake her hand, she yanked me to her and sniffed my hair.  Great.  Another werewolf."

- page 42 of Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Teaser Tuesdays are hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.  Anyone can play along!  Just do the following:

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share a few 'teaser' sentences from somewhere on that page.
• Be careful not to include major spoilers.
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teaser!

Book Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Title:  Hex Hall

Author:  Rachel Hawkins

Publisher:  Disney Hyperion

Genre: YA (paranormal)

Hardcover: 336 pages

ISBN:  1423121309

Summary:

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 starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient secret society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her. (cover photo & summary from IndieBound.com)

Overall rating: 9/10 flowers

To buy this book:  Powell's | IndieBound | The Book Depository | Amazon

Add this book to your:  Goodreads | Shelfari | LibraryThing | Visual Bookshelf

Hex Hall is a delightfully funny book about a likable heroine who finds herself sent to an unexpectedly dangerous reform school.  I guessed that I would like this book because of the witches, warlocks, vampires, ghosts, and fey, but it turned out to be the protagonist's ordinary human qualities and sense of humor that totally won me over and made this book a joy to read.

What I Liked:

-     Sophie's sarcastic sense of humor and knack for landing herself in awkward situations kept me laughing page after page.  She is intelligent, stands up to her rivals, and is not a damsel in distress.  She does not spend her time apologizing for who she is, and it is fun to explore Hecate Hall from her point of view.

-     Archer and Sophie have chemistry from the first moment their names appear on the page together, and I found myself hoping he would pop up in every scene, even if it was only to send an unexpected wink or a wicked grin her way.

-     Common boarding school plot elements (like a much-anticipated dance, a trio of mean girls, roommate conflicts, and ugly gym uniforms) could have fallen flat and made this book feel exactly like a billion other boarding school books, but the cliches feel acknowledged and celebrated here, which has the effect of adding to the book's 80's-teen-flick charm rather than detracting from the story.

-     Sophie's personality is pleasant and funny, but the world she lives in is a dangerous one.  There are quite a few twists to be found within this first book and several mysteries are left for further exploration in the next two books.

-     Many paranormal YA novels can be sorted into sub-genres like romantic drama, action-adventure, historical, or urban fantasy, but Hex Hall is a paranormal YA novel that leans toward humorous chick-lit.

What I Wished:

-     I wanted more.  This book was such a light and fun read that the 336 pages flew by and I found myself wishing it was at least 100 pages longer.

Hex Hall blends humor with darkness as Sophie learns about the dangers threatening the inhabitants of this southern boarding school for supernatural misfits.  Fans of  paranormal YA novels like Claudia Gray's Evernight series, Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle series, and P.C. & Kristin Cast's House of Night series will want to pick up Hex Hall.  Readers who enjoy funny chick-lit like Meg Cabot's books or Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones' Diary may also find a lot to like in Hex Hall.  If you want to learn more about this trilogy or about debut author Rachel Hawkins, please check out Rachel's website, blog, or twitter.

April update:   Blog with Bite is featuring reviews of Hex Hall this month.  Click the banner above to read other bloggers reviews or to submit your own.