Came out: March 2, 2010
Pages: 323
Publisher: Hyperion
Format: Hardcover
Source: Waldenbooks
Age Group: Young Adult
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 student 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.
This was a great book. Funny, fresh, and filled with suspense, you will find yourself laughing from the entertaining aspects of it and refusing to put it down when the suspense kicks in.
Sophie was a great character. Although sarcastic and funny, she was sweet and got into trouble only because she was trying to help others. For example, prom night. I loved this because it provided a great hook into the story.
The romance and the history built behind this were impressive as well. The romance was heart-pounding and sweet, while the history was intricate and fascinating. While providing light comedic banter, this novel becomes quite dark and alluring at the end, leaving you yearning for the sequel.
The secondary characters were magnificent. Jenna, Archer, Cal, and Elodie all had opportunities to grow and develop. I will be very interested to see how Jenna and Cal are developed in later books.
With an air of mystery and a wonderful story you simply can’t ignore, Hex Hall is definitely a must-read!
Recommended for anybody who likes: Paranormalcy; Harry Potter; Beautiful Demons; boarding school books; witch books; Fallen; fantasy.
Possible book club questions:
Why do you think Sophie’s father never told her?
Do you think Alice was truly like that or it was just the demon?
Do you think Elodie was justified in her actions? How does she change towards the end of the book?
How do you think Cal must be feeling while this unfolds?
What would you do if you were wrongly accused of a crime?
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