Mini-Reviews: School Spirits and Shades of Earth

I have gotten behind in reviews the past year since beginning college and I figured doing some mini-reviews would be the perfect way to share some quick thoughts on those titles I never got around to fully reviewing. Enjoy!

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School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins
Release date: May 14, 2013
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 297
Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Series: Book 1
Source: Publisher
Links: Author's Website/Goodreads 

Overall: 3 out of 5 stars

Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.
Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.
Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? 

Mini-Review:

I am a huge fan of the Hex Hall series, so I was beyond excited when I found out Rachel Hawkins was writing a spin-off about Izzy. While I did enjoy this one, it wasn't as good as I had hoped. Izzy was a fun and likable heroine. Her family history of hunting magical creatures leads to her sister's disappearance and from there Izzy's life changes forever. She starts attending a new high school and quickly learns that there is something dark plaguing the students there. While Izzy expects to figure out the problem and prove herself to her mother, she does not expect to make close friends and meet a cute, but unique, boy. I enjoyed the mystery angle of this story and watching Izzy navigate her new life. She was a character I could root for and I liked how different the secondary characters were- it made them stand out a lot. While I did enjoy School Spirits, some things felt a little rushed to me, particularly the ending. I also found myself not as engaged in the story as I would have hoped. For such a short read this one took me awhile to finish. The characters and plot were fun, but the rushed pace and lack of connection I felt to the story at times left me disappointed. Hopefully news of the sequel will be released soon because I think this series does have the potential to develop into something better.

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Shades of Earth by Beth Revis
Release date: January 15, 2013
Publisher: Razorbill
Pages: 369
Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Series: Book 3
Source: Publisher
Links: Author's Website/Goodreads

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars

Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.
But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.
Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.
FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME.

Mini-Review:

I can easily say that this is one of my all-time favorite series. I devoured Across the Universe, A Million Suns, and Shades of Earth and was left feeling quite sentimental when I turned the last page in this action-packed and romantic trilogy. Just when things seem to be working out for Amy and Elder and the rest of the passengers aboard Godspeed, they land on Centauri-Earth. The joy of reaching their new home is quickly shattered when the planet reveals it's darker side. Nature is attacking them and it seems they are not the only ones calling the planet home. I think this was definitely the most intense read of the series, especially because I was so attached to the characters at this point. Amy and Elder are put to the test over and over again and I was worried they might never find happiness. Beth Revis is an incredible writer and story-teller and I am heartbroken that this series has come to an end. I don't want to give anything away, but if you read and enjoyed the first two books in this series you will love this final addition to what is easily one of my favorite new series. I can only hope Beth's next offering will offer up such brilliant plot twists, lovable and strong characters, and sweet romance as the Across the Universe series did. 

Review: Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins 

Hailed as “impossible to put down,” the Hex Hall series has both critics and teens cheering. With a winning combination of romance, action, magic and humor, this third volume will leave readers enchanted.
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?

Review: 

I have completely fallen in love with this series. After picking up the first book on a whim, I have quickly worked my way through the entire trilogy. With lovable characters, a unique plot, and non-stop action, the Hex Hall series is one I will definitely always recommend. Spell Bound was a wonderful ending to the trilogy.

Spell Bound picks up (in a way) right after Demonglass ended. Since that book ended on such a cliffhanger, I started Spell Bound with so many questions. Luckily, we get a lot of things answered right off the bat, but there are still quite a few things that are not answered. Spell Bound does move at a rapid clip, though, and a ton happens. While Hex Hall and Demonglass might have been a little less serious, things are intense and much, much darker in Spell Bound. There were times when I just could not stop reading and this book brought out a lot of emotions from me.

Sophie is definitely one of my all-time favorite YA characters. She is sarcastic, funny, smart, brave, and just so real. Everything she goes through, she faces it realistically. Her relationships with various characters develop and strengthen over the course of the book and I have to say that this series also has some of my favorite secondary characters. From the Brannicks to Jenna to Archer to Cal... all of these characters were better developed and affected Sophie's story in so many ways.

Archer Cross... words cannot describe how much I adore that boy. His dedication to Sophie, his own snark and humor, everything about him is perfect for Sophie and whenever his character was out of the scene I was missing him.

There were a ton of plot twists that shocked me throughout the course of the story. Especially once I got about halfway through Spell Bound, Hawkins was pulling out all of the stops and I just had to read straight through to the end-- even when several intense and terrible things happened! There were a few especially startling twists that I cannot spoil, but just be prepared to be an emotional wreck by the end of Spell Bound!

All in all, this was an enjoyable and intense ending to what has become one of my favorite series. While there were a few things I didn't love about Spell Bound, as a whole, this was a highly enjoyable and satisfying end to the Hex Hall trilogy. If you have not read this series yet, I suggest you start with the first book ASAP and try and have copies of the rest of the series on hand, because you will just have to know what will happen next. I am especially excited for Hawkins next series, a spin-off of this series coming out in May featuring Izzy.

Overall: 4.25 out of 5 stars

March 13, 2012/Hyperion Books/327 Pages/Young Adult/Book Three

Source: Library

Other books in this series: Hex Hall (Book 1) and Demonglass (Book 2)

-- plus, a  new spin-off series is coming out in May of this year. The first book is called School Spirits!

Links: Author's Website/Goodreads 

Review: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

** summary contains spoilers for Hex Hall** 

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?

Review: 

I am loving this series! After devouring the first book in the series, Hex Hall, I was eager to see what was next for Sophie and the rest of the characters and let me tell you: this book did not disappoint! If anything, it was even better than the prequel. I've already ordered Spell Bound from my library and am counting down the days until it arrives because the ending was such a cliffhanger! 

Demonglass picks up a few months after Hex Hall ended and Sophie is dealing with a lot. In Hex Hall, I really liked Sophie's character, but at times she seemed a bit immature. In Demonglass, Sophie has matured quite a bit and even though she maintains her classic sassy attitude, she is much more independent. I love Sophie's personality and her sarcasm and wit makes her one of my favorite characters to read about. She always responds to situations realistically and she certainly has a lot on her plate this time around. 

There were quite a few new characters introduced in Demonglass and barely any of them are what they seem. I'm so glad Jenna played just as big of a role in Demonglass because she is such a great character. Her and Sophie's friendship is such fun to read about and it is nice to see how important they are to each other. Then there's Sophie's father who we get to see a lot more of. It was nice to see Sophie getting to know him and learning more about their family history. Plus, Cal also has a much bigger part in Sophie's life now. I'm not one for love triangles, but I can kind of see why this one had to happen. I do have a soft spot for Archer though and am eager to see what will happen with him in Spellbound. 

The plot was extremely intense in Demonglass. There were all kinds of new mysteries and a ton of action. The villains were more evil and the last few chapters truly had me on the edge of my seat. I can't believe how everything ended because I just need to know what happened. I have so many questions and worries that Spell Bound can't get here soon enough!

Demonglass was a wonderful sequel to Hex Hall and I enjoyed it even more than the first book. It was action-packed, romantic, and mysterious, all of the things I love in a book. I highly recommend this series and am kicking myself for waiting so long to read it. 

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

March 22, 2011/Hyperion Books/359 Pages/Young Adult/Book Two

Source: Publisher (ARC)

Other books in this series: Hex Hall (Book One) and Spell Bound (Book Three)

-- plus, a  new spin-off series is coming out in May of this year. The first book is called School Spirits!

Links: Author's Website/Goodreads 

Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

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 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.

Review: 

There are certain times when I have no idea what to read next, so I just grab something random off my shelves. I'm very happy I grabbed Hex Hall, because it had been sitting on my shelves for a few years and I honestly cannot explain why I haven't read it yet. I finally did one Saturday when I wasn't feeling well and it was such a fun and entertaining read. I have already begun reading the sequel and put the third book on hold at my library. 

I have always been a fan of books about witches and I love the idea of a school for "magical people" such as Hecate Hall: the boarding school our main character is sent to after a love spell gone wrong. Sophie Mercer was a delightful protagonist, I loved how fun and realistic her narration was and she seems like a girl I would want on my side whether it was a real life issue or something paranormal! Sophie knew next to nothing about her powers before arriving at Hecate (aka Hex Hall) and I felt for her because it must be terrible to realize strangers know more about your life than you yourself do. Sophie handled things in the way any real teenager would and this made her that much more relatable. 

At Hex Hall, there are witches, warlocks, shifters, weres, and faeries (all of these are known as Prodigium). While at first I was worried Hex Hall was not going to bring anything new to the table with these creatures, I found myself very interested in the world Rachel Hawkins had developed. There were a few similarities to other books I have read, but I soon found myself forgetting about that and becoming completely immersed in Sophie's story. There was a lot Sophie had to learn about being a witch and the reader was uncovering secrets and detangling mysteries right alongside her. 

The plot surprised me in quite a few ways. I thought I had something figured out and then Hawkins would throw a curveball. There was rarely a dull moment and Sophie's inquisitive nature made certain we were never in the dark for long. Sophie also befriended some interesting people at Hex Hall and they only added to the mystery. For one, Jenna, Sophie's roommate, was a vampire, and was being blamed for several recent attacks.  There were also three witches that wanted Sophie to join their coven. Plus a ghost, a girl that could shift into a mountain lion, a hot groundskeeper that was nothing like Hagrid, and many more unique characters. Also, this list would not be complete without mentioning Archer Cross, the attractive and snarky warlock who had caught Sophie's eye. I liked seeing how Sophie's relationship with all of the characters developed and her loyalty made her that much more likable. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Hex Hall and while at times things seemed a bit predictable, I still found myself surprised at certain developments. Sophie was such a great main character and I'm eager to see what will happen in the sequel. There were a lot of loose ends left untied at the end of this book and I'm glad I already have a copy of Demonglass ready to go. This was a refreshing and light debut, with darker themes intertwined, that is definitely worth a read. 

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

March 2, 2010/Hyperion Books/336 Pages/Young Adult/Book One

Source: Publisher (Hardcover)

Other books in this series: Demonglass (Book 2) and Spell Bound (Book 3)

-- plus, a  new spin-off series is coming out in May of this year. The first book is called School Spirits!

Links: Author Website/Goodreads