ARC Review: Hex Hall - Rachel Hawkins

When sixteen-year-old Sophie Mercer discovers she's a witch, she imagines life will be full of magic, fun and ... well ... broomsticks!  But her first attempt at a love spell goes disastrously wrong and, as punishment, Sophie is shipped off to Hectacte "Hex" Hall, a reform school for witches, shapeshifters and faeries.

By the end of her first day among her fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard: three powerful enemies who look like supermodels, a futile crush on a gorgeous warlock, a creepy tag-along ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person on campus and the only vampire.

Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students and her only friend is the number-one suspect...

Hex Hall is being released in the UK on 1st April 2010
Rachel Hawkins is currently writing a sequel

For more information visit Rachel Hawkins' website

Review:
Sophie is a witch but being raised by a human mother means she's had no training and she doesn't know how to control her talents.  After an unfortunate incident at her school prom she is sent to Hex Hall to learn how to keep her powers secret from normal humans.  The last thing she wants is to be sent to boarding school but she doesn't have a choice in the matter so she's going to have to make the most of it.

Having struggled to fit in at any of her other schools (and she's been to a LOT of schools) Sophie secretly hopes that at Hex Hall she will finally find a place where she belongs.  However, by the end of her first day she has managed to make enemies of a coven of 3 dark witches, deveolped a crush on a cute warlock who just happens to be dating a member of the coven and found herself a ghostly stalker.  Not only that but she's also stuck with the most hated girl in the school (who also happens to be the school's only vampire) as her new roommate.  It isn't the greatest start and leaves Sophie wondering how she is going to survive the next 2 years.

I was really impressed with Rachel Hawkins' debut novel and can't wait to read future books in the series.  I really loved Sophie and her best friend Jenna - Rachel really brought their characters to life and their friendship comes across as very real.  There was plenty of action and there were some fantastic twists that I really didn't see coming.  The dialogue had me laughing out loud in places and I'm really looking forward to getting to know some of the other students better in the future.

Source: Recieved for review from publisher Simon & Schuster

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