Review: Demon Glass by Rachel Hawkins

Last week, I gave you my review of HEX HALL, the first in the Hex Hall series by Rachel Hawkins.  This week, I present you with DEMON GLASS, the highly anticipated sequel (only I didn't have to "anticipate" since I was late reading the first book.  Sometimes that can work in your favor...)

If you missed that review, click here.  And yeah, it contains lots of gushing and me wishing I'd been brilliant enough to write this book.

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?

LIKED:

* We get lots more of Sophie's fresh, sarcastic voice.  And it's cool that Sophie realizes her sarcasm isn't always appropriate, but decides when and how to use it -- like a tool, sometimes a weapon, and often a shield.

*  We get to see Sophie's strong and vulnerable sides.  I really like that she's a character who isn't kick-butt all the time, but can rise to the occasion if someone she cares about is in danger.

*  As with the last book, the writing is unobtrusive and easily drew me into the story.

*  The plot (although not quite as strong as in the first book IMHO) was still a page-turner and kept me up reading way too late.

NOT SURE ABOUT:

*  The book didn't have that same stand-alone ending as the first one.  It's definitely got a cliffhanger that means you've GOT to read the next book in the series.

*  Hawkins creates a love triangle (and yes, I was glad to see Archer back in the picture), but the good guy was too passive and so Sophie didn't know about his feelings for the entire book basically.  In some ways it was refreshing not to have a classic battle of two guys duking it out over the girl, but in some ways, I wish Sophie hadn't been so blind either.

*  I didn't love the new demon characters. I know -- they're demons -- they're not supposed to be all warm and fuzzy.  But whereas in the first book, you could love to hate the mean girls, the demons here just rubbed me the wrong way.  Maybe that was the whole point...

DIDN'T LIKE:

*  Again, there was nothing I affirmatively didn't like.  This is an excellent read!

Overall, I give DEMON GLASS 3.5 out of 4 Greek coins.  If you loved HEX HALL, there's absolutely no reason not to pick up this book as well.  It's a solid sequel that does much more than act as a mere bridge between books 1 and 3.

Review: HEX HALL by Rachel Hawkins

Wow - this book was amazing.  Let's start with that.  Finally, I found another series that keeps me up late flipping the pages and dying to know what happens next.  I'd been looking, hoping... and now, I found it.

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.

LOVED:

* Sophie's voice.  Every aspiring writer should read this book to understand what agents and editors are looking for when they say they want a fresh voice.  This was my favorite line:

"But this room looked like it had been decorated by the unholy love child of Barbie and Strawberry Shortcake."

* That this first in the series easily stands alone.  Sure, there are some questions left unanswered, but not to the point where you HAVE to have the sequel or this book is basically useless.  Love this!

*  The characters are so real, you almost feel like you can befriend them yourself.  Everyone from Sophie's homosexual, vampire roommate who loves pink to the Elodie, the stereotypical beautiful bully who just might have a little more sensitivity than we first expected.

*  The plot was fast paced, had a smidge of romance, lots of great scenes, and many laugh-out-loud moments. Just when you think you've hit the climax and are thinking, "That's it?" -- BAM -- the real climax hits. Then Hawkins wraps it all up quickly in the classic roller coaster stop.

DIDN'T LOVE:

* I can't think of anything.  I wish I'd written this book!

And for that, I give Hex Hall FIVE Greek coins - a HFAC rating.  Oh yeah, it was that good.

I'll post my review of DEMONGLASS soon!  If you've read the book, did you love it as much as I did??