**QWERTY**

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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.

The truth is, I almost wanted to give this book 2 or 3 stars and never continue on with the series.

But by page 286 out of 323, boy I changed my mind. Rachel Hawkins had done the unthinkable by not only providing me with an epic climax that caught me off guard but also supplying another epic climax that left me breathless.

And she did that with only 50 pages left to spare! How cool is that?

Before the climax, apart from a few good laughs, the book didn't impress me too much. Archer is just like a better version of Edward. Elodie and her entourage are the usual, popular hot girls with a mission to be mean to our protagonist, Sophie. And the whole cliche high school drama is completed with the social outcast, Jenna the vampire.

Well, I would like to see more of Cal in the next book. *wink2*

I'm a bit disappointed with Sophie as a character. Yes, she is excellent in making my side cramped with her witty remarks but I feel like the author intentionally molded her character as one of those 'every-girl-can-fit-into her-shoes' kind of characters. I mean, she claimed she got average appearance (crazy hair, freckled skin etc! Ehem, I think freckles are cute), tad clumsy (her spells mostly went wrong), had a crush over the hottest guy in the school...


Oh yes, Sophie is the epitome of this meme.

*sigh* What did I expect anyway, I can't compare her to Katniss, Katniss would be able to sense something fishy was going on. I'd be thankful to the author too if Sophie doesn't have any feelings (or lust) towards Archer or Cal. I don't know...that kind of thoughts made me feel...a bit uncomfortable.

Before I end my review, I would like to share some of the hilarious lines. Yup, I was that entertained.

There were only six adults in the oldest picture, and all of then looked really serious, like they'd probably kicked kittens for fun.

"Say the five words yo begin the ritual." I blinked at her. "Are you freaking kidding me?"

"I'm Beth." and I realized I was supposed to shake her paw. I did, gingerly. "Sophie." She smiled. It was terrifying, but that wasn't her fault.

His eyes were nearly watering, and his lips were twitching. My hand tightened on the stake. Maybe shoving it into his heart wasn't such a bad idea.

I'd been harboring this secret fantasy that he was only pretending to like her so that he could publicly dump her in the most embarrassing way possible, preferably on national television.

"So if you can heal with your touch, why are you working here as like, Hagrid, or whatever?"

One more thing, HOW COULD THE PUBLISHER PUT A CAT ON THE COVER WHEN SOPHIE WAS ALLERGIC TO CATS HERSELF!!! DO NOT EVER

EVER

MISUSE A PICTURE OF A CUTE ANIMAL FOR YOUR PROFIT!



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