Hex Hall Book One

BLUF: This is a light, fast-paced chick lit. If you expect this to be the new Harry Potter, you're not going to get what you're looking for.

Plot: Hex Hall is a young adult, high school novel. Need I say more?

Fine...

Hex Hall follows Sophie, a sixteen-year-old half-witch, half-human who is trying to live a normal teenage life. Despite moving schools constantly, Sophie can't seem to control herself when it comes to performing well-intended spells to help those she knows. Her love-potion-gone-horribly-wrong gets her sent to Hex Hall. Hex Hall is a school for witches, wizards, faeries, and shape shifters for those who have been determined unfit to go to school with the humans for some circumstance or another. Sophie sees this as her final chance to belong but, after a rough first day, is unsure what the future will hold.

Oh boy, where to start.

Flaws: I'm not going to lie, this book is pretty flawed. The writing is simple, the main character makes stupid mistakes, and the mystery is disappointing.

My Take: Despite these characteristics, I adored this book. The simple writing is fine considering this is a light novel. You don't even have to think of the murder mystery much, which bummed me out. (But thank goodness because the murder mystery was weakly wrapped up. Grr.) The stupid mistakes are fine because she doesn't get away with it. The mystery is unsatisfactory as it comes to an end quick and without much attention.

Cliffhanger: Some people say that this book ends on a cliffhanger. I disagree. A cliffhanger causes the reader to feel as if they are missing out if they don't read more. The author may have meant for the book to end in a cliffhanger, but the ending wasn't of enough substance to compel the reader to pick up the next book. (Don't get me wrong, I am going to read the next book, but not because of the ending.)

Shh.. Don't tell: Between The Host and this book, it seems clear that this is my “Guilty Pleasure” genre.