Series: Hex Hall Series, Book 3
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Paranormal
Rating: Teen (violence, scary situations, sensuality)
Summary: Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. With her powers locked inside her, Sopie 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 so sure.
The only known spell that can help Sophie regain her magic is at Hex Hall - the place where it all began, and now the headquarters of the evil Casnoffs. Together with her best friend, the vampire Jenna; her boyfriend, Archer; her fiance, Cal (yeah, her love life is complicated); and a ghost for a sidekick, Sophie must battle an army of demons. But even with her friends at her side, the fate of all Prodigium rests on her shoulders alone. Can she get her powers back before it's too late?
Writing: Simple and easy. I breezed through it like the first two.
World: A "secret magical world hidden in the real world" scenerio. Always intriguing enough, and this one proved extremely un-complicated, which I always appreciate.
Story: Classic "only the girl can save the day if she can get there in time," but entertaining enough to keep my interest. There are a few instances where the story pushes against the limits of "coincidence," where momentum stalls so something game-changing just "happens" to occur, but they are easy enough to let go.
Characters: A relatable main character - Sophie is powerful but flawed and unsure. I actually secretly rooted for Cal until the end - Archer just never seemed the right fit to me. And I liked the new Brannick additions, especially the two younger girls.
Cover: There was another black cat on the cover - AND THERE WAS NO CAT IN THE BOOK. Not even a cat shapeshifter. And at one point, Sophie's hair was described as "a halo of tight curls," which is definitely not what the model on the cover has. My mind crashed at that point and it took a while to recover.
Series End: A happyish ending - everything wraps up nicely and relatively everyone ends up contented. Well, except for the bad guys, but you know.
Conclusion: I recommend the whole series for a magical, easy read.
out of 4 Paws Up
