Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Spell Bound
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

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Book 2 in the Hex Hall Series. Book 1 (Hex Hall) was a pretty good read, so I was more than willing to give Book 2 a try.

Summary: Sophie Mercer travels to England with her father, the head of the Prodigium Council, with every intention of going through the Removal of her demon powers. But when her new housemates turn out to be demons as well, she becomes entangled in a dark plan to raise demons as soldiers in the coming war. And as she begins to come into her own and unravel the secrets of her "friends," and herself, Sophie learns that trust shouldn't always be placed with the obvious.

Reality Check: As with the first book, this is a nice, easy read that isn't anything too special but for the most part I enjoyed my time with it. There were a few scenes that made me set it down - surprisingly, the big flashy ones - but I picked it back up and continued right to the end.

The book does end on a weird "hope when the world is ending" moment that felt a little forced, but it was only the last page or so.

Pet Peeve: There is a black cat on the cover. Again. And was there a cat in the book? NO. Cover Designer: YOU LET ME DOWN AGAIN. Once more and I complain to the publisher. False cover advertising is a crime against readers everywhere!

Conclusion: I definitely recommend the series, and will be picking up (what I assume will be the last) Book 3.

 out of 4 Paws Up

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Supernaturally by Kiersten White

"Oh, bleep. I was going to die."

Paranormalcy, the first book in the series, was original and fun, so I was excited to pick up the second one.

Summary: Evie finally has the normal life she's always wanted. She's attending high school (which houses her very own locker), dating her spectacular boyfriend Lend (although away at college most of the time), and even holding down a part-time job at the [greasy] diner she lives over (with a vampire).

The only problem: normal life is kind of boring.

Enter Raquel, offering a freelance job back with IPCA, the life of excitement and danger without the whole "prisoner" angle (and unfortunately without the unlimited credit).  But it's not all that she remembers as things go wrong left and right, and with the lies to her boyfriend piling up and an annoying yet gifted boy popping in via fairy doors to whisk her away to spectacular places, it's not easy balancing both worlds. And then of course there's her fairy ex-boyfriend Reth, always appearing to remind her of what she is - and what she is supposed to be. As the mystery that is Evie begins to unravel, she must discover what she truly wants. And where she truly belongs.

Reality Check: Very well written, as can always be expected from Kiersten. Evie is a great character...or was, to a point. As much as it pains me to say (and it hurts, it really hurts), I wasn't too impressed with Supernaturally. Evie was just too whiny and "woe is me" for my tastes, and even with her inevitable self-discovery I didn't feel the resolution. Where Paranormalcy shone for its unique take and voice in the paranormal genre, Supernaturally was simply about Evie's desperation to be normal - and when she couldn't be, it broke her.

The actual plot was weak and there wasn't much too it. More like necessary revelations before the finale, not a stand-alone book with its own full story arc. It was basically bits of shocking info thrown in here and there - and they were more strangely random than shocking. The "new love interest" was anything but, and Evie's devotion (read: obsession) with her boyfriend never let up. Overall I had several problem points that almost caused me to put the book down, and it was only my love for Paranormalcy that kept me reading.

Conclusion: After saying all that, I adore Kiersten and it wasn't as bad as I make it sound. I think I was just so dazzled by Paranormalcy that Supernaturally was a letdown. Perhaps Book 3 will be better? I'll read it, but I'm not holding my breath for anything spectacular.

out of 4 Paws Up (only because I adore Kiersten)

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal [Romance]