Hex Hall Trilogy by Rachel Hawkins

My reading tips this week is the fun, fast and cute Hex Hall trilogy by Rachel Hawkins. I highly recommend this series for everyone looking for an enjoyable, light fantasy read with a snarky Harry Potter-vibe.

By mistake I bought (and read) Demonglass first, thinking it would be the first book in the series, only to realize it was actually the sequel... But by then I was already so into the story, that I didn’t want to stop reading it to wait for the other books to arrive. Then I read the first book, Hex Hall, and finally the third and last book in the series, Spell Bound. I don’t know if this mess-up influenced my view on the books, but I really liked Demonglass the best. But overall I enjoyed all the books in the series much more than expected!

All three books are fun, fast-paced and easy reads. The story is told by Sophie Mercer, a 16 year old witch, who grew up not knowing about her abilities. When she finds out, she’s sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent “Prodigium” (witches, shapeshifters and fairies), only to discover that she is not only a witch, but one of the few demons in the world. And that her big crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a demon hunting squad.

So there is a lot of Harry Potter/Hogwart’s vibes of course with a boarding school for witches, and also quite a lot of Vampire Academy references with Sophie’s best friend Jenna being a vampire. But still, the world of Hex Hall comes out as new and unique. I think it’s because of the quirky, witty voice of Sophie narrating the story. I really love Sophie! She is witty, smart and bad-ass, but also kind of awkward, always speaking her mind.The narration and dialogue are delightful and easy to read in a fun, giggling kind of way!

The action and adventures in Demonglass were the best one, I thought. And the complication that Sophie is betrothed to Cal, who is one of my favorite characters in the series.

The third book, Spell Bound, was an okay conclusion to the series, but the start was a bit boring and I didn’t particularly enjoy the Brannicks parts. I so much more enjoyed it when the plot was taken back to Hex Hall again. And also, I don’t really like Sophie’s mother, didn’t she just feel false and selfish? But halfway through the book the pace really picked up and I’m satisfied with how everything was concluded in the finale.

Overall, I highly recommend this series for everyone looking for a cute and enjoyable, light fantasy read with a snarky Harry Potter-vibe.

I rate the books in the series 4 stars (Hex Hall), 5 stars (Demonglass) and 4 stars (Spell Bound).

Find out more about the book and the author here: Rachel Hawkins