Title: Demonglass

Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Hyperion Books

Publication Date: March 2011 

Classification: YA Novel

Challenge: Outdo Yourself, 350+ Page Challenge

Summary from Barnes and Noble:

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch. That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

In this story we start out with Sophie wanting to go with her dad so that she can go throught the removal to get her powers removed. Her dad does not agree right away to let her remove her powers but asks that she come with him to London for the summer to fully understand the weight of her decision. Sophie agrees to go only if Jenna, her vampire best friend, can go with her, her dad agrees and also informs her that Cal will also be coming with, he is her fiance after all. Upon arrival at a mansion in the London countryside Sophie quickly comes to a hault when she mets two other demon children, Nick and  Daisy. Sophie thought her dad and herself were the only demons around but she has already been proven wrong and the day has only just begun.

As exciting as this mansion is Sophie wonders exactly what she is suppose to spend the summer doing. Her dad easily keeps her busy by having her study from books on demon history, but keeps avoiding all of her questions about the other demons. Things get exciting when her dad asks her to break into a magical case in the library to get the book that the case is guarding. In this book is the spell that will allow anyone to bring a demon to life. This is the spell that made Sophie’s great-grandmother a demon in the first place. The only problem is that the pages that contain the spell have been torn out of the book. Things do not get really excited until Sophie has another run in with Archer, who works for The Eye, while at a night club. Will the passions be reunited or was Archer playing her all along?

I have to say the storyline was different in this book and the story moved away from the Harry Potter elements. When I had read Hex Hall I wasn’t overly impressed because it seemed like a story we have heard before but I felt Demonglass did step it up a bit. The story now reads a little like the Evernight Series but Demonglass is a bit different. This story turned up the action by bringing more mystery and of course more romantic tension between Sophie and Archer. I wanted to see more of Cal and in Demonglass the reader does get to see more of his personality but I feel that next to Archer his personality falls flat. I like the dynamic between Sophie and Archer because they have that witty banter that I personally love.

Overall I really did enjoy this story more than Hex Hall. I felt more connected with the characters and I felt Rachel did step up the storyline. There were many twists and turns with an old rival by the former Council leader thrown in. I love Sophie because of her great personality and I mean this book made a pop culture reference to my favorite movie, The Parent Trap, so how could I not like it. I can not believe how this book ended though, we were left in the middle of some major action and I’m already dying for the next book. I want more Sophie, Archer, Jenna, and Cal and I want to find out what happens to this great group of characters, as well as what happens with this all out war that the group is involved in. Overall I would give this book 4.5 Hearts.

Title: Hex Hall

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Publisher:  Hyperion Books for Children

Publication Date: Feb 2011 (paperback edition)

Classification: YA Novel

Challenge: Outdo Yourself

Summary from Barnes and Noble:

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 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.

My Thoughts:

Title: Entice (Need #3)

Author: Carrie Jones

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Publication Date: Dec 2010

Classification: YA Novel

Challenge: Outdo Yourself, A-Z Challenge, YA Series Challenge

Summary from Barnes and Noble: