Review: Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Title: Hex Hall 

Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH
Publishing Date: March 2nd, 2010

Pages: 323
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy

Series:  Hex Hall #1
Source:  Audio

 

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 tag-along ghost, and a new roommate who happens to be the most hated person and only vampire student 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.

 
This book has been on my TBR for a very long time and I just never did get to it. This is the one that won for series to start in May. I really liked this book. I was hesitant. I know that YA has come a long way since 2010 and I was worried this would have many of the cliche markers of the YA from that time. It did not and I really did enjoy the story and the characters. 

Sophie Mercer is a witch. She loves to do magic but she makes mistakes when it comes to big spells.She attempts one at a school dance, screws it up big time, and finds herself being shipped off to a school full of magic beings... shifters, witches, faeries, oh my. Oh and there is one vampire... yes one, that is it. So now she has lost her friends, her life, and she is forced into a completely new school. But this isn't the worst part. The worst part is that people are being attacked and killed.... and her room-mate, the vampire, is being blamed. Sophie needs to not only learn to adapt but now needs to find out who is doing this and also stay alive. 

I liked so many things in this book. I loved the school setting. I have a weakness for boarding school books.... especially when its a magical or fantastical boarding school. I loved that there were witches, faeries, and shape-shifters at this school. So many fun magical creatures. 

The characters were great too. I felt they were well developed and multi- layered. I enjoyed getting to know each of them.... even the crazy and evil ones. Which none are truly evil or crazy... okay maybe crazy. 

Sophie is a great character. She is flawed but I liked her. She is loyal to her friends. Loyalty is one of the best traits. She is a little naive... but not at her own fault. She has been kept in the dark about everything except the fact she is a witch. All the details of witchery... like the fact the world is full of them... and the fact that other magical creatures exist.... clueless, she was kept in the dark her entire life. 

The story is good. I liked that there was a murder mystery. A little bit of a cozy mystery feel, a little bit of a paranormal feel. It had so much good stuff. I figured out who was the culprit early on but I wasn't quite sure why or how. So there was definitely enough there to keep me reading. 

The story is fast paced, well done, and just funtastical! 

Can't wait to read book two!

Rachel Hawkins was born in Virginia and raised in Alabama. This means she uses words like "y'all" and "fixin'" a lot, and considers anything under 60 degrees to be borderline Arctic. Before deciding to write books about kissing and fire (and sometimes kissing while on fire), Rachel taught high school English for 3 years, and is still capable of teaching you The Canterbury Tales if you're into that kind of thing.

She is married to a geologist, which means that they have incredibly strange dinner conversations ("So today at work, I wrote a chapter where killer fog, like, ATE PEOPLE." "Huh. Well, I was chased by an angry reindeer while trying to map parts of Norway." "Um...okay.")

Rachel also has a little boy whose main hobbies are playing video games, running around in circles, and plotting his Future Intergalactic Take-Over.

When not writing books, Rachel enjoys reading, travelling, and knitting (very terribly.)

Review: The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Title: The Sword of Summer 

Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Books

Publishing Date:  October 6th, 2015

Pages:  491
Genre: YA Modern Fantasy/Mythology

Series: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #1
Source: Book

Goodreads ~ Amazon 

Magnus Chase has seen his share of trouble. Ever since that terrible night two years ago when his mother told him to run, he has lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, staying one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.
One day, Magnus learns that someone else is trying to track him down—his uncle Randolph, a man his mother had always warned him about. When Magnus tries to outmaneuver his uncle, he falls right into his clutches. Randolph starts rambling about Norse history and Magnus's birthright: a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.The more Randolph talks, the more puzzle pieces fall into place. Stories about the gods of Asgard, wolves, and Doomsday bubble up from Magnus's memory. But he doesn't have time to consider it all before a fire giant attacks the city, forcing him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents. . . .
Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die.

Rick Riordan has done it again. He has created a crazy, fun, and adventurous tale involving myths. This time he tackles Norse mythology. If you are not familiar with Rick Riordan he has written many series involving myths. Greek (Percy Jackson & The Olympians and Trials of Apollo), Egypt (Kane Chronicles), and Roman (Heroes of Olympus). So he is no stranger to myths. Each story involves a lot of humor with some myth characters in modern like settings.

This novel involves the story of Magnus Chase (Annabeth's cousin) who is a homeless teen whose life comes to an end as he defeats Surt. And I do mean a literal end as he dies at the beginning of the story. That was a quick novel, right! Well lucky for us this is only the beginning of the story as Magnus is carried to Valhalla by the Valykrie Samirah al-Abbas, aka Sam. Sam is also perchance Loki's daughter. So Magnus is not sure of her true intentions in choosing him as an Einherji. To be an Einherji one must die a heroic death with a sword in hand, and the bravery must be unplanned- a heroic response to a crisis. And when reviewing Magnus tape of his death many don't think he belongs. So Sam gets kicked out of the Valkyries.

Magnus knows he must get the Sword of Summer and keep it from causing Rhagnarok. If you seen the latest Thor movie you already know what that is. If you haven't it's basically the apocalypse. Magnus with his friends Hearth and Blitz, a hearing impaired elf and a dwarf, embark on a quest to keep the world safe. Along the way they run into Thor who is funnier and crazier than the movie versions of him. And they have to stay alive. There are many funny and crazy moments with these characters. 

Here is a snippet of words spoken between Hearth, the hearing impaired elf, and Jack, the sword of Summer.

"Hearth signed, 'is it talking? I don't read sword lips.'"

'what is he saying?' Jack asked. 'I don't read elf hands."

Yeah, pretty much classic Riordan humor. Highly recommend reading this book if you like myths, humor, or just a fun adventure.

~~About the Author~~  

Rick Riordan is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over twenty novels for young readers, including the Percy Jackson series, the Kane Chronicles, the Magnus Chase series and the Trials of Apollo. He is also the author of the multi-award-winning Tres Navarre mystery series for adults.

For fifteen years, Rick taught English and history at public and private middle schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Texas. While teaching in San Antonio, Saint Mary’s Hall honored him with the school’s first Master Teacher Award.

While teaching full time, Riordan began writing mystery novels for grownups. His Tres Navarre series went on to win the top three national awards in the mystery genre – the Edgar, the Anthony and the Shamus. Riordan turned to children’s fiction when he started The Lightning Thief as a bedtime story for his oldest son.

Today, eighty-six million copies of his books are in print in the United States, and rights have been sold into more than 37 countries.

Rick Riordan now writes full-time. He lives in Boston with his wife and two sons.

Review: Olympian Challenger by Astrid Arditi

Title: Olympian Challenger 

Author:  Astrid Arditi
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC 

Publishing Date:  July 3rd, 2018

Pages: 348
Genre: YA Modern Fantasy/Mythology

Series:  Olympian Challenger #1
Source:  Audio

 

A hero’s tournament. A defiant contender. Does one girl have the courage to take on Mount Olympus?
Hope’s world doesn’t have room for heroes. She barely has time for schoolwork, swim team, and taking care of her ailing mother. But when she’s invited to a mysterious tournament, the all-powerful hosts won’t take no for an answer.
Transported to Mount Olympus, Hope comes face to face with her new trainers—the pantheon of Greek gods. While other contenders train hard to gain a fighting edge, Hope searches for a way out. Instead, she finds a gorgeous shadow god who may just convince her to stay…
As each round unfolds, the ultimate prize draws closer—the granting of her heart’s deepest desire. If she survives the final challenge, her mother’s cure would be within reach…but only if Hope can ignore the tournament’s dark purpose.

I found this book on Netgalley and thought it sounded like a good read so I grabbed it up. I haven't read a book on mythology in a very long time and I really did like the sound of this one.  It was a good story, clever, adventurous. It had a lot in it and I thought it was well written. I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped but I think it was more my mind wasn't in the right mood. I was having issues with so many books at this time. I was in a bit of a slump. So I think I would have enjoyed it more another time but even with my mind somewhere else, I still thought the book was really good and I do want to read more. 

Hope is a teenager with a lot going on in her life. Trying to get through school and taking care of her sick mother. Her days are busy and her life is full. She just wants to get through the day she is in. Everything changes when she receives a mysterious invitation. She planned on ignoring this invitation but an accident happened and she ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. She now finds herself among the gods. She is told she is a descendant and they are looking for the next hero. There is a series of tests, and lessons to learn, and new friends and enemies. The only thing Hope wants to do is get back home to her sick mother. What she gets is a new outlook on her world. 

There were many things I did like about this book. I liked the main character, I liked the plot, I really enjoyed the tests. It was written well and it was really different than anything I have read in YA in quite a while. It wasn't completely unique, there are many similar stories out there, but I haven't read one in a while and it does have it's own set of differences that set it apart from the others. 

The main character was a breath of fresh air. She did have her issues and a couple of times she was a bit irritating. She was a very loyal daughter and friends. She has a very honest and innocent and caring heart. She wanted what was best for others, never herself. Sometimes her selflessness got in the way of the bigger picture. I never thought I would say this, but it's so true. Her biggest fault was she couldn't see past the obvious. She had a one track mind and it was hard for anyone to get her to take off her blinders. Other than that I really liked her. She was just good. Sometimes I need to read a book where the main character is just good. 

There were other really fun characters too. The book was full of good and bad and in between. There were so many fighting to be that last standing hero so they can get their prize. They weren't all good either. It seemed the gods didn't know what to look for in future heroes. It was fun to see though how each one ended up on Mt. Olympus and which god brought them in. 

The story was full of relationships, family, and friendship. Relationships was definitely a focal point of the story and watching the relationships form and the characters bond, well I just love this kind of thing. 

The tests were really fun too. Sometimes I felt they did get a little confusing, but again focus issues. They were interesting though and a fun way to work through the story. They were creative and they were very relative to the story. I really enjoyed this part of the story. 

I think the main issue I had with the book was the pacing. I think this wouldn't have been such a thing if my mind wasn't having issues focusing at the time, but it was. 

Really good read with a good story and great characters. 

Astrid Arditi has studied at Hogwarts, ridden a dragon, swam with mermaids and flown to the moon. Recently, she traveled to Mount Olympus…
She leads a double life: one of words and whimsy; the other one chasing her two young kids around the playground and kissing away booboos.
She’s a spy, a princess, a unicorn, a wife, a mother and an author. Life is never dull in her messy home in Brooklyn, or in her dreams where she escapes as often as she can.
She writes from experience, of course. You may not believe it, but everything in her books has actually happened to her…even if only in her imagination.

Review: Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep

Title: Cold Burn of Magic 

Author:  Jennifer Estep
Publisher: Kensington 

Publishing Date: April 28th 2015

Pages: 323
Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy/Urban Fantasy

Series: Black Blade #1
Source: Audio

 

There Be Monsters Here. . .

It's not as great as you'd think, living in a tourist town that's known as "the most magical place in America." Same boring high school, just twice as many monsters under the bridges and rival Families killing each other for power. 

I try to keep out of it. I've got my mom's bloodiron sword and my slightly illegal home in the basement of the municipal library. And a couple of Talents I try to keep quiet, including very light fingers and a way with a lock pick. 

But then some nasty characters bring their Family feud into my friend's pawn shop, and I have to make a call--get involved, or watch a cute guy die because I didn't. I guess I made the wrong choice, because now I'm stuck putting everything on the line for Devon Sinclair. My mom was murdered because of the Families, and it looks like I'm going to end up just like her. . . 

I will admit..this was a book that wasn't on my radar at first. Not at all. I saw it a couple times on netgalley... didn't feel the need to grab it. Saw it on Audible.... no desire. Then I saw some reviews and I thought okay maybe this is a book I should give a try. So I did. I was quite surprised by how much I loved this book. I loved the characters, the setting, the story. It was all just amazing. 

There is this town. In this town magic exits, and monsters too. There are a few special elite people that have magic in them and they keep the monsters at bay.. sort of. These magic people are part of two families. Think mobster. They fight for power over the town and Lila (who really does all she can to keep invisible and just survive) ends up right in the middle. Not just in the middle. She has to protect one of the family members.Yes and even if it cost her life...which all the other body guards of course ended up dead. So it just sucks for Lila. Except it doesn't totally suck. 

I really enjoyed this read. I loved the narrator. She did a wonderful job on the characters. Especially Lila. I really felt her character come alive. It didn't take me long to be immersed into this world and completely invested in the story. 

The world that this was set in just grabbed me. It was creative without being too fantastical. It was set now days I believe. Or at least it felt that way to me. All that was really different was the town and the belief in magic. It really existed and all kinds of magical creatures and monsters lived in this little town run by magical mobster families. It was pretty great. The setting added so much when combined with the tone of the story. It was a different world but not. Just like reading any other mobster story... it felt like I lived in my world but differently. 

The characters were so much fun. I liked them all. The good and the bad. I loved and hated both. Lila was a strong character. She was full of life but very snarky and spiteful about it. She had revenge and survival on the brain but didn't do it in on the quietly....even though that was the plan. Trouble seemed to have found her no matter what. 

Devon was a pretty cool character too. He brought sensitivity and realism to the family. He brought kindness and fierceness to the story. He stole my heart from the beginning. He was a good friend, a great fighter, and his own person. As much as he was allowed anyways. 

One of the best characters for me was a very minor character but I so totally loved him. He was a little brownie dude that lived in the house of a family. He was a redneck brownie. He was a loud mouth, very opinionated, and had a huge heart he tried to hide behind his bigger attitude. Loved him so much. 

The story was just so well done. I don't think I have read anything like it all and I a very satisfied reader. I can't wait to start the second book and then wait just a bit for the third. I think I may just become a Jennifer Estep fan. 

Absolute gem I almost missed out on. Read it! really I dare you. 

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.
VISIT JENNIFER'S WEBSITEExcerpts, free short stories, and more information on Jennifer's books can be found athttp://www.jenniferestep.com. (less)

Review: Chasing Power by Sarah Beth Durst

Title:  Chasing Power

Author: Sarah Beth Durst

Publisher:  Bloomsbury

Publishing Date: October 14th 2014

Pages: 376

Genre: YA Contemporary Fantasy

Series:  Stand Alone

Source: Audi

  

Lies, secrets, and magic — three things that define Kayla's life.

Sixteen-year-old Kayla plans to spend her summer hanging out on the beach in Santa Barbara and stealing whatever she wants, whenever she wants it. Born with the ability to move things with her mind — things like credit cards, diamond rings, and buttons on cash registers — she has become a master shoplifter. She steals to build up a safety net, enough money for her and her mom to be able to flee if her dad finds them again. Well, that, and the thrill of using her secret talents.

But her summer plans change when she's caught stealing by a boy named Daniel — a boy who needs her help and is willing to blackmail her to get it. Daniel has a talent of his own. He can teleport, appearing anywhere in the world in an instant, but he lies as easily as he travels. Together, they embark on a quest to find and steal an ancient incantation, written on three indestructible stones and hidden millennia ago, all to rescue Daniel's kidnapped mother. But Kayla has no idea that this rescue mission will lead back to her own family — and to betrayals that she may not be able to forgive... or survive.

This is the first Sarah Beth Durst novel I have read, I have many on my TBR list but just haven't made my way to them yet. I am so happy I was finally able to mark one as read, and I enjoyed the read through and through. It was a great read. Solid from start to finish. There was magic and myths and powers and chases, thefts and danger and even a bit of romance. I enjoyed the fantasy and the contemporary side. I enjoyed all the relationships and all the characters. It was wonderful. 

Kayla and her mother have been on the run and in hiding for years, from Kayla's father. Who is said to be a bit of a psychopath. Kayla is magical, she has a power that enables her to move things with her mind. Kayla's mother, Moonbeam, is a witch of sorts. Like Charmed witch not like Sabina the Teenage Witch Witch. Kayla takes care of Moonbeam, so she thinks, She makes sure she eats pays the bills, stays sane. That sort of thing. Kayla earns money by stealing while using her telekinesis. Kayla has a best friend named Selena who is normal but awesome. Kayla meets Daniel, is blackmailed by Daniel because he needs to save his kidnapped mother. Daniel can teleport. This is what takes Daniel and Kayla on an adventure across the world looking for clues to find three special stones that cannot be brought together, if so bad things will happen.

I liked the book. I really liked the book. I didn't expect a fantasy, the cover and the book scream sci fi, maybe even dystopian but no its not. It fantasy. There are artifact, jewels, witches, myths, magic, all this and more. Its is a book of awesome though. It was full of adventure and mystery. Almost had an Indiana Jones feel or a Romancing the Stone feel., Maybe somewhere in between feel. It was good. I loved the story, the adventure, the tiny bit of romance, the magic, the powers, and oh the characters. I loved all the characters. This was a book mix between a character driven and story driven book. 

Kayla was a pretty cool character. For the most part she had her head on straight. Well at least when it came to paying the bill and taking care of her mother. She was a bit of a thrill seeker so when it came to jumping across the world with Daniel she didn't hesitate too much. yes she pulled it off by saying she was being blackmailed and then by wanting to save Daniel's mother, but I think she just wanted an adventure. She was smart, fast thinking, kind of a bit too much of a risk taker, but a fresh breath of air when it comes to female leads. 

Daniel was  a bit annoying at times but by the end I liked him. He started of selfish and kind of dumb when it came to putting things together, but he came out okay. He did just want to save his mother. He loved her very much and really wanted her approval all his life. Which he never seem to have. He had a connection with Kayla with the  mind power and I think he was just what she was looking for and vise versa. They made a great team. 

There was romance. I liked the romance. It was not the center of the story but it was evident. It started off as hate, I mean Daniel blackmails Kayla so Kayla is not happy with him to say the least. It goes from hate to partners, to friends, to romance. I liked it. Lots of chemistry. It was good!

One more character I would like to mention is Kayla's best friend Selena. She was a nut and I absolutely adored her. She was my favorite. She was spunky and witty and just fun. 

The story moved and a very fast pace and it was full of mystery. I really didn't figure anything out until right before it was revealed. Somethings I never saw coming and somethings I was way of base. So it was great with the mystery. It was great with the adventure too. It was exciting, never slow never boring. 

It did focus around the adventure and the mystery but it also focused around relationships and trust and lies and betrayals. I love those things in my reads. I was very satisfied. Also it is a stand alone and ends great, complete, and it had closure. A few things aggravated me about Kayla's choices or how stupid the adult seemed to be but in the end I liked it very much

I really enjoyed and it look forward to reading more by this author. 

 

Sarah Beth Durst is the author of nine fantasy novels for children, teens, and adults, including Conjured, Vessel, and Ice. Her most recent YA novel, Chasing Power, came out in October 2014 from Bloomsbury, and her most recent book for adults, The Lost, came out in June 2014 from Harlequin/Mira. She was awarded the 2013 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature and has been a finalist for SFWA's Andre Norton Award three times. She is a graduate of Princeton University, where she spent four years studying English, writing about dragons, and wondering what the campus gargoyles would say if they could talk. Sarah lives in Stony Brook, New York, with her husband and children. For more information, visit her at www.sarahbethdurst.com.