Spell Bound (Hex Hall #3) by Rachel Hawkins

Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

My Rating: ★★

It’s Sophie’s lucky day. The Prodigium Council has put a spell on her that prevents her from using magic right when she needs them the most. Sad, worn out, and defenseless, Sophie makes her way to the Brannicks so that she can meet up with her mother only to discover a lot more than she bargained for at this unconventional safe haven. You see, they think that Sophie is going to be one powerful and badass demon that will prevent all hell from breaking loose in the budding magical war. The only problem? She’s completely powerless… or is she?

I absolutely love this series, so it’s sad for me to say that this installment was a bit disappointing, especially when compared to the others. I still enjoyed the story; it just wasn’t as good as the others. Sophie’s sarcastic remarks seemed out of place for a good portion of the book because it was laid on a little too thick. I know that it’s how she protects herself while also being her go-to defense when she’s nervous, but it was just a bit too much this time around. She could’ve been a little more serious and thrown around less sarcastic remarks. The term “awesome” kept taking me straight of the story as well for some reason, but it might just be me.

There were some aspects of the story that were a little drawn out when it could’ve been shorter so that the battle to come could’ve been fleshed out more than it was. There were sections that went on for too long while important sections were condensed. I wish that there was more of a focus on the shorter but more important aspects of the story, but I’ll live. I also wish that the love triangle was resolved earlier in the book since it had already run its course by the end of the second installment.

That said, I did enjoy the story. I loved finally meeting the Brannicks and learning about their background as well as seeing some of unlikely characters joining forces for the greater good. It was interesting to see these characters interact with one another and seeing them struggle with their beliefs and what they know is the right thing. This installment also touched on more mythical aspects of the world Sophie lives in, so that was nice to see. The story is resolved by the end, but I do see that there’s one more installment, so I am interested in seeing how that plays out.

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

My Rating: ★★★★

Tristran Thorn lives in Wall, which is a small town where he’s lived his life as the odd one out. He doesn’t mind since it’s all he’s ever known. One day, Tristran works up the nerve to ask the woman of his dreams to marry him. This young lady is not interested in him, but she does jokingly take him up on his offer to marry him if he brings her back the star they watched fall from the sky. It is this moment that sends him on the journey he was destined to take past the stone wall into a land full of magic in wonder. It is here where he discovers himself and falls in love with a fallen star.

I saw the movie adaptation for the first time not long ago. One of my friends told me that it’s based on a book and I knew I had to check it out. I absolutely loved it! It’s rare for me to like a movie adaptation more than the book it’s based on, but the book is just as lovely but somehow just a smidge less magical. That said, the book does contain different magical elements that was fun to read as Tristran traveled. It’s also a little darker than the movie, which is pretty interesting but not surprising since it is a Neil Gaiman story.

I loved following Tristran on his journey and watch him grow as a person. He starts out as a stubborn but caring young man who is blinded by what he desires, which is how he ends up taking off to find a fallen star. By the end, he is a solid man whose eyes have been opened about the world as well as who he is and how his actions can impact others. I also loved Yvaine, the fallen star, who is outspoken, kind, funny, and an all-around delightful character. She’s also different from her movie counterpart because she’s a lot worldlier and is aware of what being knocked out of the sky means.

It was also interesting seeing all the magical creatures and elements once Tristran left Wall. There were magical animals, many different mystical beings, and of course, witches. Tristran himself is a mystical being, so it was fun to see him come into his own and unknowingly embrace parts of himself that he didn’t know existed. All in all, it’s a wonderful book and I highly recommend checking it out.

Poison Study (Poison Study #1) by Maria V. Snyder

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

My Rating: ★★★★★

On the day of her execution, Yelena is offered a second chance at life: she can either become the Commander of Ixia’s food taster and live on borrowed time or get on with the execution as scheduled. After deciding to become a food taster, she undergoes training and quickly discovers that being poisoned by food meant to kill the Commander is the least of her worries. She has powerful enemies with seemingly endless resources and they are hell-bent on making sure she dies. Just when she thinks her plate is full, she becomes aware of her growing magical abilities, which wouldn’t be a problem if it wasn’t an offense punishable by death in Ixia.

I first read this series about a decade ago and I love it now as much as I did back when I first discovered it. The story drew me in as much as it did a back when I first read it and I can honestly say that this book has aged well. Yelena is such a wonderful character with a horrible past that we slowly learn as the story unfolds. She’s a survivor who is quick on her feet, selfless, and fiercely loyal to those who earn her trust. While her decisions don’t always make sense, she usually means well and any negative actions weigh heavily on her mind even if she did what she had to so she can continue to survive.

In addition to Yelena, there’s an array of wonderful characters that I loved seeing again. It was fun to revisit Valek with a new perspective many years after I last read the series. Then there’s the loyal, hilarious, and rambunctious duo, Janco and Ari. I always thought I’d be friends with them if they were real people. There are quite a few characters that I looked forward to seeing again as well, such as Maren, Irys, and Commander Ambrose. It’s lovely how even the minor characters have layers that are peeled away as the story continues. There are so many characters that are truly a delight that I think everyone can find at least one to love.

The way that the magical aspect of this world slowly unfolds is also interesting. At first, we learn why Commander Ambrose outlawed magic. As the story continues, we see signs of magic and encounter magicians on opposite sides of the spectrum. Plus, there are signs that Yelena possesses at least some magic abilities that become increasingly noticeable as time goes on. I look forward to continuing my reread and checking out the newer books in the series that came out some time later.

Sheets by Brenna Thummler

Sheets by Brenna Thummler

My Rating: ★★★★★

I received a copy from Diamond Book Distributors through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Marjorie feels invisible. Since her mom died, she’s been in charge of the family business while her dad is depressed and in seclusion upstairs. At home, she faces an array of customers including a few vicious ones and a man who is trying to sabotage her family’s business. At school, she’s lonely and often the target of a few mean girls. Feeling out of place in life, a ghost named Wendell makes his way into her home. After accidentally causing more harm than good, he quickly becomes close with Marjorie and makes her feel like she’s not alone.

This is such a sweet and heartwarming story about a girl trying to find her place in the world while Marjorie mourns her mother. There’s depression, loneliness, difficulty finding your place in school, being targeted by classmates, and working hard all while not seeing results. These are all realistic things that occur every day, and we watch her and her family go through them as the light finally starts to shine through at the end of the tunnel. Not only does Marjorie befriend ghosts, but the people around her start to show support in their own ways. It’s light enough that it still makes a great story for kids, but heavy enough that it’s meaningful for all age groups who read it.

I love the way the ghost world is presented. All ghosts are sheets and they have a whole world with rules, support meetings, and various activities and jobs that are different but similar to the living world. I also love the way that the world of the living and the dead come together to help and befriend one another. It is such a beautiful story combined with gorgeous artwork that I can see people from all age groups loving it.

The One Hundred Nights of Hero (Early Earth #2) by Isabel Greenberg

The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg

My Rating: ★★★★★

In the Empire of Migdal Bavel, there is a woman named Cherry who lives with her maid and love of her life, Hero. Together, the pair concocts a plan to outwit Cherry’s husband, Jerome, and his friend, Manfred. You see, Jerome has challenged his good friend. If Manfred can seduce Cherry in 100 nights, he can have Jerome’s castle, so Hero distracts him by telling gripping tales each night.

This is such a beautiful book full of tales and women empowering women. Between the artwork and the stories, I was sad whenever I had to put the book down because I just wanted to keep reading. Each story was wonderful and compelling as well as detailing women standing together, sharing stories, and helping each other. Even when these characters stood against each other, it was fun to see the narrator note that she didn’t like telling stories where women were against each other, but it is how the story unfolded. It’s such a compelling book that made me feel like I’ve been inducted into The League of Secret Story Tellers. I don’t want to say too much because I’m afraid I might spoil the story, but know that I’m raving about it.

Demonglass (Hex Hall #2) by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

My Rating: ★★★

Sophie Mercer’s magic always goes haywire, but at least she means well and often uses it to help other people. Imagine her surprise when a magic spell gone wrong at prom leads to her being sent to the magical version of juvie if it was a boarding school. It’s even more surprising when she found out that she’s not a witch like she always thought, but instead a third generation demon. Afraid of hurting others, she decides to go through a ritual that will strip all magic from her very core, which takes her to England with her dad for the summer. Her dad is hell-bent on changing her mind, so he convinces her to agree to think about it so she can learn about what it really means to be a demon. It’s there that she learns the truth about her family, including things not even her father knew, and her world is turned upside down yet again.

I love these books. Is it full of clichés and stereotypes? Yes. Is there a love triangle? Yes. However, that doesn’t stop me from loving them. Hex Hall was such a fun read that I knew I had to continue with the series. If you can look past the clichés, high school stereotypes, and the love triangle, you’ll discover that it’s an entertaining series. The clichés and the love triangle can get old real quick, but I love the characters and the story itself.

Sophie is a teenager who has spent her life constantly moving around with her mom and knowing that people finding out what she was could be bad news. She’s also lonely and uses sarcasm as a shield. Once someone burrows their way into Sophie’s heart, they discover that she’s a secret softy and extremely loyal. Sophie may be naive and make some questionable choices, but she has a heart of gold and is fun to follow. I also enjoy reading about her close friend, Jenna. She’s well written, fun, and can be a voice of reason when Sophie is running amok. I also enjoyed learning more about Cal, Sophie’s father, and the magical world as a whole.

The story itself is extremely entertaining. I found myself having a hard time putting this book down. I loved reading about the magical world as Sophie learned more about it. There are all kinds of different magical beings who pop in and out, which helps flesh out the world that Sophie lives in. This time around, we learn a lot more about demons and why there are so few of them. Plus, Sophie and her friends are hilarious. The banter between them never fails to crack me up. It makes for a perfect light read, and I can’t wait to read the next installment.