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.