Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins

Demonglass (Hex Hall #2)
Rachel Hawkins 

March 1st, 2011

368 pages (hardcover)

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Source: Publicist

Summary:

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. 

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

Hawkins weaves her magic once again in Demonglass, which doesn't fail to shine brightly and stand out in comparison to the first novel - if anything, it may be even better than the first book.

Sophie is as hilarious and endearing as ever, even when she's freaking out about her chaotic powers (among other issues in her life). But hey, at least she gets to hang out in London with her best friend Jenna while she waits to make her final decision regarding the Removal. A few new characters make an appearance, although we the reader don't get to know too much about them - except for the fact that they aren't too different from Sophie in certain aspects. Cal's more present in this story too, and I loved that he was around more - he is officially awesome. Besides, who needs Archer when you've got Cal?

But life can't just be easy for Sophie. The Eye is out to get her, at any cost. Not to mention  that she's discovering some very intriguing secrets...and the revelations will shock and surprise.  If you love magic, mysteries, and endings that leave you breathless, get busy on Hex Hall, because you don't want to miss out on Demonglass. After reading Demonglass, I'm tempted to hunt down Hawkins and demand the third book immediately (but then she'd probably call the police...so there goes that plan). 

Highlights: Unlike a good amount of sequels, Demonglass doesn't get caught in a "sequel slump" -- where the book just doesn't compare or live up to the previous novel -- Demonglass had that same spark it's predecessor had, and Sophie is still very much her sassy and humorous self. She doesn't make ridiculously stupid decisions, like some sequel heroines do. The humor is there, the mystery and romance lingering in every chapter...it captured my attention fully and completely, and the ending definitely left me excited for the third novel. Hawkins managed to do something else only a great author can do - she made me care about the characters. By the time I reached the end, I was panicking and worrying for some of them. These characters are just so wonderful, I can't get enough of them. 

Lowlights: But, I won't lie, there were some moments of "come on and get going already" in Demonglass. Not enough to bother me too much, though. 

Rating:  4.5 out of 5

The River by Mary Jane Beaufrand Review

Book: The River 
Author: Mary Jane Beaufrand

Age: YA
Release date: February 10th, 2010
Pages: 224
Source: Publisher
Summary:

Veronica Severance feels cut off from the world. Forced to move from the city to rural Oregon with her parents, she is haunted by loneliness and by the chilling sounds of the Santiam, the river that runs through her backyard.

Through the fog of isolation, Ronnie finds herself becoming close with Karen, a young girl who she babysits. But when she discovers Karen's body on the banks of the Santiam, the victim of a supposed accident, Ronnie feels compelled to uncover the truth.

As she becomes increasingly obsessed with solving Karen's death, Ronnie is led deeper and deeper into the woods surrounding the river and to the dark secret hidden within its midst.

Review: Not what I expected, but still didn't disappoint.

The novel starts off with a few so-and-so chapters that made me almost stop reading, but I pursued in hopes of an intriguing mystery. At times, Ronnie can be a bit frustrating narrator, because I really just wanted her to just open her eyes a bit and stop being so naive. It took awhile to really get to the point where Ronnie began to think that Karen's death was not accidental. Yet, once she starts feeling curious about the circumstances of Karen's death, the pace picks up. The story has some romance weaved into it, but I felt it was an unnecessary plot point (and I found the relationship a bit quick to develop). A few more secrets become a huge factor within the mystery of Karen's death, and I was quite surprised in the end with just how many mysteries were tying together.

The ending made it all worth it, because Beaufrand creates a nice big finish to wrap up all the mysterious loose ends floating about within the story. The River was thrilling, exciting, and had me nervous for quite a few chapters as I anxiously waited to discover the end.

Highlights: About halfway through the novel, the story finally gets interesting. Especially with the ending chapters, when all the suspense finally boils down to the big finish...spectacular and highly creepy. I couldn't tear myself away from all the suspense!

The characters are all pretty unique too, and their personalities seemed to shine. Yet, none of them steal the show away from our narrator, which is a very good thing.

Lowlights: The first chapter had me going "What is this?", as well as the next few. The first chapter seemed useless, and I was surprised when other "family" characters were introduced a few chapters later (I don't really know why, but it took me by surprise that they hadn't been introduced with the parents). Yet, as the story progressed, I started enjoying it more as well as the characters.

I also really wanted more drama, action, mystery...I just wanted the same feel of the middle/ending chapters to be dispersed throughout the entirety of the novel.

Yet, as a whole, The River is suspensful, shocking, and intriguing.

Rating: 

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves Review

Book: Bleeding Violet 
Author: Dia Reeves

Age: Young Adult (I would recommend 14+)

Pages: 464

Source: Around the World Tours

Summary:

Love can be a dangerous thing....

Hanna simply wants to be loved. With a head plagued by hallucinations, a medicine cabinet full of pills, and a closet stuffed with frilly, violet dresses, Hanna's tired of being the outcast, the weird girl, the freak. So she runs away to Portero, Texas in search of a new home.

But Portero is a stranger town than Hanna expects. As she tries to make a place for herself, she discovers dark secrets that would terrify any normal soul. Good thing for Hanna, she's far from normal. As this crazy girl meets an even crazier town, only two things are certain: Anything can happen and no one is safe.

Review: Bleeding Violet was intense, unique, and completely crazy (in the best way possible).

The tagline Crazy never looked so beautiful is definitely right. I've never read a novel quite like Bleeding Violet, and now I want more. Initially, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to connect with Hanna, because let's face it, she's got a few loose screws in her head. Yet, I found her to be a very enjoyable narrator, one who's tough and not afraid to take risks. She's crazy, but she's also sweet at times, and all she really wants is her mother to love her back.

The plot goes from normal, to weird, to insane, to WTF, to completely shocking and surprising. Be prepared for some serious description every now and then about blood, killing, sex (which is done tastefully). Reeves kept me guessing and completely absorbed in the story.

Highlights: The characters in this novel were amazing, as well as the description. I also really enjoyed how imperfect the relationships all were. Each character really seemed to be their own person, and truly unique. I loved how Reeves really took a chance with doing something crazy and something different when it comes to Bleeding Violet.

Lowlights: There were a few moments where I was going "Wait, I don't understand", so I had to back it up a few paragraphs to reread again. Other than that, it was awesome.

Rating:    

Lea

Molly Fyde and the Land of Light by Hugh Howey Review

Book: Molly Fyde and the Land of Light 

Author: Hugh Howey

Age: Young Adult

Pages: 332

Copy Provided by: Author

Summary (from Goodreads):

Molly Fyde has forever dreamed of reconnecting with her mysterious past. Now she's about to meet it in a way she never expected...head-on.

Her father is alive. Her mother's memories are trapped in the very ship that bears her name. On the run from their own Navy, Molly and her crew have been tasked with the impossible:

Rescue her parents. Save the galaxy. End a war.

But first, Molly must help a crew member in need, which means running to the very race she was trained to meet in battle.

Planet Drenard. Homeworld of humanity's sworn enemy. The next stop for the starship Parsona.

Review: Molly Fyde and the Land of Light is a spectacular, captivating, and shocking follow up to The Parsona Rescue.

Howey's debut, Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue was amazing, but Land of Light was even more impressive. The novel starts off with an intriguing prologue, and the first chapter pulled me back into the story with ease. As the pages turn, this novel grips you entirely. With each startling secret or shocking moment, I became more entranced by the story. This is not a series you want to miss. If you love action, adventure, and a dash of romance, then you'll love The Bern Saga.

I'm not going to get into details here, because then I'd be spoiling the novel (and probably a few points in the first one)!

Highlights: Howey's description is fantastic, because he always makes me feel like I'm there, in the moment with the characters. I love how a few footnotes were included with this novel to help the reader's understanding, and I love how Howey took a risk by also giving us a glance into the other characters' minds, which I actually enjoyed.

Land of Light far exceeded my expectations, surpassing the greatness of The Parsona Rescue. Now I am definitely eagerly anticipating the release of the next novel, Molly Fyde and the Blood of Billions!

Lowlights: Hmm...nothing I can really think of. It was amazing. The Bern Saga is a must-read.

My review of the first novel in The Bern Saga:

Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue

Rating: