School Spirits

I'll be honest, I had no frackin' idea what to expect going into this book. I really enjoyed Hawkins's Hex Hall series. Though the Brannicks actually made an appearance in Spell Bound, they didn't make an enormous one. Still, I got good vibes from Izzy, so I was incredibly curious what it would be like to see the world from her eyes. I really loved it. School Spirits has an entirely different feel than Hawkins's other series. It stands on its own, that's fasho! The best way I can think to describe this book is as an adventure. It was a quick read, and a lot of fun!

Protagonist:
Like I said, I was getting good vibes off of Izzy in Spell Bound, and, about two years later (in book time--in reality...a day later), I get to delve into her head and discover that my vibes were right on! Izzy is great. She's determined, persistent, and sort of socially awkward. It was certainly entertaining to watch a girl used to battling monsters be thrown in to high school, totally clueless how to go about it. I mean, she totally breaks a guy's nose on her first day.

Friendships:
Despite that awkwardness, she makes friends right away. Anderson, Dex, and Romy are characters to love. They are the "outcasts" in their school. They started a ghost hunting club (named PMS), they don't dress like the others in high school, and people are rude to them. But they are so cool! They're supportive of one another, have hilarious banter, and they just don't give a crap what others think. Izzy may have befriended them for reasons that weren't entirely genuine, but she quickly cares about them and stands eagerly by their sides. The whole dynamic of their group is worthy of countless cheesy grins.

I've read in some reviews that people think it's a little unrealistic that Izzy moves to a new school and makes friends so quickly and captures the attention of one of the "popular" kids. I disagree. As a girl who has had her fair share of being the new kid, I know that it's not too hard to make friends the first day--especially if one is pretty, and especially if one immediately talks to the "outcasts."

Romance:
There were a few potential romantic interests, but the romance was definitely more of a sub-plot than anything. It did not overwhelm the main story line or action. First there is Adam, who turns out to be a douchenozzle, which is okay because that makes room for Dex. Like, on the real here people, Dex is one of my fave YA boys. He's such an asthmatic goober! He's so funny. No joke, I highlighted my favorite quotes in the e-reader, and the majority were from him:
Satisfied, Dex went back to the salt. After a while, he moved to the foot of the grave, pouring it there.

"This is fun," he said. "Weird and disturbing and possibly illegal, but still fun."


“This is better than our regular PMS meetings,” Dex said once we had our food. “Those are sadly lacking in fries, I’ve found.” He reached past me for the ketchup. “And desecrating graves is a surprisingly fun bonding activity. I only defile the dead with my closest friends.”


“Bats live in caves,” I reminded him. “And where there are bats, there’s bat poop. Lots of it. Did you know there’s a cave in Mexico where they have a whole mountain made of guano?”
Dex leveled a fake-sultry gaze at me. “Are you coming on to me?”


That is just the itsiest bitsiest fragment of all the quotes I loved. Another thing about Dex: he dresses like a total stud. Someone said he was kind of Magnus-y, and that is pretty spot-on. It's all peacoats and scarves for Dex!

However great Dex is, though, I still would have liked more Torin. Ya know, the man in the mirror. There's definitely something sizzlin' there, but it is not nearly as fleshed out as I would like. I actually like Torin a lot.

Plot:
Okay, so no, this book does not have the most complex, unpredictable, original plot in the world. But who gives a spork? Hawkins is so good at delivering an entertaining read. Who needs something super complex when you have a severely bitchy ghost, a missing sister, and a dark warlock who lives inside a mirror, and a mom who is most definitely hiding something. The pacing is great, of course. It's so easy to just fly through this book.

But here's the thing. This is now a standalone. I think at one point it was supposed to be a series, but that is no longer the case. And it devastates me. No lie. COMPLETELY DEVASTATES. Because I loved this book soooooo much. I was looking forward to more Brannicks, more Torin, more Dex, I was looking forward to more Izzy being awesome. And now, not only do I not get that, but I also do not get to see how some major plot points get resolved. The obvious story was resolved, but what happened to Finley? Will a certain prophecy of Torin's come true? I will never know. It's not like majorly torturous, but I still hate it.

So basically...
Whereas a lot of paranormal books are exhausting nowadays, I thought this book was exciting, entertaining, and certainly a worthy read. I loved the characters and obviously the writing.There is a great big HOWEVER, though. If you think you'd be driven crazy by the loose ends, then this is a serious judgement call. But if you love the Hex Hall series and think you'd be okay with not knowing how every little thing turns out, I recommend this book. To me, it was worth it.

First off, I loved the Hex Hall series. I mean the books were incredible. I just finished Spell Bound the other day *because I was determined to finish it before I read this one*, so that review will probably come next week. Anyways, Ms. Hawkins is delightfully funny with just the right amount of snark to the humor in her books. I adore that quality in her writing. But enough for now. I could ramble on and rave for pages about how much I love the humor in her books.

But on to the book. So School Spirits is a spin-off from the Hex Hall series. *Caution* If you have not read Spell Bound, there is a bit of a spoiler ahead. So when Sophie finds out that her mom is a Brannick, we meet her cousins Izzy and Finley. Well this book focuses on Izzy. In Spell Bound, Izzy sort of had Sophie's sense of humor which we get a taste for in this book. It's nice. *Ok I'm really done now* The story focuses on Izzy and her life as a Brannick. Sadly, Finley has disappeared. I will say that that part of the story is how I know there will have to be another book, or I will cry. The book dives into Izzy's first assignment to conquer on her own *sorta* in the foreign land of high school. I mean seriously. It may as well be another planet for Izzy. There's a serious ghost problem at the school, which should be an easy fix. Of course, magic always tends to complicate things. Plus, Izzy has never had to worry about having friends....

Now though, entering the world of high school, she has to deal with all kinds of things that being trained as a Brannick never trained her for. Like girlfriends, cute boys, kissing, and the sport of dodgeball. Fitting in is not exactly the easiest thing for her. She has a lot to learn.

I really enjoyed getting a deeper look into the Brannick family and getting to know Izzy better. Plus, the book shares more information about Torin, who I found to be incredibly interesting in Spell Bound. Izzy has such an interesting perspective, and seeing her explore the world of high school was pretty interesting. Plus, seeing the world of Prodigium through someone that isn't exactly Prodigium was a nice change. I have to say that Izzy's relationship with her mom was a little sad, and I wasn't entirely thrilled with it most of the time. I mean I get that all relationships aren't super happy and rainbows and unicorns, but I still get sad when I see them like this.

Ok so last but not least, the book's love interest is named Dex. He is adorably goofy with a funny sense of humor that I adored. His word play tends more towards pretentious but in a way I can admire and not want to slap him. He pulls it off well. Izzy and his interactions were one of my favorite parts of the book, but I loved that the romance didn't overwhelm or take over the story. It was just a fun part that was included. The ending was a bit abrupt, but if there is to be another book I think I can try and be content with it.

Who Should Read It: For those of you who loved Hex Hall, I think we all know you are dying to pick up the spin-off. Plus, if you just like a good ghost story and a good dose of snark, why not? *I will say that there is no new book in the series being published probably in the next couple of years. Ms. Hawkins is focusing on her new series Rebel Belles, so it could be a little frustrating with the lack of resolution in the ending*

*Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!*