Review Detail

Spellbound is the third and final installment in Rachel Hawkins' Hex Hall series, and it definitely establishes love/hate feelings in me. On the love side, the writing is solid, and the snarkiness of the characters creates a fun atmosphere, even in times of danger.

The story picks up where Demonglass left off. We finally learn the fate of Sophie and, eventually, the others after the explosion that rocked Thorn Abbey. One thing that Hawkins does with adept skill is create characters people are invested in. I feel Sophie's pain as she waits for news of her friends and family. In fact, I worried along with her. The characters are richly drawn and entertaining. The addition of the Brannicks and Torin added a new dimension to Sophie's story that deserves to be explored more.

The plot lines were interesting and always kept me guessing. The entire Hex Hall series has a feeling of motion. The pace moves from one situation to the next with little time to take a breath. The story has a few quiet moments that add depth and gravity to the final chapters of the book.

However, there is one negative. Without spoiling anything, one character did not get the ending he deserved, at least in my opinion. As a reader, it is difficult to invest in characters and then feel cheated by their ending. When something major happens to a character, there needs to be some importance for it or reasoning behind it. When that explanation is lacking, it is difficult to accept the character's fate. This was the one thing in the book that didn't work for me.

Overall, Hex Hall is an entertaining series with strong characters and fantastic humor. If you like snarky paranormals with a diverse cast of characters, this series is for you.