Jenn's Review: Demonglass

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?  ~product summary

Review:  I liked Hex Hall... but I loved Demonglass.  It almost makes me wish I hadn't waited so long to read it... almost.  (Demonglass has a huge cliff hanger of an ending, so it's a good thing that I held onto it for so long because I'll be able to jump right into Spell Bound shortly.)

There is so much more to the story this time around with so much more happening.  Having 'gone to classes with Harry Potter', I was a little disappointed with the fact that we never spent much time in Sophie's classes in Hex Hall.  Now that Rachel Hawkins has brought this part of the story out of the confines of the school, the possibilities are boundless and I think she does a wonderful job of running with it.  Not only do we get to explore the characters a little better, but we get a whole slew of new ones that are just as fascinating.

In Demonglass Sophie is quickly discovering that nothing is as black and white as it seems.  No side is ever completely right... and perhaps being a demon isn't so horrible.  Though learning this may complicate her life, it forces her to grow, absorb, and adapt.  Although Sophie continues to stubbornly ignore everyones advice and warnings, I had an easier time accepting her decisions this time, because they are informed.  Even if she is going against the grain, at least she is thinking with her heart... and trying to find answers.  I think it's high time her father had a hand in her upbringing... he should have been tutoring her all along, but better late than never, I suppose.  Sophie has at least learned her lesson about keeping secrets, well, for the most part anyway.  As for the men in her life, I've never quite understood her attraction to Archer, but I think Cal just gets more interesting.

...And all this is done with Rachel Hawkins wit and dry humor to boot.  (I love Sophie's snarky little comments!) I will be reading Spell Bound soon, because I need to know the resolution to this marvelous series.

Final Take:  4.5/5