Hex Hall Series: Book 1 and 2 by Rachel Hawkins

Before I read this series, I was pretty much turned off the whole paranormal romance thing, because there are just too many of them, and the monotony is killing me. It's rare that you're find a normal normal YA romance novel these days. But it's not just that. That's not the reason why I'm turned off of the genre. It's mainly because they're all the same. The same mythical creatures, the same story formulas. 


But, this one was different, which is why I absolutely loved it. So many twists and turns. It just really kept me guessing. 


The only thing I didn't like was it's blatant similarities to the Evernight Series. And don't tell me that you've read both series and didn't notice! Think about it: girl goes to school designed to train and help [insert mythical creature here] control their powers, girl meets boy at the aforementioned school, girl and boy fall in love/like, girl discovers that boy is actually a member of a secret organization devoted to hunting and killing [insert mythical creature here], boy flees school, girl is forbidden to see boy, boy and girl can't stay away from each other and end up sneaking out to see each other, girl and boy are discovered by [insert name of third (male) member of love triangle here] but he is so in love with girl that he agrees to keep their secret.


So, as you can see, the Hex Hall series had quite a few similarities. But, hex Hall is also very different from Evernight. The Demon/Witch thing was the biggest difference, and while I'm usually opposed to books that contain demonic characters (lie), it was one of the main reasons I loved this series so much. I seriously cannot wait for book three. Demon Glass left on on sort of a cliffhanger. And, it has me really confused on who Sophie should choose. It's like an Edward vs. Jacob thing, except it's Archer vs. Cal. She loves Archer more, but Cal is better for her. Why? Well, let's see here: he's noble, smart, sexy..... But then again, isn't Archer all of those things, too. Well, Cal has something that Archer doesn't--or, more accurately, Archer is something that Cal is not: he's a member of The Eye. 

Books You Should So Totally Read...

*For Mature Audiences* 1. Protective Custody by Wynter Daniels

2. Flyaway by Helen Landalf

*For Mature Audiences* 3. Tell Me More by Janet Mullany

4. Legacy by Cayla Kluver

5. Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

*For Mature Audiences* 6. Collide by Megan Hart

*For Mature Audiences* 7. The Man She Loves to Hate by Kelly Hunter

8. Divergent by Veronica Roth

9. The False Princess by Ellis O'neal

10. A Countess Below Stairs by Eva Ibbotson

*For Mature Audiences* 11. The Countess Takes A Lover by Bonnie Dee

Heist Society by Ally Carter

"When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her to the Louvre...to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria...to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving "the life" for a normal life proves harder than she'd expected.

Soon, Kat's friend and former co-conspirator, Hale, appears out of nowhere to bring her back into the world she tried so hard to escape. But he has good reason: a powerful mobster's art collection has been stolen, and he wants it returned. Only a master thief could have pulled this job, and Kat’s father isn’t just on the suspect list, he is the list. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help.

For Kat there is only one solution: track down the paintings and steal them back. So what if it’s a spectacularly impossible job? She’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully just enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s (very crooked) history—and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way."

I have to say that this book was not at all what I expected....well okay, maybe it was a little bit like I expected. But, it really surprised me. Now before I elaborate, let me just say that I was reluctant to read this book. Why? Well it may have had something to do with the fact that I was kind of angry at Ally Carter for abandoning Gallagher Girls (not literally) and starting a whole new series. And not to mention that the last book left us on a serious cliffhanger! But, I'm not here to talk about Gallagher Girls, I'm here to talk about Heist Society, so where was I? Oh yes, my reluctance to read it? Another reason I didn't want to read it was because a few of my friends had already read it and had told me that it was seriously lacking in the romance department...and we all know that I don't read anything that does not contain romance willingly. But, I decided to give it a try anyway,  since it was Ally Carter (whom I adore).

And what do ya' know? My friends were wrong! Which is why it surprised me.  While there wasn't really any of that kissing-I love you, and we're so meant to be together-going out on dates-stuff, there was quite a bit of that will they-or won't they-stuff. Between Hale and Kat, that is. And, there was a mini love triangle (for like a millisecond), but we won't get into that. 

What I loved about this book was not just the romance, but also the action, the adventure, the mystery, the heist. I felt like I was watching a movie while reading this. The characters were awesome and I fell in love with Hale not just once, but twice! Heist Society was brilliantly written and I know Ally Carter must have done loads of research...either that or she herself is secretly a part of a heist society...but I'm pretty sure it's the former. The way she told the story  is what really just kept me going, kept me wanting more.  I'm not usually a fan of stories told in the third person (which I will elaborate on at a later date), but I absolutely loved this one.  

I cannot wait for the Book  2, Uncommon Criminals, to come out (hopefully I can find an ARC or Galley before then). Ally Carter really outdid herself this time. This one deserves five stars.