Book Review: Hex Bound

By Sandy Amazeen Jan 19, 2011, 17:35 GMT

Lily Parker is new to St. Sophia\'s School for Girls, but she\'s already learned that magic can be your best friend-or your worst enemy. That\'s why Lily has to learn how to control her newly discovered paranormal abilities while fighting the good fight with her best friend Scout as they take on Chicago\'s nastiest nightlife-including the tainted magic users known as Reapers... ...more

Lily is coming to terms with her parents dumping her at Chicago’s St. Sophia’s School for Girls while they trotted off to Europe on sabbatical and beginning to wonder about what exactly they are doing that is so secret in book two of the Dark Elite series. At the same time, she is adjusting to being an Adept with the ability to use Firespell magic in an ongoing battle with Reapers and some seriously nasty creatures no one has seen before. Accompanied by her roommate and BFF Scout, Lily works to dodge the cruel games of the ubercool clique known as the brat pack while fighting the forces of darkness beneath the city streets. It is difficult balancing schoolwork with being a warrior at night but as magic is best wielded by those teens gifted with the ability, Lily along with her werewolf boyfriend, Scout and others must do what they can while maintaining the appearance of being normal amidst rising paranormal politics and power plays.

Neill continues building her urban fantasy geared toward tweens and teens featuring a slightly different take on magic with characters known as Reapers, magic users who failed to surrender their power when the time came, choosing to feed on the magic of others. Of course there are bad boys who are good and vice-versa in this fairly standard offering that will appeal to fans of series like the Blood Coven but lacks the bite of the Morganville Vampires.