The second Hex Hall novel follows young demon Sophie Mercer to a huge, gorgeous English country estate with her powerful warlock father, where she can learn more about her heritage and decide whether to go through with her decision to remove her magical powers. Sophie is surrounded by handsome boys: her crush, demon-hunter Archer Cross, and the hunky but taciturn magical healer Cal. Although this second title lacks the plentiful humor of the first, narrator Sophie's delivery is still delightfully brash, and the many action scenes lend a cinematic feel. An abrupt ending sets up readers for at least one more title.

Sophie (Hex Hall) agrees to spend the summer with her demon father, "embracing my demon-ness or whatever." They're staying at the massive Council Headquarters in England, which is also where irresistible nemesis Archer was last spotted. Romantic, funny, and suspenseful, the novel ends on a cliffhanger that will leave readers eager for the next installment.

Sophie Mercer is back, brandishing self-deprecating sarcastic wit while suffering from both a broken heart and a sizable chip on her shoulder after discovering that she is not a witch but an extremely powerful demon. In this follow-up to Hex Hall (2010), Sophie's father, head of the Prodigium Council and also the only other known living demon, whisks her off to Prodigium headquarters in England to help her learn how to control her powers, and—he hopes—change her mind about her wish to have her powers removed. Meanwhile, having witnessed the damage unleashed by uncontrolled magical abilities, Sophie's vampire buddy Jenna is desperate to protect her friends and family by becoming a regular girl. Although everyone at Thorne Abbey is solicitous and welcoming, Sophie can't shake the feeling that something is very wrong. Small wonder: First, someone is raising new demons, ones with unstable powers and a penchant for trouble. Adding to the thrills, Prodigium-haters L'Occhio di Dio are still on the hunt for Sophie, with the apparently evil, but crush-worthy, Archer Cross leading the charge. Soon, the plot twists fold back on themselves, revealing treachery within the Prodigium's upper echelons, Archer's own triple-agent leanings and his love for Sophie. The climax leaves chaos and many strings dangling. Brisk pacing, sparkling romantic chemistry and genuine heartache will satisfy fans and attract new readers to the series. (Fantasy. YA)

Gr 7 Up-If Buffy and Spike had had a love child, she might be Sophie; she's pretty, snarky, kick-butt, and&30;demonic. She has just survived her first year at Hecate Hall, "a.k.a. Juvie for Monsters," and has reluctantly begun to come to terms with her paranormal nature. When her previously absentee father demands her presence at the headquarters of the Prodigium Council, the summer holidays really heat up for Sophie and her blood-sucking best friend, Jenna. Archer Cross, the demon-hunter-in-training on whom she had an ill-advised crush, reappears, seemingly on a mission to destroy her, and her father begins to groom her to be his successor as head of the Council and announces her betrothal to Cal, the 19-year-old groundskeeper of Hecate Hall. It's all just too much for one 16-year-old to deal with. Quick, sarcastic humor spices up the "does he like me or is he just using me to kill my demon father" angst. Girls who like their spooky stuff with a touch of frothy sweetness rather than drunk straight from the vein will find this novel delicious. Recommend Kiersten White's Paranormalcy (HarperTeen) or Brenna Yavanoff's The Replacement (Penguin, both 2010) for those looking for slightly darker selections. Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK

Last year, Sophie Mercer was sent to Hecate Hall, a place for troubled and troublesome young Prodigium (or magical beings), in hopes that she could get control of her powers before someone got hurt, including herself. Hex Hall also turned out to be the place where the L’Occhio di Dio, aka The Eye, was literally able to take a stab at killing her. Summer vacation is going to be different. Sophie is headed for England where she is going to be living under the protective guardianship of the Prodigium’s Head of the Council, a gentleman who happens to be a powerful demon and who also happens to be the father she had never met. Bringing her best friend, Jenna, and her betrothed, Cal, Sophie is feeling optimistic about getting to know her dad, learning how to use her powers, and maybe running into her forbidden crush, Archer Cross, fellow Hex Hall student and perpetrator of the attempted stabbing. Or maybe a complicated and dangerous situation is about to spiral out of control? Sophie’s well-crafted banter, her conflicted feelings over the two stellar boys claiming her attention, and her struggles to understand the history, politics, and social maneuvering of the magical world, merge into one engaging, entertaining story. Once readers turn the first page, it is nearly impossible to put the book down because they will be looking for the next “swoony” feeling or because they will be desperate to know what happens next or because it just cannot end that way.  This reader is now firmly planted on the edge of her seat, waiting for the third Hex Hall book.—Stacey Hayman.