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calycooper's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Waaaay better than the trilogy!!! Still hoping that there will be more of this 🙏 I can only imagine the banter between Torin and Dex 🥹
cburgbennett's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty witty and mysterious. I feel like there would have to be a sequel to this one because the ending really didn't finish things.
ashfairie's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book! But warning it leaves A LOT of loose strings. I can't wait to find out if this will be a trilogy and when they will come out!!!
fyrekatz's review against another edition
5.0
I love Izzy's attitude and uncertainly going into high school. This series didn't disappoint me. As a fan of Hex Hall to begin with. The story plot was good and wasn't easy to figure out who did what. So that was good. :) I can't wait for another book for this series and find out about the relationship with Izzy and Dex... and what happens to Torin after this book Oo I was so shocked! Yup... lovely book!
reddyrat's review against another edition
4.0
As a huge fan of Rachel Hawkins's Hex Hall series, I leaped at the chance to read School Spirits, the spin-off of her first series. It's another win for Rachel. Reminding me somewhat in both style and plot of Paranormalcy by Kiersten White, School Spirits is the tale of a teenage hunter and destroyer of vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and all things paranormal.
First off, can you read this if you haven't read the Hex Hall series yet? Yes. It is a standalone series. That said, it would make more sense and be more fun if you've read Hex Hall first. Sophie is mentioned numerous times in passing. She's never important for the plot, but it's assumed that the reader knows who she is - kind of like an Easter egg. Similarly, the relevants parts of the paranormal world are fully explained in School Spirits, but it's easier to digest them if you're familiar with the Hex Hall world. All in all, I wouldn't avoid School Spirits if you don't have time to read Hex Hall, but if you can get it it first, that would probably make the book more fun.
Izzy is a different character than Sophie. Izzy has been isolated from the normal world, leaving in the middle of nowhere with her mom and sister and leaving only to hunt paranormal creatures. So she enters the high school realm tentatively, knowing that she's in over her head. Add to that the fact that Izzy believes she's a poor hunter - the thing she's been trained to do her entire life - and contributed to her beloved sister's disappearance and you have a girl with a low self-confidence.
School Spirits has a cutesy sense of humor, much like Paranormalcy. And surprisingly, not that much like Hex Hall. Sophie was always armed with a sarcastic one-liner, even if she was being threatened with impending death. Izzy has a sardonic take on life, but it's more cute and innocent than Sophie. While I miss the laughs from Hex Hall, this is still funny in its own way. Rachel Hawkins is one of the few authors who can write a strong paranormal series with a lot of humor.
There are two boys at the heart of School Spirits, Dex and Torin. Dex is definitely a romantic interest. He's an odd character who dresses and speaks like he's been transported from a Victorian novel. He's sweet, funny, not edgy, and comfortable in his own skin. His background also is one of the great mysteries of the book and it unfolded in a way I didn't expect.
Torin is the other "boy" of the book. The book did not turn into a love triangle. Maybe it will as the series goes on; I'm not sure. Torin is a 400 year old dark warlock who is trapped in a mirror in Izzy's house. He and Izzy have formed an odd relationship, one that is part friendship, part mentorship, part contention, part family. I loved Torin - he has that snarky, biting wit that I love. But I also don't know whether I trust him. I am really curious to see what happens to him in future books.
The ghost hunting plot of School Spirits was interesting in its own way but felt secondary. This first book was really about introducing us to Izzy, Dex, Torin, and the other main characters. And as a lover of character driven stories, I'm fine with that. The plot served to move the book along and it certainly did so. I sped through this book in a single day. It had a comfortable familiar feeling that I didn't want to let go of.
School Spirits is a great introduction to a new series. It stands together and apart with its sister series Hex Hall. The worst part is that I'm going to have to wait a whole year for the next book. Definitely pick this one up!
Rating: 4 / 5
First off, can you read this if you haven't read the Hex Hall series yet? Yes. It is a standalone series. That said, it would make more sense and be more fun if you've read Hex Hall first. Sophie is mentioned numerous times in passing. She's never important for the plot, but it's assumed that the reader knows who she is - kind of like an Easter egg. Similarly, the relevants parts of the paranormal world are fully explained in School Spirits, but it's easier to digest them if you're familiar with the Hex Hall world. All in all, I wouldn't avoid School Spirits if you don't have time to read Hex Hall, but if you can get it it first, that would probably make the book more fun.
Izzy is a different character than Sophie. Izzy has been isolated from the normal world, leaving in the middle of nowhere with her mom and sister and leaving only to hunt paranormal creatures. So she enters the high school realm tentatively, knowing that she's in over her head. Add to that the fact that Izzy believes she's a poor hunter - the thing she's been trained to do her entire life - and contributed to her beloved sister's disappearance and you have a girl with a low self-confidence.
School Spirits has a cutesy sense of humor, much like Paranormalcy. And surprisingly, not that much like Hex Hall. Sophie was always armed with a sarcastic one-liner, even if she was being threatened with impending death. Izzy has a sardonic take on life, but it's more cute and innocent than Sophie. While I miss the laughs from Hex Hall, this is still funny in its own way. Rachel Hawkins is one of the few authors who can write a strong paranormal series with a lot of humor.
There are two boys at the heart of School Spirits, Dex and Torin. Dex is definitely a romantic interest. He's an odd character who dresses and speaks like he's been transported from a Victorian novel. He's sweet, funny, not edgy, and comfortable in his own skin. His background also is one of the great mysteries of the book and it unfolded in a way I didn't expect.
Torin is the other "boy" of the book. The book did not turn into a love triangle. Maybe it will as the series goes on; I'm not sure. Torin is a 400 year old dark warlock who is trapped in a mirror in Izzy's house. He and Izzy have formed an odd relationship, one that is part friendship, part mentorship, part contention, part family. I loved Torin - he has that snarky, biting wit that I love. But I also don't know whether I trust him. I am really curious to see what happens to him in future books.
The ghost hunting plot of School Spirits was interesting in its own way but felt secondary. This first book was really about introducing us to Izzy, Dex, Torin, and the other main characters. And as a lover of character driven stories, I'm fine with that. The plot served to move the book along and it certainly did so. I sped through this book in a single day. It had a comfortable familiar feeling that I didn't want to let go of.
School Spirits is a great introduction to a new series. It stands together and apart with its sister series Hex Hall. The worst part is that I'm going to have to wait a whole year for the next book. Definitely pick this one up!
Rating: 4 / 5
darebeartm's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
rosefairy27's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
bmg20's review against another edition
4.0
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
A copy of School Spirits was provided to me by Disney-Hyperion/Netgalley for review purposes.
Izzy Brannick comes from a long line of monster hunters. Her family hunts them all for the Prodigium, the council that governs them all. The council that her cousin Sophie Mercer is in charge of. Izzy hasn't been the same since her sister went missing on a job both of them were supposed to be working on. She blames herself since she was supposed to be with her but ended up letting her go off by herself. Add to that, she just screwed up her last solo job and her mom has given her a lame assignment. It involves a ghost. And a high school. Which she has to personally attend.
I was a bit undecided when I heard about this spin-off series but when I got my hands on it my love of Hex Hall that had lay dormant sudden came alive again and I had to read this immediately. And in a single day. Hex Hall fans will love this spin-off, I have no doubt.
Izzy is such a charming yet completely clueless girl when it comes to the normal lives of teenagers. She considers black a satisfactory color for her entire wardrobe and she lacks any sort of social skills considering she's never been social and has never attended public school. So when she finds out she's going to have to actually attend a high school in order to get the necessary information to bring down the ghost that's currently haunting its halls, she's at a loss on how to acclimate. She buys all the teen magazines and the goofy teen TV shows in order to 'understand' more and... suffice it to say, it's hilarious.
Despite her lack of social skills, there still manages to be a completely adorable romance. Izzy and Dex are hilarious and awkward and it was completely endearing. It totally gave the warm fuzzies, I only wish it had gone on for more pages (this was an extremely quick read!) but fortunately this is the first in a new series so I look forward to seeing more Dex and Izzy time. Dex was definitely my favorite character with his peppy one-liners, but there were tons of characters to love in these pages. Torin, the 400-year old warlock currently trapped in Izzy's bedroom mirror, was a runner-up favorite.
Despite my gushing, I wasn't completely content with the ending. It wasn't so off-putting that I won't be continuing this series, but it'll be interesting to see where the story leads.
School Spirits is a delightful paranormal series with an unforgettable set of characters. Fun and full of witty banter, this is the perfect read for anyone looking for some quick mystical entertainment.
A copy of School Spirits was provided to me by Disney-Hyperion/Netgalley for review purposes.
Izzy Brannick comes from a long line of monster hunters. Her family hunts them all for the Prodigium, the council that governs them all. The council that her cousin Sophie Mercer is in charge of. Izzy hasn't been the same since her sister went missing on a job both of them were supposed to be working on. She blames herself since she was supposed to be with her but ended up letting her go off by herself. Add to that, she just screwed up her last solo job and her mom has given her a lame assignment. It involves a ghost. And a high school. Which she has to personally attend.
I was a bit undecided when I heard about this spin-off series but when I got my hands on it my love of Hex Hall that had lay dormant sudden came alive again and I had to read this immediately. And in a single day. Hex Hall fans will love this spin-off, I have no doubt.
Izzy is such a charming yet completely clueless girl when it comes to the normal lives of teenagers. She considers black a satisfactory color for her entire wardrobe and she lacks any sort of social skills considering she's never been social and has never attended public school. So when she finds out she's going to have to actually attend a high school in order to get the necessary information to bring down the ghost that's currently haunting its halls, she's at a loss on how to acclimate. She buys all the teen magazines and the goofy teen TV shows in order to 'understand' more and... suffice it to say, it's hilarious.
Despite her lack of social skills, there still manages to be a completely adorable romance. Izzy and Dex are hilarious and awkward and it was completely endearing. It totally gave the warm fuzzies, I only wish it had gone on for more pages (this was an extremely quick read!) but fortunately this is the first in a new series so I look forward to seeing more Dex and Izzy time. Dex was definitely my favorite character with his peppy one-liners, but there were tons of characters to love in these pages. Torin, the 400-year old warlock currently trapped in Izzy's bedroom mirror, was a runner-up favorite.
Despite my gushing, I wasn't completely content with the ending. It wasn't so off-putting that I won't be continuing this series, but it'll be interesting to see where the story leads.
School Spirits is a delightful paranormal series with an unforgettable set of characters. Fun and full of witty banter, this is the perfect read for anyone looking for some quick mystical entertainment.
noolna's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Exactly what I needed - lite fantasy and an easy read with likable characters.
paigeypng's review against another edition
5.0
I love Rachel Hawkins! I loved the Hex Hall trilogy, so I knew I wanted to read this. I think it was a cute idea for her to do a spin-off. I thought that when Izzy was having problems with the ghost, she was gonna call in Sophie, cause she's like a necromancer or something. I liked this book though! Is there going to be a second one?