{Review} HEX: Saxton Academy Series by Mackenzie McGuire

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: June 20th, 2015
Finished Date: August 17th, 2015

Publishers: Self Published
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance
Source: For Review
Format: eBook

Pages: 201
Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

I’m Reece.
A month ago I died along with my two best friends in a car crash. Obviously, my death didn't last long.
Since then, I hear voices and the nightmares – don’t even get me started.
I just wanted to be normal. That meant leaving my lux L.A. life for the gothic, and icy, Saxton Academy in the mountains of Vermont. Away from the tabloids, I had a plan to get my life together. But that just isn't possible.
Thanks to hotties Eli McKinnon and Carden McDowell I discovered my life is a lie. They want to help me reach my potential.
I just want to be a regular girl.
But darkness is coming, and if I want to stay alive, I may not have a choice.

The Review: HEX is the first book in the Saxton Academy Series and we have something a little spooky on our hands.

Reece was an interesting character from the start; having survived a car crash that killed her two best friends Reece had survivors’ guilt and believed that she should have died too. She has started hearing voices and having nightmares, her mental health is taking a battering so when it’s suggested that she start afresh at an exclusive boarding school –she goes along with it, thinking it’s probably for the best.

When she arrives at Saxton Academy she gets off to a bumpy start but can’t help feel drawn to a couple of young men who also attend the school – Eli & Carden – they have a couple of secrets up their sleeves and have some startling revelations for Reece. Reece however wants nothing to do with what they’re up to, she wants to study and just be normal…. But life has other plans especially when the target is placed on her.

Hex was a good read, it had a good premise and plenty of spooky goings on to keep me interested, as I mentioned; Reece was a likable character that you can connect to straight away. Her circumstances were sad and you really felt the emotion of what she had been through and what was going on in her head, it was very believable of someone in her situation.

The other characters were good too – Eli, Carden and Tuesday – but could have done with a bit more depth to them, Reece definitely stole the show in that department. I mentioned that she feels connected to the boys, like they’re meant to be in her life and one turns into a romantic connection of the instalove variety and whilst that was okay, I’m always left wanting more from the relationship. I definitely would have liked more sexual tension and interaction between them before they take the plunge.

I liked the premise I always like the witch angle and find it’s really underused now, I love to read about the rituals and how they do them, I love the incantations and how they use ingredients etc. All great stuff! I also like what Reece brought to table and that by completing the three she can amplify all of their powers giving the feeling that this triangle will be something special. It was very much a getting to know you and your world first book that was filled with more mystery than anything else but that always held my attention and I was really curious about what was happening. I liked how her friends tried to make contact, the magic that surrounds her and her new friends and how they used it. I felt the danger was very understated until right near the end and with the exception of a couple of scares - it was over before it had begun. I also didn’t really get a good feel for the enemy, who was it exactly, why are they choosing her, what is the goal? Because the motive we did get, seemed a bit lame but never the less, I would read a sequel.

3.5 Stars!

Thank you to Mackenzie McGuire for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.