Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins

Synopsis:  Just as Sophie Mercer has come to accept her extraordinary magical powers as a demon, the Prodigium Council strips them away. With her powers locked inside her, Sophie is defenseless, alone, and at the mercy of her sworn enemies--the Brannicks, a family of warrior women who hunt down the Prodigium.  Or at least that's what Sophie thinks, until she makes a surprising discovery.  The Brannicks know there is an epic war coming, and they believe Sophie is the only one powerful enough to stop the world from ending.  But without her magic, Sophie isn't so sure.

The only known spell that can help Sophie regain her magic is at Hex Hall--the place where it all began, and now the headquarters of the evil Casnoffs.  Together with her best friend, the vampire Jenna; her boyfriend, Archer; her fiance, Cal (yeah her love life is complicated); and a ghost for a sidekick, Sophie most battle an army of demons.  But even with her friends at her side, the fate of all Prodigium rests on her shoulders alone.  Sophie's bound for one hell of a ride...Can she get her powers back before its too late?

My 2 cents:  First of all, let me say how much I love this series!  The first 2 books I was not able to put down, I loved them so much!  This is the 3rd book in the series (and I think its the last--although I'm hoping for a spin-off series).  My first impression was YES!  Loved the first part of the book, although at times it felt so hopeless to read.  Sophie learns even more about her family, especially her Mom.  The tension between her and Cal is heavy, which surprised me a little.  But it was good!

Then the middle part of the story got even better!  It was a complete surprise game changer!  I don't want to spoil it, but it of course has to do with Hex Hall.  I'm so glad Hex Hall was back in the story.  I loved Thorne Abbey for Demonglass, but I missed Hex Hall and its creepiness!

My biggest complaint in this story is the supposed love triangle between Cal, Sophie, and Archer.  It didn't really feel like a true triangle, in my opinion.  It was obvious Cal was in love with Sophie, and I did feel sorry for him.  But  I knew he never had a chance.  So I felt that whole thing could have been better.

The ending also feels kind of rushed.  The epic battle scene is kind of short, although it is a great ending.  The very end had me in tears.  It was so sad!  I would have loved another 20 pages or so to tie things up better, and maybe more action.  But overall, a good ending to a great series!  4 stars