Hexbound (Dark Elite, Book 2) [Mass Market Paperback]

Chloe Neill (Author)

Book Description

Release date: January 4, 2011

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...

Editorial Reviews

Review

A solid and funny piece of writing which sustains the series nicely towards book three. British Fantasy Society --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Chloe Neill was born in the south of the USA and currently resides in the US Midwest. FIRESPELL was her debut YA novel and the first in the Dark Elite series, and HEXBOUND continues the adventure! --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Signet; Original edition (January 4, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451230795
• ISBN-13: 978-0451230799
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #521,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Chloe Neill was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest--just close enough to Cadogan House and St. Sophia's to keep an eye on things. When not transcribing Merit's and Lily's adventures, she bakes, works, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys--her favorite landscape photographer/husband and their dogs, Baxter and Scout. (Both she and the photographer understand the dogs are in charge.) You can learn more about Chloe by visiting http://chloeneill.com

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#88 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

#88 in Books > Romance > Fantasy & Futuristic

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A charming tale of magic and the paranormal January 15, 2011

By Fiktshun

Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

There's never a dull moment at St. Sophia's. Ever since Lily Parker arrived at the Chicago boarding school she has been going nonstop.

From discovering her suite-mate Scout's secret about being an Adept, one who fights against the Dark Elite to keep the people of Chicago safe, to finding out that she is also an Adept with the power to wield firespell, her arrival in Chicago has been anything but boring.

Only weeks since rescuing Scout from the Reapers, a new threat has arisen. This one comes in the form of hideous creatures with fangs and claws that have been leaving slime trails in the tunnels leading to St. Sophia's.

Still no closer to discovering the truth about Lily's parents and what they're really working on, she, Scout and the other Adepts in Enclave Three manage to get caught in the middle of vampire territorial wars as they try to uncover the source of these slimy new beings.

To top it all off, Sebastian Born, the Reaper who activated Lily's firespell, is following her.

And let's not forget Veronica and her brat pack who just can't seem to mind their own business.

With Scout still recovering from her abduction by the Reapers and Lily still not in control of her firespell power, will they be able to figure out and defeat whoever is behind this?

With the help of some new friends from Enclave Two and a few surprising allies, it may just be possible.

***

Hexbound is the second book in the Dark Elite series and picks up the story just weeks after the events that occurred in Firespell.... Lily Parker is still working with the other Adepts to ensure that the Reapers do not harm the innocent by taking their life force to sustain themselves, when she, Scout, Jason and Michael encounter some never-before-seen creatures in the tunnels connecting to St. Sophia's.

In their attempt to get more information about what these disgusting and slimy beings are, who created them and why they are trying to get into the school, they will have to turn enemies into allies and put their trust in someone who should not be trusted.

Hexbound, like Firespell, is another delightful and quick read. The banter between Lily and Scout makes this story. If anything, Lily is even more sarcastic and clever in this book than in the first and her humorous interactions with Scout continue to entertain throughout the story.

Author Chloe Neill has introduced a few new characters with some different powers, of which Detroit, the petite, blond, punk, techie machinist from Enclave Two, is the most interesting. The author has also made the vampires of Chicago a major player in this story, adding in yet another element to this world.

In Hexbound, we do see less of the Reapers, however, aside from Sebastian Born. And, although Veronica and her snooty friends make an appearance, there is less of a focus on them, too.

This second book in the series moves the plot forward and the ending wraps up nicely, although there are plenty of questions that still remain open from the first book and a few new questions that have been introduced in Hexbound.

Another book in the series is planned which will hopefully explore these answers further. Read more ›

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars engaging young adult fantasy January 8, 2011

By Harriet Klausner #1 HALL OF FAME

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Lily Parker attends St. Sophia's School for Girls in Chicago after her parents recently dumped her there while they conduct research in Europe. At the school, Lily discovered her paranormal ability to use the Firespell. Although she has improved at controlling this power, she knows she has a long way to go before she is comfortable using it if ever. Her biggest fear is becoming a Reaper who abuses their magical gifts. Lily's roommate and BFF Scout, who fights the otherworldly beasts, helps her stay anchored while her relationship with Jason is becoming more intimate.

As Lily trains to be an Adept, she fears the immortal words of Lord Acton ("Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.") and Darth Vader ("Give yourself to the Dark Side"), so she wants to go slow. However, when she observes strange creatures wandering around St. Sophia's, Lily realizes slow is no longer an option for her. With Scout at her side, she vows to learn who they are and what they want. Although she admits to herself she has made the same pledge re the enigmatic behavior of her parents and adversary Sebastian.

The second Dark Elite (see Firespell) young adult fantasy continues Lily's training in the paranormal as she learns more secrets, especially about her parents and her abilities, but is also is caught up in some sort of otherworldly "turf" war. Fast-paced and mindful of the Casts' House of Night saga and Claudia Gray's Evernight series, readers will enjoy Lily's dilemma. She would prefer to ignore the impossible and hang with the hot hunks rather than joining Scout and friends in mortal combat, but feels Hexbound to learn her craft expeditiously to keep her school, Chicago and the world safe from the others.

Harriet Klausner

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars The good from the first book carried over into HEXBOUND, but the not so good carried over too. January 18, 2011

By Abigail VINE™ VOICE

Format:Mass Market Paperback

HEXBOUND picks up just weeks after the end of FIRESPELL, Lily is still learning to control her new power and adjusting to her role as a member of the Dark Elite.

As with FIRESPELL, the dialogue is once again fantastic and there is plenty of it. Maybe a little too smart and clever for fifteen/sixteen year olds, but I didn't care.

The romance in HEXBOUND is much better developed than in the previous book. We find out quite a bit more about Jason than just the fact that he's gorgeous and a werewolf. There's plenty of believable new relationship angst and uncertainty too.

I still had problems with the pacing in this installment, as with the previous book, the plot doesn't really kick in until the halfway mark. It was also overall a thinner story that provided very little in the way of new info about Lily's abilities or her parents. We do learn more about Reaper and fellow firespell Sebastian, which added an interesting wrinkle to the black/white, good/bad line that Lily had drawn.

Overall, the good from the first book carried over into HEXBOUND, but the not so good carried over too. The dialogue is still super slick, a better romance helped compensate for a slower plot, and a questionable enemy/friend brought a much needed element of conflict that promises to make things even more confusing for Lily (and even better for us) in the next Dark Elite book.

Sexual Content: Kissing

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars great May 23, 2011

By Catie Vargas

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Hexbound, like Firespell, is another delightful and quick read by Chloe Neill. All the bantering between Lily and Scout makes this story all the more enjoyable. Lilly has really blossomed as a character, she is even more sarcastic and humorous in this book. And her constant interactions with Scout make the story even more enjoyable. Neill as brings in new characters and different powers in this book. I happen to like Detroit as a new character the best. She is a machinist from Enclave Two. We also learn more about Jason. We learn a few secrets that he has been hiding from everyone. The love between Lily and Jason is more developed in this story, but we still have all of the conflict of first time love. We also get more of Sebastian Born who I happen to think is not as bad as he thinks he is. I think he is defiantly savable. We get a lot of the vampires in this story and I for one can not wait to learn more about Nicu. This second book in the series moves the plot forward and the story is completed nicely. I can not wait for the next book so all of my questions from Firespell and Hexbound can be answered for me. Another great story by a great author.