Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

May 02, 2011 Vone Savan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray was like eating cotton candy at an amusement park on a sunny Saturday with your best friends: light, fun, and consistently entertaining.

Seventeen-year-old Lily Crane goes to Rosemound High in Michigan with her best friend Jane Archer (J for short), and like so many girls her age, she is smitten with the elusive Ryder Kingscott (the rough-around-the-edges primary love interest). But, unlike other girls her age, Lily is a witch with the ability to see int...more Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray was like eating cotton candy at an amusement park on a sunny Saturday with your best friends: light, fun, and consistently entertaining.

Seventeen-year-old Lily Crane goes to Rosemound High in Michigan with her best friend Jane Archer (J for short), and like so many girls her age, she is smitten with the elusive Ryder Kingscott (the rough-around-the-edges primary love interest). But, unlike other girls her age, Lily is a witch with the ability to see into people’s lives the moment she touches them – and everyone at Rosemound High is aware of this little tidbit about her. But, even in spite of this gift (I think), Ryder eventually asks Lily out. And just as the cute couple’s relationship starts to blossom, Lucien Bell, an attractive new kid in town suddenly enters their life, thus forming the love triangle of this novel.

Right off the bat, I adore the cartoony, Bewitched-inspired cover. And as I began flipping through the fast-paced chapters, I quickly realized that the cover played on the whimsical, fun, magical theme of the book. This book is seriously an adult fairy tale.

Unfortunately, there were two aspects of the book that fell short for me.

The first was character development, especially Lily’s. As the protagonist of the novel, Lily was intelligent, thoughtful, and had conviction, but even after observing these characteristics, I still felt like she was a caricature of a real person; still two-dimensional. This issue could have been remedied by slowing down the pace of the emotional parts of the book and by adding even more descriptions. Typically, when I read about an emotion – any emotion – I prefer the emotion to dwell and simmer for a while so the impact is stronger, more pronounced. When it came time to delve into the character’s emotional scenes, Wray was bypassing them so fast to keep pace with the book that it ended up lacking impact.

I also wished that Wray had focused more on Lily’s background in magic and witchery; perhaps dedicated an entire chapter or two and provided us with a history lesson on Lily’s mystical ancestry and how she learned what she knew. That would have been quite entertaining to have read.

Now, here’s what I really liked about the book:

I liked Wray’s incorporation of the past and the present into the plot; and also Wray’s use of popular people (Sherlock Holmes, Miley Cyrus, etc.), places, and events as both frames of references and building blocks for humor. Also, I was astounded by Wray’s level of creativity throughout the entire book. The creativity was practically oozing from each page.

But by far and away, my favorite part of the book was the surprise ending. I have always prefer endings that are unpredictable, different, unconventional; an ending that’s gut-wrenching, bittersweet, or perhaps even deeply tragic, because there’s a daring quality to the author’s intent that’s not so safe, so middle-of-the-road – and I respect that. And the ending to Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale falls perfectly into this unpredictable category.

Thank you for this, Ramona Wray.
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Mar 05, 2011 Brodie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, aussie-swap

I read the first chapter of Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale on Ramona's website and knew straight away I was going to love this book!

Lily is branded the freak girl in her town. People avoid her touch like the plague. Why? Because Lily is a witch. She won't make you sprout boils (although if you piss her off I'm sure she'll find a way!) or turn you into a toad with her touch, but she'll know every last one of your dirty little secrets. With the lightest of touches, Lily learns an entire persons life...more I read the first chapter of Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale on Ramona's website and knew straight away I was going to love this book!

Lily is branded the freak girl in her town. People avoid her touch like the plague. Why? Because Lily is a witch. She won't make you sprout boils (although if you piss her off I'm sure she'll find a way!) or turn you into a toad with her touch, but she'll know every last one of your dirty little secrets. With the lightest of touches, Lily learns an entire persons life and sometimes can see part of their future. Right before she passes out. So she shies away from touching anyone (meaning no boyfriends) and it's not like many people want to get close enough to touch her anyway. Besides her best friend, J, the general school population don't have much to do with her.

Along comes Ryder. Sexy, mysterious, everyone-wants-to-take-that-hottie-for-a-RYDE (yes, I know I'm lame!). He's been lurking in the shadows for a year now, but suddenly he wants to know her. Wants to take her to Prom. And the weirdest (best) part for Lily? His touch has no effect on her. Well... not entirely true. Increases her pulse rate? Yes. Induces visions and knocks her out? Nope. She feels this strong attraction toward him and it doesn't take long before she's head over heels. But suddenly there's another mystery boy on the scene. Lucian Bell. Who J is totally crushing on but he's clearly not interested. He only has eyes for Lily.

You might be thinking - "Right. I've seen this love triangle a million times before". Oh really? WRONG. You have not seen this love triangle before. Because Ramona weaves a together a unique mythology with a cast of characters who share a deep connection and a terrible burden that has spanned the centuries. It soon becomes clear to Lily that both Ryder and Lucian are connected in some way, a potentially supernatural-way, and it involves her. I thought I had it all figured out where the plot was leading in the beginning, but boy was I wrong. Ramona throws in a twist halfway through and I'm like "What?!" Did not see that coming! And from there on in doubts begin to grow. Confusion. Lily's instincts are telling her one thing, but the cold-hard truth is screaming another. She doesn't know what to believe and her feelings may lead to her own death. I wasn't sure what to believe either and I had to use all my will not to quickly flip to the back of the book to peek at who the good guy was! (I've done that in plenty of books, bad me). I'm so glad I didn't spoil it though!

I loved Lily's voice. She's a great, snarky, funny character who isn't afraid to stand up for herself or demand for answers. You could probably flip to any page in the book and find a witty one-liner from this fiery redhead. All the characters were great. Ryder and Lucian, the two gorgeous boys. Despite what may or may not have happened in the past, I was still rooting for Ryder. He's so devoted and honest in his feelings for Lily and even though he physically cannot tell her everything she needs to know, he still tries. With his smexy looks coupled with his patience, protectiveness and general sweetness, you can see why I preferred him over Lucian. Ah, Lucian. I'm not quite sure how I felt about him! I think I like him, then I don't. Then I definitely don't and then holy crap, that can't be happening! I was so sad for him :(

The ending was bittersweet. I got a little emotional with how it all panned out, but having said that, I think it was a perfect ending. Besides, don't the best endings evoke the most emotion? I definitely recommend you give this a read. Not only is it a great book, but a self-published one! I strongly admire authors that can get out here and make their dream happen even without a big time publisher behind them. And I've already seen buzz spreading for Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale throughout book blogs. I wish Ramona all the success! :)(less)

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Feb 28, 2011 Missy (Missy's Reads & Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Obviously, the first thing you're going to notice about this book is the cover. You're either going to think, "Oh my God, that's the cutest cover EVER!" (like I thought), or you're going to think, "Wow... what a frilly pink cover." Either way, you can't deny that it's not an eye catcher. But if you're really expecting a frilly story to match the cover, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Why? Because Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale reaches deeper than just a fun, young adult book. But if you're...more Obviously, the first thing you're going to notice about this book is the cover. You're either going to think, "Oh my God, that's the cutest cover EVER!" (like I thought), or you're going to think, "Wow... what a frilly pink cover." Either way, you can't deny that it's not an eye catcher. But if you're really expecting a frilly story to match the cover, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Why? Because Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale reaches deeper than just a fun, young adult book. But if you're looking for a story rich in action, well-written characters, plot, romance and suspense; well then, you've come across the right book!

I don't know what I was truly expecting from this book. I think when author Ramona Wray asked me to review her book, I was thinking it'd be a fun and fluffy read. What I didn't expect was to be so completely swept up in Lily's story. Lily is one of the strongest females that I have come across in some time, but she's not without fault. While she's smart, strong-willed and witty as ever (her one-liners had me crying, I was laughing so hard!), she's still confused and vulnerable. She knows that there are connections with Ryder and Lucian, but she doesn't know what those connections are and has to figure it out for herself throughout the story.

Ryder and Lucian are also both strong characters. While both are mysteries at the beginning, you get to know them better as the story is told. Both of their fates are twisted together with Lily's and it was nice to see that they both took steps into determining their own fate, not completely depending on Lily to do everything herself. While the idea of a love-triangle was flirted with between the three of them, I'm impressed at how well it was tackled. For once, we don't have a weak girl indecisively flitting back and forth between the two guys. No, we have a girl who makes a decision and, while some things that come to her attention may confuse her and make her think she made the wrong choice, she never strays. She sticks by her decisions and her feelings, and doesn't sway just because she's being led to think that it's the right thing to do. Because of this, I wanted to jump up and scream a hallelujah! Finally, an author gets it. Yes, you can have a girl that's chased after by more than one guy without making her seem completely careless with the guys' feelings, leading both of them on while she "finds herself" or whatever excuse they use these days.

The past and present in this story is intricately weaved together seamlessly, giving you just the right taste of what's going on to help you understand what needs to happen in the story. Twists and turns are around every corner in this book. Between the action, the backstory and hilarious commentary, this story will have you flipping anxiously until the very end. And just when you think you know what's going to happen, BAM! You get hit with a curve ball that you don't see coming. The conclusion of the story is bittersweet, yet perfect. I couldn't see it ending any other way. This book far exceeded anything that I could have anticipated when picking it up. I am absolutely enthralled by it.

My sincerest praises go out to the author who is not only a great person to talk to, but an incredible storyteller with a very promising future in writing. She is definitely one that I will continue to follow.

- Originally Posted @ Missy's Reads & Reviews (less)

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Mar 06, 2011 Jude rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: in-my-shelf

http://inbetweenwritingandreading.blo...

They always say to never judge a book by the cover… and, well, I’ll admit, I tend to ALWAYS check the cover first thing. So when I saw the cover of this books I though “Oh My Gosh! Ain’t that a cutie or what? Ain’t it make you want to poke at her cheeks ^^. So when I got a chance to get my hands on it, I said Bring it on! Expecting a cute bubbly fluffy, pink story…. I’m not gonna say “how wrong I was” ‘cause, yeah, it does have its bubbly but, Oh Boy I wou...more

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Feb 26, 2012 lilly bear ♡ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: the-haves, awesome-authors

What do you get when you combine enthralling mythology, sweeping romance, witty snark, and one very pink cover? A compulsively readable story that will have you swooning, biting your nails, and laughing all in one sitting: Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale. This book is like a Meg Cabot/Lauren Kate lovechild. Need I say more?

And look at that cover. Isn't it just the cutest thing? I thought so, too! It's unique enough to catch your eye and still remain professional and aesthetically wonderful. I did...more

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Apr 22, 2011 Cristina Gaddi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: young-adult fiction fan, romance, fantasy

Shelves: e-book

I find myself smiling while thinking of how will I start this review. (good sign right?!). First of, I love Lily.. she's seventeen and she sounds seventeen.. This book makes me feel young..

About the writing, well I doubt this will be with those "critically acclaimed" but it doesn't mean it's full of crap. It's delightful, witty and very fun to read. It's like listening to a friend's story. That's what it hit me. It felt real.

The plot is very interesting. I agree with some of the reviews that i...more

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May 21, 2011 Frosy (Books Like Fairytales) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, 5-stars, angels, fantasy, favorites, romance, ya-books, witches, 2011-read, reviewed

http://frosybookreviews.blogspot.com/...

First of all I must say, when I got this book I had no idea what to expect. The cover doesn't do the story justice. Don't be afraid to pick it up because of the cover. You're going to love it if you want a lot of swoon worthy romance and enough action to make you want to pull you hair. Believe me when I say that. I almost did. *scratches head*

Lily was really enjoyable as a character and loved her way of thinking. She was witty and confident even though she...more http://frosybookreviews.blogspot.com/...

First of all I must say, when I got this book I had no idea what to expect. The cover doesn't do the story justice. Don't be afraid to pick it up because of the cover. You're going to love it if you want a lot of swoon worthy romance and enough action to make you want to pull you hair. Believe me when I say that. I almost did. *scratches head*

Lily was really enjoyable as a character and loved her way of thinking. She was witty and confident even though she was treated as the freak of her school. She wasn't afraid of what she was and embraced it no matter what anyone else said. I loved J her best friend and her little fashion statements. I wish I had a friend like that! It would be so much fun. It was a relief actually to have such a nice friend for once. Most YA books have their main characters befriended with some really horrible people and I have no idea why. So don't be afraid you're going to love her!

And now to the love interests! Oh Ryder....... what can I say about him? Whatever I say isn't enough. Ryder totally makes my top 10 fictional crushes/love interests. You can't not love him! He has the look of a bad boy, I mean he has a motorcycle and wears leather jacket! That screams bad boy! But behind that look he is so sweet and caring that you can't not just fall for him. Lucian on the other hand is just yummy! I know I shouldn't lust for two boys at the same time but damn was it hard to choose! Now that I think of it I still can't choose.

In this book you don't have your typical love triangle where the girl can't choose between two boys. Instead you have Ryder and Lucian falling for the same girl. Isn't that every girl's dream come true?

**Side Note: Have you read a book with a love triangle between two girls and a boy, where the boy can't make up his mind? Now THAT would be interesting!**

Overall I loved this book and it's now one of my favourite books. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a swoon worthy romance. This book left me breathless and wanting for more.
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May 01, 2011 Alex Bennett added it

I wasn’t sure what I was going to find when it came to Hex. I knew that the book was going to be about witches—which I love—and angels, which are always fun to read about. Those two types of supernaturals together sounds like something awesome, right? Well it was definitely a fun read, that’s for sure.

The thing I was looking forward to most was the magic in this book. Since Lily, the main character, is a witch, I expected there to be a lot of it. There wasn’t. In fact, the real magic didn’t come...more

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May 22, 2011 Book Flame rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, paranormal-romance, angels, young-adult, witches, indie-authors

Review from www.bookflame.blogspot.com

Isn't the cover just adorable? But do not be fooled Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale is nowhere near the adorable, light, bubbly read that the cover may portray. This book was so much more than just a light read. Ramona Wray has created a plot that is full of intense and suspenseful moments. Not to mention a love story that spans centuries filled with twists and turns that will keep you glued to the book.

Lily is labeled the town freak. Everyone makes sure to stay...more Review from www.bookflame.blogspot.com

Isn't the cover just adorable? But do not be fooled Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale is nowhere near the adorable, light, bubbly read that the cover may portray. This book was so much more than just a light read. Ramona Wray has created a plot that is full of intense and suspenseful moments. Not to mention a love story that spans centuries filled with twists and turns that will keep you glued to the book.

Lily is labeled the town freak. Everyone makes sure to stay clear of her touch because with one touch she can glimpse into a persons past and future and learn about their deepest secrets. So you can imagine how shocked she is when Ryder Kingscott the hottest guy in school, who also has never paid attention to her or any other of the hundreds of girls crushing over him out of the blue asks her to the prom. Then to add to Lily's state of confusion Lucian Bell the new guy who is also equally hot has eyes only for her. Now add on the fact that Lucian and Ryder seem to already know each other and butt heads from the moment they see each other you can understand why Lily may be wary of both guys.

This is one of those rare books where I loved all three of the main characters.

Lily was a very strong female character. She did show moments of vulnerability in situations that required it but always did what must be done regardless of how hard the choices and decisions she had to make were.

Ryder's character was a mystery in a good way. The hottest guy in school, but he always kept to himself. The rumor mill was filled with wild stories about him. My curiosity about Ryder was one of the reasons I was glued to Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale. Wray took me on an adventure with his character and right when I thought I knew everything there was about him, I was pulled into another "twist and turn" that just left me in utter shock. In the end I was very satisfied with how the mystery around him was wrapped up.

As far Lucian Bell is concerned on the surface their wasn't much depth to him. Not until I really got to know him and found out how intriguing he really is. We are introduced to him as the latest eye candy at Rosemound High, but unlike Ryder he was Mr. Popular. He got along with everyone, threw house parties and seemed to be your regular high schooler. But as I read on, and his character unraveled, I learned there was so much depth to him, some of his actions just made me go wow! Especially the ending.

There were traces of a love triangle but I loved how Wray nipped that in the bud. Lily was not the confused damsel in distress that couldn't make up her mind on who she loved and wanted to be with. Even when things were at it's worse she loved only one.

I can't say enough good things about this book, it really grabbed me. I read it in a day and stayed up well into the middle of the night just to finish it up. I can't wait to see what other books Ramona Wray has coming in the near future. With her writing style and story telling she has definitely made a fan out of me.
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Dec 02, 2011 Shannon Murphy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'll admit I'm one of those people who judges a book by its cover. As I look as this cover even now, it is not fitting for the story. With that said, I really like this story, however, it was kind of reminded me of Fallen.

You have 17 year old Lily who has avoided touch all of her 17 years as when she touches someone their live flashes before her eyes and she ends up as a convulsing heap on the ground afterwards. Much to her surprise the hot aloof Ryder whom she has eyed for the pst year asks her...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Rebecca rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The concept of the story was intriguing and kept me on my toes, but I got a bit frustrated at times, when I first dived into this book. I found that the author put too many words around what she was actually trying to say and get across to the reader. Sometimes I found myself digging to find out what she was getting at...but then I came to a certain page and things started looking up!

After hitting page 29, it turned from being an O.K read to me not wanting to put it down. The intensity, heat, in...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Lynsey rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray a little while ago now as part of a blog tour that I never took part in. The truth is, I felt uneasy about my reaction to the book and didn’t feel that I could be part of the tour. First and foremost, I should warn you that this is a very mixed review and initially the premise sounded interesting. Here’s the synopsis:

“Like most girls at Rosemound High School, seventeen-year-old Lily Crane is acutely aware of Ryder Kingscott. Hands down the cutest...more I read Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale by Ramona Wray a little while ago now as part of a blog tour that I never took part in. The truth is, I felt uneasy about my reaction to the book and didn’t feel that I could be part of the tour. First and foremost, I should warn you that this is a very mixed review and initially the premise sounded interesting. Here’s the synopsis:

“Like most girls at Rosemound High School, seventeen-year-old Lily Crane is acutely aware of Ryder Kingscott. Hands down the cutest guy in school, Ryder is cool, mysterious, and utterly untouchable...especially for Lily. For when she touches someone, Lily instantly learns all about their lives. And while such a skill might seem nifty, in truth it is wrecking Lily's life. So she is shocked when Ryder asks her out - and even more shocked to discover he has a rival. Lucian Bell is the gorgeous new kid who can't take his eyes off of Lily. Being pursued by two hotties should make a girl happy, but Lily is skeptical. The boys act as if they've met before, hating each other with a passion that could only be rooted in a dark, dangerous past. A past full of terrible secrets. The kind of secrets that could get a girl killed.”

Let’s start by talking about the book cover. It is incredibly cute and very “Bewitched” like but in my honest opinion, I don’t think it fits the story. The cover is very girly and fluffy but the story is much darker than that.

Now I’m going to tell you why this book was incredibly frustrating for me. This book was frustrating only because I could see the potential behind it. It read like an unfinished draft that needed a little bit more work on it before releasing it into the wild. There were flashes of brilliance, paragraphs that were perfect but they weren’t consistent. Sure, there were a few spelling and grammar errors but nothing that a good editor couldn’t pick up. They may be little annoyances but I never let things like that detract from the story. Chapters one and two ended with the same line and I’m not sure if this was a mistake or not but for me, it didn’t work. Also, I thought that some of the dialogue in the first half didn’t seem realistic and there were a couple of times in the latter half where I thought “huh?” at some of it. Not because I didn’t understand the situation but I couldn’t understand WHY a particular character would say what they did.

The best part of the book for me was the last 13 chapters. This was the build towards the climax but also the first time we really saw action or indeed a display of the power that Lily allegedly had. You may find this hard to believe but as a character, I really did like her. I thought she had an authentic teenage voice and I enjoyed her humour and perspective on things. I also enjoyed the twists and turns in the tale that I hadn’t seen coming. The added element of a “Halfling” was a very interesting concept which I enjoyed.

Despite my mixed reaction, there was definitely something about the book though as I kept on reading and despite aforementioned nuances, the further I read, the more I wanted to carry on. At the end of the day, there were definitely elements I enjoyed but it frustrated me so because I know it could have been so much better.(less)

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Jun 12, 2011 FicTalk Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-in-2011

Reviewed by Lisa

I found this little gem as I was browsing through Goodreads one night and placed it on my TBR list because it seemed like my kind of book. It’s about a girl named Lily Crane who has a special gift, or curse, in her opinion. She can’t touch people. Whenever she touches someone, which is not for very long periods of time, she begins to feel pain and basically foams at the mouth.

Sounds painful, right? Well for Lily it is – physically and emotionally. She’s cut off from physical huma...more Reviewed by Lisa

I found this little gem as I was browsing through Goodreads one night and placed it on my TBR list because it seemed like my kind of book. It’s about a girl named Lily Crane who has a special gift, or curse, in her opinion. She can’t touch people. Whenever she touches someone, which is not for very long periods of time, she begins to feel pain and basically foams at the mouth.

Sounds painful, right? Well for Lily it is – physically and emotionally. She’s cut off from physical human contact, because when she touches someone she sees what kind of person they are, she sees things about them. But this also makes her special. You see, Lily is also a witch. She just doesn’t know it. She works with her mom who’s sort of a ‘mother earth is the goddess’ type of person. She’s not crazy, however, she just believes in natural, holistic kinds of things. Her store is the kind of place where you can buy homemade candles, which Lily makes. Oh, and they aren’t just regular vanilla scented-helps-you-relax kind of candles. No, these are candles that have a secret ingredient in them. Lily’s blood.

Aha! Have I piqued your interest? Well, there’s more!

In comes Ryder. Legally emancipated from his parents, motorcycle riding, cool, dark, and handsome, Ryder. Lily has a huge crush on him, but she thinks he’s completely oblivious to it. Well, he’s not. And this is what gets me – Ramona gets things going from the very first chapter! No, you don’t have to wait til the book is halfway through!

You get the good stuff from the very beginning. And did I mention that Lily is pretty likable as a female protagonist? She is. I liked that a lot. I won’t lie and say that it was perfect. It was a little slow in some parts, but not slow enough that it made me put my kindle down.

Ryder has had feelings for Lily from since the first day of school, but he’s been giving her some time, keeping his distance. But after a year of sly glances, and elbows brushing in the hallways at school, he’s decided to make his move.

Their first date is amazingly intense and sweet. I didn’t expect that for a first date but it was what it was. And there was a reason for it – Ryder said she knows him. That’s why things are so comfortable between them, but he can’t tell her more than that.

Argh, I hate it when book boys do that! But, of course, if he told her the how’s and why’s of that little ditty, this book wouldn’t have ended a lot sooner. And that would have been a little anticlimactic, too. No, Ryder let’s her ask him questions, but can only answer some, not all. There’s a gag order placed on him, of the magical variety. Lily tries to understand, she thinks things through as much as possible. In the end she can only rely on her gut instinct and her faith in what Ryder says.

What happens from then on is a roller coaster of emotions and incidents that threaten their relationship. Lily finds out that things aren’t always as they seem, even when you’re literally seeing it happen in front of your very own eyes.

This story is about ill fated lovers, hexes that last over centuries, and the magic that binds it all together. It’s a paranormal romance that really shows love can conquer anything, and get you through the long, hard, lonely times, when it’s meant to be, even if it may have had a rocky start. A little bittersweet at some points but it’s worth it in the end. I enjoyed reading this so much.(less)

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Apr 04, 2011 Alison (AlisonCanRead) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrenyalit

When I first saw the title Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale, I wondered how you could do a story combining witches and angels without making it ridiculous. Fortunately, Ramona Wray pulls it off. Hex is a delightful tale of romance, adventure, friends, family, and betrayal.

Hex is like no angel or witch story you've ever read. The witchcraft element has a more Wicca, naturalistic bent to it than Harry Potter. Lily concocts potions and candles with healing powers. Lily has the ability to read people fro...more When I first saw the title Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale, I wondered how you could do a story combining witches and angels without making it ridiculous. Fortunately, Ramona Wray pulls it off. Hex is a delightful tale of romance, adventure, friends, family, and betrayal.

Hex is like no angel or witch story you've ever read. The witchcraft element has a more Wicca, naturalistic bent to it than Harry Potter. Lily concocts potions and candles with healing powers. Lily has the ability to read people from a single touch. It's more of a curse, really, since it keeps her separated from everyone around her. Otherwise, she's a normal girl. The angels come in later. They're not as angelic as you might expect. Wray marvelously combines witchcraft and angel mythology. The origins of both are intricately connected. The story takes you through time as you see how angels and witches originated, coincided, and eventually collided to create the tragic story of love and betrayal that is Hex. The mythology unravels throughout the story at the perfect speed. I didn't have to sit through half the book wondering what the paranormal element was and I also didn't get bombarded with world-building information in a single chapter.

At first I worried that Hex would be just a stereotypical YA romance where the characters fall in love at first sight and the poor girl has to choose between two fabulous guys who adore her. There are elements of that in Hex, but with just enough of a twist to keep things interesting. Ryder and Lucian both fall hard for Lily (or appear to do so). Lily is instantly, supernaturally attracted to Ryder, while being intrigued and disturbed by Lucian. Ryder was a great character. It's true that their romance has an otherworldly element, but we also see Ryder's kindness, humor, and intelligence - you understand why Lily falls for him. Lucian was also fascinating. Cunning, protective, and preppy handsome. The relationship between Lily, Ryder, and Lucian wasn't just a triangle. It wasn't necessarily about Lily choosing between two good options. No...one is right and one is wrong. But Lily doesn't know that. I didn't know who was best either. Just when I thought I was sure, Ramona twisted the story around so far that my mind was in a tailspin, and I was turning the pages to find out what would happen.

The book is told from Lily's perspective. This is important, because her voice and thoughts are as much a character in this novel as the Lily, Ryder, and Lucian that we see through her eyes. She never lacks for words. Perhaps because she's always been an outsider, she keenly observes the world around her and always has some witty commentary running through her head. This is both the highlight and the main downfall of Hex. I loved Lily's voice. She had a wry sense of humor. Even in very serious moments, her insights made me smile. She wasn't inappropriately funny - just had an interesting way of thinking. At the same time, her voice really slowed down the book. If a scene could be described in one sentence, Lily inevitably used at least five. Also, a few (and it really was just a few) of her witticisms didn't sound right coming from a teenage girl. For example, she once referred to Hillary Clinton's claim in the 2008 presidential campaign that she landed in Bosnia under sniper fire. It made sense in the context of the novel and it was kind of funny, but I doubt most teens would get the reference or care. Overall, I enjoyed living in Lily's world. As long as you have patience with a sometimes slower than necessary narration and take the time to let Lily's quips sink in, Hex is an amusing and insightful novel.

On a side note, don't be scared away by the fact that Hex was self-published. Apart from the wordiness, which as I mentioned both helps and hinders the book, the writing is perfect. I didn't catch any spelling or grammatical errors. The plot was clean and complete. The writing is even more impressive, because Ramona is not a native English speaker. She did a great job capturing colloquialisms and the teenager voice.

I recommend Hex for an interesting twist on the paranormal genre. The mythology is well-developed, well-conveyed, and truly fascinating. The characters and romance may not break new ground, but Lily, Ryder, and Lucian were fun people to spend a few days with and the romance was sweet, tragic, and passionate. Perfect for the reader who's tired of reading simple angel, fairy, vampire, werewolf, or witch novels.

Rating: 4 / 5(less)

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Sep 25, 2011 Jenna Christy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: PNR readers

Recommended to Jenna Christy by: Em-em

I started reading this book from another city. I read it in the car...in the restaurant..in the hotel...in the airplane (with the noisiest airplane mates I’ve ever experienced, I swear it was like a market up there! anyway)..and finished it at home. It was quite a journey.
Judging from the book’s cute cover with a pink background and girlie cartoon, you wouldn’t assume it was a serious story.. BUT it was. I thought it was a light, romantic, chick lit read but get this, I was stunned to learn it...more I started reading this book from another city. I read it in the car...in the restaurant..in the hotel...in the airplane (with the noisiest airplane mates I’ve ever experienced, I swear it was like a market up there! anyway)..and finished it at home. It was quite a journey.
Judging from the book’s cute cover with a pink background and girlie cartoon, you wouldn’t assume it was a serious story.. BUT it was. I thought it was a light, romantic, chick lit read but get this, I was stunned to learn it was PNR, and a very serious one at that.
The story. Let me tell you, it brought me all kinds of emotions and feelings: giddiness ( I say this and not “happy” because I was literally giggling ALL the time), embarrassment (the beginning part of the story) , love (well, obviously), hate (for some characters), confusion, hope, failure, sadness, heartaches (too much of it), and happiness. I was literally up and down on the roller coaster ride of feelings and such. I liked the prose of the book. The author used lots of metaphors and similes and explanations of phenomenons and happenings in almost every scene each chapter. Sometimes I thought there were more explanations and metaphors than the story telling itself, so it got boring. Also, most of the time the events tended to skip from one to another which confused me a lot and made me reread what I just read. Sometimes, it was the sentences were hard to understand..that’s just me. Anyway!
At the beginning, it was very much exciting, started with a clean slate, a new story to read...the main lead Lily was cute and charming and shy, the partner, Ryder, was HOT and nice., too much to handle! I liked how they knew each other one year before anything happened to them (in short, i loved how Ryder waited). But then the start of all my frustrations began: there’s VERY complicated and hidden past between Lily and Ryder, which obviously we shouldn’t know yet because it’s still the beginning, and it must remain a MYSTERY. I hated the fact that Lily didn’t pester Ryder about it everyday, they just had one argument, I mean conversation on it, then “CASED CLOSED”. that’s it! that’s it? gosh!.. Everything went repetitive after a while (boring!) Then come a new guy, Lucian who added spice to the boiling stew! He was someone you can’t just ignore and put on the sidelines, NO, he just had to be part of the story. But once he was settled in, all the angry vibrations hanging in the air remain loose and basically nothing exciting happened. Then come in a new chapter where thankfully the climax of the story comes in...answers are slowly answered, more girl power showed, a bit of a guy fight (I admit I liked), then the history of everything, the sadness and unsolvable problem revealed..too much remorse and depression. BUT I have to say this, there’s a BIG BIG TWIST in the story. One that’s in the back of your head all the time but you chose to ignore, then when the revelation came, you say “ I KNEW that all along, you know”. So okay, that’s what I said. It was one BIG IRONY, and I love it! I miss these kinds of twists. The one you expected and know will happen but just kept your mouth shut, afraid you’re mistaken because it’s just too obvious..but you were right all along. anyway, bitterness aside I will continue. The ending was very satisfying, there was no other way but that ending. It was sad but happy. A bit of lability there, but it’s true. Epic Success! :)
Overall, the metaphors did a lot of depth to the book. The story was kinda unique but a lot of fun. :)(less)

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Sep 14, 2011 Aimee rated it 3 of 5 stars

From the cover, (yes, judging the book by it's cover here) I would have pegged this book to be a bit different. The cover suggests a lighter, chick lit story to me. Something along the lines of Bewitched or something. (yikes, did that just date me?! I watched the re-runs. Really.) I'm a girl that doesn't really read the blurbs on the back or inside cover of books. Why? I just like to be surprised, I guess. I want the book to tell me the story without reading a synopsis first. When I read reviews...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Jess - The Tales Compendium rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-scifi-paranormal, debut

Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale is an easy, suspenseful read that keeps us wondering who is good and who is evil. Are there lies in the truth? Is there truth hidden amongst the lies? To me, Hex is a guilty pleasure. Who doesn't like a bit of forbidden romance and a love triangle with steamy boys?

I am not a huge fan of angel stories (due to reading a bunch of unremarkable stories involving them) but I do like my witches. Thankfully, this is not your run-of-the-mill angel story and I didn't feel the n...more

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Feb 24, 2011 Catty-cat rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, first-read

i received the book through goodreads giveaway "first read".
i usually don't write reviews because i find it quite ironic that me, who cannot speak or write English properly should judge someone else hard work.

So I'll start by saying that even though some things annoyed me, it's a good book.
The story was lovely and had some good twist, i like Mrs Wray writing.

What stop me from giving it 4 stars?

LILY....i really didn't like her, i didn't like the constant comparison (I'm sure there is a word for i...more

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Mar 16, 2011 Lea Ivy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everybody

Recommended to Lea Ivy by: Ramona Wray

Okay, I liked the plot very much, but the writing was kind of slow for me in the beginning. The characters though, i simply adored especially Ryder. This book will take you in a spin, believe me you will be in a long ride. Okay so this is about a young girl that has an ability to read anybody's future just by touching their hands. She has her eye on a gorgeous-bike-riding-hottie Ryder. :) And when he walks up to Lily and asks her for a date, guess how she reacted! ooops. no! i don't want to give...more Okay, I liked the plot very much, but the writing was kind of slow for me in the beginning. The characters though, i simply adored especially Ryder. This book will take you in a spin, believe me you will be in a long ride. Okay so this is about a young girl that has an ability to read anybody's future just by touching their hands. She has her eye on a gorgeous-bike-riding-hottie Ryder. :) And when he walks up to Lily and asks her for a date, guess how she reacted! ooops. no! i don't want to give out spoilers. There is also another boy named Lucian that likes Lily a lot and when these two boys faced, Lily gets confused because they act like they knew each other and are competing for Lily's love which is totally weird. Oh, by the way Ryder is the only one that can touch Lily without harming her.

The ending of this book was shocking! i did not expect it to go that way, i didn't even know what to expect because the scenes are just so consuming. Either way, i loved the ending, i'm just a sucker for those type. But I still feel like I need to know more about these characters so that I can totally tell you guys what I think of them but as what I've read, Lily is a sweet, over-thinking girl--which by the way, is totally ME, so i can relate! She just wants to figure things out before she acts because she's afraid to make a mistake and that right there is a proof that she's a keen character.

Ryder is kind,selfless,endearing and HAWT. i loved how the author made him what he was :) Although, I would've loved him more if he has more of a "bad side". well, its just my preference.

Lucian is so competitive and selfless. I think he's amazing and considering what he did, i still think he's hot. Anyways so i enjoyed reading this book. Thank You again to Ramona Wray for sending a copy to me, I appreciate it sooo much.

Would I recommend this book? DEFINITELY. you guys should also say hi to the author, she's awesome.

Okay, so thats just about it for this book's review, Thanks Very Much for reading!
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Feb 21, 2011 Melissa (i swim for oceans) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-and-fantasy, paranormal

Lily is pretty much your everyday teenage girl, unless you take into account her incredible psychic abilities. With a single touch, Lily can learn everything about a person, including their entire past and present. This, unfortunately, leaves Lily crippled in the realm of a social life, so she pines over the handsome Ryder from a distance. When he asks her out one day though, Lily is floored, and even more so when she’s asked out by a second, equally good-looking guy, Lucian. But when Lily disco...more Lily is pretty much your everyday teenage girl, unless you take into account her incredible psychic abilities. With a single touch, Lily can learn everything about a person, including their entire past and present. This, unfortunately, leaves Lily crippled in the realm of a social life, so she pines over the handsome Ryder from a distance. When he asks her out one day though, Lily is floored, and even more so when she’s asked out by a second, equally good-looking guy, Lucian. But when Lily discovers the truth about her own past, she’s forced to confront the truth about these two cute boys, a dangerous hex, and a past life that continues to haunt her to this day.

I was expecting Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale to be cutesy, if I’m being honest. I think I was expecting fluff and fun, based purely on the cover (I’m not really a cartoon cover person), but I was certainly not expecting the depth of the story to be so rich. Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale is the third English book by author, Ramona Wray, a Romanian-born writer now living in Plymouth. Blending the fantastic stories from her youth with a fresh take on fantasy and paranormal in the YA genre, Ramona has created an adventure-filled whirlwind sure to keep you riveted to the very end.

While I’m not into the whole love-triangle shebang, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale truly is a refreshing take on the age-old premise. Lily is an empowering protagonist despite her crippling gift, and both Lucian and Ryder had strong motives and great character-building. I loved how Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale carefully wove the past and present into an intricately woven web that was designed to determine all three characters’ futures. And yet, in the midst of a story of destiny, fate and curses, Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale shows Lily, Ryder and Lucian making choices to determine their own fate. Furthermore, the self-discovery within the story, was rich and powerful, fueling the strong premise.

Overall, I was really, really surprised by just how good and interesting Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale was. I definitely had a few questions lingering after it was done, but when done right, that leaves me with a lasting impression of a book. I give it a 4.5 out of 5, and I’d recommend it to all fans of YA, especially those who enjoy fantasy and paranormal stories, as well as a bit of romance.

I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.(less)

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Aug 21, 2011 Kristin rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I’m giving this one 3.5 stars.

First, let me say that I initially didn’t look at this book because, though the cover’s cute, it looks like a kid’s book. And after reading it, I think the cover is completely misleading because the subject matter is definitely weightier than the cover implies. I got this book for my sister and never would have if I’d known it was a reincarnation tale. I usually avoid books with religion and reincarnation (no, I don’t believe we’re like plastic bags, recycled when s...more I’m giving this one 3.5 stars.

First, let me say that I initially didn’t look at this book because, though the cover’s cute, it looks like a kid’s book. And after reading it, I think the cover is completely misleading because the subject matter is definitely weightier than the cover implies. I got this book for my sister and never would have if I’d known it was a reincarnation tale. I usually avoid books with religion and reincarnation (no, I don’t believe we’re like plastic bags, recycled when someone deigns to toss us in the bin) like the plague. However, since I had no idea what this was about and none of the bookstores carried it, I didn’t really get a chance to look through it and bought it online.

Basically, Lily is a witch, though she doesn’t do too much in the way of spells etc. aside from infusing candles that she makes with magic sparked by her blood that help with love, healing, etc. which she’s known for and sells in her mother’s quasi-wiccan shop. She’s also known for being the girl that can’t touch anyone for more than a few seconds before she’s bombarded by that person’s secrets and every detail of their lives before she passes out. Enter Ryder and Lucian, two guys who both have the ability to touch Lily without her seeing a thing about them and, most importantly, without her losing consciousness. Of course, they hate each other with a passion most people can only dream of and proceed to fight for the affections of Lily, while trying to hide secrets she must attempt to unravel.

The ubiquitous “He’s so hot! Imperfect (Really? How?) but so hot! And there are reasons we can never truly be together” is present in the book. It bothered the crap out of me in Bloodspell but for some reason, maybe because I thought, at least at the beginning, this was a lighter book, it didn’t bug me too much. But by the end, all of the fawning over Lily (Katherine, Marion, Sarah, whatever) really got on my nerves. Ryder and Lucian are perfect and must have Lily no matter the cost, which is easy since the bill is always paid by Lily and all of her incarnations. For some reason, more than halfway through the book, Ryder took to calling Lily baby over and over again and every time they ate together he was feeding her. Now, I realize they’re supposed to be soul mates lost to each other every century and Ryder is over 400 years old, but I wanted to barf each time either of these events happened. And he cried. Some chicks may like that in a guy, I’m not one of them. And Lily’s unwavering devotion to Ryder, even though she thinks he is the one who will kill her, was unbelievable! If I thought a guy nearly killed someone close to me and was eventually going to snuff me out, no way in hell would I be begging him to take me body and soul. No. Way.

And if Lily is such a powerful witch, why couldn’t she figure out some way to send Lucian back to his own realm without sacrificing herself every single time she was reborn?

Now, I know given my complaining above you’d think I absolutely hated this book, but I didn’t. I actually ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would. There were many humorous lines in the book and when Lily wasn’t acting like a lovesick moron, she was a pretty decent, sarcastic female lead. I liked that there really wasn’t a love triangle, though Lucian wanted there to be, Lily didn’t fall for his crap and, though at the end she felt for Lucian and didn’t want him to suffer, she never really questioned her love for Ryder, disgusting as it was at times. I also liked that Wray had me questioning who was actually reincarnated as who and wondering how everything would be resolved. Probably the reason why I didn’t absolutely hate the concept behind the book, that of reincarnation, is because it wasn’t some divine reincarnation, it was because of a hex.

I did love the ending, and that went a long way towards my liking the book because I thought for certain something awful was going to happen to everyone, since What Dreams May Come was referenced a number of times throughout the book.

If Wray writes another book, I’ll more than likely check it out, but I’ll make sure I know exactly what it’s about before I buy it.
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May 07, 2011 Sophia rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Ok the Story line is a little too familar, but since i'm in the process of reading Angelfireright now and Fallen Tormentseries this clandestine love that last through the ages is getting a little old. And why is it that the girl always forgets the memories and the boys get the brood over the history?

Ok enough ranting its my fault I seem to pick up the same kind of story line in each of these books.

But Lily/Katherine is very likable. Although the whole I don't know what he sees in me kind of sel...more Ok the Story line is a little too familar, but since i'm in the process of reading Angelfireright now and Fallen Tormentseries this clandestine love that last through the ages is getting a little old. And why is it that the girl always forgets the memories and the boys get the brood over the history?

Ok enough ranting its my fault I seem to pick up the same kind of story line in each of these books.

But Lily/Katherine is very likable. Although the whole I don't know what he sees in me kind of self deprecating thoughts are old as well a-la TwilightI guess. But I guess that's what makes her so believable and relate-able to the reader? Because we all feel like that sometimes?

I found the Story line to be really predictable. I kinda guess from the start where it was all going. Everyone that has written about the "twist" (ha ha) I found predictable. I mean Ryder told you his name from the beginning, and although when Lucian tells her that is his name why does Lily just believe him right away. And when he shows her their "history" she gets this funny feeling. I mean come on people all these clues lead up to HELLO he's been lying to you the WHOLE time.

~~I did appreciate that the this was a novella not a full blow out novel, I don't think I could have handled the suspense (JOKING!!).~~ OOPS see the comment below I was kinda worded by the author (nail biting, sigh) Ok well my bad. I'm glad it was a shorter novel not 500 pages...

The author's writing style is enjoyable and the little tid bits she put into the book really dates it. A good book won't do that. Hinting about Miley Cyrus and Jonas Brothers? come one 10 years from now a girl reading this will NOT get it!!

It also seems that some things like other people have said just get brushed over, like the use of her power. How everyone in the whole town knows about her special gift. And the making of her candles. Her courtship with Ryder is fast after the scene of the first date. All of this contributes to how short the story was.

I love it don't get me wrong but I think some things could have been delved into more explained better ect. I wasn't itching to finish this book like I have with others. And i'm soooo GLAD that this wasn't made into a series and strung out 10+ books or something I don't think I could handle any more cliff hangers these Paranormal YA authors have been hitting with us lately. (less)

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Mar 24, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-read, angels, booksirecommend, love-story, paranormal-romance, yafantasy, youngadult

When Ramona contacted me to review this book, I was skeptical. I saw the cover and thought it was adorable. So I said sure, I'll review it. We went back and forth about when I was going to review and do my q&a with her. I decided on a March 22 date. So I'm a day late. I'd fallen behind in reviews. So Sunday, March 20, I finally picked up Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale.

This is a case of don't base a book on it's cover. I love the cover it's cute and quirky and whimsical, but the story in between...more When Ramona contacted me to review this book, I was skeptical. I saw the cover and thought it was adorable. So I said sure, I'll review it. We went back and forth about when I was going to review and do my q&a with her. I decided on a March 22 date. So I'm a day late. I'd fallen behind in reviews. So Sunday, March 20, I finally picked up Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale.

This is a case of don't base a book on it's cover. I love the cover it's cute and quirky and whimsical, but the story in between the covers is darker and absolutely fantastic! I inhaled this book. Lily Crane is a freak. She can't touch anyone without seeing what their life holds for them and then she gets this mind melding headache and seizes. So ever since Lily was little everyone called her the freak.

Enter one Ryder Kingscott. He's caught Lily's eye, but she knows thats all she can get. Is just staring at him, but imagine Lily's surprise when she inadvertently shows up to school early and Ryder is waiting for her. To ask her out. To prom!

Lily doesn't give him an answer right away. She's hesitant. But Ryder is patient.

I loved Lily. She's a great heroine and she spoke rapid fast and was your typical American teen. Which is kinda amazing as Ramona is not even American! The tete a tete between Ryder and Lily is spot on. This book is sexy and well plotted. The mythology Wray writes is interesting in a world that has bursting with paranormal romances.

When Ryder finally gets Lily to go out with him after school, all of Lily's walls that she's kept up are brought down. When Ryder offers her his hand, she refuses. But he knows that she can touch him. That first date scene is so flipping hot and amazing that I had to re-read it a few times. There is something about Ryder that Lily just feels comfortable and as she says "unbroken" around him.

But happiness is not to last long. Ryder knows things about Lily. And then Lucien Bell shows up whereas, Ryder cannot tell Lily the truth, but Lucien can and will. I don't want to give anything away, but the title of book is important.

I could gush and gush about this book, how much I loved it. How it all worked. There are a few problems, minor quibbles. Ramona loves her exclamation points. And the pop culture references could date this book in a few years, but those are minor issues. She ties the story up nicely. Although the ending could make you want more.(less)

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Feb 26, 2011 Book Him Danno rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, giveaway-wins, 2011

I want to give it 3 1/2 stars, I liked it better then 3, but some of the writing needs to be firmed up in places. The start of the book was confusing and seemed to go on and on, but finally the story emerged and it was good. Paranormal seems to be a hot button and for good reasons. A writer can make anyone do anything and be anyone. This author took advantage of that and really pulled some different beings into the mix. I like the idea of an angel here on earth and what consequences that may hav...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Devyn Dawson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: interesting-ya-book

4.5 star.

First - the cover... I really love this cover. I bet it's gorgeous in print.

I'm not going to retell the synopsis of the book, just review. I really enjoyed this story. I found her literary style to be reminiscent of the great writers of the 1800's...yet it embraces today's expectations of YA books.

The mystery in the book is great, as it keeps you guessing for a long while. I thought the character development to be great and the mysterious love triangle intriguing. The final peak of t...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Cheryl rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It’s not really that spoilery, but I do mention a big plot point, so…

2½ stars - The cover. It’d be cute if the book was meant for 10 year olds, but it doesn’t suit this story at all.

Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale is about Lily, who can’t touch people or else she sees into their lives and is wracked with pain. She puts her blood, along with herbs, etc. into candles that she makes and sells at her mom’s new age-y shop. The only person she finds she can touch without pain is Ryder, a mysterious boy wh...more It’s not really that spoilery, but I do mention a big plot point, so…

2½ stars - The cover. It’d be cute if the book was meant for 10 year olds, but it doesn’t suit this story at all.

Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale is about Lily, who can’t touch people or else she sees into their lives and is wracked with pain. She puts her blood, along with herbs, etc. into candles that she makes and sells at her mom’s new age-y shop. The only person she finds she can touch without pain is Ryder, a mysterious boy who’s been at school for a year and who, without warning, asks Lily to the prom. Shortly after, enter Lucian, a new student who Lily feels drawn to, but not in the same way she is to Ryder. Of course, Ryder and Lucian hate each other and both want Lily, though she’s not immediately sure why.

I’ve got mixed feelings about this book. For one thing, I just don’t like books about reincarnation. Witches and faeries. Sure. Werewolves and vampires. Okay. But there’s only so much disbelief I can suspend; I think it’s in part because in real life I think reincarnation is just crap. Also, like the last book I just read (Bloodspell), there’s just too much angst over a guy, or in this case, two guys. At first, I thought it made sense because you didn’t know who was who (another reincarnation thing that drives me nuts), but after a while, it got to be really annoying (especially when vomit inducing nicknames like pet and baby started getting tossed around). Towards the end it seemed like every chapter ended with a build-up to a short final couple sentences that were basically: I love him. He’s going to kill me. And the crying? Lily cried waaaay to much and so did the guys. And for someone who had this power to see into people’s lives, we never saw it. Sure, she’s going to avoid touching people, but every once in a while you’d think we’d see what this power was really like. As for the ending I was expecting some kind of showdown or use of magic, but it was resolved far to easily and I just didn’t think what one of the characters did was believable at all.

Despite my not liking reincarnation related books, I did think that the plot was interesting and there were times when I thought I might end up liking the book more than I did. I just found it a bit too sappy, with too much time spent agonizing over guys. I thought that, at times this made Lily, who seemed pretty smart and level headed, do and think stupid things like, oh, I think he’s lying to me, he may have hurt someone I love and is going to end up killing me, but I don’t care, I love him and have to stop myself from running to him. Ugh. If this doesn’t bother you, you’ll probably like this book a lot more than I did. As I said, the plot was pretty good and there were a few twists thrown in that made things interesting enough for me to finish the book.(less)

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Mar 25, 2011 Amber Skye rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

Don't let this book's cover fool you- while the cute pink background and witch hint at a lighthearted piece of chick lit, underneath lies a dark story of a love that spans the centuries. Honestly, I was expecting a story stuffed with fluff and comedy. I was surprised by the rich writing and depth of Hex, A Witch and Angel Tale.

Lily was a amusing and lovable protagonist. Her witty comebacks and hilarious internal dialogue had me laughing out loud. Despite her supernatural abilities as a witch, L...more

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Feb 22, 2011 Amy Jacobs rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

Are you looking for a fresh new voice in the young adult genre? I was excited when author Ramona Wray contacted me to review her novel since I was looking for a new author to enjoy in this genre. Plus, who can resist a cute and cuddly cover like this one? Isn't the artwork adorable?

Lily has a secret skill that she doesn't like to use. She can touch a person and learn about their life. To some this may seem like a cool thing to do, but not for Lily. She is trying to have a normal life and this ni...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Mariah rated it 3 of 5 stars

I give this book 4 Stars for story and 2.5 Stars for technical merit. Once the plot well and truly thickened I liked Lucien/Lily/Ryder's story very much. In fact, I stayed up until 3am to finish reading the book. Wray created some very colorful characters and a very interesting setting for her story.

Technically speaking, there's room for improvement. Wray is a good author, but I felt that the beginning of the book moved a little too quickly. Lily's inability to touch people certainly went a lon...more

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Jul 15, 2011 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, a-new-take, paranormal, sci-fi-magic, young-adult, quick-reads, ramona-wray

What a fun read. This book in many ways reminds me of how I felt when I first read the Twilight series. I read with a smile on my face, not wanting to put the book down, and if I had my druthers would have read it in one sitting. One thing I like more than Twilight, is that I didn't feel the main character was too whiny, she was a bit overdramatic, but she understood that about herself. Lily was very mature at times for a 17 year old, and yet I never forgot that she was a teenager being thrust i...more

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title link	preview: Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale
avg rating	preview: Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale Goodreads rating: 3.74 (440 ratings)
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Hex: A Witch and Angel Tale

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