Review: Illusions by Aprilynn Pike

Title: Illusions (US), Wild (elsewhere)
Author: Aprilynn Pike
Genre: YA, Supernatural, Romance, 3rd in series
Perfect for: Readers who have read the first two books. This is *not* a standalone!
Star Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Taken from Goodreads, "Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice.

But just as life is returning to normal, Laurel discovers that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail."


Being as this is the third in the series, this review will be short and sweet. I don't want to spoil anything for readers who might have stumbled upon this review and have not yet read the first two books, 'Wings' and 'Spells'. It is essential to read the first two novels in this series to get anything out of 'Illusions'. It's not a series book that could stand alone.


Just like the Fallen series, I find these books infuriating sometimes. They're addicting and really easy to get sucked into, but because of that, I always get frustrated by the characters actions and plot points. While the plot is executed much better than 'Spells', 'Illusions' still made me just as frustrated.


What did I like about 'Illusions'? I really enjoyed seeing Tamani and David in scenes with Laurel *together*. It always bugged me how Laurel was either with one or the other, but in this novel, we saw the whole crew interacting and I loved it. Adding Chelsea to the mix was a great idea. Her sarcasm was spot on and a nice break from the boys rivalries and Laurel's worrying.


The introduction of Yuki was a welcome plot point, too. While I still don't know enough about her to know if she's good or bad, she helped round out the group in 'Illusions'. I am looking forward to seeing what she brings to the table.


What bothered me about 'Illusions'? My main problem with 'Illusions' is that aside from Laurel taking an active interest in really figuring out her love life, not much more happens. Yes, we meet Yuki, but we don't learn anything about her. Yes, we see a troll, but we don't learn anything about it. The book suffered from 'Empire Strikes Back' syndrome-- it sets up the next book in the series, but on its own, it has no standalone story. Questions aren't answered. I finished the book trying to figure out why Pike couldn't have just created a trilogy.


'Illusions' gets 3 out of 5 stars. The scenes with Laurel and Tam were great, but not enough to really sell me on this book.  Still, I'm looking forward to the final book in the series!

S.O.S Book of the Week

The S.O.S Book of the Week is where I let you in on what new releases I'm looking forward to! S.O.S comes from the term 'Strict on Sale'. It's bookseller speak for a title that you can't sell before a specific date-- think Harry Potter. While the books I have here may not be S.O.S titles specifically, they are all new!


The S.O.S. Book of the Week is:

Taken from the only place I could find a blurb and edited to leave out a bit of spoilery material, here's a teeny tiny bit of info about 'Illusions' by Aprilynne Pike.  'Illusions' is the third book in the series that started with 'Wings' and continued with 'Spells'.


"Just as life returns to normal, Laurel realizes that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail."


I've enjoyed reading about Laurels entrance into the world of the Fae. The sequel had a few problems, but I can forgive them. I'm hoping 'Illusions' has something awesome going on. I'm looking for quick witted lines, a good even story, and a bit of romance (preferably between Tamani and Laurel)!


I was all set to go into how I hoped it would be a fantastic ending to a trilogy, but looking at Goodreads, I noticed that a fourth novel is also planned! I'm surprised she's going the non trilogy route! Will it work in her favor? I hope so.


This title comes out May 2011.


Are you looking forward to this title?

Review: Spells by Aprilynne Pike

Title: Spells
Author: Aprilynne Pike
Genre: YA, Supernatural, Romance
Perfect for: Those who read the original title, 'Wings'

'Spells', sequel to last years 'Wings', picks up shortly after the original book ended. Laurel is on her way to Avalon for a six week crash course in how to be what she discovered she was in 'Wings'-- a fairy. But trouble looms overhead as the troll Barnes is still very much after her and her family. How far will Barnes go to to finish what he started? Will Laurel be able to choose between fairy guardian Tam and human boyfriend David? And most importantly, how long can Laural live between worlds before she has to choose one?

Let me start out by saying that this book isn't perfect. The storyline in 'Spells' isn't clearly defined and the love triangle isn't executed very well. Laurel is either with Tam in the world of the Fae or in the human world with David-- never do they mix. This set up made it seem like Laurel was using both men, as opposed to just having conflicting feelings about each.

The storyline felt rushed in some parts and dragged in others. For example, I loved the idea of Laurel staying and learning at the Academy in Avalon, but we hardly saw any of her time there. Too much time, in my opinion, was spent in the human world, which pales in comparison to Avalon.

While this book wasn't as good as the original, I am still eagerly awaiting the final book in the trilogy. Despite the flaw's, I still think Laurel and Tam are interesting voices. (They better be together in the end, btw!) Also, Pike's ideas on the world of the fae are unique and I'd like to know more about their way of life. So, all in all, though 'Spells' isn't fantastic, don't give up on it. This series still has potential to be really good!