Reading Level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (May 3, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061668095
ISBN-13: 978-0061668098
Source: ARC provided by publisher
Cover: It's odd but for some reason this is my least favorite cover of the three. I do like that's a little brighter than the other too though and that it looks like it belongs in the series!
First Sentence: "The halls of Del Norte High buzzed with first-day-of-school chaos as Laurel wedged herself through a crowd of sophomores and spotted David's broad shoulders."
Mini-Review: The best in the series yet! From beginning to finish, Illusions never disappoints!
Book Summary:
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.
Book Review:
Illusions is one of those novels that is a game changer in the series. With tension pulled tight, answers hanging suspended in the air from the previous novels being solved and the character's all making choices that will change everything, Illusions is truly excellent. By far the best one in the series so far!
Like a string pulling the reader through the pages, the tension is so high in Illusions it is hard to put down. While the last two novels wrapped up neatly, they felt small. But Ms. Pike uses Illusions to show the reader how each point connects to the last and expands Laurel's world. The plot has plenty of twists and Ms. Pike is particularly talented at balancing this heavy danger hanging over the characters heads without repeatedly throwing it in the reader's face.
The characters continue to be pushed in life-altering directions and Ms. Pike isn't afraid of making them make decisions. Laurel truly has learned her lesson from the previous novels and no longer takes crap from either of the boys. Plus, she's decided to become smart, not just book smart but actually thinking things through before walking into the woods alone in the middle of the night. I was also impressed with Tamani's character in this novel. He was a little less go-for-it-with-everything-I-have and a little more sensitive to Laurel's feelings. The tension between Tamani and David was palatable, wafting right off the page and it was great to see how tired it made everyone else.
The complex character relationships, the surprise attacks and break-ups, Laurel's understanding of who and what she is coupled with the rising tension make Illusions a spectacular read. By far the best in the series, Illusions doesn't disappoint. After finishing this last installment, the characters and plot were stuck in my head for days. It's rare to find a series that gets better with each book, but the Wings series makes growth look like child's play; this a must read!
- Find Illusions on Goodreads
- Find Illusions on Shelfari
- Find Illusions on Amazon.com
- You can also visit Aprilynne Pike's website
So what did you think? Is this best in the series or did you one of the previous better?
I'm really looking forward to this one! I enjoyed both WINGS and SPELLS and can't wait to see where this series goes :)
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