Friday, May 6, 2011

Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

Book Details
Illusions by Aprilynne Pike
Hardcover, 384 Pages
2011, HarperTeen
ISBN: 0061668095
Series: Book 3 of Wings

Synopsis
"I don't do patrols, I don't go hunting, I just stick close to you. You live your life. I'll keep you safe," Tamani said, sweeping a lock of hair from her face. "Or die trying."

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 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.

Review
I greatly enjoyed Wings. Spells absolutely captivated me. Illusions held me completely enthralled the entire way though, making me absolutely desperate for the next and final book in this series.

I love Tamani, and we get to see a lot of him in Illusions. After being sent away by Laurel at the end of Spells, I was concerned that he wouldn't be involved much in the remainder of the series. Turns out, he's not going anywhere - forever. As Laurel's personal guard, he's with her for life, so even if we don't get to see them blissfully in love (but, please let that be the ending!), the forced togetherness makes for much opportunity for both flirting and awkwardness.

Klea asks for Laurel's help keeping an eye in her new ward, Yuki, who she believes to be a nymph of some kind. Of course, it's obvious to Laurel and Tamani that Yuki is in fact a faerie. Is Klea setting them up? Does Yuki know what she is? What type of faerie is she and is she friend or foe? The addition of another faerie in the human world brings about many questions and even leads Laurel back to Avalon for a short time.

The constant danger of trolls, Klea and now the unknown Yuki factor keeps Laurel on her toes throughout the book. We see lots of faerie mixing which basically amounts to really interesting science experiments as Laurel tries to learn more about Yuki's powers. Equally keeping Laurel off kilter is Tamani's constant presence and its effects on her relationship with David.

One of my favorite aspects of this series so far is that Laurel now has a tight group of people she can be completely honest with. It's wonderful to see her so close with her mother, especially now that they can discuss how Laurel's faerie-ness comes into play as she debates which of the boys she should actually be with. Her relationship with best friend Chelsea is also great since there are no longer any secrets.

This series continues to amaze me. Illusions brings the romantic triangle to a head while wrapping everyone in constant danger. And the ending, oh dear lord, the ending, is a monumental cliffhanger that promises a finale of epic proportions. Illusions is nothing short of awesome.

Rating

Links
Aprilynne Pike's
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