Spells by Aprilynne Pike

Book Details
Spells by Aprilynne Pike
Hardcover, 368 Pages
2010, HarperTeen
ISBN: 0061668060
Series: Book 2 of Wings

Synopsis

"I can't just storm in and proclaim my intentions. I can't ‘steal' you away. I just have to wait and hope that, someday, you'll ask," Tamani said.

"And if I don't?" Laurel said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Then I guess I'll be waiting forever."

Although Laurel has come to accept her true identity as a faerie, she refuses to turn her back on her human life—and especially her boyfriend, David—to return to the faerie world.

But when she is summoned to Avalon, Laurel's feelings for the charismatic faerie sentry Tamani are undeniable. She is forced to make a choice—a choice that could break her heart.

Review
I liked Wings but I loved Spells. While Wings laid the groundwork for faerie mythology, Spells took it to a whole other level. Laurel travels to Avalon to attend Avalon Academy, where she attempts to catch up with her former classmates. While in Avalon, she gets to experience the customs of faerie with Tamani as a guide.

There were an abundance of amazing scenes between Laurel and Tamani. His hidden pain and absolute love for her were obvious and moving. He shows her the world of faerie, teaches her some of its ways and hopes that someday she will remember him.

We get to see many more faeries in Spells than we were shown in Wings. We learn more about their ranks or social order based on the seasons they were born in. We hear more about the history of faerie with historical and mythological characters peppered throughout. I didn't love how these human world people were claimed as faeries in Wings, but in Spells there are more details provided and their involvement is explained a bit more. With the added information, the characters made the story that much more interesting.

Laurel is still romantically involved with David in Spells. I hadn't formed an opinion as to which guy, David or Tamani, Laurel should be with after reading Wings. After reading Spells and seeing Laurel interact with both guys further, I can't see how she could be with anyone other than Tamani. He understands her and has loved her for a lifetime. I think it's obvious that what Laurel feels for Tamani is passion, while her feelings for David are deep friendship and hope that we one day get to see her with Tamani.

The trolls are still out to get Laurel and this time she gets aid from an mysterious source. Klea appears out of nowhere with her band of troll hunters and saves David and Laurel from sure death. But who is Klea? Why is she hunting trolls? Is she human or something else entirely?

Laurel tries to balance the human and faerie worlds, but she ultimately has to chose one to really commit to. The choice is devastating and the repercussions are unclear. This book was intense and wonderful. No matter where Laurel goes from here, I'll be sure to follow.

Rating

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