Review: Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

Published Date: May 3rd, 2011
Finished Date: May 10th, 2011
Publishers: HarperCollins Publishers
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 375
Series: Wings book 3

Blurb 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.
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My Review: Arrhhh! Disappointing ending!! Just when the book got interesting, it ended. Seriously? Come on, man.

Ok..After many months of waiting, here's what we've got: Laurel and David are back in high school and it's their senior year. Both of them are happily making out before the bell rang for classes on day when Tam shows up as an exchange student(a Scottish one at that. haha). David, obviously,was really angry and jealous everytime Tam talks to Laurel while Laurel has mixed feelings-mostly happy, worried, and awkward. Things were peaceful until Klea, the self-proclaimed troll hunter, shows up at Laurel's house with a wid faerie in tow, and asked her to take care of Yuki, the wild faerie and also exchange student recently enrolled at Cescent High at the same time as Tamani. Laurel and Tam were suspiscious of her and so decided to befriend her to dig up some inside scoop or info. Yuki is wary of everyone, especially Laurel since she keeps trying to talk to her. And since Laurel fails time and time again to get into Yuki's good books, Tam steps up to seduce her..kinda(this is what the excerpt in Aprilynne's blog was about..if you are still feeling depressed over it)..Yuki starts falling for Tam but Tam still likes Laurel and Laurel is still confused about whether she likes David or Tam or both..Yadda yadda. Oh then here's where it got better since i'm kinda with Team Tam:D. Laurel broke up with David. In front of the school. Cool. A wee bit drama mama, but still cool. So Laurel's tending towards Tam now, but not all the way,yet. ok,romance part aside, since Tam and Laurel's suspiscious bout the new girl, they consulted Jamison in Avalon(that was the only time Laurel went back to Avalon...sad, right?:( ) and so the main plot of the whole book just Laurel trying to figure out whether Yuki is with the good guys or the bad guys, and what caste/season faerie she is. The ending was when they just figured out what caste/season faerie Yuki was, and i tell you it was a hell of a shock. Like seriously, the bomb dropped from nowhere; read it, and get a kick in the ass. I'm not even gonna spoiler it even tho that's one of my hobbies..haha. It's really cool how i didn't see that coming.

As i've said, i am still quite disappointed with the ending. It seemed like the book was getting too thick so the author decided to just bookmark it and say," ok let's just split it up here since it's convenient and it creates some suspense for the readers". Y'know, i don't really mind cliffhangers like the one in Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire of the Hunger Games series, but this one is just plain annoying and i don't think the suspenseful part overrules the irritation. I was reading happily, interest piqueing because honestly, the front part of the book was boring i even stopped reading it for a few days but the pace picked up and i found myself enjoying this series again. But so as i was reading it happily and secretively in math class, it just ended. I was like," that's it? What kind of a non-ending is this?" Something like Kelley Armstrong's Darkest Powers series, if you've read it. But when i was around three quarters into the book, it got really exciting and i found i was really reluctant to put the book down and tear my gaze away from the pages. And i stress the word TEAR. There was some action(even for David and Chelsea), some uncertainties and suddenly 'BAM!' The answer to it all(well, almost all) just slams into your face and then...The end. Hope you enjoyed the book!-.- And it was getting so nice!TT sigh..another few months to wait...AGAIN..TT

This sequel focused more on the romance part, since Laurel can finally take a REALLY short break now after Barnes(the main bad troll)is dead. But soon Tam and Aaron(another of Laurel's sentries. She has alot of them btw..around 200 when the book ended) came across 2 and soon more trolls started appearing. It was really sad and miserable for Tam at the start since all Laurel do was hug David,kiss David(definitely alot of kissing. Actually not alot, but over excessive kissing), study with David, share secrets with David, oh and did i mention kiss David? And kiss David, so yeah, it was bad for Tam. But after Laurel broke up with David after him and Tam got all possessed by the testosterone disease, Tam started to really woo Laurel in earnest; And i've got to say this, Tam really knows how to be sweet and romantic when he wants to be. He left Laurel a rose after he left her house just before dawn, watching her sleep.

Laurel was cool-her Mixing(or Fall faerie's) ability have started to really come back to her, and she's starting to do some real advanced stuff. She is mature at some points...But i reall couldn't stand her when she asked David to the Winter Formal Dance AFTER she broke up with him and made out with Tam(rather passionately, if i may) several times and breaking both Tam's and David's hearts..again...Pissing~ But she's cool. I don't know why, but i do like her:).

Tam got quite a bit of the limelight here as Pike shifted from Laurel's POV to his, and at times, David's. It was good so i didn't get all tensed and worried when he started flirting and cozing up to Yuki and not treat Laurel like he used to. But when it shifted to his POV then oh, all the uncertainties were resolved:). He does love her alot(i mean Laurel,of course). And i really like those times when he got really protective and at times when he couldn't summon up some werll-needed confidence and really go after Laurel and truly express himself...physically...haha sounds wrong.

It was funny at parts and i was smiling away during Math and English class...which was weird..haha.

I would definitely read the next book cause i'm anxious to see how all this shit problems end and who Laurel ends up with, and where she decides to belong-Avalon or Earth(or do we call it the human dimension? Or the likes). Well. not bad, but it was ultimately the ending which made me rate this book only 3.

My Rating: