Illusions by Aprilynne Pike

Finding out you're a faerie isn't easy...

It has been months since Laurel last saw Tamani, and her relationship with David is now stronger than ever. But when an all too familiar face enrols in her school, Laurel knows that something is up. Tamani has returned, and with him, trouble.

Once again Laurel finds herself drawn to Tamani, his unearthliness sends sparks flying but she knows she's already made her choice, and that David is still waiting for her. Although Laurel might have made her decision, Tamani is less keen in leaving her with a human for a companion, and the rivalry between David and Tamani soon spirals out of control.

Months have passed without a single troll sighting, but a new arrival causes unease and paranoia to rise in their midst... because this arrival is different, this arrival is fey.

The storm draws near as Laurel and the others uncover knowledge about the trolls and a new threatening force. Danger lies around every corner and they must find out if the new faerie is friend or foe, before it all comes crumbling down.

---------o_O-----------

et voila!
That was my summary/ blurb.

Ok. I suppose I shall once again start on the characters, it seems I'm doing that quite a lot these days :)
eenie, meenie, miney, mo. LAUREL. of course, it is no surprise that I shall start with her, she is the protagonist after all... Ok. Laurel... I have quite a lot to say about her character but I shan't, well... I will, and I'll try to make it understandable.

Laurel: beautiful, talented and faerie. I find that she's a little too perfect. Someone as perfect as her shouldn't be a protagonist, because simply put, the story can't go anywhere. I don't like her. There, I said it. She's just so... eugh! She can't seem to make up her choice, David, Tamani. Tamani, David. MAKE UP YOUR MIND.

I really do hate undecided characters... Love triangles are just getting old... at least ones that have now dragged for 3 books do. Yes there was a time when the idea was quite thrilling but now... **snore**
Now Laurel dearie, I must say, when you stated "I made my choice" in Spells. I believe that I was over the moon because finally, yes finally, I thought you'd made a decision...
GOSH I WAS WRONG
I had to sit there for the majority of the book listening, reading about Laurel's relationship problems.

There is only one word for describing this: gluttony
Laurel clearly needs to decide between either David or Tamani, but her own selfish-nous and greed ends up hurting both parties... I have to say, bravo Laurel! If you wanted to be stupid, you've hit that head on!

She's just so hyprocritical, "David, you should trust me". Hm... that's a lot easier to do, if she weren't pining after Tamani. Yeah. trust. pffssssshhh

There also the matter that she is in such denial, I am humiliated for her. She's all like: no, no, what are you talking about? I don't like Tamani. When I do believe nearly every page contains the word Tamani at least one. And she often has to physically shake herself to get rid of her thoughts of Tamani. Not. obsessive. at. all.
Honestly, this is just getting so old right now, I don't think I can take it anymore.

And now Tamani, does this boy have no freaking brains. It's cute that he wants to go after the girl of his childhood, and that he'll do anything for her. But has he no dignity? Laurel has turned him down so many times now, I've lost count. She's left him for David, stated that she "made her choice". (which in reality meant she was being a mope-y bum) and Tamani still goes for her, that has no appeal whatsoever, because that, that is just plain embarrassing. Sure you can argue that she still loves him, but if she really did, then it would have been him that she ran to, he would have been the first choice, and frankly, there shouldn't have been a huge debate about who to choose. See?

David. Not important, just a blob put in there to complete the triangle, I don't even think he's done anything of that great an importance, he just hangs around making Laurel feel like she chose the right guy, he's the jealous type. meh. like I said... he's quite boring.

Another issue I had with this book was that it didn't go anywhere, at least the majority of it didn't. Practically 3 quarters of it were wasted on Laurel and her ridiculous relationship problems... I really didn't want to read a book about that. the final quarter finally looked up a tad (though it wasn't enough to redeem the first part)... only to end in a cliff-hanger... oh great << **severe sarcasm** The writing could have been improved because, this is one of the lines in the story:

"'I have no choice but to crumble like a . . . chocolate cookie. Or whatever,' she(Chelsea) said when Laurel eyed her. 'My metaphors suck. Let’s go.'"

there. I'd like to draw attention to the fact that that wasn't a metaphor, that was a simile. Ok. I may be over analysing bits, and I don't know if that was meant to be deliberate, but seeing as Chelsea's character is supposedly very smart. I don't think she'd say that.

Yep. That is all I have time to mope about. I, personally am quite disappointed in this story. Spells was already pushing my patience with the whole, love triangle thing and this one has just pushed me past the line. I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! The next book, oh yeah, that's right, there's a next book... o_O

well, it better stop the ridiculous love triangle because this is just going too far. On the bright side Illusions seems to have wrapped most of the love triangle up assuming that Laurel doesn't change her mind, which knowing her, she probably will... **sigh**
I'll just have to wait and see...

****I swear, I've made this sound so much worse than I actually felt, see? it's 3/5 stars meaning i liked it. I think I've focused on the negatives waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much... ooopsies.****

******* I may not have liked this book, but I can tell you that there are hundreds, probably thousands of people out there who loved it. These are just my opinions and I'm extremely sorry if I've offended anyone.********