Search This Blog

2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


30 / 30 books. 100% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (7)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (2)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois (3)
- Indiana (4)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (3)
- Michigan (1)
- Minnesota (1)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (2)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (8)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (2)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (4)
- Utah (2)
- Vermont (2)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.* (2)

International:
- Australia (2)
- Bolivia (1)
- Canada (3)
- China (1)
- England (20)
- France (1)
- Ghana (1)
- India (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (4)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (1)
- Russia (1)
- Scotland (3)
- The Netherlands (1)

My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


44 / 50 books. 88% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


36 / 50 books. 72% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


50 / 52 books. 96% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


36 / 40 books. 90% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


17 / 40 books. 43% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


21 / 25 books. 84% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


17 / 26.2 miles (3rd lap). 65% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


38 / 100 books. 38% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


92 / 104 books. 88% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


125 / 165 books. 76% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


76 / 100 names. 76% done!
Monday, June 29, 2015

Magical Illusions of Fate an Enjoyable Romp

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

As a native of tropical Melei, Jessamin Olea longs for the warmth and brightness of her island home.  She can't stand the dark dreariness of Albion, the city where she attends school.  Its inhabitants, obsessed with wealth and status, aren't anymore enamored of Jessamin as she is of them.  As an "island rat," she's considered a second-class citizen, useful only as a servant to her high-brow betters.  Even her father, a professor in Albion, can't be bothered with her.  Despite all this, she's determined to make something of herself using her natural gifts of intelligence, quick-thinking, and spunk.

When she draws the attention of Finn Ackerly, a handsome 19-year-old aristocrat, Jessamin is introduced to the glittering world of Albion high society.  Not only is it filled with bulging pocketbooks, fancy gowns and sparkling jewels, but it's also defined by a potent blood-magic that runs through noble veins.  Because of her growing friendship with Finn, Jessamin also attracts the attention of the sadistic Lord Downpike, who will stop at nothing to recover what she's taken from him.  Caught in a deadly game against a dangerous opponent, Jessamin will have to rely not on magic, but on her own wit and spunk.  Can she save herself and Finn before it's too late for both of them?  Or will she, like so many of her island countrymen, be trampled under the boots of Albion's powerful gentry? 

Filled with adventure and magic, Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White is a fun, enjoyable novel.  Although it's clever and imaginative, it's true the story isn't all that original.  Still.  It's clean, it's engaging, it's an easy, entertaining read that can be enjoyed by both teens and adults (my 13-year-old daughter and I both liked it).  Jessamin's the kind of heroine anyone will find compelling —it's as easy to sympathize with her plight as it is to cheer on her brave fight against Albion's evils.  All in all, then, Illusions of Fate tells a satisfying story that's just plain fun to read.  

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:



for violence, intense situations, and mild sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Illusions of Fate from the generous folks at HarperCollins as part of my work as a judge for the Association for Mormon Letters Awards.  

2 comments:

  1. It does remind me of Patricia Wrede's Regency-era with magic books (Mairelon the Magician, Sorcery and Cecilia). I think (hope?) it shares a similar vibe with my book that's coming out next year--a mid-19th C. historical fantasy set in England and Hungary.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've been wondering about this series. I've heard good things. Maybe one day I'll try them.

    ReplyDelete

Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.

P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!

Blog Widget by LinkWithin


Reading

<i>Reading</i>
Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens

Listening

<i>Listening</i>
The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong



Followin' with Bloglovin'

Follow

Followin' with Feedly

follow us in feedly



Grab my Button!


Blog Design by:


Blog Archive