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| Illusions of Fate Kiersten White |
Illusions of Fate
Kiersten White
Published: September 9, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Age Demographic: YA Historical Fantasy
Pages: 288
Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare in this lush, romantic fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Kiersten White.
“I did my best to keep you from crossing paths with this world. And I shall do my best to protect you now that you have.”
Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets Finn, a gorgeous, enigmatic young lord who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status…and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, dangerous secrets that the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits and her determination, can stop him.
Kiersten White captured readers’ hearts with her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy and its effortless mix of magic and real-world teenage humor. She returns to that winning combination of wit, charm, and enchantment in Illusions of Fate, a sparkling and romantic new novel perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, The Madman’s Daughter, and Libba Bray.
To PreOrder Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White
(I received an ARC of Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White, via ATW ARC Tours in exchange for an honest review, which I have posted on Goodreads.)
Absolutely thrilling and beautifully written, Illusions of Fate , will captivate and wow readers with it's beautiful setting and wonderfully imaginative characters. You'll be swept up in a beautifully lush romantic atmosphere and brilliant shining characters that will tease and tantalize you, as you turn the pages. This world is gorgeously magical and compelling, that you won't be able to put it down until you have finished the last page. It's been said that Illusions of Fate is like Downton Abbey meets Cassandra Clare, but I think it's surpasses that in so many ways. The wit and enchanting charm that this young adult novel possesses, will definitely work its magic on readers by keeping them entranced in this amazing world.
I love how headstrong and likable, Jessamine truly is. She's such a determined and strong willed character that it's hard not to admire her and to want to cheer her on, as she works hard to obtain what she's working towards. She's your typical young adult and she has a lot of burden on her shoulders. She also comes off a tad bit judgmental, but who isn't at that age? I really admire the realistic way that White wrote her, which showcased her likable qualities as well as her flaws that were frustrating at best, such as being stubborn for stubborn's sake.
The side characters, like Eleanor are also just as wonderfully vivid and memorable as Jessamine is. There are many fantastic qualities about them that make them all likable, fun, and wonderfully easy to connect with. Finn, is hands down, probably one of my favorite characters in this book. Ahhh, he was just so amazing in so many ways, and I completely fell in love with him. I love how he was so determined to stand against the war, he didn't just fall in line with the majority. He stood up for what he believed in and he didn't care whether anyone knew it or whether it would end up hurting him at a later date. Strength and bravery like that are definitely good qualities to have in my book.
The romantic sparks between Jessamine and Finn ended up being as charming and endearing, as I hoped it was going to be. Once Jessamine let go of her stubborn streak and they really came together and left a smile on my face. And just how romantic was that whole shadow thing? These two just seemed to work better together, than they did apart on their own and it was so sweet to see their relationship grow and flourish and become so much strong as the story went on. No words, I just want to draw hearts around them, because they made mine smile.
I admired the way that Kiersten White was able to brilliantly stitch together the political and racial issues of that time so flawlessly, in such a way that it blended seamlessly with the magical fantasy aspect of this novel. It gave the plot a bit of edge and amped up the tension. Illusions of Fate is a richly lush and beautiful mysteriously written young adult novel, that I would definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys paranormal fantasy romance and the Victorian era. It's not heavy on the historical side, but it has just the right amount mingled with witty banter, colorful characters with charming quirks, and a gorgeous atmosphere that readers will definitely want to sink into.
Kiersten White is the New York Times best-selling author of Paranormalcy and Supernaturally. She is also known for giving the most awkward hugs in the world. You should probably opt for one of her books over one of her hugs, but then again, maybe you like awkward hugs.
Kiersten enjoys writing flirting scenes, and fighting scenes, and sometimes she write scenes that fall somewhere in between the two, but only if she can't avoid it.
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