About the Book
-
Author:
- Aprilynne Pike
- Genres:
- Boy-Girl Romance
- Fantasy
- Voices:
- Cis Girl
- White (Non-Specified)
BFF Charm: Yay?
Talky Talk: Straight Up with a side of Disney Princess
Bonus Factors: Faerie Lore, Trolls!
Relationship Status: My Brother’s Best Friend
The Deal
Things are going pretty well for Laurel, now that her parents know she’s a faerie, and they have promised not to sell their land in the country- where a secret gate to Avalon (faerie world) is protected day and night by sentries. She still has her best friend, and her boyfriend, David, thinks she’s the coolest faerie on two legs. She’s a little apprehensive when she’s summoned to Avalon to ‘catch up’ on her faerie studies, but at least when she’s there she’ll get to see Tam, the super hot sentry faerie who she can’t quite seem to say ‘no’ to. But then, she still has nightmares about the trolls, who are still after her, and what’s with the crazy commando troll-hunting lady? Can she be trusted?
BFF Charm: Yay?
I like Laurel, I do. I’m just not 100% sure I want to give her my charm. I complained about her being bland in the first book, but I found her a bit more interesting in this one. She’s really sweet, if a little lost and confused, and she has a nice quiet strength. I think I’d like to give her a few years, to see how she grows up, because maybe my hesitation is just because I’m really too old for her.
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Folks, this is a kissing book. For reals. However, maybe it’s the sweetness in which it’s told, or maybe Aprilynne Pike is a genius mastermind and she’s playing me like a fiddle, and will disclose the steamy in a future book, but whichever it is, I don’t particularly feel the swoon between Laurel and David. Tam, however, leaves my knees weak and gives me a little flutter in my tummy. I’m really looking forward to someone else reading this series, because I’d like to see if it’s just me that thinks this. But to me, the chemistry between Laurel and Tam is Grade A Top Choice.
Talky Talk: Straight Up with a side of Disney Princess
Aprilynne Pike handles the inner-workings of teenagers very smoothly, and even though I like my fantasy stories chocked full of a little more thrills and chills, she delivers on the story, and there’s plenty of excitement to go around, too. I don’t mean any insult with the Disney Princess thing. This story is just very sweet, and if it was a musical, I could picture Laurel bursting out with a little “I want to be where the people are. I wanna see, wanna see ’em dancin’…”
Oh, and Ms. Pike? That cliffie? Thanks a lot. You’ve insured that I will be reading the next one.
Bonus Factor: Faerie Lore
In this book we delve into some fantastic faerie lore that is both believable (you know, when you’re talking faerie lore) and really well thought out. See, these faeries have no wings. They’re plants, so the females ‘blossom’ in certain seasons, but trust me, this is way better than Tinker Belle.
Bonus Factor: Trolls!
I think more stories should use trolls as bad guys. ‘Cause they’re so bad, really. On a side note, probably one of the most quoted lines from a movie in my house is Ian Hart’s “There’s a TROOOOOLL in the dungeon! … Thought you ought to know…” (Because there’s this lady who, ahem, trolls around the dog park near our house, and she’s kind of… a troll. So we all say that line whenever we see her. But not so she can hear. Maybe you have to be there.)
Relationship Status: My Brother’s Best Friend
So this book is over a lot, and although it’s my brother’s friend (so it’s automatically gross) I find myself crushing on it a little. Even though it walked in on me in the bathroom that one time, and has been known to tease me mercilessly on more than one occasion. I wonder what might happen when we’re all a little older.
FTC Full Disclosure: I received neither money nor cocktails for writing this review (dammit!). Spells is available now.
