Spells

author: Aprilynne Pike

published: May 4th 2010

series: Wings (book #2)

publisher: HarperTeen

format: hardcover

pages: 359

genre: fantasy

The following synopsis comes from Aprilynne Pike's website.

Sixth months have passed since Laurel saved the gateway to the faerie realm of Avalon. Now she must spend her summer there, honing her skills as a Fall faerie. But her human family and friends are still in mortal danger--and the gateway to Avalon is more compromised than ever.

When it comes time to protect those she loves, will she depend on David, her human boyfriend, for help? Or will she turn to Tamani, the electrifying faerie with whom her connection is undeniable?

My Thoughts:

The Cover:

The cover of Spells (above) most definitely fits with the Wings cover. I am all about coherent book covers. What I did not realize from the picture, is that, the tips of the flower on the lower corner are sticking out of water and are not glossy; they actually look as if they are sticking out of water. It's so cool!

The Story:

I fell in love with Laurel's story in Wings and I found Spells to be a great followup on her. She's a strong, independent girl that is facing many trials: her mother is distant, she has two boys after her heart, trolls are hunting her, she has to go to Avalon and learn how to be a Fall faerie, and much more.

My favorite part of Spells is the scenes in Avalon. The way Aprilynne Pike describes Avalon made me feel like I was there. I could feel the beauty of this magical place rolling off the pages penetrating my thoughts. It was so easy to see the wonder and beauty of this world and I truly wish it existed and, of course, that I was a Fall faerie like Laurel so I would be granted entry. Tamani is a nice bonus as well. She has created a vibrant world that I did not want to leave. I became fully enthralled with Avalon.

The story unfolds in a way that allows the reader to become attached to Avalon and, if the reader hasn't already, the characters. In Wings, Laurel did not go to Avalon, so the reader can't really appreciate the amount of protection that the Fae use in order to protect it. Spells allows readers to see into this world and become absorbed in it.

Laurel and David's relationship grow in this installment and it becomes evident why she chose David. Personally, I thought it was no contest: Tamani all the way! But, Spells gives more depth to both David and Tamani.

Spells is beautifully written and easy to read. I had so much fun in Laurel's world and I am DYING to see what happens next. I love the ending of Spells as it definitely sets up for Enchantments and leaves me yearning for more.

I'm Back!

I graduate from high school on Wednesday. I have finally had the opportunity to read an entire YA book; a book that was NOT for my AP Lit class. And I feel fantastic. It was Spells by Aprilynne Pike. A review will soon follow. But that's where I've been. And I remember reading on The Story Siren's blog, in the advice section or a post about annoying things bloggers do, not to apologize and give explanations for not being around: just start posting again. (or something along those lines) but it's been too long. Now, I know I have 18 followers...and that's not a lot...but I feel the need to explain anyway.

So I am dedicating my summer to reading and to my blog. I really hope to expand! :D

LINGER trailer!

Maggie Stiefvater has made another trailer! It is fantastic! This one is for Linger, the sequel to the beloved NYT Best Selling novel Shiver.

It wouldn't be fair to keep this information to myself. By posting this I'm also entered in a contest! I LOVE posting trailers and if I can win something by doing it, that's an awesome bonus! (click the link to read about the contest!)

So, she also has a post on her blog about HOW she made the trailer which is totally informative and almost as entertaining as the actual trailer! You can view part one, part two, part three, and part four on her blog. (click the links!)

Something everyone should know is that both trailers were made with THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of paper cut outs and she composed the music! She even plays it along with her brother and sister. Now, that's dedication. I highly recommend that you read about how she did it!

In case you haven't already seen her stop motion trailer for Shiver, it's below. It is also beautiful! If you haven't read Shiver, do it NOW!

Linger is set for release on July 20th 2010! That's 71 days from now.

Crescendo Cover!

I haven't posted in over a month...school has taken over my time! But it's almost over and I'll be back! :)

Okay, so there's this awesome video revealing the cover for Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick, the sequel to Hush, Hush.

If you don't feel like watching the video, here's the cover!