Illusions of Fate

Illusions of Fate, while unique and refreshing, did not strike that much impact on me. I didn't hate it, but I wasn't too fond of it either. It was okay, I guess. There's not much on character development because Jessamin was already strong-headed and stubborn to begin with. The change in her came only when she learned not to judge people based on their birth and heritage. But I liked her strength and her assertiveness to stand on her own and not depend on any man. I only wished there was more of Finn's background. I would have liked to know him more. The world-building is good. The story is set in an imaginary world that is both intriguing and new. The fact that it is set in the olden times also added spice and magical quality to the story. Actually, that's my favorite aspect of this novel. I found Illusions of Fate somewhat slow. I kept putting it off because I was looking for some action. The magic is also the useful and practical Molly Weasley kind. It's a bit dull and uninteresting. Not that I hate it, but I prefer my magic flamboyant and fun. The story picked up towards the end because of the unexpected major twist. I was honestly surprised by the Lord Downpike revelation and what happened to Finn. I couldn't say it was predictable because I was actually expecting and bracing for the worst to happen. Good thing the ending took on a good turn. All in all, Illusions of Fate may be a good read, but I don't think it's for me.show more

http://thedailyprophecy.blogspot.nl/2014/09/review-284-kiersten-white-illusions-of.html �??�?�¢??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.�??�?�¢?? This was exactly the kind of book I expected from Kiersten. It�??�?�¢??s funny and quick, but I was a bit let down by the fact that it�??�?�¢??s not a memorable story. This is not the type of book I would reread and I wish it had been more than only entertaining. Jessamin ran away from her country Melei to Albion to get under a marriage her mother so desperately wants to arrange. She is now living and working in the same hotel as her cousin in order to live there. She has a hard time adapting to the country and the students don�??�?�¢??t make it any easier. To them, she is one of those filthy island rats that don�??�?�¢??t belong there. It all changes when she meets Finn, a mysterious Lord who gives her mixed signals. Jessamin is not aware of the danger she is in and it�??�?�¢??s too late for Finn to turn his back on her. I liked spunky Jessamin. She doesn�??�?�¢??t let anyone tell her what she can and can�??�?�¢??t do, which gives some great banter with Finn. He wants to protect her, but Jessamin isn�??�?�¢??t ready to listen to him. She can take care of herself, until she is kidnapped by the scary Lord Downpike. From that moment her relationship with Finn changes and she finally realizes the trouble she�??�?�¢??s in. No matter what happens, she keeps being stubborn and snarky, but she is also intelligent enough to make clever choices. Finn was a solid character, but I didn�??�?�¢??t feel connected to him. Perhaps because he doesn�??�?�¢??t share much information about himself and he stays on the background in the story. I liked the humorous tone from his voice and I thought it was great he is the one to share his feelings first. Jessamin isn�??�?�¢??t even looking at Finn that way when he tells her they might be meant for each other. The plot is like Finn. It�??�?�¢??s good, but nothing too special. We have the evil Lord Downpike who believes Finn has something that will change their world. He wants to set off the balance to create another war with Iverian and Finn does everything to prevent that. This means he uses basic magic, which was fun, but unexplored. I wish we would have seen more of his power and abilities. The problems are quickly resolved and I like that it�??�?�¢??s Jessamin who saves the day. The story neatly wraps-up. I liked it, but I didn�??�?�¢??t love it. A perfect example of a 3-star book.show more