Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White

Synopsis

“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. 

Review

Firstly i am a fan of Kiersten Whites work. So when i was excited to read this and I got hooked on Jessamin and Finn almost right away. And how beautiful is this cover!

I really liked Jessamin, she is a strong and confident character who knows  what she wants in life.  Finn is your typical tall dark stranger, with a hint of mystery and protective nature.  Then there is, Eleanor – who was a total scene stealer! I found Lord Downpike to be a good villain, though I want to know more of his  backstory at the start but once we get towards the end more details are shared. With surprising results.

The syory line was great though, the explanations of magic and the tensions between the countries was not always really clear to me. And while I did really like Jessamin, there were times she really fell into the YA heroine cliché – not at all powerful like those around her. Despite that, she was a likable character that I loved reading about.

Another thing that Illusions of Fate has going for it is that it’s a standalone! While the market is inundated with series . (which i love) it is nice to have a chance to read a stand alone. 

Overall, I really enjoyed Illusions of Fate. It had great characters and a beautiful  cover . This is definitely a book to put on to your to read list.