Customer Reviews

Spells (Wings)

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was looking for a quick, escapist read a few weeks ago and picked up "Wings." I had heard great things about it, and while it wasn't quite as amazing as everyone had said, it was enjoyable. I was intrigued enough by the character Tamani to want to find out more.

"Spells" was a decent read. I debated between 3 and 4 stars, and decided on 4 stars because of Tamani. Girls, say it with me: "TEAM TAMANI ALL THE WAY." "Spells" wore a little thin in a few parts, and here's why: Laurel cries. A lot. Laurel is needy. A lot. Laurel and David make out. A lot. Honestly, it felt like every few pages Laurel and David were making out, and it got pretty nauseating after awhile. I liked David just fine after reading "Wings," but after "Spells," I don't know how anyone could be Team David. All of the Laurel/David chemistry from "Wings" vanished, so every time they spewed lovey words and kissed, it felt really strange and forced. I like a good romance as much as the next girl, but I was SO tired of the make out sessions by the end of the book. I have hope that making David annoying in this book is all part of a big plan to eventually bring Laurel and Tamani together. I don't know how ANYONE could be cheering for David at this point.

And poor Tamani. Laurel's treatment of him was completely appalling. She toyed with him and strung him along to the point where I really couldn't stand her by the end. Let's hope Laurel was acting like this so we can see the process of her maturing and growing as a character in later books. Go Shar for finally putting Laurel in her place regarding her deplorable treatment of Tamani. Poor Tamani seemed a little defeated for a lot of the book, as he wasn't quite as confident and flirtatious as he is in "Wings." Pining for Laurel is just sucking the soul out of his character. Let's hope he comes back as his charismatic, charming self in Book 3 because I'm weary of selfish Laurel using him and bringing him down!

And the conclusion? Anyone who's read the book knows what I'm talking about. I kind of felt like how I did when I read "Little Women" for the first time and literally threw the book against the wall when Jo refused Laurie. At least there will be two more books for Laurel to mature and make the right choice.

I have faith in you, Aprilynne Pike, that you'll eventually give us readers the conclusion we're all cheering for. I understand that there are two books after this one so you can't exactly resolve the love triangle just yet. All I'm asking is that eventually Laurel will grow up and be with Tamani, and please give us at least one book where she and Tamani are happily together (conflict is okay...just let them face it together). Don't pull a Jane Austen (my favorite author) and make me read 400 pages waiting for the two character to get together, and then I only get to relish five pages where they're finally happy.

Spells is an anomoly in books, movies -- heck, almost anything. It is a sequel that is actually better than its story of origin.

In this follow up to series starter Wings, Aprilynne Pike sends newly blossomed faerie Laurel away from her home, her parents and her friends in the our world to study magic in Faerie. As an Autumn faerie, Laurel is a mixer -- one of the rare, talented faeries who can combine elements to create magic through potions, tonics and enchanted elixers. With the trolls continuing to threaten both her human and faerie families, Laurel understands that learning this magic is critical to everyone's safety.

This change of venue allows readers to explore Avalon, the faerie realm from which heroine Laurel was sent years ago to live among humans. This is good for two reasons: first, it lets Pike flex her ample imagination with some serious world-building. From the flashy spun-sugar bubbles and bejewelled marketplace of the Summer fae to the simple gourd homes of the spring folk, this faerie world is gorgeous and beautifully described. It's one of the best things about the book. Pike also develops atmosphere through Tamani's anecdotes and lessons, using faerie vernacular and explaining customs to help readers learn about Avalon along with Laurel.

Second, it allows Laurel -- and readers -- a chance to learn more about Tamani. Tamani, Laurel's childhood friend (and eluded childhood love) is a breath of fresh air in the series. He provides a good perspective of the inner workings of faerie society. In addition, he has undeniable chemistry with Laurel and sets up a believable and properly conflicted love triangle -- almost a prerequisite for YA novels of this genre.

Still waiting at home in the human world is sweet, studious David. David is the perfect man-of-science foil for Tamani's man-of-magic. It's a further example of Laurel straddling both worlds, trying to live in both without committing fully to either.

If you liked Wings, Spells is not to be missed. I'll look forward to continuing Laurel's story in Enchantments.

It took me all of one day to read Aprilynne Pike's "Spells." I couldn't seem to put it down. However, it was not entirely because it was a great read. Let me start by saying that I did enjoy the book. Again, Pike has done a great job at developing her characters, and creating a plotline that was irresistible. The story flowed in such a way that finding a good stopping point in which to take care of matters outside the book never really presented itself.

What I found to be less that enjoyable was the main character's inability to commit to one love. As a reader, I tend to really get into my books; especially if they are as good as this one. Laurel, the heroine of the story, is torn between her two potential lovers throughout the book. What I found very conflicting storywise, was Laurel's entire love situation. As a character, she seemed to be drawn instinctively to her fellow faerie, Tamani, and he to her. The words and actions that Pike portrayed in Laurel/Tamani scenes would make the reader believe that Tamani was her real love. Throughout the book, she seemed to be constantly drawn to Tamani on a level that was much stronger than that of her "emotion" (or lack therof) for David. Instead, it felt like she was throwing herself at the human, David, for no real reason. This was a problem throughout the book, and I was not very happy with the way Pike presented Laurel's feelings for the two.

To sum myself up: it was a very good story. What I was upset about was the author's choice of words in certain scenes that seemed to make the characters "love situation" seem a bit off. I ended the book feeling completely frustrated, and essentially hating the main character. So I am impatiently waiting for the next installment "Illusions" to hit the shelves, so that I can hopefully make some sense of the main character's unwillingness to fall for the right guy.

We come back to this world at the beginning of the summer where Laurel has been summoned to Avalon to take classes and learn more about her faerie heritage. This education is also supposed to help her learn how to make potions that will help her defend herself against the never-ending parade of trolls that are after her. I was eagerly looking forward to reading about Avalon in this book and hopefully getting to meet more of the fae that live there. Laurel is studying at the academy in Avalon with fellow faerie, who all remember her, but she has no clue who any of them are. I can imagine that it is hard enough to go to school and be the new kid, but to be at that school and have all of them remember you, but you have no recollection of them must be a nightmare. I felt for Laurel because she was trying hard to get to know people, but her friendliness was not always reciprocated. It was also interesting to see how the hierarchy works in Avalon, not all fae are created equal here and it shows in their houses, clothes and possessions. Things are quite different in Avalon and my only disappointment in this book is that we did not get to spend that much time there as I would have liked. I enjoyed hearing about the different types of potions, but I would have liked to see more. Maybe Aprilynne is saving that for one of the next books, I am not sure but I hope we get to go back there and explore more.

I have to say though after reading this I am still team Tamani, sorry David, you are a super nice guy, but there is something about Tamani that makes me think he is a better fit for Laurel. The festival is my favorite time with Larual and Tamani, I loved how they both push each others comfort zones, I will not say anymore than that because I do not want to spoil anything, but it's good. On the down side, throughout the story I almost feel like Laurel is trying to deny who she is, which irks me a little. I get that she is just getting used to being a faerie, but some of David's behaviors in this book are a little strange to me and I think Laural is taking safe way out of both the love triangle situation and her being a faerie.

Overall I really enjoyed this sequel; I liked getting to know some of the fae that lived in Avalon and getting a glimpse into that world. I am looking forward to the next book in this series, even though I don't think there is even a title for the next one yet, anyone know?

*Spoilery if you haven't read Wings!*

Okay, seriously, just pack my suitcases right now. I am moving to Avalon!

Spells begins a number of months after the events of Wings. The time has come for Laurel to depart from her "normal" life to the academy in Avalon, where she will be taught what it means to be a Fall faerie.

Laurel struggles with learning all of the things she missed and has forgotten while "posing" as a human. She isn't sure what to make of just about any of her peers at the academy. Some seemed to have missed her, others seem to wish she wouldn't have come back, while others seem to be indifferent altogether. She also learns that in faerie hierarchy, Spring fae like her friend/more than friend Tamani are treated as no more than servants - and she does not like standing by quietly while it happens.

While Laurel is in Avalon, she and Tamani grow closer than ever and when it's time to go back home to David, she becomes confused. I have to say that I hated Laurel at some parts in this book. She treats Tamani pretty badly and I just wanted to reach my foot into the book and give her a swift kick in the derrière. As far as the love triangle goes, I truly hope she ends up with Tamani. David is nice and all, but his character is boring and doesn't have much development. :(

After trying to balance her two worlds, human and faerie; Laurel fails miserably. After lying to both David and Tamani, she just may end up losing it all.

Then... all the while Laurel is having problems with her love life and trying to hone her Fall abilities, the trolls are causing trouble again. BIG TROUBLE. A couple new plot twists are introduced in this book as well. It should make for an interesting third installment!

- - -

The pace of this book was nice. A little slow to start, but not really a big deal for me. I knew the goods were coming! I feel like I am the minority here, but I enjoyed this book oodles more than Wings! Spells just had so much magic... and being able to follow Laurel and Tamani around Avalon was my favorite part. Pike painted a magnificent picture! Amazing imagery. I honestly could read about Avalon all day. ^-^ For me, this was a wonderful follow-up and I am planning to read Illusions sometime in the next week.

I love, love, love this series! If you don't already know, the first book is Wings. This is a touching tale of a girl who grows up with human parents, but learns she is actually a fairy. She is in high school and has two love interests and all kinds of challenges from normal teen issues to fighting off trolls!

Can't wait for the next one

**Spoiler**
I cant believe she chose David over Tam, hopefully she will reconsider!

I liked Wings but I loved Spells. While Wings laid the groundwork for faerie mythology, Spells took it to a whole other level. Laurel travels to Avalon to attend Avalon Academy, where she attempts to catch up with her former classmates. While in Avalon, she gets to experience the customs of faerie with Tamani as a guide.

There were an abundance of amazing scenes between Laurel and Tamani. His hidden pain and absolute love for her were obvious and moving. He shows her the world of faerie, teaches her some of its ways and hopes that someday she will remember him.

We get to see many more faeries in Spells than we were shown in Wings. We learn more about their ranks or social order based on the seasons they were born in. We hear more about the history of faerie with historical and mythological characters peppered throughout. I didn't love how these human world people were claimed as faeries in Wings, but in Spells there are more details provided and their involvement is explained a bit more. With the added information, the characters made the story that much more interesting.

Laurel is still romantically involved with David in Spells. I hadn't formed an opinion as to which guy, David or Tamani, Laurel should be with after reading Wings. After reading Spells and seeing Laurel interact with both guys further, I can't see how she could be with anyone other than Tamani. He understands her and has loved her for a lifetime. I think it's obvious that what Laurel feels for Tamani is passion, while her feelings for David are deep friendship and hope that we one day get to see her with Tamani.

The trolls are still out to get Laurel and this time she gets aid from an mysterious source. Klea appears out of nowhere with her band of troll hunters and saves David and Laurel from sure death. But who is Klea? Why is she hunting trolls? Is she human or something else entirely?

Laurel tries to balance the human and faerie worlds, but she ultimately has to chose one to really commit to. The choice is devastating and the repercussions are unclear. This book was intense and wonderful. No matter where Laurel goes from here, I'll be sure to follow.

When I started reading Aprilynne Pike's "Spells," my first reaction was, "this is terrible!" and I gave up after a few pages. Then I found out that it was the sequel to "Wings," and I decided to try that one just to see if it made "Spells" any better. Well, it definitely did! I highly recommend NOT reading "Spells" until you've read "Wings"--"Spells" picks up in the middle of the story, so it really doesn't make sense without the background of having read "Wings."

" Spells" continues the story of Laurel, a teen who discovers that not only is she a flower--not a human, but a fairy--but that evil trolls are out to get her and take over the world and she has to help stop them. The book starts out with Laurel traveling to Avalon (the fairy realm) to relearn the fairy skills she lost during her life as a human. After so many years living as a human (and believing she was one), Laurel doesn't fit in well with the other fairies. She's used to a completely different social structure and has trouble adjusting to fairy life. Fortunately, she only has to survive the summer in Avalon, and after her eight weeks of relearning are up, she gets to return to the human world and her human friends. But all is not as well as she thought; there are still trolls stalking her and trying to access Avalon. There's also a new factor for Laurel, a new potential ally named Klea Wilson, who is hunting the trolls and wants to help protect Laurel and her friends. The problem is that Laurel doesn't know anything about this mysterious woman, and doesn't think she can trust Klea.

In the mean time, around the tight schedule of learning to be a fairy, fighting trolls, and high school, Laurel's relationship with her human boyfriend David is getting more intense. They love each other, but Laurel is uncertain of her future and doesn't want to endanger David. To complicate things even more, Laurel's fairy love interest, Tamani, is still in the mix. Laurel has to choose, but she doesn't want to hurt anyone.

The book ends on a minor cliffhanger, leaving us waiting for the next installment (there are supposed to be four books in the series).

Overall, I enjoyed "Spells" once I had read "Wings". It's not beautifully written or completely original plot-wise (it feels like a mix of "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and a fairy tale), but it is an interesting twist on the fairy tale archetype, and it was fun to read. I wouldn't go into it looking for an enriching or enlightening piece of literature, but if you're looking for a fun piece of fluffy escape reading, this is a great option.

Again, though, don't bother with "Spells" until you've read "Wings." This is a YA romance/adventure/fairy tale.

I couldn't wait for this follow up to Wings to come out. I positively loved the first book in this series and started reading Spells the moment I got my hands on it. Before I knew it I was done with the book and wanting more. Pike is one of my new favorite authors with her brilliant new take on faeries.

In this story we get to see more of the world of Avalon and the faeries way of life. We learn more about where Laurel really comes from and the differences between that world and the human world she has come to live in. Her family struggles with the realization that she is a fairy and Laurel is just trying to keep everything together and keep both of her worlds from crashing down on one another. I found it hard to pick a side in the love triangle, as both Tamani and David have quite wonderful aspects to them and as they were having their hearts pulled in different directions mine was being pulled as well. There are a number of emotional bits within this story and it is a true paranormal romance, but nothing too heavy for the audience it is intended for. This is a must read series that is topping my list!

Reviewed by Jessica for Book Sake.