Book Review and Giveaway: Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White

Pages: 288

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pub. Date: September 9, 2014

Source: Publisher for review

Other Novels by Author: Paranormalcy 

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "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."

Jessamin is an "island rat," because she grew up on the island of Melie, which in turn puts her on a the low end of the social hierarchy totem pole amongst her Albion boarding school peers.  Unlike her peers, Jessamin must work in order to attend boarding school and doesn't really fit in.  She meets Finn, an Albion royal, who introduces her to the world of nobility as well as the world of magic.  The problem is that Finn has an enemy in the powerful Lord Downpike and he targets Jessamin since she is Finn's romantic interest.  Before she knows it, Jessamin finds herself thoroughly involved in this dangerous world and not only does she worry about Finn's safety, but her own as well.  Kiersten White's Illusions of Fate is a fun ride involving nobility, magic, strict etiquette, fabulous balls and of course, there's a touch of danger.

Jessa is a fabulous heroine. I loved that she is a non-conformist and has to work hard to get what she wants; things are definitely not handed to her.  She could be stubborn at times, but I liked that about her, if you know what I mean.  Her adorable relationship with Finn grew on me as I continued with Illusions of Fate. Although he has a bit of the insta-love going on, it was still a sweet romance.

One of my favorite aspects of Illusions of Fate was the setting. Although White didn't do as much world-building as I would have hoped, I still was completely absorbed in Jessa's world. It reminded me a bit of Victorian England (which I love!) in that it had strict rules, beautiful dresses, balls, and nobility as well as the drastic differences between the working class and the wealthy.  White ties in magic very well and the creepy birds, or the familiars, are a nice touch and one that kept me flipping the pages.

White includes a lot of action in Illusions of Fate as well as her trademark humor, which I saw a lot of in her other novel, Paranormalcy. There is one secondary character, Eleanor, that had me laughing out loud repeatedly due to her hilarious one-liners.  Also, this novel reminded me a bit of Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty, so if you like your fantasy novels to have a historical feel, a brave heroine, and an adorable romance, check out Illusions of Fate this fall.

Thanks to HarperTeen, I am hosting a giveaway for one copy of Illusions of Fate to one lucky US reader. The deadline is Sepetmber 22nd and please refer to my giveaway rules.  Good luck!

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