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Illusion: Book One
Everybody dreams, everyone has nightmares...but no one dreams quite like Addison Smith. Addison has always had unusual dreams. However, the crazy factor has risen to a whole new level. Still, she doesn't realize just how unique she is. But one day, Addison wakes up covered in bruises with blood on her pillow, and she realizes that maybe her dreams aren't so normal after all. Someone or something is causing all of this, but she doesn't know who and she doesn't know why. Suddenly the guy of her dreams (literally) becomes the new kid at school and turns her world upside down. Before she knows it, the line between reality and her dream world blurs. What is real? What is just an illusion?
262 pages, Paperback
Published June 14, 2016
4 people are currently reading
237 people want to read
About the author
Nadette Rae Rodgers
12 books29 followersNadette Rae Rodgers lives in Pennsylvania. Her passion for writing developed at a very young age. Her interest in dream analysis was the basis for this book. She hopes this book will inspire others to achieve their goals in life.
Illusion is her first published work. It is the first book of the Illusion Trilogy.
Find her at her blog:
https://nadetteraerodgers.wordpress.com/
Visit the Official Illusion Trilogy Website @
http://illusiontrilogy.weebly.com/
Illusion is her first published work. It is the first book of the Illusion Trilogy.
Find her at her blog:
https://nadetteraerodgers.wordpress.com/
Visit the Official Illusion Trilogy Website @
http://illusiontrilogy.weebly.com/
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 11, 2016
Originally posted on A Frolic Through Fiction
*Thank you Nadette for sending me a copy of your book in exchange for an honest review
This was such a lovely little book to read over the weekend!
Which makes it sound like a fluffy sort of story…which it isn’t.
There’s a sense of mystery and confusing clouding this story, which might leave you thinking “how can confusion be a good thing?” but trust me, for this story, it is. Because this is a story about a girl whose dreams come true – which again, sounds like a fluffy sort of fairytale story, but no. Because her dreams are nightmares, and she wakes up injured each time. The line between dream and reality start fogging over, and it’s difficult to know what’s real. That’s where the confusion kicks in.
Even though you are sometimes left puzzling over what happened, it’s exactly how the main character – Addison – felt. So not only were you reading about her experiences, you were feeling them too. Also, I must admit I had fun trying to guess when dreams were happening in those times where it wasn’t so clear.
This book had a weird sense of being longer than it was, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It was fast paced, but a lot of smaller details about Addison’s life were mentioned – but I’ll go into this more in a second. Towards the end however, the pace picked up so much, and the last chunk of pages just sped by for me.
I do slightly wish there were more explanations. I’ve definitely been left with a few questions, most of which will probably be answered in the next book but could’ve been in this one. The thing is, a lot of this book is just Addison making the best of the situation – which is great and all, but it means that everyone tells her to just trust them . And not a lot of her questions are answered. It’d drive me mad if someone kept saying that to me rather than give answers.
The only other thing that was a sort of tipping point for me was the relationship. I liked it, though it was a bit odd to me. It moved way too quickly, and while I get that their situation was different to say the least, it was still a bit weird to me.
Anyway, time to explain what I mean about smaller details. The thing I really appreciated about this book is that Addison – a teenager – actually sounded like a teenager. There’s so many books out there that are based from the main point of a teenager, and yet they sound either highly intellectual for no good reason or just don’t have normal teenager lives. I mean, the last one’s understandable since reading about the average teenager’s life would be pretty boring. BUT Addison has the voice of a teenager, the worries of a teenager, and the life of a teenager (you know, besides the crazy dream-becoming-reality thing). She has homework to finish, friends to catch up with. And all this just makes Addison all the more relatable.
So, this was definitely an intriguing read for me. Despite the relationship being a bit insta-lovey (but for good reason), I loved the entire concept of the story. It’s the sort of book that’s left me wanting more, and I’m definitely interested in seeing where the second book leads.
Rated 4/5 stars
July 18, 2016
Full review originally posted on my book blog: https://enchantedreaders.wordpress.co...
PROBABLY HAS SPOILERS
You know when a book is so intriguing and you can’t stop reading? That’s what happened with this book.
This book follows the life of Addison who has unusual dreams. She didn’t know they were so unusual until she wakes up and finds a lot of bruises and blood on her pillow. There’s a guy hunting Addison in her dreams, but there’s also a perfect guy saving her. Guess what? Next day, she goes to school and finds a new transfer student… he is the perfect guy from her dreams.
As I said at the beginning, this book is so intriguing. Just the fact that you don’t know if it’s all an illusion or the reality had me hooked. Dreams can be messy in this book. Personally, I like to dream, but when I wake up I forget about what I dreamed that night. Sometimes I was confused by the dreams because I didn’t know if it was an illusion or a reality, but that was a good thing because I think that’s important in this book; having you trying to figure out if the whole thing is an illusion or reality.
There are different kind of dreamers. Addison is a rare kind of dreamer and that’s why “It” is hunting her in her dreams (or can I say, in reality too?). I think it’s pretty cool this thing about dreamers, but I wish to know more about it. A guide or a chapter explaining everything about the different kind of dreamers could really help, and it would be awesome because I want to know more about it to have the chance to like a kind of dreamer and say “Oh, I totally want to be this kind of dreamer”. Anyway, someone is hunting her because she’s a rare kind of dreamer and he needs her. He wants to teach her everything about this dreamer thing and wants to be unstoppable. Honestly, she should learn how that dreams thing work, because I need to know. I’m dying here without knowing how it works.
Everything happened while she’s in high school and I think it was a good a thing. I don’t think it would be that kind of awesome if this happened while she was working or whatever. Sometimes when I read that Zach wanted/needed to protect Addison, I thought about Katy and Daemon Black from Obsidian, and I was totally fine with it because I loved them too. Addison and Zach were great characters. Sometimes I felt sad because Addison couldn’t have a normal life. She couldn’t drive because what if she fall asleep, start dreaming and kill someone along the way? That would be awful, and how could she explained what really happened if everyone would think she’s crazy? Zach, man… is he even real? Hahaha, I mean, sometimes I was confused about it because he was not only in her dreams, but in real life too. I just couldn’t figure out when he was real and when he was just a dream. I was annoyed by it because I’m this kind of person who wants to figure thins out and know everything perfectly, but I just couldn’t.
The whole plot was really good, and you know what was even better? The ending. IT BLEW MY MIND. What the fuck was that? Is this whole thing real or not? I’m going crazy right now and I wish to have the second book to find some answers. I absolutely enjoyed this book… a lot. The writing was so easy to read, and every chapter has something that leave you wanting to read the next chapter and when you realize you’re almost finishing the book. Really, it is intriguing and you NEED to know what happens next. I highly recommend this read if you like paranormal stuff, and want a quick read for the summer; or fall; or winter; or spring… haha.
Nadette Rae Rodgers is a new author and I must say, she has a lot of potential as a writer. If you want to support this author make sure to post your review everywhere, but especially on Amazon. Thank you Nadette, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Go and but it on: Amazon; or on Barnes & Noble.
PROBABLY HAS SPOILERS
You know when a book is so intriguing and you can’t stop reading? That’s what happened with this book.
This book follows the life of Addison who has unusual dreams. She didn’t know they were so unusual until she wakes up and finds a lot of bruises and blood on her pillow. There’s a guy hunting Addison in her dreams, but there’s also a perfect guy saving her. Guess what? Next day, she goes to school and finds a new transfer student… he is the perfect guy from her dreams.
As I said at the beginning, this book is so intriguing. Just the fact that you don’t know if it’s all an illusion or the reality had me hooked. Dreams can be messy in this book. Personally, I like to dream, but when I wake up I forget about what I dreamed that night. Sometimes I was confused by the dreams because I didn’t know if it was an illusion or a reality, but that was a good thing because I think that’s important in this book; having you trying to figure out if the whole thing is an illusion or reality.
There are different kind of dreamers. Addison is a rare kind of dreamer and that’s why “It” is hunting her in her dreams (or can I say, in reality too?). I think it’s pretty cool this thing about dreamers, but I wish to know more about it. A guide or a chapter explaining everything about the different kind of dreamers could really help, and it would be awesome because I want to know more about it to have the chance to like a kind of dreamer and say “Oh, I totally want to be this kind of dreamer”. Anyway, someone is hunting her because she’s a rare kind of dreamer and he needs her. He wants to teach her everything about this dreamer thing and wants to be unstoppable. Honestly, she should learn how that dreams thing work, because I need to know. I’m dying here without knowing how it works.
Everything happened while she’s in high school and I think it was a good a thing. I don’t think it would be that kind of awesome if this happened while she was working or whatever. Sometimes when I read that Zach wanted/needed to protect Addison, I thought about Katy and Daemon Black from Obsidian, and I was totally fine with it because I loved them too. Addison and Zach were great characters. Sometimes I felt sad because Addison couldn’t have a normal life. She couldn’t drive because what if she fall asleep, start dreaming and kill someone along the way? That would be awful, and how could she explained what really happened if everyone would think she’s crazy? Zach, man… is he even real? Hahaha, I mean, sometimes I was confused about it because he was not only in her dreams, but in real life too. I just couldn’t figure out when he was real and when he was just a dream. I was annoyed by it because I’m this kind of person who wants to figure thins out and know everything perfectly, but I just couldn’t.
The whole plot was really good, and you know what was even better? The ending. IT BLEW MY MIND. What the fuck was that? Is this whole thing real or not? I’m going crazy right now and I wish to have the second book to find some answers. I absolutely enjoyed this book… a lot. The writing was so easy to read, and every chapter has something that leave you wanting to read the next chapter and when you realize you’re almost finishing the book. Really, it is intriguing and you NEED to know what happens next. I highly recommend this read if you like paranormal stuff, and want a quick read for the summer; or fall; or winter; or spring… haha.
Nadette Rae Rodgers is a new author and I must say, she has a lot of potential as a writer. If you want to support this author make sure to post your review everywhere, but especially on Amazon. Thank you Nadette, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Go and but it on: Amazon; or on Barnes & Noble.
June 28, 2016
Through relatable characters, a constant sense of tension, and enticing drama and action Illusion keeps its readers interested from start to finish. The interesting dream world created by Rodgers adds a mysterious layer of the supernatural that keeps the readers thinking. The stirring relationships and thrilling atmosphere make this book more than a worthwhile read.
August 9, 2017
The first novel in the Illusion Trilogy, Illusion is an intriguing read that will keep you guessing! The story follows Addison, a “normal” teenage girl who finds herself living between the real world and the danger that lurks in her dreams. Filled with characters that capture the teenage spirit, Rodgers weaves youthful experiences through the story that keep the pace moving and fresh – the school dance, text strings, and the attraction of that first crush. Unique and engaging, this is a young adult book that people of all ages will enjoy. I look forward to reading more about Addison’s adventures in the sequel!
August 13, 2016
I was recently lucky enough to receive a copy of Illusion in exchange for an honest review.
“Everybody dreams, everyone has nightmares…but no one dreams quite like Addison Smith. Addison has always had unusual dreams. However, the crazy factor has risen to a whole new level. Still, she doesn’t realize just how unique she is. But one day, Addison wakes up covered in bruises with blood on her pillow, and she realizes that maybe her dreams aren’t so normal after all. Someone or something is causing all of this, but she doesn’t know who and she doesn’t know why. Suddenly the guy of her dreams (literally) becomes the new kid at school and turns her world upside down. Before she knows it, the line between reality and her dream world blurs. What is real? What is just an illusion?” (Goodreads.com)
After eagerly awaiting its arrival in my mailbox, I finally tore through this book at a speed that only a truly great story can draw from me. I’m so glad that Nadette reached out to me, because she has written such an impressive, captivating novel!
My absolute favorite part of Illusion is the very concept of Addison’s intensely real dreams. I have always been fascinated by dreams in general, and I love how this story runs with one simple question: What if our dreams were real? A hidden “world” of dream-wielding is alluded to in this book– not really a place as much as a group of people with the power to control dreams– and I’m excited to learn more about this mystery as the series progresses. This first installment contained just enough information peak my interest and satisfy me for the time being, but I’ll be eagerly waiting until I can find out even more about these dreams.
Additionally, I really appreciated the emphasis on friendship in this novel, particularly between Addison and Cammie. Even though romance is a significant part of the story as well, it’s clear that Addison relies on the support of her best friend in times of need. Friendships are so important– especially during the rollercoaster ride of high school– yet for some reason many authors neglect to highlight these powerful, influential relationships. Besides, it’s completely unrealistic to assume that everyone in a romantic relationship has no other friends. Addison couldn’t have made it through all of the challenges she experienced without the support of Cammie, just like how we all need someone to have our backs when times get tough.
Due to the nature of this story, the primary romantic relationship has a bit of a twist to it: Zach and Addison are connected through their dreams. At first I was a little wary of their relationship because it seemed to exude an “insta-love” vibe; however, I soon realized that their fast pace made sense within the context of the novel. They’ve practically been inside each other’s minds via their dreams, so it sort of makes sense for them to have such an automatic deep connection. While I do wish there was more depth to their relationship in terms of their personalities, interests, ideals, etc., I still really enjoyed watching Addison and Zach become closer and closer. (Not to mention how romantic and adorable they are!) Hopefully their relationship is further explored in future books.
Finally, the ending of Illusion completely took me by surprise. I had several different theories about how this story would be concluded, but not one of them was entirely correct! Illusion is suspenseful, gripping, and surprising from beginning to end, making it the definition of a “page-turner.” I was confused by the flood of unexpected events that happen all at once towards the ending, but once the details were explained I soon regained a sense of clarity. The novel ends with a dramatic, old-fashioned cliffhanger– my favorite kind of ending!
Overall, Illusion captivated me with its suspense, romance, and discussion of dreams and refused to let me go until the very last page. This is such a fantastic debut novel, and I’m so grateful that Nadette gave me the opportunity to read and review it. Thanks again, Nadette!❤
My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5
Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes!
Yours,
HOLLY
“Everybody dreams, everyone has nightmares…but no one dreams quite like Addison Smith. Addison has always had unusual dreams. However, the crazy factor has risen to a whole new level. Still, she doesn’t realize just how unique she is. But one day, Addison wakes up covered in bruises with blood on her pillow, and she realizes that maybe her dreams aren’t so normal after all. Someone or something is causing all of this, but she doesn’t know who and she doesn’t know why. Suddenly the guy of her dreams (literally) becomes the new kid at school and turns her world upside down. Before she knows it, the line between reality and her dream world blurs. What is real? What is just an illusion?” (Goodreads.com)
After eagerly awaiting its arrival in my mailbox, I finally tore through this book at a speed that only a truly great story can draw from me. I’m so glad that Nadette reached out to me, because she has written such an impressive, captivating novel!
My absolute favorite part of Illusion is the very concept of Addison’s intensely real dreams. I have always been fascinated by dreams in general, and I love how this story runs with one simple question: What if our dreams were real? A hidden “world” of dream-wielding is alluded to in this book– not really a place as much as a group of people with the power to control dreams– and I’m excited to learn more about this mystery as the series progresses. This first installment contained just enough information peak my interest and satisfy me for the time being, but I’ll be eagerly waiting until I can find out even more about these dreams.
Additionally, I really appreciated the emphasis on friendship in this novel, particularly between Addison and Cammie. Even though romance is a significant part of the story as well, it’s clear that Addison relies on the support of her best friend in times of need. Friendships are so important– especially during the rollercoaster ride of high school– yet for some reason many authors neglect to highlight these powerful, influential relationships. Besides, it’s completely unrealistic to assume that everyone in a romantic relationship has no other friends. Addison couldn’t have made it through all of the challenges she experienced without the support of Cammie, just like how we all need someone to have our backs when times get tough.
Due to the nature of this story, the primary romantic relationship has a bit of a twist to it: Zach and Addison are connected through their dreams. At first I was a little wary of their relationship because it seemed to exude an “insta-love” vibe; however, I soon realized that their fast pace made sense within the context of the novel. They’ve practically been inside each other’s minds via their dreams, so it sort of makes sense for them to have such an automatic deep connection. While I do wish there was more depth to their relationship in terms of their personalities, interests, ideals, etc., I still really enjoyed watching Addison and Zach become closer and closer. (Not to mention how romantic and adorable they are!) Hopefully their relationship is further explored in future books.
Finally, the ending of Illusion completely took me by surprise. I had several different theories about how this story would be concluded, but not one of them was entirely correct! Illusion is suspenseful, gripping, and surprising from beginning to end, making it the definition of a “page-turner.” I was confused by the flood of unexpected events that happen all at once towards the ending, but once the details were explained I soon regained a sense of clarity. The novel ends with a dramatic, old-fashioned cliffhanger– my favorite kind of ending!
Overall, Illusion captivated me with its suspense, romance, and discussion of dreams and refused to let me go until the very last page. This is such a fantastic debut novel, and I’m so grateful that Nadette gave me the opportunity to read and review it. Thanks again, Nadette!❤
My Rating: :0) :0) :0) :0) 4 out of 5
Would I recommend it to a friend?: Yes!
Yours,
HOLLY
March 16, 2017
More of my reviews at http://itisabookthing.blogspot.com/
I'm not going to lie, I am a book snob, which causes me to rarely give self-published books a chance. However, as soon as I heard the synopsis of Illusion, I knew I had to read it, and I am so glad that I did. I am excited to say that after reading hundreds of young adult books, Rodgers managed to create a fresh and unique story. Throughout the book, the main character, Addison, experiences terrifying dreams that definitely got my adrenaline pumping. I loved having to discern whether these experiences were a dream or a reality alongside Addison, even though Rodgers masterfully provides the reader with clues in the sentence structure. That being said, the writing of this book is incredible, especially for such a young author. I can honestly say that there wasn't a dull chapter because of the continual heightened sense of intrigue and vivid, lifelike characters.
The characters portrayed in this novel are incredible. Addison is a relatable and enjoyable main character while Zach is mysterious and brooding. Additionally, I love how well the side characters were developed. Instead of just dropping her best friends like most young adult protagonists do the instant they are paired with a boyfriend, Addison continues spending time with her circle of friends. More specifically, I absolutely adore Addison's relationship with her best friend Cammie and how realistically the friendship is portrayed. Additionally, this book also emphasizes familial relationships in a positive light, which is also unique for young adult novels. Addison's parents are active throughout the novel and even play a significant role in the plot. It was truly special being able to see the mother-daughter bond illuminated in this book.
Ultimately, this book is a wild ride and transcends genres because of its continual shift from a fairly typical high school experience to a life threatening chase in a dream. As a result, this book is unputdownable because of the well-crafted, imaginative tale that Rodgers has created. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to see how Addison's story continues in the next book!
My Favorite Part: The suspense!
ALL iN ALL:
Do I recommend this book? Definitely!
Will I be reading the next book? Yes, I want it now!
I'm not going to lie, I am a book snob, which causes me to rarely give self-published books a chance. However, as soon as I heard the synopsis of Illusion, I knew I had to read it, and I am so glad that I did. I am excited to say that after reading hundreds of young adult books, Rodgers managed to create a fresh and unique story. Throughout the book, the main character, Addison, experiences terrifying dreams that definitely got my adrenaline pumping. I loved having to discern whether these experiences were a dream or a reality alongside Addison, even though Rodgers masterfully provides the reader with clues in the sentence structure. That being said, the writing of this book is incredible, especially for such a young author. I can honestly say that there wasn't a dull chapter because of the continual heightened sense of intrigue and vivid, lifelike characters.
The characters portrayed in this novel are incredible. Addison is a relatable and enjoyable main character while Zach is mysterious and brooding. Additionally, I love how well the side characters were developed. Instead of just dropping her best friends like most young adult protagonists do the instant they are paired with a boyfriend, Addison continues spending time with her circle of friends. More specifically, I absolutely adore Addison's relationship with her best friend Cammie and how realistically the friendship is portrayed. Additionally, this book also emphasizes familial relationships in a positive light, which is also unique for young adult novels. Addison's parents are active throughout the novel and even play a significant role in the plot. It was truly special being able to see the mother-daughter bond illuminated in this book.
Ultimately, this book is a wild ride and transcends genres because of its continual shift from a fairly typical high school experience to a life threatening chase in a dream. As a result, this book is unputdownable because of the well-crafted, imaginative tale that Rodgers has created. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to see how Addison's story continues in the next book!
My Favorite Part: The suspense!
ALL iN ALL:
Do I recommend this book? Definitely!
Will I be reading the next book? Yes, I want it now!
June 21, 2017
Now, I will admit that in the beginning of the book I was unsure if I really wanted to continue reading it. At first I couldn't get into it because I am much more a Tomboy than a girly girl. And as much as I love Addison by the end, the times of pink and glitter did get to me a little (but how can u judge a book by its beginning??). I soon realized how wrong I was as soon as all of the action and romance started. I got so sucked into this book I couldn't put it down!! It was amazing to read and now I am dying for the next in the series! My advice for anyone thinking about reading this book is, whatever you do don't stop reading because every book has a beginning, and most are not the best part. This was definitely one of the best things I have read in a while so glad I got this book!!!!
July 5, 2016
Nanette Rae Rodgers plays with dreams and reality and kept me - and the characters - guessing as to what was real and what was not up to the very end. This book intertwined romance, suspense, and every-day teenage concerns that made even the supernatural elements of the plot feel realistic. Rodgers perfectly captures the teenage experience and voice. I felt like I was talking to real people when reading these characters' dialogues. There is also a plot twist at the end that I never saw coming. Her début novel keeps the reader engaged and asking for more!
This is a must-read for all lovers of YA supernatural or romance novels.
**Some minor violence. No sexual content or language**
This is a must-read for all lovers of YA supernatural or romance novels.
**Some minor violence. No sexual content or language**
October 26, 2016
I'm so impressed with Ms. Rogers' Illusion. A page turner that is geared toward young adults, it is a great read for anyone. Protagonist Addison's mysterious dreams take her on a journey from fear to romance and back. There were so many moments in the book where I felt that there was a back story - especially with Addison's parents, and I can't wait to read the next book to find out more! Illusion had me on the edge of my seat, wondering where every crazy twist would take me. Definitely one to add to your to-read bookshelves!
July 18, 2016
What a suspenseful, romantic, thrilling read! I read this over the span of one weekend, and whenever I wasn't reading it I was constantly thinking about it. I couldn't help but become invested in the characters and this captivating story about dreams and love and friendship. The ending is such a cliffhanger-- I can't wait for the rest of the trilogy! Full review to come!
March 25, 2018
4.5 stars. Rodgers builds a wonderfully complex fictional world that immediately pulls you in with its drama and mystery. The magic is deeply, yet slowly, developed and then easily tied into a typical, modern community; and the characters themselves are also carefully layered and uniquely relatable and believable.
November 14, 2016
This is a really interesting book! I liked the mystery surrounding the main character and it was thrilling to question if what was happening was an illusion or was real. There are so many twists and turns, and many I didn't see coming. The ending is crazy; I can't wait for the next book!
October 15, 2019
Really good concept😊.
Hard to follow sometimes what’s real and what’s a dream in the flashbacks. But great read for teens! My daughter is very interested in dreams. She would like this book. Writer has lots of potential!
Hard to follow sometimes what’s real and what’s a dream in the flashbacks. But great read for teens! My daughter is very interested in dreams. She would like this book. Writer has lots of potential!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews