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Allusion
Every year, an anonymous gift is left on eighteen-year-old Lucy’s porch. It’s the only gift she receives all year, and it’s exactly what she needs. This year’s gift exposes hidden clues, untangling the undisclosed fates of her parents. Along the way, she finds Toph, a college athlete who’s easy on the eyes and deems to be more useful than suspected. With the help of her best friend Art, a chemistry genius who resides at the nursing home where she’s employed, she delves into an impossible mission for truth, love, and freedom.
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 18, 2017
244 people are currently reading
1033 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
April 22, 2018
The story wasn't bad but it was a little far-fetched and corny. Surely the clues could have been simpler? Even for a so called genius daughter? By the last few chapters I just wanted it to end.
January 20, 2017
Allusion is a fun and engaging book. It was suspenseful up to the last chapter and kept me reading long after I should have put the book down and gone to bed. I felt I wanted to be there with Lucy and Toph solving clues and working out the puzzle. The book also had just the right amount of romance mixed in with the suspense and action.
The characters are relatable and it was easy to immediately be rooting for Lucy. She's smart, confident, and capable, a good role model for teens reading this book.
I would highly recommend this book for teens and adults.
The characters are relatable and it was easy to immediately be rooting for Lucy. She's smart, confident, and capable, a good role model for teens reading this book.
I would highly recommend this book for teens and adults.
June 8, 2018
3.5 Although quite implausible, this is suspenseful mystery was great fun to read, especially as long as you took everything with a grain of salt and a little bit of eye-rolling…..great-looking-super-athlete-with-no-girlfriend-ha!-Tosh and gorgeous-never-been-kissed-even-though-she’s-eighteen-Lucy do make a great pair..... And my less-than-five rating does NOT mean I couldn't put it down....because I couldn't!
July 1, 2018
Thank heaven I had the time to read the entire story today! I hurried to complete tasks so I could go back to the book. Just when I think I have it figured out there is a new twist. I recommend this book to those who like figure out puzzles....
July 1, 2018
Worth limited sleep
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Started it too late before an early flight and finished on the plane rather than napping. The story hooked me quickly. The characters were interesting and story unexpected. Pacing was good and the mystery fun.
Thoroughly enjoyed this. Started it too late before an early flight and finished on the plane rather than napping. The story hooked me quickly. The characters were interesting and story unexpected. Pacing was good and the mystery fun.
July 2, 2017
Great read!
Really enjoyed the writing and plot. It had good suspense and relationships. Would let my teens read it and they would love it.
Really enjoyed the writing and plot. It had good suspense and relationships. Would let my teens read it and they would love it.
March 23, 2017
I received this book as a first readers book giveaway.
Lucy is the main character, every birthday since she was 9 has received a birthday present of just what she needs from an unknown person. On her 18th birthday she receives a unique gift that she doesn't understand and has to figure out what it means. This starts a long list of clues left by her father that died when she was 9, but how and why. And who should she and shouldn't she trust. We don't figure out everything till the very end.
I was hooked right away on this fast past mystery and I couldn't put it down. I really like that my daughter can read it too.. there is a little bit of innocent romance but not any sexual in nature.
Thank you for the giveaway!
Lucy is the main character, every birthday since she was 9 has received a birthday present of just what she needs from an unknown person. On her 18th birthday she receives a unique gift that she doesn't understand and has to figure out what it means. This starts a long list of clues left by her father that died when she was 9, but how and why. And who should she and shouldn't she trust. We don't figure out everything till the very end.
I was hooked right away on this fast past mystery and I couldn't put it down. I really like that my daughter can read it too.. there is a little bit of innocent romance but not any sexual in nature.
Thank you for the giveaway!
April 13, 2020
This was an entertaining free read from Kindle. Lucy uses clues from birthday presents to piece together the mystery of her father’s death and why her mother is suffering from debilitating mental illness. It quickly becomes clear that things are not what they seem. While it was very far fetched and complicated, this was a very fast paced YA book that kept me turning pages. I’ll definitely be reading the second in the series.
February 18, 2021
This was a fun book! The love story In this book was very cheesy for me, which is the reason for the 4 star review. Other than the cheesiness, the story was so mysterious and left me eager to keep reading to find out what happened next. I don’t think I have read an entire book as fast as I did this one.
July 7, 2019
Adventure to the Max!
What a ride this book takes you on! Not a fan of mysteries, but this one books you from the opening! Great characters, great plot! How the author's mind works -- amazing! Great read!
What a ride this book takes you on! Not a fan of mysteries, but this one books you from the opening! Great characters, great plot! How the author's mind works -- amazing! Great read!
May 28, 2020
I enjoyed this fast-paced read. It was different from my normal reads. There were some unanswered questions and inconsistencies, but I was still able to enjoy the book.
June 18, 2018
I was pleasantly surprised by this story. My heart went out to the sacrifice the main character had to endure. My thoughts turned towards my mother and the care I'm now asked to give to her as her mind dwindles. The twists were unexpected and a bit over the top, but I enjoyed a fun, summer read.
March 18, 2021
Read on 3 hours
Seriously couldn't put it down. You know those games you can get on your phone where you find things and put puzzles together to find what happened to all the townspeople? This book is that. Fun and intriguing and all together one of the best I have read in a while. This book follows a young women who has more responsibility than most adults could imagine with her ill mother and deceased father. Most books based on young women at her age have two things as the focus boys or fitting into college. Here we get a girl who knows what she wants but it conflicts with what she believes is the right thing to do. Throw in a little murder and maybe some subterfuge and you've got yourself a novel.
Seriously couldn't put it down. You know those games you can get on your phone where you find things and put puzzles together to find what happened to all the townspeople? This book is that. Fun and intriguing and all together one of the best I have read in a while. This book follows a young women who has more responsibility than most adults could imagine with her ill mother and deceased father. Most books based on young women at her age have two things as the focus boys or fitting into college. Here we get a girl who knows what she wants but it conflicts with what she believes is the right thing to do. Throw in a little murder and maybe some subterfuge and you've got yourself a novel.
April 17, 2018
Something different
Catching keep you guessing, most enjoyable read, flows easily, fingers crossed a real cure for Alzheimer's will be you soon.
Catching keep you guessing, most enjoyable read, flows easily, fingers crossed a real cure for Alzheimer's will be you soon.
May 30, 2019
Great fun! Though this book does have problems, so I'm rating this on sheer enjoyment. Editing was an issue, especially in the latter half of the novel. There are several instances where the dialogue has opening quotes but no closing ones, words missing, and (one of my favorites) the black knight in a game of chess is spelled "night." There are also some big picture issues. It's never fully explained why
I'm still going with four stars though because frankly, I REALLY liked this book. The thrill while reading Allusion is comparable to being in an escape room. It's so much fun being in Lucy's head as she works her way through the labyrinth of clues left for her. Lucy and Toph are also great characters. I love how Hyldahl chooses to stay clear from tired YA character tropes. Lucy is very likable with a bright and lively voice (no angst here), and Toph is actually written as a 'real' dude who sweats, eats a ton of junk food, drives a messy car...etc.
Long story short: Allusion has some issues, but is nonetheless exciting and fun to read.
I'm still going with four stars though because frankly, I REALLY liked this book. The thrill while reading Allusion is comparable to being in an escape room. It's so much fun being in Lucy's head as she works her way through the labyrinth of clues left for her. Lucy and Toph are also great characters. I love how Hyldahl chooses to stay clear from tired YA character tropes. Lucy is very likable with a bright and lively voice (no angst here), and Toph is actually written as a 'real' dude who sweats, eats a ton of junk food, drives a messy car...etc.
Long story short: Allusion has some issues, but is nonetheless exciting and fun to read.
May 23, 2019
The synopsis sounded interesting on this one, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did! The story line was very different from anything else I've read, and I didn't see the secrets of the characters coming like I thought I would. The protagonist and her love interest were very realistic with flaws and strengths that I wasn't sure I could become invested in, but I did. There are a few editorial mistakes, but it wasn't enough to turn me off. I loved how the hopelessness of Lucy's future became brighter and brighter as the story progressed. I would recommend this book to ages 14 and up.
This would be a good book to use in the classroom to teach resilience, self-reliance, and hope. Having the parent/child roles reversed in this story helped me appreciate the good life I have. Youth who think that they don't know how to do anything would be inspired by Lucy's determination to be the breadwinner, homemaker, and care-giver to her mother. It's good to see that we can all do hard things when we need to.
-There is some physical violence in this book, especially at the climax/end.
-There is an occasional swear word.
-There isn't any drugs or sex.
This would be a good book to use in the classroom to teach resilience, self-reliance, and hope. Having the parent/child roles reversed in this story helped me appreciate the good life I have. Youth who think that they don't know how to do anything would be inspired by Lucy's determination to be the breadwinner, homemaker, and care-giver to her mother. It's good to see that we can all do hard things when we need to.
-There is some physical violence in this book, especially at the climax/end.
-There is an occasional swear word.
-There isn't any drugs or sex.
May 3, 2019
Whoa. That was more than I expected.
When I started the book, I fully expected it to be a more light-hearted story, maybe with letters leading her along like a scavenger hunt, and her father intended her to find her childhood friend so she could have support.
Nope. That’s not how this went down at all.
The story I thought this would be was all done within the first maybe 35-40% of the book. And then the real story began.
It was intense. There were clues inside clues about the mystery, there was thievery, evil intentions, a bit of violence, time crunches and the accompanying pressure, medical and science terminology... but then the end came, and it wrapped up pretty well. The solution to one problem was almost too easy for my liking, but what can ya do?
4 stars.
When I started the book, I fully expected it to be a more light-hearted story, maybe with letters leading her along like a scavenger hunt, and her father intended her to find her childhood friend so she could have support.
Nope. That’s not how this went down at all.
The story I thought this would be was all done within the first maybe 35-40% of the book. And then the real story began.
It was intense. There were clues inside clues about the mystery, there was thievery, evil intentions, a bit of violence, time crunches and the accompanying pressure, medical and science terminology... but then the end came, and it wrapped up pretty well. The solution to one problem was almost too easy for my liking, but what can ya do?
4 stars.
August 5, 2019
I liked it but I guess it's a sign that the characters are well done that I can get this emotional trying to figure this stuff out.
May 4, 2019
Fantastic light read!
This was a great story! Lucy was a well-developed character that I grew to like very much. She's bright, dedicated, loyal. Christopher's a good friend. And the villain is truly evil. The plot moved at a good pace, with lots of twists and turns, puzzles to solve, trying to figure out who did what. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because it's not great literature, and I have to reserve five stars for great literature. This was well worth my time and money. I highly recommend it to everybody.
Stand alone story with a happy ending.
Contains no sex scenes, no swear words, and some violence.
This was a great story! Lucy was a well-developed character that I grew to like very much. She's bright, dedicated, loyal. Christopher's a good friend. And the villain is truly evil. The plot moved at a good pace, with lots of twists and turns, puzzles to solve, trying to figure out who did what. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because it's not great literature, and I have to reserve five stars for great literature. This was well worth my time and money. I highly recommend it to everybody.
Stand alone story with a happy ending.
Contains no sex scenes, no swear words, and some violence.
August 28, 2018
The writing itself was very good and most of the characters were well-drawn out. But some of the characters and plot lines were cliched and it was eye-rollingly implausible. The first half the book was boring to me so I skimmed. It got exciting midway through and kept me reading, only to disappoint me with the ridiculous and nonsensical plot and ending. I would read more by this author because she is a good writer, but if another book of hers is this silly then I'm afraid I'd give up.
May 4, 2019
Interesting , draws you in
I really enjoyed this book. I stayed up late reading as I couldn’t wait to find out what really happened. It wasn’t till near the end that I began to guess as to how it would end.
I love mysteries, and I love the fact that she had a job as a CNA.
CNAs never receive credit of this sort. ( being talked about in a good story.)
I really enjoyed this book. I stayed up late reading as I couldn’t wait to find out what really happened. It wasn’t till near the end that I began to guess as to how it would end.
I love mysteries, and I love the fact that she had a job as a CNA.
CNAs never receive credit of this sort. ( being talked about in a good story.)
June 11, 2019
This was an exciting read, and well written. the details are mind boggling and certainly kept me on the edge of my seat! I have to say I was surprised more than once by characters in the story! I would recommend highly to any age for a stimulating puzzle and mystery that is underlined in love and family values!
January 17, 2021
Loved this book! I couldn’t seem to put it down. A lot of unexpected parts that left me shook. I’ll recommend this to anyone in a reading slump. An easy and fun read. At the end it felt like all the details came together too quickly and perfectly but I love a happy ending so it didn’t bother me much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 26, 2024
I would give this book 3.5 stars if I could but I’m going to raise up to 4 because it is one of my “comfort books” that I have read multiple times, I have in the past enjoyed this book a lot, but this time around I found it slight irritating and corny. Otherwise it is still a great read for when you are in the mood for a more lighted hearted mystery.
July 13, 2025
I would give this book 3.5 stars if I could, but I’m gonna raise it up to a 4 because it is one of my “comfort books” that I have read multiple times. I have in the past enjoyed this book, but this time around I found it slightly irritating and corny. Otherwise it is still a great read when you are in the mood for a more light hearted mystery.
May 2, 2019
Enjoyable enough except for spelling and grammar
Nicely woven YA puzzle with a doggedly determined heroine who manages to figure out the clues to a decade long mystery with the help of her rediscovered childhood friend.
Nicely woven YA puzzle with a doggedly determined heroine who manages to figure out the clues to a decade long mystery with the help of her rediscovered childhood friend.
May 28, 2019
First two thirds were amazing, really interesting and then it got all a bit too much... like how she was able to solve all these crazy riddles and literally jumping to the solutions... But overall a good read!
August 7, 2019
Great book, interesting mystery. Who is leaving birthday presents for Lucy? What do they mean, how do they fit so well into her life, and why is Art in a nursing home? This is a spare, fast paced novel.
Lucy, Toph, and their families are full rounded characters.
Lucy, Toph, and their families are full rounded characters.
February 3, 2021
I liked the book, but for some reason I had a hard time to continue reading. The story was interesting, however a lot happened within a short amount of time and at times thing got confusing.. Maybe I should read it again without too many breaks.
April 3, 2021
3.5 stars
How do I review this book?
It was such a mix for me - entertaining, compelling, sometimes confusing and over the top.
I liked the characters and that’s what kept me going, although I found the storyline a little too much.
Glad I finished it, though.
How do I review this book?
It was such a mix for me - entertaining, compelling, sometimes confusing and over the top.
I liked the characters and that’s what kept me going, although I found the storyline a little too much.
Glad I finished it, though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews